Finest Servant

"Where, where!" Lin Wanrong awkwardly laughed off his embarrassment, gently taking her hand as they hurriedly made their way inside.

Outside the door, patients patiently queued, daring not to disturb the doctor within. Yet, when they saw this unknown youth brazenly bypassing the long line and storming inside, they couldn't help but stare in anger, their eyes fixated on him with irritation.

Lin Wanrong chuckled merrily, pressing his palms together in an apologetic gesture. "Sorry everyone, I'm in a bit of a rush here. It's a matter quite vital to the doctor's happiness inside. Please forgive me."

Without caring if the Goryeo bystanders understood him or not, he hurried to the door of the small building. Just as the door quietly opened, a patient who had finished treatment stepped out. Lin Wanrong, holding Yuruo's hand, entered in a flurry of urgency.

As they entered, a faint scent of sandalwood wafted past their noses, instantly soothing their restless spirits.

The living room was spacious, simply and elegantly furnished, with several tables and chairs set out for waiting patients. Behind them was a curtain-secluded diagnosis area, where the doctor sat.

Through the swaying tassels of the curtain, they could see a female doctor seated inside, around forty to fifty years old, looking at them with kind and compassionate eyes. "Young people, what ailment brings you and your wife here? Infertility? I'm afraid that's beyond our expertise!"

Fortunately, Lin Wanrong did not understand her words, otherwise, he would have exploded in anger: 'Infertility? How dare you! I fathered two sons at once and have three more on the way in my wives's belly!'

About three or four meters away from the older doctor, another curtain hung, behind which a graceful figure could be seen in utter silence and tranquility.

"Thank you," Lin Wanrong bowed to the female doctor, then hurriedly pulled the Eldest Miss towards the inner area.

"Ah, she's not here for treatment—" the doctor tried to stop them, but couldn't keep up with their pace.

With each step, the silhouette behind the gently shaking curtain became clearer.

A few withered azaleas stood in a vase on the table. A serene and elegant woman sat sideways at the table, gently touching the dried Golden Dendrobiums (A type of orchid), staring blankly at the calligraphy and paintings on the wall, lost in thought.

On the wall hung a splash-ink landscape painting. The faintly colored mountains were covered in a fiery red blanket of blooming azaleas, with a cuckoo bird, arriving from nowhere, soaring amidst the vibrant blossoms. A few crystal-clear, ruby-red teardrops slowly fell onto the charming petals.

In spring's blush fades, yet autumn's hue returns,

From a vanished realm, to Chu's palace it yearns.

Surely it's Shu's grievances that never cease to cry,

Relying on its colors to lament to the western sky.

This mournful verse was lightly inscribed amidst the blossoms, exquisitely beautiful and heartrending.

This was the legend of "The Cuckoo Crying Blood, Mourning for Its Offspring," which Lin Wanrong once used to move many hearts during his mandated courtship missions. Now, it had been crafted into a painting by some thoughtful artist.

After many days, the little palace maid remained as lovely as ever, with rosy lips and pearly teeth, her skin as clear and lustrous as washed egg whites. Her round, bright eyes radiated a quiet and serene elegance.

A voluminous Goryeo dress gracefully draped over her delicate frame, concealing her alluring form. Her eyes followed down from her slender, white neck to see her full, pert bosom, and down to her shapely, full legs — the epitome of temptation.

Yet, the silent breeze that played with her long hair and dress made her appear fragile, like a willow swaying in the storm, evoking a sense of pitiable delicacy.

"Hello, are you here for a consultation? What symptoms do you have?" The palace maid's voice was as gentle as ever. She sighed, her eyes clearing as she turned around soundlessly to pick up a small brush from the table to record.

"Yes, I've been having a multitude of symptoms recently." Lin Wanrong, not understanding Goryeo, guessed the nature of her query from her demeanor and sat down in front of her with a grin. "For example, I've been over-nourished, my body is too robust, and my vigor in the bedroom too intense. Could the miss prescribe a remedy for me?"

The brush in the palace maid's hand fell with a soft "tap". She trembled, lifting her head to see the grinning face before her, tears the size of beans instantly welling up, leaving her speechless.

"Jang Geum Dongsaeng, how have you been?" Lin Wanrong asked with a faint smile.

Seo Jang Geum stared at him dumbfounded, her delicate skin flushing a fiery pink, like the peach blossoms of March. She pondered, her tears rolling down continuously.

"Sir—" It took her a while to finally tremble and open her moist, red lips, her eyes misty with tears, her legs slowly bending as she knelt down.

As she rose, her dress revealed a protruding belly, clearly seven months along.

Lin Wanrong was shocked and swiftly supported her. "What are you doing? You shouldn't kneel in your condition! Do you want to kill me?"

Seo Jang Geum closed her eyes, her tears falling like broken pearls, weakly curling up in his arms, shaking her head desperately. "Sir, I'm sorry, it's all my fault!"

Her transparent skin was crystal clear, and her beautiful eyes gently closed, resembling dewy pear blossoms, fragile and delicate.

Faced with such a powerless woman, even a man as tough as General Lin was at a loss for words. He sighed quietly. "Miss Jang Geum, what do you have to apologize to me for? I don't understand!"

This address as "Miss Jang Geum" instantly created a chasm between them, her body trembling with grief, as if she would break down any moment, unable to utter a single word.

The Eldest Miss, annoyed, glared at him and quickly leaned over, gently patting the palace maid's shoulder. "Don't be afraid, Sister Jang Geum, speak up! If he dares to scold you, I'll teach him a lesson!"

The palace maid shook her head with a sob. "Miss Xiao, it's not the Sir's fault, it's all Jang Geum's mistake! Even if the Sir beats or scolds me, I am willing!"

Looking at her rounded belly, Xiao Yuruo sighed and shook her head. "Sister Jang Geum, I don't mean to be harsh, but I must speak fairly for My Dear. Even if you love him, you shouldn't have resorted to such means! Drugging him in his drink, secretly carrying the Lin family's child, and then quietly returning to Goryeo. Even in peaceful times, that would be worrisome, let alone now with the ongoing wars. If something were to happen to you, the Lin family's bloodline—"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry—" The palace maid bowed her head in desperation, her tears falling continuously, unable to bring herself to look directly at him.

Seeing her pitiable state, the Eldest Miss couldn't bring herself to reprimand her. Frustrated with her husband's silence, she pinched his arm sharply. "What are you standing there for? Say something!"

With her belly so large, what more could be said? General Lin, with a bitter smile, coughed awkwardly. "Miss Xiao is right, Miss Jang Geum. What you did was very wrong. You must be more careful next time—oh, that's not right. You must thoroughly reflect on this. The favors of our Lin family aren't to be taken lightly!"

He was a classic case of a tough exterior but a soft heart. Xiao Yuruo listened with resignation. Regardless of Jang Geum's initial motives for her fleeting marital bond with General Lin, it was heart-wrenching to consider her plight: an unmarried woman suddenly with child, likely subject to endless gossip. Pregnant and still tirelessly working on the war front to treat and save lives, she was indeed a remarkable woman.

With such thoughts, the urge to blame vanished. Seeing Seo Jang Geum's clear yet shy gaze, Xiao Yuruo could only shake her head. "Miss Jang Geum, please take him inside to talk. I'll wait here for you."

Grateful for Miss Xiao's understanding and wisdom, the palace maid stole a few glances at Lin Wanrong but remained silent.

Behind the treatment room was a serene bedroom. Miss Xiao's intention was for him to speak heart-to-heart with the palace maid. Lin Wanrong quickly grabbed Yuruo's hand, whispering, "Let's go together! I'm a bit scared to be alone in there."

The Eldest Miss was caught between laughter and annoyance. 'What is there for a grown man to fear? At most, let her take advantage again!'

"Miss Xiao, thank you!" Jang Geum bowed deeply to Yuruo, who quickly steadied her. "You're with child; such formalities are unnecessary! Don't be afraid to speak with him. You know how he is — tough on the outside but soft inside. He won't harm you; just be at ease."

Hearing this, Lin Wanrong gave a helpless smile, gently rubbing her waist. "May I ask Miss Xiao, whose side are you on?"

Yuruo glared at him, then looked silently at the palace maid's protruding belly, softly saying with envy, "I'm not on anyone's side; I'm only for our Lin family."

Lin Wanrong's heart melted at her words. Nodding earnestly, he whispered in her ear with a chuckle, "For that statement alone, my dear, your belly will surely be twice as big as Jang Geum's one day."

Miss Xiao blushed and scoffed, feeling a tender weakness spread through her.

Seo Jang Geum watched their intimate banter with deep admiration. She silently drew back the curtain, her face blooming with a bright pink hue, and respectfully said, "Sir, please come in."

There was no need for formalities with Jang Geum. Lin Wanrong sighed and stepped into the room.

Upon entering, he paused, taken aback. The room was small, with a bright pink bed at the center. Beside the window was a high platform with a low table on it, arranged just like that night in the capital. Vases filled the space, spotlessly clean, each holding withered azalea flowers.

Azaleas bloom in spring, and now it was deep autumn. These wilted blossoms had likely been there for more than half a year.

He sighed deeply, unsure of what to say.

Seo Jang Geum, with a mist of tears in her eyes, bent down gently, straining to reach for a pair of cloth slippers placed beside her. With tenderness, she said, "Sir, let Jang Geum assist you in changing your shoes."

This scene, strikingly familiar, prompted Lin Wanrong to quickly snatch the slippers from her hands, exclaiming in anger, "Nonsense! At a time like this, how can you bend down?"

The palace maid's nose tingled, her moist, cherry-like lips quivering as she looked up at him. "Sir, it's our Goryeo custom!"

"What custom? Because I am a distinguished guest?" he asked irritably.

Seo Jang Geum, her cheeks flushed as if aflame, silently shook her head, helping him sit on the kang [TL: bed with heating underneath], and then attempted to kneel to remove his shoes.

Lin Wanrong, startled and alarmed, quickly steadied her heavy frame. "No, no, let it be! This isn't serving me; this is endangering my life!"

The palace maid's face turned crimson with embarrassment. Unable to squat, she stubbornly pushed him down onto the bed, removed his shoes, and replaced them with slippers. Only then, with a satisfied look and a smile, did tears again well up in her eyes.

"Alright, alright, no more crying!" Seeing her clear, bright, and resolute eyes, Lin Wanrong's heart softened, and he could no longer voice his complaints. He sat up abruptly. "Tell me, was it responsible of you to do what you did last time?"

Seo Jang Geum, her cheeks flushed and eyes red, lowered her head silently. "Sir, I am sorry, so sorry!"

"Just saying sorry, does that help?" he huffed angrily. "Do you realize the damage you caused to my mature body and youthful heart? Ever since then, I dare not drink wine offered by women, nor dare to enter a woman's chamber—ahem, except my wives'—"

"I'm sorry, so sorry!" The palace maid cried incessantly, repeating the only words she knew to say. Yet, Lin Wanrong's words puzzled her amidst her sorrow: 'Apart from entering your wives' chamber, whose else would you want to enter?'

Lin Wanrong, having vented his frustration and seeing her tremble and pale, could not bear to be harsh anymore. He coughed dryly, grumbling, "So, tell me, would you dare to drug and deceive me again? Hmph, to make me faint at such a crucial moment, absurd, utterly absurd!"

This was a humiliation like none he had ever experienced, stirring both new and old resentments, and naturally, his voice rose with emotion.

The palace maid, her heart pounding, silently bowed her head, her voice barely audible, "I dare not, sir, I will never dare again!"

Hi, if you like the story, please rate and review this novel on novelupdates. Thanks!

Announcement