CHAPTER 365: CHAPTER 362: A VILLAIN’S GOOD DEED MUST NOT BE DELAYED

Steward Zhang walked out of Feichang Dao, his hand clutching a prescription, and he looked quite dispirited. He was clearly meant to ascertain the truth of Feichang Dao on behalf of his masters, but instead found himself diagnosed with an illness, and ended up spending ten silvers for the consultation.

Thinking about this made him feel an urgent need to urinate again. However, looking at the prescription in his hand, he folded it and went in search of another medical clinic—He could not simply take the little Taoist’s word for it.

Nevertheless, when he found the best medical clinic in Li City, that senior doctor also diagnosed him with kidney stones, but even then, he was not as detailed or clear in explanation as Qin Liuxi had been. If he asked too eagerly, the doctor’s apprentice would seem impatient.

Steward Zhang also received a prescription, but he used Qin Liuxi’s prescription to get medicine from another herbal store—he did not want those small stones to grow larger, which would be miserable if he ended up in pain unable to straighten his back.

After collecting the medicines, Steward Zhang returned to a secluded villa, and went directly to report to his own master. The servant he had dispatched earlier to follow Xie Chong had already reported back to the master.

"Steward Zhang has returned." The servant stepped aside.

Steward Zhang strode forward and knelt before the handsome man seated in the Taishi Chair: "Eldest Young Master."

"Rise." The handsome man raised his hand, and he was none other than Zhou Wei, who Qin Liuxi had seen with the Ding family.

Zhou Wei asked with interest: "Fu Quan has already spoken about what he has found out; now tell me, what have you heard at that Feichang Dao?"

"Eldest Young Master, that shop is weird enough, but the shopkeeper, he really does have some skills." Steward Zhang hurriedly recounted everything he saw and heard in Feichang Dao, leaving out none of the details, including his own illness.

Initially, Zhou Wei was curious—after all, he had heard about the incident Xie Chong experienced from the servant. Then, after hearing Steward Zhang’s account, curiosity gradually turned to a serious countenance, and his eyes gleamed.

"You never noticed this kidney stone issue before?" Zhou Wei asked with narrowed eyes.

Steward Zhang replied with a bitter smile: "This old servant is merely a servant, not learned in medicine. How could I know about such an ailment as kidney stones? It’s unheard of—Kidney Water generating stones, have you heard of it, Young Master?"

"Of course." Zhou Wei remarked: "The biological brother of Marquis Yongding also suffered from this condition before. Mr. Zhong was told he was in so much pain he couldn’t get off the bed, almost wishing to cut off his own manhood. Numerous efforts to find a cure were in vain until he met Du Ren, who finally healed him. They say the expelled stone was almost the size of a little finger; that fat gentleman lost half his weight from that ordeal."

Steward Zhang went pale upon hearing this, and another layer of sweat formed on his slightly overweight face, almost wishing he could start taking the medicine immediately.

Zhou Wei’s eyes shone brightly: "This little Taoist, oh, which Daoist does she belong to?"

"She holds an authorization token from Qingping Temple, and she’s listed there."

Zhou Wei tapped on the table, speaking: "She is so young, yet she possesses such medical skills; she must have some abilities. Fu Quan also mentioned that she can expel evil and decide life and death."

Steward Zhang looked astonished, turning his gaze towards the servant, who quickly reported what he had heard from Xie Chong.

Steward Zhang swallowed hard, saying, "No wonder she said that child was startled and that’s what caused the acute hysteria. I watched her apply acupuncture very steadily and without hesitation; her acupoint diagnosis was precise. Afterwards, she hung a talisman around the child’s neck, and the child calmed right down, acting as if nothing was wrong. I watched with a cool eye, and the child’s grandfather also showed her great respect and esteem, speaking highly of that protective amulet."

Zhou Wei paused for a moment, then said: "Since there are leads to follow, send someone else to Qingping Temple to investigate her background and also inquire outside about her reputation, especially regarding her medical skills."

"Yes."

Zhou Wei then instructed Steward Zhang: "Go and prepare the medicine for consumption; after taking it, tell me what happens."

"This servant obeys."

Zhou Wei then allowed them to dismiss themselves and pinched his brows, lips pressed firmly together—for this involved his sister, he had to proceed with utmost caution.

...

Qin Liuxi accepted the consultation fee handed over by Manager Ji, not bothering to look at the amount, and directly handed it to Chen Pi, saying, "The child’s eyes are pure, and it’s normal for your funeral shop to come across some unusual things. With the Peace Talisman I gave, it can protect him from evil spirits drawing near. Rest assured."

After hearing this, Manager Ji was moved, gave deep bows, and said, "Thank you so much. The amulet you gave before, I’ve had it on him, but who would have thought my daughter-in-law is such a wastrel..."

Qin Liuxi had no interest in his family affairs and replied, "It’s no matter, the child is a good one. Take good care of him, and he will be your blessing in later years."

Manager Ji, still stirred with excitement, thought to himself that it was better to personally raise his grandson, for if the boy were left in the hands of his good-for-nothing daughter-in-law, who knows if he’d turn out crooked.

After showering Qin Liuxi with compliments, he took his leave.

Once he was gone, Chen Pi opened the bag to check the consultation fee and said, "Master, Manager Ji gave twenty taels for the consultation."

Business at funeral shops wasn’t always bustling with customers, so the consultation fee given by Manager Ji was quite generous.

This indicated a firm resolve to foster a good relationship with Qin Liuxi.

Qin Liuxi glanced at the amount and then said, "Put it away. You will manage this account. In the future, our shop’s profits should be divided into three portions; two-tenths will go to the Daoist Temple, three-tenths will be mine, and the remaining half will be allocated to a separate account. Once that account has grown sufficiently, we will use those funds to generate more, to serve as the Qin family main branch’s private savings."

Chen Pi was surprised, "A separate account?"

Qin Liuxi nodded, "Little Yue is right. If one day I decide to step aside, no one else will be able to take over this business. It’s better to set aside a separate fund to invest in other enterprises, establishing a foundation for the future."

"You’re the one running things, aren’t three-tenths a little too little?" Chen Pi hesitated for a moment.

Qin Liuxi: "Enough is enough."

Chen Pi understood her temperament and didn’t say any more, only bringing up the matter of Xie Chong, "For a profligate son like him, who knows when he will be able to earn twenty taels of silver."

"He will earn it. The day he does, it will mark a prodigal’s sincere repentance, no less valuable than gold," Qin Liuxi said as she took out the mourning cloth. "Bring me some yellow paper and vermilion. I’ll draw a few talismans to break this evil magic."

"Aren’t you supposed to suppress half of it?"

Qin Liuxi smiled, "You believed that? I was only scaring him, to make that wastrel work earnestly for his money. Besides, when it comes to doing good, one should not delay!"

Chen Pi’s eyes crinkled with amusement, and she quickly fetched the yellow paper and vermilion.

"Lend me a drop of your Pure Yang Blood," Qin Liuxi said, grinning at Chen Pi.

Chen Pi unceremoniously took a Golden Needle, pricked her fingertip, squeezed out a drop of blood, which Qin Liuxi mixed with the vermilion. Then, with focused mind and calm breath, she drew a Life Extinguishing Talisman. The vermilion fell on the paper, the talisman completed, and a flash of golden light passed by.

Qin Liuxi held the talisman and the mourning cloth, took a Treasure Burning Bowl, tossed the cloth into it, quickly made Sealing gestures with both hands, and opened her thin lips to chant an ancient spell. Following a crisp ’break’, the spell and the talisman met the mourning cloth, which spontaneously ignited.

As the mourning cloth burned, in a brothel elsewhere, a man who had been merrily embracing a courtesan and drinking heavily suddenly collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Meanwhile, an old Taoist on the run felt a severe pain in his spiritual platform, spat out a mouthful of old blood, fell to the ground, and cried out in misery, "Who the hell is continuously thwarting my plans!"