Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 16

Yu Jiao paused for a moment, estimating that Madam Song had finished dressing Yu Mengshan. Then she turned around and said, “I still need to take his pulse for a proper diagnosis.”

Yu Ruhai stepped back from the bedside, making room for her. Yu Jiao placed her fingers on Yu Mengshan’s wrist. Inside the room, the three elders watched her intently.

After a short while, she withdrew her hand, then took hold of Yu Mengshan’s fingers and carefully examined his fingernails. She said, “Uncle Mengshan, please stick out your tongue so I can take a look.”

Yu Mengshan did as instructed.

Yu Jiao then pressed two fingers under his left chest, about two fingers’ width below. Yu Mengshan’s face went pale, and he inhaled sharply, a pained expression on his face. Yu Jiao retracted her hand.

At first glance, Yu Mengshan’s symptoms resemble angioneurotic edema, but that wasn’t the full picture. It was only a secondary complication. After thinking it over, Yu Jiao finally spoke, “It’s a case of blood deficiency and internal heat.” 

“Uncle Mengshan must have suffered internal injuries earlier. They’ve been left untreated for too long, which has led to spleen dysfunction and an imbalance in qi, blood, and the yin-yang energies.”

“Internal injuries?” Yu Ruhai frowned. Previously, when Yu Mengshan had been bitten by a wild beast while gathering herbs in the mountains, his leg was badly injured, but Yu Ruhai hadn’t found any internal trauma.

But upon hearing this, Yu Mengshan, lying in bed, suddenly seemed to recall something. He rasped out, “That day… cough cough… when the beast was chasing me, I… I rolled down a hillside and slammed into an ancient tree.”

“What’s the treatment plan? And how did you come to that diagnosis?” Yu Ruhai was now fully convinced of Yu Jiao’s superior medical skills. His gaze toward her was filled with admiration.

Yu Qizhe was also looking at her, his peach blossom eyes focused, giving off an illusion of deep affection.

Yu Jiao explained, “The internal injury has led to blood deficiency and fever. The heat usually presents as a mild fever, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, a pale and dull complexion, pale lips and nails, a light-colored tongue, and a thin, weak pulse.” 

“It’s nothing serious. Prescribe Gui Pi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction) and let him recover slowly.”

Hearing this, Madam Song finally relaxed and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

Yu Jiao continued, “Uncle Mengshan also has mild edema, but that’s not a big issue either. I’ll prescribe another formula, he should be fine after two doses.”

Yu Qizhe gave Yu Jiao a deep look, as if trying to see through her body and into her soul. Yu Jiao was momentarily stunned, then smiled and asked, “What is it?”

Yu Qizhe looked away and said softly, “Thank you.”

Yu Jiao smiled and pressed her lips together. This silly boy is actually thanking me? What a ‘good’ person.

Yu Jiao then told Old Master Yu the prescription for Gui Pi Tang, along with a modified formula to treat the angioneurotic edema. He went to the west room to gather the herbs, secretly copying down both formulas and tucking them into a medical book.

After all the fuss, Madam Song didn’t even have time for breakfast. She took the herbs and went to the kitchen to decoct the medicine for Yu Mengshan. While Yu Jiao was cleaning up the dishes, Yu Qizhe picked up a bowl of cold porridge from the table and started eating.

Like performing a magic trick, Yu Jiao pulled out a steamed bun and stuffed it into his hand. “I saw some pickled radish in the kitchen. Want me to get you some?”

Yu Qizhe glanced at the bun in his hand, then placed it back in the basket. “One bowl of porridge is enough.”

Yu Jiao quickly cleaned up the rest. “You’re still growing. One bowl of porridge isn’t enough.”

With that, she carried the dishes into the kitchen, leaving Yu Qizhe alone in the hall with his porridge. But as he ate, his mind was entirely on Yu Jiao. The transformation she’d undergone since waking up was simply too stark. 

Her behavior now was completely different from before, enough to make anyone suspicious. Soon, Yu Jiao returned with a small bowl and placed it in front of him. Inside were radish strips she’d fished out from the pickling jar.

“Eat up,” she said. Without waiting for a response, she turned and went back to wash dishes.

After finishing the porridge, Yu Qizhe didn’t touch the bun in the basket. Instead, he carried it into the kitchen.

Yu Jiao was bent over scrubbing the pot, her slim figure just the same as before. Yu Qizhe took only one glance before turning away. Madam Song was fanning the fire while boiling the medicine.

He placed the bun and pickled radish in front of her. “Mom, eat something first. I’ll handle the medicine.”

Madam Song shook her head. “I have no appetite. You eat more.”

Yu Qizhe had always been frail and didn’t eat much to begin with. Knowing his father was ill and his mother was distressed, he didn’t press further. He left the food on the side table and walked out without saying more.

Yu Jiao had just finished washing the dishes. She turned and took the fan from Madam Song with a smile. “Aunt Song, Uncle Mengshan’s illness really isn’t serious. The internal heat caused by his injuries is better off being released. If it stayed hidden, that would’ve been a real danger.”

“That bun was saved especially for you by Wu-ge, hurry and eat it, or else Uncle Mengshan will recover and you’ll fall sick.”

Her light tone and easy words lifted Madam Song’s spirits. She smiled and began eating the bun. “You cheeky girl, why are you calling us aunt and uncle now?” Madam Song suddenly realized the change in address. She’d been too focused on Yu Mengshan’s condition earlier to notice.

Yu Jiao chuckled. “It’s just a title. Whatever I call you, it’s all the same. You and Uncle Mengshan are good people, I feel close to you both this way.”

Madam Song laughed too. “Seems like falling ill really changed you. Your tongue’s gotten a lot sweeter. Aunt and uncle it is, call us whatever you like.”

After finishing the bun, Madam Song didn’t rest. She poured a bucket of water into the large pot to boil some hot water for Yu Jiao’s bath.

Yu Jiao couldn’t bear to let her do more and called out with a smile, “Aunt Song, don’t trouble yourself. The medicine’s ready, go give it to Uncle Mengshan. I’ll take care of the hot water myself.” She poured the decoction into a bowl and handed it to Madam Song.

Madam Song was still worried about Yu Mengshan. She stood up, wiped her hands, and took the bowl. “After your uncle drinks the medicine, I’ll bring the bathing tub into your room. Take a nice long soak.”

Yu Jiao nodded. After she left, Yu Jiao added more firewood and began boiling water.

At this moment, she felt a bit grateful. In her past life, her grandfather had raised her in a remote mountain forest, far from civilization. Chopping wood, making fires, cooking, they’d done it all. Because she’d grown up that way, she was able to adapt so quickly to life in the Yu household.

Just as Yu Jiao finished boiling the water and was about to carry it to the east room, Madam Zhao from the third branch appeared at the kitchen door. She gave Yu Jiao a disdainful look and said haughtily, “I need that hot water.”

She moved to snatch the wooden bucket from Yu Jiao’s hands, but Yu Jiao dodged, carrying the bucket out of the kitchen while saying, “If you need hot water, go boil some yourself.”

Madam Zhao had clearly come looking for trouble. Naturally, Yu Jiao wasn’t going to back down.

Fury flared in Madam Zhao’s chest. “You wretched girl! I said I need that hot water! Didn’t you hear me? Put it down this instant!”