Chapter 76: Detoxification and Gifting Ginseng

"Alright, let me take your pulse and see."

"You've been poisoned. Take off all your clothes; let me see where the wound is," Wang Lao said after a long moment.

"This..."

"We're all grown men, what's there to be shy about?"

"Xiao Ze, go stand guard outside the door. Don't let anyone in for now."

"Oh, okay."

"Hiss~" As Fang Dahu took off his shirt, Zhang Ping'an saw the crisscrossing scars all over his body.

"He's a real man," Wang Lao nodded.

"Stop, no need to take off any more, I see it." Wang Lao pointed to a slightly bruised, purplish spot on his back where two inconspicuous black dots were; no one would have ever guessed they were there.

"Ping'an, look and see what bit him," Wang Lao said, intending to test him.

"It's a centipede." Zhang Ping'an hadn't spent this past year learning in vain; he could identify it just by seeing the wound.

"Not bad. It's a highly venomous centipede, too. It's fortunate your Qi and blood are vigorous. Of course, it's also because after you practiced your boxing that morning, your Qi and blood circulated, causing the poison to spread throughout your entire body."

"Fortunately, you must have taken detoxifying medicinal herbs in the past, which is how you've held on until now. If you had dragged it out any longer, you wouldn't have lasted another year."

After hearing this, Fang Dahu's burly frame shook. As a hunter, he recognized common medicinal herbs, so he would pick them whenever he encountered them. After going to the Hospital proved useless, he had indeed had his daughter decoct medicine several times.

"Wang Lao, I..."

"It's fine, it's still curable. You lie down on your side first. Ping'an, perform the acupuncture; I'll go decoct the medicine."

"Yes, Master. Quchi, Hegu, Taichong, Sanyinjiao..."

Half an hour later, the needles were removed and the medicine was nearly decocted. When Zhang Ping'an came out, he saw Li Ze chatting with a girl who had a delicate face but an incredibly good figure.

"Uncle, how is it?" Li Ze hurried over as soon as he saw Zhang Ping'an come out.

"He's fine now. He'll be much better after drinking the medicine."

"Thank you."

"Ugh, blech~"

"Not bad, your physical foundation is good; you vomited out most of it in one go," Wang Lao said.

"Dad..."

"I'm fine, I feel much better."

"Alright, I've left two doses of medicine. Remember to take one each for the next two days. Ping'an, come over tomorrow and the day after to continue the acupuncture and decoct the medicine; the toxins in his body will be mostly cleared by then."

"Many thanks, Wang Lao. Xiaoyu, go get that wooden box for Wang Lao."

"Okay, Dad."

Fang Xiaoyu took a wooden box out from the inner room. Upon opening it, one could see a piece of old ginseng inside; judging by its form, it was at least a hundred years old.

"Wang Lao, for the grace of saving my life, please accept this."

"Done. I won't stand on ceremony with you; this thing is indeed quite rare. If you have any trouble in the future, you can come to Eighty-Eighth Courtyard, Nanluoguxiang, Sijiucheng to find me. Ping'an, let's go."

"Yes, Master." Before leaving, Zhang Ping'an added some Space Water to the water vat in Fang Dahu's home.

"Alright, Xiaoyu, see Wang Lao off for me."

"Xiaoyu, I'll come see you again tomorrow," Li Ze said, still lingering at the door.

"Mm~"

Fang Xiaoyu's face flushed slightly. Li Ze was the only one who hadn't been scared off by her circumstances and had diligently found a doctor for her father. After spending the last half-year together, she had developed feelings for Li Ze, but because of her situation, they had never been able to get married.

"Dad, how are you feeling now?"

"Much better, I'm a bit hungry."

"I'll go make you some food right now."

"Mm, that boy from the Li Family is good. You two should get things settled this year."

Fang Dahu had also seen Li Ze's efforts; he would come over every few days to bring things. If it weren't for Li Ze, it would have been very difficult for his daughter to hold on for the past half-year.

"Mm, I'll listen to you."

After taking Li Ze home, Zhang Ping'an took his master straight back to his own home.

"Master, have lunch at my place, rest for a while, and then go back in the afternoon."

"Done."

It was past eleven o'clock now, and his grandparents were out visiting neighbors; his parents and Si Jie had not yet returned.

"Master, please sit for a moment, I'll go make lunch."

"Good, just heat up two dishes, that'll do."

It was the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, and every household still had plenty of leftovers; heating up two dishes was enough to eat.

"Mm, okay."

In less than twenty minutes, Zhang Ping'an had heated up two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, all of which were stock from his space.

"Master, let's eat."

"Don't you need to wait for your grandparents?"

"No need, they only eat two meals a day and rarely come back at noon. Besides, I left food for them in the pot."

"That's fine then."

In twenty minutes, the master and apprentice finished their meal.

"Ping'an, take a look and see how old this ginseng is."

"It's about one hundred and fifty years old," Zhang Ping'an said after taking it and examining it carefully.

Zhang Ping'an had quite a bit of ginseng of various ages in his space, all processed after he learned how to prepare medicinal herbs from his master. By comparing it and using the knowledge he had acquired, he could tell its approximate age at a glance.

"Not bad, it counts as a rare piece of old ginseng, and the processing technique is also skillful. This counts as an unexpected joy this time."

"Yes, Master." It was precisely for this reason that Zhang Ping'an had added some Space Water to the large vat at Fang Dahu's house, and besides, they would be in-laws with his eldest sister in the future.

The master and apprentice rested for half an hour, and since Zhang Ping'an did not see his grandparents return, he locked the door and took his master back.

One hour later, Nanluoguxiang.

"Master, I'll be heading back now."

"Mm, take it slow on the road."

In the Siheyuan, Zhang Ping'an parked the tricycle in front of Yan Bugui's door in the Front Courtyard.

"Teacher Yan, if I don't return by four o'clock, please give the tricycle to Dongxu."

"Done."

Yan Bugui now knew that Zhang Ping'an had other relatives in Sijiucheng, and they didn't seem like ordinary people, so he was more sincere in his interactions with Zhang Ping'an.

When Zhang Ping'an arrived at his grandfather's house, sure enough, everyone was still there.

"Ping'an, has Xiao Ze's matter been resolved?"

"Mm, it's resolved. I reckon we'll be able to drink at the wedding before long."

"That's good."

"Your grandfather and the others have a train at five this afternoon, and your mother is inside too. Go and have a talk with them."

"Alright."

Zhang Ping'an walked into the main room; except for his youngest aunt's family, everyone else was there.

"Ping'an, has the matter been resolved?"

"Mm, very smoothly."

"That's good. We are heading back to Beijiang this afternoon. You are a purchaser; if time permits in the future, bring your mother and the others to Beijiang. I will take you all hunting, especially in the summer; the fruit there is abundant and sweeter than in Sijiucheng."

"Alright, Grandfather."

Zhang Ping'an also wanted to go to Beijiang to take a look. At this time, Jade should be very cheap. He could hoard some top-quality Jade and wait for it to appreciate in value in the future. Moreover, Tianshan had a rich variety of species, and he could go get some local specialties to put in his space.

Time slipped away in idle chatter, and soon it was past four in the afternoon. His grandfather and the others prepared to head to the station.

"Laizhong, Da Ni, it's about time. You should head back too. The car is waiting outside, and I've left a key to this place for you."

"Alright, Dad. Write to us when you have time."

"Mm."

"Sorry for the trouble, Uncle Li." The driver was still Li Baoguo.

"Hey, it's just a matter of stepping on the gas."

Parting is always sorrowful. Seeing that they were not in high spirits, Li Baoguo didn't chat much and drove in silence the whole way.

"Brother, drive slowly on the way back," said Zhang Laizhong.

"Done, I'm off."

"Mom, wait until I graduate from junior high, and our whole family will go to Beijiang for a visit. By then, the younger brother and sister will be older, and it will be fine to go on a long trip."

"Mm, alright. Mom will be waiting."

"Good."

In two years, the Public-Private Partnership would be about to start. He had to get to Beijiang before then, otherwise, it would be difficult to take his whole family along. Besides, after the Public-Private Partnership, things would be relatively much stricter; it wouldn't be a case of going wherever you wanted.

Now that Lou Zhenyu was the director, as long as he provided enough supplies, Lou wouldn't care whether he came or not. Of course, it might be the same during the three years of the special period.