MTLNOVEL Chapter 193 - 193: Be Your Own Master.
Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Be Your Own Master.
Two days later, Qu Wei excitedly came to find Qi Yue, and without much ado, he threw a stack of papers filled with writing in front of her.
“All the things you wanted are here. But don’t blame me for being unrighteous, when you asked me to investigate the Shen Family, I ended up investigating the Murong Family as well.”
Qi Yue took one look and really wanted to thank him.
“What is this mess you’ve looked into? Who asked you to inquire about the private history of their household…”
However, Qu Wei had a smug look on his face, his fan fluttering non-stop.
“Little sister, don’t rush to conclusions. The matters of the back house are a major field of knowledge, you’ll see after you read it.”
Qi Yue rolled her eyes and turned another two pages.
As she read that Shen Zikuang’s birth mother had passed away early and the current one was a stepmother, who had given birth to two sons thereafter, some things suddenly clicked in her mind.
She hurriedly flipped to the part about Shen Zikuang’s father, Shen Wanzhen, and upon reading it, her uncertainties grew even more.
Shen Wanzhen was only sixty years old this year, which for a rather wealthy family, wasn’t old for a man.
It was the time for vigorous desire for power, the time to expand fortunes in the business world, or perhaps to purchase an office and indulge in the addiction of power.
But Shen Zizhen had handed over the huge family business to eldest son Shen Zikuang quite early and focused entirely on managing domestic affairs.
It was assumed that from then on, Shen Zikuang would call the shots, yet unexpectedly, Shen Zizhen suddenly took a liking to his third son, asked Shen Zikuang to step down from his position within the Zhang family, and supported his third son to bring glory to the Shen family.
Shen Zikuang, having managed the Shen family business for many years, was definitely not happy about suddenly stepping down, so he broke ties with his own father.
Qu Wei even noted down the arguments between the father and son as if he had been there in person.
Qi Yue secretly speculated that Shen Zikuang probably wanted to use the opportunity of collaborating with her to establish his own authority, throwing an empty framework to his father.
The technique was not bad; as long as it did not tangled her in interests, she would pretend not to know about it.
“How is it, did my investigation do well, little sister?”
“Not bad,” Qi Yue said dispassionately.
“Not bad? Can’t you praise your big brother a bit?” Qu Wei said sulkily, waving his fan while his long hair fluttered about.
“I can only say not bad,” Qi Yue shook the papers in her hand, “If I spent two days treating someone to meals, I could get just as much information!”
Qu Wei’s expression turned awkward.
“What, you knew this all along?”
“How could I not know?” Qi Yue glanced at Qu Wei doubtfully, questioning his intelligence, “You were asking about the Shen family’s household matters right there in the Linjiang Pavilion at Shen’s place.”
“So what, you never said it had to be a secret.”
“Alright, alright, I thank you very much. You better go rest now.”
Qu Wei flicked his fan and left, while Qi Yue continued to review the documents.
She had only known that the Shen Family and Murong Family were related by marriage, never expecting that Murong Mingyue’s lawful wife was from the Shen Family, albeit not from Shen Wanzhen’s branch, but rather a cousin of Shen Zikuang.
Moreover, Shen Wanzhen’s current wife was also from the Murong Family.
After reviewing all the documents, Qi Yue felt increasingly that the domestic affairs of large families were chaotic.
Especially the women in these households, it was even more difficult.
No matter if you are a legitimate wife or a concubine, when a man doesn’t favor you, you are nothing.
“Fortunately, I have a skill that allows me to be independent.”
Just as she was feeling fortunate about this, the elder servant woman came to report that someone from the Governor’s Office had arrived and asked her to make a visit.
Qi Yue quickly gathered the documents into her space and stepped out the door.
As she had predicted, within two days of treatment, Murong Mingyue had started to discharge yellowish-brown stones.
Now, it was because the stones being expelled were too numerous, frightening him himself.
Looking at the pale-faced Murong Mingyue, Qi Yue calmly said, “It won’t be as many gradually, just as long as you persist in not drinking tea and not consuming greasy food, it won’t occur again.”
Upon hearing this, Murong Mingyue could not stay seated anymore.
“Divine Doctor Qi, does this mean I can never drink tea or eat salted duck again?”
“Not only that, but you also cannot eat all kinds of meat, sweets, and other rich-tasting foods,”
Murong Mingyue’s temples throbbed, and it was a long while before he could speak.
Lady Murong immediately stepped forward and said with a smile, “Divine Doctor Qi, I don’t know what my lord can eat from now on. Could you trouble yourself to write a list of recipes for us?”
“Certainly,” Qi Yue moved aside and casually wrote down a long list of recipes.
Seeing that it included lean meat and beef, the Governor’s wife quickly showed it to Murong Mingyue.
“My lord, you need not worry, I know you can’t do without meat. When the time comes, I will have the kitchen prepare it well…..”
“You cannot do this,” Qi Yue interrupted, “If the Governor wishes to live a long and peaceful life, he must eat lightly. I know you would stew the beef in chicken soup and add cordyceps, lingzhi, deer antler, and other precious ingredients. Doing so would only harm the Governor and do no good.”
Hearing this, the Governor’s wife reluctantly closed her mouth.
“Oh, I thought…”
Murong Mingyue sighed as if he had lost all reason to live.
“It’s going to be tasteless from now on.”
Suddenly, he looked at Qi Yue with full anticipation.
“I, my lord, have always loved tea and greasy foods. Without them, how am I to live? Divine Doctor Qi, with your supernatural methods, must there be a better way?”
Qi Yue sighed inwardly. Since ancient times, when illness strikes, what can be done?
Suddenly, she remembered something.
Not long ago, a medical assistant discovered a unique substance in the blood of the White Rhino, which has strong effects in clearing heat, expelling dampness, promoting the movement of qi, and breaking up stasis.
Combined with vitamin B6 and other herbs, it would be quite suitable for Murong Mingyue’s current condition.
Later, she could employ the Stimulation Technique, giving Murong Mingyue a couple of Ghost Gate Needles injections. It would be like taking an Immortal Pill. What couldn’t he eat then?
However, she didn’t want to sell this medicine.
Although she had stored quite a lot of White Rhino Blood, she wanted to keep it for more important uses in the future.
After all, its most significant and magical effect was instant blood replenishment!
With this thought, she casually refused.
“There is, but the medicine is difficult to prepare. One of the ingredients is White Rhino Blood, but the White Rhino has gone extinct, so it is better for the lord to refrain from certain foods.”
“White Rhino Blood?” Murong Mingyue looked shocked. “Is it the White Rhino that grows in the mist of Longnan Ridge in the Western Regions?”
“You know of it?” Qi Yue was also a bit surprised. The Governor truly was from the land of medicinal herbs.
Murong Mingyue smiled slightly.
“More than two hundred years ago, someone in Dongjiang caught a White Rhino in the mists of Longnan Ridge in the Western Regions. Thus, the ‘Dongjiang Annals’ recorded it. It said that the White Rhino was all white, and even its flesh was blue, it’s just a pity…”
“A pity what?”
Murong Mingyue sighed, “It’s a pity that no one got to eat a piece of White Rhino meat, let alone collect any of its blood.”
“Why is that? Didn’t they capture the White Rhino?” Qi Yue was puzzled.
“Divine Doctor might not know. The ‘Dongjiang Annals’ record that they wanted to kill the White Rhino for its meat and medicinal uses, but as soon as they cut into it, although the Rhino died, its flesh and blood instantly rotted and turned black, making it inedible. Later, an old man passing by heard of this and said that the White Rhino is a divine creature, and if humans want to use it for curing diseases or anything else, it must be given willingly.”
Qi Yue was stunned.
“Given willingly?”
“Yes, only if the White Rhino is willing to give, otherwise no one can obtain even a drop of its blood!”
Qi Yue immediately remembered how she had obtained the White Rhino Horn; it was indeed willingly given.
And those White Rhino Blood samples, if not for Xiaobai’s willing contribution, she probably couldn’t have gathered so much.
She thought so, with the coagulation function of the White Rhino, how could it bleed so much.
Now it all made sense.
Meanwhile, Bai Dahui nonchalantly suggested, “Big brother, why don’t we go to Longnan Ridge in the Western Regions and catch a White Rhino? Treat it well, and it might just be willing then?”