CH 129

Villainous Fake Eunuch (6)

“Join him!” The system in her mind exclaimed with delight.

Song Xu Yi studied the man standing in front of her. He was still unattractive, towering a head above her and as slender as a bamboo shoot, looking as if a gust of wind could knock him over. However, Song Xu Yi had witnessed his agile movements and knew that his lithe physique concealed tremendous strength.

Over the past few days, Song Xu Yi had grown familiar with his character. Like the system, she found him trustworthy and didn’t doubt that he was honest.

However, upon seeing the soldiers’ flames, Song Xu Yi became even more worried. Currently, the Emperor had only dispatched his men to encircle the village, but if the epidemic worsened…

If the situation deteriorated and the villagers fell into destitution, Song Xu Yi could still reveal her identity as the Princess to protect them. But if she were to leave, she had no clue what the soldiers might do to them.

Keeping this in mind, Song Xu Yi shook her head as she met the man’s slightly narrowed eyes. “Thank you, but I cannot accompany you.”

“However, could you deliver a letter for me?” Song Xu Yi implored, gazing at the man with a hopeful expression. “This letter holds great importance, and if you desire a reward, I can offer you a generous one in the future.”

The man regarded Song Xu Yi’s pallid countenance with a sincere gaze. Something flickered in his eyes before he gave a nod.

Song Xu Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

She entered the marketplace and approached a scholar to purchase paper and a pen. Swiftly, she wrote a letter and handed it to the man.

“Please deliver this letter to Wanzhou Station, and if anyone inquires, inform them that it’s from Song Xu Yi to Gu Ruyu…”

“Gu Ruyu?”

“Yes. Is there an issue?”

At the mention of Gu Ruyu’s name, the man seemed to freeze. Only after Song Xu Yi called out “Mr. Zhao” did the man acknowledge her.

“Thank you, you are truly kind-hearted,” she remarked. The man may not have been physically attractive, but his willingness to assist others spoke volumes. A smile spread across Song Xu Yi’s face as she expressed her gratitude. “I have nothing to offer at present, but if we should cross paths in the future, I will surely express my gratitude.”

“Kind man?”

The man’s lips curved slightly as he caught the smile on Song Xu Yi’s face. His eyes flickered, his fingers twitched, and then a sudden heat seemed to sting his fingertips. The man averted his gaze once more. “No need to thank me. I’ve done you a favor, and I’ll collect my reward when the time comes.”

Without another word, the man pocketed the letter and headed towards the road leading out of the village.

Song Xu Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

In the letter, she enclosed the ear pendant she had worn when she fled and fabricated a story about being trapped in Wangjiazhuang and in peril. She hoped that Gu Ruyu would rescue her promptly, as he was responsible for her safety. If anything were to happen to Song Xu Yi, Gu Ruyu would be held accountable.

Despite the fact that Song Xu Yi might not have another opportunity to leave Gu Ruyu’s team after this event, she felt there was nothing else she could do at this moment.

With a sigh from the system in her mind, Song Xu Yi turned and made her way towards the Old Doctor’s home.

The presence of a man like the Old Doctor provided a sense of security for the villagers in Wanjiazhuang, even amidst the serious epidemic. The Old Doctor’s deep-rooted reputation of trustworthiness prevented the villagers from losing their heads despite their fear.

The Old Doctor’s home was located in the depths of the village, close to a mountain pass, which made it easier for him to gather herbs. However, after a long day, the Old Doctor’s family was already asleep by the time Song Xu Yi arrived, and their door was shut tight.

Respecting their need for rest, Song Xu Yi didn’t want to disturb them. As it wasn’t too cold outside, she found a small shed for miscellaneous items near the Old Doctor’s house. She took out her clothes and fashioned them into a pillow, curling up and planning to spend the night there.

Song Xu Yi didn’t feel much herself, but the system was worried and kept whispering in Song Xu Yi’s mind, “Xu Yi, you shouldn’t have come here then…”

“But I’m already here!” Song Xu Yi pouted and closed her eyes, feeling sleepy, “I’m glad I could lend a hand to these people in their time of need. Not everyone has the strength I have today…”

As Song Xu Yi was about to drift off, a fleeting memory flashed through her mind, as though she was peering through a door, watching someone shining brightly in the distance, while an endless sense of inferiority weighed heavy on her chest… But soon, Song Xu Yi succumbed to a deep and peaceful slumber.

The next morning, Song Xu Yi was roused by the sound of a crying child.

The air was thick with the worried cries of an elderly woman: “Old man, come quick! Qui Ge’er looks so pale, and he’s burning up…”

“Old man! He’s fainted!”

“…”

Song Xu Yi woke up with a big yawn and stretched her body unconsciously.

Although she had felt a bit chilly in the middle of the night and was about to wake up, she suddenly felt warm and fell into a deep sleep, like being next to a cozy heater.

Surprisingly, Song Xu Yi’s body, which had been curled up all night, didn’t feel any stiffness or pain. Her joints and legs moved freely, and she felt invigorated.

From where she was lying, she could clearly see that the child, Qiu Ge, was unconscious with a deathly pale complexion and an abnormal flush on his cheeks.

The Old Doctor examined the child’s pulse, and then, with a furrowed brow, took out a silver needle and began to apply it…

Song Xu Yi puckered her lips.

Her heart hung in the air until, after nearly an hour, the Old Doctor had affixed the final needle and collapsed to the ground. Finally, Qiu Ge’s fingers curled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.

“If we administer a needle once a day until morning, he will awaken,” the Old Doctor declared with a grin, assuring the anxious woman. “Qiu Ge’er has been blessed by his misfortune! Unable to reason because the blood in his brain could not be removed, now that the fever has loosened it, as long as I continue to apply the needle, there is a good chance he will regain consciousness…”

The old woman was overjoyed and embraced the dazed Qiu Ge, who was unaware of what was happening. Song Xu Yi also felt pleased for the elderly couple and smiled. However, before long, as if remembering something, the grin on the Old Doctor’s face gradually faded, and he seemed to have aged by several years, trembling as he sat down in his chair.

“Wang Ren!” The old woman beside him observed his demeanor and spoke his name, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. It might be fine at any other time, but not now!”

“He is merely six years old, and if he misses this opportunity, he will be plagued by a lifetime of foolishness! I am aware that you are hesitant to leave the village, but you are the only one capable of administering the needle.”

“Qiu Ge’s father has already passed away, and we do not have much time left ourselves. Do you truly desire for Qiu Ge to live the rest of his life in such a befuddled state?”

The Old Doctor pursed his lips, remaining silent. However, Song Xu Yi understood the Old Doctor’s predicament: administering the needles required a significant amount of energy, and he simply did not have enough left to devote to the study of the epidemic.

On one hand, the epidemic was escalating, and on the other hand, he had a young grandson to care for.

“Doctor Wang,” Song Xu Yi took a deep breath, stepping out of the shed and bowing deeply towards the doctor. “I am willing to assist you!”

Upon hearing Song Xu Yi’s offer to help with the epidemic, the Old Doctor was initially hesitant to accept. He knew that yesterday’s incident was a misunderstanding and that Song Xu Yi was a clever and compassionate girl. However, the epidemic was a grave threat and not just anyone could assist him without risking their own health.

Nevertheless, after witnessing Song Xu Yi’s extensive knowledge of herbs and modern extermination techniques, the Old Doctor fell silent for a long time. When he saw the pleading look in her eyes, he eventually let out a sigh and led her into the pharmacy.

Inside, the Old Doctor showed Song Xu Yi the prescription he had prepared. He had already successfully treated several patients with it, but he needed to adjust the dosage so that the medicine could be distributed more widely. However, the real challenge was the issue of reinfection. Some people who had already been cured often contracted the disease again, and changing the dosage posed a much greater risk.

In modern times, the problem of re-infection could be easily solved by segregating patients with different symptoms into specialized wards for close monitoring and treatment.

However, in the ancient era, when sanitation was lacking and hygiene measures were primitive, implementing preventive measures was a daunting task.

The next step was to bring the patients together, which posed a great challenge.

To tackle this, Song Xu Yi invested her own funds to rent two spacious villas from a wealthy family in the village. Her plan was to allocate one villa for treating the milder cases and the other for managing the more severe ones.

However, the people of Wangjiazhuang were outraged by the idea of gathering the sick together, especially after learning that the soldiers had forbidden them to leave. They feared that the sick would be concentrated and exterminated once they were gathered, and they refused to stay in the separate houses. Moreover, Song Xu Yi’s suggestion of boiling cloth towels and wearing them on their faces seemed comical to them.

As more and more people started showing symptoms of the illness, Song Xu Yi grew increasingly anxious. She and the Old Doctor went into the homes of the sick to persuade them, but their efforts were met with resistance. The last person they visited was a large, irritable man who scoffed at Song Xu Yi’s words and tried to remove the cloth from her face. “If you say breathing can cause the disease, why don’t you catch it yourself and let me take a look?” he sneered.

Song Xu Yi was unfazed by the sudden turn of events.

Just as the big man’s hand was about to touch the cloth on Song Xu Yi’s face, he let out a howl and recoiled, clutching his hand in pain.

The force of the man’s pull was so strong that Song Xu Yi stumbled backwards, but she was quickly caught in a familiar, sturdy embrace…

As she gazed up, Song Xu Yi saw the side profile of the man who called himself ‘Zhao San’…

Zhao San’s brow was slightly furrowed, his pallid lips pursed, and his eyes were a blend of emotions that Song Xu Yi could not decipher.

The towering man rose from the ground and made a threatening move towards Zhao San, but the latter didn’t flinch. In an instant, the attacker collapsed to the ground, howling in agony and clutching his legs.

Song Xu Yi’s tension subsided, and she was about to express her gratitude when her eyes widened in astonishment. Under Zhao San’s chin, there was a peculiar mark that appeared to have been fused together with something…

What in the world is that?!