252 Little Master
Like most people, Murong Run knew very little about the very low-key Duke Yong Manor. He only knew that the relationship between Duke Yong and his wife was very harmonious.
Back then, when Duke Yong went out to fight, he left all the children in the family except for his wife.
In the past, Duke Yong had lost and won many battles. Ever since he brought his wife along, he enjoyed consecutive victories. Even until he retired and gave up his position, he had never lost.
Therefore, everyone said that Duke Yong loved his wife as much as his life.
However, there were also people who said that Duke Yong only wanted to use his wife as a bargaining chip.
Duke Yong’s wife was the late Emperor’s cousin, Princess Chaoyang. She was deeply loved by the late Emperor, and Princess Chaoyang’s mother was the eldest princess. It could be said that she was loved by all.
The late Emperor was afraid of Duke Yong’s military ability, but he also wanted to use him to guard the border. Therefore, every time Duke Yong went out to fight, his family could only stay in Wanning City.
There were even rumors that after Duke Yong annexed a foreign country, the late Emperor wanted someone to replace Duke Yong and let him die on the battlefield.
In order to protect himself, Duke Yong forcefully brought his wife along everytime he went out to fight and treated her as a hostage.
The late Emperor was afraid of harming the princess, so he naturally could not touch Duke Yong. After the battles, Duke Yong directly retreated bravely. Not only did he relinquish his authority to control the three armies, he even ordered his nephews not to hold high positions.
From then on, the Duke Yong Manor was like a speck of dust that disappeared into the ground. For more than 20 years, it gradually faded from people’s vision.
The reason why Murong Run knew so much was because he had heard his grandfather and father talk about such topics once.
However, the two of them were very secretive and did not dare to talk too much about this matter. Murong Run also slowly guessed the rest later.
However, they really did not know the truth.
The Murong Family was at most an imperial merchant family and was far from being a noble family. It was Old Master Qiu who had raised their status a little, but it was only a little.
“Young Master Murong of the Murong family has arrived? Please come in!” When Murong Run entered the Duke Yong Manor with the invitation, the steward in charge of receiving him saw his gilded post and immediately welcomed him in with a smile.
When the other guests saw this, they could not help but look at Murong Run.
They did not know which aristocratic family this was, but looking at his clothes, there were no corresponding decorations.
Those famous families, regardless of whether they had money or not, had to pay attention to ostentation, especially when attending banquets. They had to wear something that could increase their status.
Even the shape and size of the jade pendant on their waist, including the carvings, were very particular.
Nobles could wear the clothes of commoners. At most, they would be laughed at.
However, if a commoner wore the decorations of a noble, the highest punishment would be death.
“Young Master Murong, this way please.” The butler blocked all the sizing up gazes and invited Murong Run to the back hall extremely politely.
The butler of the Duke Yong Manor was usually neither servile nor overbearing. He would never welcome people with such a smile.
Could it be that this Young Master Murong, whom they had never seen before, was really from a noble family?
In Wanning City, only the Assistant Minister of the Minister of War had the surname Murong. They had never heard of their family having such a big child.
At this moment, Murong Run, who had been led to the back hall, was also confused.
Could it be that the Empress summoned him to meet him alone? Instead of letting him mingle with the group of noble children?
The fruits that their family had sent over were so powerful?
The servant beside him was a little worried. “Young Master, is there a trap?”
“What trap? I think you’re just panicking.” Murong Run wanted to open the fan he carried with him, but then he remembered that his grandfather had instructed him not to show off after coming to Wanning City.
After all, even a casual spit here could hit a noble.
That was not something that could be settled with money.
The servants diverted Murong Run’s nervousness, and Murong Run was in the mood to size up the surrounding decorations.
When they finally arrived at the back hall, they realized that there were many Young Masters there. They were all very, about eight or nine years old.
Occasionally, there would be one or two 11 or 12-year-olds. Instead, it was the 15-year-old Murong Run who looked especially old.
“Young Master Murong? This way, please.” Another maid came forward and brought Murong Run to the waterside pavilion at the side.
There sat a pale Little Master.
The Little Master looked to be five or six years old. His body was very weak at a glance, and there was faint hostility in his eyes.
He held a handkerchief in his hand and wanted to speak to him, but he coughed first.
After coughing, he even panted a little.
Murong Run thought to himself that this child looks quite sick.
“I’ve embarrassed myself in front of Young Master Murong.” Finally, the Little Master finished coughing, but his words were also weak.
At this moment, Murong Run saw the Little Master’s appearance clearly. His eyebrows were really picturesque!
Although his lips were pale, they were firm, especially his eyes. They were especially bright, as if a window of stars had been closed.
Seeing those eyes, Murong Rui immediately thought of himself, as if he had seen them before.
Oh right, it was in Nanhe Town. That little sister called Ah Yu also had such bright and beautiful eyes.
The difference was that Ah Yu’s eyes were lively, making one feel happy.
Although the eyes of the Little Master in front of him were bright, they did not have much life, as if he was not interested in his surroundings.
Moreover, although his face was good-looking, he did not look feminine at all. One could tell at a glance that he was a Young Master.
“Little Master, have we met before?” Murong Run was really confused.
While Murong Run was sizing him up, the other party was also sizing him up.
“This time, it’s my fault. Please don’t blame me, Young Master Murong.” After Qin Huai finished looking at the other party, he lowered his eyes indifferently and said in an extremely disappointed tone, “I used the name of the Duke Yong Manor to invite Young Master Murong over because there’s something I don’t understand.”
...
Murong Run hurriedly asked, “What is it?”
“To be honest, Young Master, you’ve seen it too. My body is getting worse day by day. The elders in my family are also very anxious, so they sought treatment for me everywhere.” As Qin Huai spoke, he lowered his head and coughed again. Then, he looked at Murong Run with a very grateful gaze. “The fruits Young Master offered previously have greatly alleviated my condition. I just want to personally thank the Young Master.”
Murong Run did not know what was going on in Wanning City, but the other nobles in Wanning City did know. There were several Young Masters raised in the Duke Yong Manor, most of them from other relatives, and there was this Young Master among them.
He had been weak and sickly since he was young. He had visited doctors everywhere to ask for medicine. In Wanning City, all the famous doctors had been to the Duke Yong Manor.
Later on, another divine doctor came and asserted that the Young Master would not live to the age of eight. Now that he thought about it, he was probably about to die.
Murong Run only vaguely remembered that his grandfather had once asked their family to collect all kinds of precious medicinal herbs everywhere. He said that he owed the Duke Yong Manor a favor, so he wanted to help them save someone’s life.
Combining all of these, Murong Run could not help but think to himself, “In that case, isn’t this little Young Master in front of me the one who’s about to die?”
It seemed that even the divine doctor said that it was impossible to save him.
Could it be that the fruits he sent over had the ability to revive the dead?
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