It was the third month of spring, with grass growing and orioles flying.
Ye Chutang had just spread out her herbs to dry in the courtyard when she heard a knock at the door.
"Is anyone home?"
She casually brushed off her clothes, and once the slightly bitter scent of medicine had dissipated, she went to open the door.
"Coming."
Lian Zhou waited anxiously at the door, and when he saw the young girl behind it, he was instantly stunned.
The girl looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a plain blouse and skirt embroidered with begonia flowers, which accentuated her slender figure. Her dark hair was simply tied up with a wooden hairpin.
She had an oval face, distant mountain-like eyebrows, and skin even fairer than snow.
What was particularly striking were her dark, clear eyes, clean, gentle, and utterly pure.
Just standing there, she was like a spring begonia that had never experienced frost, snow, or wind, making one instinctively lower their voice.
Lian Zhou snapped back to reality, cupped his hands, and stated his purpose: "Hello, I'm looking for the doctor at the medical hall."
Ye Chutang nodded slightly: "That would be me."
Lian Zhou was even more surprised, then frowned and looked back worriedly.
He and his master had traveled all this way, and his master's condition had worsened and could no longer be delayed, so he thought of finding a medical hall for treatment first.
Who knew that such a young woman would come out?
He turned and walked to the carriage, whispering to the person inside: "Master, should your subordinate look for another medical hall?"
Ye Chutang's delicate eyebrows raised slightly.
Three years ago, when she first opened a medical hall in Jiangling, people didn't trust her medical skills either.
These master and servant seemed to be outsiders, passing through this place, so such a reaction was normal.
A moment later, a cold, low voice came from inside the carriage.
"Her."
Despite it being early spring, the voice was like it was wrapped in a thin layer of frost and snow, carrying a chilling coolness.
Lian Zhou responded, then walked back, his attitude a bit more polite than before.
"The consultation fee is negotiable, but please do your best to treat my master."
Ye Chutang was about to speak when she suddenly heard Aunt Yang's shout from down the street.
"Doctor Ye! Oh no! Your Silang is fighting with someone at the academy again!"
Ye Chutang's expression remained unchanged, as if she was already used to such things, and she asked gently: "What happened?"
Aunt Yang was out of breath: "I heard he got into a brawl with the second young master of Cao's Restaurant and his gang! They couldn't be pulled apart! You should go and see!"
Cao's Restaurant was the largest restaurant in Jiangling. It was said that the owner's cousin was the county magistrate's wife, and the family was rich, powerful, and tyrannical.
Young Master Cao always had several followers around him, indulging in cockfighting, dog walking, eating, drinking, and all sorts of pleasures.
This fight...
Ye Chutang turned her head to Lian Zhou, "Please come inside."
"...What?" Lian Zhou looked at Aunt Yang, then at Ye Chutang.
If he heard correctly, it seemed like her family was in trouble? Wasn't she going to check on it?
Ye Chutang had just turned around when she remembered something and turned back to remind him, "Oh, right, the consultation fee is one hundred taels."
Lian Zhou was incredulous, "One hundred taels?!"
Even medical halls in the capital wouldn't dare to charge so much!
Ye Chutang sighed inwardly. What else could she do? If she didn't extort a bit, where would she get the money to pay for Fourth Brother's medical expenses?
He had beaten up several people this time!
"Whether to seek treatment or not is entirely voluntary." Her gaze lingered on the carriage for a moment, "However... if your master delays any longer, I'm afraid it won't be good."
Lian Zhou's heart tightened.
Judging by her words, did she already see that the master's situation was urgent—no, the master had been in the carriage all along, how could she have seen anything?
He probably had too much on his mind recently, making him overly cautious.
She was just a young woman from a small town medical hall; it would be good if she knew a little bit, how could she know so much?
Ye Chutang thanked Aunt Yang and invited the person into the medical hall.
Aunt Yang looked at the slender, graceful figure and shook her head sympathetically.
"Oh dear, a young girl, supporting her whole family alone, it's truly difficult..."
...
Ye Chutang entered the room and regretted it as soon as she saw the patient—regretted that the consultation fee she asked for was too low, and even more regretted taking this case.
The man looked to be only around twenty, with a high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and a profound inner spirit. Dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, although his face was pale, it did not conceal his refined handsomeness.
This was the most handsome man she had ever seen in Jiangling, no, in both her lives.
His attire was understated, his demeanor cool, and he exuded an indescribable nobility.
How could this be an ordinary young master?
He had two wounds on his body, one on his left chest and one on his right abdomen, both caused by arrows. It seemed they had been there for some time, but the wounds were festering and had not healed—clearly poisoned!
This was an attempt to kill him! Anyone could guess that it must be due to deep-seated hatred to inflict such a deadly blow.
If she wasn't careful, she would also be dragged into it.
Ye Chutang: "..."
She disliked patients with no boundaries.
Lian Zhou saw her face slightly darken and became anxious: "What? Can't you treat him?"
He knew he shouldn't have hoped for anything from such a small medical hall...
Ye Chutang finished taking his pulse, stood up, and felt like laughing when she heard his words.
As the thirty-first generation inheritor of an ancient medical family, countless people begged to be treated by her but couldn't.
When she died unexpectedly, although she didn't get to become the head of the family, she had spent the first twenty-odd years of her life preparing for it, striving to master various arts and techniques. She was truly the king of overachievers. She never expected that after being reborn, her professional abilities would be continuously questioned.
"I can treat him." She wrote a prescription and handed it to Lian Zhou, "Turn right when you go out and get the medicine. Also, this is a secret family recipe, two hundred taels."
Lian Zhou: "..."
He didn't want to leave. He was the only one left by his master's side, and with dangers lurking everywhere, he couldn't be careless.
"I must guard my master."
Ye Chutang's tone was calm: "If he doesn't drink the medicine within an hour, you won't need to guard your master anymore."
Lian Zhou's eyelids twitched. Just as he was about to retort, he saw his master seem to smile.
"Go."
Lian Zhou could only comply and hurried out.
Only the two of them remained in the room; it was very quiet.
Ye Chutang picked up a pair of scissors from nearby and looked at the man lying on the bed, gesturing at his left chest.
"I'm going to proceed? You don't mind, do you?"
The man looked at her with deep eyes and smiled slightly.
"Please."
...
When Lian Zhou returned, he saw his master lying there with his eyes closed and his clothes disheveled.
"Master!" He rushed forward in a panic.
"The dressing has been changed." Ye Chutang took the medicine he brought, preparing to decoct it, and said as she walked out, "He is severely injured and has residual poison in his body. He is weak, so let him rest first. He can drink the medicine after it's decocted."
Lian Zhou then realized he had misunderstood, and the worry in his heart finally subsided.
"Th-thank you very much!"
Ye Chutang had only taken a few steps when a small child suddenly rushed out of the courtyard and threw himself into her arms.
She looked down at the chubby, fair little face and couldn't help but smile.
"Did you wake up? Are you hungry? Do you want some lotus seed paste cakes?"
The little child's big, black grape-like eyes looked at her, and he nodded vigorously.
Ye Chutang pinched the little child's cheek.
In the room behind them, the man lying down had opened his eyes at some point.
Lian Zhou finally breathed a sigh of relief, "That's great! Who would have thought that the doctor at this small medical hall actually has some skill, truly a hidden talent!"
Shen Yanchuan quietly watched the scene in the courtyard, deep in thought, and nodded slightly.
"Indeed. I didn't expect her to be so young and already have such a big child."