Chapter Fourteen: The Strange Pulse Pattern
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Wanqi Yue asked, “What has you so troubled, Shopkeeper?”
Hearing a stranger’s voice, the shopkeeper, who had been reclining in a chair, immediately rose and hurriedly patted the wrinkles from his clothes.
“Are you here to buy medicine, young sir? My apologies, my apologies for neglecting you.”
He gave his apprentice a poke, signaling him to get up and attend to the guest.
Wanqi Yue scratched her head. She could hardly tell them she was here to complete a quest. What was she supposed to do?
“No need to hurry. You look so troubled, Shopkeeper. It seems something is weighing on your mind. Why not tell me about it? Perhaps I may be able to help.”
Shopkeeper Liu glanced at her and sighed as he spoke.
“Alas, my wife has been suffering from constant stomach pains for several days now. She has taken all sorts of medicine, but nothing has helped. On top of that, she was accidentally burned. The wound has not improved despite being treated with medicine—in fact, it has only grown worse. I have summoned many physicians to examine her, yet none of them can do anything.”
“Some have even said that my wife may not have much time left... I have been so worried that I can scarcely bring myself to run the shop.”
Wanqi Yue said, “May I take a look at her?”
A spark suddenly returned to Shopkeeper Liu’s dull eyes.
“Could it be that you know something of medicine, young sir?”
Wanqi Yue said nothing, merely smiling faintly.
Shopkeeper Liu no longer cared whether she truly understood medicine. Since she had offered to help, he immediately led her inside. Perhaps there was still a sliver of hope.
Wanqi Yue lifted the curtain and took a look. She nodded knowingly, then turned to the shopkeeper.
“Do you have any cockroaches in the shop?”
“Cockroaches?” The two men stared at her in confusion.
The apprentice scratched his head. “We do have some. A few days ago, I caught a whole lot of them to play with and shut them up on a table. I forgot about them, and when I went back, they had all been dried by the sun. If you need live ones, I’m afraid it might take some effort to find them.”
“Then that’s perfect. I want the dried ones.”
“Grind them into powder, steam the powder three times and dry it three times, then divide it into two portions. Mix one portion with water, soak a piece of gauze in it, and apply it to the burn. Mix the other portion with water and have her drink it—a cupful each time, three times a day.”
Wanqi Yue wore an air of complete confidence, waiting for them to look at her with admiration.
But when she turned to them, both men wore troubled expressions and made no move to carry out her instructions.
“Why haven’t you gone yet?” Wanqi Yue asked curiously.
“This... this is rather disgusting.”
“Will this really work?”
Seeing their disbelief, she continued, “Why shouldn’t it work? Scorpions and centipedes are used in medicine too. How can you look down on our cockroaches?”
“If you don’t go prepare it, she’ll die of pain.” Wanqi Yue dropped herself into Shopkeeper Liu’s chair.
“All right, all right. Do as this young sir says. Hurry up, go!”
Shopkeeper Liu helplessly waved his apprentice onward.
The apprentice was quick and efficient. Before long, everything was ready.
Following Wanqi Yue’s instructions, he helped his mistress drink a small cup of the preparation, then covered her wound with gauze soaked in the medicinal liquid.
Shopkeeper Liu gazed anxiously at his wife.
After the time it took to finish a cup of tea, the shopkeeper’s wife truly did seem more spirited. She touched her stomach and exclaimed in delight, “My stomach doesn’t hurt anymore. I’m really cured!”
The two men were overjoyed. This method had actually worked!
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Shopkeeper Liu’s face filled with gratitude. He hurriedly rose and bowed deeply to Wanqi Yue.
“Ah, young sir, please forgive my earlier offense! I never imagined your method would truly work. I doubted you at first, but it seems my own knowledge was simply too shallow.”
“Think nothing of it. It is enough that your wife has been saved.” Wanqi Yue helped him up. “She must continue taking the medicine as I instructed for seven days before she can fully recover.”
Shopkeeper Liu nodded repeatedly.
“Young sir, thank you for helping me today. What medicine have you come to purchase? Just tell me what you need. No matter how much it is, I will not charge you a single coin!”
Shopkeeper Liu was determined to repay her kindness, but Wanqi Yue shook her head.
Yet he absolutely refused to accept her help without offering something in return.
With no way to decline, Wanqi Yue had a sudden idea and asked him for the ingredients to make sour plum drink.
“Then please give me a small amount of smoked plums, hawthorn, dried orange peel, osmanthus, licorice, and rock sugar.”
“Did you remember everything the young sir mentioned? Hurry and pack it all for him!” Shopkeeper Liu instructed his apprentice.
“Yes, yes, I’ll do it right away!” The apprentice nodded and hurried off.
Noticing that Shopkeeper Liu looked as though he wanted to say something but could not bring himself to, Wanqi Yue grew curious.
“Shopkeeper Liu, what is it?”
Looking somewhat awkward, Shopkeeper Liu said sheepishly, “May I ask what this medicinal liquid is called? And would you permit me to prepare and use it in the future?”
Wanqi Yue was taken aback.
Well now, he was asking her for permission to use her formula.
People in ancient times certainly had a stronger sense of copyright than those in the modern world.
She cleared her throat twice.
“Of course. It is called the Recovery Elixir.”
“Thank you, young sir!”
Shopkeeper Liu bowed to her once more.
Carrying the prepared ingredients for sour plum drink, Wanqi Yue left the apothecary.
As expected, a flash of white light appeared, and the kraft-paper interface floated before her again.
[Adventure quest completed: Resolve Shopkeeper Liu’s troubles.]
[Quest reward: Three Azure Luan Blood Pills.]
A delicate little medicine bottle appeared in Wanqi Yue’s hand. She opened it and saw three pills inside.
She brought the bottle to her nose and sniffed. It seemed to carry the fragrance of jasmine.
Wanqi Yue: “System, answer me! What exactly are these Azure Luan Blood Pills good for?”
[System: Don’t underestimate these little pills. They can neutralize every kind of deadly poison in the world. They do more than detoxify—they also ward off poison and miasma, and protect against snakes, insects, rats, and ants. After taking one, your physical abilities will surpass what they were before. They are truly indispensable for anyone roaming the martial world!]
Wanqi Yue: “What? They’re that powerful? Then give me a few hundred more!”
[System: ←_← Hey, hey, hey! These are limited-edition pills that can never be obtained again. There are only three in existence. Did you think you could eat them like rice?]
Wanqi Yue: “So stingy!”
Still, the little pills sounded extremely useful. She had better keep them safe. At a critical moment, they might prove invaluable.
As for what she should do now, naturally she was going to Ten-Thousand Treasures Restaurant.
Hahaha!
Thinking of the First Fresh dish she had eaten there yesterday, Wanqi Yue began to drool.
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She had spent the entire night yearning for it, so naturally she was going back today to feast to her heart’s content.
Following the road by which she had come, she returned to East Street.
Who could have expected that the moment she reached Ten-Thousand Treasures Restaurant—before she had even set one foot through the door—she would hear a commotion behind her?
“That’s him! That’s the one!”
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The Gongcheng Residence
Gongcheng Ling, who had been wounded, slowly opened his eyes and looked at the people around him.
“I’m not dead?” he murmured.
“Master, Master, you’re awake!” Ji Zhanfei slowly helped him sit up after he had lain unconscious for an entire night.
“Master, you really have that fortune-teller to thank. He gave you a heart-protecting mirror, which blocked most of the force. That throwing arrow did not injure your heart meridian.”
Gongcheng Ling reached out and picked up the heart-protecting mirror, examining it carefully.
The bronze mirror was slightly thick, and a large hole had been driven straight through its center by the throwing arrow. It was a shocking sight, revealing just how tremendous the attacker’s wrist strength had been.
Fortunately, he had believed that gentleman’s words. Without this heart-protecting mirror, he would likely have already been dead.
“Zhanfei, investigate that gentleman. Once I have recovered, I will personally visit him to offer my thanks,” Gongcheng Ling ordered.
Ji Zhanfei nodded, but continued looking at Gongcheng Ling suspiciously.
“What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?” Gongcheng Ling asked.
“Master, are you feeling unwell anywhere?”
“No. Why?”
Gongcheng Ling shook his head.
“There is a strange fragrance on the throwing arrow. I do not know whether it is poison, but judging from your pulse, you should be safe for the time being,” the imperial physician beside the bed said honestly.
“I do not feel anything unusual for now. Ah, right—how long have I been asleep?”
“Master, you have slept for an entire day.”
“For such a minor injury, I actually slept for a whole day?” Gongcheng Ling looked incredulous. He turned to the imperial physician and asked, “Was it because of the strange fragrance on the arrow?”
“No.”
“Then what was it?”
“Fright.”
The imperial physician answered with complete honesty.
Honesty was a virtue, but this imperial physician was far too honest.
“Incompetent quack.”
Gongcheng Ling rolled his eyes, turned over, and pulled the blanket over himself, utterly failing to notice Ji Zhanfei struggling not to laugh beside him.
The imperial physician tactfully withdrew. Yet he had barely taken two steps after leaving the Gongcheng Residence when Ji Zhanfei rushed forward and dragged him back before he could even react.
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