Qi Guanlan delivers medicine
At Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the unique scent of the sacrificial offerings wafted from under the door into the air. After drinking her medicine, Wen Ruo slowly walked to the window, opened it, and quietly watched.
The paper-covered cotton clothes gradually turned to ashes in the brazier. Pomegranate Mother knelt on the ground, muttering incantations, her body hunched over, as if even a speck of dust could crush her.
Wen Ruo sniffed, her nose slightly sore. Shi Liu Niang immediately turned her head and scolded, "What window are you opening! You're only just getting better, can't you behave yourself? Do you know that you almost made me, an old man, bury my son? Do you want me to burn some for you too?"
With sharp ears and a louder voice than her, Wen Ruo sheepishly took the wooden stick and couldn't help but sneeze. Shi Liu Niang's cursing stopped abruptly. Before long, she brought over a bowl of nourishing soup and said coldly, "Drink it while it's hot, and chew the contents too."
Wen Ruo sat at the table, scooping up the whole ginseng from the bowl, her face pale with fright. "Mother, tell the truth, did you sell all my dowry to buy this medicine? This thing costs ten taels a piece, right? Are you even going to live on that?!"
As Shiliu's mother added charcoal, she continued her tirade, "So you do know that? If you keep neglecting your health, I think we should both go see the King of Hell together."
"You knew everything!"
She said that burning the paper money made her feel like she'd eaten a firecracker, and that she was supposed to be depressed for several hours. Wen Ruo forced a smile and said:
"I promise there won't be a next time. It's a good thing, isn't it? The miracle doctor said he can cure it. If he's cured, you can be a matchmaker and find a good wife for Zhang Shusheng, helping him live a good life."
And then there's Yang Shen. He won't marry, and with my poor health, it'll be hard to find a husband. Aunt Juan probably can't handle it alone, so I'm waiting for Mother to find one for me herself.”
Wen Ruo talked on and on, but seeing that Shi Liu Niang still didn't say a word, she began to feel uneasy, and her voice gradually lost its confidence, "Mother, you can cure her, right!"
She doesn't plan to get married and occasionally tells white lies. Could it be that her lack of skill has been noticed? Sigh, Wen Ruo sighed, not knowing what to do. Could it be that she really has to wait for Zhang Shusheng to pass the imperial examination? Whether he passes or not is one thing, but whether Master Yi can stay until then is another matter.
Shiliu's mother chuckled and turned around, laughing, "Silly girl, of course I'll treat you, but only after you're fully recovered. Otherwise, with two crippled people in the family, who will take care of us? We don't have the money to hire a maid."
Shiliu Niang smiled, but her eyes gradually welled up with tears, making Wen Ruo feel like crying too. She cleared her throat and said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of the money! Good days are waiting for us."
Before Shiliu Niang could finish her sentence, Wen Ruo raised her hand and assured her, "I will absolutely not get hurt again!"
"Xiao Qiangzi!"
"What 'Little Qiangzi'? Why does he call me that so rudely?" Shiliu's mother put down her needlework and went to open the door with a face full of complaints. When she saw his hands full of bags, her expression changed instantly. "Brother Shun, who are you delivering things for this time?"
"Yes, Aunt Hong, may I speak with Wen Ruo alone for a few minutes?"
Shi Liu Niang returned to her room. Xiao Shun Ge placed the gift on the table and asked her to pour him a cup of tea. Wen Ruo complied. Xiao Shun Ge sat beside her, watching her, and suddenly sighed:
"I must say, your sickly appearance does look somewhat familiar. Your makeup skills have improved a bit, but your lips are a little pale, remember to touch them up."
Wen Ruo silenced his mouth with a cup of tea, and while he was drinking, she picked up the nearest box and weighed it in her hand, but couldn't tell what it was. "Is it really for me?"
“The princess sent me. On the way, I met Miss Yang Shen, Miss Yang San, and Miss Cao. They were all asking about you, but I didn’t tell them.”
After quenching his thirst, Xiao Shun put down his cup and was somewhat surprised. "I didn't expect that, besides the young master, you would be on good terms with so many sons of officials. Now, even if Zhao Heng came to ask, I wouldn't be surprised."
"I have to thank your young master for making the connection," Wen Ruo said with an embarrassed smile, quickly denying it. "Don't talk nonsense. I have no connection with Zhao Heng. If Young Master Qi misunderstands, I won't have any business at Yun Jin Lou."
Xiao Shun picked up a piece of pastry and ate it in a few bites. "I just said it casually without thinking. Don't worry, the young prince won't come. Xi You just arrived at his residence. He has a beauty in his arms. Why would he remember a nobody like you?"
What?
The wooden box wrapped in yellow silk suddenly fell onto the table. Xiao Shun reached out and cushioned it, moving it a safe distance away before exclaiming, "Ancestor, this contains ginseng! The princess specially selected it. Don't break it!"
Ginseng... wait, who's impersonating her? Wen Ruo's eyelids trembled uncontrollably, her whole body momentarily confused, her head buzzing. Xiao Shun looked her over carefully, "What's your rush? Could it really be your relative?"
These words reminded her, and Wen Ruo calmed down, taking a sip of tea to soothe her nerves. "Don't say that, my family went there early, so it might actually be possible. Tell me, how did Xi You suddenly go to the Prince's Mansion? Is it really Xi You? Or is it someone else in disguise?"
“I actually know that.”
Seeing her curiosity, Xiao Shun was about to speak when Shi Liu Niang pushed the door open and entered, frowning as she glared at Wen Ruo. Xiao Shun wisely shut up and got up to leave.
Wen Ruo was at a loss, her appetite kept in suspense, but seeing Shi Liu Niang's expression, she didn't dare to speak up.
Shiliu Niang put down the teapot and got up to see Xiao Shun Ge off, not giving her a chance to ask any questions. Wen Ruo sat obediently in the room, drinking the jujube and ginseng tea specially made by the divine doctor. The sweet tea spread from her throat to her limbs, and the last bit of coolness in her palms and soles was also driven away.
She stood up, and after stretching her muscles, her body suddenly felt heavy, and she started seeing stars. She felt dizzy and couldn't see clearly. After a while, she realized that one shouldn't be too complacent.
Wen Ruo slowly walked out of the courtyard. The original tables, chairs and benches in the shop were nowhere to be seen. The empty shop now had two rows of shelves filled with mahogany boxes, none of which were locked.
She smelled them one by one. They were filled with medicinal herbs, including precious deer antlers and ginseng that was just a torso. The beard had already gone into her stomach. Even the common chicken blood vine and white grass felt of unusual quality. Where did all of this come from?
Wen Ruo walked to the front door. The shop door was closed, not only with a bolt, but also with a lock between the door panels.
“Your mother told the young rascal that you’re not allowed to leave until you’re fully recovered.”
Suddenly, Mr. Yi emerged from behind the curtain with a pestle in his hand. Wen Ru chuckled. Did he have to be so wary of her? She sniffed the air and suddenly said:
"Lotus seed heart, Cigu stone, what else? I've never smelled such a strange fragrance before."
"I didn't realize you had such a sensitive nose. It seems your cold is better. You can tell what medicine I used just by smelling it. That's quite remarkable."
Wen Ruo smiled wryly: "Every year, all the money I earn goes into the pharmacy. I'm naturally unwilling to not learn more about it."
He handed over the copper jar, his expression unusually excited. "The last ingredient is called Jiao Dai Hong, a rare herb I found. It's an essential ingredient in the prescription, but it's extremely potent and clashes with many other herbs. If you use the wrong one, you'll lose your life. Are you scared?"
Wen Ruo nodded, but couldn't resist her curiosity. She leaned forward and took a closer sniff, then said with a serious expression, "Thank you, Mr. Yi, for using such a rare item on me."
Mr. Yi snorted, "No, it's just that if it's not handled properly, it can become highly poisonous. Ordinary people can't handle it. Do you dare to try?"
"Wen Ruo naturally followed the doctor's orders."
Mr. Yi was delighted and exclaimed, "Excellent!"
Seeing that he was happy, Wen Ruo took the opportunity to say, "Sir, may I go out? I've been feeling quite bored these past few days."
Mr. Yi pounded on her a few more times, "So what your mother said was true! What a sweet-talking, black-hearted little liar."
Wen Ruo was both amused and exasperated, so she simply stretched out her hand. "I was just saying, sir. Is there anything I can do? My body is as stiff as a piece of wood right now. How about I do some odd jobs for you?" She thought it would be better to clear her name and say some nice things to try and get out of this confinement as soon as possible.
"No problem!"
Wen Ruo glanced back, her heart pounding with anxiety. How much silver would this cost? "Sir, how much silver do these medicinal herbs cost? Which pharmacy is so generous as to offer credit? How long is the credit period?"
Mr. Yi glanced back at her and smiled strangely, "It was a gift from someone else, it didn't cost any money."
Wen Ru hesitated for a moment, "It can't be Qi Guanlan again, can it?"
Mr. Yi didn't reply. Wen Ruo followed beside him, silently picking out herbs. If we're talking about favors, accompanying her to find Mr. Yi would be enough to settle the score.
He dug out two golden walnuts from her after carrying her on his back—was that compensation? It couldn't possibly be that the robbers experienced some hardship and suddenly had a change of heart, could it?
Qi Guanlan, who was thousands of miles away, suddenly sneezed, startling Xiaobai. Qi Mingshuo rode up to his side and asked with a smile, "Is Lady Wen missing you?"
Wen Ruo's name was renowned, and Qi Mingshuo admired her greatly. If she hadn't fallen ill, he would have really wanted to bring her along to adventure in the martial world. Unfortunately, Guanlan said that she was extremely filial, so he could only dream about it.
Qi Guanlan rubbed his nose and pulled his cloak tighter around himself. The familiar voice, the slightly curly hair and the thin mustache made him look strangely odd. Even his nose seemed a bit more prominent. It was both comical and unfamiliar, and Qi Guanlan couldn't help but take a few more glances.
"You look like this?"
My cousin said he wanted to change his clothes as soon as he left the palace, but I didn't expect him to be so unrestrained. Is this how people in the martial arts world disguise themselves? No wonder my uncle wouldn't let him go out.
"This is just a minor skill. I've heard there's a master of disguise in the martial arts world named Tao, but everyone calls him Escaped Thousand Zhang. No one has ever seen his true face. He's a gambler, and his hands can change in countless ways. He can be either male or female, so much so that even his parents wouldn't recognize him. He's got a mountain of debt and no one has been able to collect it. I heard he's dead."
Qi Mingshuo shook his head, his eyes filled with regret and longing for the master. He spurred his horse to the front, seemingly having been cooped up for too long. The bags of grain were like an invisible rope, far from the exhilarating feeling of riding alone on horseback and roaming the world.
Qi Mingshuo ran through the flat, wide forest, his spirits high and his voice filled with joy. Qi Guanlan glanced at the nimble little white horse beneath him, then looked back at the churning carriage, and sighed softly, his patience almost exhausted.
These were his military orders, and he could not afford to make any mistakes. In order to arrive before dark, he specially asked for strong and sturdy guards. They were alert all the way, never frowned, and never even asked to rest.
He equipped each wooden cart with two large horses, hoping to arrive faster, but then it rained again, and the muddy road became a stumbling block.
"You asked Father Emperor for so many good medicines. If word gets out, he might change his opinion of you. Shouldn't he thank you?"
"Changes?"
The two words sounded like they were being squeezed out of his throat. He was so startled by his own voice that he almost fell over. Qi Guanlan tightened the reins, rolled his eyes, coughed lightly, and said:
"Come on, this person is stingy and petty. A box of gold can make her so angry she'd vomit blood. She probably woke up and found out I really took her gold walnuts, and she's been muttering about me behind my back. She's probably cursing me in her heart. Brother, don't owe people favors, or you'll be a step below them."
Qi Mingshuo burst into laughter. Compared to Qi Guanlan, who looked preoccupied and somewhat listless, he seemed more like someone who had come out for sightseeing. After laughing, he patted Qi Guanlan's shoulder and said, "This journey has been peaceful and rather boring."
Qi Guanlan glared at him, "Don't jinx it."
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