Wang Yongzhu waited a good while after Song Chongjin left before slowly making her way out of the courtyard.
When she entered the inn’s main hall,
the waiter immediately came to greet her, "Miss, would you like to sit inside, or?"
Wang Yongzhu glanced at the hall where a row of wooden plaques hung on the wall, each inscribed with various dish names, suggesting that you could simply place your order by looking at the plaques.
She picked a spot to sit down and said, "I’d like to order a few dishes. Once they’re ready, please have them delivered to our courtyard. There’s also another matter for which I’d like to ask for Little Brother Waiter’s help."
The waiter draped the white towel over his shoulder and said, "Whatever you need, Miss, just let me know."
"We’re new in town, and my father is ill. We don’t know which doctor in Qi City is good, so I would trouble you to help us find a reputable one."
"You should know, Miss, that the best doctor in Qi City is from Peace Clinic. But his consultation fee is also higher, costing one silver per visit," the waiter said while gauging Wang Yongzhu’s reaction.
Wang Yongzhu remained composed and instructed, "Then please ask Little Brother Waiter to invite the doctor from Peace Clinic over."
The waiter had a hunch, having observed that although Wang Yongzhu dressed modestly, her demeanor was not that of an ordinary girl, which had prompted him to be particularly attentive.
Now that he saw Wang Yongzhu could afford the consultation fee of the Peace Clinic’s doctor, he felt even more certain.
"Alright! Rest assured, Miss, I’ll have the doctor here shortly. What would you like to order for lunch? Our inn is famous for our fruitwood-roasted duck, boiled shredded delicacies, and the three ways to enjoy river delicacies," the waiter went on with an endless stream of recommendations.
Wang Yongzhu’s interest was piqued; having spent too much time in Qilidun, her standards for food had dropped quite a bit. Now, hearing the waiter’s descriptions, she couldn’t help but feel her appetite surge.
Additionally, it wasn’t easy to bring Old Granny Zhang out for a trip – how could she miss the chance to let her try the local delicacies? Otherwise, wouldn’t the trip have been in vain?
With this thought, she generously ordered several of the inn’s chef’s signature dishes, much to the delight of the waiter, who treated her even more like an esteemed guest.
After ordering the meal, Wang Yongzhu also requested a pot of green tea and two kinds of pastries, then led the waiter to the small courtyard.
Along the way, under the pretext of being new to Qi City, she inquired about the local customs and intentionally steered the conversation towards the County Magistrate Gao Jin.
The waiter, upon hearing this, looked around and then whispered, "Miss, if I may be so bold, with your beauty, it’s best to stay indoors if you can help it. Inside our inn, you might be safe for some time, but if you go outside, you should be cautious. Our Magistrate is quite enamored with beautiful women—"
Wang Yongzhu was taken aback and quickly thanked the waiter for the warning, then inquired, "Is there really no one to manage this situation?"
The waiter gestured dismissively, "The Emperor is far away, and our Magistrate is like a father to us here; who would dare to oversee him? Besides, although our Magistrate loves beauty and neglects his duties, he is on good terms with some of the big families of Qi City and has, uh—"
Realizing he had said too much, the waiter hastily closed his mouth.
Wang Yongzhu’s expression did not change, but internally she carefully mulled over the waiter’s words before replying, "Thank you for the trouble, Little Brother Waiter." She then took out a handful of copper coins and handed them to the waiter.
The waiter accepted the copper coins joyfully and left.
It wasn’t long before the lunch was served. Not only had Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongping never seen such elaborate meals, but even Wang Yonggui, who had been out and about for many years, had never encountered such exquisite food. They all gathered around the table, marveling at the dishes.
Old Granny Zhang’s heart ached as she blinked emphatically, "Oh dear, my sweet child, how much silver is this going to cost, you budget-destroying girl!"
Wang Yongzhu served Old Granny Zhang a piece of roast duck, "Mother, I’ve said that I wanted to take you out and about to taste all the delicious foods. Now that we’ve come to Qi City, how can we not enjoy some good meals? Please eat, this is your daughter honoring you. Just enjoy your meal without worry! If you’re happy with the food, then the silver I spent is worth it!"
She also urged the Wang Family Brothers and Jinhoo to eat quickly.
The Wang Family had never tasted such delicious food before. The flavor of the Yellow Pine Mushrooms they used to eat was due to the quality of the ingredients themselves, and after all, they were scarce and only vegetables.
As for the Wang Family, meat was more popular.
After the family had their fill, Yongping’s second eldest brother brought the doctor over.
The doctor went into the inner room, closed his eyes, and took Wang Laozhu’s pulse for a long while before opening his eyes. Without saying a word, he took out several silver needles from his medical box and inserted a few into Wang Laozhu’s arms and behind his ears.
The ends of the needles trembled incessantly and only came to a rest after a good while.
The doctor then quickly pricked Wang Laozhu’s fingertips and earlobes with a few needles and, with a light squeeze, pressed out several drops of black blood.
Wang Yongzhu’s complexion changed. She looked at the doctor and then followed his gaze to Wang Laozhu lying on the kang.
A few drops of black blood flowed out, and the persistent, waxy pallor on Wang Laozhu’s face faded a bit. His eyelids began to tremble as if he were about to wake up.
Only then did the doctor put away the needles and said softly, "Let’s step outside to talk."
Wang Yongzhu left Jinhoo to watch over Wang Laozhu in the room, and she, Old Granny Zhang, Wang Yonggui, and Wang Yongping all went outside together, asking the doctor to join them in the next room.
Before the doctor had even sat down, Wang Yongping anxiously asked, "Doctor, what exactly is going on? Why is there black blood?"
The doctor hesitated for a moment and glanced at the inn’s second eldest brother.
The inn’s second eldest brother subtly nodded his head, and the doctor said, "This elderly gentleman must have accidentally consumed something inappropriate a while ago. That thing contained mild toxins, causing the elderly to vomit and have diarrhea. These symptoms appear very similar to food poisoning, and an ordinary doctor would treat it as gastroenteritis. The toxin wasn’t expelled and instead accumulated inside the organs. Plus, the wrong medication exacerbated his condition."
"It started with just diarrhea, but later on, it led to unconsciousness. If treatment were delayed by a few more days, I’m afraid the elderly gentleman would have..."
All being adults, they understood the implication of the doctor’s words.
The expressions on their faces changed.
Still, it was Wang Yongzhu who remained composed, "Then, please, I ask the doctor to prescribe new medication. I entrust my father’s illness to your care."
The doctor nodded, "I’ve already administered acupuncture to the elderly man today. I will prescribe two prescriptions to take for now, and I will visit again tomorrow. If he can wake up today, eat something, recognize people, and remain clear-headed, then there are still remedies."
With that, he began writing out the prescriptions.
Wang Yongzhu personally escorted the doctor to the entrance of the courtyard, paid the consultation fee, and inquired about the cost of the medicine. She gave an ingot of silver to the inn’s second eldest brother, "Second Brother, could you please help follow the doctor and fetch the medicine back? If it’s convenient, could you also buy us a medicine pot and lend us a stove, so we can decoct the medicine? Our two brothers are unfamiliar with the area and I’m worried about wasting time."
The inn’s second eldest brother readily agreed.