Chapter 25 Deterioration
Meng Guanqi was taken aback. This was another problem he had never thought of or encountered before. He had always given orders and the servants would immediately prepare them for him. He never imagined that Asheng would be unable to carry a bucket of water.
He used to live in the outer courtyard of the Meng family mansion, where there were many maids and servants. Not to mention just taking a bath, even if he wanted to swim in the clean room, the servants would take care of it properly. But he forgot that he was no longer a member of the Meng family mansion in the capital, and he also forgot about the group of maids and servants around him. In the end, only Ah Sheng remained by his side.
He felt as if reality had slapped him hard in the face once again.
He lowered his head and said, "I understand. You can go out now."
After a quick bath, Ah Sheng brought the meal from the kitchen. Meng Guanqi ate a few mouthfuls of rice without tasting it, and then immediately went to the main room to see Magistrate Meng.
Looking at his father's tightly closed eyes and sunken cheeks, Meng Guanqi felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He unconsciously knelt down in front of Magistrate Meng's bed: "Father!"
Magistrate Meng opened his eyes with difficulty, looked at his son whose face was covered in tears, and reached out his hand: "Qi'er, don't cry. If your father doesn't make it through this time, the family will have to rely on you from now on."
Meng Guanqi held his father's hand tightly: "Father, you will get better. I am still young and cannot live without you..."
Magistrate Meng was well aware of this principle. His son was exceptionally gifted from a young age, able to read and write with a photographic memory. When he was ten, the school teacher intended for him to take the imperial examination. However, fearing that his talent would offend his brothers, he insisted on keeping him at the age of thirteen before allowing him to take the exam. This was because he was well aware of his family's position in the household and believed that taking the middle path was the only way to ensure long-term success.
When Old Master Meng retired, his health was already failing. He mentioned to his brothers several times that they would divide the family property after his death. His aunt had passed away early, so his branch of the family would be independent. Although he, as a son born out of wedlock, wouldn't get much of the family property, he could at least be in charge of the household and no longer needed to suppress his son's talent for studying.
Who would have thought that man proposes, God disposes? This cautious man was unexpectedly tricked and was demoted to the position of magistrate in Biyang County, which not only brought trouble to his family.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Old Master Meng hastily divided the family property, separating his branch of the family from the rest, but also cutting off Qi'er's escape route. Even when he knelt and begged his father to let his son study at the school in the capital, his father refused to agree.
The most learned instructor at the county school in Biyang County was just an old scholar who had failed the imperial examinations for many years. Other students only had the title of Xiucai (a lower-level scholar). In addition, news traveled slowly and government orders were difficult to implement, making it impossible to predict the trends in the examinations. For Qi'er, the step from Xiucai to Juren was truly like an insurmountable chasm...
Unfortunately, his health was not good, and he was suffering from a stubborn illness. If he were to fall ill and pass away, his son would have to observe a three-year mourning period before he could participate in the provincial examination. The provincial examination was held every three years, and Qi'er had planned to take it next year. If he were to pass away and miss the next year's opportunity, his son would have to wait another three years for his chance.
Thinking of this, Magistrate Meng felt a pang of sorrow and struggled to his feet: "Bring me the medicine."
He can't die, absolutely not. If he dies now, his son's shoulders are too weak; he's completely incapable of supporting this family.
Liu hurriedly called Yingchun to bring the medicine that had been kept warm on a small stove.
Magistrate Meng forced down the medicine despite the discomfort in his chest, but his stomach suddenly spasmed violently. An uncontrollable feeling rose straight up from his chest, and Magistrate Meng's eyes widened as he clutched his chest and vomited it out.
Blood splattered all over the ground, and even splashed onto Meng Guanqi's face, who couldn't dodge in time.
Liu watched helplessly as Magistrate Meng spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed onto the bed.
Her mind went blank, and after a long while, she let out a sharp scream: "Ah~!"
The noise from the main house carried far. Li Xiaoxiao was chopping wood in the backyard when she heard the noise and turned around to look.
Granny Qi rushed to the outer courtyard in a panic, calling out Yu Dayong's name and asking him to fetch a doctor. Yingchun, Liuzhi, and Asheng ran to the kitchen, hurriedly carrying several basins of water away...
The entire backyard was in complete chaos.
Li Xiaoxiao put down the axe and found Mama Mao: "Mama Mao, what's wrong?"
Madam Mao's face was pale, and her eyes were filled with tears. She realized she could no longer hide the situation: "Master, I'm afraid things are not good..."
Huh? Li Xiaoxiao was dumbfounded. Could it be? She thought that after drinking deer blood for two more days, she could get medicine for Magistrate Meng to cure his illness. Was he really going to be in trouble today?
As if all her strength had been drained away, Mao's mother's lips trembled as she said, "Only thirty-two years old, my Fourth Master~" She couldn't help but wipe away her tears.
Thirty-two years old?! Li Xiaoxiao gasped. That's too young. How could a simple cold take his life?
Considering that this world doesn't even have electricity, and the only way to treat illness is with herbal medicine, with no antibiotics or intravenous injections, this disease was probably left to develop like this, and it actually took the life of a strong young man!
She couldn't help but feel anxious. No, Magistrate Meng couldn't die yet; she had to find a way to save him.
She turned around and went back to her room.
Mother Mao had no time to worry about her. She added water to the pot again, and prayed that her husband would get through this ordeal while she burned firewood.
Yu Dayong invited Doctor Xie from Huichuntang. When Doctor Xie entered the main room, his face was ashen. After carefully listening to the pulse, he stood up and gestured for Liu and Meng Guanqi to go to the main room.
Doctor Xie said in a low voice, "Madam, young master, Lord Meng is at his last gasp; it will be over in the next couple of days. Please make preparations as soon as possible..."
Liu's body went limp, and she fainted.
Doctor Xie pressed her philtrum and used acupuncture to finally bring her back to consciousness. His eyes were full of pity: "Please accept my condolences, Madam."
Liu covered her face with her handkerchief, tears streaming down her face, but dared not cry loudly for fear that Lord Meng would hear.
Meng Guanqi was pale, her eyes filled with tears, and her still-childish hands tightly gripped Doctor Xie's hand: "Doctor, please prescribe another dose of medicine, my father, my father won't—"
After careful consideration, Doctor Xie realized that even if he were to administer a potent medicine, Magistrate Meng's current physical condition would not be able to withstand it. Moreover, potent medicines can be a matter of life and death; if they work, they can cure the illness, but if they are not used properly, they could be fatal.
Magistrate Meng's current condition is not suitable for administering strong medicine; in fact, he may not even be able to drink it.
He sighed, shook his head, bowed to Liu and Meng Guanqi, and took his leave.
Having been a doctor for over thirty years, I've seen far too many cases like this. Although Magistrate Meng is very young and it's a pity, Dr. Xie has already developed a heart of stone.
It's a pity that this magistrate knew to open the granaries and distribute grain to relieve the poor. He seemed to be doing a good job, but unexpectedly, he passed away from illness after only half a year in office. I wonder who will be the next one.
But Biyang County has always been poor, so what difference does it make who comes? It's just a matter of whether the people are a little hungrier or even hungrier.
He shook his head, slung his medicine box over his shoulder, and left.
Liu sat there blankly, without any reaction. Logically speaking, after hearing Doctor Xie's words, as the head of the household, she should have started preparing for Lord Meng's funeral.
Steward Zhao took Zhao Jian to the capital. The household was already small, and the steward of the outer courtyard had also left. Seeing that Liu Shi was in a daze and didn't seem capable of managing things, Granny Qi had no choice but to suppress her grief and, despite the impropriety, help her with what she could.
She asked Yingchun and Liuzhi to stay with Liu Shi, while she went to the kitchen. As soon as she saw Madam Mao, before she could say a word, she buried her face in her arms and began to cry. Because Lord Meng was still alive, she dared not cry out loud.
Madam Mao cried with her until the grief subsided, and then Granny Qi said in a hoarse voice, "Madam is so distraught that she seems unable to manage things. Now that Steward Zhao is not here, the manor is short-handed. I'm afraid we two old folks will have to help with the funeral arrangements for the mistress. You—"
She whispered a few instructions to Mama Mao, telling her to go out and prepare them. Finally, she stood up and said, "Don't forget to cook the glutinous rice."
According to the custom of the Dawu people, most people cannot eat before they die, so they almost all go to their deaths on an empty stomach. Therefore, the deceased should have a mouthful of glutinous rice in their mouth, meaning that they have something to eat and will not die of starvation.
Mao's mother responded softly and went out, intending not to mention it again.
Granny Qi had more important things to take care of, because Magistrate Meng's funeral clothes and coffin were still nowhere to be found.
This is a big deal.
Who could have imagined that Magistrate Meng, in the prime of his life, would have his condition deteriorate so drastically in just a few days? This matter should have been handled by Steward Zhao, but he had taken his son to the capital to deliver a memorial, and his wife was completely distraught and could only cry, so she had no choice but to step in and take charge.
Biyang County was impoverished. The only coffin shop in the county town was next to the mortuary in the north of the town. It only stocked ordinary, low-grade camphor and fir wood; there was no good timber at all. Even the funeral shrouds were made of ordinary hemp. If this were still in the capital—
She wiped away her tears, trying to forget the glorious past and accept the fact that the family had fallen on hard times. Moreover, in the six months she had been assisting the mistress in managing the inner courtyards in Biyang, she had watched helplessly as the money in the accounts was spent like water, leaving them unable to make ends meet. If the master's funeral was to be held in a grand and extravagant manner, then the future would be...
She could only bury her head in the sand and simplify the funeral arrangements for Magistrate Meng. After all, the young master's future imperial examinations would require a large amount of money, and the lady would probably only be able to make ends meet with the meager assets in the capital. If they followed the old rules of the mansion, they might not even have a place to live when the new magistrate took office...
Not to mention that Granny Qi and Granny Mao had already left the mansion to prepare for Lord Meng's funeral, inside the tightly locked room, Li Xiaoxiao was covered in sweat, staring intently at the necklace around her neck.
She had finished the whole bag of deer blood, but the energy she had accumulated was much less than she had expected. She had originally planned to go to the mountains again today to find more animal blood, but it seemed that Magistrate Meng would not be able to wait any longer.
She could only force herself to open the necklace by overexerting her mental strength.
Almost there, almost there, just a little bit more, she could already feel it!
A note from the author:
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Please add my next book, "The First Sword After Reaching the Shore," to your favorites.
The first sword strike after landing is to slay the one I desire.
Although this phrase is a modern internet slang term, Tu Jiaojiao felt it was very suitable to describe herself and her husband Yan Shu.
Yan Shu was an educated youth sent down to their village in 1972. At that time, the village was suffering from famine and many people had starved to death. Yan Shu was rescued by her without her family's knowledge, using the life-saving food she had secretly hidden.
As for why she saved him, Tu Jiaojiao slammed her fist on the table because she was a public-spirited, righteous, and courageous person—but actually, none of that mattered.
She was completely captivated by Yan Shu; his high, straight nose, deep-set eyes, legs longer than her own, and that stubborn look in his eyes combined with his melancholic air completely mesmerized her. She just wanted to win him over as soon as possible…
She didn't mind that he lived in a dilapidated cowshed just to marry him.
So when Yan Shu asked her how she would repay the life-saving grace, Tu Jiaojiao replied without hesitation: "Marry me, and remember to take me back with you when you have the chance to return to the city."
The veins on Yan Shu's forehead bulged, but since the food was in her hands, she had no choice but to compromise.
The two got married hastily, and their wedding room was the cowshed that the team had allocated to Yan Shu, which Tu Jiaojiao didn't mind at all.
After five years of marriage, Tu Jiaojiao had been unable to conceive and was filled with anxiety. However, Yan Shu's fate took a turn when the college entrance examination was reinstated.
Yan Shu focused all his efforts on preparing for the exam, and had to hand over the household chores to Tu Jiaojiao. He solemnly promised that as long as he got into university, he would definitely take Tu Jiaojiao to the city.
He succeeded, becoming the first college student from their remote village to return to the city, and he kept his promise, bringing Tu Jiaojiao back with him.
However, the day after returning to the city, Yan Shu formally proposed a divorce to her.
Tu Jiaojiao had a dream in which a famine suddenly broke out in the village. She dreamt that she saved a young intellectual named Yan Shu and married him. However, this young intellectual ate and drank her food and took her to the city, but suddenly wanted to divorce her.
Tu Jiaojiao: You heartless bastard, are you the only one who can read books?
Then, in 1977, two golden phoenixes flew out of Wuli Township.
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