Chapter 44: Lily Disease

But I want to try.

The veiled girl suddenly spoke softly.

"No, no, really not, I was just talking nonsense." Chen Wuji shook his head repeatedly.

Huo Sanniang also spoke opportunistically: "Yes, my husband is a simple-minded person; his lucidity comes and goes, and he sometimes acts foolishly. I don't even know when he learned these prescriptions, but there will surely be some issues; I hope you can forgive us, miss."

The sparsely-bearded old man timely said: "I've practiced medicine for half my life; burnt hair ash applied externally can eliminate residual blood, which is commonly used, but I've never heard of taking burnt hair ash internally, and I'm not sure what it specifically treats; miss, you'd better not try it lightly."

The girl stared at the three of them.

Her family background seems to be despised.

That handsome fellow, who doesn't know much about etiquette, had just given her a prescription, but as soon as he heard her family background, he immediately changed his tone.

Is it really that scary?

But even if what they said made perfect sense, she still wanted to try.

She gets nosebleeds several times a day; she's really had enough.

Even though this prescription sounds somewhat dubious and only has a one- or two-tenths chance, she still wants to try.

"Big brother, please help me treat this; if anything goes wrong, it's entirely my responsibility and has nothing to do with your elder brother. I guarantee my father will not cause any trouble for your elder brother." The girl said earnestly.

"What was it again? Ah, what did I just say?" Chen Wuji feigned amnesia, looked down for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed, "Oh right, old man, do you want some python meat?"

"I'll buy it, I'll buy it all, as long as big brother is willing to treat my illness." The girl shouted urgently.

Chen Wuji: ……

She's a generous girl, though her family background is also quite prominent.

He, a blade of grass with no power to rely on, even needs to resort to crooked ways to deal with the Village Chief and his brother, let alone a capital official.

A single word from them might mean his doom.

Although his prescription definitely won't cause any problems from eating it, but what if…?

"Please save me, sir; I, a humble woman, am deeply grateful!" The girl suddenly rose and bowed, her posture pitifully lovely.

Chen Wuji couldn't stand this any longer: "Fine, old man, lend me your paper and brush."

Xiao Lao Tou shook his head: "Good advice can't persuade a ghost bent on death; just use it yourself there."

Chen Wuji picked up his brush, wrote a prescription, clearly noted the precautions, then took another sheet of paper and placed both paper and brush before the girl: "Write down what you just said, sign and seal it, showing that you asked me to treat you, not that I forced treatment on you."

The girl was somewhat taken aback, but she readily agreed: "Of course."

After she signed and sealed it, Chen Wuji then handed her the prescription and said: "Emotional imbalance; medicine isn't the key. You need to find activities that soothe mind and body, such as hunting, fighting, arguing, or touring mountains and rivers."

The girl's expression flickered: "Are hunting and fighting listed first because they're most effective?"

"Not exactly." Chen Wuji laughed, "Mainly I think you're too ugly, so you're better suited to arguing and fighting; hunting and such depend on your mood."

The girl froze: "You, what did you say?!"

"You're too ugly—what's the problem?"

The girl's face flushed red instantly: "No need, perhaps I really don't need your treatment."

She choked back a sob, then turned and ran.

The maid beside her hurriedly gave chase, turning to shout angrily at Chen Wuji: "How dare you call my lady ugly—wait for my father to beat you with a board, he'll beat your head off!"

Chen Wuji was also dazed.

It's over; seems I've messed up.

Shouldn't she have yelled at him instead? How did she just turn and run?

"Miss, wait, I misspoke."

Chen Wuji darted forward in a leap, grabbed her arm before she could get away, and said: "Miss, I just said that on purpose; it's actually also to treat your illness."

"Let go of me, I won't be treated, let me die." The girl shouted, her arms flailing like a piglet about to be castrated, her hat knocked off, revealing a sweet, lovely face, though tear-streaked and full of grievance.

"I said it on purpose just to provoke you, so I could treat your illness!" Chen Wuji hurriedly explained, "You're not ugly at all; you're very beautiful—I almost fell in love at first sight."

The girl's struggle subsided, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Chen Wuji: "Are you serious?"

"True." The speaker was the old man who had just walked out of the pharmacy.

Ancient texts record that anger overcomes thought, joy overcomes worry; joy and anger can alleviate emotional imbalance, but I never expected someone to use it this way—I, too, have broadened my horizons.

Chen Wuji: ……

He strongly suspected the old man was making a veiled jab at him.

The girl blinked, "Really? There's such a treatment? I really feel my chest has lightened a bit."

"It should be effective, but if a complete cure is needed, it certainly won't be quick." The old man shook his head, "I also looked at the prescription he just wrote; it's quite solid, his medical skill surpasses mine."

Chen Wuji didn't want to wear that hat: "Old man, that's because you don't understand this illness."

The girl felt a bit embarrassed, apologetically saying: "Thank you; I didn't know such a treatment existed in the world—I've been rude… Once I'm healed, I will surely come to thank you in person."

"No need for that; just pay me." Chen Wuji said.

"Of course." The girl smiled faintly, "Cui'e, fetch the silver for the sir."

Because Chen Wuji offended her lady, the little maid's mouth has remained pursed.

She reluctantly took a silver ingot from her purse and handed it to Chen Wuji, "Here!"

Chen Wuji glanced at it, his eyes nearly popping out.

It was actually two taels of silver.

No wonder she's a daughter of a wealthy family—her generosity is truly impressive.

Huo Sanniang, who had been a bit tense earlier, saw the silver and her worry instantly turned to joy.

With these two taels of silver, there's now money to buy medicine for her husband.

"If your prescription truly works, Xiu Er will surely thank you profusely." The girl politely thanked him again, then turned to the old man and said, "Please, Old Zhang, fetch the medicine for me."

"Keep the prescription; I know which herbs are needed." Old Zhang walked into the pharmacy with his hands behind his back.

While Xiao Lao Tou was busy grabbing medicine, Xiu Er again turned her attention to the Snake Meat Chen Wuji had brought, "Sir, may I ask how much these… cost? And how many jin? I'll pay for you."

"No need, take only what you can handle; eat as much as you buy!" Chen Wuji said.

"My family is large; we can finish it all." Xiu Er said.

The old man grabbing the medicine suddenly said, "Save a piece for me; the rest is up to you."

This little old fellow is also a quick acquaintance.