The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 412

Xu Wan was touched but still shook her head and said, "I'm fine. It's your grandfather who's fallen ill. He hasn't improved these past few days, and the whole family is worried."

"Ah? Grandfather is sick?" Zong Jincheng was stunned. In his memory, his grandfather was a formidable martial artist who would brush off any illness as if it were nothing. How could he not recover after several days?

"He's been feeling unwell and hasn't been able to take his medicine properly, so his recovery has been slow," Xu Wan said vaguely. The situation was complicated, and there was no need to explain everything to the children.

"How could he not take his medicine?" Zong Jincheng frowned, his face full of concern. "I'll go home and feed Grandfather his medicine myself."

Zong Wenxiu also worriedly added, "I'll go too."

"I…" He Zheng was about to chime in but suddenly remembered he wasn’t the eldest grandson of the marquis’ household. He quietly changed his words to, "I'll wait outside for you. Call me if you need anything."

Xu Wan patted his shoulder.

He Zheng smiled in return.

Xu Wan suddenly recalled something and asked indirectly, "I've been considering whether to assign more guards to you three. When you were younger… were any of you ever targeted by assassins?"

Zong Wenxiu shook his head. "No. In the slums, I didn’t have to worry about assassins—just surviving hunger was hard enough."

He Zheng also shook his head. "No. My family members are all skilled in martial arts. No one would be foolish enough to provoke us."

Zong Jincheng tilted his head in thought. "Does being kidnapped on a pleasure boat and later rescued by His Highness count as an assassination attempt?"

Xu Wan replied, "No. I mean attempts meant to kill you." Those people had been targeting the Crown Prince.

Zong Jincheng tilted his head again. "What about when Luo Jingfeng nearly strangled me to death?"

Xu Wan: "…" You’ve had an unusually eventful life.

She asked, "So apart from those two incidents, no one tried to assassinate you before you turned eight?"

The little troublemaker looked puzzled. "Not that I recall. I’ve always had Buyan by my side. Buyan is incredibly strong—he’s never lost a fight."

Xu Wan sighed in relief.

It seemed Zong Qiyun, despite coveting the marquis’ estate, hadn’t dared to harm Jincheng in the capital. Otherwise, the boy wouldn’t have grown up so smoothly.

Pretending to be casual, Xu Wan said, "Seems like we don’t need extra guards. Let’s leave it as it is for now. Focus on preparing for the imperial exams."

"Alright," the three replied, noticing nothing unusual.

At the General’s Manor:

As soon as Zong Jincheng and Zong Wenxiu arrived home, they wanted to see their grandfather first. Xu Wan instructed Jincheng to bathe and change clothes before visiting. The boy obediently followed his mother’s instructions, unaware that his elder brother had been quietly led away by her.

"Aunt?" Zong Wenxiu was also eager to see his grandfather but didn’t understand why his younger brother had been sent away.

Xu Wan said to him, "Your grandfather misses your father."

"Ah…" Zong Wenxiu seemed to understand.

He had never met his father. His impressions of Zong Yan were pieced together from others’ words, and he lacked the deep bond most sons shared with their fathers.

But for his grandfather, it was different. He had watched his son grow up, only to lose him in middle age—the pain was unbearable.

Xu Wan said, "Try feeding your grandfather his medicine. I’m afraid if we delay any longer, his health may not recover."

Zong Wenxiu nodded. "Alright, I’ll try."

Outside the courtyard, maidservants stood waiting.

"He vomited again…" The Old Marchioness’ trembling voice came from inside.

Zong Wenxiu hurried in and saw how much older his grandfather looked. Before he had entered the examination hall, the Old Marquis hadn’t had so much gray hair.

"Grandfather…"

The Old Marchioness looked up and saw the young boy silhouetted against the light. Though Zong Wenxiu had only been back in the household for two years, and though his reserved nature made him less like Zong Yan in temperament—resembling Yan Suxue more in appearance—his growing frame now carried traces of his father’s presence.

The Old Marchioness’ eyes shimmered with tears as she whispered, "Yan’er…"

Zong Wenxiu quickly knelt beside his grandmother and said softly, "Grandmother, I’ve returned from the exams."

At the doorway, Xu Wan led Zong Zhao out and dismissed the surrounding maids.

"Let Wenxiu stay with them for a while."

Zong Zhao nodded. "Alright."

The couple sat in the pavilion outside, exhausted from keeping vigil over the Old Marquis these past few days.

"I’m sorry I couldn’t help you with the exam questions," Zong Zhao said. He had promised to assist her in preparing assessments for the tutors, but everything had been delayed due to the circumstances.

Xu Wan stood and gently embraced him as he sat. "It’s alright. A few days’ delay won’t matter."

Zong Zhao leaned against her, closing his eyes wearily.

Inside the room:

The Old Marchioness wiped her tears and made space for Zong Wenxiu. "Wenxiu, you try feeding him. He won’t take it from me."

"Alright." Zong Wenxiu took the medicine bowl and sat by the bed.

The Old Marquis lay pale and weak, his eyes too heavy to open.

Zong Wenxiu’s heart ached. He leaned closer and whispered, "Grandfather, can you hear me? It’s Wenxiu. I’ve come home."

The Old Marquis’ lashes fluttered faintly, as if struggling to open his eyes, but they remained shut.

Zong Wenxiu continued, "Aunt told me you fell ill because you missed Father… I miss him too. Growing up in the slums, I saw other children with their fathers, but I never had one. I used to wonder what kind of man he was. Even after you and Grandmother found us, though I knew he was gone, I’d watch you both, searching for traces of him. Maybe I’m not much like him, but I believe a father’s legacy lives on in his son. Even if he’s gone, I’m here—I can stand in his place, honor Mother, and care for you and Grandmother."

A tear slipped from the Old Marquis’ eye. With great effort, he opened them and saw his grandson before him.

This was Zong Yan’s only child. He had rushed home straight from the exams, his clothes still carrying the dust of travel.

He had come without delay, worried for his grandfather.

"Wenxiu…"

"Grandfather." Zong Wenxiu forced a bright smile, imitating what he imagined his father’s cheerfulness might have been. He set the bowl aside and leaned forward to embrace the Old Marquis gently. "You still have me. And Uncle, and Jincheng… You have so many loved ones left."

The Old Marquis’ chest trembled with silent sobs.

Beside them, the Old Marchioness wiped her tears again.

Zong Wenxiu didn’t say more. He simply stayed there, holding his grandfather quietly. After a long while, when the Old Marquis’ breathing steadied, Wenxiu sat up and picked up the medicine bowl again.

"Let me feed you your medicine now. My mother always told me that when you’re sick, you must take your medicine properly—otherwise, wasting it means fewer meals on the table."

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