Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 73 Sick Man

But where is Pan Jinlian at this moment?

However, it was in a clinic at the intersection of the main street to the west.

It turned out that although this beautiful woman did not usually like Wu Dalang, disliking his short stature and ugly appearance, she was still a woman with a heart, and seeing him fall ill, she could not really sit idly by.

Earlier, when Wu Dalang first started coughing, she had already invited a doctor surnamed Hu from the street to come and see him.

The doctor took his pulse and said it was just a common cold. He prescribed several doses of Ma Huang Tang and Gui Zhi Tang, which are traditional Chinese medicine formulas for relieving exterior symptoms and dispersing wind. He then took the consultation fee and left.

To everyone's surprise, after taking several doses of medicine, Wu Da's cough not only did not improve, but became even more severe.

Yesterday, he developed a high fever, and this morning he was even more drowsy and bedridden.

Pan Jinlian panicked and inquired among the neighbors. Someone recommended a clinic that had opened at the main street corner. The doctor there was a man surnamed Jiang, who was not yet thirty years old but came from the Imperial Medical Academy. His medical skills were excellent, but his consultation fees were a bit expensive.

Seeing that ordinary doctors couldn't diagnose Wu Da's illness, Pan Jinlian had no choice but to grit her teeth, gather her money, and hurry to West Street to find Doctor Jiang.

For some reason, the clinic was unusually crowded today. The seven or eight benches in the hall were packed with people, and there were also three or five people standing and waiting for their turn.

Pan Jinlian had no choice but to patiently wait in line outside the door.

Little did she know that her arrival would cause a great deal of trouble.

How beautiful was Pan Jinlian? Such looks and figure were rare even in the capital city of Bianliang, let alone in this small county of Qinghe.

She usually stays at home and rarely goes out, so ordinary people rarely see her. People only know her name but rarely see her in person.

Although those idle and dissolute young men often talked about "a wife as beautiful as a fairy in the Wu family" in teahouses and taverns, they ultimately only heard rumors and never believed them.

Today, she stood outside the clinic, her foxy face slightly furrowed, her beautiful eyes sparkling. Her figure was voluptuous where it should be and slender where it should be. Wrapped in a light green dress, her skin appeared even whiter than snow.

Such a vibrant and beautiful woman standing among a crowd of ordinary women is like a pearl falling into a dark room, truly bringing brilliance to the entire room.

Let alone young men, even old men in their fifties and sixties couldn't help but steal a few glances.

This caused quite a stir. Those who weren't sick before started crowding into the main room, refusing to leave just to catch a glimpse of the beauty. One complained of a headache, another of a backache. Meanwhile, those who were actually there for treatment stopped caring about their illness and started craning their necks to look outside.

Therefore, Pan Jinlian waited for a full half hour, but the queue did not shorten; on the contrary, it grew even longer.

Pan Jinlian was getting anxious, and thinking of Wu Da's illness at home, she couldn't help but frown.

She felt uncomfortable as the men around her stared at her with predatory eyes.

Pan Jinlian simply twisted her waist and turned her body away, ignoring her.

She felt extremely uncomfortable, yet dared not leave, for Wu Da's illness could not be delayed any longer.

Forced to suppress her discomfort, she stared down at the tips of her embroidered shoes, inwardly cursing, "These bastards, they're all so frivolous! Look again, and I'll gouge their eyes out!"

After a long wait, it was finally her turn when the young apprentice inside called out, "Next!"

Pan Jinlian breathed a sigh of relief, took a few light steps, and walked to the consultation table. She stepped forward and curtsied, saying, "Greetings, sir."

As the doctor raised his head, Pan Jinlian finally saw the true face of Doctor Jiang.

The man appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, short and stocky, with fair skin and a neatly trimmed three-pronged beard. He wore a square headscarf and a blue robe, giving him a refined and scholarly appearance.

Although he tried his best to present himself as a benevolent doctor, for some reason, he always gave people a sense of frivolity and arrogance.

This man's surname was Jiang, and his given name was Zhushan. He used to be a low-ranking clerk in the Imperial Medical Academy, but he was expelled for committing a crime, which is why he opened a clinic in Qinghe County.

When Jiang Zhushan looked up and saw Pan Jinlian, his eyes lit up and his heart skipped a beat.

The woman in front of me is truly beautiful!

Her hair was styled in a misty, cloud-like bun, and her foxy face was filled with affection in her eyes. Although her willow-leaf eyebrows were slightly furrowed and her face was full of sorrow, it only added to her charming and touching appearance. She was truly someone I could not help but pity.

As for her figure, it was simply stunning; her waist, wrapped in that light green shirt, was so slender that you could pinch it with one hand.

Jiang Zhushan suppressed his pounding heart and feigned composure, saying, "Please sit down, madam. Place your hand on the pulse pillow so I can examine you. Is there anything wrong with your health?"

After saying that, he pushed the small pulse pillow forward.

Although Jiang Zhushan tried to keep his voice gentle, his eyes couldn't help but wander.

Pan Jinlian shook her head and did not sit down. Her eyebrows were lowered, and she said softly:

"It's not me who's here to see a doctor. My husband has fallen seriously ill and is now bedridden with a persistent high fever, unable to move. I've heard of your superb medical skills, sir, and have come to invite you. I humbly request that you have the mercy to come to my humble abode for a consultation. I will certainly not be stingy with the consultation fee and medicine expenses."

As he spoke, he took out a piece of silver from his sleeve and gently placed it on the consultation table.

Upon hearing that this beautiful young woman already had a husband, Jiang Zhushan felt a pang of disappointment at first, but then a different thought arose: even if she was married, it would be good to spend more time with this charming woman and exchange a few words. If he could cure her husband, wouldn't she be grateful? Wouldn't it be convenient to see her again in the future?

He took a deep breath, and he could almost smell the woman's faint, alluring fragrance, which stirred his heart.

Despite his inner turmoil, he became even more serious on the surface, stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "What you say is true, madam. Human life is at stake, how dare we delay? This student will go with you now."

After saying that, he quickly gathered up the pulse pillow, silver needles, medicine bag, and other items, put them into a jujube wood medical box, and slung it over his shoulder.

Then, the people waiting for their turn in the court bowed in unison: "Please wait a moment, everyone. I will be right back. If there is an emergency, you can ask Doctor Wang next door to see you first."

After saying this, he made a "please" gesture and followed Pan Jinlian out of the clinic.

The two left the clinic one after the other and headed towards Zishi Street.

Jiang Zhushan deliberately lagged behind by half a step, his thieving eyes stealthily sizing up the figure of the beautiful woman in front of him.

Her slender waist swayed like a willow in the wind, and her other body parts were as round as a full moon, making her walk as graceful as lotus blossoms.

Jiang Zhushan's heart itched with desire as he looked at her, thinking to himself: "Such a stunning beauty, yet she married a sick man. What a waste of her talent! If it were me, Jiang Zhushan..."

As he was lost in thought, Pan Jinlian suddenly turned around and said, "Sir, turn left ahead."

Jiang Zhushan quickly composed himself and adopted a concerned expression: "My lady, rest assured, I will do my best to treat you. But I wonder when your husband's illness began? Has he taken any medicine before?"

The two exchanged questions and answers as they gradually walked away.

While Jiang Zhushan spoke of medical principles, his mind was entirely on the woman, hoping that this journey would last as long as possible.