Chapter 87 The Lament in the Dark Alley: I don't care about you, sir!
Before dawn, the sky was still shrouded in gloom. Lights were lit in the courtyard of the Deng residence, and Deng Zhao and others were making final preparations for their departure in the stables in the front yard.
Deng Jie carried a bundle of clothes on his back, and wore a quilted cloak over his shoulders.
Yu Qiu wasn't satisfied yet, so she asked a maid to bring her a fox fur coat and wrapped her in it again, saying, "It's much colder up in the mountains than here."
Guo Jia watched silently from the side and finally understood why Deng Zhao had told him on the first day that the old lady didn't need to manage household affairs. Yu Qiu, as the mistress of the house, was indeed doing a meticulous job.
Guo Jia concealed maps and writing materials in his sleeves, hid an astrolabe on his person, and put blank bamboo slips, silk cloth, and the newly copied illustrations from the previous night into a bag, which he then tied around his waist.
"Are you really not bringing hoes and sickles?"
Deng Zhao was still lingering by the stable, admiring the tools, when Yu Qiu quickly stepped forward and snatched them away: "You're so honest, if you really find a mine, you won't have to worry about hiring people."
He turned around and handed Guo Jia a leather bag containing wine: "This is not for drinking. If you get any on your hands, pour some out and wash them off immediately."
"My sister-in-law is so thoughtful..."
Guo Jia chuckled awkwardly and took two steps back.
"Hehe, you're quite nosy," Yu Qiu said with a smile, covering her mouth.
Deng Jie, realizing the sarcasm in the remark, quickly retorted, "I don't care about the teacher!"
“When did I say you were in charge of Fengxiao? I was talking about wine.” Yu Qiu laughed heartily.
Deng Jie blushed instantly, huffed and puffed as he packed up his leather bag and fled, leaving Yu Qiu to secretly watch Guo Jia's smug delight.
As dawn broke in the east, Deng Zhao led the horse over: "It's time to set off."
Yu Qiu saw him off to the street corner, reluctant to part: "Be careful!"
Deng Zhao gripped the hilt of his sword and gave her a farewell: "Jingyuan, don't worry, I'll be back." He then turned and followed Deng Jie and Guo Jia.
As the three passed through the East Market, the sounds of roosters crowing in the residential area began to rise and fall, and wisps of smoke gradually rose from the chimneys along the streets, mingling with the morning mist and enveloping the entire city of Wan.
When Deng Zhao returned from the stall, he gave each of the two men a piece of pastry. The three of them held the horse in one hand and ate the pastry in the other.
As they passed an alleyway, a skinny stray dog suddenly darted out, startling Deng Jie so much that his hand trembled and half of the pastry rolled to the ground.
The dog was quick-witted and sharp-tongued; it snatched the biscuit and disappeared into the dimly lit alley.
Deng Jie chuckled, his gaze following the direction the dog had disappeared, but suddenly he froze:
Deep in the dark alley, a touch of crimson, like a withered flower petal, is gently stirred by the morning breeze.
Her heart skipped a beat, she paused, squinted to look closely, and then realized that it was actually a person!
Without a second thought, she threw down the reins and ran inside, and Deng Zhao immediately followed.
Guo Jia was somewhat helpless. He looked up at the gradually clearing sky, sighed, and slowly tied up his horse before strolling over.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that she was a woman dressed in a crimson gauze dress, her clothes disheveled, her exposed arms and neck covered with bruises and whip marks, her hair in a mess, her face as pale as paper, and blood scabs still clinging to her lips.
Her eyes were closed and her breathing was faint.
Guo Jia's gaze was drawn to the gold pendant around her neck, and he was startled to realize that she was the courtesan who had visited Deng Jie's clinic that day. He remembered Deng Jie saying her name was Liu Niang.
Deng Jie had taken off his fur coat and gently wrapped it around her trembling body.
"I'll go buy some porridge." Seeing Deng Jie's concerned expression, Guo Jia knew that he couldn't leave anytime soon. After all, they had met once before, and Deng Jie's lips, which were frozen purple, finally moved him with compassion.
The steam from the hot porridge blurred Liu Niang's vision when she woke up.
"Little Doctor?" she murmured in a hoarse voice, a slight smile playing on her lips as if she had relaxed. Only when Deng Jie helped her up did she see Deng Zhao and Guo Jia behind him.
“Boss Deng? You two…” Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at the two men’s somewhat similar features. “You two were originally…”
No wonder she never accepts consultation fees... Liu Niang sighed inwardly.
Deng Jie asked softly, "Do you know my brother?"
Liu Niang took a sip of porridge and nodded weakly: "The rouge in our Lanxin Workshop is all sourced from the Deng family's incense shop..."
Moreover, Deng Zhao's confident and spirited demeanor whenever he led such a large caravan in and out of the city gates was sure to attract attention. After all, someone of his wealth and status was a figure of great hope and discussion among the young women in the neighborhood.
Guo Jia stood calmly at the alley entrance, interrupting, "What are you doing here, young lady?"
The morning light shone on half of his face, but his cold expression remained hidden in the shadows.
"Last night, an adult with a Shucheng accent came to the neighborhood..."
Liu Niang recalled.
She was called out along with her sisters. Because of her rash, she had no interest in being chosen, so she didn't dress up much and came out wearing this gauze dress with her gold pendant showing.
Unexpectedly, that person didn't choose anyone else, but actually took a liking to him.
Guo Jia's brows twitched slightly as he confirmed that her clothes were open at the chest, and the rash was clearly visible. Any normal man would probably avoid such a rash at all costs.
Liu Niang ignored the man's improper behavior and recalled how he had asked her about the female doctor in the market afterward.
She had initially thought she was asking someone, so she told him the times and locations of the stall that she knew.
But when he asked the doctor for her name and address, Liu Niang really didn't know. Seeing that he couldn't get any information from her, he changed his question to whether the doctor didn't charge money.
At that time, Liu Niang was very careful. She thought that someone like him shouldn't be short of money for medical treatment. She was worried that he would think that the doctor was stealing his business, so she made up a lie and said that there were doctors who charged money, and quite a lot of money. So, those who were willing to go there were girls from the red-light district, while other patients preferred to go to ordinary clinics.
Xu Hong indeed began to suspect Deng Jie... Guo Jia looked solemn, thinking to himself, it seems that leaving the city today was the right thing to do.
"But why did he torment you like this again?" Deng Jie was both angry and heartbroken, unconsciously clenching the fur coat into her fist.
"I went out this morning to buy some food, but I didn't have the strength to fall... But this injury..." Liu Niang said, "He said I wasn't honest and wanted to hit me, of course I didn't like it!"
Then she lowered her eyes, "But he said if I whipped him, he would reward me with a gold voucher..."
Deng Jie opened his mouth in disbelief, his lips trembling: "He gave you... a gold voucher?"
Liu Niang continued to tell them, and as he was hitting her, he asked the doctor if she had a husband, what he looked like, and who else was in her family.
"What did you say?" Guo Jia asked coldly.
That look in her eyes frightened Liu Niang a little. She shrank closer to Deng Jie and said, "He has long eyes, a high nose bridge, and looks thin... I... I was just talking nonsense..." She stole a glance at Deng Jie and stopped talking.
Xu Hong must have asked the charcoal seller next to him when he chased after him.
The charcoal seller naturally knew Deng Jie's free clinic hours and the patients she often encountered, which is why Xu Hong went to Lanxinfang.
Guo Jia explained his speculations to the Deng siblings, dissecting Xu Hong's motives.
Deng Jie bit his lip, feeling guilty, always thinking that it was his fault that Liu Niang was in this state.
Guo Jia secretly regretted that he had been too reckless yesterday and should not have let Deng Jie show up. He clenched his fists.
Deng Zhao slammed his fist against the wall: "So he tortured you to confirm A-Jie's identity!"
“Not only that.” Guo Jia snorted coldly. “What he really wants to confirm is who is behind Miss Deng and whether someone is directing her.”
Liu Niang's eyes were filled with doubt and fear. She sniffled and asked, "Then...then I didn't betray Little Doctor, did I?"
Deng Jie shook his head at her and comforted her, "No. But your injury is more important right now."
Liu Niang smiled with relief, "It's alright, I'm fine. It wasn't for nothing."
A pale arm emerged from the fur coat, adorned with three gold pendants. "Look," he said, "I have at least three extra gold vouchers. I won't be short of food next year!"
The pendant swayed so hard it hurt Deng Jie's eyes. Finally, she couldn't resist the urge and ripped the red string off Liu Niang's wrist. The three gold coins fell to the ground with a clang. Tears streamed down her face, but she dared not raise her voice too high. She whispered in Liu Niang's ear, "This is poison! This is poisonous! He's trying to harm you!"
Liu Niang looked around at the three people blankly. Their reactions didn't seem fake, but... but how come this is poisonous again?
Deng Jie sobbed, unable to speak. Guo Jia approached Liu Niang and explained to her in the simplest terms that the cause of her rash and vomiting was the gold voucher, and that they had left the city today to find an antidote.
The Deng family has already started collecting the gold vouchers, but they can't tell everyone yet for fear of causing panic.
Deng Zhao helped the two up and said to Liu Niang, "This fur coat is yours, consider it a loss of your gold voucher. However, you must keep this a secret, as well as A-Jie's identity..."
Liu Niang was already in tears. She nodded repeatedly as she listened to Deng Zhao's words. She turned to look at Deng Jie, who was turning away and choking with sobs, and took Deng Jie's hand with her gauze-covered hand: "Of course I know nothing about this, and I haven't seen Little Doctor Niang today either..."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her face like broken pearls, her voice trembling, "But... but is there any cure for this poison...?"
Deng Jie turned around, his eyes red, and squeezed her hand back: "Wait for me, I will definitely make an antidote! I won't be gone for long!"
Before Liu Niang left, Deng Jie told her to cook licorice and soybeans when she got back, as this was a prescription given to her by the doctor at the clinic to alleviate the toxicity.
Deng Zhao repeatedly instructed them to go back and, in a roundabout way, persuade their sisters to stay away from this place... but they also couldn't let Xu Hong slip up.
Liu Niang repeatedly agreed and waved goodbye to the three of them before leaving the city.
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