Chapter 6, Treating Illness

The lack of air circulation may also be a reason for Wen Chenxi's worsening condition. However, the true main cause has already been grasped by Liu Chengfeng. Just now, his brows were deeply furrowed, but at this moment, he appeared invigorated and radiant as he took the brush sent by Xian'er, pressed the white paper with a paperweight, and after dipping it in ink, began to write down several medicinal ingredients.

Wen Chenruo could not help but lean over, bending down with her hands pressed on her knees to take a look. Liu Chengfeng glanced at her and happened to see her lean down, revealing a slight trace of two snow-white flesh mounds as her body moved. He immediately turned his eyes away, thinking fiercely to himself: "At this point, what is the purpose of showing me this? I must remain calm, I must remain calm, I cannot be lost in thought by such filthy and dirty things"

Liu Chengfeng pondered carefully over each detail, but when he saw the silver fungus, he was taken aback. It seemed he had caught onto something, and he immediately called Xian'er aside, asking: "How long has Chenxi been using this silver fungus medicine?"

Next came the waiting. Liu Chengfeng estimated that Wen Chenxi would not wake up so soon, so he casually walked over to the desk by the screen to browse through a few books. These books were quite ordinary, consisting mainly of poetry collections and novels of leisure from the Ming dynasty, along with a few hefty volumes, which were the "Four Books for Women." With nothing much to do, Liu Chengfeng picked up a copy of "Nü Jie" (Lessons for Women), one of the Four Books for Women. Unlike the "Shang Shu" (Book of Documents) or "Lunyu" (Analects), which are filled with classical Chinese, this book contained small stories, recording tales of virtuous and chaste women from ancient times. Liu Chengfeng came across a passage: "Men are esteemed for their strength, while women are admired for their gentleness. Regardless of right or wrong, women should unconditionally obey their husbands. Only with strength and gentleness can harmony be achieved, and only then can the bond between husband and wife be preserved." He couldn't help but smile, thinking: If women in future generations all read such books, without the mother-in-law's aggressiveness and the wife's unreasonable behavior, the world would be harmonious. However, he soon reflected that standing from a man's perspective might be somewhat biased. Although some women in later generations may lack reason, does that mean all the words in "Nü Jie" are entirely justified?

Xian'er hurriedly fetched the medicine and immediately instructed the kitchen to start preparing it. During this time, the old lady sent a maid to inquire, and Liu Chengfeng simply replied that he was thinking of a solution. By the afternoon, Wen Chenxi had awakened. Liu Chengfeng called for Xian'er to bring the medicine, which he held in his hands, carefully cooling it with a spoon before feeding it to Wen Chenxi. She appeared frail, and in her dazed state, she caught a glimpse of her husband's tender expression, feeling a twinge of guilt as she glanced at him, seemingly apologetic for her father's situation. Liu Chengfeng saw through her thoughts and, while carefully bringing the medicine to her lips, smiled and said, "Being a patient is quite nice; I want to fall seriously ill in the future so that Chenxi can take care of me without a moment's rest."

Xian'er was so frightened that she lost her composure; upon hearing Liu Chengfeng's words, she ran out to fetch the medicine

Xian'er is a personal maid of Wen Chenxi, appearing to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, with a somewhat shy demeanor. Responding to Liu Chengfeng's call, she gathered a few prescriptions and handed them to Liu Chengfeng.

Liu Chengfeng's mood became tense, not solely because of Wen Zheng's warning, but rather due to the feelings that had developed during his day spent with Wen Chenxi. She was Liu Chengfeng's first woman, and if he could not save her, he would regret it for the rest of his life

Liu Chengfeng had this thought, but immediately shook his head in denial, stating that drug allergies have discernible signs and cannot go unnoticed

Sometimes, if minor ailments are allowed to persist endlessly, coupled with the patient's weakened condition, it is not impossible for them to endanger life

Wen Chenxi had taken her medicine and looked contentedly at Liu Chengfeng as he fell asleep. Seizing the opportunity, Liu Chengfeng felt her pulse, tucked her in, and then went to find the "Lessons for Women" to read.

Liu Chengfeng finished writing and couldn't help but laugh, saying: "A slight deviation can lead to a significant difference. Many matters can be triggered by something seemingly trivial. Just wait and see."

Xian'er, bring the prescription that the doctor used to give to the young lady in the past

He spoke carelessly, causing a hint of a smile to appear on Wen Chenxi's face, with an undeniable sparkle in her eyes

What astonished Liu Chengfeng even more was that these medications, if not miraculous, at least should not exacerbate the condition. Could it be an allergic reaction to the medication

Wen Chenruo saw Liu Chengfeng looking confident and hopefully asked, "Has brother-in-law found a way to cure sister's illness?"

Liu Chengfeng thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I will give you a challenging task and a book. Do you see that bronze basin over there?"

Liu Chengfeng smiled and said, "I will talk to you about it later, Xian'er. Quickly go and fetch some paper and a pen. I will prepare another prescription for you, and you should immediately go to the pharmacy to get the medicine and brew it. Also... why is there such a strong scent of sandalwood in this room? Your young lady's illness requires good ventilation; open all the doors and windows and remove all the incense burners."

Wen Chenruo, watching Liu Chengfeng's prescription, couldn't help but exclaim: "It seems no different from the previous prescriptions."

Liu Chengfeng commanded with certainty: "There is naturally a deeper meaning, hurry up, do not be lazy"

A blush suddenly appeared on Xian'er’s face, but she soon felt that this son-in-law was quite easygoing, and she instinctively felt a bit closer to him. She quickly leaned in and said: "Son-in-law, let me serve the young lady instead; you must be tired as well, so please sit aside and take a rest."

Xian'er said enviously from the side: "If I were to fall seriously ill, surely no one would treat me like this."

Liu Chengfeng did not dare to take it lightly, and with a slight smile, he said: "By then, you will understand, there is at least a 90% certainty."

The morning light is so gentle; it must be regarded as a profound truth, right? Liu Chengfeng felt a secret satisfaction within, a sense of masculine pride coursing through him. Immediately, his gaze fell upon Wen Chenruo, who was straining to hold a copper basin above her head under the eaves. This beautiful young girl stood gracefully, and after observing her for a moment, Liu Chengfeng shook his head and continued to think: "This book should be shown to Chenruo more often; how wonderful it would be if she didn't hit people." His gaze fell again on Wen Chenruo, who was striving to lift the copper basin above her head under the eaves. This beautiful young girl stood gracefully, and after observing her for a moment, Liu Chengfeng shook his head and continued to think: "This book should be shown to Chenruo more often; how wonderful it would be if she didn't hit people."

The more confident Liu Chengfeng became, the more assured Wen Chenru felt about Liu Chengfeng's ability to treat Sister Zhi and Sister Tushu's ailments. With a hint of dissatisfaction, she let out an "oh" and quickly followed Liu Chengfeng's method to proceed.

Wen Chenruo asked: "What is the intention behind doing this?"

Liu Chengfeng casually remarked: "Then hurry up and get yourself married, find a husband."

Liu Chengfeng smiled slightly and said, "Go, take this copper basin, fill it with clear water, and hold it high under the eaves."

After the old lady and Wen Zheng left, Liu Chengfeng once again checked on Wen Chenxi's condition. In fact, what Doctor Hu said earlier was not incorrect; Wen Chenxi's breath was already intermittent. After this shock, she was on the verge of death. If her illness was not treated promptly, it was likely that preparations for her funeral would need to be made.

Liu Chengfeng's eyes brightened, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh, saying: "I understand."

It was not until evening that Liu Chengfeng remembered he had not eaten dinner. Someone had delivered a food box at noon, but at that time, he was preoccupied with Wen Chenxi's illness and had lost his appetite. He asked Xian'er to warm it up and casually ate a few bites to fill his stomach. After finishing his meal, Wen Chenxi woke up again, and this time her reaction became intense as she coughed violently. Wen Chenru was startled and quickly brought over a copper basin, asking, "What happened? Why has her condition worsened?"

Under the eaves outside the door, Wen Chenru called out: "Brother-in-law, my hands are sore. I almost wish I could fall seriously ill, just so you would come and bring me a basin."

Wen Chenruo seemed to have sensed something, lowering her head to glance at her chest. Her face instantly flushed red, and she immediately straightened her waist a little.

Liu Chengfeng, due to his impatience, made Xian'er appear somewhat reserved, and she cautiously said: "It should have been used two months ago. Although this medicine has not improved the young lady's condition, we dare not stop it."

He urged Xian'er to go to the pharmacy to fetch medicine, then Liu Chengfeng sat back down in front of the couch, holding Wen Chenxi's hand. Seeing her pale complexion, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. Gently squeezing her wrist, he checked her pulse once more before letting out a sigh

Wen Chen asked, "Brother-in-law, Xian'er has gone to fetch and prepare the medicine, so what am I supposed to do? I can't just stand here all the time, can I?"

After a moment of contemplation, he began to ponder over the medicines in these prescriptions one by one: Ephedra... This is a commonly used remedy for dispersing wind-cold, and it is required for almost any wind-cold ailment, so there will definitely be no issues. As for Schizonepeta, it is also one of the specific medicines for treating wind-cold. It has a neutral flavor, a warm nature, and is non-toxic. Even if Wen Chenxi takes it and does not see an improvement in his condition, it absolutely cannot worsen his symptoms.

Liu Chengfeng noticed that Wen Chenxi's face had taken on a hint of rosy color, which was a sign of improvement in her condition. He finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Quickly, heat up the decocted medicine and bring it to Chenxi immediately"

Wen Chenruo nodded like a chick pecking at grains and said: "I see it."

Wen Chenruo asked from the side: "What do you know?"

Liu Chengfeng paid no attention to the timidity displayed by Wen Chenruo, focusing all his energy on the few prescriptions before him. Undoubtedly, all the doctors who came to examine Wen Chenxi had diagnosed her condition, and the prescriptions they provided were all aimed at treating wind-cold. This further confirmed his suspicion that Wen Chenxi was indeed suffering from wind-cold.