Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 179

“Alright then, I’ll be waiting for your red eggs!” The woman said with a laugh, adding, “Once the talented lads from our village return from the exam, it’s going to be a real lively time. Matchmaker Wang will be running herself ragged!”

Madam Qin smiled. Her son, Chen Zhiqing, was still unbetrothed. She and her husband, Chen Gensheng, had originally planned to arrange a match for him early on with a good family, but Zhiqing himself wasn’t willing.

He had aspirations to continue climbing the ranks through the imperial exams. The Chen family was just ordinary folk, and marriage, if handled well, could even serve as a stepping stone. If the right in-laws offered support, it might help his future prospects. So the couple had no choice but to go along with his wishes.

When Madam Qin returned to their courtyard, she saw Chen Gensheng smoking a dry tobacco pipe with a sour expression. She gently tried to reassure him, “There’s no need for us to butt heads with the Yu family.”

Chen Gensheng tapped his pipe and muttered, “That’s not what I’m thinking about. Do you really think it was that little girl who cured Yu Wulang’s illness?”

Madam Qin knew he was once again thinking about his mother’s worsening condition. “Maybe it was,” she said. “Ever since people started saying that girl knew medicine, the Yu family’s been bustling. Otherwise, how would they be rubbing shoulders with so many influential people?”

A bout of coughing echoed from inside the house. Madam Qin sighed, “Maybe we should go ask the Yu family for help after all. Mother’s illness can’t be dragged out any longer.”

The old woman’s condition was deteriorating by the day, there was no telling if she’d live to see the autumn exam results.

Chen Gensheng put away his pipe and said in a low voice, “I’ll go to the Yu family myself and invite her over.”

“If you’re going, swallow your pride and say a few kind words. Don’t let your bad temper get in the way,” Madam Qin reminded him.

Chen Gensheng handed her the pipe, stepped out of the courtyard, and headed to the Yu household.

When Yu Ruhai saw Chen Gensheng show up at his door, he was surprised but welcomed him politely with a smile, offering him tea. Inwardly, however, he still held a grudge. Years ago, he’d personally gone to the Chen family to propose a marriage between his fifth son and their girl, but Chen Gensheng had brushed him off and turned him down.

Yu Ruhai was actually a generation older than Chen Gensheng, yet back then, the old lady of the Chen family hadn’t even shown her face. She had just sent Chen Gensheng to dismiss him, utterly humiliating.

“What brings you here, Chen Gensheng?” Yu Ruhai asked with a smile.

Chen Gensheng didn’t dare put on the airs of his usual village head role. He respectfully called him “Uncle” before explaining, “My mother’s cough has gotten much worse. Last time, Chen Ying acted out of line and offended Wulang’s wife. I’ve already punished her harshly. I’m here now to ask if Wulang’s wife would be willing to come to our house and treat my mother.”

Yu Ruhai had never heard of any quarrel between Yu Jiao and Chen Ying, no one had mentioned it to him. All he remembered was Yu Jiao saying the Chen family had looked down on her because she was a female doctor.

Now the tables had turned, and it was the Chen family coming to them for help. Yu Ruhai felt quite pleased, though he didn’t show it. With a tone of concern, he said, “Your mother’s cough hasn’t improved? How has it dragged on this long? If it turns into tuberculosis, even the gods won’t be able to save her.”

“You’re right, Uncle Yu,” Gensheng nodded. “We’ve seen so many doctors and tried countless medicines, but nothing’s worked. Your granddaughter-in-law even prescribed something for her once. Recently, we had Physician Jiang from Huichun Hall take a look, still no results. Everyone in the village says your Wulang’s wife has remarkable skills, even better than the doctor from Huichun Hall. My mother’s only hope is her.”

Pleased by the praise of Yu Jiao’s medical skills, Yu Ruhai said with emphasis, “That girl does have talent and has learned a great deal from me, she’s quite capable.”

“With ancestors who served as imperial physicians, and you guiding her, her skills are naturally extraordinary,” Chen Gensheng said, glancing outside the main hall. “We’ve been talking a while, how come Wulang’s wife isn’t around?”

All the flattery had put Yu Ruhai in a good mood. Pretending to be regretful, he said with fake sympathy, “Ah, just bad timing. Master Mu invited Yu Jiao to Qingzhou for a consultation. She won’t be back anytime soon. If your mother’s illness is that serious, you’d better find another doctor quickly.”

Chen Gensheng hadn’t heard that Yu Jiao had gone to Qingzhou with the others, so he realized he’d wasted a bunch of time and effort. Still forced to smile and nod, he cursed inwardly, “This old man knew she wasn’t home yet kept going on and on.”

“She’s not home? Then maybe you could take a look, Uncle Yu? We’ve seen all the doctors nearby. I really have no other options. My mother coughs day and night, and I can’t do anything to help her, just watching her suffer makes me feel helpless.” His tone was sincere.

Since Yu Ruhai claimed to have taught Yu Jiao, perhaps he did know some old family remedies handed down from his imperial physician ancestors. Gensheng figured they had nothing to lose.

But Yu Ruhai hadn’t forgotten the lesson from the He family scandal. Besides, his priorities had changed. Before, he’d wanted Yu Jiao to cure the Chen family’s old lady to earn their respect, a way of venting the humiliation of that failed marriage proposal. But now, with the Chen family seeking him out, he no longer felt the need.

All his grandsons were taking the exams, and he didn’t want to stir up any more trouble. So he said, “I’m too old now, can’t diagnose like the younger physicians. I’ve already passed all my knowledge to Yu Jiao, and thankfully she’s talented, even better than I ever was. She’s the real deal now. I just enjoy my retirement, I no longer see patients.”

Hearing that, Chen Gensheng’s smile froze on his face. He forced out a reply, “Then I’ll come back and ask Wulang’s wife when she returns.”

“Alright. Once she’s back, I’ll let her know,” Yu Ruhai agreed, then added, “She’s been entered into the family genealogy and is now a daughter of the second household, a granddaughter of the Yu family, not just Wulang’s wife. You should call her ‘Jiao girl’ from now on.”

Chen Gensheng returned home fuming. Seeing his sour expression, Madam Qin cautiously asked, “She wouldn’t agree to treat Mother? Or did the Yu family give you attitude?”

Chen Gensheng, face dark as thunder, said, “That girl went to Qingzhou. I tried asking Yu Ruhai to help, and that old fox just brushed me off. Said he doesn’t treat patients anymore, looked smug as anything, like his tail’s about to wag right off!”

Madam Qin handed him a cup of tea and gently said, “Calm down. Even if he did agree, his medicine would be useless. Didn’t the He family’s old master almost die under his care? Why bother with him?”

“He claimed he taught all those skills to that girl. I thought maybe he really did have some secret techniques passed down from his ancestors. Didn’t they always say their family produced an imperial physician?” Chen Gensheng rubbed his temples, furrowing his brow. “Sigh… I let my worry for Mother cloud my judgment.”

Madam Qin walked over and began gently massaging his temples. “Don’t stress too much. If even Wulang’s cursed fate could be reversed, then maybe the heavens will show some mercy. Seeing our devotion, they might let your mother’s condition improve.”

Outside, they could hear Second Madam Qin muttering, likely the old woman had coughed up phlegm onto the bedding again.