Chapter 20: Penicillin and the Duke of Su

"Young master, what exactly is the medicine you gave the little princess?"

On the way back, Qing'er, carrying the medicine box on her back, followed behind and asked curiously.

"Medicine…," Chen Yan elongated his voice, then changed tack, "What the medicine is, you wouldn't understand even if I told you, so why ask so plainly?"

"Anyway it's not poison; as long as it can cure the little princess's illness, that's enough."

Qing'er had already perked up her little ears, and upon hearing that she immediately pursed her lips, "Young master, how could I understand if you don't tell me?"

"Did you forget? I studied together with you and Old Master Fang."

Because Chen Yan refused to attend the Imperial Academy, Empress Changsun arranged for an elderly gentleman surnamed Fang to come and teach him.

When Qing'er had nothing to do, she would read together with Chen Yan; after all these years she understood quite a bit and could occasionally utter a classical phrase or two.

Chen Yan, shouldering the box with one hand, scoffed, "My medicine isn't something you can learn from reading those books."

"Young master, what exactly is it? Just tell Qing'er."

Seeing Chen Yan unwilling to speak, Qing'er immediately employed her tried-and‑true pampering technique.

She hugged Chen Yan's arm and rocked him while her head kept rubbing against his shoulder.

How could Chen Yan possibly endure this?

Qing'er was already exceptionally beautiful, and after a year of being fed, her development was quite impressive.

Feeling the softness on his arm, Chen Yan instantly raised his hand in surrender.

"Alright, alright, can't I tell you? Stop shaking, young master is getting dizzy."

Qing'er didn't know what a "ball" was, but she knew Chen Yan was willing to tell her, and a happy smile spread across her face as she urged, "Young master, then please speak quickly."

Chen Yan gathered his thoughts and replied, "This medicine is called Penicillin; its uses are very wide‑ranging."

"For example, it treats boils (wound inflammation), abscesses, respiratory infections… uh, basically lung ailments, and it can cure many other diseases; a sentence or two can't cover it all."

"Anyway, you just need to know it's very powerful."

Chen Yan was still very careful about his life.

When he first arrived in the ancient era, he spent a long time preparing many things that could be made at present.

Among them was homemade Penicillin.

To handle emergencies, Chen Yan even made Penicillin in both external and internal forms.

The one given to Xiao Sizi to drink was the internal‑use Penicillin.

This stuff is meant for respiratory infections, and since the ancients had no drug resistance, giving it to Xiao Sizi and Empress Changsun was just perfect.

"Young master, you're truly amazing!"

Qing'er said with a giggle, and in her eyes looking at Chen Yan seemed to sparkle like starlight.

She didn't understand what Penicillin was.

Just hearing Chen Yan say Penicillin can cure so many illnesses, she instantly thought Penicillin was amazing.

A young master who can produce Penicillin is even more impressive~

"Alright, you brat, you only know how to cheer me up," Chen Yan patted Qing'er on the head, glanced sideways down, "Aren't you going to let go of me?"

"Ahead is Zhuque Dajie!"

Hearing that, Qing'er instantly released her grip on Chen Yan's arm, sneaked a quick look left and right, and when no one saw, she lightly patted her proud capital and exhaled slowly.

Chen Yan found it somewhat funny, shook his head, ignored the brat, and walked straight ahead.

"Young master, wait for me!"

Qing'er, with the medicine box on her back, jogged to keep up.

Passing through the bustling Zhuque Dajie, Chen Yan led Qing'er northward into Yongxing Fang.

Most of the residents here were founding‑state officials, such as Duke of Su Cheng Yaojin, Duke of Wu Yuchi Gong, and so on.

"Young master, this isn't the way home," Qing'er asked with some doubt, "Did we take a wrong turn?"

Chen Yan snorted coldly, "We didn't go wrong; we won't go home yet, we first need to go to the Duke of Su's Mansion to fetch something."

"Young master, what are we going to get?" Qing'er asked puzzled, she didn't recall Chen Yan leaving anything at the Duke of Su's Mansion.

"You'll know when we get there!" Chen Yan said without further comment.

Qing'er didn't ask further, nodded, and silently followed.

Master and servant walked slowly to Yongxing Fang, passing towering mansions, and finally stopped in front of the Duke of Su's Mansion.

Outside, the two gatekeepers, upon seeing Chen Yan and Qing'er arrive, immediately bowed respectfully, "The servant has seen Lord Bo; are you here to seek the Duke?"

Chen Yan nodded, "Open the door; I have business with Cheng Bo Bo."

The two servants, hearing this, weren't surprised; as Cheng Family retainers, they knew the Duke of Su and the Marquis of Weinan were very close.

So they didn't hesitate and immediately opened the main gate for Chen Yan.

One of the servants gave Chen Yan a slight bow and then jogged into the Duke of Su's Mansion.

Chen Yan knew he was going to report to Cheng Yaojin's household as a visitor.

The other servant then led the way for Chen Yan.

Logically, Chen Yan had been to the Duke of Su's Mansion many times and was already intimately familiar with its interior, so he didn't need a guide.

However, as a guest, it would reflect poorly on the mansion's reputation if no one showed him the way.

Thus, Chen Yan said nothing further about it.

After a short while, the servants led Chen Yan and Qing'er to the front of the main hall of the Duke of Su's Mansion.

Outside, an elderly man in a gray round‑collared robe was waiting.

Seeing them approach, the elder politely gestured, "Lord Bo, please come in; the master has already prepared tea for you."

Chen Yan smiled, "Alright, Zhao Guanjia, please take care of it."

Saying that, the two entered the main hall's living room under Zhao Guanjia's guidance.

At this moment, a burly, rough-and-tumble man with a broad back and thick waist sat in the upper seat, while beside him sat a gentle woman.

Seeing Chen Yan enter, Cheng Yaojin stood up and walked over, laughing loudly.

"Hahaha, isn't this my worthy nephew?"

"I didn't expect you to come out today, huh; it's all Cheng Bo Bo's fault for not getting the news early to pick you up, letting my worthy nephew walk back on his own—Cheng Bo Bo, I'm sorry!"

Cheng Yaojin walked up to Chen Yan, slapped his shoulder with a big hand, looking apologetic.

Chen Yan smiled and said, "Cheng Bo Bo, what exactly have you done to wrong your little nephew?"

"Really, just as Cheng Bo Bo said, because you didn't go pick up your little nephew?"

Cheng Yaojin's face stiffened, and he gave a forced laugh, "Exactly, exactly, exactly, that's the reason."

"My worthy nephew probably won't blame Cheng Bo Bo, right?"

Chen Yan gave Cheng Yaojin a meaningful look: "Cheng Bo Bo, today I went to see His Majesty, and His Majesty said that a traitor offered a plan, ordering Brother Chu Mo to bring Qing'er to the prison to find me, saying that he would let my little nephew stay behind, in order to scare my little nephew."

"Cheng Bo Bo, do you know who this traitor is?"

"Pfft!" The gentle woman behind him couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

Chen Yan immediately clasped his fists and said, "Nephew failed to greet his aunt promptly; I hope the aunt will not take offense."

Cheng Yaojin's wife, the gentle woman Lady Cui, smiled and said, "Zi An, we're all family, no need to be so polite; just keep asking your Cheng Bo Bo about that traitor, no need to mind me."

"Very well, then nephew will obey rather than merely show respect." Saying this, Chen Yan continued to smile at Cheng Yaojin before him.

At this moment, Cheng Yaojin's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

"..."