Chapter 445: Medicine Doesn’t Heal
Everyone in the Capital City knew that Second Miss Ye was a brilliant physician, her skill with silver needles simply divine.
Only the rich and powerful could request a personal consultation. For ordinary people, even catching a glimpse of her was a challenge.
And while that might be true for others, those who ran apothecaries like them had certainly heard of her. Her name was legendary.
Ye Chutang smiled. "I’m just buying a few things for my own use."
The clerk was still thrilled. He carefully wrapped the herbs and escorted Ye Chutang and her companion out the door.
"If you need anything at all, just send a messenger. I’ll deliver it to your mansion personally!"
Ye Chutang agreed with a smile.
Shortly after she and Xiao Wu left, another person entered the shop.
He had an ordinary face and looked to be around thirty years old.
The clerk hurried over. "What can I get for you, sir?"
The man said, "Yuanhua and huanglian."
The clerk paused, surprised.
’He’s not here with a prescription either?’
But he was still buzzing with excitement from having just met Ye Chutang, so he didn’t ask any more questions. He acknowledged the order and deftly went to fetch the herbs.
"Alright, sir! Have a good day—"
The man didn’t linger. He picked up the two packets of herbs and walked out the door.
Ye Chutang held Xiao Wu’s hand, and they strolled leisurely.
It had been a long time since she’d had such a peaceful day. Ye Chutang felt a rare sense of relaxation. She ambled through the streets with Xiao Wu, buying her a candied hawthorn stick, then stopped by a fabric store. She selected a few bolts of cloth, planning to make a couple of extra winter jackets for Yan and Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu’s eyes lit up, and she stroked the beautiful bolts of fabric, unable to put them down.
Then, remembering her fourth brother who had just left, her lip trembled and she sniffled.
’Fourth Brother left in such a hurry, we didn’t even have time to make him new clothes!’
Ye Chutang knew she was thinking about A Feng again. She patted the little girl’s head comfortingly. "Don’t worry. You know your fourth brother. Even brand-new clothes would look old on him after three days. Besides, he’s having a growth spurt and will need new ones in two months anyway. He can just make do."
Xiao Wu was speechless.
’That’s true.’
’Before he left, Fourth Brother said he was going to kill lots of enemies and earn merit. If he goes a little overboard, his clothes would get stained with blood and be ruined anyway.’
Xiao Wu wandered around the shop once more before finally picking out two bolts of fabric. She then looked up at Ye Chutang with pleading eyes.
’Big Sis, this color would look perfect on Fourth Brother! Let’s buy it, make the clothes, and he can wear them when he comes back!’
The corners of Ye Chutang’s lips lifted in a slight smile.
"If your fourth brother knew you were thinking of him so much, he would have insisted on staying for your birthday before leaving."
Xiao Wu giggled and pulled out her little purse. Her chubby little hand fumbled inside before she pulled out a silver note and handed it over.
’What Big Sis buys is from Big Sis. She wants to buy something for Fourth Brother too!’
Ye Chutang was genuinely touched.
The Little Bun would hem and haw over buying a pair of boots for herself, but when it came to spending money on her brother, she was incredibly generous.
She took the silver note. "Are you sure?"
Xiao Wu nodded emphatically. Then, as if remembering something, she hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something.
She tugged on Ye Chutang’s sleeve.
Ye Chutang obligingly bent down. "What is it?"
Xiao Wu leaned in, looking up at her with an earnest expression, and pointed again at the two bolts of fabric.
Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow.
She pinched Xiao Wu’s cheek.
"Alright. I’ll find someone to deliver the new clothes to him for you."
Xiao Wu’s eyes instantly lit up. She threw her arms around Ye Chutang’s neck and gave her a big kiss.
’She just knew Big Sis would have a way!’
Ye Chutang tousled her round hair bun.
"You little rascal."
After paying, she arranged for the shop clerk to deliver the goods to the Ye Mansion, then carried Xiao Wu out of the store.
She glanced up at the sky.
"Alright, it’s getting late. We should head back."
As she spoke, her gaze subtly swept over a figure that hastily darted past at the end of the street.
In the blink of an eye, the figure ducked into a small apothecary.
Ye Chutang withdrew her gaze and walked away with Xiao Wu.
"What can I get for you, sir?"
The moment the man turned into the apothecary, the Shopkeeper greeted him with a smile.
The man collected himself.
"Chishao, ziling, and add some chuanbei."
These were all common herbs, so the Shopkeeper didn’t ask any questions.
When he emerged from the shop, Ye Chutang was nowhere to be seen.
After a moment of contemplation, the man finally turned and walked away.
...
By the time night had completely fallen, the herbs had been delivered to Prince Lie’s Mansion.
Looking at the herbs laid out neatly on the table, Xiao Chengqi asked, "She bought these?"
"Yes. Your subordinate bought some extra to create confusion, just in case," the man explained. "Second Miss Ye bought two taels each of baizhi, yuanhua, and ziling, and one tael each of duheng, chishao, and juemingzi."
Xiao Chengqi grew thoughtful.
"The Imperial Hospital prescribed a ten-day supply for me... Her message must be that the dosage is two *qian* and one *qian*, respectively."
He looked up and commanded, "Starting today, secretly brew these herbs and bring the decoction to me each day. I will drink it after I’ve finished the medicine from the Imperial Hospital."
The man hesitated. "Your Highness, are you certain? This seems rather reckless... Besides, do you truly trust her that much?"
He had previously been ordered to go to Yunlai Tavern, where he booked a room and left a letter from the prince.
Afterward, he returned every other day to wait, not actually expecting that he would receive a reply from Ye Chutang.
To be precise, it was just a single sentence relayed by the Shopkeeper:
"Your Excellency’s steps are unsteady. It seems you ought to take your medicine."
After hearing this, His Highness had ordered him to follow Ye Chutang secretly. And just as expected, he saw her go to an apothecary.
His martial arts were superb and his hearing was exceptional. Even with a wall between them, he had heard Ye Chutang’s words with perfect clarity.
It was just that... no matter how he looked at them, these few herbs didn’t seem to form a complete prescription.
’Can she truly help His Highness?’
But Xiao Chengqi just shook his head and smiled.
"If she wanted to harm me, she wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to save me back at the hunting grounds. And besides—"
’I can certainly trust the woman Shen Yanchuan has taken a liking to.’
He waved his hand. "You may go. This matter stays between the three of us. No fourth person needs to know."
The man hesitated for a moment, but seeing the prince’s resolute attitude, he lowered his head and assented. "Yes, Your Highness!"
His figure vanished without a sound, leaving only Xiao Chengqi sitting alone in the oppressively silent room.
He leaned back against his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Beside him sat a bowl of medicinal soup, long gone cold.
He glanced at it, then raised the bowl and drank the contents in one go.
’Someone wants me unwell. In that case, I’ll just stay ’crippled’ like this for a while.’
...
"What did you say? Qingzhou?!"
Xiao Chengxuan was so shocked he nearly dropped his bowl and chopsticks.
The servant delivering his meal bowed his head. "Yes. It is said that it was Lord Su, Su Wei, who proposed it. He requested that Your Majesty send men to Qingzhou to thoroughly investigate the whereabouts of those assassins. Your Majesty has already granted permission and will be dispatching men shortly."
Xiao Chengxuan grew frantic.
"How can this be acceptable?!"
’Anywhere else would have been fine, but why did it have to be Qingzhou!’
Xiao Chengxuan felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He paced back and forth in his room, agitated beyond measure.
’That Su Wei is an incredibly meticulous man. If he actually finds something...’
’Wouldn’t that just be making a bad situation worse!’
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"What about my maternal grandfather? Didn’t he say anything?!"