Days later—
"Miss, that ointment you applied to me is really effective. After just a few days, all my injuries have healed."
"Of course!"
Since recovering, Xing'er had become a devoted fan of Leng Ruo Li.
She chattered incessantly before Leng Ruo Li all day long, her face full of admiration.
This left Leng Ruo Li feeling rather helpless.
The Liu clan mother and daughter had been quiet since their visit to Qingfeng Courtyard that day, allowing Leng Ruo Li and her maid a few days of comfortable living.
However, concubine Liu still had her servants deliver a dark, murky soup medicine to Leng Ruo Li every day, ensuring they watched her drink it before leaving.
But, all this medicine was secretly poured into the experiments in Leng Ruo Li's system space, disguised by her sleeves.
"Miss, when did you learn medicine? You have so many things, things I've never seen you use before?"
Xing'er, after holding back for a few days, finally voiced her question.
Leng Ruo Li had already prepared her explanation.
"My medical skills were taught to me by a mysterious person. He also gave me these strange items. For your lady's safety, you must help me keep this secret."
"Mm, I understand, Miss. Is that mysterious person Granny Hua?"
"Granny Hua?"
Leng Ruo Li looked utterly bewildered.
"Yes! It's Granny Hua, your wet nurse. Back then, when Miss and I were sick, or when we were injured by concubine Liu and the second young lady, no one would call a doctor for us. It was always Granny Hua who treated us."
"Before Granny Hua disappeared, she also gave us quite a few medicinal pills, saying we could eat one to save our lives in an emergency."
"A few days ago, when I was almost unable to endure it in the woodshed, I ate one of Granny Hua's pills to hold on."
"Oh, so that's what happened."
Leng Ruo Li listened, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Eldest Miss, don't you remember? Granny Hua is so kind, and she saved your life multiple times. You also have medicinal pills from Granny Hua."
Xing'er felt very strange, but what Xing'er didn't know was that the five life-saving pills on the original host's body had already been given to Prince Qing.
The original host poured her heart out for Prince Qing, but Prince Qing disdained her for being ugly and didn't favor her. In secret, he was already in a relationship with the original host's half-sister, which deeply hurt the original host.
"Is that so? I bumped my head recently and have some memory loss, so I've forgotten many things."
"That explains it."
Recently, her young lady's speech and behavior had indeed become quite peculiar.
Alas, it didn't matter. As long as the young lady returned safely.
Xing'er said to herself silently.
"Gurgle—"
An untimely sound emanated from Leng Ruo Li's stomach.
"Miss, are you hungry again?"
Leng Ruo Li gave an awkward smile.
The original host was truly too poor, wearing coarse cloth and eating stale leftovers.
In the past few days, the issue of meals had led to a shouting match with the plump matron in the kitchen almost every day.
The servants in the mansion also dared not get too close to them. Only the kind steward, knowing her quilts had been ruined by Leng Ruo Shuang, secretly brought her two old quilts.
But the steward did not dare to offer her more assistance.
This was hardly the life a young lady of a general's mansion should be living.
Therefore, Leng Ruo Li brazenly went to concubine Liu's place to ask for money.
As a result, after making a fuss for a long time, concubine Liu grudgingly gave her one tael of silver, also telling her that the manor's several estates had not been performing well in recent years, and the treasury was not well-stocked, advising her to spend sparingly.
Damn it! Fortunately, she had medical skills and a portable system to rely on. Earning a little money should not be difficult for her.
"Xing'er, let's go. This young lady will take you out for a grand meal today."
Upon hearing Leng Ruo Li's words, Xing'er was initially overjoyed, but then her expression turned crestfallen.
"Miss, our entire fortune is only this one tael of silver. Let's spend it frugally."
Leng Ruo Li helplessly shook her head, lightly tapping Xing'er's forehead with her hand, and said with a smile.
"Don't worry, Xing'er. I guarantee that you will never go hungry again."
Hearing Leng Ruo Li's words, Xing'er simply raised her hand to cover her forehead and smiled, not taking her young lady's words to heart.
After all, besides learning some medical skills from Granny Hua, her young lady knew nothing else, and she was also worryingly plain-looking. How could she earn money?
Moreover, their monthly stipends were withheld by concubine Liu. Having even one tael of silver on them now was already fortunate.
Where could they find the money to eat well?
They couldn't even eat their fill now.
Seeing Xing'er's doubtful expression, Leng Ruo Li walked over, took Xing'er's hand, and headed towards the door.
"Miss, where are we going?"
"Shopping. Today I'll take you to eat delicious food, and then I'll take you to earn big money."
This left Xing'er quite speechless.
However, Xing'er didn't want to dampen her young lady's spirits, so she had to comply with her wishes.
If her young lady spent their only tael of silver, she would simply dig up wild vegetables from the back mountain to eat every day from now on.
"Miss, wait a moment."
Xing'er busied herself by retrieving a thin white veil from the original host's wooden chest and placed it on Leng Ruo Li.
"Miss, please wear this veil. It will reduce some unnecessary trouble for you."
Leng Ruo Li had intended to refuse, but her face indeed tended to attract unwanted attention, so she complied with Xing'er's wishes.
Then, Leng Ruo Li led Xing'er out through the back door.
The two passed through an alley and soon arrived on the street.
The streets of the capital were very prosperous and lively.
On both sides of the street were restaurants, teahouses, workshops, and various shops displaying all sorts of signs...
In the middle of the street were people coming and going, with various appearances: some leisurely riding in carriages, some carrying burdens and hawking their wares along the road, some driving donkeys to haul goods, some stopping by the roadside to set up stalls... some strolling leisurely in groups of three or five.
In the street corners were all sorts of small stalls, selling food, daily necessities, and various interesting handmade trinkets.
This was the first time Leng Ruo Li had been out shopping since transmigrating here. Seeing such a prosperous street exceeded her imagination.
Soon, Leng Ruo Li led Xing'er to a roadside noodle stall. They each ordered a bowl of beef noodles and were eating heartily.
Suddenly, a carriage sped past behind them, kicking up a cloud of dust, and finally stopped in front of a medical clinic.
Leng Ruo Li, seeing a layer of dust floating in her noodle bowl, immediately lost her appetite and felt indignant.
After paying the boss for the noodles, she took Xing'er to confront the people in the carriage.
But before she could get close to the carriage, she heard a woman's pained moans coming from inside.
"Madam, hold on! Your husband has brought you to Baicaotang for treatment," the man said, his voice choked with emotion.
"Yes, Madam, sob... please don't faint, the General has brought us to the entrance of Baicaotang," the young maid also cried.
The two voices sounded very helpless.
At this moment, a burly, dark-skinned man, looking anxious, stepped down from the carriage and walked directly into the clinic, casually stopping a young medicinal attendant to ask.
"Young man, where is the doctor?"
The medicinal attendant pointed to an old man behind the man.
"That is Doctor Huang of our clinic."
The man quickly approached the old man and pleaded.
"Doctor Huang, I beg you, please save my wife."
"Sir, please calm down first. Tell me about your wife's condition, and I'll see if I can treat her."
"Doctor Huang, my wife is having a difficult childbirth. She has been in labor for a day and a night, but has not been able to deliver the child."
Upon hearing the words "difficult childbirth," Doctor Huang immediately frowned. A pregnant woman's difficult labor was a matter of life and death, and he was not skilled in obstetrics, so he dared not take it on casually.
"Sir, regarding your wife's condition, I, Huang, am powerless."
"Doctor Huang, please just take a look."
The man implored humbly. By now, a crowd of onlookers had gathered at the entrance of the clinic.
"But I don't understand gynecology."
Doctor Huang said helplessly, but he still followed the man to the carriage at the entrance.
As the man lifted the carriage curtain, a strong smell of blood assailed Doctor Huang's nostrils. Doctor Huang glanced at the groaning pregnant woman in the carriage and shook his head.
"Sir, your wife's condition is very dangerous. I, Huang, am truly powerless. You should seek a more skilled physician."
Doctor Huang's words plunged the man into despair. In the past day and night, he had consulted numerous imperial physicians and various folk doctors, but no one dared to save his wife.
Today, he had anxiously brought his wife to Baicaotang, having incidentally heard from a servant that there was a highly skilled doctor at Baicaotang, which was why he brought his wife here.
As it turned out...
Alas...
He still could not save his wife.
At this moment, the maid crawled out of the carriage and cried to the man.
"General, Madam has fainted. What should we do?"
Hearing the maid's words, the man said with tear-filled eyes.
"Madam, I, Su Xun, am unworthy of you."
As soon as the man finished speaking, the onlookers suddenly began to murmur...
"This man is really General Su Xun. No wonder he looks so familiar," one man muttered.
"General Su Xun is the Cavalry General of our Tianwu Kingdom. His status is second only to General Leng Jinyu," another man said worshipfully.
"And he is also a devoted general. He has been married to Madam Su for ten years, and they are still as affectionate as ever. There are no other concubines in the household. Truly enviable," a woman suddenly interjected.
"Yes, General Su is already over forty, and Madam Su has just become pregnant. Now, to encounter such a situation... alas—" another woman said with regret.
"Doctor Huang, Madam Su is a very good person. Please help Madam Su," an old woman shouted at Doctor Huang.
"Yes... yes..." the onlookers all pleaded.
"Everyone, it's not that I, Huang, am unwilling to save Madam Su, but that I, Huang, do not understand gynecology at all. How can I save her? I am less useful than a midwife."
Doctor Huang explained with cupped hands to the crowd.
Then, he turned and respectfully said to Su Xun.
"General Su Xun, I apologize for my rudeness earlier, not knowing it was you. However, I truly cannot save Madam Su. I hope for your understanding."
Su Xun was immediately overwhelmed with grief and began to weep.
Just then, a pleasant and melodious female voice suddenly rang out.
"General Su, I can save Madam Su."