The General's Delicious Wife Chapter 023: Can feel something
This is the first time Xia Yue Chu leaves the Seng Head village, she observes the surrounding silently through the journey and remembers the signs to exit the village in her heart.
From Seng Head village to the town, more than half is the mountain track. Turning left and curving right, they have been on the bumpy ride for more than an hour, Xia Yue Chu feels as if her skeleton is going to collapse, then finally, they reach the main official road.
About this time, the sun has risen high up and it feels much warmer than before.
"Father, you let the ox walks slowly on its own, we can eat something."
Xia Yue Chu takes out maize cakes from a basket, she uses an article of old cotton clothes to keep an earthen jar of soup warm, she also brings along some salted vegetables.
Due to the wrapping of cotton clothes, the soup still carries a steaming heat. The few of them eat the maize cakes with the soup, for a heavier flavour, they eat some salted vegetables. At least it is a considerably comfortable meal.
Xue Liang Ping who could only munch on cold maize cakes when he makes a trip usually, cannot help but exclaims. "My son, Father has been sorry to you in other aspects, but only this, in having you married not the wrong person as your wife!"
Xue Zhuang pulls on the cotton clothes over his legs uncomfortably, after these past few days of interaction, he too, recognizes that Xia Yue Chu is a good woman. It is a pity…
Thankfully Xia Yue Chu has not said anything else, when everyone has eaten to their fill, she tidies everything up swiftly.
Xue Liang Ping drives the cart faster towards the town, rushing the journey, and very soon they can see the city gates.
The ox cart stops outside the city gates, there are people specifically responsible in watching over these, only requiring to pay them a few copper coins will do.
Upon entering the city, everything that Xia Yue Chu sees is fresh and new to her but it is not good to show, so she pretends to just watch the lively crowd.
This city ground seems to be pretty big, the two sides of the road is filled with shops in the lively district, and majority of them are two storey buildings. There are many people on the streets, it appears to be lively and prosperous.
Xia Yue Chu notices the signboards nearby, although it is all in the older complicated font, she is able to recognize most of them with some guessing.
The surrounding shops include pastry store, small diner, noodle shop, big restaurant, there is a complete variety. The more Xia Yue Chu sees the more anxious she gets. This place is totally different from her imagination of what behind time is, trying to win with something new will not be as easy.
If it comes to making something that the others are selling in their shops, though she has the confidence that she can make it better, but any plans to break into the market fast is going to be difficult.
Xue Zhuang sees that Xia Yue Chu's attention has been drifting along the stores and her frown is uncontrollable. So he calls Qin Zheng over, instructing him in a whisper.
Qin Zheng straightens himself and calls out to Xue Liang Ping. "Uncle Xue, you all go ahead to see the doctor first. I'll spin around for a look and find you all at the clinic later."
As soon as he finishes saying this, not waiting for Xue Liang Ping's response, Qin Zheng is gone, leaving no shadow.
Xue Liang Ping pushing Xue Zhuang's wheelchair cannot react in time.
"Ai, this kid, runs so fast, he doesn't know where the clinic is and runs off like that!"
"Father, rest assured, he won't get lost." Xue Zhuang does not think it is any big issue, "if he can't even find a clinic, all these years as a soldier would have been a waste."
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"That is true." Xue Liang Ping has always felt in debt to his son because of this issue, every time when the topic of conversation is directed towards the army, he dares not continue to respond.
It is a good thing that the clinic is already right before their eyes, Xue Liang Ping pushes Xue Zhuang in quickly and greets. "Doctor Tang, again we have come to trouble you."
Doctor Tang is sitting at the table in the main hall of the clinic, he is in the midst of writing a prescription for an old sir, seeing that they have come in, he nods his head with a smile.
"Take a seat first, all of you, I'll come after I finish the consultation with this old sir."
The space in the clinic is not too big but the layout is rational.
Upon entering facing the door, there is a long narrow table. Above it hangs a portrait of somebody whom they don't know, a censer and fruit offerings are placed on that long narrow table. The two sides of the walls are filled to the brim with drawers that has herb names written on it.
The table that Doctor Tang uses for his consultation is positioned right at the center of the store. On one side, there are chairs for people who will wait their turn to the consultation, on the other side, there is a counter for weighing the medicine and receiving the payment.
While Xia Yue Chu is still looking around, Doctor Tang has already send off the patient he is looking at just now. Washes his hands, wiping his hands dry and asking at the same time. "I was thinking that you might be coming over these two days, have you eaten all the medicine from last time?"
"Today will be finishing the last pack of medicine. He drank a bowl in the morning before coming out, the remaining bowl is for tonight's consumption after going back." Xia Yue Chu replies. "We didn't want to stop the medication, that's why we came to you in a rush for a look."
Doctor Tang is satisfied and nods his head. "Like this is good, there is a common saying, the illness comes as if a mountain falls, the illness goes as if drawing out a thread. To cure an illness, it cannot be rushed, there needs to be perseverance. Fishing for three days and sunning the nets for two days*, might as well not eat any medicine."
He is saying this as he observes the colour of Xue Zhuang's face and tongue, after diagnosing his pulse, he knocks and presses on several points on his legs. Seeing that Xue Zhuang still does not have any reaction, he says. "The chill that you have caught earlier has been detoxified completely, you have not been coughing anymore these few days right?"
"Yes, it has been a few days without coughing." Xue Zhuang nods his head.
"This problem with your legs, I will give you another acupuncture therapy today, and then change a prescription. Go back eat it for another half a month and see how it goes." Doctor Tang let Xue Liang Ping pushes Xue Zhuang into the inner room. Helping him lie face down on the clinic bed and removing his clothes to begin dry needling.
Xia Yue Chu excuses herself saying she is afraid of the sight of needles, insists on waiting outside and not going in.
Out there, she is idle with nothing to do, so she stands up to examine the drawers filled with medicinal herbs on the two sides of the wall. Suddenly, her heart births forth an idea.
Before she could consider the finer details, she sees Qin Zheng coming in from the outside with two waxed paper packages.
Qin Zheng stuffs the things in his hands to Xia Yue Chu on his way. "Sister-in-law, told me to buy these for you."
Xia Yue Chu is doused with confusion. Dropping her head down to look, the waxed paper wrapper is pressed with a patch of red paper, on it is written three big words 'Yong Shun Zhai'. It is one of the pastry stores which she has been staring for a little more just now.
"This…"
Xia Yue Chu unknowingly feels a bit grieved. Honestly speaking about this Xue Zhuang, even with her modern day expectations and standards, he is appreciably not bad of a man.
He is not only generous and gentle, he is also very thoughtful. It is a pity that his life is not too good.
But so what if he is excellent, she is fundamentally not the virtuous wife that he thinks she is, somewhere in the future she will leave sooner or later.
Qin Zheng detects how sadden Xia Yue Chu becomes and he assumes that she is worried because of Xue Zhuang's illness, so he panicked a little in the moment.
"Sister-in-law, you don't worry, the illness will definitely be treated well."
His words are said with a hint of guilt because he understands clearly that when the illness is completely cured, it will signify that it is their time to leave.
At that time, abandoning Xia Yue Chu in the Xue family, what kind of days will she be going to face…
Qin Zheng dares not continue his train of thoughts.
These two people hold onto their troubles separately. Their original topic of conversation is too awkward to be continued anymore, so they sit in the outside hall in silence.
Not knowing how much time has passed, the curtains of the inner room is raised. Doctor Tang walks out smiling happily.
Xue Liang Ping pushes Xue Zhuang following behind closely with his joy evident on his face.
Qin Zheng shoots up and asks. "Big Brother, you can feel your legs?"
Xue Zhuang's eyes are also full with excitement, nodding his head hard. "En, when the needle is tacking just now, I could feel a soreness on the back waist, there is also some pricking pain on the legs."
Doctor Tang is much more relaxed now, saying with a smile. "Looks like the last prescription has its effect, I will add in and switch a few herb ingredients. Go back and eat for half a month, persist on the foot bath, we will see the situation again after half a month."
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Translator Notes:
*Fishing for three days and sunning the nets for two days, meaning not consistent, to slack off and be lazy.
Translator by Yellow. Sep 2022.