The thread was made from white mulberry bark, crafted into curved needles, straight needles, and crochet hooks.

Liu Pucheng picked up a needle, his expression tinged with a sorrowful restraint.

“My master once taught me this craft, and he himself performed similar procedures. However, many patients developed festering sores, flesh rotting away, or died from high fevers, convulsions, and fainting spells. Because of this, my master was pursued and beaten, and his apothecary shop was smashed numerous times. In the end, my master sealed away these needles and threads, believing this method was not a true way to heal the sick—it defied the laws of heaven and medicine, rendering it unworkable. He instructed me never to treat people in this manner either,” he spoke slowly, looking up at Qi Yue, undeniable excitement flashing in his eyes. “When I returned that day and saw the chaos in the hall, I intended to scold everyone, but then I saw my wife practicing this technique. I was utterly shocked, and then I examined that young man’s wound—it had actually healed so remarkably well.”

He trailed off, overcome with emotion as he spoke.

“My wife, please allow this old man to bow to you. If my master were still alive, I wonder how overjoyed he would be,” he said, and indeed, he bent down in a solemn, deep bow.

“Doctor Liu, you must not do that,” Qi Yue quickly moved to steady him.

Qi Yue was also a physician, and she deeply understood the thrill of finding a cure for an ailment one had always considered untreatable.

“This is all… all the merit of those who came before us,” she said with a hint of shame. This skill she learned was the result of generations of medical inheritance; it had little to do with her personally. If anything, she should be thanking those predecessors.

“Now, with this medicine, it is a blessing for all the people in the world,” Liu Pucheng declared, his face flushed with excitement.

Qi Yue’s expression froze.

This medicine...

“It’s gone…” she said with a wry smile.

Liu Pucheng blinked, clearly not understanding.

“My wife, what do you mean?” he asked. “Of course, I am not asking you for the medicine, I am simply overjoyed that the suturing technique can be performed again.”

Qi Yue sighed, slowly closing the medicine box before her.

“Doctor Liu, it is best not to use this suturing technique casually,” she said with a bitter smile. “Even I will not be performing it again in the future.”

Liu Pucheng was greatly alarmed.

“What do you mean, my wife?” he asked. “Is it still because of the anesthetic?”

“The anesthetic is one thing, but most importantly, I am out of this antibiotic medicine as well,” Qi Yue stated.

Out? What did that mean?

“After that last one, there will be no second in this world,” Qi Yue looked at him and said.

The statement startled both Liu Pucheng and A Ru.

Liu Pucheng recalled the look on Qi Yue’s face when she mentioned the anesthetic earlier, while A Ru thought of the applications used on her brother and Ah Hao…

It was that precious? Heavens, gone from the world—that makes it a peerless treasure!

A peerless treasure!

Heavens, the Young Mistress actually used these on us servants!

A Ru instinctively covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. “My lady, do you not have the formula?” Liu Pucheng asked, startled.

“The formula…” Qi Yue reached up to pinch her temple, a pained smile on her face. If she had known such a day would come, she would have certainly applied to study at the factory for three years instead of coming to Daqingshan.

“This was also obtained by my grandmother from an extraordinary person; she did not know the formula,” Qi Yue explained, once again deferring the responsibility to the deceased old woman.

Liu Pucheng’s expression instantly wilted. He suddenly slumped onto the chair with a thump, his entire body inert.

“Doctor Liu, Doctor Liu,” Qi Yue rushed forward in alarm to check on him. “Are you alright?”

“Gone, gone,” Liu Pucheng mumbled to himself, his eyes vacant. He suddenly slammed the table and wailed, “It’s gone… it’s gone…”

Hope had appeared, only to vanish again… Was there anything more sorrowful in this world?

The old man began to weep loudly like a child, beating the table and stamping his feet, mourning as if for a dead parent.

Qi Yue stared blankly, rushing forward to comfort him. Meanwhile, A Ru, seeing Doctor Liu weeping so violently, realized that most of those medicines had been used in connection with her, and she immediately knelt down and began to cry as well.

Qi Yue found herself mediating between the two weepings, feeling a strange mix of exasperation and amusement.

The crying drew attention from outside. The door slid open, and Chang Yunchéng stepped in.

“What are you howling about? No one is dead! How inauspicious!” he rebuked sharply with a cold face, his impatience evident.

The apprentices peeking in behind him quickly shrank back into silence.

The sharp shout made Doctor Liu and A Ru startle, and they instantly ceased all sound.

Qi Yue glared at him. What is wrong with this man’s temper…

Chang Yunchéng glanced at the effect his reprimand had on the two, seemed satisfied, and turned to leave.

“Doctor Liu, don’t be too upset. These medicines will certainly be available again someday. When that time comes, we can perform any suture operation we wish, even opening the chest or skull won’t be out of reach. It will certainly happen,” Qi Yue said softly.

Tears still streamed down Liu Pucheng’s withered face as he looked up at her.

“Yes. Since that expert could create it,” he murmured. His previously lost and helpless eyes suddenly brightened. “Most importantly, that expert proved that this technique works.”

“Yes, exactly. Since someone was able to create it, someone will be able to create it again, sooner or later,” Qi Yue smiled.

“Yes, create it. Someone can create it. Can create it,” Liu Pucheng repeated under his breath. He nimbly stood up, shoved Qi Yue aside, and bolted out the door.

When Qi Yue took her leave, Liu Pucheng was still inside the pharmacy.

“Is Doctor Liu alright?” Qi Yue asked his eldest apprentice with concern. That Western medicine from the future must have been too great a shock to the old man…

“My lady, please rest assured. The junior disciples have checked on him; Master is reading a book,” the eldest disciple replied.

Qi Yue nodded.

“I will return tomorrow. For now, I will prescribe using the diagnostic methods you are accustomed to. I am not very familiar with that. Generally speaking, something to replenish yuan qi, expel evil, and detoxify, something along those lines,” she instructed the eldest disciple. “Also, monitor his temperature and urinary output.”

A Ru nudged Qi Yue discreetly, signaling her not to say that word again.

“Which word?” Qi Yue turned to ask her, genuinely confused.

A Ru felt so awkward she wanted to crawl into a crack in the earth, and the eldest disciple was no better off.

“Disciple understands, disciple understands. My lady, rest assured,” he said hastily.

Qi Yue and A Ru got into the carriage. Having witnessed the injured man’s excellent recovery firsthand, the heavy stone in Qi Yue’s heart had lifted, and she felt much better than when she arrived. Along the way, she couldn’t resist lifting the curtain to look at the street scenes, her eyes wide with novelty.

“Hey, hey, you there,” she called out to Chang Yunchéng, who was walking ahead.

A Ru quickly pulled her hand down.

“Don’t call him like that! You must call him ‘Lord Shizi’,” she said in a frightened, pale whisper, then added, “What does the Young Mistress wish to do? Just command your maidservant…”

By this time, Chang Yunchéng had turned his head and was staring at her expressionlessly.

“Lord Shizi,” Qi Yue forced a smile for him.

Chang Yunchéng continued to stare at her, his face devoid of expression.

What is this young man’s attitude? Never mind that ‘I’ am his wife and he doesn't favor this wife; I at least saved his friend’s life! If he can’t offer thanks, can’t he at least give me a pleasant look?

Qi Yue, already harboring a stockpile of frustration towards him, let the forced smile vanish entirely.

“The driver is not the carriage escort; drive the carriage. I want to go shopping,” she said, ignoring Chang Yunchéng and shouting directly at the coachman.

She instinctively wanted to say, Let me borrow your carriage for a moment, but in that moment of distraction, she remembered: Borrow what? Lady Qi Yue is the Young Mistress of the Dingxi Marquisate. If she wants to use a carriage, she can use it freely.

A Ru quickly tugged at her sleeve.

“Go, take me to the liveliest spot you know, let me have a look…” Qi Yue continued instructing the coachman.

A flicker of disdain, or perhaps an ‘as expected’ smile, appeared on Chang Yunchéng’s face.

“Don’t push your luck,” he slightly reined in his horse and stopped. As the carriage approached, he said coldly, “Don’t push your luck.”

“What does ‘pushing my luck’ mean?” Qi Yue frowned.

“You know in your heart,” Chang Yunchéng said lightly, and spurred his horse forward.

Know your head! Qi Yue mentally scoffed. She urged the coachman to hurry up, but A Ru clung tightly to her arm.

“Young Mistress, if you wish to go out and play, we can accompany you another day. The Lord Shizi has matters to attend to,” she pleaded earnestly.

“I never said I wanted him to accompany me…” Qi Yue protested.

But A Ru’s face clearly conveyed, Yes, that is exactly what you meant…

“Fine, fine, then another day,” Qi Yue surrendered. She smiled again, pointing at Chang Yunchéng’s receding back. “Hey, don’t you think that fellow thinks I want him to go shopping with me?”

“Lord Shizi,” A Ru pulled her hand down, saying helplessly, implicitly confirming it.

Qi Yue laughed.

“So vain,” she chuckled.

Chang Yunchéng couldn't help but look back when he noticed them. Seeing the two women crowding at the carriage window, whispering and laughing, he snorted and turned back around.

The couple stepped into the residence one after the other and immediately parted ways.

“It’s a deal then, we’ll go out for a turn together,” Qi Yue and A Ru chatted happily as they walked. “What fun things or interesting sights do you have here?”

As soon as they passed the second gate, a small maid rushed out.

“Young Mistress, Ah Hao and Elder Sister Jiuzhi asked me to tell you,” the girl said in a flustered rush, “all the matrons are kneeling outside the Qiutong Courtyard.”

Qi Yue and A Ru froze. They recognized the maid as one from their own courtyard.

A rebellion?

“Did this happen because of what I said this morning?” Qi Yue asked.

The little maid nodded her head like a woodpecker pecking grain.

“Sister Ah Hao told me to tell you that one of the older women is a companion servant brought by the Madam’s family…” she whispered.

A Ru’s face changed. Is that maid Jiuzhi really serious? Does she dare to act? She should have started with the easiest ones; why go straight for the difficult ones?

“Young Mistress, it was Jiuzhi who provoked them,” she began to say quickly.

Qi Yue raised her hand, stopping her.

“That’s not right. Jiuzhi was acting upon my instructions. Since I said that I would take responsibility for whatever outcome, I will bear it myself,” she stated, neither rushed nor annoyed, slowly walking forward.

“Young Mistress, it’s best not to confront these people face-to-face. Let this maid go look first,” A Ru hurried to follow. “The Young Mistress doesn’t know, but these people will discard any sense of propriety. Moreover, they are likely resolved to make a scene for the Young Mistress now.”

Qi Yue nodded as she walked, then suddenly stopped.

A Ru thought she had changed her mind and motioned for the little maid to precede them.

“Wait, we are not going back,” Qi Yue called out, a wide smile spreading across her face as she winked at A Ru. “I’ve thought of a much better place…”

………………………………………

Cough, the simplified Chinese edition of Yaoxiang is about to be released, renamed "Gu Shiba Niang," complete in three volumes. Friends who like it, please give it lots of support. Nan Xi Xing’s first simplified book.