131 Vile and Unvirtuous
Lu Jiao's heart fluttered as she looked back at Xie Yunjin. She didn't overthink it as she knew that handsome people could get their way with others easier. She understood that.
"Okay, eat your lunch. I will go eat outside."
She walked out while Xie Yunjin smiled and watched her leave.
Sadly, before she got to eat, she saw three people enter her gate.
It was her mother-in-law, Lady Ruan, her eldest sister-in-law, Lady Chen, and a young beautiful girl beside them.
The girl was rather curvy with very charming features. Her eyes slightly curved up, making her look foxy and seductive.
The girl saw Lu Jiao and showed her much disdain. It seemed like she didn't think highly of Lu Jiao.
Speechless, Lu Jiao wondered who that woman was. How could she go into other people's homes and act so arrogantly?
Lu Jiao quickly realized something. Last time, she kicked out Zhou Xiaotao by saying Zhou Xiaotao was too ugly for Xie Yunjin. So this time, Lady Ruan found a beautiful lady to bring with her.
Lady Ruan appeared determined to get rid of her so some other woman could get the wife title.
Lu Jiao was unspeakably annoyed. She wanted them to leave! Can't they just wait two to three months? In two to three months, she will voluntarily give up her spot.
With an unkind expression, Lu Jiao glanced at Lady Ruan and Lady Chen. Lady Chen smirked, "Third sister-in-law, who do you think you're looking at? Why such a long face?"
She then ignored Lu Jiao and entered the east bedroom with Lady Ruan.
The four little ones were busy eating when they saw Lady Ruan and the woman beside her. They thought of Zhou Xiaotao and quickly slid down their chairs and ran to the east bedroom.
Inside the east bedroom, Lady Ruan did her best to look motherly. Sadly, she had a thin and mean face and her best effort at looking kind made her appear comical. She had no self-awareness and said to Xie Yunjin, "My son, I didn't think it through last time and got that ugly Zhou Xiaotao to take care of you. I forgot how you like beautiful women. This time, I invited your first sister-in-law's cousin's niece to come and take care of you."
The air around Xie Yunjin was heavy.
Lady Chen's cousin's niece, Chen Chunxi, walked forward, "It's nice to meet you, Third Brother Xie."
Before Xie Yunjin could answer, the four little ones started to scream.
"Are you trying to be my daddy's concubine?"
"My daddy said he doesn't want a second wife. He won't be having children with a concubine."
"Leave, right now! Or else I will curse you!"
"You're so ugly. My daddy would never fall for you."
The four little ones' attack changed Lady Ruan's expression. Unable to maintain her motherly expression, she pointed a finger at the four little ones, "You four bastards, watch your mouths! Who taught you to speak like this?! Your mother?!"
She then immediately turned to Xie Yunjin, "My son, look at how that woman's been teaching your sons. It's better if that woman stops educating your children. I'm going to bring your kids back to my place to teach them how to behave."
The four little ones started to cry at her offer. They were terrified to go back with Lady Ruan. At once, the four little ones ran onto Xie Yunjin's bed.
Lu Jiao's heart ached as the four little ones cried. She leaped to the bed and stared down at Lady Ruan, "Mother, enough already. Why are you so impatient to bring women to Xie Yunjin's bed? His legs aren't even healed."
The three women's faces dropped.
Lady Ruan and Chen Liu didn't expect Lu Jiao to speak so bluntly.
Lady Ruan was the first to shout, "Lu Jiao, what are you inferring? You are very busy and I'm simply bringing you someone to help you take care of my son."
Lu Jiao rudely asked, "Take care of him in bed?"
This time, Chen Chunxi cried out of anger. She was an unmarried woman who was spoiled back at home. She only agreed to this whole thing because her aunt told her all the benefits of marrying Xie Yunjin. If that wasn't true, she wouldn't be willing to marry someone divorced with four children.
Her aunt told her that Xie Yunjin was going to be a government official and she'll get to be the wife of an official.
This was why she came. Who knew she'd be called a concubine the moment she arrived?
She wasn't willing to be a concubine.
Xie Chunxi croaked toward Lu Jiao, "Don't talk like that. I'm not willing to be a concubine."
Lu Jiao laughed, "You don't want to be a concubine, then you are really here to take care of him for me?" She then turned to Lady Ruan, "You really brought me someone to help me out?"
Lady Ruan nodded, "That's right. Don't speak so grossly every day. Look how you are teaching the kids!"
Lu Jiao ignored her and turned to Chen Chunxi, "Did you hear my mother-in-law? You're here to help me out. Then I have to make the rules clear upfront. You can stay here, but you cannot enter the east bedroom or get near Xie Yunjin. He doesn't need your help. He has a wife who takes care of him.
You're an unmarried woman. If you go near him, there'll be rumors. People will wonder if Xie Yunjin had accepted you as a concubine. You can stay here and help me clean the yard, get water, collect wood from the forest, chop firewood, feed the sheep…"
The Second Born interrupted, "Also feed the dogs for us and clean the dog's bed."
Chen Chunxi's face changed color. She snapped her head around towards Lady Chen.
When she agreed to this, they didn't say she'd need to do housework. They only said she'll need to take care of Xie Yunjin until they get emotionally involved. Now, she was told she couldn't even go near Xie Yunjin. What was the point of this then?
Lady Chen looked to Lady Ruan, "Mother."
Lady Ruan glared at Lu Jiao, "Why would you tell this young lady to do all this? How's that appropriate?"
Lu Jiao's face dropped as she fought back coldly, "You said you brought her to help me out. If she doesn't help me out, why would she come to my house? You want me to take care of her? What kind of wild delirious dream is she dreaming of?"
Lady Ruan's eyes shot out fire but the look on Lu Jiao's face scared her.
Lady Ruan asked Xie Yunjin, "My son, are you not going to control your wife? I brought you someone to take care of you yet she treats her this poorly. This means she's jealous and controlling. What will happen when you pass your imperial exam and want a concubine? This woman will stop you! What's the point of keeping such a vile and unvirtuous woman? Women need to be virtuous."
The four little ones formed a wall before Lu Jiao. The First Born angrily yelled, "We won't let our mom go! My dad would never get a concubine! You need to leave!"
Lady Ruan's face darkened. She gritted her teeth as she controlled her urge to hit the four little ones.
132 I won't take any Concubines
Xie Yunjin's face was unspeakably gloomy. His dark eyes seemed to have frosted over.
He asked heavily as he stared at his mother, "If father decides to get a concubine, you will support it, right?"
His words changed Lady Ruan's expression. She screamed, "He wouldn't dare! If he dares to get a concubine, I will skin him alive!"
Lady Ruan was used to acting arrogant and didn't think that what she was saying was inappropriate.
Xie Yunjin coldly snickered, "If you don't let your own man get a concubine, how can you call other women unvirtuous? Doesn't that mean you are also unvirtuous?"
Lady Ruan's eyes spat out fire. Her eyes were wide as she stared down at Xie Yunjin, "You and your father are different. You are going to become a high official. How can you not have concubines?"
Xie Yunjin didn't want to argue about this with his mother. He turned away, refusing to look at Lady Ruan as he ordered, "If this woman stays, she shall do what Lu Jiao says. If not, then she can get the hell out of here."
His voice was loud as he glared at Chen Chunxi. Just because this woman has a pretty face, they thought it was enough to seduce him? How laughable.
Chen Chunxi was scared off by Xie Yunjin and walked out.
She was the spoiled daughter in her family. When has anyone treated her this way? She walked away and ignored the voices that called for her from behind.
Back inside the east bedroom, Lady Ruan's chest heaved, "Are you trying to infuriate me to death?"
Xie Yunjin stared at her coldly without any pain in his eyes, "Mother, if you don't stir up trouble, you wouldn't be angry."
Lady Ruan almost tumbled from fury. She refused to look at him and turned to leave. Lady Chen didn't dare to stay and followed.
Inside the bedroom, Lu Jiao comforted the four little ones, "It's okay now. You guys go back to eating."
The four little ones looked up to Lu Jiao, then ran to their dad, "Daddy, you're not going to marry other people, are you?"
Xie Yunjin nodded without hesitation, "I promise you that I won't take any concubines."
The four little ones smiled right away as their hearts fell back to place.
The Fourth Born quickly demanded, "Then, pinky-promise us. The liar turns into a dog."
The Fourth Born then extended his pinky.
To make the children stop worrying, Xie Yunjin pinky promised each one of them. The four little ones were over the moon and no longer suspected that their daddy may take in concubines.
Afterward, the four little ones ran to Lu Jiao and asked for praise.
"Mommy, daddy said he won't accept concubines."
"He said he won't have kids with other people."
"He'll only have babies with you."
Lu Jiao's eyes slanted at the Second Born's words. Having babies with her? She was going to leave soon.
She squeezed the Second Born's cheeks and said matter-of-factly, "Go and eat. After you eat, go walk the dogs and digest."
The four little ones were no longer worried and went to eat happily.
Lu Jiao glanced at Xie Yunjin and noticed his unfinished food. She asked gently, "Did the food get cold? Should I get it warmed up?"
Xie Yunjin shook his head and complimented Lu Jiao, "You did well."
Lu Jiao froze, then stretched out her lips. She did what she did just now for him. Honestly, she was very exasperated. Lady Ruan was so annoying.
The thought of Lady Ruan once again brought coldness to Xie Yunjin's face.
"Regarding the matter we discussed previously… did you…"
Lu Jiao remembered her trip into town this morning and grinned, "I almost forgot to tell you."
Scared the children might hear her, she walked to Xie Yunjin and whispered, "This morning, I ran into Widow Wang on the ox-cart going into town. I purposely made good comments about father to Aunt Guihua and them. I think I may have piqued Widow Wang's interest.
Xie Yunjin smiled, "Great. You should go and eat."
Lu Jiao was really hungry. She hasn't eaten since she woke up.
When the four little ones saw her re-enter the room, they beamed, "Mommy, come eat."
Since the four little ones were done eating, she told them to go walk the dogs, "Go take a stroll with the puppies and digest your food. When you come back, I'll wash you up a little for your nap."
"Okay, mommy."
The four little ones happily went to walk the dogs. After Lu Jiao was done eating, they returned. However, since the weather was hot, they were all sweating when they came back. Lu Jiao boiled some water to wipe them down before their nap.
As she washed them, the Second Born carefully studied her. Lu Jiao knew right away that he had something on his mind.
"What is it? If you have something to say, just say it. Don't be scared. It makes you look nervous and scared. You're a boy, say what you are thinking proudly."
The Second Born lifted his chest and asked loudly.
"Mom, can we eat peaches after our nap?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "Yes."
She wanted them to walk the dogs and digest so they could eat more food.
The four little ones cheered. The First Born stood up inside the big wooden bucket, hugged Lu Jiao around her neck, and kissed her.
Of course the Third and Fourth Born copied him. The First Born didn't join them and checked out the Second Born from head to toe. Then, he turned away, embarrassed to look at him.
The Second Born remembered something and lowered his gaze to find his naked body. His face flushed red and he quickly sat back down.
Lu Jiao laughed. She pulled him and the First Born up to dry them and change them into pajamas.
"Okay, go take your nap. After your nap, you can eat a peach each."
The children cheered again. The Second Born took it too far and loudly asked, "Mommy, sleep with us!"
Lu Jiao declined right away, "No, I need to prepare the woks. We have two woks now and it'll be easier to cook once they're ready."
Though the children were little, they knew the benefit of having more woks. Finally, they didn't persist with their request.
While the family napped, Lu Jiao cleaned the woks and readied them for cooking. As for the broken pot, she put it in her space.
That way, people wouldn't notice easily that both of her woks were new.
In the afternoon, some guests came to visit. It was Xie Yunjin's classmate, Classmate Han. He brought with him a doctor.
"Lady Lu, are Yunjin's legs truly recovered from the operation?"
Classmate Han lived in Qinghe County – a bit out of the way from the Xie Village. He wasn't always up to date with the news.
He brought a doctor with him today to help examine Xie Yunjin and check if his legs would heal with surgery. He managed to find the apprentice of a military doctor, who had some general surgery knowledge.
Classmate Han figured that if the doctor deemed Yunjin's legs to be operable, he would find a way to bring Yunjin into the military and have a military doctor operate on him.
Who knew that once he arrived in town, he heard from others that Yunjin's already gone under the knife?
Lu Jiao nodded, "Yes, he's done surgery. If no accidents happen, he'll be able to walk soon."
Classmate Han excitedly exclaimed, "Really?!"
133 Far too Coincidental
Lu Jiao glanced at Classmate Han. He wore expensive clothing and acted gracefully. There was not a trace of nastiness in his eyes. This person was worth getting to know.
Lu Jiao suddenly remembered the original novel. In the book, Xie Yunjin's legs were fine. That meant even without her, Xie Yunjin's legs would have healed. The person who helped him get back to health must've been Classmate Han.
Lu Jiao's gaze became more cordial as she looked at Classmate Han.
"Though Yunjin's legs have been operated on, I still have to thank you, Scholar Han. Thank you for keeping him in mind."
Classmate Han smiled and corrected, "You can call me Classmate Han. Though Yunjin and I aren't biological brothers, our friendship is just as strong as if we were."
Lu Jiao accepted, "Okay."
The group of three went into the living room, where the Third Born was teaching the other children how to read.
Classmate Han was astounded, "What is happening here?"
"The children from the village do not know how to read. Yunjin suggested teaching the kids how to read while he is bed bound and resting. Since he just finished surgery, he had asked the four little ones to start the teaching process first."
Classmate Han nodded respectfully, "Brother Yunjin is one righteous man."
Lu Jiao couldn't help but sneak a peek at him and wonder if this guy knew that his best friend was going to become the biggest villain.
In the end, she didn't say anything and led Classmate Han and the doctor to the east bedroom.
Xie Yunjin was ecstatic to see Classmate Han. He cheerfully greeted him and asked him to sit.
Right now, he was engulfed by confidence. Contrary to his depressed and aloof attitude from before, his movements were now light and relaxed, accenting his handsomeness.
Classmate Han knew right away that his life had turned around. His relationship with Lu Jiao must be pretty good these days. He knew that Yunjin hated Lady Lu before. He figured that Yunjin's heart must've melted after Lady Lu's careful caretaking this past while.
Classmate Han was genuinely happy for Xie Yunjin. A healthy relationship between these two was good for the children.
"I must congratulate you, Yunjin, for your recovery."
Xie Yunjin asked him to sit while Lu Jiao went to make some tea.
Inside the room, Dr. Shi, the doctor Classmate Han brought, checked out Xie Yunjin's wound. When he saw where he was cut and stitched up, he was astonished.
Since Dr. Shi didn't speak for a long time, Classmate Han asked worriedly, "Dr. Shi, what happened? Is there a problem?"
Dr. Shi looked up and said in awe, "The doctor who operated is very skilled. Even my Master cannot do this good of a job with the surgery. Look at the cut and the stitches. Once he completely heals, he likely won't even scar. The operating doctor is amazing."
Dr. Shi asked Xie Yunjin excitedly, "You said, Dr. Qi from Baohe Tang did your surgery?"
Xie Yunjin nodded then checked out his legs.
Before Dr. Shi mentioned it, he didn't notice. Now that Dr. Shi mentioned it, he realized that there was only one linear wound that was cleanly stitched. He's heard that surgery tended to leave a nasty cut that could easily swell up and get infected. The healing process was normally very long and there was usually a very thick scar even after the cut was healed.
Not only was there no infection, swelling, or blisters on his legs, there wasn't even a scar.
Xi Yunjin couldn't help but exclaim over his dumb luck. How did he manage to encounter someone as skillful as Dr. Qi?
Xie Yunjin said to Dr. Shi, "Dr. Qi is a doctor who moved here from the Capital City. He's very capable."
Dr. Shi was agitated, "I must go ask Dr. Qi how he managed to keep this wound clean without infection."
Inside the room, Lu Jiao overheard the conversation and didn't know what to say. There were no infections, swelling, or blisters because of the antibiotics. Sadly, there was no such thing in this era.
Lu Jiao couldn't help but frown. If only there was a way for her to produce antibiotics.
Out of all the types of antibiotics, penicillin was the easiest to produce. Needles, however, were hard to make. Syringe needles were normally made out of stainless steel. However, in this day and age, that material didn't exist.
Penicillin shouldn't be taken by mouth. To take it by mouth, potassium ions must be present. Potassium ions could be extracted from potassium chloride. So, she must first find potassium ores.
Inside the room, Classmate Han couldn't help but ask more questions, "Yunjin's legs will be fine then, right?"
Dr. Shi was firm when he answered, "His legs will be completely okay without side effects. Honestly, if anyone else operated, he wouldn't have healed so nicely. Our military doctors could've done the surgery but the surgery is normally very difficult on the patient's body. There are also issues after the math, such as excruciating pain, the inability to stand up for too long, and a scary scar."
Dr. Shi was getting more and more excited as his arms flung around, "This is why Dr. Qi is such a great doctor. I must go ask him some questions."
Xie Yunjin's eyes darkened a little. He must remember how much he owes Dr. Qi. If the doctor ever needed anything, he vowed to help him.
Xie Yunjin turned to look at Lu Jiao, "Lu Jiao, when you see Dr. Qi, thank him for me. He saved my life and I will do everything I can to help him if he ever needs it."
Lu Jiao couldn't help but raise her eyebrows. She was the surgeon so that meant he owed her another favor?
She didn't want to tell Xie Yunjin she was the one who operated. Once he heals, they will separate. There was no point in getting things messy.
Lu Jiao nodded, "I will tell him."
Classmate Han grinned, "Yunjin, I knew you were a lucky guy! There's just no way you'd be stuck in this place all your life."
Xie Yunjin was also very happy and said to Lu Jiao, "Cook more dishes tonight. Let's make sure Classmate Han has a good meal."
Lu Jiao didn't decline, "Okay."
She then left. Behind her, Classmate Han caught Yunjin up about what's been happening at the academy. After the accident, many people from the academy felt sorry for him. If they learned his legs had healed, they would be ecstatic.
Outside, Lu Jiao mumbled – that may not be the case…
Geniuses were often the target of those who were jealous. Xie Yunjin was so intelligent that he must have earned much jealousy from others. She was sure that many people were happy to hear he was crippled and disappointed to hear he healed.
Just then, another realization hit Lu Jiao. Four years ago, Xie Yunjin was drugged, which gave the original host the opportunity to sleep with him. Four years later, Xie Yunjin was hit by a horse carriage. Wasn't this far too coincidental?
134 The Four Little Ones' Transformation
Lu Jiao thought none of this was what it appeared to be. She instinctively wanted to go talk to Xie Yunjin about it. But since Classmate Han was here, she stopped herself.
Since Classmate Han was staying for dinner, Lu Jiao decided to make a few of her signature dishes. Now that she had two woks, she could achieve it easily.
Lu Jiao boiled some water and killed a chicken to make chicken soup.
She then killed a fish and marinated it for later.
Then, she took out a piece of pork to roast it with radish later.
After that, she harvested some greens and chives from her own little yard.
While there, she saw that her sponge gourd, tomatoes, and long beans needed tower cages so she efficiently made those.
By the time she was done, it was late. The four little ones had finished their lesson and came to find her.
They excitedly said to Lu Jiao, "Mommy, this morning you told me you would take us mountain climbing."
This morning, Lu Jiao told them the schedule she made for them. The four little ones remembered it well, especially the part about going into the mountains.
Lu Jiao noticed how much they wanted to climb the mountain and decided that she could squeeze in the time to take them before making dinner.
"Okay, then let's go together. We'll bring back some grass to feed the sheep. Tomorrow, we'll get some milk from the sheep and I'll boil it for you to drink."
"Okay, okay."
The five of them went to the kitchen to take the basket before they headed up the mountain.
It was the first time for most of them to be on the mountain and they were very overly excited. At first, they were full of energy and skipped their way up. Before long, however, they started to huff and puff. They began to walk lopsidedly and stumble. The good thing was that they endured and didn't ask Lu Jiao to carry them.
Lu Jiao suggested a break.
"Why don't we sit down for a bit and eat a peach? Then we can get some grass for the sheep."
The First Born thought taking a rest already would make them useless. He turned to Lu Jiao and said with a determined gaze, "Mom, we can walk."
The Second Born nodded in agreement.
The Third and Fourth Born were silent. The Fourth Born especially was red in the face and could barely get off the ground. He acted in a spoiled manner, "Mommy, I can't walk anymore. My legs are jello. They aren't listening to me."
Lu Jiao giggled and pinched his face. She then looked over to the First and Second Born.
"Getting strong takes time and consistency. You are all weak and cannot walk that far right away. You might get hurt. Let's strengthen you up slowly. Then, it'll be easy for you to go up and down the mountains."
The First and Second Born thought she was right and agreed.
"Okay, I will listen to mommy."
Lu Jiao took five peaches out of her basket. These were pre-washed and placed there.
"Here, everyone has one peach each. Then we'll get some grass for the sheep."
The four little beans started to happily munch on their peaches while sitting on the grass.
Lu Jiao also bit into one as she chatted with the kids, "Do you all know what kind of grass sheeps like?"
The four little ones shook their heads. They didn't even know what a sheep was before. But now they know.
Lu Jiao explained, "Sheeps like legumes, such as yellow medick. They like grass that isn't spiky. They also like fresh and newly grown grass."
Lu Jiao searched around and found some yellow medick.
"Look, this is yellow medick. When you see something similar, you can pick them up. Sheeps like to eat the upper half. The bottom half can get chewy and they don't like it."
Out of the quadruplets, the First and Second Born started to search first. The brothers found some very quickly and uprooted them.
The Third and Fourth Born were motivated by the other two brothers and stood up to actively participate. Before long, the five of them gathered a pile of yellow medick.
"Okay, it's late. I'm going to head back and prepare dinner. We have a guest tonight after all. We can come again tomorrow."
The four little ones cheered. They've forgotten all about their exhaustion. The Second Born was the most proactive and went to grab Lu Jiao's hand, "Mommy, don't forget – we will come again tomorrow. Ah, I want to use my slingshot to hit stuff."
Lu Jiao giggled, "Okay, we'll come again tomorrow."
The five of them returned home with a basket full of yellow medick. Once they arrived, the four little ones took the basket and went to feed the sheep right away. They wanted to see whether or not the sheep would actually like this plant, and it did.
Forgotten all about how tired they were, the four little ones discussed and chatted.
At their age, they were getting curious about everything. Lu Jiao had brought them on many adventures that seemed to have opened the door to a brand-new world. These days, they have become outgoing, cheerful, and confident.
After some time studying the sheep, the children ran to the east bedroom to tell Xie Yunjin about all the big things they did today.
Inside the bedroom, Classmate Han studied the hopping and cute four little ones in awe.
These four children were the pitiful babies from before? They seemed to have transformed.
The four little ones had no idea what Classmate Han was thinking and were eagerly telling Xie Yunjin about their day.
"Mommy taught us what the sheep likes to eat. She said sheeps like to eat… um… umm…"
The Second Born forgot the word and the First Born jumped in, "Yellow medick."
The Second Born nodded, "That. Mommy said sheeps don't like hard and spiky grass. They like fresh and newly grown ones."
The Third and Fourth Born weren't focused on that. They told Xie Yunjin, "Mommy said starting tomorrow, we can drink sheep milk."
Classmate Han watched them and said to Xie Yunjin, "The four little ones are so upbeat now."
Xie Yunjin nodded with a smile.
"Lu Jiao is great with the kids."
Seeing how affectionate Xie Yunjin appeared when he mentioned Lu Jiao, Classmate Han once again decided that Yunjin and Lu Jiao had repaired their relationship. This was great.
At night, Lu Jiao made a table full of dishes. Other than the chicken soup, there was roasted pork with radish, braised fish chunks, and a giant plate of mixed seafood.
The seafood was brought by Xie Xiaobao. There were palm-sized carp, eels, and shrimps. Though none of them were large in size, there were many of each.
Lu Jiao cooked everything together and made braised seafood.
For vegetables, she made chives with eggs, mushrooms with greens, and pickled cucumbers.
Though Classmate Han came from the County and often ate out, he was still dazzled by the table full of delicacies.
"Yunjin's wife, you're a great cook. Everything looks, smells, and tastes great."
Lu Jiao accepted his compliment.
Since there was only one guest, Lu Jiao put the table inside the bedroom so they could eat with Xie Yunjin.
It was rowdier this way.
As for that Dr. Shi, he had taken Classmate Han's horse carriage to visit Dr. Qi.
By the time Lu Jiao found out about that, he had left. It was too late for her to stop him then.
She was certain that Qi Lei would deal with it well.
"Here, eat more fish. Fish makes you smart."
135 Exasperated and Jealous
Lu Jiao picked off some meat from the fish's belly for the four little ones. They ate the fish happily.
Everything their mommy cooked was delicious.
Classmate Han scanned around. This household had lost its normal depressingness and solemness, now it was bright and radiant.
Classmate Han couldn't help but look at Lu Jiao. This woman appeared to have lost weight. Her face was no longer stupidly chubby like before. If she loses more weight, she should be very pretty.
On the bed, Xie Yunjin saw Classmate Han check out Lu Jiao and he was displeased. Though he knew Classmate Han was simply curious about Lu Jiao, he didn't like how he checked her out.
Xie Yunjin wasn't happy but he didn't scold his friend. Instead, he softly asked, "Classmate Han, do you want to stay the night?"
Classmate Han didn't decline, "Sure. I've been wanting to hang out with you. Since you want me to stay, I will stay."
Xie Yunjin asked out of politeness and didn't expect him to actually agree.
After the initial shock, he became happy with it.
Though he hasn't left the academy for that long, he feels like he's been away forever. He missed his old life and he wanted to hear more from Classmate Han.
Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao, "Tonight, Classmate Han can stay with me and the four little ones can stay with you."
Naturally, Lu Jiao was okay with this. She beamed at the four little ones, "I'll tell you a longer story tonight."
The four little ones' eyes sparkled. They loved hearing stories from their mommy. These days, they needed a story in order to fall asleep and refused to lie down until a story was told.
The Fourth Born took the opportunity, "Mommy, can you tell us two stories?"
Lu Jiao agreed, "Okay, two stories it is."
The four little ones ate dinner very seriously. Afterward, they cleaned up the fishbones before going to feed Soot and Marble.
Lu Jiao cleaned up the dirty dishes. Behind her, Classmate Han complimented, "How did you educate your children to be so obedient?"
Classmate Han, like Xie Yunjin, had gotten married a long time ago and was the father of two children. The eldest was five and the youngest was three. They were both boys and very naughty.
Therefore, Classmate Han was very jealous of the four little ones and wanted to learn the secrets of how to educate children.
Xie Yunjin was originally going to tell him that Lu Jiao was the one who taught the kids. But quickly, he became fearful that Classmate Han would go to Lu Jiao to ask the question.
He didn't want Classmate Han to go to Lu Jiao so he didn't mention Lu Jiao, "You can't let the children do whatever they want. They may be young, but they are very aware. You must be clear with your own principles. If they do something right, encourage them. If they do something wrong, scold them. If they cry and act unreasonably, ignore them. If you don't give them attention, they'll stop crying very quickly."
Xie Yunjin doted on the four little ones a lot. Lu Jiao was the one who was strict. For example, when she found the First Born trying to poison her, she immediately hit him with a stick.
Though the four little ones adored Lu Jiao, they knew that they would be punished if they did something wrong.
Xie Yunjin's lips curled up at those thoughts.
He was very fortunate to have Lu Jiao as the strict one. He didn't think he would be able to punish the four little ones when it was necessary. He rather punish himself.
Because he was never going to forget how pitiful the four children were before.
Classmate Han seemed to have understood, "Your words have taught me more than 10 years of reading. No wonder my parents beat me up as a child. They were doing it for my benefit. I must go home and scold my two sons and make them remember what's right and wrong."
Just then, Xie Erzhu came over.
He came over every night to help Xie Yunjin.
Out of everyone from the Xie family, Xie Yunjin only missed his Second Brother. He'll always remember his Second Brother's kindness.
"Brother."
Xie Erzhu nodded and then greeted Classmate Han.
Classmate Han wore an expensive robe which made it obvious that he was rich. Xie Erzhu was uncomfortable interacting with people like that.
Outside, Lu Jiao was terrified that Xie Yunjin would feel too awkward. No matter how good of friends Xie Yunjin and Classmate Han were, there was no way Xie Yunjin would want to be seen relieving himself. She walked to the room and asked for Classmate Han.
"Classmate Han, can you come out for a minute? I have something to ask."
Classmate Han left the room. He didn't think too much of it.
Behind her, Xie Yunjin didn't like this and angriness clouded his face.
As Classmate Han left, Xie Yunjin's mouth beat his mind.
"Lu Jiao."
Lu Jiao turned around and found Xie Yunjin staring at her angrily.
Honestly, this guy was pretty expressionless. It was only due to all the time they spent together did Lu Jiao know that he was angry.
She didn't understand why. But since he called out to her, she went to him.
As she entered the room, she said to Classmate Han, "Classmate Han, please wait for me outside. I'll be there right away."
Her statement once again aroused a wave of exasperation in Xie Yunjin.
Didn't this woman know that as someone else's wife, she was inviting rumors about herself by speaking to another man alone?
Classmate Han didn't notice Xie Yunjin's change in mood and left the room nonchalantly.
Inside the yard, the four little ones were feeding Soot and Marble. Classmate Han went to tease the kids.
Lu Jiao went up to Xie Yunjin, "What is it?"
Xie Yunjin's eyes were dark but his tone was very calm when he asked, "What do you need from Classmate Han?"
Lu Jiao's mind was dashing back and forth. Was this guy worried she would ask the wrong question? Could it be that he and Classmate Han had some sort of secret?
She wasn't interested in that. She only asked Classmate Han to go outside to save Xie Yunjin from the embarrassment.
"I don't have anything to ask him." She then inched closer and whispered, "I was worried you would get embarrassed if he saw you relieve yourself."
Her words soothed Xie Yunjin's angry heart right away. At once, his cold visage turned joyous and lightful. His lips curled up and his smile crept up his eyes.
He didn't want others to see how happy he was so he did his best to control himself.
Softly, he cautioned, "Remember who you are. Don't get too close to other men. This village is gossipy and they may turn nothing into something. Make sure your reputation doesn't get damaged."
136 Beautiful, Virtuous, and Thoughtful
Lu Jiao understood right away. He was worried that she would embarrass him by getting too close to another guy. Xie Yunjin was going to take the imperial exam… if his soon-to-be-separated wife embarrassed him, his reputation will be tarnished.
Lu Jiao's gaze flickered, "Don't worry. I'll remember that."
She then turned to leave. Behind him, Xie Yunjin watched her leave. The thought of her thinking on his behalf lifted his mood yet again.
Quickly, he frowned again. He must find some time soon to talk to her about their separation. Since he had decided to let her stay, he must let her know that so she could take care of the four little ones without any distraction.
Inside the room, Xie Erzhu watched all this and had no idea what happened. He knew that his third brother was very angry and he stopped being angry after his sister-in-law said something.
This meant his third brother liked his sister-in-law a lot. His mother must be dreaming for wanting to separate them.
Xie Erzhu then started to help Xie Yunjin.
Outside, Classmate Han saw Lu Jiao come out and asked, "Lady Lu, is there something you wanted to ask me about?"
Lu Jiao didn't want to ask much. She simply made him come out for Xie Yunjin's sake.
Her brain spun, "Since Yunjin's been bedridden, he hasn't been able to visit the academy. Would the Dean and the Masters there refuse to accept him if he returns?"
Classmate Han smiled, "Don't worry, I have already spoken to the Dean at the academy. The Dean likes him very much and wouldn't simply refuse him because of what happened.
During this time, the Dean hasn't even been in the Qinghe district. He went out to travel. As for the Masters, they've all heard about what happened and even wanted to visit. However, academy exams are happening soon and they got too busy leading the students.
Out of the medicinal herbs I bought last time, the Masters all contributed."
Lu Jiao nodded.
The scholar exams seemed to happen every September.
During that time, the Masters would spend all their energy asking their students to study in the hope of being able to name more scholars. That way, the academy would be able to get more students in the following year.
Lu Jiao had thought that everyone in the Qinghe District who studied were scholars. It looked like many of them were not.
"I thought all the students in the academy were scholars?"
Classmate Han was embarrassed, "The official standard states that only scholars can be accepted into the academy. However, we lack scholars in our district and the academy cannot operate with so few students. Therefore, they loosened their rules and also accepted regular pupils. I am one of them."
Classmate Han glanced at Lu Jiao, who didn't appear to look down on him. This made him sigh in relief.
Yunjin's wife was a pretty good person.
Classmate Han continued, "I've never been gifted academically. However, my dad made me write the scholar exam to become a scholar in order to bring honor to the family. As a scholar, you don't have to pay respect to the officials, and you are freed from conscription labor. When I run my business, people tend to respect me more and are more scared to try to scam me."
Lu Jiao nodded and finally understood why she's never read about this person in the novel. It was likely that he ended up giving up writing the imperial exam and focused on his business. However, he was so close to Xie Yunjin and there was no way they would cut ties so cleanly.
Lu Jiao thought that maybe Classmate Han hid behind Xie Yunjin and partnered up with him for business.
Lu Jiao pondered. Just then, Xie Erzhu came out of the room with the bamboo potty. He headed to the washroom.
Lu Jiao saw him and smiled, "Thank you for speaking to the Dean for Yunjin."
Classmate Han also noticed Xie Erzhu and his bamboo device. Though he wasn't sure what it was for, he had a good guess. So Yunjin's wife asked to speak to him for Yunjin.
Classmate Han started to get jealous. Though Yunjin's wife wasn't the most beautiful…
Ah, no, once she slimmed down, she was going to be stunning. Yunjin's wife was beautiful, virtuous, and thoughtful. This kind of woman was rare.
Lu Jiao didn't know what he was thinking and beamed, "Go back inside and chat with Yunjin. I'm going to boil some water."
Classmate Han went back to the bedroom.
Lu Jiao boiled water and scooped some for Xie Yunjin. She asked him to wipe Xie Yunjin.
This time, she didn't feel the need to drag Classmate Han away. They were both men and there wasn't much to see.
Outside, Lu Jiao washed the four little ones. As she washed them, she promised them that she'll make them some new clothes and pajamas. That way, they could alternate their outfits.
The four little ones were unspeakably happy. The Third Born, however, was the most excited and hugged Lu Jiao to give her a fat kiss.
The Third Born was more shy and calm compared to the Second and Fourth Born. It was rare for him to be so happy.
It became obvious how much he valued appearances.
Lu Jiao pinched his cheek, "I know you like new clothes. I'll make more for you later."
"Okay, mommy, you are the best. I promise to listen to you."
The Second and Fourth Born also chimed in, "We will also listen to you."
The First Born was the last to speak, "I will too."
Lu Jiao stared at the four little ones. Because she's been feeding them well, their little faces had lost that yellowness and were now white and smooth like four cute snowballs. Their eyes were now clear and clean, full of positive energy.
Lu Jiao felt so much love for them. There was no way these four will grow up to be villains.
Though she's only spent a short while with them, she truly hoped they don't go down the bad route.
Once everyone was in bed, Lu Jiao told them two stories – both long.
The four little ones were so happy, they became more determined to fulfill their promises to her.
Their mommy had taught them to be boys who don't turn back from their words. They will be the people they promised her to be.
Inside the east bedroom, Classmate Han naturally heard Lu Jiao telling stories to the children. Her voice was kind and graceful. Though he couldn't make out the words clearly, he was certain that the story was fantastic.
Classmate Han smiled at Xie Yunjin, "I had no idea Lady Lu is so good with children. It is no wonder the four kids are so respectful."
Classmate Han couldn't figure out why this woman had such a bad reputation before.
Xie Yunjin was in a great mood to hear that. His face was calm, however, as he responded, "She's just a woman from the countryside. How can she be as great as you're making it sound?"
For some reason, he hated it when others gave too much attention to Lu Jiao.
137 Midnight Patient
Then, Xie Yunjin changed the subject immediately, "Are you going to be okay with the exam in September?"
Classmate Han got nervous right away. Though Xie Yunjin was his classmate, he always guided him through his studies. In some ways, Xie Yunjin felt more like his master.
"I'm not too confident."
Xie Yunjin glanced at Classmate Han, "Then, study according to what I told you. With the right attitude, I'm sure you will at least get the scholar title.
Start studying seriously tomorrow and stop thinking about other things. If you fail this exam and fail to become a scholar, your father will beat you up."
Classmate Han's face turned dark at Xie Yunjin's words. He was the father of two children – if his dad hit him, his children would laugh at him.
However, Classmate Han felt that his dad may really beat him up. So, he must pass this year's exam.
At midnight, the Xie Village was completely silent as every household went to sleep.
Just then, the sound of galloping was heard on the main road from the village's west entrance. This noise interrupted the silent night.
Many families were jolted awake as they got out of bed. The Third Grandma's dog started to bark.
The Village Leader, Xie Fugui put on his clothes and got out of bed. Several other men in the village did the same.
The galloping headed east. Xie Yunjin and Lu Jiao, who lived the most east, were awoken at once.
Lu Jiao's senses were very sensitive. When she focused, she knew right away that the horse was heading towards her home.
She wasn't worried that the people were here to harm her. If that was the case, they wouldn't be coming for her in such a loud and obnoxious manner.
This was likely people from Baohe Tang. Could it be that a fatal patient arrived there tonight?
Before she could think it through, she got out of bed and got dressed. The four little ones were startled and squeezed in closer to Lu Jiao, "Mommy…"
Lu Jiao patted each one of their heads and comforted, "It's okay. Someone is probably sick and wants my help."
The four little ones knew their mother was a great doctor. When they heard that, they stopped being scared.
Lu Jiao comforted them a bit more before they headed outside.
Once there, she watched the horse stop abruptly just outside the gate. A person jumped out of the carriage. When he saw Lu Jiao, he subconsciously shouted, "Mas…"
He couldn't finish the word "master" since he remembered that Lu Jiao didn't want people to know.
"Lady Lu, a critical patient is at Baohe Tang right now. I'm not confident about his condition. Please help me."
Lu Jiao noticed how flustered Qi Lei was and knew that the patient must be doing poorly.
She didn't waste any time and said to Qi Lei, "I will notify my husband and go with you right away."
"Thank you."
Outside the yard, the Village Leader and his people arrived just in time to hear what Qi Lei had to say. The Village Leader was in shock. He thought Dr. Qi was the best doctor from the city. How come he's looking for Yunjin's wife's help? Could it be that Yunjin's wife was a better doctor than him?
The Village Leader didn't know what to say.
Lu Jiao entered the east bedroom and told Xie Yunjin, "There's a critical patient at Baohe Tang. Dr. Qi asked for my help. I'll be going now. Look after the four little ones."
Lu Jiao tried to leave. Based on how flustered Qi Lei was, the patient was likely very sick.
Before she got far, Xie Yunjin suddenly asked, "Isn't Dr. Qi a great doctor? How come he needs your help?"
Lu Jiao smiled, "We all have our strengths and weaknesses. He's a great doctor but that doesn't mean he knows everything. I'm not a great doctor but that doesn't mean I can't save anyone. The patient seems to be really sick and he's not confident. If we can exchange knowledge, we may be able to save him."
Lu Jiao then ignored him and left. The patient couldn't afford to wait.
Behind her, Xie Yunjin ordered, "Classmate Han, go with Lu Jiao into town. Once she's done, bring her back with your horse carriage. Then, you can go home to the Qinghe District."
Classmate Han didn't think too much and thought Xie Yunjin was simply worried about Lu Jiao. He agreed.
Lu Jiao heard all that and didn't have the time to stop him. She went to the west bedroom and said to the children, "Uncle Han is going to give me a ride into town. Go sleep with your daddy in the east bedroom."
Lu Jiao was worried the children were scared so she suggested they go sleep with Xie Yunjin.
The four little ones agreed. She picked two of them up and went to the east bedroom.
Classmate Han, who just walked out of the east bedroom, picked up the other two and brought them to the east bedroom.
Lu Jiao settled down the children and headed out.
Behind her, Xie Yunjin watched the two people leave. Slowly, his gaze landed on his feet. A little more time and he'll be able to walk. Then, he'll be able to accompany Lu Jiao to go to the patients.
With Classmate Han with her, he was less worried.
Lu Jiao went to grab her basket from the kitchen and headed to the horse carriage with Classmate Han. As they walked, she said, "You really don't need to come. It's better if you go back and rest."
Classmate Han shook his head, "Yunjin's worried about you. I'm more than happy to accompany you."
Lu Jiao found this funny. There was no way Xie Yunjin would be worried about her. She wondered what was wrong with him tonight.
Just then, Qi Lei walked over and saw Classmate Han.
Lu Jiao introduced, "This is my husband's classmate. He'll come with us."
Qi Lei nodded. Scholar Xie didn't want the Master to go alone?
Lu Jiao asked Qi Lei, "How's the patient?"
The three of them got onto the horse carriage. The wheeler quickly turned the horse to head back into town. Behind them, the Village Leader waved for everyone to go back and sleep.
Inside the Xie yard, Soot and Marble barked hard. Sadly, their volume was low and didn't garner much attention.
Inside the carriage, Lu Jiao asked again, "What is wrong with the patient?"
Based on the look on Qi Lei's face, the patient isn't doing well at all and he isn't certain about his conditions.
Qi Lei glanced at Classmate Han. Lu Jiao quickly said, "It's okay. Classmate Han is close to my husband. You can say anything before him."
Qi Lei looked back at Lu Jiao, "We received a heavily wounded patient at midnight. The patient was shot by an arrow – here."
138 Apologize Right Now
Qi Lei pointed to the area below the right side of his shoulder, indicating that the arrow landed there.
A barb arrow was extremely difficult to pull out. One misstep could lead to the patient's death. If one forces it out, a blood hole may be created where the patient was shot and the patient may bleed to death.
Since Qi Lei didn't have the confidence to pull out the sword, she had to come to Lu Jiao to see if she had any way to get rid of the arrow.
Lu Jiao was relieved to hear the case.
To her, getting the barb arrow out wasn't the most difficult part. The difficult part was what to do afterward. To stitch up the wound, the patient needed antibiotics. An IV was out of the question, which left her the option to give the patient lots of pills.
Lu Jiao was worried that the others would get suspicious to see antibiotics. She had to think of a way to explain it.
Lu Jiao's collectedness eased the tension Qi Lei felt.
"Lady Lu, do you have the confidence to get the arrow out?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "It's not difficult. Don't worry."
Qi Lei's heart finally fell back to place.
On the other side, Classmate Han gawked at Qi Lei in surprise, "Are you the doctor who operated on Yunjin?"
Qi Lei froze for a second before nodding, "That's right."
Classmate Han didn't say more. Something was off… Logically speaking, the doctor who operated on Xie Yunjin should be a great doctor. Why would a doctor like that come to find Yunjin's wife for medical advice?
On top of that, Dr. Qi appeared to highly respect Yunjin's wife.
Just what was happening? Classmate Han was confused.
The horse carriage rushed into Qili and headed straight to Baohe Tang.
Once Lu Jiao and the others got off the carriage, Manage Li came to greet them, "Lady Lu, you're finally here. Please come with me."
Lu Jiao, Qi Lei, Classmate Han, and Manager Li went to the small building located in the backyard.
The building was well lit with several people guarding door. Though none of them spoke, their aura made it obvious that they were no ordinary people. Lu Jiao didn't have time to think too much and entered the building, straight to the patient's room.
Outside the room, two men in black stood. The two men showed no emotions as they blocked Lu Jiao when she tried to enter.
Behind her, Qi Lei explained, "I invited Lady Lu. She's a great doctor and she'll be able to get the arrow out of the patient."
Lu Jiao glared at the men in black. Weren't they being overboard?
Just then, the men who stopped her made way for her to enter.
Behind her, Classmate Han tried to go in as well but was stopped by the men in black, "Strangers are not allowed in."
Lu Jiao turned around and said to Classmate Han, "Classmate Han, you can wait for me outside."
"Okay, if anything happens, call me."
Classmate Han was looking at the men in black like they were the enemy. For some reason, he was sure that they weren't good people.
Lu Jiao entered the room with Qi Lei. Currently, nervousness filled the room.
On the bed, there was a man with an arrow near his chest. He was passed out from his injuries. Lu Jiao glanced at him and found him to be wearing a very high-quality robe.
It was obvious for her to conclude that this man was not only wealthy but also of high status.
Everyone in the room turned to Lu Jiao. One of the men, who was cold and handsome, asked in a low voice, "Master Zhao, this is the doctor you were referring to?"
Zhao Lingfeng glanced at Lu Jiao, "Yes."
He strolled towards Lu Jiao and calmly questioned, "Lady Lu, are you confident enough to remove the arrow?"
Lu Jiao looked at Zhao Lingfeng. Though he pretended to be calm, his anxiety was hard to hide. The anxiousness he displayed was more than the nervousness you get while under duress, but more like worried.
Lu Jiao glanced towards the man on the bed. Could it be that he had some kind of involvement with the wounded man?
Lu Jiao stopped her train of thought. She wasn't interested.
She only wanted to cure the wounded and make money.
"I can try."
She walked to the bed. The cold and proud-looking man from before stopped her from getting closer, "Are you confident?"
Lu Jiao's lips curled slightly, "I can only do my best. As for confidence? Doctors never make promises. If you are worried, I don't have to do anything."
She was invited here to try and save that man's life. Just who were they to act so arrogant right now?
Lu Jiao stared at the man in disdain.
At once, the atmosphere turned frigid and cold. Zhao Lingfeng walked over quickly and said to the man, "Mobei, the young master cannot wait any longer. Let her try. If she can't, then nobody can get rid of the young master's arrow."
Zhao Lingfeng's words surprised Mobei. What kind of countryside woman was she to have earned such respect from third young master Zhao? How rare.
Mo Bei glared at Lu Jiao and warned, "You better not play any tricks. Or else…"
Before he finished, Lu Jiao had already lost her patience and turned around.
"I'm fine with not removing the arrow. Nobody says you must get rid of the arrow. You take me here in the middle of the night and haven't said a single kind word. Yet you want me to get out the arrow for you?"
Behind her, Mo Bei's face dropped. He's never met a woman like this… was she really only a countryside woman? Even the women from the Capital City get scared when he's near, yet this woman thought nothing of him.
Mo Bei stopped Lu Jiao, "Did I allow you to leave?"
Lu Jiao found her hands itching. Though this man likely knew martial arts and was probably good at it, he was asking for a beating.
Inside the room, Zhao Lingfeng and Qi Lei went to her, "Lady Lu, don't blame him. Mo Bei is just very worried about the young master and has lost his politeness. Don't blame him."
Lu Jiao gaped at Mo Bei, "Apologize."
Mo Bei was furious and almost lost it. Beside him, Zhao Lingfeng grabbed him and scolded, "Do you want to save the young master or not?!"
This made Mo Bei speechless. He snapped his head at Lu Jiao, "I'm sorry. I was rude."
Lu Jiao wasn't an unreasonable person, especially when the patient was in critical danger. She glanced at Mo Bei, then went to the patient. This time, nobody stopped her.
Lu Jiao first checked out the wound from the arrow. It was deep. Based on the shape, it was definitely a barb arrow. To get it out, she had to cut him open, get close to the tip of the arrow, pull the arrow out the same way it went in, then stitch him back up.
139 5,000 Taels of Silver
Lu Jiao thought it over, then ordered, "Other than Qi Lei, everyone else get out."
Mo Bei didn't like that. As a subordinate, he didn't want to leave his Master.
"I'm not leaving."
Zhao Lingfeng didn't want to get out either. He suggested, "You do what you need to do. We promise you that we won't talk."
Lu Jiao glanced towards Mo Bei and warned him, "You better not talk and distract me. Or else if anything happens to your master, you're to blame."
"You…"
Mo Bei gritted his teeth and said nothing.
Lu Jiao used her basket as a prop and took out some oral anesthetics, bandages, antibiotics, and a scalpel from her space.
Anesthetics through injection were safe and effective while oral anesthetics were less healthy. Though taking them once or twice was okay, the pills she had were usually only offered to terminally ill cancer patients to help them manage pain.
In front of so many people, Lu Jiao couldn't just take out her needle and inject anesthetics. She could only offer oral treatment.
She gave Qi Lei some pills and asked him to give them to the patient.
"This is oral mafei powder. In a bit, I will have to cut into him in order to remove the arrow. Then, I will stitch him back up."
Lu Jiao placed her surgical instruments by her side while Qi Lei excitedly fed the patient medicine.
He was so excited to witness an operation.
Lu Jiao ignored Qi Lei and carefully examined the wound. She taught Qi Lei while she observed, "Look at where the arrow landed – there are large horizontal tears on both sides. This indicates the arrow is either on the left or the right. In situations like this, you would cut open horizontally and get the arrowhead out.
You have to make the cuts precisely and quickly. When I cut him open, you immediately apply the antihemorrhagic agent to stop the bleeding. Once the arrow is out, we have to close the wound quickly and stop the bleeding. He will then take anti-inflammatory medicine orally."
Qi Lei listened and respectfully nodded accordingly. The oral anesthetics worked rather quickly. Lu Jiao started the process as she described. Once the arrow was out, Qi Lei did his part to stop the bleeding.
Out of all of Lu Jiao's surgical tools, she had a harmonic scalpel. If she was able to make cuts using that scalpel, there would be way less bleeding. A harmonic scalpel allows blood to clot while it cuts. Sadly, she couldn't use such a knife in front of everyone. There was no way anyone in this era had that technology. If she used that, how would she explain it? What if others want to start using that scalpel? How will she duplicate it?
Lu Jiao could only use medicine to stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding stopped, she started to close the wound. She applied anti-inflammatory gel and then bandaged him up.
Once she was done, she took out some antibiotic pills and asked Qi Lei to give them to the patient.
"This is an antibiotic. Once he takes this, he won't get infections and his wound won't rot. He also won't get a fever."
Qi Lei and Zhao Lingfeng's eyes brightened. They stared at the pill in Qi Lei's hand.
What a magical thing. If they could manufacture that pill, they could introduce it to the army and the commoners and save lots of lives.
Zhao Lingfeng stared at Lu Jiao, "Lady Lu, where did you get this?"
Lu Jiao had already thought of an excuse, "My Master left it to me. I don't have many left. I've been studying this medicine and have made several discoveries. In a while, I should be able to replicate it."
Zhao Lingfeng was ecstatic.
However, he quickly re-centered his attention on the man in bed. The young master's wound was more important.
Now that Lu Jiao was done with the operation, she wanted to leave. Mo Bei however, stopped her.
"The master hasn't woken up so you can't leave."
Lu Jiao's face darkened as she glared at Mo Bei. silently, she decided to never help these people again.
Just then, Zhao Lingfeng showed up, "Lady Lu, don't be mad. Mo Bei is just like that, you can ignore him. I will ask Manager Li to get you a 5,000-taels-of-silver worth banknote. You can take it with you."
Lu Jiao's mood instantly lifted as she smiled at Zhao Lingfeng.
This owner had a very high EQ. Not bad at all.
Zhao Lingfeng honestly ached for that 5,000 taels of silver. Sadly, Mo Bei had wronged Lady Lu and she may just stop helping out if anything else bad happened to the young master.
Though Lady Lu was from the countryside, she had her principles. Zhao Lingfeng was strangely certain that this woman only does what she says.
Zhao Lingfeng glared at Mo Bei angrily then walked Lady Lu to the door. He then said to Qi Lei, "Tell Manager Li to get that bank note."
Qi Lei nodded. Lu Jiao's knowledge had stunned him. Right now, there was nobody he respected more than his Master. Her medical knowledge was far too astonishing. His father… no, even his grandfather couldn't compare to his little Master right now.
If he's able to learn everything from his Master, he will go far in life.
The more Qi Lei thought about it, the more excited he got. He whispered to Lu Jiao, "Master, you are such a great surgeon."
His Master so easily took care of that complicated barb arrow.
Because of that 5,000 taels of silver, Lu Jiao was in a great mood. She smiled at Qi Lei, "If you study seriously, you will be just as good as me. Not only will you be able to save lives, but you will also make good money."
Lu Jiao smiled while Qi Lei stared speechlessly. Will his Master ever become someone who views money as meaningless?
Lu Jiao didn't care and went outside. When Classmate Han saw her, he nervously asked, "Yunjin's wife, are you okay?"
Lu Jiao shook her head to say she was fine.
Qi Lei went to the main building.
When Manager Li heard the request to prepare a banknote of as much as 5,000 taels of silver, his heart hurt. But that was a direct order from the owner and he couldn't say otherwise.
5,000 taels of silver… that was his little shop's annual revenue. This really hurt.
Still, he complied and gave the banknote to Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao took it and walked out with a bright face. Behind her, Classmate Han followed.
Suddenly, he thought of Dr. Shi. Dr. Shi came here yesterday on Classmate Han's carriage. Yet where was he now?
"Dr. Qi, have you seen Dr. Shi? Where did he go?"
Qi Lei remembered that Dr. Shi. Yesterday, that doctor came over, grabbed his hands, and excitedly complimented his medical skills. Then, that doctor started asking about what he could do to ensure wounds don't rot.
Qi Lei didn't know the details so he ignored the guy. That guy stayed in Baohe Tang until night.
"He should be at the inn near here."
The Town of Qili was small and there was only one inn – business was bad there.
If that doctor had nowhere else to go, he likely stayed there.
Classmate Han decided to go find Dr. Shi while Lu Jiao waited at Baohe Tang. Qi Lei stayed to chat with Lu Jiao.
140 Lu Jiao would for sure Stay
Because of that 5,000 taels of silver, Lu Jiao was in a great mood. She took out more antibiotics and gave them to Qi Lei.
"This is left by my Master. Give it to the patient three times a day and his wound won't rot."
As a doctor, Qi Lei knew right away how this worked. Normally, they would brew detoxifying medicine to help with inflammation. Sadly, those medicines usually work very slowly while the pill his Master had worked quickly and effectively.
Qi Lei was a little too excited, "Master, if we can produce these pills, the entire dynasty would benefit from it."
Lu Jiao raised an eyebrow, "It's not too complicated to make this medicine. However, I'm missing one ingredient that I don't know where to get it from."
"What is it?"
Qi Lei asked worriedly. If their pharmacy could stock up on this, the entire Zhou Dynasty would explode.
"Potash mine."
There were many uses for potassium salt. She was looking to get potassium ions out of the potassium salt and combine it with penicillin to make penicillin V potassium tablets. Though those tablets would be weaker than penicillin itself, the anti-inflammatory effect was strong.
That was the one antibiotic she could think of making right now. She could also turn penicillin into a liquid, but that would require her to inject the liquid. How would she produce syringes and needles?
Qi Lei was in shock. He's never heard of a potash mine.
"Master?"
Qi Lei wanted to ask more but Classmate Han had come back with Dr. Shi.
"Yunjin's wife, it's almost morning. Let's head back."
Lu Jiao nodded and said farewell to Qi Lei. She got onto Classmate Han's carriage and they headed back to the village.
By the time they arrived, the Sun was already up. Many households had gotten up and heard about Dr. Qi coming in the middle of the night to ask Lu Jiao for help. They heard there was a critical patient and the doctor had no choice but to invite Yunjin's wife.
The story meant Yunjin's wife was a better doctor than Dr. Qi. If someone from the village got sick, they no longer needed to go into town. They could just go to Yunjin's wife.
By the time Lu Jiao got home, the four little ones had already woken up and were talking to Xie Yunjin.
"Daddy, when's mommy coming back?"
"She'll be back when the morning comes."
"What if she doesn't come back when it's morning?"
The four little ones were worried. Xie Yunjin saw how anxious they were and became sure of one thing: he was going to make Lu Jiao stay. If she left, the children would be so unhappy. Children needed their mother's company.
He felt that if he told Lu Jiao to stay, she would happily stay. After all, he could tell how much she liked the four little ones.
Just then, they heard a horse gallop. At once, the four little ones rolled out of bed like eels and ran outside.
Lu Jiao came into the yard and the children crowded her immediately, "Mommy, you're back."
"Ah, why are you up so early? Why not sleep more?"
The Fourth Born pouted, "I was worried and couldn't sleep."
Lu Jiao giggled at how adult he was acting and patted his head, "In the end, my son loves me the most."
The Second and Third Born instantly added, "Mommy, I was worried about you too! I couldn't sleep!"
Lu Jiao was now even happier as she grinned at them, "I didn't raise you for nothing! Are you tired? Do you want to sleep more?"
The four little ones shook their heads, "No, it's okay."
As they chatted, they walked towards the east bedroom. Inside, Xie Yunjin was sitting up straight already. By now, he could move around freely as long as he didn't put weight on his legs.
"Are you tired? Do you want to go to sleep?" Xie Yunjin asked caringly.
Lu Jiao shook her head, "It's okay. I'm ok not sleeping for one night."
She's been conditioning her body with the spiritual stream water and she's been feeling pretty good.
Xie Yunjin didn't persist and asked about the patient.
"What happened to the sick?"
Lu Jiao answered, "He's not sick, he was hit by an arrow. They invited me over to see if I can remove the arrowhead."
Her words resulted in Xie Yunjin's face darkening. He turned to Classmate Han, who quickly chimed in, "The wounded is likely some character. His people didn't let me in so I don't know what happened inside the room."
Xie Yunjin couldn't help but frown. He asked Lu Jiao suspiciously, "Someone as amazing as Dr. Qi couldn't handle an arrow wound?"
Lu Jiao saw how skeptical Xie Yunjin was. She didn't want him to dwell on it so she explained quickly, "He needed someone there to coordinate with him. When you pull out an arrow, you have to stop the bleeding immediately so you can close the wound. He's new to Qili and didn't trust others for the job."
Lu Jiao didn't want to stay on this topic in case she let something slip.
"It's late. I will go make breakfast."
She then decisively went out with the children. Soon after, Lin Chunyan walked in.
"Third aunt, I'm here to help you cook."
Lu Jiao knew declining her was useless so she simply smiled, "Okay, you can help me with the porridge. I'm going to get some sheep milk."
She promised the four little ones they'd get milk today.
The sheep was very sweet and didn't even get mad when she milked it.
Sheep milk is very gamey. Lu Jiao added some vinegar in there to soften the taste. It would be best if she could add almonds. Sadly, she didn't have that and could only use vinegar.
Despite adding vinegar to balance out the taste, the four little ones still didn't like the taste. They didn't really want to keep drinking after a few sips.
Lu Jiao lectured them, "Milk is great for people. Right now, you are weak and short. You need this to grow taller and stronger. That way, you won't have to be scared if others bully you."
After her speech, the Second Born straight up chugged the milk. The First, Third, and Fourth Born also drank it.
Despite finishing it, the little guys still frowned and complained, "It's disgusting."
Lu Jiao pinched their cheeks, "You'll get used to it once you drink it daily. Imagine yourselves all grown up, tall, and even more handsome than your daddy."
The Third Born's eyes lit up. Taller and more handsome than daddy? He liked that.
He promised Lu Jiao, "Mommy, I will drink milk every day."
The Fourth Born also nodded, "I will too. I want to be taller than daddy and protect mommy in the future."
"Then I will count on you."
The First Born added, "Me too, me too! I will protect you."
Lu Jiao smiled at the four little guys. The thought of leaving them soon made her so sad.
Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin heard the conversation outside and raised an eyebrow. He was getting more and more certain that as long as he asked, Lu Jiao would stay.