Chapter 195 The House

Wang Hai turned and sat down, his face somewhat gloomy: "There's some trouble."

"Tsk."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xu said, "If you say it's troublesome, then it must be really troublesome."

Wang Hai's medical skills are superb; if judged solely on his medical abilities, he would be qualified to serve as the head of the Imperial Medical Academy.

Unfortunately, being an official requires good health and a dignified appearance, and he was stuck at that point, unable to go any further.

"Could you tell me exactly what his illness is, and is it treatable?"

Wang Hai said, “His pulse was rapid and thin, and when pressed deeply, it felt deep and slippery, as if there was a simmering fire inside.”

"The heart belongs to fire, and the kidneys belong to water. Normally, water and fire should be in balance, so that one can have a clear mind."

"His current pulse indicates that his heart fire is excessive in the upper body and his kidney water is deficient in the lower body, resulting in a disharmony between water and fire and stagnation of qi."

"When fire stagnates, phlegm is produced. Phlegm and fire disturb the sensory orifices. I just saw him rubbing his ears repeatedly, which is most likely a sign of visual and auditory hallucinations."

"These are all related to the collapse of the true essence of the five internal organs, the liver's soul not being stored, and the lungs' spirit not being contained."

Yuan Xu was surprised: "It's that serious?"

Wang Hai nodded: "It's alright for now. This disease is most aggravated by emotional stress. If one cannot reduce thoughts and worries and keeps ignoring this problem, one may develop madness in the future..."

"You keep saying that Xie Qi is already mentally unstable and may even go insane in the future?"

Wang Hai said, "That's the worst that could happen."

Yuan Xu clicked his tongue: "Is there any way to treat it?"

"The only solution is to calm the mind and spirit, harmonize the heart and kidneys, and guide the yin and yang energies back to their proper channels."

Yuan Xu raised an eyebrow: "Is it very troublesome?"

"A little."

Yuan Xu sighed softly, "Since it's troublesome, let's just leave it at that. We'll use this person for as long as we can. It's not worth it for you to go through all that trouble."

After saying that, Yuan Xu sighed again: "It seems that this complicated background has shaken him to his core, but..."

Looking at the eunuch beside him, Yuan Xu slightly raised his chin: "Go and investigate the birth mother that Xie Qi mentioned. Find her first, and we'll discuss whether she'll be useful later."

The young eunuch nodded and withdrew.

"pity……"

Yuan Xu shook his head, sighing with regret.

"A perfectly good piece of chess, just like that, wasted. He's lost his Xie family status, and he's useless now..."

Wang Hai said, "Since it's useless, let's just discard it."

"I'm reluctant to part with it."

Yuan Xu smiled faintly: "It's a pretty handy gadget. If I lose it, I'll have to look for it again."

"Forget it, let him fend for himself for a while. If he has great fortune, perhaps he can survive this ordeal?"

Even discarded materials should be used to their fullest potential.

After saying that, Yuan Xu smacked his lips again: "Leftovers can be cooked into delicious food, and even bones can be chewed to extract some marrow. Let's keep them and see."

"If it's truly useless, it's not too late to discard it."

Wang Hai lowered his eyes and flattered, "Father-in-law is kind and generous."

Xie Qi was unaware that Yuan Xu had already decided to give up on him; he had been preoccupied with finding a house these past few days.

Yun Zheng searched for several days before finally finding a house behind Wanbao Street where the whole family had moved to Yangzhou.

Xie Qi had seen the house. Although it was a bit small, it had everything he needed, and the previous owner had kept it in good condition. Only some parts needed to be repaired.

After buying the house and hiring a skilled craftsman, several more days passed before the house was properly furnished.

Shen Yuanzhu neither urged nor asked about these matters. One day, when she woke up from her afternoon nap, Xie Qi was lying in front of her, his eyes full of smiles.

Are you free this afternoon?

Shen Yuanzhu, still half-asleep and somewhat dazed, turned over and looked at Xie Qi after a while: "You have plans?"

"Yes, let's go out for a walk."

"Alright."

Shen Yuanzhu got up, tidied herself up, and left the Xie family with Xie Qi.

In the past few days, many people have come and gone from the Xie family home, all to pay their respects to Xie San Niang.

The sound of chanting scriptures in the main courtyard was incessant every day, which made Xie Qi irritable and Shen Yuanzhu unable to rest well.

However, both of them are now intentionally avoiding the Xie family, and going out today is a good way to find some peace and quiet.

Xie Qi pulled Shen Yuanzhu toward Wanbao Street. Shen Yuanzhu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the lively scene on the street, which made her feel much better.

Before long, the carriage stopped at the location of two houses behind Wanbao Street.

Upon seeing the brand-new vermilion gate, Shen Yuanzhu immediately understood Xie Qi's meaning.

Just as she had expected, they bought a house near Wanbao Street.

Xie Qi took out a brass key from his sleeve, then grasped Shen Yuanzhu's wrist and gently placed the key and a house deed in her palm.

“From now on, you will be the mistress of this house, Madam Xie.”

The weather was hot, and the brass key was also warm. Shen Yuanzhu lowered her head and squeezed it. Suddenly, she remembered the day she returned to her parents' home. She stood in the Shen family courtyard, looking at the increasingly unfamiliar home where she had lived since childhood, and felt a bitter feeling in her heart.

The house that her parents built with their own hard work has changed hands many years later and has nothing to do with her anymore.

The Xie family has no connection with her.

And this small courtyard...

Shen Yuanzhu looked down at her and Xie Qi's names on the property deed and couldn't help but smile faintly.

Seeing this, Xie Qi softened his tone and said, "Our names are also a perfect match."

"Um."

She gave a soft "hmm" and put the deed and keys into her bosom.

"Let's go..."

Shen Yuanzhu looked up at Xie Qi with joy in her eyes: "Master Xie..."

That "Thank you, Master" almost made Xie Qi lose his mind. He suppressed his lip and stepped forward to help Shen Yuanzhu push open the vermilion door.

Two pots of Cymbidium goeringii stood in a corner of the courtyard, their delicate fragrance carried on the breeze. Outside the courtyard grew a locust tree, most of its leaves falling into the yard, creating a shady corner.

Under the locust tree, there was a newly made tea table and rattan chairs, and a small clay stove next to it.

The bluestone slabs stretched all the way into the house, bearing the marks of time. The occasional broken pieces were carefully repaired, which, though somewhat abrupt, added a touch of childlike charm.

The courtyard is small, with a single entrance. The main house is directly opposite, and there are east and west wing rooms on both sides. It looks small, but it is exquisite in every way.

Looking at the lush green moss under the tree, Shen Yuanzhu couldn't help but cover her lips and laugh.

Xie Qi said, "Let's go inside and take a look."

Although the courtyard was not large, the main house was quite spacious. With the front and back doors open, a draft of wind blew through, causing a string of copper bells hanging by the door to jingle.

"The bathroom in this house originally didn't have a bathtub, so I had the craftsman build a double bathtub so that the two of us can bathe together after we move in."

After Xie Qi finished speaking, he took Shen Yuanzhu's hand and walked to the side room.

"Look."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuanzhu raised her hand and pushed open the door.

The side room was bright and airy, and inside there was a carved rosewood display shelf and a large desk with inkstones, brushes and inkstones on it. There were also several bamboo baskets in the corner.

The chair had soft, plush cushions, and there was a large palm-leaf fan beside it, creating a rustic and peaceful atmosphere.

Xie Qi said, "This study is for you. I've seen you always sitting at your dressing table stringing beads and writing your dowry book. You can write here from now on."

"And what about you?"

Xie Qi pointed to a recessed corner opposite, where a coarse hemp screen stood. Shen Yuanzhu walked over and saw a small desk inside.

Xie Qi said, "That should be enough."

After the Xie family's downfall, he will likely spend a lot of time at Jixia Manor, so whether or not he has a study at home doesn't really matter.

Yuanzhu liked to do arithmetic with beads, and although no one knew what she was calculating all day long, Xie Qi still hoped that she could have an easier time.

He also loved the way she looked at her dowry book every day.

The two then went to see the bedrooms, which were mostly empty. Yuanzhu's dowry was to be moved here, so their canopy bed naturally had to be brought along.

As for the others, although they are not as large as the Xie family's, they are certainly no worse than Qianxiangyuan.

Looking at the meticulously renovated courtyard, Shen Yuanzhu couldn't help but take Xie Qi's hand.

Xie Qi gently shook her and said with a smile, "Yuanzhu, I have something to tell you."