Chapter 170 [VIP]

Smallpox is a highly contagious disease with a very high mortality rate once contracted. Wang Ying dared not be careless and immediately ordered people to isolate Lin Sui's courtyard, forbidding anyone from entering without permission.

Of the entire Chen family, only Aunt Chen had contracted smallpox as a child. Once you've had it, you won't get it again, so she was the one who took care of Qing'er.

All of Qing'er's clothes were burned and replaced with new ones. Lin Sui and Wang Ying went back to their rooms to take baths and disinfect themselves with mugwort.

After getting ready, the two prepared to go to Qingfeng Temple to ask the Taoist priest to come down the mountain to rescue the people.

Sitting in the carriage leaving the city, Lin Sui looked dazed, her gaze unfocused on the carriage.

Wang Ying knew he was worried about the child. "Qing'er is a lucky person, she'll definitely be alright. Look at Aunt Chen, she had smallpox and she lived to a ripe old age, didn't she?"

Lin Sui snapped out of her daze and nodded.

"Sister-in-law, do you think the smallpox that Qing'er contracted was caused by the Li family?"

Wang Ying was taken aback. "You mean the Li family deliberately wanted to kill Qing'er?"

Lin Sui said, "Before, I thought it was a bit abrupt for the Marquis to entrust Qing'er to me. Now it seems he knew all along that the Li family was malicious and that if he led troops into battle, they would definitely target Qing'er. It's a pity I didn't understand his intentions earlier, which gave the Li family an opportunity..."

Wang Ying thought about it more and more and felt that Lin Sui might have guessed correctly. Otherwise, how could the child suddenly contract smallpox? And the tattered clothes she was wearing when she came over were made of rough fabric and were clearly worn by servants. How could they be on Qing'er?

Fortunately, they were all burned in a fire just now, otherwise, if they had been left outside and picked up by someone, who knows how many people would have been harmed!

If Qing'er dies of illness and Li Mu also dies in battle, then the Wuping Marquis's mansion will rightfully become the Li family's possession, and even if Lin Sui is Qing'er's godfather, it will be of no use.

The wickedness of the Li family is truly chilling.

Half an hour later, the carriage stopped at the foot of Qingfeng Mountain. At this time of year, the snow and ice on the mountain had not yet melted, and no one was going up the mountain to burn incense.

The two wrapped their cloaks around themselves and walked step by step up the slippery steps toward the mountain.

Ancient shoes had non-slip soles, and the leather soles felt like ice skates on the snow. Wang Ying was terrified as she walked, and she almost fell off the steps several times.

After finally reaching the top of the mountain, the Taoist priest guarding the temple told them to go back down the way they came, saying that Master Qingxu had already gone into seclusion.

Upon hearing this, Lin Sui hurriedly stepped forward and said, "We are begging the Taoist priest to save our lives. Our child has contracted smallpox, and we have heard that Taoist priest Qingxu can cure it. We beg the Taoist priest to help us!"

"Master has gone into seclusion to comprehend the Tao. Please return home, you two devotees."

Lin Sui knelt on the ground and began to kowtow, "Please, Taoist priest, help us! That child is only five years old..."

The Taoist priest said with difficulty, "It's not that I don't want to help, it's just that my master is in seclusion and can't come out."

Wang Ying also stepped forward to plead, "We really had no other choice but to come and beg Master Qingxu. That child is the only daughter of Marquis Wuping. The Marquis has led his troops to the border to protect the country. Are you really going to just stand by and watch his only daughter die at home?"

The Taoist priest hesitated for a moment before saying, "Please wait a moment, I will go and tell my master."

Marquis Wuping and Daoist Qingxu were old acquaintances; Qing'er had asked him for help to cure her when she was suffering from a snake wrapped around her waist.

Before long, Master Qingxu came out. The old man was over seventy years old with white hair and beard, but he was still quite healthy. After learning the cause and effect of the child's illness, he followed the two down the mountain.

At this point, Qing'er had already fainted twice due to a high fever, which terrified Aunt Chen.

Following her husband's instructions, she didn't dare to cover the child with too many clothes. Instead, she used a cloth dampened with warm water to wipe Qing'er's neck, armpits, and groin to cool her down.

Small red rashes have started to appear on the child's neck and hands. These rashes are smallpox. Over time, they will spread all over the body and become infected with pus, even getting into the eyes. In severe cases, they can cause blindness and death.

Even in later generations, smallpox was an extremely terrifying disease because there was no specific medicine to treat it, and most patients relied on nutrition to get through it on their own.

In ancient times, there were no effective medicines to treat smallpox. However, Qingxuzi had a method of acupuncture and bloodletting that could greatly alleviate the harm of smallpox to patients. He had used this method to save people before, and none of them had any sequelae.

It was already noon when the carriage arrived home. As soon as the carriage stopped, the three of them hurried towards the west courtyard.

At the door, Master Qingxu stopped the two and said, "This disease is extraordinary. Once you are infected, it is difficult to cure. You two gentlemen can wait outside."

"Thank you for your trouble, Taoist priest."

Before long, Chen Rong and Madam Li arrived after hearing the news. "How is Qing'er?"

Wang Ying said, "We have already invited Master Qingxu. Mother, Third Aunt, you should all go back. Keep a close eye on the child these next few days, and no one should come over."

"Yes, I understand." Li knew how dangerous smallpox was. Years ago, a smallpox epidemic broke out in Tianyang County, killing hundreds of people in the city. Two of her aunts died from that epidemic.

Chen Rong looked at him with worry, "Poor child, you must cure him."

Tears welled up in Lin Sui's eyes. He had already lost a child who never even had a chance to see the world. Now, he finally had a daughter, but she had been diagnosed with this disease...

Wang Ying sent the two back to the main courtyard. Because she had been in contact with Qing'er, she didn't plan to have any contact with Yuanbao for the next few days, and would wait until the incubation period was over.

As time slowly passed, and the sun began to set, the door finally opened, and Master Qingxu walked out, looking exhausted.

The two hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Master, how is the child?"

Master Qingxu took two steps back and said, "I have already tried acupuncture on her, and her life should be safe. However, the rash on her body will take time to develop before it can heal. You must take good care of her these next few days, otherwise the child will have scars on her face and body."

"Thank you so much, Daoist Master!" Lin Sui knelt down and kowtowed excitedly.

"Get up. I didn't come for you. Marquis Wuping went to war for the country. Although I have no personal relationship with him, I admire his character. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't come even if they begged me for a thousand pieces of gold."

Taoism emphasizes following the natural way and conforming to destiny. He had already entered a state of deep meditation but forcibly broke through the barrier, which may have damaged his heart meridian and shortened his lifespan. This was probably his tribulation.

Master Qingxu didn't stay long and packed his things to return to the mountain. Wang Ying quickly asked Ershun to hitch up the cart and take him back.

This old Taoist priest was truly skilled. After the child received the acupuncture, the fever subsided, and the child regained the energy to eat. In the evening, the child drank a large bowl of porridge and ate two boiled eggs.

Being able to eat is a good thing. With food in the stomach, the body's resistance will naturally increase. After six or seven days of rest, the body gradually recovered, leaving two plum blossom-shaped scars on the cheeks.

This is already a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Without Master Qingxu's help, it's uncertain whether the child would have survived.

After this incident, Lin Sui dared not send the child back again and kept her by his side to raise her. Over time, Qing'er's feelings for him grew deeper and deeper, and the two, though not biological father and daughter, were more like biological children.

The Li family was unaware of what was happening with the Chen family. Ever since Qing'er was taken away, Madam Li had been asking people about the situation there.

Logically, that bastard child should have caught the disease from wearing smallpox clothes, so why hasn't there been any sign of it after several days?

Madam Li became restless and sent people to inquire at the clinics in the city. They finally learned that Li Qing'er had contracted smallpox.

"Good! Once this little bastard dies, it would be best if Li Mu also died at the border. Then this huge manor will all belong to my son!"

Master Li hesitated for a moment and said, "Isn't this too drastic...? What if he didn't die at the border..."

"That doesn't apply to us. What does the child's death in the Chen family have to do with us?"

"Yes, he can't find evidence against us without proof."

Under the candlelight, the couple resembled vengeful ghosts, plotting against their illegitimate son's inheritance.

Unfortunately, despite their meticulous planning, the two men hadn't anticipated that Qing'er not only survived, but that their two grandsons accidentally entered the room where Qing'er had been imprisoned and developed high fevers that very night...

*

On the other hand, it wasn't until the second day after Chen Qingyan arrived in the capital that he finally met the Lord Liu he had long admired—Liu Yaozhi.

At first glance, I thought I was meeting Liu Changyi's father, because the two looked so alike, like they were cut from the same mold. However, they were completely different people when they spoke.

Mr. Liu was kind and spoke softly, while Mr. Liu's eldest uncle was very serious and had a cold demeanor, making people feel very pressured when they were around him.

He first inquired about their studies, and after listening, he tapped the table lightly with his finger and said, "A few years ago, I originally planned to bring you to the capital to study, but your father was unwilling and insisted on leaving you in the prefectural city. However, I am at ease knowing that Lu Zhongqi is teaching you."

It's a pity your grades have been mediocre these past few years. I originally thought you wouldn't pass this time, but I never expected you to actually pass and become a Juren.

Liu Changyi scratched his head sheepishly, "I was a bit playful a few years ago and didn't focus on my studies. It was only after meeting Brother Qingyan and the others that I finally got it."

Liu Yaozhi stroked his beard and nodded, "It's not too late, do your best in the imperial examination."

"Yes, I will definitely try my best!"

After speaking, the nephew looked at Chen Qingyan beside him. Lord Liu could not hide his admiration. "I have already seen your provincial examination paper. It has quite the style of your master."

Upon hearing this, Chen Qingyan quickly cupped his hands in a humble manner and said, "This humble one is of limited talent and knowledge; you flatter me, sir."

"Is your master still in Jizhou? How is his health?"

"My master is still in relatively good health, but he left Jizhou for Shanzhou after the provincial examination."

"Hahahaha, I knew he couldn't stay idle. It's a pity he's unwilling to go to the capital. With his talent, he should have a place in the Imperial Academy." Liu Yaozhi was also an old friend of Liang Boqing. The two had participated in a poetry gathering together when Liang went to Jizhou.

Both were attracted by each other's talent, and after the poetry gathering, they met privately a few more times. After that, they went their separate ways and never saw each other again. More than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.

"My master did not want to live in seclusion; his greatest wish was to travel across the beautiful mountains and rivers."

Liu Yaozhi sighed, "I really envy him. I also want to travel, but I can't get away from all this business at court."

Chen Qingyan thought to himself: How could Master not envy Lord Liu? It's a pity that he will never enter the court again in his lifetime.

After chatting for a while, Liu Yaozhi suddenly brought up the border war, "There's been fighting in the Northwest, have you two heard about it?"

Liu Changyi shook his head. The army hadn't set off when they left, so they didn't know about this.

Chen Qingyan learned of this news from his husband, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "I have heard a little about it. If I am not mistaken, the war in the Northwest should be quite intense at this time."

A note from the author: