Chapter 5

    After Xuyao and Xiaoxin returned from Fufen City, they resumed their usual routine of cultivating and grinding herbs. However, Xuyao constantly felt the prying eyes of some people from outside their home. After several days, they were still following her closely. It was really annoying. However, neither Xuyao nor Xiaoxin ventured anywhere; they just stayed in the garden. One read texts, the other practiced martial arts, one taught, the other learned, one watered, the other ground herbs. Believing the watchers would leave if they saw no activity, Xuyao was relieved to feel their retreat on the seventh day.

    The next morning, rumors that had spread through Shuishan Village reached her ears. These rumors originated from villagers who had gone to sell herbs in the city. Fufen City was abuzz, and news spread rapidly to nearby cities about a power shift. Master Ma Hua, a highly respected level four herbalist in the city, had been arrested for imprisoning and mistreating several young men. Upon thorough investigation, numerous skeletons were found buried behind his residence, sparking widespread public debate. Even the city’s governor was pressured by certain power factions and eventually, officials from the capital rushed to preside over the trial, seemingly determined not to let Ma Hua escape justice.

    Master Ma Hua, who was perceived as kind, compassionate, honest, and genuine, turned out to be a detestable and cruel individual. Who would have thought that someone entrusted with a medical seal, someone who called himself a healer, could harbor such a brutal heart? Isn't a doctor supposed to care for people?

    Master Ma Hua was beheaded, and his head displayed in the city center as a warning to others.

    "He was a real doctor. Why would he kill instead of heal?" Xiaoxin asked doubtfully.

    "Xiaoxin, being a doctor doesn’t necessarily elevate or degrade one's character. Some become doctors to help others, some seek power and influence. You shouldn't judge people solely by their professions, understand?"

    "I understand."

    "And... why do you want to be a doctor, Big Sister?" the young boy asked, tilting his head.

    "Me?" Xuyao fell silent for a long moment. Truthfully, she didn't want to be a doctor; perhaps it could be said she didn’t know what she truly wanted in life.

    As a young child in the Bai family manor, she simply wanted others to stop bullying her. As she grew a little older, she wanted to learn to read and write, to be equal to other children in the manor. As she grew up a little more and happened to see the wider world, she desired freedom from that manor. But what did she truly desire?

    Strength, equality, or freedom?

    Perhaps she needed strength to achieve equality and to be free to do as she wished.

    "I don't know. Actually, I am not a good doctor. I didn’t start with a desire to help others. So, are you disappointed, Xiaoxin?"

    "Not at all. I'm not disappointed. We shouldn't project our hopes onto others, nor should we carry others' hopes."

    "Heh heh, right. We shouldn’t carry anyone else’s hopes. Do what we want, follow our own desires." This young boy was indeed sharp.

    “Yes!”

    "Alright! Even if you don’t carry others' hopes, you must carry your own. Go and practice your writing," she laughed, gently nudging the boy.

    “Yes.”

    After the execution of Ma Hua by the officials, Fufen City returned to peace. After the significant incident, the Fufen Medical Hall was sold and changed hands, eventually falling into the possession of a merchant from another city. Unfortunately for the villagers, this new owner was a cunning man. After taking over, he found that Fufen Medical Hall was the only store in Fufen that bought and sold medicine. He hired a level three herbalist to manage the business and drastically cut the prices he paid for local herbs by more than half. Yet, the villagers had no choice but to sell to him since it was the only shop available. Some villagers even began to miss Master Ma Hua; despite his pretense of being a good man, he pretended exceedingly well. They wished the new owner of the medical hall would pretend to be as good as Master Ma Hua had.

    Yet, the prayers were ineffective.

    In a corner of Fufen City, at the Huang family manor, the master of the house paced back and forth in his residence, visibly distressed.

    "Have you still not found Young Master Xianfeng?" he barked, agitated. It's been a while since the matter with Ma Hua was resolved. Why hasn't Young Master Xianfeng returned? Or has he left the city for another place?

    "We have no leads yet, master."

    "Hmph! How are you all doing your jobs? You can't even find one person. Is Fufen that large?" Huang Tan snapped in irritation.

    The maids outside the room all jumped at his tone.

    It must be said that over the past few days, he had managed major affairs very smoothly. The case involving Ma Hua was cleanly handled. He never expected that herbalist to be so corrupt. Fortunately, he had some connections with high-ranking officials, which enabled him to handle matters effectively; otherwise, relying solely on the governor, he wouldn't dare to order the execution of such a powerful figure as Ma Hua.

    Having dealt with the external affairs, Huang Tan then managed the internal matters of the manor. He expelled the deceitful monk he had housed. Further investigation revealed that this monk was actually a notorious swindler from a nearby town, who traveled deceiving others. Huang Tan felt humiliated that he, a man of his status, had been duped by such a lowly person, all due to his excessive concern for his wife and son.

    "My... my master, a guest has come to see you," a panting maid rushed in to inform.

    "No one! I won't meet anyone. Send them all away!" he roared back.

    "Ye...yes, master."

    "Master, it's Young Master Xianfeng," a guard who was following behind whispered softly to Huang Tan.

    "Huh? Pei! Why didn't you tell me sooner?! Go, quickly, don't let Young Master wait." With that, he hurriedly walked past the maid as if he were about to fly.

    Upon reaching the guest house, he saw Xianfeng sitting serenely sipping tea in the same elegant white outfit. She hadn't bought a new one; this single outfit had cost him months of savings. The wealthy do love to splurge.

    "Greetings, Master Huang Tan."

    "Young Master Xianfeng, you honor me too greatly," Huang Tan was extremely respectful, as if the man before him was a celestial immortal who had come to his aid. He was thrilled in his heart, having thought Young Master Xianfeng had already left Fufen. He had gone to great lengths to deal with Ma Hua quickly. The efforts he had made to quickly deal with Ma Hua had drained him physically and mentally. Huang Tan sighed in relief.

    Seeing this, Xuyao felt heavily burdened. Had it not been for her prior commitment, she would never have agreed to be here. It really makes my life difficult.

    "Young Master Xianfeng, my furen is in the back house, and my son is in the left wing. May I have the honor of your visit to see them?" Huang Tan was very impatient. He thought about what he had just said and realized that he had been too abrupt with his guest as the other man had only been sitting for a short while. Without asking about his concern, he then asked him to work.

    "Please, lead the way." Xuyao was also not keen on staying too long. She longed to return to her own peaceful backyard to sunbathe. How could staying in someone else's house be like staying in her own?

    Huang Tan hurriedly led the way through several buildings until they reached a quiet house that was half on land and half extended over a medium-sized pond, dug out for the purpose. Light-colored lotus flowers bloomed, proudly displaying their beauty amidst the glittering water reflecting the sunlight.

    As they walked, images of past events flashed before her eyes, giving Xuyao a deeper understanding of the life that had once been lived within this manor. She even caught glimpses of its servants' secrets.

    "Please, Young Master," Huang Tan eagerly invited Xuyao into the house.

    The bedroom of Furen Huang stretched out over the pond. The house was cool and damp, with mosquito coils burning continuously, filling the room with a pungent scent. There were also many incense sticks and ritual offerings, with the smoke from the incense thick in the air. Xuyao frowned in displeasure, while Huang Tan, who had been carefully observing Xu Yao's expression, asked as soon as he saw her frown.

    "How is it going, Young Master? Have you detected any evil spirits yet?"

    "Cough, cough, cough, cough," Xuyao choked upon hearing the question. Was this master overly obsessed with spirits and ghosts?

    "I would like to examine furen's condition for a moment," she disregarded the question. Her purpose here was to heal the sick.

    "Please, Young Master."

     Xuyao approached Furen Huang's bed, which was positioned in a way that allowed a view outside through the window. The view was of a clear water pond, extending to a flourishing garden, stunningly beautiful. It was no wonder Huang Furen loved it so much.

    A frail, thin woman lay curled up under a thick blanket. The skin peeking out from under the blanket was deathly pale. If she didn't know that Furen was alive, she might think she was looking at a corpse. The body was barely more than skin over bones.

    Her eyes were tightly shut, and her breathing was faint, almost imperceptible. Xuyao reached for Furen Huang's delicate hand, feeling the cold quickly seep into her own. Her unique eyes scanned the woman’s body thoroughly.

    Under Xuyao’s extraordinary gaze, nothing could hide. While a cursory examination would show her body weakened by the cold essence, Xuyao’s special vision revealed foreign substances in her blood, slowly consuming her life force. Xuyao looked around the room thoughtfully. This foreign substance might have come from the food she ate, the medicine she consumed, or even the air she breathed. Suddenly, her eyes locked onto a small incense burner on the headboard. The young woman picked it up and touched it, and realized that the foreign substance actually

    "How long has she been ill?" Xuyao asked the husband of the patient.

    "Over a year now, Young Master. Since she gave birth, she's been unwell."

    "Have you had doctors examine her?"

    "I've invited many doctors to examine her, Young Master. They all say that she is only suffering from the cold essence. They've prescribed many herbal concoctions, but she has not recovered even after taking many doses. A few months ago, I happened to meet a monk who told me she was being consumed by an evil spirit, so I invited him in to drive it away." He didn't expect it would turn out to be a scam.

    “Gasp!” Xuyao sighed heavily. This man's obsession with evil spirits was unending.

    She glanced around the room once more, then back at the patient. Truly, Furen Huang was not being devoured by ghosts or spirits; she was suffered from a cold essence during childbirth, leaving her body extremely frail. Additionally, this house was built above the water, with moisture seeping up from below, filling the room with dampness and a musty smell. This attracted numerous small insects. They must have noticed an excessive musty smell and thus used incense to mask it and repel the insects. There was also the constant smell of incense burning, which was making the patient's condition worse. And more importantly, some types of incense have no adverse effects when burned for healthy people, but when burned for people who are weakened by the cold essence, the incense scent becomes a mild poison that slowly gnaws away at the life force of that body without anyone noticing. Even the doctors who examined her body failed to notice. If Xuyao did not have her special eyes, she would not have been able to detect it either. She would have thought it was just because of cold essence.

    Where were the spirits you speak of? They arranged for the patient to rest in a room that was both cold and damp, full of insects and germs. How could she recover from her illness? Besides the abundant incense and smoke of the joss sticks, these things all diminish one's life force. Were they only interested in evil spirits? Such nonsense.

    "Young Master Xianfeng, have you found the evil spirit yet?"

    "Cough, cough, cough, cough." Still this nonsense!

    "Found it!" Xuyao blurted out in frustration.

    "Aiya! Can you deal with it? Is it dangerous, Young Master?" Huang Tan asked anxiously, and servants and guards in the house was shocked. It was clear the word ‘evil spirits’ had deeply embedded itself in their minds, impossible to eradicate. That swindling monk indeed had a real talent for deceiving people.

    If she said there was no evil spirit, they would not believe her. So be it, then. If they wanted evil spirits, then let there be evil spirits!

    "Move her out of this house. This place’s location is not good; the evil spirits are too strong here," the young woman pointed to Furen Huang. They needed to move the patient out of such a place immediately. If she were to stay any longer, she might actually die.

    "Certainly, I'll handle it right away!" Huang Tan trusted Young Master Xianfeng wholeheartedly and responded eagerly.

    Xuyao made all the necessary arrangements, which included moving Furen Huang to a more suitable residence—one that wasn't too cold or damp and had good ventilation, free from insects and rodents. This would eliminate the need to burn incense or mosquito coils to ward off insects or spirits. The young lady wandered through the courtyard of Master Huang Tan's manor. After a while, she pointed to a suitable residence.

    "This location is good; evil spirits won't be able to bother her here," Xuyao, disguised as the Young Master Xianfeng, wore a stern and serious expression. Huang Tan and the servants took his words seriously, with even the steward jotting down everything he said.

    "As for the old residence, turn it into a waterside pavilion," she suggested. Because if it remained a bedroom, in the future there might be people moving in. The dampness and pests, which were the breeding grounds for diseases, could harm one's health to some extent. Transforming it into a place for occasional relaxation was a much better idea.

    "Thank you, Young Master Xianfeng, I'll have the servants start dismantling and renovating it right away."

    "Umm. Take good care of Furen Huang. She has a cold essence in her body. I will write down prescriptions and detailed care instructions, and I will visit every seven days to monitor her condition." Cold essence required time to be treated with medication, which would likely alleviate the symptoms. Moreover, it was necessary to cleanse her body of the mild poison from the incense, which would take time for it to be expelled from the body.

    "Thank you, Young Master. And... what about the evil spirits? How should we handle them?" Huang Tan asked earnestly, the head steward ready with a brush, dripping with ink, eager to record Young Master Xianfeng's words.

    "Cough, cough... um," Xuyao paused, pondering briefly. "I will write a talisman to ward off the evil spirits and provide a sachet of herbs to place on Furen Huang's bedhead," Xuyao rummaged through the pouch for some old scraps of cloth. These scraps were actually pieces she had torn for wrapping herbs.

    The young woman took a brush from the steward and attempted to draw a simple, round face resembling Xiaoxin, though her drawing skills were quite poor. The lines were so wobbly that it was hard to tell what it was meant to depict. She also wrote Xianfeng's name in a small corner. To Huang Tan and the servants, however, it appeared as a powerful and sacred protective talisman. He carefully reached out and took it from Xuyao as she offered it.

    She reached into a sachet filled with various herbs, emitting a faint aroma. The scents of these herbs were all beneficial, not only calming the mind but also nourishing the body. Carrying one would be good for both healthy and ill individuals. It was beneficial in every way.

    "Thank you, Young Master Xianfeng."

    After examining Furen Huang, Xuyao also checked on Young Master Huang’s condition. It turned out that the young child, at the age of only one year old, was weak due to his mother's poor health, which had affected him. Moreover, he had not received proper care after birth, making him frequently ill. It was fortunate that he had been able keep this infant alive.

    Xuyao elaborated on what should and shouldn't be done in caring for the infant to Huang Tan. Every word she uttered was promptly recorded by the head steward. She also provided a comparison of medications suitable for infants.

    Still, Huang Tan couldn't forget about the talisman and asked Xuyao again, which prompted her to reluctantly draw another simple talisman using Xiaoxin's round face.

    Sorry, Xiaoxin, I owe you a treat later in return.

    "Well, my work here is done for now. I must leave, but I'll return in seven days to check on Furen Huang and the little young master again.” Well, if she was going to help, she would do it right until the end until the patients got well.

    "Thank you, thank you. If it's not too much trouble, Young Master, you are welcome to stay at our manor."

    "I won't trouble you further; I have duties to attend to," Xuyao cut in. How could she stay here? She had her herb garden to tend to, and Xiaoxin was waiting at home for dinner.

    Seeing that he couldn't convince Young Master Xianfeng to stay, Huang Tan could only accept it and eagerly handed a small bag to his benefactor.

    "This is a small token of my gratitude," Xuyao frowned as she opened the bag to find several small gold beads gleaming inside. The sight made her heart leap; it was finally a return on the substantial amount she had spent on this man, and even more. Helping Huang Tan had not been such a bad deal after all. Seeing the gold right in front of her, how could she refuse? People had to eat, drink, and live, and everything costs money. Treating the poor often costs her in labor; treating the wealthy should indeed come with a financial reward.

    Despite her excitement, Xuyao suppressed her emotions and adopted a slightly stern expression. "I came here to help as a form of charity, not for money." When she said that, she wished she could bite her tongue off. What if Huang Tan took the gold back?

    On the other hand, Huang Tan was deeply impressed by her statement. Young Master Xianfeng was nothing like the previous swindling monk, whose eyes sparkled with greed at the sight of money. His greedy nature was blatantly obvious, unlike Young Master Xianfeng's composed and unwavering demeanor in the face of wealth.

    "Please accept it, Young Master. It will ease my mind. You must have expenses traveling to and staying in Fufen City. Consider this a small token for your costs, a gesture of my appreciation." Huang Tan said sincerely.

    With that, Xuyao nodded and, with a trembling hand that Huang Tan did not notice, accepted the bag of gold. How could she refuse such kindness? "I must take my leave now."

    "Thank you," Huang Tan and his servants saw him off with great admiration.

    As Xuyao left the city of Fufen, she breathed a sigh of relief and returned to her usual form as a young woman. Fortunately, Furen Huang and the little young master had physical ailments that could be treated with her rudimentary medical skills as a quack doctor. If there had really been spirits involved, as Huang Tan believed, she wasn't sure what she would have done.

    As this thought crossed her mind, the young woman was curious: could her special eyes actually see spirits?

    Nevertheless, she dismissed these fanciful thoughts and joyfully felt the small bag of gold in her sleeve. Huang Tan was indeed generous. Just for some treatment and prescriptions, he had given her so much money. The wealthy were indeed enviable.

    "Xiaoxin, I’m back! Look what I've bought for you," she peered through the fence as she arrived at her own house.

    Before leaving town, Xuyao had stopped at a store to buy high-quality brushes, a basic manual on vital energy, and a book of martial world tales for Xiaoxin, who loved these stories so much he could discuss them with the Dadou for half a day without growing tired—an unusual trait for a child his age.

    "Big Sister! You're back." The little boy dropped the wooden baton used as a sword he was practicing with and ran towards Xuyao.

    The young woman handed him the thick manual. The young boy’s eyes widened in excitement as he gazed at the martial arts tales. "Big… Big Sister, this book is expensive. How did you afford it?" Even in his excitement, he knew the cost would not have been low. Knowing that his sister did not have much money, he wondered why she would buy such an expensive gift for him.

    Hearing his question, the young woman smiled. "It's not expensive. Today, I treated a wealthy person and got paid a lot."

    "Really? That's great! The rich don't mind that you don't have an official medical seal?" Although he was young, he understood these matters well because he had been with Xuyao for a long time. A doctor without a medical seal couldn't treat the wealthy because they trusted licensed practitioners more, while unlicensed doctors, at best, could treat only ordinary villagers who didn't have much money, earning very little. This highlighted the difference between unlicensed and licensed doctors.

    "Let it be. At least I treated someone today. I'll tell you more about it when you're older enough to understand. Now, I'm very tired. Why don't you water the herbs for me today?"

    "Yes," the boy replied without hesitation. His sister had earned money today and even bought him an expensive gift. Watering the herbs would not be a problem in the slightest.