Chapter 37: The Beginning of Understanding

“Greetings to the Head Proprietor. This humble one is a clerk from the branch shop in Peaceful Ease Prefecture, Chen Prefecture. Everyone in the shop calls me Xiao Ji.” Xiao Ji entered and first kowtowed to Chu Mingxi. As he was about to kneel before the Second Young Miss…

Chu Mingyu, impatient by nature, waved her hand. “Spare me, spare me! Get up and report!”

Chu Mingxi glanced sideways at her but didn’t object.

“Yes.” Xiao Ji rose smoothly. He looked no older than sixteen or seventeen. He began immediately, “It happened like this. One day last month, just as we were closing up the shop, someone came knocking. They knocked very urgently. I happened to be in the Front Hall, so Shopkeeper Yu had me open the door. An old man came in, saying his youngest son was gravely ill, begging our physician to come take a look. At that hour, the two resident physicians had already left the shop. Seeing the old man’s pitiful state, Shopkeeper Yu brought me along and followed him to his home.”

“I carried the medicine box and hurried with Shopkeeper Yu to the front gate of the man’s courtyard. Before we even entered, we heard a burst of weeping. The old man cried ‘Ah!’, stumbled inside, then immediately ran back out, saying his youngest son had fainted. The shopkeeper and I rushed in to look. That lad… that lad was about my age, lying on a straw-heated bed, motionless. Shopkeeper Yu lifted his eyelids to look for a while, then took his pulse and asked his family many questions. Then he sighed. The boy’s old mother burst into loud wails, and the old man wiped his tears continuously.”

At this point, everyone knew the outcome. Chu Mingyu was so sad her eyes reddened. Chu Mingxi frowned in thought for a moment, then asked, “At the time, did you notice any obvious symptoms on the patient? Any rash on his face or hands?”

Xiao Ji carefully recalled. “I didn’t see anything. I only remember his face being somewhat yellow. The room smelled terrible, so we didn’t stay long.”

“The room smelled terrible? Was the patient’s skin or flesh showing signs of decay?”

“No. The patient had vomited. It seemed he had been doing so repeatedly, and the family hadn’t finished cleaning up.”

Chu Mingxi furrowed her brows, deep in thought. No one dared disturb her. Before long, she asked again, “Did the patient pass away immediately?”

“No. Shopkeeper Yu even wrote a prescription, but he also told the family that this prescription couldn’t save his life, it might only make him feel a bit better. The old man accepted it, crying. The shopkeeper, pitying them, only charged a token consultation fee. He let them get the herbs for the prescription themselves.”

“Then how can you say a patient seeking treatment died? Clearly, this man was already dying and happened to come to our Medicine Hall!” Chu Mingyu, recovered from her earlier sadness, interjected.

Xiao Ji was anxious to speak. He coughed when he opened his mouth. Chu Mingxi gestured for Uncle Kang to pour him some tea. Xiao Ji thanked her and drank a few hasty gulps before replying, “On the way back to the shop, Shopkeeper Yu told me, this person had previously gotten medicine from our shop. Outside the firewood room in their courtyard, there was a medicine stove, and the medicine packets beside the stove had our branch’s seal on them.”

Chu Mingxi nodded.

Xiao Ji said, “The shopkeeper didn’t think too much of it at first. People eat all sorts of grains and fall ill; we practice medicine to heal, it’s not guaranteed we can save everyone. But two days after that, another patient came. He didn’t look very serious. Our physician prescribed medicine, and shortly after returning home, he also died unexpectedly. It was truly unforeseen. The family came to cause a scene, claiming he died from taking our medicine. Fortunately, our Imperial Medicine Hall has a good reputation; in Peaceful Ease Prefecture, everyone trusts us. The neighbors managed to talk them into going back.” Xiao Ji paused to catch his breath, then continued, “But that day, Shopkeeper Yu thought about it for a long time. He had someone bring out the medical records to review. He also closed up the shop early but kept our two resident physicians behind, asking them many questions. He also inquired about that previous family’s youngest son, and similarly had his records pulled out.”

“He found in the records that the symptoms of these two patients showed many similarities. Their pulse diagnoses, their outward manifestations, the duration of the illness, and even the prescriptions we issued—all were extremely alike.” Chu Mingxi stated her deduction as a matter of fact.

“Yes yes yes! Exactly so! The Head Proprietor speaks as if she saw it with her own eyes! Truly amazing!” Xiao Ji nodded like a chick pecking grain. “But exactly what illness it was, the shopkeeper didn’t tell me. He just told me to ride fast to the Capital City without rest, traveling day and night. And so I rushed here, only managing to find Master Kang’s home last night.”

Silence fell upon the room as everyone contemplated. After a moment, Chu Mingxi said, “I understand. Uncle Kang, take Xiao Ji to rest first, and have the kitchen send him something to eat. This journey has been arduous.”

“Yes,” Uncle Kang agreed.

Xiao Ji knelt and kowtowed to the Head Proprietor again before following Uncle Kang out.

No maids had been kept in the room to serve. When the door closed once more, Chu Mingyu walked slowly over. She first topped up her brother-in-law’s tea, then edged next to her sister, slowly pouring her cup to seven-tenths full. Her voice was lowered. “Sister, this Peaceful Ease Prefecture business… is it an epidemic?”

Chu Mingxi still shook her head. “Not yet certain.”

“Then what should we do now…”

“We leave immediately. I must go to Chen Prefecture!”

“Immediately?” Chu Mingyu was startled, then nodded in agreement. “Going north now, it will certainly be much colder than the Capital. I’ll have the maids pack the luggage right away.” She spoke as she turned to head out the door without waiting for her sister’s orders.

“It’s still unknown whether Peaceful Ease Prefecture has an epidemic. But since the local officials haven’t mentioned anything in the Court Gazette, presumably it hasn’t affected the overall situation. You don’t need to report it to the court or His Majesty just yet. However, human lives are at stake. Even if this matter had nothing to do with the Imperial Medicine Hall, even if it’s unrelated, for the sake of understanding exactly what caused this sickness, what led to the deaths, and most importantly, how to prevent the same thing from happening again—for these three reasons, I must go there personally.” The outer study was spacious and bright, now only occupied by the young couple. Chu Mingxi’s voice was cool and clear, but every sentence carried weight. She turned to look at Wei Qingchen. “As for the Marquis Mansion… please let Father and Mother know on my behalf. The matter was urgent, so I couldn’t bid them farewell in person. I will apologize to the elders upon my return.”

It was rare for her to say so much at once. Wei Qingchen stared at her blankly for a moment, then wrinkled her nose. “Why should I tell them for you? I’m not going. They’ll just nag me again.”

Chu Mingxi had no particular expression. She simply nodded. Before the word “Alright” could leave her lips, Wei Qingchen had already walked over, taking her hand. “I’ll go with you to Chen Prefecture, to Peaceful Ease Prefecture.”

“Hmm?” Chu Mingxi, seated in the armchair, looked up at her.

“After we return, we can go together to apologize to Father and Mother. This is a matter for the country and the people; Father and Mother won’t be unreasonable.” Wei Qingchen stood before her, her gaze clear, making her sincerity easy to see.

A smile tugged at the corner of Chu Mingxi’s lips. The words that came out carried an unexpected hint of coyness. “You truly want to go?”

“Of course I mean it.”

“Good. Write a letter and send it back to the residence with a reliable servant, telling…” Chu Mingxi paused briefly, then continued, “telling Father and Mother that once the Chen Prefecture matter is settled, we will return together.”

This was the first time she referred to the Marquis and the Grand Princess as Father and Mother. Her cheeks flushed slightly.

Wei Qingchen saw it clearly. She wanted to laugh, yet felt her heart flutter. Holding Chu Mingxi’s hand with one hand, she reached out with the other and gently lifted her glistening, sharp chin. That exquisite face, tinged with a shy, thin blush, was clear and lovely before her.

Chu Mingxi’s breathing grew slightly erratic, as if unable to bear her heated gaze. She turned her head away, just a little.

Wei Qingchen’s fingertip glided across her chin, leaving behind a lingering fragrance.

“Mingxi…” A voice laden with emotion.

Chu Mingxi’s eyelashes trembled. She tried to pull her hand back, but Wei Qingchen held it tightly.

“Eldest Young Miss!” A sharp knock sounded from outside the room.

Wei Qingchen squeezed her fingers again, then released them with great reluctance.

Chu Mingxi glanced sidelong at her, sat up straight, and raised her voice. “Come in.”

A junior maid curtsied and said the Second Young Miss had come to ask the Eldest Miss’s instructions: were there any special medicinal ingredients needed, so she could have them packed as well?

Chu Mingxi thought for a moment, gave instructions one by one, and ended with, “Tell Second Young Miss to send someone to the Miaoyan Clothing Shop to buy two ready-made sets of new clothes, for the son-in-law. When we pass by on our way out of the city, we’ll pick them up along the way.”

The junior maid couldn’t help but glance at the new son-in-law. The new son-in-law and the Eldest Miss were truly a match made in heaven. She cheerfully agreed and turned to leave.

For some inexplicable reason, Chu Mingxi felt her face heat up. Seeing the maid reach the door, she suddenly called out, “Also, have someone go to the kitchen to see about sending some hot food. If… if there are any Yam and Job’s Tears Cakes, send a few extra.”

“Yes,” the maid acknowledged and left.

Holding her tea lid with one hand, Wei Qingchen’s eyes held unconcealed laughter. “You remember I like eating Yam and Job’s Tears Cakes…”

“Don’t drink so much tea on an empty stomach.” Chu Mingxi didn’t respond to her words. Pointing at the desk, she teased, “There is ink and paper. Please, Heir, handwrite a letter.”

Wei Qingchen set down her teacup with a smile and went to the desk to spread out the paper. Chu Mingxi walked to her side and ground the ink for her. Before putting brush to paper, Wei Qingchen suddenly winked at her. “Is this what they call ‘a beautiful lady adding incense to the scholar’s study’?”

Chu Mingxi’s face reddened again. She gritted her teeth. “Just write your letter!”

Wei Qingchen laughed heartily. The letter was quickly penned and finished.

After a simple meal, the luggage was packed. Qi Xiaolong had a thousand concerns and countless instructions, but knowing there was a reason for the urgency, she had to let the sisters leave. She left many words of guidance for her son-in-law before they departed, and Wei Qingchen agreed to all of them.

Household servants and permanent retainers cleared the way front and back, guarding the several carriages in the middle. They had only just left the manor when, at bowshot distance, a rider on a tall horse came galloping towards them. Pedestrians on the street cried out, scrambling to avoid him. The rider clearly bore an urgent command, not stopping even after knocking over a vegetable stall.

At the very front of the convoy was Lei Min, leading the way. He hurriedly reined in his horse and pulled aside. The convoy also stopped.

The rider spurred his horse to the front of the convoy, peered forward, and immediately dismounted. Before he could even catch his breath, he called out loudly, “Pardon the intrusion! I am Kang Ze of the Jingyuan Marquis Mansion! Is my family’s Heir in the carriage?”