The pharmacist sitting in the hall was dozing off. When he heard a sound, he could not help but look toward the source of the sound in a daze.
His medical skills were not good, and he was considered an apprentice who had yet to finish his apprenticeship. Usually, he would only look, listen, and ask the patient questions. At most, he would grab medicine from the cabinet.
However, Shen Hua's appearance made him stand up abruptly. He hurriedly shouted in the direction of the back hall.
"Master! Come quickly. Stop snoring! There's a lady here in poor health."
As he spoke, he sat Shen Hua down.
The pharmacist smiled apologetically. "The New Year is coming, so every family has to buy New Year's goods. Most ordinary people want to have a good New Year, so they can't bear to spend money on medicine for small injuries. Thus, Compassionate Peace Hall has gotten much quieter.
"Don't look take it as a bad sign. My master's medical skills are one of the best in the entire Fengzhou."
Shen Hua's mind was much clearer. The medicine that Cui Yun gave her had turned into a warm current, forcing out the cold in her body.
This was the first time Shen Hua had felt warmth without the help of a stove.
However, she could not stop coughing.
Soon, a white-bearded old man walked out quickly with a medicine box in his arms. Perhaps it was because he was in a hurry that his outer clothes were loose and he was not dressed properly.
Looking at Shen Hua's pale face, his heart trembled, and he could not help but scold his apprentice.
"You idiot, what are you waiting for? Didn't you hear the patient coughing so badly? Go get her a cup of almond tea to nourish her lungs."
As he spoke, he sat down opposite Shen Hua and quickly took out a pulse-taking pillow.
Shen Hua placed her hand on the pillow and pulled on her sleeve, revealing a small part of her jade-like wrist for him to take her pulse with.
The doctor carefully checked her pulse, and his expression became more and more solemn.
The severity of her fever was too much to mention in front of such a weak patient.
Judging by her pulse, this weakening disease was an old illness. To this day, she relied on various nourishing medicines to survive.
However, taking medicine all year round had a thirty percent of resulting in poisoning.
The doctor's brows furrowed tighter and tighter until they formed a twisted line. After a while, he smiled apologetically at Shen Hua, indicating that he was helpless. Then, he could only prescribe her some cough medicine.
Shen Hua was not surprised. If nothing unexpected happened, she could still live for another three years.
Three years was enough to do many things.
In the carriage, Ji He crossed his arms and looked at Cui Yun.
In the entire Shengjing City, he had seen many hypocritical people. Anyone who wanted to gain a foothold in officialdom had two faces. Even the noble Marquis of Chengyang was greedy and took bribes under the table.
However, Cui Yun was different.
Back then, the city suffered heavy casualties, but they were lucky enough to be rescued by the imperial court which then protected the city. The Marquis of Yangling and his eldest son died.
Cui Bai was the eldest son of the Cui family, the best of his generation. The family's second son, Cui Yun, was talented. However, the former was as noble as jade, while the latter was harder to describe.
Cui Yun was just standing at the cusp of the storm. He had to set an example and use the heart of a child to carry things.
He had no choice but to learn to get closer to Cui Bai and take on the responsibility of being the head of the Cui family. He learned to stop being himself.
Over the years, Cui Yun had indeed hidden every aspect of himself, making it difficult for others to catch hold of him. His rules for himself were comprehensive and proper.
However, Ji He did not believe that this black-hearted person who had kicked the Crown Prince into the water had really become a good person!
He pretended to do all the benevolent deeds in the world while maintaining a resting b*tch face. It was no wonder that all the women in Shengjing were crazy about him.
Ji He clicked his tongue.
"Young Marquis Cui is extremely considerate, but I say, aren't you tired of carrying on like this?"
Cui Yun widened his eyes, which were as clear as the wind and as bright as the moon. "Seventh Prince, what do you mean?"
Alright! You will not admit it, right?
"When are you going back to Shengjing?" Ji He changed the topic.
Ji He had talked about finding Hua Niang, but he knew that Cui Yun did not come for that purpose.
Cui Yun looked at the time. He had rushed here over the past few days, and with Ji He's ruckus, he could not read and did not get to rest well.
He pondered for a moment.
"Maybe we will set off in two days."
Cui Yun was not in a hurry to Shen Hua back up. After sending the two to the hall, he thought about finding an inn to rest in.
Shen Hua was carrying a few bags of medicine when she left the pharmacy. She wrapped herself up and looked at Ji Qing, who was standing outside the carriage.
"Please drive straight, turn left at the second intersection, go down another street, and turn left after passing the crooked tree. There are two majestic stone lions standing there."
He immediately took note of it all.
Shen Hua staggered onto the carriage. The moment she entered, her gaze met Cui Yun's.
Perhaps it was because of that cup of tea that she no was longer coughing and felt less uncomfortable. Her gaze paused on Cui Yun for a moment.
This fox fur was top-grade quality. It was rare to see in Fengzhou. Even in Shengjing, only those with extremely powerful families could afford it.
Shen Xue was more knowledgeable and sociable than Shen Hua. She was friends with the merchants who dealt in the fur business. She had tried every trick she could think of and spent as much money as she could before getting this piece.
The purple-clothed Ji He beside him was definitely not someone to be trifled with.
Shen Hua and Zheng Qianyu sat in the corner obediently.
She twirled her fingers and thought about what Zheng Qianyu said just now. She never liked owing favors. The little lady thought about it and looked at Cui Yun with a cold expression.
Unlike her cold and hard tone in front of Shen Qu, her voice now carried the gentleness of a young girl.
"Everyone says that we can't be hesitant when it comes to life-saving kindness. I have nothing to repay you with, so why don't ..."
Ji He was speechless.
He was familiar with these words.
A few years ago, the Third Princess also used this as an excuse to run to Cui Yun.
"We can't be hesitant when it comes to life-saving kindness. This princess has no way to repay you, so why don't I give myself to you?"
Tsk tsk! Was this little girl also trying to woo him?
Fine. Falling flowers have feelings for each other, and the flowing water waits for no man.
It was better to flirt with him than Cui Yun.
Ji He looked at Cui Yun and then at Shen Hua, smiling mysteriously.
Cui Yun glanced at Shen Hua, who was curled up into a ball.
Her palm-sized face was pitiful, but she had a maturity far beyond her years. However, she was equally as fragile and could have her neck broken with just a little force.
Shen Hua took a deep breath.
Under three pairs of eyes.
She generously took out a five hundred silver note from her bosom. Her fingertips were so white that they were shiny. She slowly extended it toward Cui Yun.
This was the first time Cui Yun had had money thrown at him.
Ji He was so angry that he laughed. "Little girl, aren't you insulting me?"
Shen Hua was at a loss for a moment.
When she lost her mother, Shen Wei felt sorry for her, but he did not teach her. It was already a blessing that he did not become completely crooked.
In her previous life, everyone used her, and no one taught her the ways of the world. It was true that Shen Hua did not understand much now. However, she knew the principle behind money and goods.
"Is this an insult?" she asked Zheng Qianyu.
"How can giving money be an insult?" Zheng Qianyu gritted her teeth and whispered. "If it was, I would be looking forward to people insulting me every day."
Humiliate him ruthlessly! Forget that he's a delicate flower!
Shen Hua understood.
She looked at Cui Yun awkwardly.
"My life is indeed not something that can be exchanged for a mere five hundred taels.
"Do you think I'm giving you too little?"
Shen Hua pursed her lips and criticized him. "You're so greedy. "