Chapter 222: Old Gourmet (1)

Chu Lian stared with eyes wide open in shock. Had this steward gotten her mixed up with someone else? Please, she wasn’t a doctor and she didn’t know how to treat people. She didn’t have any miraculous cure-all either. How was she supposed to save Old Duke Zheng?
Matriarch He was also confused. However, the steward kneeling at her feet didn’t seem to be lying. The anxiety and grief in his expression wasn’t something that could be faked so easily.
“What’s going on? Sanlang’s wife doesn’t know medicine. How can she save Old Duke Zheng?”
Upon hearing Matriarch He’s questions, House Zheng’s steward blushed for an instant. However, he couldn’t hide the truth anyway, so he explained the circumstances in full to Matriarch He and Chu Lian.
Even when Chu Lian had already boarded House Zheng’s carriage, she was still a little dizzy from the sudden turn of events.
What a strange predicament this was. Who could have expected that Old Duke Zheng’s illness had been caused by the lack of gourmet dishes that fit his exacting tastes…
No wonder House Zheng had kept this matter sealed up so tightly. The explanation they gave to outsiders was that Old Duke Zheng was getting on in age and his health was declining to the point that he was bedridden.
If the social circles of the nobility were to find out that Old Duke Zheng had stopped eating due to his pickiness over food and that it had caused the decline in his health, wouldn’t they laugh until their faces cramped up? House Zheng would also become the laughingstock of the capital if that were to happen.
The corners of Chu Lian’s mouth twitched. This Old Duke Zheng had really contracted a very strange illness…
Chu Lian also finally understood why Old Duchess Zheng had been so anxious to invite her to their estate.
Luckily, Chu Lian wasn’t a cold-hearted person. Since they had come to her for help due to the circumstances, she was happy to oblige. As the saying goes, there is more merit in saving a person’s life than in building a seven-story pagoda. Furthermore, the person in need here was Old Duke Zheng, who had a good reputation in the capital.
However, she couldn’t make an empty promise. She had only told House Zheng’s steward that she would try her best.
Even so, that steward had thanked her profusely, as if he had finally found the help they needed.
While watching Chu Lian’s actions, Matriarch He had given a nod of approval inwardly. Sanlang’s wife was kind but not too soft. She knew her own limits and hadn’t tried to show off her skills. Although she was a little lazy normally, when it came to major events, she was good at keeping the situation under control.
On the way to the Zheng Estate, Chu Lian hadn’t been idle.
She started by asking the steward what Old Duke Zheng liked to eat, before asking after his physical health. After thinking it over in her mind, she started forming an initial list of dishes to make.
Once the steward got Honoured Lady Jinyi’s instructions, he immediately ordered one of the manservants in their party to rush back to the estate to prepare the ingredients that Honoured Lady Jinyi required.
Matriarch He and Chu Lian finally reached the Zheng Estate after half an hour.
They got off the carriage at the side gate of the estate and were led into the inner court by Old Duchess Zheng herself. They then entered Old Duke Zheng’s bedroom.
When Heir Zheng returned to the estate, he noticed a few carriages parked outside the side gate and one of the estate’s grooms taking care of the horses.
Xiao Bojian dismounted from his horse and looked carefully at the carriages. He spoke his observations in a baffled tone, “Tiancheng, those seem to be House Jing’an’s carriages.”
Heir Zheng looked more closely at the symbols on the carriage and agreed. The heir only knew that his grandfather’s health was failing, but his parents hadn’t told him the reason for his grandfather’s illness. Thus, Heir Zheng was still in the dark about the situation.
He shot a glance at his manservant. The quick-witted manservant got the message and quickly went over to enquire about the carriages. In a short moment’s time, he returned and whispered something into Heir Zheng’s ear.
Heir Zheng’s expression turned into one of surprise. “Brother Xiao, House Jing’an’s Matriarch and Honoured Lady Jinyi have come to visit my estate.”
Xiao Bojian was also a little surprised. At the same time, a sweet feeling suffused his heart. See, he and Lian’er were still connected by fate. He had even bumped into her here at the Zheng Estate.