Chapter 49 Parting Ways Not everyone is willing to escape that place...

Faced with the men's rudeness, the woman accompanying them kept her head down and remained silent.

It seems we've heard it so often that we've become accustomed to this kind of contempt.

Before Wen Yu could speak, the barrage of comments suddenly exploded.

Whom do you look down on?

[I'm so angry! I hate this kind of worldly prejudice. What did women do to you?]

[Scream, scream, scream! Call me your dad!]

[Don't people who say such things find it ridiculous? These people traveled thousands of miles to save lives, and they, who were fleeing for their lives, dare to look down on them?]

[Anyone offering services like [illegible] or [illegible] beatings? I want to slap you in the face; the rest of your body parts are up to you!]

【I want to play too!】

Cui Pingchun had heard such shameless remarks many times at home. He was about to speak when he was interrupted by a clear voice.

What exactly is the difference between women and men?

The one who spoke was none other than the usually calm and composed Wen Qingshi.

Wen Yu was somewhat surprised; she had thought that the person who would step forward at this moment would be the usually lively and outgoing Fan Yizhen.

Wen Qingshi rarely showed such emotion: "Men have eyes and can read, so are women born blind? If so, why do you require women to learn needlework? Do you think that blind people can thread a needle?"

"It's only natural for people to flee, but what I can't stand the most is when cowards turn around and blame the brave!"

Wen Yu suddenly understood.

Wen Qingshi must have often heard such remarks at home, but she didn't have the chance to refute them back then. Now she finally vented all the resentment that had been building up for so many years.

The men, humiliated by the woman's harsh words, retorted, "Ridiculous! How could we possibly be cowards—"

Unexpectedly, the woman beside them suddenly coughed.

In an instant, the men turned pale, dropped their bowls and chopsticks, and fled out the door. They didn't even bother to turn back and pick up the shoes that one of them had accidentally lost.

They avoided it as if it were a ghost.

"Huan Lang... cough cough..." The woman tried to call her husband's name, but coughed so hard that she couldn't straighten up and slumped back into her seat.

The man's angry curses echoed from outside the door, fading into the distance: "You wretched woman! I should never have brought you out; I should have left you to fend for yourself!"

"Brother, has your wife contracted the virus?"

"Who cares what she does! If it really is a plague, then it's God's will to take her..."

In the blink of an eye, the men vanished without a trace, leaving only the coughing woman sitting alone on the spot.

Wen Yu and her companions exchanged glances and instantly realized that the woman might have contracted a plague!

"Get out of here! Don't spread the illness!" The waiter, his face veiled, used a feather duster to shoo away the frail woman, then turned to Wen Yu and the others to apologize: "Ladies, please excuse us..."

Wen Yu suddenly remembered that he still had a system panel, so he quickly clicked on it to take a look.

Jiang Mingpei, female, 32 years old...

The status displayed prominently is: [Illness (Cold)].

It's not an epidemic!

She was about to speak when she remembered that she shouldn't be knowledgeable in medicine, and she was speechless for a moment.

A gentle voice spoke up for her.

"This lady doesn't seem to have the plague; she seems to have caught a cold."

The waiter, still somewhat skeptical, held up the feather duster: "Don't try to fool me—"

Liang Shuyan, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, slowly walked over.

She was dressed in a simple blue dress, looking calm and gentle, and reached out to take Jiang Mingpei's pulse.

Jiang Mingpei withdrew her hand and covered her mouth, saying, "No need, doctor, I'll leave on my own..."

“It’s freezing cold, where can you go?” Cui Pingchun finally made up his mind to step forward. “Since we’ve encountered you, we can’t just stand by and watch you die. Even if you’ve really contracted the disease, we can treat you.”

Chen Miaozhi nodded: "We went to Chengya specifically to seek medical treatment."

Liang Shuyan smiled and said, "Me too."

She took Jiang Mingpei's wrist to check her pulse: "The pulse is floating and tight, it is indeed a case of wind-cold."

Upon examining his tongue and inquiring about his symptoms, the diagnosis was quickly made: "Wind-cold affecting the exterior; a dose of Ephedra Decoction will suffice. Waiter, please bring a bowl of hot porridge."

She took out paper and pen and wrote down the answer, her movements fluid and graceful.

Wen Yu clicked his tongue in amazement at the barrage of comments in front of him.

[A very swift and accurate diagnosis!]

Okay, I give up. Let me do it. I'll come up with a similar diagnosis.

Not so fast!

If I were to come, I'd probably have to consult a book; she can get the result directly, so she must be very experienced.

[Isn't this just a minor illness? Don't exaggerate.]

[But this is quite rare in this era. Ancient medical conditions were very poor, and even in modern times, if someone is suspected of having an infectious disease, would you dare to go up and diagnose them directly?]

[If it were me, I wouldn't dare to be in such close contact with a suspected case.]

Beyond the controversy, those present were also quite incredulous.

"Is it really not an epidemic?" Xiao Er and Jiang Mingpei asked in unison.

After a follow-up examination, Cui Pingchun confirmed: "That is indeed the case."

After the waiter brought the hot porridge, Jiang Mingpei said softly, "Please open a guest room. I want to stay alone so I don't catch my illness."

She paused for a moment, then said, "My name is Jiang Mingpei, and I am from Chengya. Thank you all for your help. I will pay for this meal."

She picked up the money bag beside her, and only then did everyone notice that the men had left all their money and luggage behind her in their hasty escape, which was truly ironic.

"Chen Miaozhi".

"Cui Pingchun."

The two introduced themselves, and then looked at Liang Shuyan, who was dressed in plain clothes: "May I ask who this doctor is?"

“Liang Shuyan.” She smiled calmly. “I have been practicing in a Taoist temple since I was a child. My master divined that there would be a great plague in the world, so he ordered me to go down the mountain to help the world and practice medicine to save people.”

These words commanded the respect of everyone present.

Her methods of observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation were very skillful, clearly indicating that she was an expert and knowledgeable in medical principles. Could she be a legendary Taoist doctor?

Wen Yu quietly turned her face away.

Sister, you've really nailed the ancient costume look! You even created a whole script for yourself...

Cui Pingchun stepped forward and solemnly invited, "In that case, would Doctor Liang be willing to accompany us?"

----

The next morning, Jiang Mingpei woke up in bed and felt that her illness had subsided considerably.

Last night, the doctors brought her the medicine and examined her carefully before leaving. She hadn't received such care in many years.

She threw back the covers, instinctively wanting to call out her husband's name: "Huanlang..."

But then she remembered that her husband and the others had abandoned her and run away yesterday.

Jiang Mingpei sat on the bed, lost in thought.

Where should we go?

Her family home is in Chengya County. They left in such a hurry that they didn't have time to visit, and they don't know how her family is doing or whether her family members are still alive.

Their only child also died from this illness. At first, she stayed by his side day and night, but her husband forcibly dragged her away from his bedside, saying that she would catch the disease.

The child passed away that night, and she didn't even get to see him one last time.

All those little clothes and bedding were burned to ashes...

Jiang Mingpei walked to the foot of the bed, picked up a bundle, inside which was a small safety buckle, which she had secretly left from the child's room.

It was the last thing her child left in this world.

That was a vibrant child who would sweetly call her "Mother," but she will never see him again.

She couldn't say she didn't resent her husband; she kept thinking that if she had tried harder, perhaps her child wouldn't have died.

But she had always depended on her husband for a living, and seeing his tough attitude, she had no courage to resist.

After their child died, her husband completely changed. He ignored her desire to go back and see her family, and instead took the whole family on a journey, saying that Chengya couldn't stay any longer and they had to go elsewhere to make a living.

Now, because of her cough, she's been abandoned again.

She lost even this last reliance.

Jiang Mingpei slumped to the ground, staring blankly at the floor, her eyes dry and unable to shed a single tear.

On the day her child died, she cried all the tears she could in her life.

After that, she had no idea how to go on living.

She had nowhere else to go.

Suddenly, a soft knock sounded on the door.

"Has Lady Jiang woken up?"

It was Liang Shuyan's voice.

She remembers.

Jiang Mingpei stood up awkwardly, her legs numb from sitting for so long: "I'm... I'm awake..."

Then came Cui Pingchun's voice: "We're leaving now; we've come to deliver medicine to Madam Jiang."

Jiang Mingpei hurriedly went to open the door: "I can't accept this..."

The sun was already high in the sky outside, and a ray of light shone through the crack in the door, falling on Jiang Mingpei.

The light was a bit dazzling, and she blinked before she saw three doctors standing neatly in front of her door.

It gave her a vague feeling that the gods had sent them to save her.

"Madam Jiang, drink this quickly," Chen Miaozhi placed the warm medicine bowl into her hands, then checked her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief, "No fever, you should be fine."

Jiang Mingpei was led to the table and sat down. She silently drank the medicine soup, which tasted bitter, but her eyes welled up with tears.

"What are your plans for the future, Madam Jiang?" Chen Miaozhi asked gently.

Jiang Mingpei shook her head blankly: "There's nowhere to go..."

"My child is gone, my husband ran away, and my family is in Chengya..."

She glanced at the luggage beside her: "Fortunately, they left some money for their journey..."

But anyone with eyes can see that this won't last her long.

Cui Pingchun wanted to ask her if she would like to come along, but Chen Miaozhi held her hand down.

Chen Miaozhi looked at her and gently shook her head.

Not everyone who escapes that city has the courage to go back.

"Would you like to come to Luxi Village?"

Cui Pingchun had a sudden inspiration and whispered.

“We come from Luxi Village. They treat women very well there. If you go there, you will definitely be able to own your own house and land and be able to support yourself…”

Jiang Mingpei's eyes brightened slightly: "Really?"

"Of course, there women can study, farm, learn medicine, and do whatever they want..." Seeing that she was interested, Cui Pingchun immediately began to explain to her, "They don't necessarily have to depend on men to survive. There, women can live very well on their own."

Jiang Mingpei murmured, "That's wonderful..."

Does such a place really exist in this world?

It's like a fairyland.

Cui Pingchun pretended to pull out a map: "If you want to go, we can give you a map. Go north, and you'll get there..."

She finds it hard not to lend a helping hand when she sees other women in distress.

I always feel that helping each of "them" is helping my past self.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Mingpei shook her head.

"Doctor, I want to go with you."

"Why?" Cui Pingchun was speechless. "Madam Jiang, you finally escaped from Chengya County, why are you leaving?"

"I would also like to ask you doctors, why did you leave such a good place as Luxi Village and come to such a dangerous place as Chengya County?" Jiang Mingpei said slowly.

"Because we are doctors," Chen Miaozhi said solemnly. "Saving lives and healing the wounded is our duty, our wish, and something we must do."

Liang Shuyan and Cui Pingchun nodded in unison.

“That’s it.” Jiang Mingpei smiled. “Please take me with you, so I can also find something I ‘must do’.”

"Over the years, doing laundry, cooking, and raising children are all things that others think I should do."

“I have never thought about what kind of person I really want to become. Even if I went to Luxi, I wouldn’t know how to conduct myself.”

"I'll go back with you after I find the answer."

Cui Pingchun stopped trying to persuade him.

"Alright, after breakfast, Madam Jiang, let's set off together."