Chapter 167: Heat Dries the Liver (Combined Chapter with Over 4000 Words)

Chapter 167: Heat Dries the Liver (Combined Chapter with Over 4000 Words)

Old Lady Qu poured a cup of iced tea, and Xianjin drank it respectfully in one go.

It was surprisingly good.

Old Lady Qu might not be great at judging people, but she certainly had an eye for beverages—she could easily open a "Queen of Tea" shop.

Selling point: Each cup of tea matches the color of xuan paper. For example, "Official Green" is made from stone-veined green tea with a touch of mint; "Eternal Spring" is black tea with a bit of mulberry juice or saffron; "Han White Jade" is any tea mixed with a little milk...

Wait a moment.

If xuan paper has colors...

Xianjin squinted her eyes, ready to think further, but Old Lady Qu interrupted with a simple "Sit."

Xianjin shook her head, tucking away her business ideas, and sat like a roasted quail, eyes downcast and focused inward.

"Jing County shop..." Old Lady Qu picked up her chopsticks first, dropping half a plate of bamboo fungus into the soup. She casually opened the conversation, "It was originally meant for Lao San."

Xianjin pursed her lips, refusing to respond—boss's family affairs were none of her concern as a junior career manager who hadn't yet reached CEO status.

The bamboo fungus, already soaked, cooked in seconds. Old Lady Qu served the first piece to Xianjin.

Xianjin nodded gratefully, waiting for Old Lady Qu to eat before she started herself.

"But Lao San doesn't want it," Old Lady Qu spoke casually, as if not carefully considering her words. "Lao Er has no son. Even if I give him the family business, who would he pass it on to? Wouldn't it still be Sanlang and Silang?"

The bamboo fungus slid smoothly down her throat, carrying the spicy bean sauce broth's aroma and heat.

Xianjin nodded, "Yes, yes, give it to Sanlang."

Old Lady Qu glanced at the young girl, then added half a plate of fried tofu skin to the pot. While waiting for the water to boil, she continued, "I know he resents me, thinking I only care about Lao Er and Lao Da. But doesn't he realize that with Lao Da being an official and Lao Er making money, he can just lie back and enjoy being a young master?"

Xianjin nodded again, "Yes, yes, be a young master."

Her tone was deferential, hinting that if Old Lady Qu asked her to send Chen Fu to work as a host in a KTV, she'd immediately buy him shiny tight pants and hair gel.

Xianjin's silence frustrated Old Lady Qu. She added half a plate of dried rice noodles to the soup and two slices of nine-holed lotus root. Finally, her emotions leaked out between the yam and bamboo slices—

"...Your Uncle Er is struggling in Jing County, and your Aunt Er is caught between a rock and a hard place in the mulberry paper workshop. In business, the worst thing is internal strife."

Old Lady Qu's face tightened, then softened as she thought of Qiao Baozhu and the scholars in Southern Zhili who regarded Qiao Fangzhi as their mentor and father figure. "The Chens must prosper together. If Lao San is well, you will be well. We're all tied together, and if the boat sinks, we all drown."

"Xianjin, you are very smart, even smarter than many men in the Chen family! You should understand the principle of mutual prosperity and mutual ruin."

Old Lady Qu spoke earnestly, "What do you want? Money? I can give you dividends equal to Chen Wu's. Marriage? Rest assured, Grandmother won't let you down. Even if not a scholar or a high-ranking official, it will be someone who can provide you with a stable and comfortable life. Dowry? The other day, I was discussing with Second Aunt how much money you've earned for the Chens. When you marry, I'll add a third of that amount to your dowry..."

Xianjin picked up a piece of tofu skin.

Second Aunt, assuming Xianjin liked it, hurriedly served her another small bowl of tofu skin.

Looking at the mountain of tofu skin, Xianjin felt Old Lady Qu's goodwill and humility.

"I want nothing," Xianjin said calmly.

Old Lady Qu's next words were cut off mid-sentence.

Xianjin shook her head, "I only hope the Chens will do better, make better paper, sell it farther, and walk more steadily—to Ying Tian Prefecture, Beizhili, even to the Capital City. As you said, if the Chens are well, I will be well. All I seek is a peaceful place."

Old Lady Qu blurted out, "Then why cause trouble for Lao Er in the Jing County shop?"

Xianjin smiled, "Old Lady, how have I caused trouble for Uncle Er?"

Old Lady Qu was speechless: It was all done voluntarily! Boss Shang would rather not do business with the Chens than let this girl down! Scholars ranking among the top few in the exams even brought agricultural goods when they came to take the exam!

None of these actions were driven by profit or fame; they all stemmed from a sense of "emotion"!

Old Lady Qu opened her mouth, wanting to say: If so, why not let the printing workshop and the academy continue working with Lao Er?

But the words stuck in her throat.

That would indeed be too shameless.

Even she felt too ashamed to say it.

Seeing Old Lady Qu's expression, Xianjin smiled and chose to break the ice, "Old Lady, ask yourself: Am I causing trouble for the Chens, or are the Chens wary of me?"

Old Lady Qu's face darkened.

Second Aunt took a deep breath, trying to make herself thinner, hoping to blend into the wall.

Xianjin picked up a piece of tofu skin and chewed slowly.

Old Lady Qu lowered her voice, "The Chens gave you a Jixi Workshop!"

Xianjin finished the tofu skin, sipped some mulberry iced tea, and sighed contentedly: "I paved a smooth road for the Chens."

Whether it was the long-term cooperation with private schools and elementary schools for calligraphy practice papers, the friendly relationships with Xiaocao Village and Boss Shang, or Li Sanshun's continuous improvement of six-zhang xuan paper, she had opened markets, secured raw materials, and laid the path for the imperial exams.

And what did Old Lady Qu give her in return?

A meddling Uncle Er and a lifeless shop.

She didn't mind.

Gold shines wherever it is placed.

Even without giving her the shop, she could turn her hand of bad cards into a winning combination.

But what about Chen Fu?

What right did that stepfather have?

At Baochanduo Temple, someone as sensitive, proud, and insecure as Chen Fu stood up for the group behind him, only to be trampled by bandits—bandits whose blades were sharp, ready to strike at any moment.

And what about the group of helpers behind her?

In the midst of blood and flesh, Zhou Ergou and Zheng Da carved out a path to survival; Li Sanshun, who buried the Xuan paper in a safe place and charged out with a stone; Mama Zhang and Suo'er, who shielded her from harm...

If she lost her position, would the honest but stubborn Second Uncle still use them? Would he still support them? Would he still lead them to a better future?

On what grounds?

Xianjin raised her head and downed the mulberry iced tea in one go. "If you're wary of me, you can certainly choose not to use me, after all, I don't bear the Chen name and am ultimately an outsider."

"You can also trust blood ties: the thieving and embezzling Chen Laoliu, the ruthless and slowly devouring Chen Wu—they are all Chen family members. What have they brought to the Chen family? Mediocrity? Stability? Or disaster?"

"I am grateful for the opportunity you've given me: daring to entrust a young girl brought by a concubine. Your magnanimity is greater than that of many household heads."

Xianjin smiled, a touch of bitterness in her expression. "But do you know when I feel most disheartened?"

"When you give someone hope but then tightly grip it, leaving only a small opening. The person's head pops out, but their neck is stuck, leading to eventual exhaustion and suffocation."

Xianjin stood up and knelt respectfully.

This was her first kneel in this lifetime, kneeling with the iron will of a modern person.

This kneel symbolized her determination to integrate with this era.

"Thank you for the pot; it was delicious."

With that, Xianjin stood up and turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Old Lady Qu's hands clenched tightly. "Wait!"

"What if I asked you to help the Second Son?" Old Lady Qu's eyes were intense. "They are all Chen family members. Helping the Third Son or the Second Son makes no difference to you!"

Xianjin lifted her gaze, her eyes dark and deep. "They are all sons. Appointing the Third Son or the Second Uncle makes no difference to you."

Old Lady Qu's words stopped abruptly, her eyes fixed on the blue-embroidered tablecloth, seemingly making a decision. "I'll transfer the shop in Jing County to the Third Son's name, and some of the more relaxed tasks can be entrusted to him as a trial."

Xianjin listened attentively.

"The three shops in Xuancheng will all be under your management, but the accounts must be supervised by the Second Son." Old Lady Qu slowly raised her head. "Your monthly salary will remain at ten taels, with a year-end bonus of ten percent of the profits."

Three shops, chief manager.

Xianjin laughed inwardly, but her face remained composed. "I need the indentures of Manager Dong's family, Mama Zhang, and her son."

Whether she received the indentures or not made little difference.

They were already hers.

Old Lady Qu nodded slightly. "Agreed."

Xianjin continued, "I need complete autonomy over all operations of Chen's shops, just like in Jing County. Every season, I will report to you, and I will prepare documents for daily expenses and layouts for your approval."

Old Lady Qu was taken aback; she hadn't expected Xianjin to return authority.

Xianjin smiled. "No matter how clever I may be, how can I match your decades of experience in Xuancheng? You are already a master, while I am just beginning. Even if I am arrogant, I am not blind to this truth."

Old Lady Qu looked at Xianjin with a complex expression, her voice hoarse after a moment. "Agreed."

Xianjin added, "I also need the authority to hire and fire all the staff in the shops, to promote or demote them based on my recommendations."

Without control over personnel, she would truly become nothing more than a high-level laborer.

Old Lady Qu thought for a moment and nodded decisively. "Agreed."

Xianjin continued, "A worm that has grown too large rots from within; to heal, one must scrape away the rot. Many Chen family members, or those related by marriage or distant kinship, will inevitably be the first to face scrutiny. I hope you won't doubt my motives when you hear about these actions."

Old Lady Qu's gaze shifted from initial wariness to surprise at Xianjin's candor, then to contemplation, finally settling into... resignation?

"With the Second Son's duties stripped away, what arrogance can the distant relatives show?" Old Lady Qu said with a half-smile.

Xianjin took it as approval and smiled faintly. "The Second Uncle is always the root of the Chen family."

Old Lady Qu rubbed her forehead. "Anything else?"

Xianjin shook her head. "No."

Old Lady Qu glanced at the pot.

The broth swirled, layers of flavors intertwining, with red and white broth bubbling atop, various dishes competing for attention.

"Go then," Old Lady Qu gently shrugged, seeming exhausted. "Remember your words today—everything for the Chen family, everything with the Chen family."

...

Xianjin walked through the corridor, her toes barely touching the ground, her heart elated. However, upon returning to Yiyuan, she saw Suo'er sitting amidst the flowers, her eyes red and sniffling.

Mama Zhang paced anxiously, rushing to greet Xianjin. "...It's Ergou!"

Xianjin's hair stood on end. "What happened to Dog Master?!"

Suo'er cried, "He was fine just a few days ago. Uncle Lu took care of him closely, and I ran around to prepare medicine. But this morning, he started to run a fever. Uncle Lu just told me that Ergou started convulsing while sleeping. When I rushed in and touched his forehead, it was burning hot!"

High fever with convulsions!

Xianjin anxiously asked, "Where is the doctor?"

"The doctor went to attend a difficult childbirth in the outskirts!" Suo'er wailed, her face pale. "The doctors from several other clinics also have patients... Will he die? He's only twenty! He hasn't even gotten married yet! Master, waaah!"

Xianjin's mind was in turmoil. "I'll go to the governor's mansion and ask Lord Xiong for help! Either send a doctor or lend us two horses so we can rush back to Jing County and get Dr. Wang out of seclusion!"

With that, Xianjin turned to leave.

Aunt Zhang stomped her foot and quickly grabbed Xianjin. "Going back to Jing County would take too long; he might not make it!"

Aunt Zhang's single-track mind finally broke through the kitchen's boundaries, sifting through her memory filled with red dates, barley, pork ribs, and shredded pickles, and found a faint piece of information—

"I heard from Cuicui's mother-in-law's second aunt's sister-in-law that the old lady's nephew's grandson is an official physician at the government office. He's currently staying as a guest in the outer courtyard. Should we ask him for help?"

Xianjin was stunned. "Huh?"

"An official physician!" Aunt Zhang exclaimed loudly. "He specializes in treating officials of the fifth rank! If you go to the government office, he might be the one sent anyway! It's better to save Lord Xiong's favor and directly ask him from the outer courtyard!"

Xianjin turned and ran towards the outer courtyard, with Suo'er following behind.

After asking around, Xianjin panted as she knocked on the wooden door of an independent courtyard, hands on her knees. Before she could speak, there was a "thud" as Suo'er swiftly knelt on the pebbled ground. "Is this Doctor Qu? Please save him! Please save him!"

Xianjin didn't have time to think further. She lifted her eyes and saw a young man in light cloud-colored robes emerge from the inner room.

Xianjin called out, "Are you Doctor Qu?"

The man looked up, his gaze calm and serene. He walked over quickly and said solemnly, "Yes."

Suo'er burst into tears of relief.

Xianjin hurriedly bowed and said, "I am He Xianjin from Yiyuan. Chen Fu, the third master of the Chen family, is my father... One of our shop assistants is injured, and his condition has become severe. Could you please come and examine him?"

Realizing how abrupt it was, Xianjin added, "Our regular doctor is attending an emergency, so we had no choice but to seek your help."

The man responded, "Wait a moment," and turned to retrieve a medical bag, slinging it over his left shoulder. "Let's go!"

He then quickly headed out.

Xianjin hurried to catch up.

As they reached the arched gate, it began to drizzle.

The man made way for her, walking briskly while gently saying, "In mid-summer, rain can cause heat and liver issues. Miss He, it's best to shield yourself with your sleeve."