Chapter 2: The Full Story
The Duke of Anguo was not an impulsive or hot-tempered man, but when it concerned his own son, he couldn’t help but grow anxious and agitated. So much so that he had even forgotten to call for a physician, it was Jiang Chenghan who had to remind him. After listening to Jiang Chenghan’s explanation, though the Duke was still furious, he retained enough rationality to consider Jiang Chenghan’s words.
Of course, he wasn’t about to fully trust Jiang Chenghan’s account just yet, but he was now half-convinced. After all, if what Jiang Chenghan said was true, the situation would undoubtedly be far more complicated.
Given the decades-long friendship between the Duke’s estate and the General’s estate, as well as his own son’s reputation and future, the Duke ultimately calmed down and decided to wait until Yan Jingshu woke up before making any decisions.
Seeing that the Duke, though still glaring at him, had stopped ordering the servants to tie him up and ceased his threats, Jiang Chenghan said nothing further.
They didn’t have to wait long. Soon, the servant Jiang Chenghan had sent to fetch a physician returned, supporting an elderly man with graying hair and beard as they hurried into the room. “The physician is here, the physician is here. Doctor Zhao, quick, please examine our young master!”
The servant was in such a frantic rush that he didn’t even notice the Duke’s presence as he half-dragged the old physician toward the bed.
It wasn’t until the Duke stood abruptly at the commotion that the servant was startled, quickly releasing the physician to bow in greeting.
Hearing that the Duke was present, the old physician also hurriedly cupped his hands in salute. But the Duke, too worried about his son, strode forward and grasped the physician’s arm before he could complete the gesture, pulling him toward the bed with urgency. “No need for formalities, Elder. My son has been unconscious for some time now, and we don’t know the cause. I must trouble you to examine him at once.”
The old physician, having practiced medicine for many years, knew that the patient’s well-being came first. After acknowledging the Duke, he opened the medical kit he carried with him and took out a pulse pillow.
Once a maid pulled Yan Jingshu’s hand out from under the embroidered quilt, the physician immediately began taking his pulse, simultaneously asking when the symptoms had started and whether there had been any prior signs.
The servants and maids, unaware of what had truly happened, could only exchange bewildered glances, unable to provide an answer. Eventually, all eyes turned to Jiang Chenghan.
Jiang Chenghan did know some details. After a moment of contemplation, he carefully explained, “I’m not certain exactly when Young Master Yan’s condition began. When I first saw him, he was already burning with fever, drenched in sweat, and barely conscious… At the time, I also felt somewhat unwell myself. Fearing the worst, I had no choice but to strike the back of his neck with my hand to knock him out…”
At this point, everyone in the room stared at Jiang Chenghan in shock, no one had expected that he was the one who had rendered Yan Jingshu unconscious. The Duke, in particular, shot Jiang Chenghan a furious glare. How dare this man, after harming his son, still claim innocence so boldly and unrepentantly? Truly despicable!
Jiang Chenghan didn’t miss the Duke’s glare, but he felt no regret.
Given Yan Jingshu’s frenzied state at the time, if he hadn’t acted swiftly to knock him out, who knew what disgraceful scene might have unfolded? That would have only brought greater trouble upon himself.
Knocking Yan Jingshu out had been for the young master’s sake, and his own.
Now, with Yan Jingshu’s health at stake, Jiang Chenghan couldn’t withhold the truth, lest it delay proper treatment. Besides, since he had done it, he had no reason to shy away from admitting it.
Jiang Chenghan continued, “…Feeling that something was amiss, I tried to call for help. But as soon as I forced the door open and stepped outside, someone struck me from behind, knocking me out. The next thing I knew, I was woken by a maid’s scream. What happened to Young Master Yan during that time, I have no idea.”
Though Jiang Chenghan spoke matter-of-factly, the strangeness of his account was impossible to miss.
The Duke couldn’t help but recall Jiang Chenghan’s earlier claim that both he and Yan Jingshu had been framed. After a brief deliberation, he suppressed his anger once more, deciding to wait until Yan Jingshu regained consciousness. After all, Jiang Chenghan wasn’t going anywhere, he could deal with him once the truth came to light.
With the Duke silent, no one else dared to speak.
After listening to Jiang Chenghan’s account, the old physician pondered for a moment before withdrawing his hand, having finished taking Yan Jingshu’s pulse.
The Duke immediately asked, “Physician, how is my son?”
“Do not fret, Lord Duke,” the physician replied, putting away the pulse pillow as he addressed the Duke. “The young master’s condition is not serious. He has merely ingested an excessive amount of an aphrodisiac, which caused the fever, sweating, and delirium. Though his vital energy is somewhat depleted, with proper rest for a few days and nourishing foods to replenish his qi and blood, he will recover fully.”
“An aphrodisiac?!” Though he had already suspected as much, hearing the physician confirm it still sent a jolt of alarm through the Duke. Suddenly remembering something crucial, he pressed further, “Physician, then my son’s… my son’s body, has it…”
The Duke wanted to ask whether Yan Jingshu was still untouched—after all, Yan Jingshu was a shuang’er. While shuang'er could take wives and sire heirs, if they were deflowered by a man before marriage, they would lose the ability to impregnate women or other shuang’er, leaving them no choice but to marry like women.
The Duke was not one to favor sons over daughters. He cherished all his children, be they sons, daughters, or shuang’er. But Yan Jingshu had been raised as a boy from childhood, and he was so outstandingly talented. If he were forced to lose his innocence and marry as a result of today’s events, how could he possibly accept it?
The mere thought made the Duke’s heart ache unbearably, and he struggled to voice the question, afraid of hearing an answer he didn’t want.
Under normal circumstances, the Duke’s fragmented words might have left the physician puzzled. But having just diagnosed Yan Jingshu with an aphrodisiac, and seeing the red mole between his brows marking him as a shuang’er, the old physician understood the unspoken implication without further explanation.
Stroking his beard, he chuckled reassuringly. “Set your mind at ease, Lord Duke. The young master is perfectly unharmed, not a single blemish or irregularity to be found.”
Hearing this, the Duke’s heart, which had been clenched in fear since the maid’s report, finally settled back into place.
“Good, that’s good.” The Duke exhaled deeply in relief, his face breaking into a smile. But as he looked at Yan Jingshu’s tightly shut eyes, he couldn’t help but ask, “Then when will my son wake up?”
The physician, retrieving an acupuncture kit from his bag, replied, “Once I administer needles to regulate his qi and blood, clear his meridians, and dispel the remaining drug effects, the young master will awaken.”
“I see. Then I must trouble you further.”
“You honor me, Lord Duke.”
As the physician began applying the needles, the Duke withdrew from the inner chamber. Jiang Chenghan followed him out to the main hall. He thought that by now, the Duke should be calm enough to listen to him properly.
“Chenghan, what’s going on? Why are you here? And why is Lord Yan present as well?” Just as Jiang Chenghan was about to speak, a familiar voice rang out. Turning around, he saw a middle-aged man in his fifties stride across the threshold, followed by the servant who had taken Jiang Chenghan’s token to summon help earlier.
The newcomer was none other than Jiang Chenghan’s superior - General Kou Shijun. He had been attending the banquet in the main hall when a servant suddenly approached him with Jiang Chenghan’s token, urgently requesting his presence but unable to explain why.
Though puzzled, Kou Shijun knew Jiang Chenghan to be steady and not one to cause trouble, nor was he easily bullied. His curiosity outweighed his concern, but upon arriving and seeing the Duke’s grim expression, his heart sank. Had Jiang Chenghan truly landed himself in serious trouble?
“General.” Recognizing Kou Shijun’s worry, Jiang Chenghan offered a reassuring smile before recounting everything that had transpired.
The incident had begun when he followed a servant to change clothes. As it was his first time at the Duke’s estate and he didn’t know his way around, he naturally went where the servant led him. Never imagining he might fall into a trap, he hadn’t been particularly vigilant.
Only after being led to a quiet, elegantly furnished room and waiting for some time - without the servant returning with fresh clothes as promised, did he hear strange noises from the inner chamber. When he went to look, he found the Duke’s second son, Yan Jingshu, lying on the bed in disheveled robes, clearly not in his right mind.
At the same time, Jiang Chenghan’s own body grew inexplicably hot and restless, his head swimming with dizziness.
Though unsure what had happened to himself or Yan Jingshu, Jiang Chenghan instinctively knew he couldn’t stay. He retreated from the inner chamber, intending to leave while he still could. But when he tried the door, he found it locked from the outside.
Though weakened, he mustered enough strength to break the door open. The exertion, however, sent his blood boiling and his mind reeling further, leaving him so unsteady that he failed to notice the person lying in wait outside—until a blow from behind knocked him unconscious.
The next thing he knew, he was awakened by a maid’s scream.
As Jiang Chenghan spoke, Kou Shijun’s frown deepened. He never expected this matter to involve the Duke’s second son, Yan Jingshu. No wonder the Duke was here, looking so thunderous.
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