Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 235

Yang Jiyan also wanted to go inside and have a look, but remembering that Wang Xueyan had lost her baby and undergone a cesarean to remove the fetus, it felt too bloody and inauspicious. She feared being tainted by bad energy. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to wait in the outer room.

Yu Fuling fetched paper and brush from the table and returned to the inner room.

In the outer room, Lin Fang exchanged a glance with the young physician. The younger man’s voice was a bit dry as he said, “She really did perform a cesarean and removed the stillborn… could she truly be a successor of The Green Satchel Legacy?”

Lin Fang didn’t respond. He badly wanted to go into the inner room to see how Wang Xueyan was doing, and he deeply regretted not being able to observe Yu Jiao’s surgical procedure up close.

Taking a sip of tea, Lin Fang collected himself and said dismissively, “Not necessarily. The Green Satchel Legacy has never vanished from the world. If someone really inherited it, wouldn’t they already be famous? Besides, even if she did remove the stillborn, we’ll still have to see if Young Madam Sun truly survives unharmed.”

“You’re right, Physician Lin,” the young physician quickly agreed.

As soon as Shen Wan entered the inner room, she rushed to the bedside. Seeing Wang Xueyan lying there peacefully with her eyes closed, she asked anxiously, “What’s going on with my cousin?”

Yu Jiao glanced at the incense that had yet to burn out and replied, “She’s asleep. She should wake up once the incense finishes burning.”

Shen Wan had imagined a cesarean would be excruciatingly painful, but she hadn’t heard her cousin cry out in pain from outside. Now, seeing her sleeping so peacefully, she asked in disbelief, “The stillborn in my cousin’s belly… was it really taken out?”

While writing a prescription, Yu Jiao nodded toward a nearby bundle. “The unfortunate child is there.”

Shen Wan looked at the bundle, stepped closer, but didn’t dare to open it. After a brief hesitation, she stepped outside and called for a servant. “Spend some money and get a proper coffin. Bury the child properly.”

Stillborn children are typically not allowed to be buried according to formal rites, in most households, they’re quietly buried in remote places. But this was her cousin’s child, five months into pregnancy. Despite the lack of a strong maternal bond, Shen Wan feared that once Wang Xueyan awoke, she might ask about the baby. Better to have it taken care of properly.

Yu Jiao finished writing the prescription and told Shen Wan, “Take two doses a day for ten days straight.”

Shen Wan received the prescription with great care and tucked it into her pouch.

Yu Jiao walked to the bedside, lifted the quilt covering Wang Xueyan, and pointed to the gauze-wrapped incision. She explained, “The bandage needs to be removed every other day. Dab the stitched wound with licorice water, apply the flesh-regeneration ointment, and sprinkle with azurite powder. The wound should heal within a month.”

The ointment and powder had previously been sent to Xiao Ning, so Yu Jiao didn’t have any on hand. “I’ll go back and prepare more of the flesh-regenerating ointment and azurite powder and send them to your residence.”

Shen Wan carefully committed her instructions to memory. Only now did she notice that the licorice water and pepper-salt solution from earlier had turned to bloody water. The tools on the wooden tray were also covered in blood. Her face turned pale, nausea rising in her throat. Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she retched several times. Thankfully, she hadn’t eaten anything that morning due to her cousin’s emergency, so she didn’t vomit anything foul.

Yu Jiao said calmly, “Miss Xueyan shouldn’t be exposed to drafts right now. Miss Shen, it might be best to have another clean room prepared, fumigated with herbs, and then move her there.”

Shen Wan took a moment to recover, still pale. “Forgive me, Doctor Yu. I’ll have the servants prepare a room right away.”

Yu Jiao took out a pre-mixed pouch of disinfecting herbs from her medical kit and handed it to Shen Wan. “Once the room is ready, burn this herb bundle in the incense burner.”

Just then, Wang Xueyan let out a soft moan from the bed and slowly opened her eyes. Hearing the sound, Shen Wan quickly rushed to her side, joyful and excited. “Cousin, you’re awake! Do you feel any discomfort?”

Wang Xueyan could clearly feel the emptiness in her abdomen and asked in confusion, “The child in my belly… is gone?”

“Doctor Yu already removed it. Don’t worry, Cousin, I’ve asked Nanny Fang to buy a coffin. We’ll give the poor child a proper burial,” Shen Wan gently held her cousin’s hand and spoke softly.

A look of sorrow swept across Wang Xueyan’s face. The poor child had ended up in her womb, and because of her, he never had the chance to come into this world.

Seeing that she was grieving, Shen Wan quickly changed the subject. “Sister, does your abdomen hurt?”

Wang Xueyan shook her head. “Not really… Did Physician Yu truly cut me open?”

Yu Jiao nodded. The anesthetic hadn’t worn off yet, which was why Wang Xueyan couldn’t feel any pain. “In about half an hour, the pain will kick in. Over the next few days, the healing will bring both pain and itching. You mustn’t touch the wound, bear with it.”

Wang Xueyan nodded and said sincerely, “Thank you, Physician Yu, for saving my life.”

Yu Jiao smiled. “Just focus on healing. I believe you’ll live a much better life from now on.”

Wang Xueyan smiled back. She had never met a woman like Yu Jiao before. Having lived her life confined to the inner chambers of the household, she now realized how vast the world truly was. One didn’t have to live by outdated conventions.

She had overheard the argument between Physician Lin and Yu Jiao. A young girl like her could live with such clarity and courage, unafraid of worldly judgment, how could she, Wang Xueyan, continue living in confusion and cowardice? That would be a betrayal of Yu Jiao’s effort to save her life.

Yu Jiao washed the surgical instruments in pepper-salt water, then disinfected them with strong liquor and fire before putting them back in her medical box.

Yu Fuling expertly picked up the box and slung it over her shoulder. Seeing this, Wang Xueyan asked, “Physician Yu, are you leaving? Wanwan, get my jewelry box and pay her consultation fee.”

Wang Xueyan had lived a hard life in the Sun family. Her dowry had long been taken away, and even the shops she brought into the marriage were seized by Madam Sun. All she had left was a small stash of private savings hidden in the bottom of her vanity box.

Shen Wan, knowing her cousin’s situation, had already prepared the silver. “Cousin, I’ll walk Physician Yu out. You should rest.”

She had the maid come in to clean up the bloody water and tools, then accompanied Yu Jiao to the side room.

“Jiyan, keep Physician Yu company. I’ll be back shortly,” Shen Wan said with a smile to Yang Jiyan.

Yang Jiyan agreed and invited Yu Jiao and Yu Fuling to sit. A maid served Liu’an tea and brought out some fruit and snacks.

Note: Liu An tea (六安茶) is a famous Chinese post-fermented dark tea (Hei Cha) from Anhui Province, known for its rich, earthy, woody flavor, often aged in bamboo baskets, giving it unique camphor, medicinal, or nutty notes and a smooth, mellow taste, popular for its digestive health benefits, especially among older tea drinkers in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. 

Shen Wan straightened her clothing and, now once again the composed and dignified lady of a noble family, stepped outside the courtyard.

Her entire heart had been focused on her cousin’s safety. Now that Wang Xueyan was out of danger, she could finally turn her attention to “cleaning the house” within the Sun family.

The debts here were too many to settle at once, but the most urgent task was clear, it was time to skin the Sun family alive.

A separation between Cousin Xueyan and Sun Songwen was now inevitable. Shen Wan no longer intended to leave the Sun family any room to maneuver.