Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 9

Yu Qizhe glanced at her unladylike sitting posture, then lowered his eyes and handed over a small pouch. “There are over forty coins in here. Leave the Yu family tonight.”

Yu Jiao was completely confused. She didn’t understand why Yu Qizhe, who had been fine earlier, suddenly wanted to kick her out. She spat out the straw from her mouth, changed to a cross-legged sitting position, took the pouch from Yu Qizhe, and counted the coins. “This little bit? Where am I supposed to go with that? If you give me back my deed of servitude, maybe I’ll consider it.”

She tossed the pouch back to him. Yu Qizhe held the pouch and lowered his gaze. “Grandmother plans to sell you to a broker.”

“Why?” Yu Jiao asked, though she already had a pretty good guess. After what Meng Yujiao had done, the Yu family clearly wanted her gone.

Yu Qizhe lowered his voice, afraid she didn’t understand the consequences. “A broker will sell any halfway decent-looking girl to a brothel.”

After speaking, he set the pouch down by her feet. “This is all I have, better than nothing. When it’s late and the household is asleep, leave.”

Yu Jiao looked at Yu Qizhe, her bright eyes shining. She gave a relaxed smile, so in his eyes, she was at least considered “decent-looking.”

“I haven’t even repaid you yet. How could I just leave like this?”

Repay him? A girl sold into a superstitious marriage and now being sold off again, who expected anything from her?

Yu Qizhe didn’t take her words to heart. He never expected gratitude. While he disapproved of what Meng Yujiao had done, it was ultimately to save his life. Once she left the Yu family, her fate had nothing to do with him.

That evening, Yu Jiao didn’t receive the meal Yu Qizhe usually brought. She wasn’t surprised. Since arriving in this godforsaken place, she had barely eaten her fill anyway.

She toyed with the pouch left by Yu Qizhe. If she really were sold to a brothel, she’d rather take her chances and run tonight. She knew she wasn’t cut out for surviving in a brothel.

Late at night, Yu Jiao quietly stepped out of the woodshed. The courtyard was pitch-black, and all the rooms were dark, everyone must have gone to bed. 

By the faint light of the moon, she crept toward the gate. Just as she reached for the latch, urgent and chaotic footsteps approached from outside. Then came frantic banging. “Uncle Yu, open the door! Help!”

Yu Jiao quickly unlatched the gate. A group of people rushed in, carrying an unconscious middle-aged man on a wooden door. Seeing that it was Yu Jiao who opened the gate, they didn’t even acknowledge her, just shoved her aside and hurried straight for the main hall.

The noise woke the entire Yu household, lamps lit up one by one. Old Master Yu threw on his coat and came out quickly. It wasn’t the first time someone had come seeking urgent medical help in the middle of the night, they were used to it.

The Zhou family members were in chaos, crying and shouting. Old Master Yu couldn’t even make out what they were saying. As he fastened his robe, he called out, “Calm down! Let me take a look. Madam Zhou, what happened?”

Being called out, Madam Zhou quickly replied, “I don’t know! He was sleeping soundly, and then he suddenly started convulsing and passed out!”

Old Master Yu crouched down to examine Zhou Huai, who lay stiff on the doorboard with froth at his mouth. He reached out to feel his pulse and muttered, “Could it be epilepsy?”

The Zhou family panicked. Madam Zhou, wiping her tears, said anxiously, “He’s never had anything like this before. It can’t be epilepsy…”

Old Master Yu’s expression changed as he felt the pulse, Zhou Huai’s face was red, lips were purple, breathing weak, limbs cold. Horrified, he said, “Take him to a doctor in town immediately! His pulse is faint, and his breathing is weak, this is a sign of impending death. I can’t treat this!”

The Zhou family was thrown into a frenzy. They cried and shouted, trying to shake Zhou Huai awake. Old Master Yu quickly stopped them. “Don’t touch him! Carry him to town right now. If you delay even a little, he won’t make it!”

Yu Jiao had been watching quietly from the corner and had already noticed something strange. Now that the room was in chaos and no one was paying her any attention, she stepped forward for a closer look. She examined Zhou Huai’s face, touched some of the froth at the corner of his mouth, and sniffed it.

Then she asked Madam Zhou in a calm, serious tone, “Was it during intercourse when this happened?”

Madam Zhou, wiping her tears, blushed deeply and glanced awkwardly at Yu Jiao. “Why are you asking that?”

Old Madam Yu had just emerged from the east wing. Hearing Yu Jiao’s shameless question, she glared at her. “Shut your mouth!”

Yu Jiao smirked slightly. Two young men from the Zhou family shoved her aside and lifted Zhou Huai, preparing to carry him to town.

Yu Jiao stumbled but regained her balance. She said slowly, “He’s suffering from ‘Horseback Madness.’ If you wait to get to town, he’ll be dead before you arrive.”

Old Master Yu paused, looked again at Zhou Huai’s symptoms, and suddenly realized, “So it’s Horseback Madness. Also known as ‘Wind Beneath the Loins.’ One moment you’re fine, the next, you’re gone. I’ve never heard of anyone being cured of it.”

The Zhou family didn’t understand what kind of illness “Horseback Madness” was, but seeing how serious it sounded, they burst into tears again, completely at a loss.

Zhou Huai’s eldest son dropped to his knees. “Grandpa Yu, since you know what it is, please save my father!”

Old Master Yu shook his head. “I can’t. Horseback Madness isn’t a normal illness. It can kill in a moment. I have no way to treat it.”

If he could cure such a thing, he’d be famous across the land.

Hearing this, Madam Zhou collapsed to the floor, sobbing. “Is there really no hope? Husband, if you die, how will we survive?”

Her son clenched his fists, wiped his tears, and gritted his teeth. “I’m taking Father to town. I won’t just sit here and watch him die!”

Yu Jiao let out a light sigh. “May I try?”

The whole room fell silent as everyone turned to look at her. Old Madam Yu glared fiercely but, with the Zhou family watching, scolded her in a more restrained tone. “Why are you causing trouble? Running around in the middle of the night, no sense of shame. Go back to your room and sleep!”

Madam Zhou’s eyes lit up. She remembered Yu Jiao’s earlier question and clutched her hand like a lifeline. “You can save him, can’t you? Please, save my husband! Our Zhou family will repay you however we can!”

“She doesn’t know how to treat illnesses,” Old Madam Yu said with a forced smile. “I know you’re desperate, but you can’t just ask anyone for help. Just take your husband to town.”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense!” Old Master Yu added. “Take him to town immediately, we can’t have him dying in our courtyard. That would bring terrible luck!”