Wen Ruo goes home
Under the moonlight, Xiao Shun finally saw the archway of Yan'an Temple. After feeding the horses, he climbed dozens of stone steps towards the main hall. Looking straight ahead, he could vaguely see the smiling Maitreya Buddha in the Hall of Heavenly Kings.
Xiao Shun strode forward, bowed once, then circled around behind Maitreya Buddha. Weituo Bodhisattva placed his pestle on the ground and bowed again devoutly.
A young novice monk popped out from the doorway, chanting "Amitabha" repeatedly. After the visitor explained his purpose, the young monk chanted "Amitabha" again and then ran away in a flash.
A young monk with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and thick earlobes, who seemed to have a connection with Buddhism, led the way. He arrived at Wen Ruo's residence and saw a rockery. A long-bearded man sat cross-legged on a low rock, meditating. He spoke in a friendly manner: "You've arrived. I just finished acupuncture. We'll set off tomorrow morning."
The divine physician truly possessed the art of preserving his youthful appearance. He had only a wisp of white hair on his head, wore a plain dark robe, and had his hair tied up in a simple bun. He had a square, thin face and bright, piercing eyes, and looked to be about forty years old, though his actual age was unknown.
Wen Ruo woke up groggily and found herself unable to move. She could barely move her eyes, and it took some effort to open them a crack under her thin eyelids. It felt like her internal organs were crawling with thousands of ants, and her teeth were grinding together.
Pomegranate Mother leaned over, her face filled with sorrow, looking several years older, and said in a sobbing voice, "Qiangqiang, you're awake?"
Why aren't there any lights? It's so dark! Wen Ruo struggled to open her lips, only to find her throat was sore and dry, and she was unbearably thirsty. The surrounding darkness was so intense that not even a ray of light could penetrate. She became even more anxious. Where was the healer? Had he come along? Had the poison in her body been cured?
The hot breath from Shiliu Niang landed on her face, making her nose itch. She turned her head slightly and realized that she felt like she was sinking into a desert. The heat came from the soles of her feet, and only her head was not buried. She pursed her lips, tried to struggle a little, and then a few more panics appeared in her eyes. What was going on?
Xiao Shun's voice came from behind, "Xiao Qiangzi, aren't you called Wen Ruo? How come you're actually called Qiangqiang?" After he finished speaking, the strange laughter of the doctor followed. Wen Ruo's tense mood relaxed instantly, and her mind and body calmed down completely.
Shi Liu Niang tucked the blanket tightly around Wen Ruo, wrapping her in the thick quilt and holding her in her arms with a reassuring smile. "Be good, don't move. We'll be home in another hour. The doctor said you can't stand the wind."
Alright, now that the mouth is buried, only the nostrils are left open to breathe. Wen Ruoxin thought to herself, her eyes tightly closed, but her heart calmed down. It seems she has to come to Yan'an Temple again to fulfill her vow to Buddha.
Brother Shun's driving skills were clearly excellent; he didn't have a single bump or knock along the way and kept reporting back. This time, his weathered tone carried a sense of relief as he said, "We're almost at the city gate. Thank goodness, I haven't failed in my mission."
An hour later, before the carriage had even stopped, Xiao Shun's surprised voice rang out, "Young Master!"
The iron lock clicked shut, the wooden door creaked, and the yellow dog guarding the house next door barked, seemingly trying to scare away the unexpected stranger.
Wen Ruo's eyelashes trembled. Qi Guanlan? What's he doing at her doorstep? Wait, is he here to dig for gold? Is Young Master Qi serious? Who's going to knock her out? She'll wake up to find two pieces of gold have changed hands?
Nightmare! Wen Ruo quickly closed her eyes; she must have opened them at the wrong time.
Qi Guanlan's unique voice rang out again: "Is she awake?"
“This place is drafty from all sides, no one can live here. Forget it, I’ve found a good place for the doctor. Take him to East Street and settle the patient there. Come back when he’s better.”
East Street? That shop? Is this compensation for taking her two golden walnuts? But if she only stays for a short time with those two golden walnuts, Qi Guanlan has the makings of a shrewd businessman.
Before the car doors were even opened, Shiliu Niang, who had just lifted her buttocks, sat back down. Wen Ruo shifted into a more comfortable position and said that her house didn't matter, but the last part was the truth. It seemed like an incense stick had burned out when footsteps stopped beside the carriage, and the sound of a lock clicking was heard again. Clearly, Qi Guanlan had come out of his house.
On the way to East Street, Wen Ruo nestled motionless in her mother's arms, with only one thought in her mind: had he dug or not?
The carriage entered the courtyard directly through the back gate. Wen Ruo's vision went black as her face was covered. The next moment, a plump and large silkworm pupa lay on the stretcher.
When she saw light again, she was greeted by a carved rosewood bedspread overhead and a soft silk quilt beneath her. There was a reason for its high price. Wen Ruo's mind wandered, and she counted from beginning to end how many peonies there were. The curtains hung down beside the bed, covering her completely and without any draft.
Quick footsteps sounded, a heater was placed in the corner, and the rhythmic footsteps pushed open the door. An indescribable herbal scent filled the room. A porcelain bowl was placed on the table beside the bed, and the spoon made a crisp clinking sound. Shi Liu Niang hooked up the curtain, and sunlight streamed into the bed. The sun was shining brightly today.
Wen Ruo was helped up and slowly moved to the pillow. The doctor seemed to have sealed her acupoints. She had no feeling in her legs and little strength in her arms. "Mother, when can I get out of bed?"
Shiliu Niang sat by the bed, the brown soup still steaming, the bitter smell relentlessly penetrating her nostrils. Wen Ruo breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully her nose was a little blocked and she couldn't smell it very clearly.
"The doctor said you need to drink tonics, and it will take a month to detoxify after you finish taking them."
Wen Ruo's lower lip trembled, her eyes darting around as she calculated the costs. Her already pale face turned even paler. "Can't we detoxify first?" Rather than going bankrupt from trying to recover, it's better to just stay alive.
"What nonsense are you talking about? This medicine was brought from the palace by Young Master Qi. If it weren't for the divine doctor telling me, I would still be in the dark about your health. Anyway, you should take some tonics first."
We'll repay this kindness once you've recovered. Another one, and I'll die ten years younger. How terrifying it would be to hear you making your final arrangements in the middle of the night! I don't want to go through that again.
Shiliu Niang rolled her eyes at her, as if she was still angry, and fed her a spoonful of medicine directly.
Wen Ruo was in agony. She had already been surprised enough today, but hearing this still made it impossible for her to remain calm. She began to wonder if Qi Guanlan was possessed by a ghost? Otherwise, why would he be so kind to her? She remembered that he seemed to still be angry.
"Mother, what did I say when I was unconscious?"
Shi Liu Niang paused, then, as the medicine cooled slightly, she stuffed another spoonful into her mouth. "What can you say? It's all about money. You're obsessed with money too. And what happened to Xi You's death?"
As she strolled around the shop, she overheard people laughing and talking upstairs next door. The young prince was spending a fortune to find a beautiful woman, and they were talking about Xi You, the courtesan who had caused such a stir back then.
Wen Ruo choked, her nasal passages cleared instantly, and the sour taste of the medicine mixed with the fishy smell of the soup swept over her brain all at once. She finally understood what it meant to dream about something during the day. She blinked, and the medicine bowl was brought directly to her lips. She gulped down a few mouthfuls, and in the blink of an eye, the soup was empty.
Shiliu's mother put down the bowl, stuffed a red date into her mouth to rinse it, and only after Wen Ruo had chewed enough did she ask, "You also said that this was sleep talking, you didn't tell anyone else, did you?"
Shi Liu Niang paused for a moment, then sat back down facing her. "I'm the only woman in the temple. Who can I talk to? Alright, don't worry about other people's business." If she really knew that the young prince had rewarded her with a thousand taels of silver, she would dig three feet into the ground. Given her current sickly appearance, she'd better stay put.
Two days later, it was the Cold Clothes Festival. Wen Ruoneng couldn't stay in bed any longer after getting out of bed. She wore a light blue long dress made last year, and on the outside was a thin, narrow, brocade-white cotton-padded jacket that Shiliu Niangxin had bought. To make her look healthier, she applied some face powder to her eyebrows and cheeks, and also put some red on her lips.
After walking around the room, I realized it was quite different from the room I had seen. A Boshan-style ceramic incense burner stood in front of the desk, a landscape painting had been replaced on the wall, the desk and bookshelves were empty, and there were several vases on the antique shelf, with layers of white plum blossoms and winter plum blossoms, their elegant postures clearly indicating that it had been decorated.
Passing around the screen, Wen Ruo sat down at the round table. On the table was a milk, rice, and red date porridge that Xiao Shun had brought that morning, stewed until soft and tender. "I must say, the little rascal is starting to get it," the doctor said, bringing in a bowl and plopping down next to her. A layer of oil floated on top of the wontons, and the aroma of sesame oil filled the air.
Wen Ruo swallowed, a hint of longing in her eyes.
"Stop thinking about it, just drink your porridge."
Wen Ruo stirred it, took a few sips, and then asked impatiently, "May I ask your esteemed name, divine physician? And can you cure my mother's leg?"
The doctor chewed the last wonton with a look of enjoyment. As if not satisfied, he picked up the bowl and slurped down a few more mouthfuls, finishing every last drop of soup. Then he wiped his mouth clean and said, "I knew you were willingly poisoned. This little girl is quite ruthless to herself!"
Wen Ruo suddenly had a better appetite and quickly finished a bowl of porridge. She even showed the bottom of the bowl with a rather dashing air, saying, "Please excuse me. I just wanted to keep the Divine Doctor here a little longer. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to see him when I woke up."
"Your mother's legs can be cured, if she's willing."
Perhaps because she hadn't fully recovered from her illness, her mind was a little slow to process things. Instead of joy, she felt a sense of disbelief and confusion. Wen Ru nodded blankly, then a smile suddenly appeared on her face, and her pale cheeks regained some color. "Thank you, divine doctor."
“You’re too happy too soon. I haven’t finished speaking yet. Your mother can cure it, but you,” the doctor stroked his beard and shook his head, “it’s fortunate that you had a Gu worm that blocked it for you. You traded half your life for a leg. Should I say you’re smart or stupid?”
"The divine doctor is truly amazing," Wen Ruo said with her smile unchanged. She reached out and poured a cup of tea for Mr. Yi, handing it to him respectfully. He took it and placed it aside. "My surname is Liu, and my given name is Yi. You can call me Mr. Yi. Where did the Gu come from? It was quite ferocious. I had to exert a lot of effort to suppress it, so you wouldn't wake up as a cripple."
"A gift for becoming an apprentice." Wen Ruo answered every question.
Mr. Yi's curiosity was piqued, and he teased, "I heard from Xiao Shunzi that your name is Qiangqiang? I think your body is not even as good as half a dragonfly, at least that one is lively and energetic."
"It's the 'Qiang' in 'rose,' but that's all in the past. Wenruo, Wenruo, isn't that prophetic? It's a perfect match for my half-dead life."
With such a calm and collected demeanor, Mr. Yi picked up his teacup and took a sip. "This young lady is quite open-minded."
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