The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Good Heavens

The attendant named Ping’an stood at the intersection, watching the carriage disappear into the distance, reluctant to see them go.

Ever since the patient and her family member had been staying at the medical hall, there had been delicious food every day. Now that Ji Huan was gone, he and his young master would go back to skipping meals again. ’How pitiful,’ he thought.

Ping’an was hanging his head dejectedly when he heard someone call out. He turned to look, and his face immediately fell.

’He couldn’t stand this Wang Shun from Jishi Hall!’

Wang Shun quickened his pace to block his path. "Don’t go, Little Ping’an. Let me ask you, did you guys take on another losing business deal? Those two who just left, we kicked them out of Jishi Hall. One look and you can tell they’re paupers! Tsk, tsk. I’m not trying to criticize you, but you should really try to persuade Doctor Xin. I know you don’t get much business, but even if you can’t compete with Jishi Hall, you shouldn’t be so desperate that you take in just anyone..."

Ping’an cut him off irritably. "Who said we lost money? They paid! Every last coin!"

Wang Shun was stunned. "Impossible!" he said flatly.

"You’ve been hanging around here every day, you should know! They had money to buy chickens and ducks and to hire a carriage. How could they not have money for treatment? You people just look down on everyone!"

Not wanting to deal with him any longer, Ping’an turned and went into the medical hall, slamming the door shut.

Doctor Xin, who had been engrossed in a medical text, looked up at the noise. He saw Ping’an fuming, his eyes red from holding back tears.

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

Ping’an wiped his eyes fiercely with his sleeve, his voice choked with tears. "No one from Jishi Hall is any good! They killed the Old Master and drove us to this town... And that Wang Shun, he comes by every day just to laugh at us!"

The hand with which Doctor Xin held his book froze for a moment. Then, with a calm expression, he corrected him. "They didn’t drive us here. I failed to protect my father’s legacy. I am the reason we ended up here."

Seeing his master’s expression, Ping’an blamed himself for bringing up the painful topic and stammered, "Young Master..."

Doctor Xin paused and then sighed. "Don’t you understand, Ping’an? There is no ’Young Master’ here anymore..."

Wang Shun spat at Yide Hall’s closed doors and started walking back, cursing under his breath.

"The old man can’t compete with our Jishi Hall, and the kid can only follow behind picking up scraps. They’re just putting up a brave front... A bunch of country bumpkins, what fucking money could they have!"

Wang Shun had just stepped into Jishi Hall when his uncle, Wang De, burst in from outside, grabbed him by the collar, and hauled him up.

"Let me ask you, a while ago, did a young girl come here trying to sell hand cream?"

Wang Shun had no idea what all the fuss was about, but since he had just recently made an enemy of Ji Huan, he naturally remembered her.

"Yes, but weren’t you the one who told me to send her away...?"

"Dammit!" Wang De let go, fuming. "Do you have any idea, do you have ANY idea what a huge opportunity for fame we just missed?! No, not just fame—money! Piles and piles of money! And it’s all your fault, you bastard... You! You!"

Wang De raised his hand, but for a moment he couldn’t decide whether to slap his nephew or himself.

He had spent the last two days in Yeyang on business and heard that the Jishi Hall main branch was abuzz about some kind of hand cream.

Apparently, a young military doctor had presented it, and the Great General himself had approved it for production. A special research and development team had even been established, led by that same military doctor. Recently, massive quantities of medicinal herbs from Yeyang and neighboring towns were being shipped to the military barracks.

The Bai Family had always wanted to establish a connection with the military—or, to be more precise, with Kou Changqing.

But Kou Changqing was completely different from the previous commander, General Nie. He was incorruptible, unmoved by wealth or women, and seemed to have no interests outside of warfare.

For a man like that, what better way was there to curry favor than to help him win battles?

At first, Wang De didn’t understand the connection between hand cream and winning battles. He went to the Bai Mansion to find his older brother, Wang Ren, and only after his brother’s explanation did it all click.

He also heard that the young military doctor had become the General’s new favorite. Even Wang Ren lamented that Mr. Bai had been kicking himself lately, wondering why he hadn’t thought of developing and presenting a hand cream himself.

The moment Wang De heard the words "hand cream," they sounded familiar. He sat there, racking his brain for a long time, until a faint memory surfaced—it seemed someone had come to his Jishi Hall branch in town, trying to pitch some kind of hand cream...

Wang De immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Without daring to mention a word to his older brother, he hastily hitched a carriage and rushed back to town.

"You!" Wang De jabbed a finger at his nephew. "I don’t care what you have to do, find me the person who was selling that hand cream, and do it fast!"

Even though they were a step behind and it was a shame they had missed the chance to connect with the military, there was still profit to be made, even if fame was out of reach.

’The northern market is huge,’ he thought. ’Once Jishi Hall, especially my Juyong Town branch, launches a hand cream...’

’Who would stick around in this backwater town then? Mr. Bai might even transfer me to the county headquarters to oversee things!’

At this thought, he gave the utterly clueless Wang Shun a vicious kick and roared, "Well, what are you waiting for? Go!"

At the entrance to Dafeng Village stood an old banyan tree, said to be at least a hundred years old. It was so thick it would take several strong young men with linked arms to encircle its trunk.

A few stone stools were scattered beneath it. Whenever there was an important announcement from the county, the village chief would summon the villagers here. People also liked to gather here in their spare time to chat about this and that—but mostly, to gossip.

When the carriage carrying Ji Huan appeared at the village entrance, it instantly drew countless stares.

"Well, isn’t that Wuan? Riding in a carriage, no less. It seems life has gotten better and better for her since she left the Ji family."

"It’s certainly easier than being worked to the bone like before. But where did she get the money...?"

Gou Sheng’s wife happened to be there. She’d been nursing a grudge ever since Ji Huan and Widow Xie had humiliated her, and upon hearing the chatter, she started spouting nonsense. "Just look at who she’s been cozying up to. Making money is a piece of cake for someone like that, isn’t it? A carriage is nothing. Look at those new clothes! Hmph!"

Most people present knew what kind of person Gou Sheng’s wife was, so they didn’t believe her. Wuan was so young; wasn’t she afraid of her tongue rotting in her mouth for making such accusations?

But there were also plenty of malicious gossips who, hearing how detailed her story sounded, gathered around her like flies to filth, listening with great interest.

Ji Huan passed by on a nearby path with no intention of stopping or greeting any of her fellow villagers.

’Why bother with empty pleasantries for a crowd that either thinks I’m bad luck or is just waiting to see me fail?’

All of a sudden, someone rushed out from the side and grabbed hold of the carriage box. The driver, afraid of spooking the horse, quickly pulled the reins to stop.

Ji Huan took a closer look and smiled.

’Delivering herself right to my doorstep. Perfect. This saves me a trip.’

Mrs. Zhu didn’t know why Ji Huan was suddenly smiling at her; she just assumed it was a sign of guilt and became even more imperious. "Wuan, get down here!"

The people sitting around in small groups saw that a new spectacle was about to begin and all pricked up their ears.

"What is it?" Ji Huan asked, her tone unhurried. "Are you offering to pay my fare, Third Aunt?"

"I’m not as rich as you!" Mrs. Zhu sneered, leaning halfway into the carriage. When she saw the fish and meat inside, her eyes burned with envy. Without another word, she reached out to grab it.

Ji Huan grabbed Mrs. Zhu’s fleshy wrist and pressed her thumb hard onto a pressure point on her arm. Mrs. Zhu yelped as she immediately felt her entire arm go numb.

With a swift twist of her wrist, a motion too quick for the crowd to follow, Ji Huan sent the large woman stumbling. Mrs. Zhu lost her balance and collapsed onto the ground with a THUD.

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