286: Chapter 284 Consultation Fee

Yun Ming did not hide anything and spoke bluntly, "The Old Madam is experiencing a final radiance before death. If she doesn't take the medicine, she will surely die tonight."

The room fell silent instantly.

Everyone gasped as if their throats were being squeezed. Ning Wanqing's face was as white as paper, Ning Yuanzhou's lips were trembling, and the maidservants covered their mouths, tears sliding down silently. The Old Madam's eyelids moved, and then she slowly opened her eyes. She looked at her son and daughter, the corners of her mouth curling slightly into a serene smile. In that smile, there was relief, peace, and a lightness of finally being able to let everything go.

"Since it has come to this, Yuanzhou, Wanqing..." Her voice was weak but clear. "Let Mother say a few words to you."

Ning Yuanzhou rushed to the bedside and held his mother's hand, tears flowing uncontrollably. Ning Wanqing also knelt down and buried her head in her mother's shoulder, her whole body shaking. The Old Madam reached out and stroked her son's head, then touched her daughter's face.

"All these years, Mother has been a burden to you..."

Ning Yuanzhou shook his head desperately. "Mother, don't say that. You'll be fine, you'll definitely be fine—" He couldn't go on.

The Old Madam's gaze moved past them and landed on Yun Ming. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but Yun Ming spoke first.

"Alright, wait until you've taken my medicine; it won't be too late to talk tomorrow."

Everyone was stunned for a moment before realizing—Yun Ming had a way to save the Old Madam! Ning Yuanzhou turned his head sharply, his eyes wide. Ning Wanqing also looked up and gazed at Yun Ming through teary eyes, her lips trembling, unable to say a word.

"Mr. Yun, do you... do you really have a way?" Ning Yuanzhou's voice was shaking.

Yun Ming did not answer. He glanced toward the door. "Go fetch a bowl of warm water."

The maidservant Xiao Cui quickly ran out and returned a moment later with a bowl of warm water, holding it in both hands as she offered it to Yun Ming. Yun Ming took the bowl and reached into his sleeve—taking out a jade bottle from the map of mountains and rivers. Inside the bottle was a second-grade Medicinal Pill with a mild nature, something he had refined casually in the past and left forgotten in a corner. To a Cultivator, such a Medicinal Pill was nothing, but to a Mortal, it was better than any Spirit Pill or medicine in the world.

He poured out a Medicinal Pill and held it in his palm. The Medicinal Pill was only the size of a soybean, pale green in color, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. Ning Yuanzhou stared at the Medicinal Pill, his eyes fixed. He had never seen such a medicine, but just one sniff of that clear fragrance made him feel refreshed, and the fatigue accumulated from days of travel dissipated slightly.

Yun Ming placed the Medicinal Pill on the table and crushed it with his hand, the powder falling into the bowl. The pale green powder dissolved instantly upon contact with the water, turning the clear water into a pale green medicinal soup. The medicinal fragrance grew stronger, filling the entire room. Ning Wanqing took a deep breath and felt the stagnant Qi in her chest mostly dissipate.

"This is my specially prepared Medicinal Pill. One bowl of medicinal soup is enough to cure the illness." Yun Ming picked up the bowl and walked to the bedside. "Old Madam, open your mouth."

The Old Madam hesitated for a moment but still opened her mouth. Yun Ming brought the rim of the bowl to her lips and tilted it slowly. The medicinal soup entered her mouth, and the Old Madam's throat moved as she swallowed. The first sip, the second sip, the third sip.

After the small half-bowl of medicinal soup was finished, the Old Madam's eyelids grew heavy, her head slowly tilted to one side, and then—she stopped moving.

Ning Wanqing's heart suddenly tightened.

She watched her mother close her eyes, watched her mother's head tilt onto the pillow, and watched her mother's hand slip from Ning Yuanzhou's palm.

Her mind went blank, her mouth opened, and tears gushed out. A piercing cry was about to burst from her throat—

A hand covered her mouth.

Yun Ming's hand was neither light nor heavy, just enough to block all her sound.

"Don't be in a hurry. Look closely." His voice was calm, as if he were speaking of something perfectly ordinary.

Ning Wanqing widened her eyes and looked at her mother through her tears.

The Old Madam's chest was rising and falling steadily and regularly. Her breathing was no longer the intermittent kind from earlier that day, which seemed like it could stop at any moment; instead, it was long, steady, and rhythmic. Her nostrils flared slightly, and a faint snoring sound came from her throat.

She wasn't dead. She was asleep.

Ning Wanqing's legs gave way, and she slumped against the edge of the bed, her whole body trembling. Ning Yuanzhou also realized it, his back already soaked with cold sweat. He gasped for breath as if he had just been pulled out of water.

Several maidservants also saw clearly and covered their mouths, tears flowing uncontrollably, but this time they were tears of joy. Someone whispered, "Mr. Yun is truly a divine doctor," their voice very light, as if afraid of disturbing the Old Madam. Others chimed in, their voices kept extremely low, but the gratitude and admiration in their tone could not be suppressed.

Ning Yuanzhou glanced at his mother on the bed and then at the room full of people.

"Alright, alright, everyone out. Except for Wanqing and the two personal maidservants, everyone else withdraw. No one is allowed to enter this room without my orders."

The maidservants quickly wiped their tears and filed out. The servants also hunched their shoulders and retreated. The Old Steward was the last to leave, gently closing the door. Only the Old Madam, Ning Wanqing, the two maidservants, Yun Ming, and Ah Yuan remained in the room.

Ning Yuanzhou turned to Ning Wanqing, lowering his voice. "Wanqing, you stay here and watch over Mother. Cuizhu, Cuilan, you two stay as well and take turns looking after her. Report immediately if there is any movement from the Old Madam."

The two maidservants quickly responded. Ning Wanqing nodded and sat down by the bed again, holding her mother's hand. Her eyes, however, remained on Yun Ming. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.

Ning Yuanzhou took a deep breath and turned to Yun Ming. "Mr. Yun, please come with me."

Yun Ming nodded and followed behind Ning Yuanzhou with Ah Yuan.

The three of them walked through the corridor, turned through a moon gate, and arrived at Ning Yuanzhou's study.

The study was not large; three walls were covered with bookshelves filled with books—classics, histories, philosophies, military strategies, and a few yellowed medical texts. A letter lay spread out on the desk, unfinished, with the ink already dry.

The candlelight flickered, casting swaying shadows on the wall.

Ning Yuanzhou invited Yun Ming to sit and sat opposite him. Ah Yuan stood behind Yun Ming, as quiet as a shadow.

"Mr. Yun, words cannot express my gratitude for your great kindness." Ning Yuanzhou spoke, his voice still somewhat raspy. "Regarding what happened before, it was my fault. I offer my apologies to you." He stood up, about to kneel.

Yun Ming reached out to stop him. "I've said before, I don't like these formalities. There's no need for kowtowing."

Ning Yuanzhou did not insist and sat down again. "Then what does the gentleman desire? Silver? An official post? If you wish to go to the Imperial Medical Academy, I still have some connections in the capital to facilitate it. With your medical skills, entering the Imperial Medical Academy is more than enough."

Yun Ming shook his head. "I don't want silver, and I don't want a position."

Ning Yuanzhou was stunned for a moment. "Then what do you want?"

Yun Ming leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers twice on the table. "What I want, Lord Ning might not be willing to give."

Ning Yuanzhou's brow furrowed. "Please speak plainly. As long as it's something I can afford to give, I will not refuse."

Yun Ming looked into his eyes and said word by word, "I want Lord Ning, and the entire Ning family, to be my servants."

The study fell silent. The candlelight flickered, and the shadows on the wall swayed. Ning Yuanzhou's expression changed from confusion to shock, and from shock to solemnity. He looked at Yun Ming, and Yun Ming looked at him. Their gazes met in the candlelight, neither yielding.

Ah Yuan stood behind Yun Ming, looking at Ning Yuanzhou's stiff face and sighing inwardly. Master's appetite was truly not small.