Chapter 19: Panic, 100-Day Limit

Fang Datang was really speedy. Within two hours, he brought back doctor Li from the village of Li clan.

“Doctor Li, what disease my husband is suffering?”

After doctor Li felt his pulse, Mo Qianxue had already waited next to them with a writing brush and paper on her hands, but the doctor pushed these away and said in a low voice, “The cold has entered the patient’s heart and lungs. I’m afraid only heaven could save him. At present, we can do nothing but wait for his fate to come.”

Mo Qianxue didn’t believe and ignored what the witch had said, but what doctor Li just had said threw her into hell.

“When I got out this morning, he was still good. Please, please save my husband. I’ll really appreciate you if you can save him!” Mo Qianxue’s face was full of tears before she finished.

Doctor Li had met with and used to all kinds of relatives of patients. They would either cry out to beg heaven and earth, or threat the doctor with disrespectful words, or remain silent and think for themselves a way out. All the strange scenes had given him the calamity to face a life-and-death moment.

Today, this Mo Qianxue’s sorrowful and bitter expression, the dripping tears from her eyes, the composure amidst forbearing, and the civility and elegance while speaking somehow touched him.

“Alas, alright. I have a secret prescription inherited from my ancestors. It’s a specific drug against cold. After three doses of it, your husband will wake up. Seven doses in a row can suppress the cold for a hundred days. But the guiding drug is really hard to obtain. One dose will cost at least fifty taels of silver.”

Doctor Li’s expression was complicated when telling her these, “After a hundred days, the cold can no longer be suppressed. By then… Do you still want this prescription?” What the unsaid words meant was self-evident, but Mo Qianxue still made a decision without hesitation.

A hundred days? Within a hundred days, she could definitely find a group of doctors for him, by then there must be a cure, “Doctor, please, I want this prescription. I’ll remember your kindness. When my husband gets well, we’ll personally visit you to thank you.”

After the diagnosis, doctor Li left and Fang Datang, with the silver Mo Qianxue gave him, hurriedly followed him to take back the medicine.

Fifty taels of silver for one dose. And seven doses would be three hundred and fifty taels! Why did him rob a bank? As soon as doctor Li left, sister Fang began to accuse him of black heart with back conscience.

Afterwards, sister Fang began to comfort Mo Qianxue while thinking in mink how to let this little sister finish sexual intercourse with her husband as soon as possible, so that with a child around her, she wouldn’t have to be sold out as a slave and the future would be promising for her.

Mo Qianxue, as if having recollected herself, then grabbed sister Fang by the hand, asking, “Sister, was there anything strange when you sent lunch at noon today?”

After driving away the witch, Mo Qianxue found that soaked clothes on the chair and remained perplexed. Just she didn’t have a chance to ask sister Fang.

“I’m just telling you this…”

Hence, sister Fang quickly told her everything in detail of what had happened in the afternoon. Though sister Fang couldn’t think straight what did aunt Fang and Taoer have to do with this accident, she felt uncomfortable to keep it to her own.

To be honest, the two people had acted strangely, though she couldn’t tell what was wrong in specific, the more she pondered, the stranger she felt.

If to say they poisoned Mr. Ning, was that possible? Mr. Ning was home-bound and never completed with nor had feuds with anyone. Even if he had slightly offended someone, he shouldn’t be hated to such an extent.

Elder Fang, Fang Taoer’s father, was also brother Fang’s uncle. They belonged to the same family. Therefore, sister Fang knew a little about the proposal.

She decided to ignore whether Mo Qianxue would be upset or not and just told her everything for good.

After helping Mr. Ning take the medicine, it was already late at night, and Mo Qianxue washed and went to bed.

She reached out to felt Ning Shaoqing’s pretty face. Sister Fang couldn’t figure out what had happened, but she, a modern woman who had watched loads of dramatic TV series, thought straight every detail as soon as she was told the whole story.

She was angry and grieved!

But seeing Ning Shaoqing was shaking nonstop, her heart ached, and she pulled her own quilt onto him too. Then she took off her clothes and slid into Ning Shaoqing’s quilt to warm him with her body.

Anyone calculating on her must be aware to bear the consequences. She must find a way to settle Fang Taoer’s marriage and find her a “good person” in order to thank Fang Taoer for her “kindness” today.

Until early in the morning, Ning Shaoqing’s body began to turn from cold to warm, and only then did Mo Qianxue dare to fall asleep in a daze.

She only took a snap for a while and then immediately struggled to get up. Yesterday, she had agreed with the seventh young lord that today around ten o’clock Baiyunju Restaurant sent people to take the tofu they needed today.

She had promised that there would be at least one hundred kilograms per day. Besides, Ning Shaoqing’s medicine cost much…

When Mo Qianxue got well-prepared, it was about six o’clock. Sister Fang and sister Guihua showed up.

Making tofu required both skill and physical strength. The two sisters were of good intention and let her to take a rest, but they didn’t know how to make it. In case that they might ruined it, the two all worked at it at last after a few phatic words.

Before ten o’clock, the carriage of Baiyunju arrived. It was much grander and more sumptuous than an ordinary village carriage.

The driver was an impassive-looking youth in a clean-cut suit with a sword in his hand. The one in the carriage was the servant Xiaoqizi.

The three people spent the whole morning, nearly four hours, to make the one hundred kilograms of tofu. The wooden drawers piled up one after another. The impassive youth held his sword in one hand and used the other hand to carry the wooden drawers, and it took him just twice to collect all of the drawers onboard.

Xiaoqizi confessed that the tofu was too little, and that the tofu sent yesterday had sold out before afternoon. The restaurant manager said that he wished Mo Qianxue to make more.

Mo Qianxue was sleepy and exhausted, and Ning Shaoqing was sick lying on bed. She didn’t have more energy to care about that, so she turned to leave immediately after delivering the goods.

Xiaoqizi felt a little embarrassed. Sister Fang hurriedly stepped up to explain that her husband fell ill, and that they would make more tomorrow.

Xiaoqizi was a person excel at reading air. At this moment, he didn’t dare to offend Mo Qianxue, so he let it go by nodding at sister Fang’s words.

A few more chatting later, the youth with sword came over with a cold gaze, and Xiaoqizi trembled and quickly got into the carriage and left.

Beans cost one cent per kilogram; tofu was five per kilogram; one kilogram of beans could make three kilograms of tofu.

Though there was a big profit margin, one kilograms of tofu was only five hundred cents, and one thousand cents was one tael of silver. In this way, each month, even if to get tired to death, she could only earn a few taels. And Ning Shaoqing’s seven doses of medicine would cost three hundred and fifty taels. The first time she sold the menu, she earned two hundred; and the second time, also two hundred. And she had spent several dozen…

Toughing the purse that contained only some copper money in it, Mo Qianxue smiled bitterly. It seemed that she must think out another way to make quick money.

Chapter 18: Sudden Disease; Witch Dance

As the winter was approaching, the cold was brought in by wind. Leaves of the laurel tree in the courtyard swirled around. Under the tree stood numbly a woman.

With a squeal, the outer door was pushed open, and a boy about ten years old came in. At the sight of the woman under the tree, he gently called, “Madam…madam?”

When Mo Qianxue returned to ground earth, she found Shuanzi standing before her.

No matter how sad and depressed she was, she wouldn’t turn a cold shoulder to a child. Mo Qianxue forced a smile, asking, “Why are you here Shuanzi?”

“Madam, I knocked the door for a long time but there was no answer, so I came in.”

Shuanzi explained. But seeing the tea leaves and tea stain all over Mo Qianxue as well as her smile uglier than crying, he asked out of confusion, “Madam what happened to you?”

“Nothing. I just broke a teacup by accident. Does your mom send you here? What can I help you?” Mo Qianxue understated with one simple answer and started another subject.

Shuanzi saw her calm face already absent of the numbness and sadness, so his doubts disappeared, and he replied, “Mr. Ning didn’t show up at school, so I decided on my own to visit him. Is he well?”

Shuanzi’s words surprised Mo Qianxue and her heart plunged at the moment.

At this time, Ning Shaoqing should be at school rather than lying at home!

A responsible person like he wouldn’t neglect his duties without rightful explanation.

He was also a man of etiquette and cultivation who wouldn’t knock over tables and bowls, neither would he easily spit out insulting words against anyone…

There must be something when things went abnormal!

Suddenly she rose to her feet and rushed in the door.

It was she that had been careless! She hadn’t had tea for so long that the smell of it made her brain rusted.

Upon entering the room, she saw Ning Shaoqing lying on the bed on his stomach and the quilt was put next to him.

Her heart plummeted again!

Ning Shaoqing had always been a symbol of elegance. Be it eating or sleeping, his manner was always as graceful as soft spring breeze.

At this moment, Mo Qianxue had no time to care about manners and the so-called rules and sprinted over, calling, “Sir, what’s the matter with you?”

Her shout was so loud and anxious, but Ning Shaoqing didn’t move a bit. At this time, there seemed to be a titanic stone pressing on Mo Qianxue’s heart. She held out a trembling hand.

Cold! Heart-penetrating cold!

A shocking second later, Mo Qianxue immediately shouted continuously to outside, “Shuanzi…Shuanzi…hurry…come in…”

“Madam, what’s wrong with Mr. Ning?” Hearing the heartbreaking scream, Shuanzi sprang inside the room.

“Shuanzi, hurry, get your mom here!”

“Yes!”

Although Shuanzi didn’t know the exact situation, he could sense the crisis in Mo Qianxue’s voice. He responded her and quickly ran out for home.

After a while, sister Fang came.

Another while later, the elders showed up too.

And then, the witch from the neighboring village was here too.

“Sister Fang, isn’t there a doctor in our village?”

After the village head and elders left, Mo Qianxue’s eyebrows furrowed to be able to catch a mosquito when she saw the chanting and dancing witch in the inner room.

She was no fool. The village head’s expression and the elders’ whispering to one another made her realize how serious the disease was. She didn’t buy a single word of them, that the witch could summon back Ning’s soul and wake him up, to comfort her before they left.

“A subscription requires knowing characters. There isn’t one person like that here.” Seeing Mo Qianxue’s expression, sister Fang tried to comfort her, “Relax, sister. The witch is real! When someone has a fever or headache, they get well just after drinking some of the talisman water she gives.”

Ignorant!

Headache and fever were syndromes of cold. Only plain water could cure cold.

Mo Qianxue despised that to herself, but she didn’t want to waste time in arguing with sister Fang, “If I want to find a doctor, should I go to Tianxiang city?”

“Of course. But the doctors in Tianxiang city don’t visit patients at night.” Sister Fang thought for a while, “But I heard there is a great doctor at the village of Li clan, a dozen miles away from here. Sometimes even people from downtown turn to him for medicines. It’s just…he charges very high…”

“Sister, please let brother Fang go to the village of Li clan for me.”

In the winter, it got dark earlier, so the work at dock should be finished and brother Fang was supposed to be back at home.

“Sister, is this good…?”

While asking, sister Fang gestured with her eyes looking to inside the inner room. It meant that if they went to find a doctor, the witch would feel offended.

“Don’t worry sister Fang. Just let brother Fang go. Could I harm my own husband?” She wouldn’t put the life of Ning Shaoqing to a witch liar! Mo Qianxue stopped crying and collected herself. Without sorrow and fluster, her expression now looked freezing.

“Sister, it’s very expensive to send for a doctor…”

Mo Qianxue’s expression got colder. No wonder when the elders were here, and when she suggested to find a doctor, elder Wanger scolded her as an ignorant woman!

The village head also hesitated without saying a word while the other elders just glanced at one another.

It turned out that they were afraid to spend money. They were afraid that the clan property might be touched.

“Don’t worry about money, sister…” Mo Qianxue fought back her emotion and took out some silver to stuff into sister Fang’s hands.

Sister Fang shook her head again and again, “I don’t mean this; you keep the money…”

Sister Fang pushed to put the silver back into Mo Qianxue’s sleeve. Thinking for a while about the pitiful gaze of the village head, elders and the witch at Mo Qianxue after they had discussed and shaken their head, sister Fang turned to leave.

“Sister please be fast; I think it’d better to go on an ox carriage…”

“You just stay here and take care of Mr. Ning. I’ll handle other things. Don’t worry, before the nightfall, I’m sure to get you a doctor here.”

As soon as sister Fang left, Mo Qianxue got in with a cold face, shouting at the witch who was still pretending to dance and chant something, “Get out!”

The witch wearing a ghost mask was just in high spirits. The freezing growl made her hands suddenly pause in midair in a funny gesture. However, at this moment Mo Qianxue didn’t have the mood to appreciate or laugh.

“What did you say?”

Mo Qianxue stepped forward to glare at the witch, saying word by word, “I said, get out!”

“What? Disrespect for heaven will be punished, you…”

When the witch still muttered, Mo Qianxue already sat on the bed side and looked intently at Ning Shaoqing. Without looking up, she said once again, “Get out.”

The witch glanced at her, huffing with anger, thinking to herself: anyway she had gotten the money. Now she didn’t have to work any longer and shook off the responsibility, why just did as Mo said. She was old already. To dance for a whole night was really tiring.

Taking a glance at Mo Qianxue who was in horrible anger, the witch collected her staff and fled with a sneer. Before leaving, she also made her plan. As soon as Mo’s husband died, she would give Mo a title of unlucky fate that could kill husband and relatives. A person should stay alone for her whole life! Have a taste of a witch’s trick!

*

At the house of the village head.

Elder Wanger said, “Head, I think Mr. Ning can’t survive this time.”

Village head remained silent for a while and sighed, “Just try out best while depending on heaven! A lucky person will be blessed by heaven. I hope Mr. Ning is able to go through this…”

Elder Fang said, “I’m afraid he can’t. He’s already dying. The money on the witch is wasted. Earlier, we have given him much tuition fee…”

Elder Li add, “What a fucking waste of my corn powder. But I heard that Mrs. Ning is able to cook a kind of food, tasty and fresh. It must sell well downtown. Maybe we can make a fortune out of it. It’ll be even better if our wives could make it. Before selling her out, we must try to get the recipe…”

Elder Gao said, “Living here as a new-comer is not easy. We should have some conscience. Let’s just wait.”

Elder Li and elder Fang sprang up instantly on hearing elder Gao’s words. Elder Li responded, “Who doesn’t have conscience? Gao, make it clear, who? Their lives were saved by us…”

Elder Fang, “Gao, I think you’re…”

They were about to fight. Elder Wanger pretended not seeing that while the village head pulled a long face and stood up, “Alright! It’s late now. You should have a rest. As for Mr. Ning, let’s discuss tomorrow.”