northernbook Chapter 217 Great Heat
Chapter 217 Great Heat
Poorly made?
Nianyao retorted, "If you think my Liuli isn't good enough, then you probably won't find anything better. My Liuli are all from Dongyang, and they've been blessed by a high-ranking monk from Puji Temple."
If you buy a string of these for your wife, it will ensure a harmonious and sweet marriage; if you give it to a pregnant woman, it will ensure a safe delivery; if you give it to your parents, it will ensure their health and longevity; if you give it to…
The man interrupted her rambling: "Is it for you?"
Nianyao didn't react immediately: "For whom?"
The man said, "It's for you!"
The two stared at each other. Nianyao put her hands on her hips, but the other person was all smiles, so she couldn't say anything.
It's just buying a string of glass beads; it's just about getting some nice words! Her father and uncles always told her that businessmen make money by being friendly. She'd been a petty thief since she was little—no, she'd been catching fish and shrimp—she was flexible and adaptable; this was nothing.
Nianyao consoled herself, put down her hands, and packed up her stall with a sullen face. She put the glassware into a cloth bag, slung the bag over her shoulder, and was about to leave.
The man watched her pack up quietly, then suddenly took out a tael of silver and placed it on the stall: "Buy a string of skewers."
Nianyao looked at the smile in the man's eyes and suddenly realized: this man was flirting with her!
Nianyao casually picked up the silver: "Then I won't be polite."
The man stretched out his hand and shouted, "Where is my glass?"
Nianyao didn't turn her head and replied, "Didn't you just say you were going to buy it for me? It would be impolite to refuse, so I'll accept your offer."
Nianyao used two idioms and felt quite cultured, which pleased her greatly. She went to the back of the market to untie her horse and chase after the horse caravan, but after about thirty li, she still couldn't see them.
They only wasted a short time, and the cavalry was lost? There are no official roads on the grasslands, just flat plains to roam freely, making it impossible to find anyone to chase after.
Nianyao gritted her teeth: "How dare you flirt with an innocent woman at your age? Don't let me see you again, or I'll make you regret it."
Nianyao rode back. What they said at the tea stall was just speculation. What if the people in the carriage weren't the Khan and Luo An? She needed to find out more before making any further arrangements.
It started raining that night. Nianyao sat in the tent wrapped in a blanket, listening to the sound of the rain hitting the tent, feeling somewhat lost: She wondered how Luo An was doing, and how Chongming Island was doing.
There seemed to be footsteps outside, and Nianyao tensed up immediately. She gripped her longsword tightly and remained motionless.
Someone knocked on the door: "Is anyone home?"
That voice sounds familiar? Where have I heard it before?
As Nianyao was trying to recall, the person raised their voice slightly and asked again, "Is anyone there?"
"Is he the man who bought the glass?" Nianyao lit a lamp and asked fiercely, "What is it?"
The man said, "It's raining outside. I've come in to take shelter from the rain. I hope you don't mind, Madam."
Nianyao's voice was slightly cold: "I mind."
The man asked, "Why?"
"You made me miss the caravan, I'll tear you to pieces!" Nianyao thought to herself, but replied aloud, "What kind of decorum is it for a lone man and woman to be alone in a room together?"
Nianyao didn't open the door, and the person didn't leave. After a moment of stalemate, Nianyao used her sword to pry open the door and saw the person standing there, completely soaked.
The man wiped the rain off his face, his expression seemingly very gratified. He bent down and squeezed in, saying, "Thank you, Madam."
Nianyao found a set of men's clothing and threw it to him, turning her back: "Change into it. We're all江湖儿女 (jianghu children, meaning people from all walks of life), we don't care about formalities."
The man didn't stand on ceremony, changing out of his wet clothes and tossing them in a corner: "I'm all changed."
Nianyao turned around: "Speak."
The man asked, "What did you say?"
Nianyao's tone was calm but impatient: "You call me Madam? How do you know I've been married before?"
The man pointed to Nianyao's hair: "Only married women wear their hair up. Madam wears her hair up during the day."
Nianyao raised an eyebrow: "So, you harassed a respectable woman?"
The man laughed and said, "Madam, I can't bear that crime."
The man took out a waist pendant: "Level 7 Doctor of Heaven and Earth, Great Heat".
Two jade beads, one blue and one white, plus a gold coin with a square hole, each engraved with four characters: "Tianxia Yizhuang" (天下医庄).
"Great Heat?" Nianyao sized him up: "Isn't Great Heat the Shadow Guard?"
Da Shu said, "The Shadow Guards and the Doctor don't conflict. I didn't expect Madam..."
Nianyao interjected, "I didn't expect Madam to be like this, did I?"
Da Shu was slightly taken aback, and quickly said, "No, I didn't expect Madam to be here."
Nianyao then realized that she had spoken too harshly. She had been swindling and cheating at the market, and she had even managed to cheat one of her own people. She was losing face.
Nianyao spoke slowly, "Weren't you and Xiaoshu with Luo An? Why are you alone? What are you doing here?... And, as a doctor from Heaven and Earth, how dare you harass the master's wife?"
Da Shu was unusually embarrassed: "I just wanted to confirm your identity, Madam?"
Nianyao said, "You think flirting with me will confirm your identity?"
Da Shu said, "Madam said the glass came from Dongyang and was consecrated at Puji Temple. Puji Temple is a national temple..."
National temples generally performed rituals for royalty and high-ranking officials, and were unlikely to serve merchants.
Nianyao was a little embarrassed: "I was just talking nonsense, didn't you not believe me?"
Da Shu smiled and said, "Merchants usually wouldn't dare to talk such nonsense. Madam must be very confident. I've heard many stories about Madam, and I'm just asking a few more questions to be more certain."
Have you heard many stories about Madam? What good things could Bianjing gossip possibly tell her! Nianyao bent her legs, feeling her face burning: "Why are you running around in the wind and rain in the middle of the night? Why didn't you go with Luo An..."
The question came back again. Da Shu said, "Madam, don't be anxious, let me explain slowly."
Luo An accompanied the envoy from the northern desert to Tumet, on the grounds that Duoyi had suffered damage to her body and throat in a fire, and Luo An, as a doctor, followed along to recuperate.
Batu happened to be feeling unwell and immediately asked Luo An for help in diagnosing him. Luo An seemed very dedicated, personally preparing the medicine every day and never delegating the task to anyone else. After about five days, Batu felt much better.
Batu trusted Luo An's medical skills, so Luo An naturally became Batu's personal physician. Although his days in Tumote were not free, they were also leisurely.
Having experienced many changes, Duoyi is not very talkative. In addition, her throat was choked by smoke, making her speech difficult and always hoarse.
Batu disliked her to begin with, and seeing that she hadn't brought back anything useful and instead seemed dull and clumsy, he grew even more disgusted. One day, he ran into her and said a few words to Duoyi, then pushed her, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground.
Batu disliked her, so the servants naturally neglected her as well. The next day, Duoyi didn't get up for a long time, and the servants, cursing and swearing, pulled back the covers, only to find that she was already dead.
Batu didn't even look at her, saying with disgust that she should just be thrown onto the grassland for the wolves and eagles to eat. The servants removed all her jewelry and then threw her out.
Luo An couldn't bear to see it, so he asked the cook for firewood, cremated Duoyi, and buried him on the grassland.
Duoyi died under mysterious circumstances. People whispered that Batu had pushed her to the ground, causing a vital injury, and that because he hadn't treated her in time, Batu was ultimately responsible for her death.
Nianyao thought for a moment: "How did Duoyi die?"
Da Shu replied, "I don't know."
Nian Yao coldly said, "What are you trying to fool me with? Did Luo An kill her?"