Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 93

Yu Ruhai hesitated slightly and said, “Old Master He is quite advanced in age, unlike Second Master Mu. I’ll need to carefully consider the medication.”

Though both conditions were types of carbuncles, the pulse signs were different. As a physician, Yu Ruhai knew well that in medicine, even the slightest miscalculation could lead to vastly different outcomes.

Upon hearing this, He Dongsheng subtly signaled the servant beside him. The servant quickly pulled out two gleaming silver ingots from his chest pocket, each weighing ten taels and placed them conspicuously on the table.

“Doctor Yu, as long as you can cure my father’s illness, we’re more than willing to discuss any consultation fee,” He Dongsheng said.

Yu Ruhai glanced at the silver on the table, his heart trembling slightly. This man surnamed He, is clearly generous. If he took on the case, all the consultation fees would be his alone, Meng Yujiao would have no claim. 

And if he succeeded in curing Old Master He, word would spread. Yu Ruhai’s name would become well-known across the entire Changkui County. More patients would come to seek his expertise, and the empty family money chest would soon be overflowing again.

Just imagining it made Yu Ruhai excited. His hesitation vanished, and in a moment of heated pride, he said, “I’ll do my best. But Old Master He is elderly, and my prescription may not work as effectively.”

He Dongsheng responded immediately, “Regardless of the outcome, that silver is yours for the effort. If you manage to cure him, I’ll prepare an even more generous reward.”

With his worries dispelled, Yu Ruhai wasted no time. He instructed Yu Hanshan to catch a crucian carp from the stream at the foot of the mountain and asked Madam Song to collect goat droppings from a household in the village that raised castrated goats.

Following Meng Yujiao’s prescription for treating Mu Yan’s carbuncle to the letter, Yu Ruhai carefully wrote it out and also retrieved twenty of the detoxifying forsythia pills and water buffalo horn detox pills he had previously prepared.

Seeing Yu Ruhai confidently write out the prescription, He Dongsheng felt completely at ease.

Outside, the sky was overcast because of the rain, fish were surfacing to breathe, so Yu Hanshan quickly caught a crucian carp. Though Yu Ruhai hadn’t seen how Yujiao had prepared the fish the other day, with Madam Song’s help, they managed to grind the carp and goat droppings into a fine powder in no time.

Yu Ruhai applied the medicine to the festering sores on the back of Old Master He’s head, using the same technique Meng Yujiao had used on Mu Yan.

After explaining how to take the medication, Yu Ruhai added, “If all goes well, the carbuncles on the old master’s scalp should fully erupt within three days. At that point, we’ll apply more powder. Combined with the decoctions and pills I’ve prescribed, he should be much improved within five days.”

Impressed by Yu Ruhai’s confidence, He Dongsheng had his servant hand over another ten taels of silver and left word that he would return to offer formal thanks once his father recovered.

After seeing the He family off, Yu Ruhai was beaming with pride. Without much effort, he had earned thirty taels of silver. His heart swelled with joy, and he secretly felt grateful that he hadn’t sold the prescription to the Huichuntang pharmacy.

To celebrate, Yu Ruhai gave Yu Hanshan fifty copper coins and had him go to the neighboring village to buy a jug of good wine from a local seller, just in time to enjoy a few cups with lunch.

During lunch, the atmosphere in the Yu household was particularly lively and harmonious. With so much money earned all at once, Yu Ruhai felt more confident than ever. At the table, he decisively announced that once the rain cleared in a few days, he would send Yu Jinshu and Yu Zhizhou together to the county academy and find a respected scholar to write them letters of recommendation for the autumn imperial exam.

Madam Zhang, who had been fussing for days, was finally reassured and elated by the turn of events. After a few cups of wine, Yu Ruhai solemnly reminded the family to keep their mouths shut, no one was to mention that Yujiao knew medicine. If anyone asked, they were to say all the patients were treated by him.

The main and third branches of the family agreed without hesitation. Only the second branch remained silent. Yu Ruhai cast a glance their way, his tone firm but not harsh. He spoke of protecting Yujiao’s reputation and restoring the family’s ancestral honor.

With that, Yu Mengshan and Madam Song had no choice but to voice their agreement as well.

Feeling proud and accomplished, Yu Ruhai had a few more drinks with Yu Hanshan and then happily went off to bed for an afternoon nap.