After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 71

The sky had already darkened when Wen Su hurried into the room. Lu Huating, however, was fully dressed, seated at the desk under the candlelight, polishing a dagger, as though he were preparing to leave.

Wen Su nearly burst into tears. “I failed in my duty… Miss Qing has escaped!”

Lu Huating glanced at her, then immediately stood and strode into the inner chamber. The window was wide open, the bed was still rumpled, and the water in the basin retained some warmth. The room was empty, her figure gone, leaving only the shackles resting on the dressing table.

Wen Su explained, “Miss Qing said she wanted to bathe and complained that the shackles were inconvenient. I softened and helped her remove them.”

“You believed her just because she said she wanted to bathe?” Lu Huating asked.

“She was truly bathing! I even undid the shackles while her hands were in the water!” Wen Su protested.

Lu Huating picked up the shackles, only to have water drip onto his hands. Hearing her explanation, he paused, then set the shackles down with a splash.

The water that trickled along his fingers strangely burned like fire.

“Looks like she’s recovered,” he remarked.

After wiping his fingers clean, the thought of the empty room he had just seen unsettled him deeply. Without a word, he used the handle of his fan to nudge open the bundle of belongings Qun Qing had left on the bed. Spotting the yellow money pouch still inside, albeit slightly deflated, his dark expression lightened, and his mood visibly relaxed.

Jian Su asked, “Should the advisor still head to the informant’s location?”

“Yes,” Lu Huating replied, buckling his dagger to his side. His expression had returned to normal. “Lady Qing likely has urgent matters and is wandering nearby. She hasn’t gone far. This place isn’t safe. Once you two find her, bring her back to rest.”

Jian Su and Wen Su acknowledged the order and prepared to leave when Lu Huating added, “Take Yang Li with you. He knows the way.”

Meanwhile, Qun Qing hurriedly followed the intermittent jingling of bells through the alleys. Up ahead, she caught sight of the wandering physician—a thin old man shaking a bell with his left hand.

Before long, Qun Qing noticed Jian Su and the others trailing behind her. She didn’t pay them any mind. If trouble arose, being with a few others might be safer.

Fang Xie had once mentioned that Physician Li had encountered danger in Jiangnan. Now that she had arrived here and heard the bell, she couldn’t resist chasing after it herself. Even if it turned out to be a mistake, she needed peace of mind.

By the roadside, a man cradling his child sobbed loudly. The wandering physician approached out of concern, only to be chased away by the child’s father. 

“Get lost, you charlatan!”

The old man stood there in confusion for a moment before strapping his medicine box onto his back and continuing to shake his bell as he walked through the night.

That was a rough, shabby wooden medicine box. Qun Qing remembered that Physician Li’s treasured medicine box was made of purple sandalwood. Back in Chang’an, he had saved countless lives as a resident physician. How could he now appear so timid and destitute?

Qun Qing quickened her pace, stepping in front of him. Her expression froze.

The old man looked up at her in alarm. His face was indeed familiar, but far more haggard than the spirited and kind Physician Li she remembered from her last memory.

Her gaze fell on his frayed sleeves, crooked collar, and his bewildered, cowering face. 

“Master, Physician Li?”

Physician Li didn’t react, gently brushing past her in fear and continuing forward.

“Master, it’s me, Liu Niang!” Qun Qing thought the dim light was to blame.

The frail figure paused momentarily, as if hesitating. He squinted at her, still looking confused and timid. 

“Liu Niang? Didn’t she enter the palace already? Miss, I don’t remember who you are. I have to go see a patient.”

Qun Qing realized that Physician Li seemed to be somewhat muddled.

In the past, he had regarded saving lives as paramount, treating Qun Qing like an apprentice when she stayed at the medical hall. Later, when he learned that she planned to enter the palace to kill someone, he had been deeply disappointed. Still, he had set her bones and then never saw her again.

Her unresolved gratitude for saving her life had always weighed on Qun Qing’s heart.

So, she didn’t mind whether Physician Li recognized her. Fighting back tears, she walked alongside him. 

“Master, do you remember when you came to Jiangnan?”

At the mention of this, Physician Li grew agitated, his hands trembling. 

“I came by boat! The boat capsized. I lost my medicine box, my money, my herbs, and my medical books!”

Qun Qing began to piece together the hardships that had driven Physician Li to roam Jiangnan in such a destitute state. This wooden box and bell must have been slowly acquired as he eked out a living treating patients wherever he could.

“Why didn’t you borrow some money to return to Chang’an?” Qun Qing asked. “There are so many patients waiting for you at the medical hall.”

Physician Li grew even more bewildered. “I still have a medical hall in Chang’an?”

“Master, you were never a wandering physician,” Qun Qing said.

At the mention of medicine, Physician Li’s demeanor turned earnest again. He asked, “Then why couldn’t I even treat ordinary illnesses in Xu Prefecture?”

“What do you mean by ‘couldn’t treat’? What kind of ordinary illness?” Qun Qing asked. Physician Li’s medical skills were exceptional; otherwise, he wouldn’t have saved her life.

“Yu Fei Pill…”

“What is Yu Fei Pill?” Qun Qing had never heard of it.

“I’ve wanted to find out as well, but no one will tell me!” Physician Li said in frustration, gesturing wildly. “After taking it, people become lethargic, withdrawn, and erratic. Acupuncture doesn’t work, and medicine is useless. The way they look at me—it’s as if I really am a charlatan!”

Qun Qing was filled with doubts. Physician Li abruptly pushed her away, his expression becoming stern as he instructed, “I’ll go take a look. You stay here. Don’t follow me—it’s not appropriate.”

With that, he carried the medicine box and walked into the clinic.

Qun Qing didn’t leave. She carefully examined the residence. The door frame, panels, and silk curtain hanging above the threshold all indicated that this was a wealthy household. However, the door had traces of peeling paint, and there were no servants present, making her feel a bit uneasy.

“How could this place end up like this!” Qun Qing heard Yang Li’s complaint.

Soon, she saw them running up and immediately asked Yang Li, “What kind of place is this?”

“It used to belong to the ancestors of the richest family in Xuanzhou,” Yang Li replied. “This street was once known as ‘Gold Street.’ The children of wealthy Xuanzhou families would gather here, but now they’ve all gone to pick scraps and sell them. They wouldn’t even recognize gold anymore.”

Yang Li sighed and glanced at Qun Qing. He noticed her hesitation and added, “This is Fu Man’s residence. You’re not from Xuanzhou, so it’s understandable if you don’t recognize them.”

Fu Man’s residence? Qun Qing thought. Well, that explained it—the journey to this place had indeed been desolate.

Suddenly, the sound of a child crying mingled with a woman’s frustrated scolding came from the room: “I’ve given several doses of this medicine already, so why is he still coughing and wheezing at night after all that money spent? I only trusted you because of your age, but it turns out all traveling doctors are just frauds…”

Qunqing pushed open the outer door, her skirt brushing through the dark courtyard, before stepping forward to open the inner door.

Inside, a woman stood with a maid holding a bowl beside her. Startled by the sudden appearance of a slender young lady, the woman ceased her scolding and stared in surprise.

Qun Qing folded her sleeves neatly and bowed. “This is my master. May I take a look at the medicine and examine the patient?”

Her demeanor was strikingly composed, exuding a clarity that was hard to describe—so calm it left others momentarily stunned. The woman hesitated before muttering, “This traveling doctor even takes on apprentices? If the master can’t cure him, I can’t imagine how skilled the apprentice would be.”

Physician Li stood off to the side, his face flushed with frustration and helplessness as he watched Qun Qing’s actions unfold. Without waiting for approval, Qun Qing picked up the medicine bowl from the maid’s tray, sniffed it, and then tasted it.

Though she had only studied medicine for a year, the child’s condition—coughing and wheezing—was a common ailment, something well within her ability to handle. For Physician Li, an expert, such a case was akin to using a butcher’s knife to swat a fly; it was unlikely he had made any mistakes. The decoction was indeed well-prepared.

Qunqing then moved to the bedside and leaned in to observe the child.

The boy wore a round-necked robe with a jade pendant hanging from his waist. Even the quilt covering his abdomen was a luxurious green silk adorned with a diamond pattern and floral embroidery, unmistakably marking him as someone born into wealth and privilege. Yet, his small face was flushed, his nose and mouth were congested, his eyes remained shut, and his breathing was labored.

Qun Qing reached out toward him but didn’t touch his body. Instead, she gently rubbed the silk quilt for a moment and then said, “The medicine my master prescribed is not the issue. Your quilt is poisonous.”

Physician Li froze in surprise, and the woman gasped in shock. 

“What… what do you mean by poisonous?”

Qun Qing had already pulled the quilt aside and covered the child with a cotton quilt from the foot of the bed.

She walked over to the woman, unfolded the green silk quilt, and held it up under the lamp. The green silk quilt looked even brighter under the light. “Madam, is this quilt newly purchased?”

The woman was puzzled, unable to understand how the quilt could be related. 

“It was bought just a few days ago for my second son’s birthday. My mother-in-law selected it from a shop. You’re quite rude to claim it’s poisonous.”

“This quilt is dyed with jade green, a shade brighter and cheaper than ordinary pine green. However, this dye slowly releases particles into the air. Adults might tolerate it, but children, being more sensitive, could develop coughing, asthma, and fever. To call it ‘poisonous’ is no exaggeration,” Qun Qing explained.

“If you don’t believe me, lay this quilt out for a while. Over time, its color will fade as the harmful substances disperse into the air—and into your son’s body,” she added.

The woman was horrified by this revelation. Qun Qing then took out a seal from her sleeve to show her. “To be honest, I used to work in the Imperial Shangfu Bureau within the palace. This jade green dye was once introduced into the palace for weaving and dyeing. However, it was quickly banned after it caused health issues among the imperial heirs and princesses.”

The Imperial Shangfu Bureau was known for dealing with the highest quality fabrics in the empire. How could it possibly be wrong?

After Qun Qing removed the quilt for a while, the child’s breathing became noticeably smoother. The woman’s gaze toward Qun Qing transformed into one of trust and reliance.

Qun Qing rolled up the quilt and placed it on the table. “Madam, my master is a renowned physician in Chang’an. He has traveled here out of goodwill, yet you scold him so harshly? The prescription he provided is flawless, but it’s being rendered ineffective by this jade green quilt, which conflicts with the medicine.”

As she spoke, she took the medicine from an attendant and gently fed it to the child. The symptoms of nasal obstruction and discomfort quickly subsided, and the child fell into a peaceful sleep after finishing the medicine. Her heart finally settled.

The woman, looking embarrassed, quickly stood and bowed. 

“I misunderstood the doctor. Please forgive me.”

Physician Li stood silently, his lips trembling. His gaze shifted from the woman to Qun Qing, who held the medicine bowl with steady hands. Her figure overlapped with the image in his mind—of a headstrong young girl who had once shielded him from street thugs, clutching her medicine box like a weapon.

Back then, the thugs were no match for her. She had even broken their heads with her medicine chest, and he had to step in to break up the fight. The young lady, barely in her teens, had such incredible strength—like a fish too slippery to hold.

“Liu Niang… It’s you, Qun Qing! How could I forget?”

“Liu Niang…” he finally said. “You’re Liu Niang. How did you end up here? Isn’t your position in the palace important?”

Qun Qing paused, then replied, “It’s not urgent. I came to find you.”

She stood up, grabbed Physician Li’s hand, and turned to the woman. 

“Madam, I have a question.”

The woman said, “I owe you my gratitude. Please, ask.”

Qun Qing said, “Your ancestral home has a few dyeing vats, with silk scraps hanging on the drying ropes. You seem to be silk merchants. Why would you purchase a quilt from a shop?”

The woman’s expression darkened. “We stopped being silk merchants long ago. My father-in-law was once a prominent silk merchant, but my husband squandered the family fortune. To be honest, we used to consult reputable physicians at medical halls, but now… I can’t even afford today’s medical fees…”

A fallen family—no wonder such a grand house had no servants.

Qun Qing said, “We don’t charge consultation fees. I simply wish to ask if you’ve heard of a substance called ‘Yu Fei Pill’ that’s circulating in Xuzhou?”

The woman’s once warm gaze instantly turned cold, like being pricked by a needle. Her eyes showed disdain. 

“What exactly are you after? Why do you want to know about that harmful thing?”

“Why do you say it’s harmful?” Qun Qing pressed. “My master has treated several people who’ve consumed Yu Fei Pills,  but he was unable to save them. That’s why we’re researching it.”

Realizing they genuinely didn’t understand, the woman hesitated. Her lips curled into a bitter smile as if her deepest scars had been exposed. Without a word, she walked into a side room. When she returned, she held a dusty wooden box and shoved it into Qun Qing’s hands.

“Still hoping to save someone? There’s no hope,” she said coldly. “My husband drank Yu Fei wine, claiming it was a symbol of elegance and helped with business negotiations. Who knew it would lead him to squander our entire fortune? Our family fell apart because of it. This vile thing—take it if you want it. I consider it a curse to keep it here and never want to see it again.”

Even as Qun Qing and Physician Li left, the woman sat by the bed, refusing to look at them again.

As Qun Qing exited, she glanced back to see the woman coaxing her child to sleep in the empty house. Her once luxurious silk gown had dulled with age, and her hair was adorned with nothing but a simple hairpin.

Outside, Qun Qing opened the wooden box, revealing four pill-like beads as green as jade, emitting a faint, sweet aroma.

It smelled like premium tea, yet also like fragrant flowers. She carefully wrapped one pill in a handkerchief and handed it to Physician Li. 

“Master, this is the Yu Fei Pill. You can study it.”

She finally couldn’t hold back and asked, “Master, during this journey, have you heard any news of my mother?”

Physician Li replied, “I did come across a woman who bore some resemblance to her. I even followed her onto a boat, but the boat capsized shortly after. Now, I have no idea where she might be.”

With such vague and unclear information, Qun Qing found it difficult to trust what he said. She caressed the sheep’s head incense pouch, wishing fervently that the woman resembling her mother was indeed her. Somewhere in this vast world, her mother was still alive.

Her mother’s misfortune wasn’t her fault but the fault of this chaotic world filled with deceit and betrayal.

To win, she must survive.
She had to uncover the truth herself, without being used by anyone.

Qun Qing lowered her gaze in silence. At first, Physician Li had worriedly studied her face, but then his expression turned serious. 

“Did I reshape your bones back then? Your face doesn’t look right. If I don’t reshape it again, it might revert, but even if I do, it won’t match the portrait…”

Qun Qing quickly stopped him. “Master.”

Physician Li was startled, as there were three people waiting at the doorway. Yang Li and Jian Su were squatting on the ground, while a dark guard sat on the steps, all staring at them in shock, evidently having overheard their conversation.

Qun Qing handed Physician Li over to Jian Su. “This is my master, Physician Li. Please take care of him. He’ll return to Chang’an with us.”

She then asked Jian Su, “Where is the advisor?”

The Great Chen Dynasty prohibited gambling, yet underground gambling dens continued to thrive. In Xuzhou City, the Southern Eagle Tavern operated as a teahouse during the day. At dusk, its doors would close, only to reopen in the dead of night with an entirely different facade.

Lu Huating sat in a second-floor private room. From this vantage point, he could peer over the railing to observe the tables below, covered in rich carpets, and the young men stripped to the waist, engrossed in throwing dice.

Amid the lively clamor, he suddenly caught the faint sound of soft footsteps. Turning his head, he saw a woman in a veiled hat walking past him.

He abruptly reached out and grabbed her sleeve, halting her in her tracks. As expected, beneath the sleeve was a hard metal shackle. Qun Qing made no attempt to struggle.

“Caught and brought back?” Lu Huating asked.

Qun Qing replied, “I put it on myself. Doesn’t the advisor enjoy speaking to me like this?”