On the donkey cart returning to the village, Qin Mu counted the purchased items for the fifth time.
"Mother, if we haven't bought enough, we can come again," Qin Junyao had been watching Qin Mu and Aunt Qin Two busy with Lunar New Year preparations, feeling tired on their behalf.
Qin Mu muttered, still asking the younger siblings driving the cart if anything was missing, before finally replying to Qin Junyao.
"You weren't back for Laba Festival, so we didn't celebrate it properly. Tomorrow is the 23rd, Kitchen God Festival, the minor new year. We must properly ask the Kitchen God to put in a good word for us, so our family has a better year."
"Although reclaiming wasteland exempts us from a year's tax, no one can be sure if they won't come to forcefully requisition grain again next year."
"Sister-in-law, they definitely won't requisition grain next year," Qin Er Shen turned back to remind Qin Mu to speak kindly.
Qin Mu spat twice outside the cart, "Yes, yes, yes. Next year will be smooth sailing. Speak good words, good words." After speaking, she continued to review today's purchases.
Qin Junyao had never experienced the Laba Festival with porridge or the Kitchen God Festival with an altar. She couldn't feel Qin Mu's solemn mood on such a traditional holiday.
She had no choice but to take out a Luban lock and hand it to Qin San Niu to play with.
The Luban lock is actually called Kongming lock. It uses mortise and tenon structures, without nails or ropes, relying entirely on its own structural connections and support.
Qin Junyao had bought more than one type of Luban lock, as well as more than a dozen other ancient puzzle toys such as the Four Seasons Lock, Sister Ball, and Eighteen Interlocking Hooks.
So far, she could only take them apart but not reassemble them. Qin San Niu was currently playing with one that she had taken apart and couldn't reassemble.
Qin Junyao was telling Qin San Niu about the lock's previous appearance when she suddenly heard the sound of urgent horse hooves and cart wheels from behind.
"Aunt Two, a carriage is coming from behind, moving quite fast. Let's move to the side."
"Alright."
As the donkey cart moved to the side of the road, Qin Mu, sitting on the cart, could already see the carriage. That was how fast it was moving.
Besides the carriage, there were also two horses running in front of it, presumably to warn pedestrians on the road to make way, as there were many people on the road before the new year.
When Qin Junyao saw the people on the horses, she was a little surprised. It was Zhao Liang Cai and Suo Zi.
Zhao Liang Cai had returned to his bearded appearance, leading the way for the carriage behind him without looking left or right.
Qin Mu watched the fast-approaching carriage and patted Qin Junyao's arm, "Junyao, didn't that look like General Zhao on the horse?"
"Something must have happened. Sister-in-law, hurry up. Let's go back and see if there's anything we can help with."
The donkey cart picked up speed and trotted towards Yangshu Village.
As soon as they entered the village, Qin Junyao heard two villagers discussing.
"General Zhao's brother and that Mr. Zheng are definitely not going to make it. I saw that Mr. Zheng's face was already pale."
"What? You were running so fast in the carriage, how could you see him?"
"My eyes are eagle eyes. I could see clearly through the gap in the curtains. If you don't believe me, let's go and see now."
"See what? I still need to order tofu. You go and tell me when you get back."
"I also need to order tofu..."
Qin Junyao felt a jolt of alarm upon hearing the villagers' words. She got off the donkey cart halfway and ran towards Zhao's house.
The gate of Zhao's house was tightly shut, with many curious villagers gathered at the entrance.
It was said that Mr. Zheng was carried in. Fu Zi, even though Zhao Liang Cai was holding him, had stopped breathing. Granny Ma was also in a semi-conscious state.
Qin Junyao was even more worried upon hearing this, but she couldn't get into Zhao's house.
She tried to recall the contents of the space bamboo slips to hear the sounds inside Zhao's house, but the surrounding noise was too chaotic, making it impossible to distinguish.
Just then, Deng Zi Tui arrived on horseback, carrying someone on his horse.
Qin Junyao had never seen the person on the horse before, but she recognized him: Sheng Huai Jin, the middle-aged eldest son of Doctor Sheng. It seemed that Fu Zi might indeed be in trouble.
Qin Junyao squeezed to the front and quickly grabbed Deng Zi Tui's clothes.
"Brother Tui, it's me. Tell Zhao Liang Cai or Suo Zi to go to Yan County and find Doctor Sheng, the Doctor Sheng we met in the mountains. I'll give you the address."
Deng Zi Tui initially disliked being pulled, but upon seeing Qin Junyao, his attitude immediately changed. "Miss Qin, what are you doing out here?"
"Hurry inside. You tell me, I'll go now."
Qin Junyao stood at the entrance and watched Deng Zi Tui ride away. She nodded to the gatekeeper and entered the courtyard, no longer caring about the villagers' discussions behind her. Su Dan Novel Network.
Following Qian Shi's crying, Qin Junyao quickly found the room. The door was open, with guards outside and many people inside.
Zhao Liang Cai paced back and forth in the room. Suo Zi stood beside Sheng Da Fu's son, watching him take a pulse.
Divine Doctor Mo drank his tea with an displeased expression. Qian Shi cried, Qian Duo remained indifferent, and Zhao Rui feigned concern.
Seven people filled the room to the brim.
After a moment, Sheng Jiang Qi withdrew his hand and said to Suo Zi, "Go and fetch my father. I can only control this poison, not cure it. Help me prepare hot water, a dagger..."
"Hmph, you talk too much. The poison has attacked the heart after such a long journey. How can you control it?" Divine Doctor Mo put down his teacup and questioned Sheng Jiang Qi.
"Just because you can't cure it doesn't mean my father can't. Are you talking to me to stall for time and delay treatment?" Sheng Jiang Qi was also impolite. This was the first time he had met a doctor who called himself a divine doctor.
Divine Doctor Mo was speechless and about to speak again when Zhao Liang Cai interrupted, "Suo Zi, you stay here. I'll go fetch someone."
"Cousin, don't go."
"No need, Deng Zi Tui has already gone."
Qian Duo and Qin Junyao spoke at the same time. Qian Duo knew from her past life that Fu Zi had died. Divine Doctor Mo had also confirmed he couldn't cure it.
She wanted to persuade Zhao Liang Cai not to let Fu Zi suffer further. Unexpectedly, Qin Junyao, who had warned Zhao Liang Cai from down the mountain, had not only entered but also sent someone to find that Doctor Sheng.
"Miss Qin? You said you sent Deng Zi Tui?" Zhao Liang Cai had not paid attention to Qian Duo's words at all. The only voice he heard was Qin Junyao's.
Seeing that Zhao Liang Cai recognized Qin Junyao, the household guard blocking the entrance no longer stopped her and gestured for her to enter.
"Yes, I saw him bringing Doctor Sheng just now at the entrance, so I asked him to fetch someone."
Upon hearing Zhao Liang Cai's address, Sheng Jiang Qi knew that this was the Little Friend Qin mentioned in his father's letter. He nodded to Qin Junyao and began to administer acupuncture to Fu Zi and Mr. Zheng.
Knowing that Deng Zi Tui had already gone to fetch someone, Zhao Liang Cai felt a little relieved. He reached out, pulled Qin Junyao to his side, and made way for the servants carrying hot water.
"There are too many people in the room. Some of you go out." Sheng Jiang Qi took the dagger handed by Suo Zi, heated it over the fire, and began to drive people out.
Qin Junyao was the first to be asked to leave, but Zhao Liang Cai held her back. He had the people outside escort Qian Shi and her two companions, as well as Divine Doctor Mo, out, and then closed the door, opening the windows inside.
Without Qian Shi's crying, Zhao Liang Cai felt much more comfortable.
With the intrusive people gone, those remaining in the room gathered around Sheng Jiang Qi, watching him treat Fu Zi and the other two.
Fu Zi lay on the table. His once plump and fair face was now tinged with purple.
Sheng Jiang Qi, holding the dagger, did not hesitate to cut into Fu Zi's palm. Dark, foul-smelling blood immediately flowed out.