Chapter 218: Liu Ye's Betrothal

The villagers happily harvested the autumn, just sowed the seeds, and the heavens, as Compensation for the people, sent them a heavy downpour.

In a few days, the wheat sprouted, its fresh green being very pleasing.

The weather finally returned to normal; once Eleven month began, snowflakes started drifting north of Weicheng.

If it doesn't snow, people hope for snow; when it does snow, people also fear it.

Yuan Jiaqi early on convened the Village Heads and Town Mayors from each village and town for a meeting, to preemptively control the snow disaster; dangerous houses must be dealt with in advance, and villages or towns lacking the ability raise funds to solve the dangerous houses.

Those whose families are in difficulty may apply to Xian Ya; he will have the clerks verify each household according to the list.

Record the donations from each family in a register; with the remaining money purchase food and firewood and distribute them household by household. Anyone who dares to embezzle even a single copper coin from the common folk will be held criminally responsible.

With these two measures, Yuan Jiaqi's reputation as an upright and capable official spread.

When the County Magistrate of Yi County heard, he squinted and retorted, "Your daughter‑in‑law can earn money, so you obviously aren't short of silver; you can aid the people however you wish, and you have the Wang Family behind you, a reliable support, a cool shade; try doing without them."

"I was afraid of disturbing you; otherwise I'd come to your house many times a day."

"This is a Spirit Medicine that an overseas friend asked someone to obtain from a high monk; one pill every three days. Here are two boxes, a three‑month supply. After you finish, your body will be healed."

Qiao Mai smiled, "You must stay safe; otherwise what about Sister Lu? Aren't you still going to marry her?"

"After the New Year, your family should buy a house in town; you can't keep crowding in the shop. Liu Ye's marriage would sound nicer too."

So she bought some books essential for a Pharmacist on the Platform.

"In the matchmaker's mouth, to cobble together a marriage, they can claim a short man is tall, a skinny one is plump; they don't hear the truth. It's better to handle it yourself. Your family isn't short of silver; with me behind you, you don't need to curry favor with others. I will strive to find Liu Ye a husband with upright character."

"If I recover, next spring I will arrange the wedding for me and San Niang, and then you can be our matchmaker, how about that?"

"That's exactly what I learned from you."

"Hmm, how is Cousin Liu Mei?"

Town Mayor Qian returned in October; after the funeral, he had lost several layers of flesh, staying at home to recuperate, and Lu Sanniang tended to him day after day.

"With your words, I feel like I've taken a calming pill; I won't do anything these days, just take Liu Ye to inquire about the families the matchmaker mentioned. They all sound fine; I'll investigate thoroughly before making any calculations."

Liu Qiaoshi was startled, then, a bit excited, said, "Ah, ah, then let's have a meal together."

Qian glanced at Lu Sanniang, "I—I think I've become responsible for her, sigh~"

"You read the book, Auntie is leaving first."

Without the bright, gentle sun, no one even in the deep winter sunbathes opposite Jixiang Yuan.

"Auntie came this time to ask you to advise me."

Seeing his gaunt look, and Lu Sanniang's swollen eyes, her heart softened.

"Can you bear to stop doing business?"

"It will definitely get better!"

Qiao Mai couldn't stand it, took out a Pill and shoved it into his mouth.

"Her husband's family is fine, just poor, but here I'm doing well, often helping them; now they're doing okay."

Lu Sanniang wiped her tears, "Sister, thank you!"

"Yes,"

"Then we can't just listen to the matchmaker's words."

Qian felt his body a bit more comfortable, and let Lu Sanniang support him as he leaned against the folded blanket.

"Then I won't deliver it."

"Sister, it's effective, this medicine works. He had been taking Yiguan's medicine for over a month to no avail; I didn't expect your single pill to have such a great effect."

"Tell me, what matter?"

Liu Qiaoshi, seeing Qiao Mai pick up a book to read, immediately stood up.

"First eat one, see the effect."

Nowadays Qiao Mai is not only wealthy; she is also the County Magistrate's wife, holding several layers of status. If you can pour her a cup, it shows you respect her.

"Alright, haha, this works."

"It's Liu Ye's marriage arrangement."

"Has she visited you here in the past two years?"

Liu Qiaoshi left; Qiao Mai lowered her head, looking at the book in her hand. She had finished reading the entire Materia Medica Compendium, the Alchemy Manual, and all the Pill formulas.

She will not only study medicine in the future, but also toxins, and even the strange and bizarre; she intends to cover them all.

Qiao Mai went to see him once; after all they are father and son, no matter how angry one gets, one is grateful for the father's upbringing; when a person leaves, how can one not feel heartache.

Qian lay on the kang, forcing a smile, "Thank you, I know my condition; I fear my time is short. If I'm gone, could you look after San Niang for me?"

"Then what to do?"

"Maimai,"

"Come back this year on the second day of the New Year to my house; let's have a meal together."

Qiao Mai poured her a cup of tea; the delighted Liu Qiaoshi quickly clasped the cup with both hands.

"Come back!"

"Can I really get better?"

"You ask me to advise on matters of fate; that's hard to say. My former disciple chose the wrong match and ended up with a Divorce by Mutual Consent."

The Liu Family's shop is almost trampled to ruin by matchmakers; distressed Liu Qiaoshi came to see Qiao Mai.

She realized she still needs to study, because to concoct a good medicine and forge a fine Dan, one must not only remember the names of the herbs but also their properties, and the synergistic interactions between them.

"Are you afraid they're not sincere toward Liu Ye, that they only drag people in to arrange this marriage to curry favor with me?"

"Haizi bought two helpers in winter; they sleep in the shop at night. I'm not that busy now."

He personally refined two batches of Low-grade Elixir and gave them to Qian.

He sighed; before Yuan Jiaqi became the county magistrate of Shexian, this Yi County magistrate could still bask in some glory—at least the people of Tianshui Town didn't need his worry; a wealthy Town Mayor and the Qiao Family would suffice.

Thanks to you, my family has earned a good amount of silver these past few years, and in Town we can even buy a decent Zhai now.

Just trust me, one Pill every three days, guaranteed that after a few days you'll be more vigorous than before; maybe after you get married, you could even give Lao Qian, the town mayor, a big chubby son.

Not bad! You can handle people.

But now, the Qiao Family is body in Cao's camp and heart in Han's, and we don't know what's happening this year; we don't know if they'll still act.

Buy a better one; I'm short on silver, *humph*.

Lu Sanniang lightly tapped her, "Stop talking nonsense; I'm already of a certain age."

Oh, is that so? Counting, you've been here for several years; does Liu Ye have ten?

Go personally to the other party's place to inquire; some families appear bright on the surface but are dark inside. They have a good reputation outwardly, but behind closed doors they're stinky. Character is most important; as long as they have good character, it's not impossible for their family to want to bask in my light.

Yes, I don't want to chase wealth either; I just want Yezi to find a family that's good to her, but several families are all aiming at you.

I said if it can be born, it can be born, just like I said Lao Qian will be fine, it will definitely be fine.

I think it's impossible for a celestial artifact to be inferior; Lu Sanniang stared intently at Lao Qian, noticing his lips turning rosy and his complexion becoming flushed, and then she shouted excitedly.

Aunt, you're truly a rare guest.

Aiming at me?

Qiao Mai smiled; she understood what Liu Qiaoshi's words meant.

She didn't know; she was gradually moving toward becoming a Physician. Once she mastered pharmacology, she would also master medical theory, because the higher‑level Pill contains some profound medical techniques within it.

She never imagined becoming a doctor; in her view, she wasn't cut out for it.

She thought that going from a secret agent, a killer who wouldn't blink at murder, to a doctor was simply too ridiculous.

But now what she does is run along the path toward becoming a doctor.

It's not just walking, because since she began Cultivation, her memory and perception have been constantly strengthening; others may take five years to become a Physician, she might need only a year, maybe even less than a year.

(End of Chapter)