Can Serena Feng really cure William Wang Jinling's blindness?
Most people are skeptical, though some believe in her. After all, for the Wang Clan and Serena Feng to make such a public spectacle, they must have some confidence.
The Wang Clan would never gamble with their reputation, and Serena Feng would never gamble with her life.
If Serena Feng manages to cure William Wang Jinling, she’ll gain both fame and fortune, and no one in the imperial capital will dare look down on her again.
But if she fails, what kind of punishment awaits Serena Feng?
Fortune—or calamity!
Because, to them, Serena Feng simply isn’t worth it.
"Big brother, you’re being foolish! Who is Serena Feng? She’s a girl raised in seclusion, ignorant and useless. How could she possibly cure Jinling’s illness? Even if she could, our Wang Clan doesn’t need to praise her so highly—just pay her some silver and send her away." William Wang Jinling’s second uncle rushed over as soon as he heard the news, his tone clearly blaming.
"Second brother, I’ve made up my mind about this. You needn’t say more." The patriarch of the Wang Clan—William Wang Jinling’s father—sat at the head of the table, stern and dignified, but his eyes held deep helplessness and a faint trace of hope.
Of course, he knew this was a high-stakes gamble—but he had no other choice.
Everyone thinks he trusts Serena Feng’s medical skills; Jinling thinks his day and night of kneeling moved him. In fact, they’re all wrong.
Who is he? He is Edward Wang Su, patriarch of the Wang Clan. For the family’s reputation and profit, he can sacrifice anyone. How could our Wang Manor be mentioned in the same breath as Serena Feng, a woman whose reputation is in ruins, and become a topic of gossip just for his son’s sake? He simply had no choice…
Last night, while Jinling knelt outside his courtyard begging him to help Serena Feng, he received a letter inside his study. Its message was simple: urging him to grant Jinling’s request, promising the Wang Clan unexpected rewards, and warning that refusal meant making an enemy.
Normally, Edward Wang Su would have dismissed such a letter out of hand—until he saw the signature.
Lance Quinn!
A man hailed as a legend in the martial world, a master revered by all—why would someone like him step forward for Serena Feng?
Edward Wang Su couldn’t understand it, nor did he dare to dwell on it.
William Wang Jinling didn’t sleep all night, and neither did Edward Wang Su. Just as he was still unsure whether the letter was real, someone slipped past Wang Manor’s heavy guards and entered his room before dawn.
That person was Bu Jingyun, known as Storm Cloud, master of Stormcloud Villa.
Storm Cloud Bu traveled all the way to Wang Manor just to retrieve Lance Quinn’s letter, and to tell him: follow Lance Quinn’s instructions, and the Wang Clan’s partnership with Stormcloud Villa continues as usual; refuse, and the partnership ends here.
The Wang Clan’s power is impressive, but only within the Eastlyn Empire. The Nine Provinces continent has four kingdoms and nine city-states; if the Wang Clan wants to expand into other countries, especially those nine independent cities, they must rely on Stormcloud Villa’s strength.
If Stormcloud Villa refuses to cooperate, the Wang Clan will lose at least forty percent of its profits. Of course, the clan can bear that loss, but...
If Stormcloud Villa stops working with the Wang Clan, they’ll simply partner with someone else—even with the Wang Clan’s rivals. Then the Wang Clan would have to watch helplessly as others grow stronger.
What to do?
Really—what should he do?
Should he gamble the Wang Manor’s reputation?
Edward Wang Su pondered for a long time, then finally nodded. Anyone who can make Lance Quinn step forward is no ordinary person.
Since that’s the case, he might as well take the gamble.
If he wins, the Wang Clan not only keeps its partnership with Stormcloud Villa, but also draws in Serena Feng—a rising star and a masterful physician, which is invaluable to any family.
If he loses, neither Lance Quinn nor Storm Cloud Bu can blame the Wang Clan; all the fault will fall on Serena Feng.
Edward Wang Su understood all these stakes, but William’s second uncle did not.
"Big brother, Jinling is being foolish—are you just as confused? This isn’t just about Jinling, it concerns the entire Wang Manor. How could our Wang Manor be discussed alongside Serena Feng?"
William’s second uncle was choking with anger, his resentment obvious.
Today, he’d been mocked by his colleagues for half the day. They said the Wang Clan must be desperate for fame, and wondered how the Wang family’s young master could possibly associate with a woman like Serena Feng.
Especially the Hsieh Clan, who bluntly said the Wang Clan must be in decline if they have to prop up a woman like Serena Feng.
Edward Wang Su shook his head. Only his second brother would be so stubborn; if it were anyone else, he wouldn’t bother explaining. "Second brother, if you don’t trust Jinling, at least trust me. Don’t underestimate Serena Feng—she’s not simple."
If she can make both Lance Quinn and Storm Cloud Bu speak up for her, this woman is extraordinary. If her medical skills are truly remarkable, her future will be limitless.
"Big brother, what kind of bewitching potion did that woman give you? How can you defend her so fiercely? You, you, you…" William’s second uncle was so angry his face turned blue.
Seeing his usually composed brother so upset, Edward Wang Su sighed softly. He could only hope Serena Feng could cure Jinling’s eyes; this second brother was not fit for the family’s burden.
Besides, at this point, it’s not the Wang Clan that can’t afford to lose—it’s Serena Feng who can’t afford to lose.
If the Wang Clan loses, it’s just a blow to their reputation; after a few years, people will forget. But if Serena Feng loses, she’ll never recover.
"Second brother, the Wang Clan isn’t like the Hsieh Clan. The Hsiehs have Consort Hsieh, but what about us? I have my own reasons. The Hsiehs are already ahead of us—we can’t afford to fall too far behind."
With that, Edward Wang Su ignored his second brother and left the study, heading for William Wang Jinling’s room…
Meanwhile, Serena Feng—the center of it all—was sitting leisurely under a tree, eating fruit and waiting for Caleb Wang to finish drawing the plans.
Serena Feng and Caleb Wang spent the whole day searching, but couldn’t find a room to her liking.
Either too small, too dirty, too noisy, or too remote—in short, Serena Feng was picky about everything, even more serious than choosing a husband.
Caleb Wang considered himself patient and refined, but after all Serena Feng’s nitpicking, even he was frustrated. His gentlemanly composure couldn’t hold up, and he said directly:
"This won’t do, that won’t do—why not just build a new one in your backyard? Tell me your requirements and I’ll have it made for you. The Wang Manor may lack everything except money."
For a noble young master to say something so nouveau riche, Caleb Wang must have been truly exasperated.
Serena Feng had been waiting for just this. Without a word, she dragged Caleb Wang back to Feng Manor, pointed at an abandoned courtyard in the rear, and said, "Tear this down and build a new house here, exactly to my specifications."
The courtyard was wide open, with no buildings around it—impossible to hide, and with a clear view. Serena Feng had long wanted to build an operating room here, but she’d lacked the funds and couldn’t buy decent materials even when she had money. Now that the wealthy Wang Clan was footing the bill, she wasn’t about to be polite.
The Wang Clan’s support for her was certainly not just for William Wang Jinling.
She didn’t know what was really going on, but she was sure things weren’t as simple as they appeared. The Wang Clan wouldn’t invest so much unless they expected a big payoff.
As far as she was concerned, she owed the favor to William Wang Jinling, not to the Wang Clan. Don’t expect Serena Feng to be grateful to them.
Her relationship with the Wang Clan was purely one of mutual benefit, so she felt no guilt about making demands.
She’d dreamed of building an operating room in this world. Only with one could she, as a surgeon, truly use her skills. Now, her wish was finally coming true—how could she not be happy?
A blessing in disguise—without everything that happened before, she wouldn’t have gotten an operating room so quickly, nor spread word of her medical skills so fast.
She believed that if she cured William Wang Jinling’s eyes, Serena Feng would have the foundation she needed to stand in the imperial capital—and this little operating room would be her stage!