A lucky mistake

Chen Shi'an coughed awkwardly twice. "I watched them prepare the medicine myself. How could it be fake?

Maybe the medicine's already working, flushing the toxins out of Zhao Ling."

Qin E'na blinked her beautiful eyes, clearly still doubtful.

"Bring me the wine and the medicine. I'll dress her wound again," Chen Shi'an said quietly.

Things had come this far. He could only follow this road into the dark.

There was only a chance that green mold would produce penicillin. Perhaps the mold he had applied during the day contained nothing but toxins, worsening Zhao Ling's condition.

He was treating a dead horse as though it were still alive anyway. Who knew? The next batch of mold might contain penicillin.

Soon, the wound was cleaned again and coated with wound salve mixed with green mold.

Qin E'na bandaged it again.

Once she finished, she said anxiously, "My cousin's temperature is still so high. Just changing her dressing probably won't be enough.

We need to find a way to bring her fever down first."

Chen Shi'an considered briefly. "Keep wiping her down with well water. I'll go make some ginger soup."

With that, he strode out of the room.

About half an hour later, he hurried back with a steaming bowl of ginger soup.

He placed his hand on Zhao Ling's forehead. It was still just as scorching hot.

"Feed her the ginger soup first."

Chen Shi'an picked up the bucket and went to draw more well water.

Yet even after drinking a bowl of hot ginger soup, Zhao Ling did not shed a single drop of sweat.

Qin E'na's heart burned with anxiety, and tears were already glimmering in her beautiful eyes.

Chen Shi'an hesitated briefly. "Help her sit up. I'll give her a massage.

She's been unconscious too long, so her blood isn't circulating properly. That's why the ginger soup hasn't worked. I'll massage her to get her blood flowing."

Qin E'na was at a complete loss by then. Without questioning him, she immediately helped Zhao Ling sit up on the bed.

Chen Shi'an quickly took off his shoes, climbed onto the bed, and sat behind Zhao Ling.

He reached out with both hands, rested them gently against her back, and slowly moved them.

Of course, he was not giving her a massage. He did not know how.

He was merely using this as an opportunity to channel origin force into Zhao Ling's body.

Origin force could strengthen the body and heal injuries.

Chen Shi'an had no other options left. He could only try and see whether origin force helped.

About half an incense stick later, he stopped, having exhausted all the origin force in his body.

Unexpectedly, scarcely a moment after he stopped, Zhao Ling actually began sweating, and her temperature fell with it.

"It's working!"

Qin E'na exclaimed delightedly, "Her temperature's coming down!"

Chen Shi'an wiped the sweat from his forehead and got off the bed. "Now that her fever's down, she's out of danger for the moment.

I'll go to bed first. If anything happens, come get me."

Qin E'na nodded repeatedly. "Thank you for your hard work."

Chen Shi'an waved a hand. "A little hard work doesn't matter. What worries me most is helping someone only to have them keep a long face and guard against me like I'm a thief."

Embarrassment appeared on Qin E'na's face.

Chen Shi'an added, "Don't worry. I bought you two only to give my sister-in-law some help. I don't intend to make you serve me tea or warm my bed. You don't need to keep guarding against me."

After all that trouble, Chen Shi'an no longer felt sleepy.

He picked up the Horizontal Saber and kept working until he was utterly exhausted, then fell into a deep sleep.

Fortunately, Qin E'na did not come looking for him again before dawn.

Early the next morning.

Chen Shi'an had just gotten up and stepped out of his room when he saw Qin E'na sweeping fallen leaves in the courtyard with a broom.

Her figure was frail, and her eyes were visibly red. Clearly, she had not slept well the night before.

"Leave these things for now. Focus on looking after your cousin."

Chen Shi'an walked slowly into the center of the courtyard. "Go back and get some sleep. I'll call you when breakfast is ready."

Qin E'na shook her head. "Since coming here, we haven't helped you at all. We've only caused you trouble.

Even if you don't treat me as a servant, I can't forget that I am one. I must do the work I'm supposed to do."

"Of course there's work to do, but not now. Once Zhao Ling recovers and you've regained your strength, you'll have plenty to keep you busy," Chen Shi'an added.

Qin E'na hesitated briefly. "I'm only sweeping. It's not tiring, and I'm not sleepy right now."

She's a stubborn one, too.

Chen Shi'an stopped trying to persuade her and walked slowly into the room next door.

Zhao Ling was still unconscious, but her temperature had returned to normal, and her pretty face was pale again.

Her breathing was also noticeably steadier than yesterday. There were actually signs of improvement.

He walked over slowly and was about to examine her wound.

Footsteps sounded behind him. Qin E'na had come in.

Chen Shi'an shook his head with a soft sigh. "Qin E'na, do you really distrust me that much?"

Qin E'na shook her head repeatedly. "That's not what I meant. I wanted to ask when you'd change her dressing again."

"I'll check her wound before deciding," Chen Shi'an answered quietly.

Qin E'na hurried forward and carefully rolled up the clothing over Zhao Ling's abdomen.

Chen Shi'an stepped closer and gently pulled back the gauze. The wound had not darkened again, and some parts were even beginning to scab over.

He was astonished by what he saw.

Could the mold I applied last night have contained plenty of penicillin?

Or did the origin force work?

Or was Zhao Ling's constitution so strong that she pulled through by sheer endurance?

"We won't change the dressing for now. Give me the rest of the wound salve," Chen Shi'an said softly.

"If the medicine's working, why aren't we changing it?" Qin E'na asked, her face full of confusion.

Chen Shi'an pursed his lips. "Miss Qin, don't be so curious. I pulled your cousin back from the gates of death. Do you still doubt my medical skills?"

Qin E'na's pretty face flushed slightly as she handed Chen Shi'an three packets of wound salve.

"Give her plenty of orange water or boiled water to drink. I'll come back this evening to massage her."

Chen Shi'an hurried outside, went to the vegetable patch in the courtyard, and scattered the three packets of wound salve over the ground before covering them with soil.

All three packets contained green mold.

Now that Zhao Ling was clearly improving, the wound salve she was currently using might contain a certain amount of penicillin.

Winning a gamble like this was an immense stroke of luck.

He certainly could not guarantee that the remaining wound salve contained any penicillin.

With Zhao Ling's condition improving, the shortage of help for making chili sauce would soon be resolved.

It was time to attend to more important matters.

"Sister-in-law, do you know where Brother Hou Fang lives?" Chen Shi'an asked Su Qingrou after lunch.

Su Qingrou blinked. "Why are you suddenly asking about that?"

Chen Shi'an smiled faintly. "Brother Hou helped us so much last time. I'd like to take him a couple of jars of chili sauce."

Su Qingrou nodded. "Wait a moment. He left an address before he went last time. I'll go find it."

Soon, she emerged from the bedroom and handed Chen Shi'an a slip of paper. "Would you like E'na to go with you?"

Qin E'na, who stood nearby, quickly said, "Sister Qingrou, I won't go. I'll stay home and learn how to make chili sauce from you."

Su Qingrou waved a hand. "There'll be plenty of time to learn how to make chili sauce later. Wait until you've regained your health.

Since coming to Windrise Stronghold, you probably haven't been anywhere else. Let Shi'an take you out for a look around today."

Chen Shi'an was a little surprised. Su Qingrou had called him by his name today instead of addressing him as her younger brother-in-law.

Qin E'na continued to refuse. "Once my cousin's recovered, I'll go with her."

Su Qingrou was about to keep persuading her.

Chen Shi'an said quietly, "Sister-in-law, if she doesn't want to go, let her be. I'm going to take care of business, not admire the scenery. I'll go and come straight back. It won't take long.

Besides, can't you tell? She's guarding against me. She doesn't dare be alone with me."

Qin E'na looked embarrassed and was about to explain.

Chen Shi'an continued, "It's just as well you're not coming. With a beanpole like you beside me, I'd be afraid people would laugh."

"Shi'an, you mustn't speak like that." Su Qingrou frowned.

Qin E'na's pretty face reddened. "Chen Shi'an, do you think I want to go out with you..."

"Isn't this perfect, then? You don't want to come with me, and I don't want to take you. We can each get on with our own business."

Having finished speaking, Chen Shi'an turned and strode straight out of the courtyard, leaving Qin E'na stamping her foot in anger.

Hou Fang's home was on East Street in Windrise Stronghold, a place only the wealthy could afford to live.

Sure enough, the members of the Demon Hunting Team were dripping with money.

Following the address Su Qingrou had given him, Chen Shi'an soon found Hou Fang's residence.

He knocked on the door and waited for roughly ten breaths.

Soft footsteps sounded inside the courtyard. Then the door opened, and a white-haired old woman peered out.

"Young man, who are you looking for?" She looked Chen Shi'an up and down.

"Ma'am, is this Brother Hou Fang's home?" Chen Shi'an asked quietly.

The old woman nodded, confusion in her eyes. "And you are?"

Chen Shi'an smiled and cupped his hands. "Ma'am, I'm a friend of Brother Hou's. I've come to visit him today."

The old woman opened the door a little wider. "Fang has gone out on official business. He isn't home."

Chen Shi'an asked, "Do you know when he'll be back, ma'am?"

The old woman shook her head. "It's hard to say. Sometimes he's back early, but sometimes he's busy until well past midnight."

Chen Shi'an considered briefly, then held out the six jars of chili sauce tied together in his hand. "Ma'am, since there's no telling when he'll be back, I won't wait.

When Brother Hou returns, please tell him Chen Shi'an came looking for him."

The white-haired old woman blinked. "Chen Shi'an? You're Qingye's younger brother?"

Chen Shi'an nodded. "That's right, ma'am. Chen Qingye was my elder brother."

"Come in, quickly. You silly child, why didn't you tell me your name right away?" The white-haired old woman hurriedly opened the door all the way.

"Ma'am, since Brother Hou isn't here, and I still have things to do, I won't disturb you." Chen Shi'an waved a hand and shook his head.

The white-haired old woman smiled. "When he left this morning, he said he'd be back early. It should be about time now. Hurry and come in."

As she spoke, she pulled Chen Shi'an into the courtyard without giving him a chance to refuse.

"Ah, when Fang told me a while ago that Qingye was gone, I couldn't sleep for days.

I wanted to go visit, but I'm old, and my legs aren't what they used to be.

Qingye was so young. How could he just be gone like that?

I'd been wondering why he hadn't come to see me for the past six months or more.

Qingye was such a dutiful boy. Whenever Fang was away from the Stronghold, he'd come see me every few days... How could he suddenly be gone? What a poor, ill-fated child."

The white-haired old woman poured Chen Shi'an a cup of tea, then began rambling. As she spoke, tears welled up in her clouded eyes.

"Ma'am, it's fate. Please don't grieve too much. You need to take care of yourself," Chen Shi'an comforted her softly.

The white-haired old woman nodded. "Child, is everything all right at home? With your elder brother gone, you must hold the family up. A little hardship and weariness don't matter, as long as you can get by."

"Don't worry, ma'am. Everyone at home is doing well. This is chili sauce my sister-in-law made. It tastes quite good, so I brought some for you and Brother Hou to try."

Chen Shi'an placed the six jars of chili sauce before the white-haired old woman and cautioned her, "It's a little spicy. Don't eat too much at once."

"Chili sauce? What's that?" The white-haired old woman looked puzzled.

Chen Shi'an smiled. "It's a condiment to go with your meals. You'll understand once you try it."

Just then, heavy footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a man's voice. "Mother, I'm home."

As his words fell, the door creaked open, and Hou Fang walked in.

"Brother Hou." Chen Shi'an quickly rose and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Shi'an, when did you get here?"

Hou Fang looked visibly surprised, then smiled. "I was just saying I'd visit your home once I got through this busy spell.

Tiantian has become a Reserve Divination Medium. With such a bright future ahead of her, I ought to congratulate you all. I didn't expect you to come first."

Chen Shi'an replied with a smile, "The City Guard Battalion has so much to do. How could you get away, Brother Hou? The thought is more than enough.

My sister-in-law made some chili sauce and asked me to bring it over for you and your mother to try."

"Chili sauce? Is it Chen Su Ji's chili sauce?" Hou Fang asked in puzzlement.

Chen Shi'an nodded repeatedly. "Brother Hou, how do you know the name of our chili sauce?"

Shock appeared on Hou Fang's face. "I never imagined Sister-in-law Su was the one making Chen Su Ji's chili sauce.

Whenever our City Guard Battalion eats at Qingfeng Restaurant, we have to have chili sauce with our meals. If we go a few days without it, we start craving it."

"Fang, is this chili sauce really that good?" the white-haired old woman asked.

Hou Fang smiled faintly. "Didn't Shi'an bring six jars? Try it, and you'll see."

The white-haired old woman nodded repeatedly and smiled. "All right, I'll go stir-fry a couple of dishes now. You and Shi'an can have a few drinks, and I'll try the chili sauce Qingye's family makes."

"Granny, please don't trouble yourself. I still have something to take care of."

Chen Shi'an rose to his feet. "Brother Hou, bring Granny over to my place sometime when you're free."

"Oh, you child. You finally come to visit, and you won't even stay for a bite to eat. How am I supposed to feel right about that?" The white-haired old woman hurriedly tried to persuade him to stay.

"Granny, I only came today to learn the way to your home. I'll visit often whenever I have time." Chen Shi'an declined with a smile.

"Mother, he has something to do. Don't keep him. I'll see him out." Hou Fang stood up as well.

The white-haired old woman sighed softly and took Chen Shi'an's hand. "Child, come by often whenever you have time.

"I may be old, but I can still cook a decent meal. When your elder brother was alive, he loved my cooking best."

Chen Shi'an nodded in agreement, then followed Hou Fang out the door.

"You must have come here for something else too, didn't you?"

After leaving the house, Hou Fang walked another half a street before stopping at the entrance to a quiet alley.