Chapter 49 This is not your business.
Go back to Pingcheng.
And we need to get back as soon as possible, the sooner the better.
As soon as Madam Yue arrived home, she hurriedly ordered people to pack her things. In her panic, she became disorganized, her usual composure completely gone. She was frantic, grabbing things haphazardly, only remembering she needed something else after wanting this. She was so busy she felt dizzy and disoriented, and her bad temper involuntarily flared up. She blamed everyone and everything, resenting that nothing was going her way. Liu Shen, however, said there was no need; there wasn't enough time. Whatever she needed, she could get it along the way.
Lady Yue wanted to say that the things sold outside were all very rough, how could she get used to them? But in the end she said nothing, and after listening to Liu Shen's words, she only ordered that carriages and horses be prepared.
Everyone, go wait at the entrance. Once the car is ready, we'll leave immediately.
Liu Min was of course going to leave immediately, but Shan Lai couldn't leave; how could she be moved in that state?
“I got a letter from home, Grandma is not well, I have to go back…” He choked up as he spoke, “Mom will stay with you, you take good care of yourself…”
No sooner had he finished speaking than someone came to urge him on, saying that the master wanted them to hurry up and leave.
Liu Min's state of mind at this moment was the same as Liu Shen's. He really didn't want to waste a moment and wished he could get to Pingcheng in the blink of an eye. However, Shan Lai also held a very important place in his heart, so he came here to give her an explanation in person.
"I'm leaving."
After saying that, he turned around and quickly left.
Shanlai was already delirious from her illness, and after hearing Liu Min's words, she was even more confused. She couldn't understand how Old Madam Qin, who was perfectly fine, could suddenly become unwell.
At this moment, Wu Qingyu suddenly walked up to her, crying, "I have to go too, I can't not go... The old lady is my benefactor, without her I wouldn't be alive... And Liansi, I can't rest easy about her! Shanlai, you're a good child, always understanding, you'll understand my heart... They'll definitely take good care of you, you'll get better soon. When you're better, send us a letter and we'll send someone to pick you up..."
After saying that, she left.
Of course she was going to leave. She had come to Xingdu for Liu Min's sake, and if Liu Min left, she would naturally follow.
Ke Shan came to Xingdu from afar because of Liu Min.
Everyone else left, leaving her behind.
She was left all alone in this unfamiliar land, without a single person she knew...
No matter how composed she was, she was only ten years old, and she was seriously ill, all alone...
How could I not be afraid?
"No...don't go..."
Her hoarse, weak plea was a desperate cry for help, but it was no use; those who heard it ignored her.
Because she wasn't the most important person, there are always choices to be made, and she was the one who was discarded.
She had no close relatives, nor a wet nurse who had been with her since childhood; she was all alone.
She didn't say anything more, letting herself sink endlessly into the sea of suffering...
Wu Qingyu wanted to go back to Pingcheng together, but Liu Min disagreed and even became anxious.
"How can we do that? If we all leave, leaving her behind while she's sick... Mom, I can only feel at ease when you're here. Besides, your health isn't good either. How can you withstand such a bumpy ride?"
Wu Qingyu kept repeating the same things, rambling on and on, and crying mournfully.
She's right; she does have genuine feelings for Old Madam Qin, and quite a lot at that.
Liu Min was caught in a dilemma. If he asked Wu Qingyu to come along, it would be too unfair to Shan Lai, since they had all come together. Leaving without her would be like abandoning her. But if he didn't ask Wu Qingyu to go back, he would be betraying Wu Qingyu's kindness.
He was unable to make a decision for a long time, and was extremely anxious, sweating profusely.
The carriage is coming.
Everyone was busy, rushing to leave, it was chaotic.
His mind became even more chaotic, his brows furrowed tightly, and his lips pressed into a thin line.
Everything is ready, except for him.
Liu Shen walked over with a frown and asked him what was wrong, his tone displeased.
Wu Qingyu hurriedly told Liu Shen the same things, and cried again.
Upon hearing this, Liu Shen became quite impatient. "This is a huge matter!" He turned to Wu Qingyu and said, "Tell them to hitch up the carriage for you, and make sure you travel quickly so you can catch up as soon as possible." Then he turned and left.
The carriage at the front had already started moving.
Liu Min bit her lower lip and stomped her foot hard. "Mom, let's ride in the same car first!" she said, then stepped onto the stool and got into the car.
The convoy set off at breakneck speed, heading south.
The Liu residence was now empty, but the turmoil in the music bureau was still far from over.
Mrs. He couldn't even bother with her medical appointments; she was busy packing things up because her son was about to go on a long trip.
Le Zaian, the eldest grandson of the Le family, was listening to instructions from his grandfather, father, and uncles.
The three gentlemen of the Music Bureau all had duties to perform, and taking leave was not a long-term solution. Fortunately, the eldest among the younger generation was about to come of age and was usually steady and reliable. He was a capable person, so they asked him to go south with his aunt and uncle to fulfill the friendship between the two families on behalf of the elders.
Madam He escorted her son to the ceremonial gate. This wasn't the first time she'd sent her son on a long journey, especially to her in-laws' home. There was nothing to worry about, and she didn't need to act like a sentimental young girl. After exchanging a few words, she stood aside and watched her son solemnly instruct his younger siblings, offering words of advice such as "behave properly, study diligently, and ask questions." Seeing the younger generation listening attentively and respectfully, she felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
If your husband is unreliable, you still have your son, the one who crawled out of your womb. Of course, a mother and child born from the same womb are more trustworthy than anyone else in the world.
After seeing her son off, Madam He tidied herself up and went to see Chu Qingdai.
When Chu Qingdai saw the person, she was very puzzled. The previous atmosphere clearly indicated that something bad had happened, so why was he so cheerful now? But after all, she was a doctor from a prestigious family and knew the ways of medicine very well. She didn't ask questions she shouldn't ask, so she greeted him with a smile.
It wasn't a serious illness, just leukorrhea caused by damp-heat accumulation in the lower body. However, for Madam He, this ailment was too embarrassing to discuss; the symptoms were too unsightly to see a doctor. She only sought out knowledgeable old women for folk remedies. Initially, she felt better for a while, but the condition recurred and worsened, making her even more hesitant to seek medical help. Having this illness had utterly robbed her of her dignity as a woman.
Her husband despised her and refused to sleep with her anymore, as if she were some kind of filth. That was bad enough, but it didn't end there.
With so many sisters-in-law, it was inevitable that some disagreements would arise when they gathered together. They wouldn't say it aloud, but they all held grudges. As the eldest sister-in-law, she managed the household, making her even more of a nuisance. She was upright and honest, so they couldn't find fault with her; they could only grit their teeth in silence. She didn't care, thinking, "What can they do to me?" But ever since they learned of her illness, the situation changed. It was as if they had a handle on her. When she was humiliated, they would smugly steer the conversation towards it, their words seemingly well-intentioned, recommending doctors and claiming to know a folk remedy. They appeared genuinely concerned for her, but everyone knew the truth. Whenever her illness was mentioned, she became the one secretly gritting her teeth.
If it were just her sisters-in-law, she could tolerate it. After all, none of them were as capable as her; they couldn't cause any real trouble. If she really angered them, she could retaliate and teach them a lesson, which would also give her some satisfaction. What's hateful is that it wasn't just her sisters-in-law, but even her mother-in-law, the elder, would use this to criticize her when she was unhappy, saying that she was hiding her illness and refusing to see a doctor, which was why she hadn't gotten better and had caused her husband to abandon her. Women know best how to make women feel pain, putting her pain out in the open for others to see and laugh at... That old hag, her heart is boundlessly biased. Is her own daughter a treasure, while other people's daughters are just weeds? But no matter how much she hates, she can only endure it and have to force a smile. She has cried countless times in private. When her hatred reaches its extreme, she blames even heaven and earth. What terrible crime has she committed to deserve such suffering?
Chu Qingdai washed her hands, sat down, and began writing the prescription.
Mrs. He stood up to put on her clothes. When she was buttoning them, her hands trembled and her face was pale.
Even though they were both women, it was still embarrassing.
After handing over the prescription, Chu Qingdai took her leave.
Mrs. He's face remained pale. She didn't say anything to persuade her to stay, but simply clutched the prescription and asked, "Will my illness be cured if I take this medicine?"
Chu Qingdai shook her head and said no, "It can only help. To cure it as soon as possible, you still need to apply it externally. Please wait a moment, Madam. I will go back and make some pills. Once they are ready, I will bring them to you. Please put them in before you go to sleep. With time, it will definitely get better."
Upon hearing this, Madam He's hand, which was gripping the prescription, began to tremble involuntarily, and she clenched her teeth tightly.
It really can get better.
Chu Qingdai rode back to the clinic. Her godmother, Madam Hu, the clinic's owner, was very surprised to see her and asked, "Why are you back so soon? Didn't you say you were going to stay for several days? Are you already better?"
"I'm not well yet. I came back for another matter." As she spoke, she couldn't help but laugh, took two steps forward, took Madam Hu's arm, called her "Godmother," and said excitedly, "This trip was really worthwhile! Although I was invited over to treat the maid, after seeing the maid, I also treated the Vice Minister's wife, and just now I even saw the wife of the Censor of the Censorate. Godmother, I think I'm not far from becoming famous! By then, all the noblewomen in Xingdu will know my name!"
Madam Hu was equally delighted. She patted her hand and said with a smile, "I knew this day would come, and I've been waiting for it!" Then, changing her tone, she gritted her teeth and said, "It's hateful that your family members were blind to your worth and dared to bully you like that! Just to get revenge, you have to make a name for yourself! The more successful you are, the smuger they'll be. I'll definitely go and see for myself then, and see if they still have the same faces they had before!"
Chu Qingdai said, "They have nothing to do with me. I don't care about them. I only think about making something of myself in the future, being able to repay my godfather and godmother, and letting the world know that my grandfather was more than just a useless son and weakling. I want people to think of me first when they mention him in the future, not anyone else or anything else!" As she spoke, she straightened her back and released Madam Hu's arm. "Godmother, I'm not saying anything more. I'm going to prepare the medicine!"
By the time the medicine was finished being applied, dusk had fallen, and it was the perfect time.
Chu Qingdai put the medicine into a porcelain bottle and rode her horse to the Music Bureau.
Madam He had recovered by now and had the energy to use her shrewd methods. She held Chu Qingdai's hand and expressed her gratitude in a flood. She also ordered the servants to prepare a meal, saying that she wanted to keep Chu Qingdai company in person.
I should have agreed, but the timing wasn't right, so I had to decline.
"It is a great honor for the lady to bestow a meal upon me, but I cannot forget my duty as a doctor. I still have a patient at Vice Minister Liu's residence. I have been away from her for so long, and I must go and see her now. Although her condition has improved somewhat, it is still very dangerous!"
Since that was the case, Madam He could not stay any longer, so she quickly ordered someone to fetch the consultation fee and personally handed it to Chu Qingdai.
The small box was quite heavy; Chu Qingdai held it in her hand and guessed it was made of gold.
"This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it with a smile. If I recover in the future, I will definitely repay you handsomely."
Since it was a consultation fee, Chu Qingdai accepted it without feeling guilty.
After leaving the music hall, Chu Qingdai rode straight to the Liu residence.
They went through the same side gate as before, but this time the gate was tightly shut. Since it was night, Chu Qingdai didn't suspect anything and went straight up to knock on the door.
After knocking for quite a while, my hands were starting to hurt, before I finally heard a sound from inside the door.
Who is it?
Chu Qingdai quickly replied, "I am a doctor invited by the household."
"Doctor?" After saying this, the person inside the door paused for a while before speaking again, "Please wait a moment, I will go and ask him."
It was a request for instructions, not a notification.
Chu Qingdai sensed something was wrong and felt a vague unease in her heart.
It wasn't until after an incense stick had burned that there was finally movement behind the door again.
"That person is cured and no longer needs to see a doctor. Please go back."
Chu Qingdai was truly astonished; it was something she had never heard of before. Even in the imperial palace, no one would stop a doctor from entering.
Could it be that he was being negligent and unwilling to open the door because it was just a girl who was sick?
If that's really the case, their hearts are too black, daring to disregard human life!
Chu Qingdai suppressed her anger and brought up Madam Yue, "I want to see the Vice Minister's wife. She is waiting for me. Please pass on my message again."
Unexpectedly, the person behind the door said, "That's even less necessary. Madam left the mansion long ago and went back to her hometown of Pingcheng with our master."
"What?"
There was no sound from outside the door for a long time, so they must have already left.
Zhang Er gave his companion a few words of advice, then picked up his lantern again to go find Huo Da.
Huo Da, the steward of the mansion, saw Zhang Er arrive and asked, "What, someone else has come?"
Zhang Er shook his head and said, "No, it's just that I'm a little uneasy. Although the masters have all left the manor, and we should be careful in everything we do, we can't even keep the doctor out! What if something happens? It's a matter of life and death!"
Upon hearing this, Huo Da glared and scolded, "What did I tell you? You've already forgotten!" He looked around to make sure no one was watching, then lowered his voice and patiently said, "This is none of your business. Don't interfere anymore."
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