Ma Bing turned around at the sound and saw a young woman holding a child’s hand. The child’s face was pale and yellowish, his voice feeble, and his body extremely thin, like a withered bamboo shoot, yet his belly was noticeably swollen, making the sight somewhat strange.
The peddler immediately responded, “Yes, yes, if you’re thirsty, pears are perfect. Whether you want them by weight or individually, they’re cheap either way. I’ll charge you three coins for one, or five coins for two.”
Three coins! At home, saving up a few eggs would barely fetch three coins.
The mother hesitated slightly but seeing her son’s hopeful expression, she gritted her teeth and reached for her purse.
“Pardon my interruption,” Ma Bing, who had finished her pear quickly, spoke up before the mother could take out her money, “but it’s better if this child doesn’t eat pears.”
“Eh?” Not only was the mother and the peddler taken aback, even Xie Yu and his group nearby turned to look.
Ma Bing wiped her hands clean and rubbed them together to warm them before stepping forward. “Madam, I’m a physician. If you don’t mind, let me take the child’s pulse.”
The mother was somewhat stunned. A doctor? So young?
She hadn’t yet recovered from her shock when Yuanpei, on the other side, became visibly displeased and loudly said, “She’s quite skilled!”
As soon as he spoke, Xie Yu and Huo Ping turned to look, and the latter even mockingly patted his shoulder.
Tsk tsk, they hadn’t exactly gotten along before.
Yuanpei’s face flushed red as he shoved the hand away. “What are you laughing at…”
Though he was a bit annoyed with Ma Bing’s penny-pinching ways, he knew the young woman had previously treated the governor’s wife and had been taking care of their own master these past few days. If she were to be questioned and resisted by a mere village woman, what would that say about their master?
Seeing that Yuanpei and the others were dressed in official robes, the village woman was immediately startled, hurriedly bowed and greeted them, and then anxiously handed over her son’s thin wrist to Ma Bing.
Ma Bing gently took the child’s pulse, confirming her initial diagnosis before continuing, “This child was born with a weak spleen and stomach, eats little, has cold hands and feet, and often suffers from diarrhea, right?”
The mother had been somewhat skeptical at first, but her eyes lit up when she heard this and she nodded quickly. “Exactly! Could it really be an illness?”
The child had never liked eating since he was small. At six years old, he was still not as strong as four or five-year-olds from the village. Although he often had diarrhea, it wasn’t considered a serious illness by the villagers, who simply thought he was a picky eater and thus remained thin.
His father had even sighed privately, “Who knows why he was born with such a fussy appetite…”
Ma Bing nodded and, seeing the mother’s face fall, guessed that the family was struggling financially. It would be a heavy burden for them to start giving medicine to such a young child.
“Don’t worry, he’s still young, so there’s no need for heavy medication,” she smiled. “I’ll prescribe a formula using cheap and easily available ingredients like ginger, dates, licorice, and tangerine peel. It won’t be expensive.”
The mother blushed slightly and gratefully bowed to her. “Thank you, thank you doctor.”
After writing the prescription, Ma Bing bought a few oranges and handed them over. “Pears, persimmons, mung beans, and other cold-natured foods shouldn’t be given to him anymore. But honeyed tangerines are warm in nature and eating a few is fine.”
The mother turned red-faced and tried to refuse, but eventually, unable to resist, she shyly accepted and then asked her son to kowtow to Ma Bing.
Ma Bing did not stop him.
For the poor, this was the only way they could express their gratitude. Refusing it would only make them feel uneasy.
Later, as they entered the city, Ma Bing said, “Minister Xie, your eyes are almost healed. Just remove the medicine plaster tonight, have a good sleep, and you’ll be fine. If you’re still worried, you can consult another skilled physician. Thank you for your care these past few days, and with that, I’ll take my leave.”
Xie Yu did not answer but instead asked, “Miss Ma, do you have a place to stay?”
Ma Bing smiled and said, “Not yet, I was just going to look for one.”
Huo Ping, who had been watching Xie Yu’s expression, immediately suggested, “In that case, why don’t you come with us to the Kaifeng Prefecture first and then look for a place to stay later?”
Ma Bing was surprised and said, “But Minister, you’re government officials, so naturally it’s fine for you to go, but I’m just an ordinary citizen, not related to anyone, it would be inappropriate for me to go along uninvited!”
Huo Ping said, “Miss Ma, you might not know, but the Kaifeng Prefecture is quite large. In addition to the daily office and living quarters for the officials, there are also several courtyards and houses specifically set aside…”
The Kaifeng Prefecture had a wide jurisdiction, and countless people came daily for business or to file reports, with only a small portion being locals who could return home the same day. For those from out of town who couldn’t get back at night, they naturally couldn’t be left to wander the streets, so there had always been designated accommodations for temporary stays.
In addition, there were some relatively comfortable and clean rooms specifically for the relatives and friends of current officials who came to visit, which was also a benefit for government officials.
Ma Bing was momentarily tempted.
But only for a moment.
“Thank you for your kind offer, but since it’s not a long-term solution, I’ll stay at an inn for now.”
It would be improper for her to stay there without a clear reason. If she couldn’t find a place to settle down, would she have to keep staying there indefinitely? Moreover, Ma Bing couldn’t help but glance at Xie Yu. He had suspected her before.
Huo Ping hadn’t expected her to refuse so decisively. “Miss Ma…”
“In that case,” unexpectedly, Xie Yu suddenly spoke up, “Miss Ma, please be careful wherever you go.”
As soon as Ma Bing left, Huo Ping was puzzled and said, “Minister?”
Wasn’t it you who suggested it?
Xie Yu didn’t answer. “You take Minister Xu to see the Emperor. I’ll go back to the Kaifeng Prefecture to report to the governor.”
Huo Ping: “You’re not going to see the Emperor?”
Xie Yu shook his head and said bluntly, “Too many questions. I’m annoyed.”
The bandage over his eyes hadn’t been removed yet. If his uncle saw it, he would surely ask a barrage of questions, which he could already anticipate and dread. Although he knew his sneaking in like this wouldn’t stay hidden for long, he figured he might as well delay for as long as possible.
Huo Ping and Yuanpei both chuckled.
Hearing his name mentioned, Xu Mao, who had been too afraid to speak up until now, cautiously asked, “I am guilty of a crime, should I not first pay respects to the Prefect?”
Previously, he had been eager to see the Emperor, but now he wished he could put it off indefinitely.
Xie Yu said, “The Emperor has given specific orders, Minister Xu, once you arrive, you are to go to the palace immediately without delay.”
In short, the matter of the Five-Stone Powder naturally belonged to their superiors to investigate. As the saying goes, “If the son is not taught, it is the father’s fault.” The Emperor now only wanted to summon this culprit to vent his anger.
Xu Mao, who had long held office, quickly grasped the implication and inwardly groaned. He couldn’t help but defend himself again, “Minister Xie, I certainly failed to properly educate my son, but this time…”
He knew how dangerous the Five-Stone Powder was. When he first discovered his son secretly using it, he had been furious, replaced everyone around him, and cracked down on the city. In such a short few years, there really shouldn’t have been any more Five-Stone Powder around.
The most suspicious part was that the boy had limited contact with people. How could he suddenly get hold of that substance?
He had always been so full of vigor and pride, but now, after this sudden catastrophe, his son’s life was in danger and his own position was precarious. In just a few days, he had aged significantly. Now, a few strands of gray hair fluttered in the wind, accompanied by deepened wrinkles, making him look quite pitiful.
Unfortunately, Xie Yu couldn’t see this and still spoke in his usual indifferent tone, “The Emperor will make his own judgment.”
Huo Ping grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, “Minister Xu, let’s be on our way.”
Xu Mao: “…”
Couldn’t you have said it differently?
Xu Mao walked away looking disheveled. He had originally wanted to freshen up a bit before going to see the Emperor, but then he thought, if he looked too neat and composed, wouldn’t it seem like he didn’t care? Perhaps this travel-worn, pitiful appearance might earn some sympathy from the Emperor and result in a lighter punishment.
After making up his mind, he merely patted the wrinkles out of his clothes and, mustering his spirits, followed Huo Ping to the palace.
Meanwhile, after saying goodbye to Xie Yu and the others, Ma Bing began to leisurely stroll around the city.
Although she had her own reasons for coming to the Kaifeng Prefecture, her desire to “see the prosperity of the capital” wasn’t entirely false.
At that time, the Kaifeng Prefecture was not only the most prosperous and wealthy place within the Great Lu Kingdom but also a rare paradise on earth even when compared to overseas regions. Every aspect of life—clothing, food, housing, transportation, entertainment—was available, with nothing that couldn’t be done.
Even the local people’s attire, appearance, and demeanor were different from elsewhere, showing the unique pride and grandeur of capital city residents.
In this early spring, with the weather still chilly, many young and handsome men and pretty women had already eagerly changed into colorful spring clothes, styled their hair into novel and playful buns, and adorned themselves with brand new accessories. Holding gold-embroidered handkerchiefs and silk fans, they strolled in groups, chatting and laughing on the streets.
The streets were crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder, pushing away the cold night breeze. As they walked around, they even began to sweat.
It wasn’t yet dark, but the shops along the street had already lit their lanterns, making the area as bright as day, to the point that even the stars in the sky were barely visible.
The air was filled with a rich and complex fragrance, accompanied by various vendors calling out their wares, making people feel happy and relaxed, and unconsciously wanting to spend some money.
Ma Bing also wanted to spend money, but unfortunately, she couldn’t.
She originally wanted to find an inn to rest first, then go to a real estate agent the next day to see if she could rent a house to live in, but she never expected that all the inns were fully booked!
The inn servant had seen many hasty outsiders and was very experienced in handling such situations. He immediately said skillfully, “Miss, you really came at an inconvenient time. The second exam has just ended, and the city is full of both successful and failed candidates. There are also many people from all over who have come to snatch up the successful candidates as sons-in-law. Besides, the palace exam is coming up in a few days, and many people want to come to see the excitement. It’s packed here. Coming a month earlier would have been a stretch. Now, where can we find an empty room?”
Ma Bing blinked, a bit stunned.
She hadn’t thought of this at all.
The servant kindly suggested, “Miss, for the time being, there really isn’t any accommodation available in the city. However, there are a few inns outside the city that are quite decent and usually not fully booked.” He glanced at the sky. “There’s still about two hours before the city gate closes. Why don’t you have dinner at our place first…”
He even took the opportunity to promote his own business! Ma Bing was amused. “Alright.”
As night fell, it gradually became colder. Following the crowd, Ma Bing ordered a fish hotpot, plus an additional bowl of lotus-shaped duck rolls and a plate of sautéed quail.
The city of Kaifeng was crossed by several rivers, with several water gates bearing the heavy burden of freight transportation between the north and south, clearly showing the vastness of the waterways, so fish and shrimp were naturally abundant. The fish served were still lively in the large water tank in the backyard just before being brought to the table.
The hotpot arrived quickly. Ma Bing had just sat down and slowly sipped a cup of hot tea when the waiter brought a steaming fish head hotpot.
“Just taken off the stove, Miss, be careful not to burn yourself.”
Indeed, it was hot, still bubbling inside.
The fish meat had been pan-fried beforehand, and now it was stewed into a pot of creamy white broth, fragrant and fresh. Floating on the surface were tiny green scallions and golden oil droplets that looked like playful children splashing in the water, constantly rolling and gathering, then dispersing as the bubbles rose.
Around the edge of the pot was a layer of thin tofu, the part near the pot wall was hot and crispy, already turned into a beautiful golden color, while the back half floated in the soup, quivering with the “plop plop plop” sound, like a school of white fish.
Ma Bing was delighted at the sight. She washed her hands and scooped up a spoonful of fish soup, gently blew on it, and slowly put it into her mouth.
So fresh!
She then picked up a bit of fish cheek meat and some tender tofu, and swallowed them together.
Extremely fragrant and tender, it seemed as if the freshness only needed to pass through her mouth before spreading through her seven orifices with her breath, making her feel as if she were floating in ecstasy.
The lotus-shaped duck rolls were wrapped in lard membrane and fried, then arranged in the shape of blooming lotus flowers when served. The golden crispy outer layer contrasted with the tender and savory inside.
As for the sautéed quail, it was even more exceptional. Quail was already a delicacy, and after a quick sauté, its deliciousness was doubled.
Ma Bing was so delighted with her meal that she almost forgot the time and couldn’t leave the city.
Indeed, as the servant had said, there were several inns outside the city. Although there were many guests, the rooms were not yet fully booked. Ma Bing hurriedly booked a room and had a good night’s sleep.
The next morning, Ma Bing went up the mountain to collect herbs.
When she had queued to enter the city the day before, she had noticed many mountains around the outskirts of Kaifeng Prefecture, along with a network of waterways, so she had become interested. After dinner the previous day, she had visited several herbal medicine shops and found, as expected, that being the capital, even common herbs were more expensive than elsewhere. If she could collect them herself, she wouldn’t have to spend money unnecessarily.
However, the mountains were farther than they looked. Although those hills seemed close, it still took several hours to reach them. Ma Bing asked locals for a shortcut.
Half an hour later, a large expanse of wild graveyards appeared before Ma Bing’s eyes.
No wonder that person had looked hesitant and repeatedly advised her not to come.
Although the sun was high, whether it was an illusion or not, it still felt gloomy and cold here.
A few crows stood on the withered tree branches, cawing loudly. Seeing Ma Bing arrive, they were not at all afraid of her. Their dark little eyes stared at her, as if waiting for her to die so they could pounce and feast.
Ma Bing wasn’t afraid of these things. She shook her head and walked away, but hadn’t gone far when she noticed a person lying face down on the ground.
A dead person.
Ma Bing: “…Fuck!”
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