Chapter 32 — Swollen Head Plague • Lending A Hand to Help
“My son was fine when I brought him to you, but now he’s getting worse and worse under your treatment! You bunch of quack doctors, if you don’t cure my son today, our family of three will die right here in front of your shop!”
“Everyone, come and judge for yourselves! A few days ago, my son caught a cold, so I brought him to Ping’an Hall to see the doctor here. Who would have known it would turn out like this? Wuu wuu… my son…”
“Big Brother, Sister-in-law, can we go inside and talk? Your son really did catch a cold, and our doctor prescribed medicine for treating the cold…”
“You bunch of damn quacks! Still making excuses? I’ll tear down your shop!”
In Datong Town, there are two medicine shops. Ling Jingxuan chose Ping’an Hall, which is near the fish market. When the father and son trio walked toward Ping’an Hall, they saw the place was packed, with people filling the space both inside and out. Occasionally, sounds of crying, shouting, and cursing could be heard. Ling Jingxuan furrowed his brows slightly, then glanced down at his son, who had a flushed face and was sweating profusely. He was debating whether to go to the other shop, but that shop was on the other side of town. They had already spent most of the day walking around, and they were both tired and hungry. It wasn’t just the two buns they were craving; even his fragile body—more delicate than Lin Daiyu’s—could barely hold up.
“Daddy, what are they doing?”
Xiao Baozi tugged at his hand and asked curiously, blinking his big eyes.
“Why are you asking so many questions, little one?”
It’s obvious from a glance that a medical incident has occurred. Ling Jingxuan wasn’t interested in getting involved and didn’t want his son to meddle either. He just wanted to quickly buy the medicine and reunite with Ling Jingpeng.
Xiao Baozi pouted and lowered his head in displeasure. He had only been asking a question—Daddy was being so mean!
“Daddy, I’m small. Why don’t you tell me what medicine to buy, and I’ll go in and get it for you?”
Seeing that his younger brother seemed upset, Ling Wen tightened his grip on his hand and looked up, speaking to their father.
“No need. Give me the money pouch. You and your brother stay here. I’ll be back soon.”
Seeing his son’s face drenched in sweat, Ling Jingxuan decisively shook his head and refused. He would rather squeeze into the crowd himself than let his little bun go through that ordeal.
“Alright, fine.”
Thinking that his father wouldn’t just waste money at a pharmacy, Ling Wen hesitated for a moment before handing over the money bag. He then silently led the Little Bun to sit in the shade of a nearby eave. Only after making sure they would be safe did Ling Jingxuan grit his teeth and squeeze his way into the crowd.
“Damn quack doctors, I’ll smash your sign…”
“Big Brother, don’t get so worked up…”
“Master…”
At the entrance of Ping’an Hall, a burly man wearing a short-sleeved shirt was carrying a hoe, cursing as he charged into the shop. Seeing this, several of the shop assistants, including the shopkeeper, rushed forward to stop him. The woman trailing behind him was crying so hard her eyes were swollen, with disheveled hair, looking like a ghost. Not far from them, on a wooden plank lying on the ground, there was a child who looked no older than seven or eight. His appearance was unrecognizable because his face had turned green and his head was swollen to the size of an ox’s, barely clinging to life, and he could pass away at any moment.
Big Head Wind?
Ling Jingxuan, who had squeezed into the crowd and understood the situation, furrowed his brows tightly. At a glance, he could tell the boy’s symptoms—Big Head Wind, commonly known as Swollen Head Plague. This illness typically occurs during the winter and spring seasons. It happens when the body’s vital energy is weak and the wind-heat toxins invade. Initially, it seems like a common cold, but if treated with regular cold medicine like Chengqi Decoction, the condition will only worsen. It’s highly contagious and falls within the category of epidemics. The problem, though, was that how could anyone be infected with Big Head Wind at this time of year?
Thinking of his little buns waiting for him outside, Ling Jingxuan decisively pushed aside all the chaotic thoughts in his mind. He stepped around the commotion and walked directly into the medicine shop. However… the shop was empty. Not a soul in sight. Even if he had money, he wouldn’t be able to buy anything. With a helpless sigh, Ling Jingxuan turned back out and, with a sweep of his gaze through the crowd, spotted a man dressed in a brocade long robe, around forty to fifty years old. He figured this man must be the shopkeeper. Without a second thought, Ling Jingxuan made his way over.
“Shopkeeper, I need to buy some medicine.”
He grabbed the man’s arm and went straight to the point, but under these circumstances, who would care about doing business? The shopkeeper turned around, irritated, and said, “Go away, we’re not selling any medicine today.”
“I need to buy medicine!”
Ling Jingxuan grasped his hand, applying a bit of force, and stubbornly repeated in a low voice.
“What’s wrong with you? Can’t you see I’m busy? I don’t have time to deal with you right now!”
The shopkeeper yanked his hand away and turned, scolding loudly. His raised voice pierced through the crowd, silencing the noisy group. For a moment, everyone’s attention shifted to Ling Jingxuan, some with anger, some with confusion, but most with mocking looks from the onlookers. Through it all, no one had paid any real attention to the boy lying on the ground, clinging to life.
“Get out of the way! I’m going to smash this damn quack doctor’s sign!”
The burly man, who had come to his senses first, swung the hoe again, ready to strike. It seemed like another fierce confrontation was about to unfold, and the brief silence caused by Ling Jingxuan’s arrival quickly faded as the crowd eagerly awaited the drama. But at this moment, Ling Jingxuan, who had been shoved aside by the shopkeeper, ignored the upcoming conflict. He slowly walked to the boy’s side, took his pulse, and examined his pupils and tongue. After a moment, he said, “Chills, fever, swollen head and face, swollen throat and area in front of the ears, extending to the neck and jaw, red tongue with yellow coating, slippery and rapid pulse—these are typical symptoms of Swollen Head Plague. If you don’t want him to die, be quiet.”
His cold, clear voice seemed to carry a calming power, gently but distinctly reaching everyone’s ears.
“Plague?!”
“Oh my God, it’s actually a plague…”
“A plague, huh…”
As soon as the word “plague” was mentioned, the crowd of onlookers jumped back in fright, their faces full of fear and revulsion. In ancient times, medical knowledge was underdeveloped, and plagues were often associated with death. From emperors to ordinary people, everyone feared the plague, and the scene was no different. The woman who had been crying earlier and the burly man causing a commotion both collapsed to the ground with a thud. Even the shopkeeper and the assistants inside the pharmacy turned pale instantly, as if a dark cloud had descended over everyone’s heads.
“Ah… my son… wuwu…”
After a brief silence, the woman who had been sitting dumbstruck suddenly began wailing loudly. The burly man, too, looked sorrowful. The crowd, no longer interested in watching the spectacle, now looked pale as paper, all fearful of being infected.
“Young man, since you know the symptoms, can you give me a prescription?”
It was the shopkeeper, who, after regaining his composure, rushed toward Ling Jingxuan. Regardless of whether it was a cold or a plague, the child had originally been brought to him. If the child died, he would be responsible. The fate of Ping’an Hall was now tied to this. Although the young man in front of him appeared untrustworthy, with patched-up clothes and a plain appearance, the shopkeeper was still desperate.
“Young man, divine doctor, please, save my son! Please!”
Seeing the desperate scene, the crying woman crawled and grabbed Ling Jingxuan’s legs, begging him. At this point, all notions of propriety had long since disappeared; the woman’s only concern was her son’s life.
“Divine doctor, please, save my son! He’s only seven, he hasn’t even grown up yet, please!”
The man, too, fell to his knees in front of him with a thud. His rough, dark, square face was covered in tears.
“Saving a life is more valuable than building a seven-story pagoda. If you can save him, please do!”
“Exactly, since you can diagnose the illness, you should be able to save him…”
“Young man, please save the child…”
“Poor thing, so young…”
The crowd, which had been standing back, started murmuring, some with genuine sympathy for the child, while others were sarcastic. The voices mingled together, and nearly all eyes were focused on the calm and indifferent Ling Jingxuan.
“Daddy? What’s going on?”
As the crowd parted, the two little buns holding hands easily squeezed their way through. Upon seeing the situation, they looked curiously at their father, about to walk toward him.
“Don’t come over!”
Ling Jingxuan immediately called out to stop them. Children’s immune systems were weak, and he didn’t want them to get infected with the disease.
“Daddy?”
The two little buns instinctively stopped in their tracks. Before they could ask, Ling Jingxuan patiently called out to them, “Be good. Xiao Wen, take Xiao Wu outside and wait for me. I’ll be fine. I’ll explain everything to you later.”
“Okay, but Daddy, hurry up. Uncle will be worried if we’re late.”
Ling Wen nodded obediently and, holding his brother’s hand, turned around. The crowd automatically parted to give them a path. After ensuring they were safely out of the danger zone, Ling Jingxuan let out a deep sigh of relief.
“Young master, please save my son. You have children too, how can you bear to let such a small child…”
“Please, young master, save Xiao Hu! I will repay you by working like an ox or a horse. Please, divine doctor…”
The child’s parents, crying and sobbing, kowtowed to Ling Jingxuan. Ling Jingxuan, feeling helpless, rolled his eyes. He bent down to help them up and said coldly, “Stop crying. If you keep crying, he really won’t be saved.”
Once he had decided to help, he would take action. But… did anyone even give him a chance to speak?
“Thank you, divine doctor, thank you!”
Upon hearing him, the couple tried to kowtow again, but Ling Jingxuan’s face darkened. He coldly said, “If you want him to die, keep kowtowing!”
In his past life, his entire family, more than ten people, had been wiped out overnight. Who stood up to help? In this life, the original owner and the two little buns were innocent—who had ever spoken up for them? The lives of others were none of his business. If it weren’t for the child’s age reminding him of the little buns, and if he weren’t in such a hurry to buy the medicine, he wouldn’t have bothered with this mess.
“Yes, yes…”
The couple finally got up. Ling Jingxuan turned back to the shopkeeper and said, “Prepare a clean room. The child will stay here for now.”
“Yes, young master, please come inside.”
In times like this, even if he said a cow was flying in the sky, no one would dare to refute him. The shopkeeper hurriedly agreed, nodding like a pestle, and invited him into the shop. The assistants were already running to the back of the pharmacy. The burly man holding the child followed them closely. Ling Jingxuan didn’t hesitate, walking directly toward the doctor’s desk. He picked up the brush on the desk and examined it. In the end, he didn’t use it. Why? It was simple—he didn’t know how to use a brush. He could write the characters, but whether others could recognize them was another matter.
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Translator: LazyHermitGal
Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal. A little support goes a long way! If you’d like to help me keep creating, you can do so at https://ko-fi.com/lazyhermitgal
