Chapter 240: Fourth Miss Liu

Yao, the maid, had never seen the fourth miss but was acquainted with Little Xi, the maid of Fourth Miss Liu.

Little Xi would occasionally go out to buy small items from the peddlers to gather information and would often bribe Yao for convenience and to glean insights into the mansion’s affairs, gradually building a bond with her.

In February, upon hearing the peddlers outside, Little Xi stepped out with some silver coins and heard the sounds of furniture being rearranged from the opposite residence.

Curious, she asked Yao, who indeed had knowledge of the situation. Since Yao’s daughter was married to a servant at the Princess Changting’s mansion, she was privy to some information. Yao mentioned that the mother and brother of the renowned “Goddess of Healing” Third Young Madam Jiang were moving to the Yuling Courtyard across the street. She also shared some gossip about how Third Young Madam Jiang’s mother, despite her beauty, was divorced and even gave birth to a son afterward.

Little Xi’s interest lay not with Third Young Madam Jiang’s mother, but with the “Goddess of Healing” Third Young Madam Jiang herself. After learning more about Third Young Madam Jiang’s talents, she hurried back to inform Fourt Miss Liu. She spoke of Third Young Madam Jiang’s exceptional medical skills, curing the old Marquis Jiang’s soul-separation illness, reviving the dying old Princess He, and treating numerous infertile women. Now, many nobles were vying to seek her treatment, and she even ran a large clinic named Tongren Hall…

The eyes of Fourth Miss Liu, previously dull, now gleamed with interest. “Really? Third Young Lady Jiang’s medical skills are truly remarkable, and her maternal family is the renowned He family?”

Little Xi confirmed, “Indeed. According to Yao, their daughter’s home is adjacent to Huang’s family residence nearby, where Third Young Madam Jiang successfully treated the daughter-in-law who had been infertile for years. Third Young Madam Jiang’s mother was divorced due to Imperial Physician He’s influence…”

The conversation continued with tales of Lu Man’s prowess, emphasizing her reputation and success stories. They speculated that since Yuling Courtyard was Lu Man’s maternal home, she was likely to visit there.

Little Xi then gifted Yao the pair of golden bracelets belonging to Fourth Miss Liu. Delighted, Yao happily accepted the weighty bracelets, considering Little Xi as a trustworthy individual. She immediately suggested getting a new key made for the northwest door and granted permission for Little Xi to use it whenever needed.

With the key in hand, Little Xi frequently sneaked off to eavesdrop at the “wall corner”.

Finally, on the day when He Mingzhu took her children to visit Yuling Courtyard, Little Xi opened the door and went straight to seek Lu Man. Due to certain reasons, they couldn’t reveal their mistress’s identity before the Third Young Madam Jiang agreed to treat her, to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Third Young Madam Jiang had reservations and faced opposition from her servants, unwilling to help in this matter.

In a dilemma, Little Xi heard from Yao that He Cheng, Third Young Madam Jiang’s brother, was also a healer. Many servants sought his medical help, and he remained unfazed whether they paid or not. Yao also praised He Cheng’s charm, humility, and how he attracted many young ladies who feigned illness to see him.

Upon hearing this, Fourth Miss Liu felt hopeful once more. If they could enlist He Cheng’s medical aid and if he couldn’t solve the issue, perhaps he would consult his sister…

Thus, Little Xi waited for He Cheng at the northwest side door. Although He Cheng passed by the door several times a day, he was often in the company of other passersby, making it difficult for Little Xi to speak with him privately. Today, however, she finally caught him alone and eagerly pulled him inside.

Anxious, He Cheng was led by Little Xi to a secluded courtyard. It was remote, situated behind Liu’s mansion, surrounded by lush greenery, with only a faint view of the vast buildings in the distance.

The small courtyard was old, with weathered whitewashed walls and faded red paint on the doors and window frames.

As He Cheng was pulled into the courtyard by Little Xi, they arrived at the entrance of the house.

At that moment, He Cheng began regretting his decision. He shook off Little Xi’s hand, his face flushing as he said, “I am a man, how can I enter a lady’s chamber? It’s improper.”

A soft voice from inside the house spoke, “Mr. He, even if I am a woman, I understand that healers are not defined by gender. You are a well-traveled man and a Physician, surely you realize this principle?”

Upon hearing this, He Cheng acknowledged the logic but still hesitated.

The young lady inside the house spoke again, “Mr. He, please rest assured. I come from a respectable family. Due to a serious illness and the loss of my birth mother, I’ve been confined here and unable to leave. As a compassionate healer, you’re already at the door, could you bear to watch me suffer without offering help? Don’t worry, if you can’t cure me, I won’t blame you. Just help me maintain confidentiality.”

He Cheng nodded in agreement, clasping his hands together respectfully towards the house, “You are right, Miss. I realized my mistake. In the eyes of a healer, there are only patients, not distinctions based on gender.” With that, he followed Little Xi into the house.

After about fifteen minutes, He Cheng emerged from the house with a solemn expression, discreetly escorted out the side door by Little Xi.

Upon seeing the young lady and hearing her story, He Cheng felt deep sympathy. He saw the same helplessness and hardship in her as he had once seen in his sister, yet also witnessed the same intelligence and resilience. He felt compelled to help this girl, just as he wants to helped his sister if he could in the past.

Reflecting on his sister’s past struggles, especially when she was abandoned in the mountains, he shuddered at the thought. He knew that if it hadn’t been for her husband’s timely intervention, she might not have survived.

However, the prospect of comparing his sister’s situation with the young lady’s dilemma felt inappropriate. His sister had found happiness with her husband, unlike the circumstances with the young lady…

Aware of his mother’s timidity and his sister’s pregnancy, he didn’t want to burden them. Moreover, given his sister’s status as the mistress of a prominent household, he didn’t want to put her in a difficult position. Therefore, he decided to secretly find a way to help Miss Liu recover without informing anyone else, except for his servant Wu Baizhi.

Starting from that day, He Cheng intensified his efforts, delving into medical texts until late hours, particularly focusing on treatments for chronic ailments. Some passages were clear to him, while others proved more challenging to comprehend. During the day, he posed more questions to Lu Man, some of which were quite intricate, requiring her to consult medical texts or notes before responding.

Every few days, Baizhi would visit the herbal store to purchase traditional medicines or moxibustion supplies. After dark, when the streets were deserted, he would discreetly leave them at the small door.

Every week or so, after dinner, He Cheng would carry a bundle containing silver needles, herbs, and other items and head to the main courtyard with Baizhi.

He Cheng remained cautious. The initial experience of being forcibly pulled into the house left him shaken. If anything went wrong, his loved ones wouldn’t know where he was. He didn’t allow Baizhi to accompany him but instead instructed him to wait behind a large tree near the small door. If he didn’t return within fifteen minutes, Baizhi was to quickly report back.

To He Mingzhu, he simply mentioned going to the backstreets to treat patients.