Chapter 45: The Roof Leak Pulse

Cloud Ridge Village had a long history, existing as a village even before the previous dynasty. Their corn wine, sweet and mellow, was almost as old as the village’s history.

The village had roads wide enough for carriages. The two carriages entered the village one after the other. Though the villagers were curious about whose relatives could be so well-off, they didn’t gawk and shout like people in other villages.

The carriage stopped at an open area. Lei Min jumped down from the driver’s seat and set up the mounting stools. Qingdai pushed open the carriage door and got off first. The first thing she saw was the ground still covered with many corn kernels drying in the sun.

Several farmers were gathering the corn, fearing another rain at night. Seeing the stopped vehicles, they paused their work to look at them. Two masters got off the rear carriage—nothing much to see. But a young and beautiful woman alighted from the front carriage. When that woman helped a celestial, fairy-like lady down, the men working the fields were utterly stunned.

Shopkeeper Yu and the others quickly stepped forward, partially surrounding the Head Proprietor. Doctor Tang pointed the way, heading towards the other end of the village. Shopkeeper Yu acted with caution. The Head Proprietor was a woman of the main clan line by marriage. Traveling all this way to the Northern Region, crossing mountains and rivers—if the Heir Apparent of the Jingyuan Marquis Mansion hadn’t yet realized this, one day he might react and want to hide the Head Proprietor back in the inner compound. Who knew if he would charge them with disrespect?

Many, many events later would prove that Shopkeeper Yu was overthinking things.

The Northern Region was sparsely populated, but Cloud Ridge Village covered a significant area. Every household had its own small courtyard. Many had wine jars placed in their yards, with even more wine buried deep underground.

The Wen family was considered modestly well-off in the village. After all, they had relatives in Peaceful Ease Prefecture, and the corn wine they brewed could fetch a good price when sold in the city.

Thus, the Wen family’s house was also not small. The main house consisted of a large open hall and two adjacent rooms. One of these rooms housed Old Lady Wen, who was sixty-two this year.

About seven or eight days ago, Old Lady Wen had followed her son to a neighboring village for a banquet. Two days after returning, she became somewhat listless, with no appetite, seemingly unable to digest anything. The family thought she’d simply eaten something bad and didn’t take it seriously at first. A few days later, Old Lady Wen developed a fever, accompanied by more intense vomiting. It was only then that her sons and daughters-in-law panicked and hurriedly called for a barefoot doctor. The doctor examined her for a long time but couldn’t identify the problem, telling them to find a way to a city clinic. No sooner had the doctor left than the old lady’s condition worsened. The eldest grandson, Brother Wen, hurriedly harnessed a mule and rushed straight to Peaceful Ease Prefecture.

Doctor Tang had visited the day before yesterday, examined Old Lady Wen, but didn’t dare prescribe rashly, only saying the illness would likely be difficult to treat. So when he came again today, saying he was there to treat the old lady, the Wen family was somewhat surprised and delighted. Then they saw several medical practitioners standing to the sides, respectfully ushering in an extremely beautiful young woman. The Wen family was about to be astonished.

However, none of this was in Chu Mingxi’s line of sight. Standing in the main hall, she asked directly, “Where is the patient now?”

Brother Wen was already in his twenties, often visited the city, and had seen a bit of the world. He hurriedly patted the dust from his hands and said respectfully, “Grandmother is in the bedroom. This… this Doctor, please follow me.”

Old Lady Wen had just vomited. The women of the family had hurriedly cleaned up, but the smell in the room was still very unpleasant. Qingdai covered her chest, and even Doctor Tang couldn’t help frowning. Brother Wen knew they had been rude to their noble guests and apologized profusely. Chu Mingxi said nothing. She walked to the earthen kang bed and first observed the patient’s complexion.

The old woman’s cheeks were already sunken. Despite having a fever, her complexion was yellowish.

Without waiting for Qingdai to move, Doctor Tang first took a pulse pillow from his own medical kit and placed it under the old lady’s wrist.

Chu Mingxi focused her mind and calmed her breath. Dropping her eyes, she took the pulse for a moment. As she did, her heart sank somewhat.

Everyone in the room watched her, but she remained silent. She leaned over, lifted the old lady’s eyelids to look, then signaled for Shopkeeper Yu to come over. He also took the pulse. The two exchanged a glance, then, in silence, walked out.

According to Northern Border customs, the daughters-in-law all stayed in the room to care for the elder. Only the sons and grandsons followed them into the main hall.

Chu Mingxi furrowed her brows and said calmly, “The Roof Leak Pulse.”

Shopkeeper Yu, slightly bowed, replied, “Yes. The patient’s pulse comes and goes intermittently, like water leaking from a roof, a drop falling only once in a long while.” He paused, then continued heavily, “The stomach energy has already been extinguished.”

This last statement was very blunt. Everyone in the room paled. The Wen brothers looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

The main hall fell silent for a moment. All they could see was the sunlight on the floor shifting line by line.

Since the doctor had spoken so clearly, the Wen sons and grandsons no longer knew if they should even ask the doctor to try thinking of another solution.

It was Chu Mingxi who spoke first, asking, “When did the patient start showing symptoms? Do you remember what she ate before the onset?”

The banquet that day was a sixtieth birthday celebration held by the Wen family’s in-laws—Brother Wen’s own maternal grandmother. So many members of the family had gone. Brother Wen, his father, and his uncles recalled for a while and recounted the date and the dishes served at the banquet.

But many people had clearly gone that day, and no one else was reported to have fallen ill simultaneously.

Chu Mingxi thought for a moment, then said, “It might not necessarily be caused by the banquet. What else has she eaten in these past few days? Anything special, things she doesn’t usually eat?”

The Wen family members looked at each other, saying there wasn’t anything special. In the countryside, everyone ate the same things together.

Chu Mingxi asked, “May I look around?”

The Wen family quickly said, “Please, please, go ahead.”

Chu Mingxi walked out of the main hall with Qingdai.

Shopkeeper Yu looked at Brother Wen and said, “To be frank, this pulse indicates poisoning, without a doubt. The poison has already infiltrated the internal organs; recovery is no longer possible.”

The Wen family was even more shocked. Although the family’s matriarch couldn’t compare to the wealth of the city, living past sixty was a long life. The entire family had tried their best to support and care for her, not even daring to let her work the fields. After so many peaceful years, how could she be poisoned at this age?

Brother Wen’s father, Eldest Uncle Wen, was Old Lady Wen’s eldest son, likely around the same age as Shopkeeper Yu. Now, his lips trembling, he said, “Doc… doctor… please look carefully for us. Poisoned, is… is it someone who poisoned her? My mother is in this state; this… this is something people will use to stab me in the back.”

Beside him, Second Uncle Wen, his face pale, also said, “Yes. How could she be poisoned? Will it draw the authorities to investigate us?”

Just then, Qingdai’s voice came from outside the door: “Eldest Young Miss, look, there’s green moss on this well.”

Shopkeeper Yu followed the sound and looked outside. The Wen men all rushed out one after another, only to see the beautiful female doctor shaking her head. Their hearts, which had been raised, dropped only halfway.

Chu Mingxi inspected the courtyard but found nothing suspicious. She couldn’t diagnose the cause of the patient’s illness. But she wasn’t too disappointed, for she had anticipated from the start that this would be a rather thorny case. Otherwise, Shopkeeper Yu wouldn’t have sent Xiao Ji all the way to the Capital City to invite her here.

Neighboring houses had already begun washing rice for cooking, and wisps of cooking smoke were rising from every household in the village.

Chu Mingxi left a few doses of medicine for the Wen family to ease Old Lady Wen’s condition, to at least make the old woman less uncomfortable. The Wen family thanked her profusely. Chu Mingxi added that she would stay in the area for a few days and arranged to visit again in two days for another consultation. If there were any unusual changes in the patient’s condition, they should inform them.

There was no inn in the village, but there was one family who had built a particularly spacious house, intended for merchants who came to buy wine to lodge in.

Lei Min had been standing guard by the carriages the entire time. Shopkeeper Yu, accustomed to business, went first to rent the place. Everyone had anticipated spending the night here and had prepared some luggage. So they first returned together to the drying grounds to meet up with Lei Min and the driver, then went together to the rented lodgings.

The carriage stopped in front of the door. Qingdai removed the bedding from the carriage. Doctor Tang was about to help, but Shopkeeper Yu tugged at his sleeve and shook his head. Only then did Doctor Tang realize that the Head Proprietor’s personal belongings were likely not to be touched by others.

Night came early in the countryside. Although it was gradually entering early summer, the nights were still slightly cool.

Qingdai finished making the bed and saw that her Mistress was still sitting by the lamp, deep in thought. She had no choice but to walk over and gently urge, “Eldest Young Miss, please rest early.”

Chu Mingxi gave an “Mm,” her chin resting on her hand, still not moving.

Qingdai said, “You always tell us that physicians struggle to heal themselves, so we must take even better care of our own health. You barely ate a few bites of dinner, and you won’t rest after such a tiring journey. What will we do if you ruin your health?” She let out a heavy sigh and added, half in jest, “Never mind how anxious we are who serve you—when the Heir finds out someday, won’t his heart ache terribly?”

Chu Mingxi withdrew her hand and shot her a sideways glare.

Qingdai giggled and helped her up. “I just knew that mentioning the Heir would make you care for yourself.”

Early the next morning, before the sky was fully bright, little birds were already chirping on the windowsill. Qingdai, accompanied by Lei Min, bought rice, flour, and vegetables in the village and made a few simple dishes. Worried her Mistress would have no appetite, she purposely stir-fried a plate of diced radish.

After breakfast, Chu Mingxi walked around the village, listening to the villagers speak and observing their daily diet. Another day passed, and it was time for the follow-up consultation at the Wen household. With some time to spare, they first strolled around the village again.

The villagers had gradually gotten used to their presence, no longer staring curiously. Some who had some education would even proactively step aside when encountering them, as a gesture of respect.

Today again yielded little. Qingdai secretly observed her Mistress’s expression but saw no displeasure there. It was as if she treated everything with equanimity. Qingdai’s admiration for her Mistress grew even deeper.

“Doctor.”

As they walked, they met Brother Wen head-on. The young man stepped slightly to the side and bowed to the female doctor.

Chu Mingxi nodded and casually asked, “Has the old lady been taking her medicine these past two days?”

“Yes. She still can’t eat, but after taking the medicine, she doesn’t seem to be in as much pain.” Brother Wen answered, head lowered.

His grandmother’s illness was beyond the help of medicine. They were all prepared. The presence of these doctors here was partly to unravel this mystery, and partly to offer some comfort to their hearts.

So he looked up and volunteered, “Last night, my younger brother’s wife came back. Ah, she was visiting her maiden family before. She said that the day after the banquet, Grandmother didn’t eat much during the meal. By evening, she was hungry, so she cooked a bowl of corn porridge for her.”

“Corn porridge?” Chu Mingxi furrowed her brows slightly, her voice holding a note of inquiry.