Chapter 70 The Autistic Young Master

Chapter 70: The Young Master with Autism

Luo Feizhou said innocently, "Just now, I, your humble brother, suddenly had a stomachache and went to the restroom; I didn't mean to leave intentionally."

Of course, he knew that the cost of that batch of medicinal herbs would be charged to Luo Jingshen. Making him suffer a huge financial loss—wasn't that exactly what he wanted to see?

Luo Jingshen realized that if he didn't apologize today, he wouldn't be able to save face gracefully. So he stiffly said to Ji Yuntang, "Princess Ye, I was wrong earlier. I acted without due consideration. I apologize to you, and I hope you'll be magnanimous and overlook my mistake."

"As for the third round of competition, I hope you'll perform well and aim for the top prize."

Originally just a flattering remark, Ji Yuntang unexpectedly accepted it with a grin.

"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I, this Princess, will certainly strive to win the top prize and claim those twenty thousand taels of gold."

Luo Jingshen: "... Heh, how naive!"

"Then I'll be watching Princess Ye's performance!"

With that matter settled, the medical competition returned to normal, and the third round officially began.

The commoners watched with great anticipation, all curious about how difficult the patient in the third round would be.

When they saw who it was, their expressions turned varied and interesting.

"Isn't that Squire Chai's son? Didn't he come last year and the year before too?"

"Yeah, I heard his son locks himself at home all day, doesn't speak or go out. If the servants aren't careful, he tries to jump into a well to kill himself. Over the years, Madam Chai has sought medical help everywhere for her son, even her hair has turned white, but she still hasn't cured him. I didn't expect the final act of the third round this year to still be Young Master Chai. This illness is really hard to treat!"

"Who among those who come to the medical competition has an easy case? But Princess Ye has already cured several. Maybe she'll have a way with Young Master Chai. Let's wait and see."

"..."

Ji Yuntang took in all the crowd's words and basically understood the patient's condition.

Her gaze fell on an eight or nine-year-old boy in the square. He wore an exquisite dark silk outfit, with arched eyebrows and starry eyes, a high nose bridge—clearly a young master from a wealthy family.

However, the boy was very shy. As soon as he arrived in a crowded place, his delicately carved face turned pale with fear, his body and lips trembling, as if he might faint at any moment.

Madam Chai immediately pulled him into her arms, stroking his hair to comfort him, "Hao'er, be good, don't be afraid. Mom is here, right by your side!"

Ji Yuntang walked over and crouched in front of the little boy, who kept burrowing into his mother's arms.

Madam Chai said bitterly, "Please don't mind, Princess Ye. My Hao'er has always been like this—very afraid of strangers. He doesn't cry or make a fuss, but he hides when he sees people. I've brought him here twice before, but it didn't work. Now I'm forced to resort to this desperate measure. Coming to the medical competition today is my final attempt. If there's still no solution, I'll keep Hao'er locked at home and stop seeking treatment altogether."

Madam Chai was only in her thirties, yet her hair was already gray, showing how she had worried herself sick over her youngest son's health.

Ji Yuntang understood. If she wasn't mistaken, the child likely had severe autism, which would require long-term treatment, not something that could be resolved overnight.

Still, she needed to understand the situation.

"Madam Chai, when did your son's condition start?"

Madam Chai sighed, "It started when Hao'er was four. Before that, he was very outgoing and clever—quick to grasp things instantly. Everyone who met him praised him as lively and active, a natural talent for business."

"But somehow, after he turned four, Hao'er became quiet and withdrawn. He didn't want to see anyone, locked himself in his room, and ran away as soon as he heard about going to study with a tutor. Gradually, he became like this."

Ji Yuntang narrowed her beautiful eyes, catching a key point in her words.

"Madam Chai, you said the young master runs away as soon as he hears about studying with a tutor. So, he strongly resists studying?"

Madam Chai nodded, "To be honest, Princess Ye, our Chai family has been merchants for generations. Though merchants are wealthy, their status is low. So my husband has always wanted our family to produce a scholar who could one day pass the imperial exams and gain official rank."

"Our children don't like studying. Some are older and have already gone south to Jiangnan for business, following their elders. So my husband pinned all his hopes on Hao'er, hoping he would study hard and secure a minor official position in court, freeing our family from the merchant identity."

"When Hao'er just turned three, my husband hired a famous tutor from Zhenglin Academy, Mr. Lin, to be his first teacher. He was said to be a former Tanhua—a top scholar in the imperial exams—very learned and strict, with great ability. Mr. Lin taught Hao'er for half a year, and then Hao'er began to dislike studying. He would run away at the mention of class, and gradually became introverted and silent."

"My husband and I can't figure out what went wrong. How did a good child end up like this? Hiding from people all day, even threatening suicide. We've consulted many doctors, and they all say Hao'er is physically healthy—more so than anyone. Isn't that like being possessed by evil spirits?"

Ji Yuntang pursed her red lips. She didn't believe in possession.

The child's condition was most likely related to studying.

"Madam Chai, have you considered that the young master might not be possessed, but rather has a psychological problem?"

Madam Chai had never heard anyone say her son had a psychological problem before, finding it both novel and unfamiliar.

If someone else had said it, she might not have believed them.

But Ji Yuntang had already cured many difficult cases in today's competition, so her words carried weight with Madam Chai.

"Princess Ye, what is a psychological problem?"

Ji Yuntang calmly replied, "Your family has been in business for generations, yet you dreamed of your son achieving greatness, pinning all your hopes on a three-year-old child, forcing him to study for officialdom."

"At three years old, other children are the apple of their parents' eye. If your son loved studying, it would be fine, but he clearly doesn't. The hopes you placed on him turned into immense pressure, causing him pain and a desire to escape."

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