Chapter 66: East and West Left Behind

Chen Wuji went to the County Office once, but it also seemed like he didn't go.

He didn't know who the official speaking to him was, but he felt it was rather hasty.

Everything was hasty.

However, none of that concerned him.

He wasn't falsely accused of murder; instead, he took silver and land and made a hefty profit.

That was enough.

What he wanted was indeed just these things.

But he had to complain about the County Office's knives—they looked good but were of poor quality, and compared with the family heirloom Tetanus Blade he wielded, they were a different matter entirely.

After leaving the County Office, Chen Wuji went to the East Market and bought a hundred catties of millet.

Now that Provincial Troops are outside the city, he shouldn't encounter bandits again.

He left the city smoothly; this time Chen Wuji indeed didn't meet any bandits, but he was still stopped.

"Divine Doctor Chen, I saw you from afar and thought you looked just like you—didn't expect it to be true!"

A luxurious carriage halted before Chen Wuji; its curtain rose, revealing Zhang Xiuer's charming, delicate face. She seemed to have been crying, with faint tear marks still on her cheeks.

"Miss Xiu Er, where are you headed?" Chen Wuji called out.

Zhang Xiuer lifted her skirt and jumped down from the carriage, "I came especially to find Divine Doctor Chen. I asked Zhang Lao of Ciji Zhai, and he said you might be near Shenxian Ling, among the hunters of the villages in Zhao Village. I intend to ask each of them."

"What do you want from me?" Chen Wuji asked in surprise.

She really had great perseverance, planning to use such a clumsy method to find him.

There are only a few dozen villages—actually just a dozen or so—surrounding Shenxian Ling; it would take her two or three days to search each and still not reach his home.

Zhang Xiuer's expression was mournful, her demeanor gentle and frail as she said to Chen Wuji, "Divine Doctor Chen, please help my father. I know he is very stubborn and his words can be excessive. Yet I beg you to lift your noble hand and rescue him."

"I can't save him!" Chen Wuji shook his head. "The patient isn't before me; I can't prescribe medicine from afar. Miss Xiu Er, you should return early; today the outskirts are unsettled."

"Divine Doctor Chen, if you're willing to act, I can pay the consultation fee—one hundred taels of silver!" Zhang Xiuer said hastily. "My father is stubborn; I can tell you his symptoms, and you only need to write a prescription."

Chen Wuji shook his head. "Curing illness isn't that simple; merely describing a few symptoms won't work. Diagnosis requires observation, listening, questioning, and pulse. External symptoms are only part of it. If you treat based solely on described symptoms, the cure will be wrong."

"I still very much want that hundred taels of silver, but truly I'm helpless."

As for the hundred‑tael reward, he actually wanted to suggest that Zhang Xiuer bring her father here.

Zhang Xiuer's expression visibly darkened. "Divine Doctor Chen, is there truly no other way? My father has long suffered from a head ailment; when severe, he even smashes bricks on his head to relieve the pain."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wuji instantly lost all thoughts.

Head ailments are numerous and extremely complex.

The most famous cases are probably those of Cao Cao and Hua Tuo.

Hua Tuo temporarily eased Cao Cao's head ailment with acupuncture, but it wasn't cured, and Cao Cao eventually beheaded him.

Chen Wuji didn't know where Zhang Yushi's lesion lay, but if it couldn't be cured, he might meet the same fate as Hua Tuo; to these people, a human life is clearly no different from a weed.

"Miss Xiu Er, I truly am helpless," Chen Wuji said, shaking his head.

This hot potato can't be taken.

Zhang Xiuer nodded in disappointment, "May I ask where Divine Doctor Chen lives?"

"Xishan Village."

Chen Wuji replied calmly; there was nothing to hide.

Even if he didn't say, anyone who truly set out to look would find him easily.

"Thank you," Zhang Xiuer said softly, bowing, then turned and boarded the carriage.

A woman from a great family moves with a bearing vastly different from that of ordinary folk.

Chen Wuji stepped aside to clear the way; after the carriage turned, he didn't linger and hurried back to the village.

Zhao Village had been raided by bandits; although Xishan Village is farther away, it likely won't be peaceful either.

When Chen Wuji arrived at the village entrance, he saw groups of refugees lying on the grass, lighting piles of bonfires and roasting wheat ears on stone slabs.

Chen Wuji only gave a quick glance before rushing into the village.

Fortunately, the village remained relatively quiet, with no signs of robbery.

"Chen Fool, come over!"

A voice suddenly came from behind the woods.

Chen Wuji skirted the trees and saw Yuan Chen standing before a dilapidated house, clutching a wooden spear, looking lanky.

He is the second son of Village Chief Yuan Jintang.

A grandson whose official authority surpasses even his father's.

"Fool, who are you calling?" Chen Wuji's face darkened.

Yuan Chen sneered, "What do you think? Besides you, who else can the laborers' mother call? Get down here; the village has people guarding it, yet you're nowhere to be seen. Hey, everyone has money to buy grain now, so fine, the grain's here—scram."

Chen Wuji suddenly realized his family seemed to be at odds with millet.

"You damn thing!" Chen Wuji cursed, turned and left. "Forget the grain; I won't shirk protecting the village. I'll be there soon!"

"Hey, you bastard, who are you cursing!" Yuan Chen charged forward, shouting into the ruined house, from which four or five Young Strongmen burst out—Yuan family members and close associates.

Several of them rushed forward and blocked Chen Wuji.

"Yo yo yo, Fool Chen has grown some skill, and even brought two knives—let me see!"

"That's a brand‑new Puke Knife!"

"Guys, this bow's not bad either—elm Hard Bow, at least two taels of silver."

"Fool, you buy grain and also knives and bows—are you picking up silver on the road? Or have you turned to robbery? This knife and bow are now mine; any objections?"

Yuan Chen reached out and grabbed the Puke Knife at Chen Wuji's waist.

"Damn right I have objections!" Chen Wuji raised his hand, smashed the grain he was shouldering onto Yuan Chen's head; as he fell, Chen flipped onto the horse, fists forming, and shot arrows to both sides.

What did you just say? I didn't hear that clearly—say it again so I can listen!

Beat him to death, beat him to death for me! Yuan Chen clamped his arms over his head and hoarsely shouted.

The remaining few rushed forward, throwing punches, kicks, and wooden spears in a chaotic mess at Chen Wuji.

Chen Wuji leapt up, kicked Yuan Chen's face twice with a bang, then without hesitation drew his knife and slashed.

The wooden spear broke, and someone's arm broke as well.

A sudden burst of blood light shot out, frightening those few into retreating, not daring to approach Chen Wuji any closer.

After that Inspector Zhang agreed to his conditions, Chen Wuji no longer had any scruples toward the Yuan Family.

Even if he now kills one or two of them, he would only need to spend a little silver, and there would be no other trouble.

Ah, my arm, Chen the fool killed someone, Chen the fool killed someone!

Chen Wuji pressed the tip of his knife to Yuan Chen's face, "Shut up, say another word and I'll take your dog's life!"