CMWKSD -Chapter 25 The Tavern

For these three days, Jiu Yue and Ji Yiqing stayed at the Wang residence.

During the daytime, Jiu Yue detoxified Wang Jinnian, and after that, she detoxified Master Wang as well.

Yesterday, Master Wang had watched Jiu Yue detox Wang Jinnian, and the process had looked rather terrifying. Today it was his own turn—the feeling was even harder to describe. Watching those slender silver needles pierce his skin little by little…

To be honest, it didn’t hurt. The main issue was the psychological pressure—it was simply too much.

Jiu Yue looked far too casual. As she was inserting the needles, she even chatted idly with Ji Yiqing, who stood to the side.

Several needles were stuck into his head. Master Wang’s heart was hanging in his throat as he stared at the gleaming silver needles, afraid they might slip straight into his eyes.

Fortunately, although Jiu Yue appeared casual, the force of her hands and the placement of the acupoints were extremely precise.

Master Wang’s poison was very different from Wang Jinnian’s. Wang Jinnian had congenital poison, so bloodletting was necessary. Master Wang’s poison had entered his internal organs and mainly needed to be expelled.

“You’ll probably have to run to the latrine a few more times and sweat a lot,” Jiu Yue said after finishing the needling, already standing far away from him.

Master Wang was just about to ask why, when he suddenly felt unbearably hot.

Before long, he realized that sticky sweat had begun to seep all over his body.

And that wasn’t the end of it. As the sweat was expelled, the smell filling the entire room was simply indescribable.

Stinky and acrid—Master Wang felt like he’d turned into one of those foul stones at the bottom of a latrine, smelly and hard.

His face flushed bright red.

To make matters worse, he was covered in needles and couldn’t even move.

In the end, Master Wang ran to the latrine seven or eight times that day. Jiu Yue made him drink water nonstop—drink whenever there was even the slightest pause.

Master Wang felt like he didn’t even need to eat anymore. Just drinking water alone was enough to fill him up.

On the afternoon of the third day, after Jiu Yue finished the final round of acupuncture and bloodletting, she placed Wang Jinnian into a bathing tub. She clapped her hands—finally, the job was done.

These past two days, Ji Yiqing hadn’t done anything else. He had been writing down all kinds of prescriptions as Jiu Yue dictated them.

They were mainly for Wang Jinnian’s follow-up conditioning.

And what Jiu Yue provided wasn’t just prescriptions.

They were detailed down to how many steps he needed to walk each day, how much water to drink, how much food to eat, and which medicinal ingredients could be stewed into soups—everything.

Wang Nuannuan’s body also needed some conditioning, so Jiu Yue conveniently took care of that as well.

After Master Wang finished detoxifying, he initially didn’t feel much difference. But later, he discovered that he slept very well at night, and his body felt far more relaxed.

Coupled with the prescriptions Jiu Yue gave him, he finally realized that although this young girl looked delicate and petite, she truly had real skills.

He couldn’t help but put away that last trace of contempt. After all, people eat grains—who doesn’t get sick?

A good physician was something one could only hope to encounter, not seek out.

Madam Wang cradled the prescriptions as if they were priceless treasures. “This… how long will the conditioning take?”

Jiu Yue pressed her lips together and thought for a moment. “I’ve given prescriptions for three months, but you can try conditioning him for a year.” After a pause, she added, “It’s best not to engage in marital relations too early.”

In this era, it was extremely common for men to start that sort of thing at thirteen or fourteen.

Jiu Yue didn’t really understand it, but she respected it. As an outsider, how could she go around lecturing others?

Madam Wang blushed slightly. Seeing that Wang Jinnian had been detoxified, her first thought had been to find him a wife to take care of him.

But after hearing Jiu Yue’s words, she no longer dared to start looking for a daughter-in-law right away. Not only was that out of the question, even the few rather pretty maids in the courtyard would have to be replaced.

After all, if even one of those maids developed improper intentions and seduced the innocent Wang Jinnian into doing something reckless…

Taking a maid as a concubine would be a small matter, but if it harmed Wang Jinnian’s health, the loss would far outweigh the gain.

By the time Jiu Yue and Ji Yiqing left on the afternoon of the third day, color had already returned to Wang Jinnian’s face.

The sickly sallow yellow and bluish-purple tint had completely disappeared. Jiu Yue’s medical skills could truly be described as reaching the pinnacle.

Jiu Yue received one thousand taels of silver and many other items.

Master Wang even had Steward Wang personally escort the two of them back by carriage.

Speaking of carriages, Jiu Yue felt it was absolutely necessary to buy one. The clothes she was wearing now had all been prepared by Madam Wang.

If she had to walk three hours every time she entered the city, she would rather just smash her head and die.

That entire cartload of goods—Jiu Yue had them sent back first. She still wanted to stroll around the city properly.

Thinking of this, she happily put away the silver notes.

When Madam Wang heard that Jiu Yue still wanted to go shopping, she even gave her some loose silver—clearly a very kind person.

Jiu Yue sighed that there were still many good people in this world.

She grabbed Ji Yiqing and went straight into the largest tavern in Qingshui County. Coincidentally, this tavern seemed to belong to Master Wang as well.

There was no menu. Instead, the waiter rattled off dish names like a rehearsed routine. As the waiter spoke, Jiu Yue subconsciously dubbed it in her mind:

“Steamed lamb, steamed bear’s paw, steamed deer tail…”

Seeing Jiu Yue amusing herself alone, Ji Yiqing waited until the waiter left after taking their order, then looked at her. “So happy?”

Jiu Yue patted the silver notes at her chest. “Naturally.”

Ji Yiqing lowered his head and smiled. Jiu Yue’s abilities were something he couldn’t compare to at all. With such a money-making wife, how much harder would he need to work to stand beside her?

Fortunately, Jiu Yue didn’t look down on him for not being as capable at earning money as she was.

The dishes were served.

Jiu Yue stopped talking altogether and immediately started eating, chopsticks flying.

The two of them didn’t go into a private room. It wasn’t mealtime yet, so there weren’t many guests in the tavern.

The waiter stood not far away, ready to step forward at any need.

Jiu Yue picked up some stir-fried pork and put it into her mouth. After chewing for a bit, her expression turned sour.

The lean meat was really old—so tough it even got stuck between her teeth. She felt like her tooth gaps were about to be pried wider.

Ji Yiqing was picking out fish bones for her. Seeing her chopsticks moving slower and slower, he placed the deboned fish belly into her bowl and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Jiu Yue wrinkled her nose slightly. “This meat is really tough.”

Most people here liked fatty meat, and those who came to taverns generally weren’t short on money, so the pork used was half-fat, half-lean.

Hearing this, Ji Yiqing also picked up a piece and put it into his mouth. After chewing for a while, he said, “No, it’s fine. It’s very tender and tasty.”

Jiu Yue pouted. “That’s because you’ve never eaten stir-fried meat that’s soft, tender, and silky-smooth.”

Ji Yiqing hummed in confusion, about to speak, when the tavern manager walked over.
“Miss, do you find this meat too tough?”

The owner had specifically instructed that these guests be well taken care of, so the manager naturally didn’t dare to be negligent.

Jiu Yue glanced at him. “Yes, it’s very tough.”

The manager had the waiter bring a pair of chopsticks. “Miss, would you mind if I tasted a bite?”

Jiu Yue waved her hand. “Go ahead, go ahead.”

The manager picked up a piece and put it into his mouth. These were the owner’s honored guests—he couldn’t afford the slightest neglect. He had thought the chef might have slipped and affected the quality.

But after tasting it, he realized that wasn’t the case at all. Not only had the standard not dropped, it was actually better than usual.

He looked toward Ji Yiqing and saw that this young gentleman didn’t find anything wrong either.

Seeing that neither of them commented further, Jiu Yue clicked her tongue. “That’s because you’ve never eaten meat coated in starch and egg liquid. Stir-fried, it’s tender, silky, and soft. Make a sliced-meat soup or blanch some meatballs—now that flavor…”