71 Happy Pulse
◎Criminal Ye Yunzhao refuses to repent, torture!◎
Because they were going to bother her late at night, Madam Cuihua took advantage of Liu Dazhuang borrowing the ox cart to pack the pickled fruit wine she had made earlier into a bamboo basket. The taste of homemade wine is naturally not as good as the sake in the restaurant, but one should always have the attitude of asking for help when asking someone for help.
She was afraid that Aunt Xiangyun would follow her, so she tore a piece of coarse cloth to cover her forehead and, feeling very distressed, sprinkled some pig's blood on the hem of her clothes. When she finished packing everything, Liu Dazhuang just returned with the ox cart.
Madam Cuihua was about to get up, but she saw Liu Dazhuang winking at her a few times, and she hurriedly cried out "Ouch, ouch" again.
A person she didn't expect came out from behind Liu Dazhuang - Li Xianjiang.
Before she could say anything, Li Xianjiang took two steps at a time, clamped his hands around her calves, and shouted to Liu Dazhuang, who was standing there in a daze, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and get Madam Cuihua onto the ox cart and head to Yuezhou City!"
Liu Dazhuang came to his senses and the current situation did not allow him to hesitate. He hurried forward to lend a hand, and the two men half-lifted and half-carried Madam Cuihua onto the ox cart.
Cuihua knew clearly: she was going to Yuezhou City to see Chen Jingshan! Not to see some female doctor! If she asked Li Xianjiang to go with her, how could she hide it?
She immediately feigned weakness and said, "Doctor Li... I will never forget your kindness. It's getting late now, Doctor Li, please go back first. The two of us will go..."
After she finished speaking, she winked at Liu Dazhuang, who got on the cart and whipped it, intending to leave with the cart.
"Hey!" Li Xianjiang exclaimed in surprise, then with two quick steps, leaped onto the cart. As the two men stared in astonishment, he said, "It's okay. Treating illnesses and saving lives is a doctor's duty. Although I don't specialize in gynecology, my acupuncture skills, inherited from my family, are unparalleled. Furthermore, women are prone to blood loss during miscarriages. If I can be of any help, I will be a true honor to my Li family ancestors."
His words left Cuihua speechless. Time was running out and she couldn't care less. She just hoped that when she got to Chen's house, Brother Jingshan could help cover up something.
She forced a smile and said, "Thank you, Doctor Li... Dazhuang, let's go."
When talking about Liu Dazhuang, she couldn't help but glare at him: How could he let Doctor Li come along when he knew that her miscarriage was fake!
Liu Dazhuang also sighed. It was really not his fault. How could he have known that it was so late and Doctor Li was still treating an old injury at the headman's house?
The village head of Xixiang had broken his right leg two years before. Previously, he'd only taken decoctions, but the pain was unbearable in cold weather. When Li Xianjiang heard about this, he began giving him acupuncture regularly. Since he had to visit ordinary residents during the day, he often came in late at night. But today, just as he was about to give him acupuncture, he happened to hear about Cuihua's miscarriage.
Li Xianjiang's forehead was covered in sweat. Ever since he'd studied medicine with his grandmother, he'd known that childbirth was no small matter. While miscarriage wasn't a serious problem, it could still cause significant harm to a woman. Yuezhou City had female doctors specializing in gynecology, but if a woman suffered hemorrhage during childbirth, there was no way to save her.
Fortunately, he had learned the acupuncture technique of using silver needles to stop bleeding from his grandmother. If Madam Cuihua needed it, he could also provide acupuncture as soon as possible, so it would be safest to go together. Thinking of this, Li Xianjiang's mood gradually calmed down.
He opened the medicine box and took the initiative to speak: "Madam Cuihua, the road is bumpy, why don't I take your pulse first..."
Before he could finish his words, Madam Cuihua said with full energy, "No need!"
Then she realized something was wrong and said weakly, "Men and women shouldn't touch each other, Doctor Li, it's better not to do that..."
"I know it's not easy for a woman to see a doctor, but don't worry, Brother Dazhuang is here now. I'm sure he won't misunderstand you because of your condition," Li Xianjiang explained. "Besides, I'm just taking your pulse. It doesn't affect the relationship between men and women."
"Really, there's no need..." Madam Cuihua quickly retracted her hand into her sleeve.
"Miscarriage is no small matter," Li Xianjiang said with a somewhat firm tone. "I am a doctor. In the eyes of doctors, there is no difference between men and women. Madam Cuihua, you must not be afraid to seek medical treatment."
As he spoke, he raised his hand to pull her. In a flash, while the two of them were pulling each other, Li Xianjiang's fingertips had already touched Madam Cuihua's pulse!
Madam Cuihua knew she could no longer hide the truth. She sat up abruptly, pulled the coarse cloth from her head, and said in despair, "Oh! Doctor Li! I, I didn't have a miscarriage... I was never pregnant from the beginning to the end..."
Li Xianjiang was stunned when these words came out. His pulse beat smoothly, like beads on a plate. "But...but you are pregnant..."
"What!" Madam Cuihua said in disbelief, "What did you say?!"
Li Xianjiang said, "You are pregnant. Judging from your pulse, you have been pregnant for over a month."
Liu Dazhuang, with his back to the two of them, was at a loss as to what to do: "Doctor Li, what is a pregnancy pulse?"
Madam Cuihua blushed and raised her hand to hit him: "You idiot, the pulse of happiness means... it means you are going to be a father..."
Liu Dazhuang turned around in surprise: "I'm going to be a father? I'm going to be a father!"
"Hey, hey, hey!" Madam Cuihua said hurriedly, "Watch the road carefully and drive the ox cart well!"
"Hey! Hey!" Liu Dazhuang said happily.
Li Xianjiang said from the side, "Why did you say you weren't pregnant just now?"
Madam Cuihua sighed and said, "Forget it, Doctor Li, this is an extraordinary matter. You must not tell anyone else."
Li Xianjiang looked at her serious expression and nodded quickly.
Only then did Madam Cuihua tell him that Ye Yunzhao was imprisoned, and naturally also mentioned the purpose of her going to Yuezhou City at night.
"Doctor Li, if this matter fails, I'm afraid I'll be implicated... County Magistrate Ye is my master. Once a teacher, always a mother. I can't ignore her affairs, but you don't have to get involved. Let Dazhuang take you back tomorrow morning."
After she finished speaking, she raised her hand and stroked her belly, murmuring, "My child, I didn't know I was pregnant with you. I was sorry just now, but since you are my child, I can't just stand by and watch you die. Just think of this as something I owe you. You have to be good... You must be good..."
Li Xianjiang was stunned for a moment before he finally understood. He made up his mind, "I'm not leaving. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about County Magistrate Ye's affairs. Besides, there are many punishments in prison. I wonder if County Magistrate Ye is suffering in there."
County Magistrate Ye is willing to take us in, and I, Li, am deeply grateful. Now that she is in trouble, if I watch her die without helping her, wouldn't I be a gentleman? If the shopkeeper Chen you mentioned has a way to send the medicine I prepared, I'm sure County Magistrate Ye will feel better."
Madam Cuihua's eyes were slightly warm, and a hint of gratitude flashed across them: "Okay, thank you, Doctor Li!"
*
The moon gradually climbed up to the window. Ye Yunzhao sat on a pile of wet straw, with his head down and eyes closed, leaning against the hard and cold stone bricks in a half-asleep state.
"Clatter--" The iron chain on the prison door suddenly made a sound, which seemed a bit harsh in the silence.
A jailer in official uniform came in and said, "Get up and go."
Ye Yunzhao felt dizzy and raised his head in a daze, looking at the yamen runner unmoved.
"Hey! You!" The jailer poked him with the stick in his hand and said impatiently, "Get up quickly! Go!"
She habitually supported herself on the ground with her right hand. In just a moment, she felt a piercing pain and Ye Yunzhao remembered that her right hand was injured.
She staggered to her feet, and after steadying herself completely by holding onto the stone wall, she stumbled out.
The jailer behind him must have been asleep long ago, but now he was woken up by someone, and he was in a very bad mood:
"Hurry up! What are you dawdling for? I'm so unlucky day after day. I have to run into you, a bunch of stubborn people who can't be pried open, when I have to stand guard! Hurry up!"
Ye Yunzhao, who was walking in front, was pushed by him and almost fell. She steadied herself and walked step by step in the direction the yamen runner said.
It wasn't until they reached a tiny room that the jailer stopped her and said unhappily, "Go in! You stubborn guy..."
Ye Yunzhao was pushed by him and fell forward two steps before he entered the room. A strong smell of blood hit him. It is not accurate to call it a room. In fact, this should be the place where lynching was carried out.
The room had no windows. On one wall was a small door and a round chair. The remaining three walls were covered with countless torture instruments: canes, iron hooks, pliers, whips...
In the center was a massive iron frame, draped with heavy iron chains and colorless hemp ropes. To the left and front of the frame was a slowly burning iron basin, containing a red-hot copper branding iron.
"County Magistrate Ye, please come in." The person who spoke was a yamen runner whom Ye Yunzhao had never seen before. His accent was quite different from that of Yuezhou City. He must be a subordinate who came to Yuezhou with the new prefect.
Ye Yunzhao heard others calling him "President Tian".
Before she could react, the two jailers beside her quickly clamped her to the iron frame.
Her arms were spread wide open, and the injured part of her right wrist was now tightly bound by an iron chain. Ye Yunzhao frowned, gritted his teeth and endured the pain. He was already sweating profusely before he even started to torture her.
With her experience of watching so many TV dramas, she already knew that the Tian Tongpan in front of her was most likely ordered by the new prefect to come and "discipline" her at midnight so that she would confess her crime and be punished as soon as possible.
Ye Yunzhao said with pain: "President Tian, I wonder what you mean by this?"
Judge Tian was stunned. "What do you mean? It's so clear and obvious. County Magistrate Ye is a smart man. Can't he see what I mean?"
The wound on his wrist was rubbing against the cold iron chain, causing it to burn. His lips were bitten white. Ye Yunzhao paused and said, "I am... an official appointed by the imperial court. Do you... do you have evidence... to prove that I... killed the prefect... Could it be that you... are trying to force a confession out of him by torture?"
"Ha!" Judge Tian sneered, "County Magistrate Ye, you're already a prisoner... Besides, I'm only following orders."
He winked at the jailer beside him, looked at the red copper iron in the brazier, and said expressionlessly:
"The prisoner Ye Yunzhao refuses to repent, torture him!"
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