Chapter 7, Relatives

The young boy also recognized her, and with a look of grievance, he nodded and said: "Sister Jiang, I haven't had a good night's sleep for two days."

Due to certain concerns, Qingyun began to hesitate. She claimed that Doctor Qian had saved her life, and with the clinic so busy, she could not stand idly by. Therefore, she took over the task of preparing medicine from the apprentice and sent him to rest. The apprentice looked at her gratefully but did not comply; the shop outside was crowded with patients, where could he go to rest? Instead, he went to the counter to help his senior brother package the medicine.

Doctor Xiao Cao was taken aback: "Have I forgotten... the things from before?"

Old Doctor Qian found it strange: "You girl, it seems you are very defensive. Why would anyone come to impersonate a relative of your family for no reason?"

Qingyun revealed his own background to Manager Wang first and had no choice but to honestly say: "This happened more than half a year ago. At that time, my parents passed away, and I was so heartbroken that I fell ill. I heard that I had a fever for several days, and when I woke up, I had forgotten everything from before. Therefore... I truly do not recognize you. What kind of relative are you to me?"

Dr. Qian smiled and closed his eyes: "It is rare for Qing Jie to show filial piety. Recently, it has been quite busy. Why don't you come over every day to help? These two little brats are nowhere near as clever as you, always making mistakes, truly a source of worry!"

I saw her once when I was young, and at that time she couldn't speak yet. The young man, known as Doctor Xiao Cao, smiled warmly and said, "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye, how could she possibly recognize me? It seems she doesn't recognize me either"

The shopkeeper Wang sent a message saying that someone is looking for me, claiming to be a relative of our family... But as you know, during the days I was ill, I woke up and remembered nothing, so I have no idea who that relative is. My parents only had dealings with you during their lifetime; could you possibly...

The young man seemed quite surprised as well, staring at her in a daze for three or four seconds before smiling and saying, "I remember now; I didn't recognize you at that time!"

Qingyun attentively presented the prepared ointment before him, and then began to massage his shoulders: "How is this pressure? Should I apply more strength or be gentler?"

Qingyun smiled as he squeezed his shoulder: "Since Grandpa Qian has spoken, how could I dare not come? However, there is one matter that may require your assistance..."

Qingyun had worked as an assistant beside Dr. Qian for a period of time, and upon seeing the situation, he realized that Dr. Qian had no time to attend to him. Thus, he made every effort to squeeze through the crowd and headed towards the back of the shop. There was a small courtyard there, which was usually used for drying herbs, washing clothes, and the like. Behind a thin fence wall, there was the neighbor's yard.

Qingyun thought: This hairpin must be very valuable, and it is certainly not something an ordinary craftsman could create

Upon reaching the riverbank, a different scene unfolds. The newly constructed bridge is located downstream, where the river is wide, yet the current is gentle. The bridge's foundation consists of large stones weighing nearly one cubic meter, and the bridge deck has been reinforced and widened, allowing two fully loaded carts to pass side by side without any issue. Even with a load of one thousand pounds, the bridge remains steadfast and unshaken. The roads through the forest have also been opened up, leading to an increasing number of merchants coming to stay at the Tongfu Inn, which in turn benefits the inns and cart shops in the city, resulting in a thriving business.

Qingyun then sat down by the table, poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and noticed that Doctor Xiao Cao was still staring at him, which made him curious: "What’s wrong? Is there something amiss?"

Qingyun, filled with doubts, then asked another question: "Have you been here for a month? It must have taken you quite some time to find me, right? How did you know I was in Qinghe?"

Manager Wang was taken aback: "What is going on? Doctor Xiao Cao, you are related to Qing Jie, yet you have never met her?"

Dr. Xiao Cao remained silent. At this moment, a guest arrived at the door, and Manager Wang said: "You all sit down and talk; I will go greet the guest, please excuse me. Qing Jie, you pour the tea yourself." He hurriedly went out to welcome the guest

There she found another apprentice, who was squatting under the eaves, tending to the stove to brew medicine. As soon as she smelled it, she recognized it as a medicinal concoction for external application, so she walked over and asked, "Is this being prepared for the patients outside?"

Jiang Qingyun, having no father or mother, and lacking any support, did not react with joy upon hearing that relatives were coming to seek him; instead, his first response was one of panic

Qingyun gently touched his head and asked, "Are you very busy? Why are there so many patients outside?" It is pitiful that this child is only 8 years old; if it were not for the disaster that took away his family, he would surely still be enjoying the love of his parents

Dr. Qian cast a glance at her and said, "Speak up, what happened? I noticed you sneaking in a long time ago."

Qingyun thought that using this vacant land to accommodate the refugees descending the mountain was not an issue, but it needed to be well organized. Otherwise, if it reverted to the chaotic scenes of the past, this road would become useless. What merchant would be willing to pass by a group of refugees who were once bandits with valuable goods? It was feared that even the Tongfu Inn, which was just a river away, would be affected.

Dr. Qian rented a small shop on a not very bustling street in the southwest of the county town, and found two homeless boys to serve as his assistants. He opened the shop daily to treat patients and slept in the shop at night. His medical skills were quite good, though not at a top-tier level, but he had some knowledge in various fields including internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, and pediatrics. His fees were low, and having treated the homeless for a long time, he gained a certain reputation. Residents in the county town with less affluent backgrounds preferred to come to him. Although he did not earn much money and did not meet wealthy patients, it was enough for him and the two assistants to have three meals a day, and occasionally he had some extra money to help out impoverished acquaintances.

This is a bright commercial path, which not only benefits the displaced people but also benefits the entire Qinghe County. It must not be allowed to be destroyed under any circumstances

He reached into his sleeve and took out an object: "Look at this, this was given to me by someone from your mother's family. It was originally a pair; your mother has one, which she is said to wear all year round. Do you recognize it?"

However, she hesitated as she approached the West City Gate, wandered in place for a while, and then changed direction to go to Doctor Qian's clinic

Qingyun suddenly realized and recalled that the county magistrate of Zhong had successfully pacified the bandits, and several groups of outlaws had returned. However, the new county magistrate had just arrived and was busy completing the handover process, and now had to deal with the mess left by his predecessor. After all, some matters could not be handled by the county magistrate alone, and he could not spare the time to settle these displaced people. Moreover, with thousands of individuals involved, how could it be so easy to arrange for them? Those who had been bandits had wild temperaments, and naturally, those who had not gone up the mountain would not behave themselves.

She greeted Aunt Gao and repeatedly assured her that she would return before the city gate closed. However, upon hearing that her relatives had come looking for her, Aunt Gao was even more delighted: "That's wonderful! Hurry and go, poor child, you've suffered so much, and now your family has finally come to find you. If they want to take you back, don't be foolish. Liu Sili is a good person, but he can't compare to your own flesh and blood!"

The young attendant climbed up from behind the counter and leaned on the counter, saying: "Sister Jiang is so kind; seeing that I was tired, she even helped me brew medicine! I told her that grandfather has been working hard lately, and she decided to stay and help out."

"Can you help me recognize someone?" Dr. Qian furrowed his brow, "This matter is not significant, but I do not recognize your relatives either. Before your parents passed away, they only traveled with me for a few days and exchanged some trivial conversations. I know nothing about their hometown or what your father did for a living."

Oh..." Qingyun blinked and said, "It doesn't matter, just tell me. What kind of relative are you to me? Are you from my father's side or my mother's side? Speaking of which, where exactly is my hometown?"

Doctor Xiao Cao, for some reason, could only stare at her with his eyes, remaining silent and not speaking

The craftsmanship of the hairpin is exceptionally intricate; the small silver phoenix is merely one inch in size, yet the feathers on its body are clearly visible. The pearls hanging from the phoenix's beak are perfectly round, and the ruby at the bottom is indeed as red as Aunt Ma described, resembling blood

Qingyun chuckled to herself, thinking that compared to her godfather Liu Xie, she might be even more afraid of her biological relatives. However, she could not voice this thought and could only express her gratitude repeatedly. She picked up the basket for carrying things, mounted the little donkey, and set out.

Then... Qingyun thought for a moment, "Then you can accompany me to take a look. I don't even remember what my parents look like, but you have seen them, so at least you can recognize whether someone truly knows my parents."

She is not the real person and has no impression of the Jiang family's relatives at all. What if this relative is astute and discovers that she is not the true Qing Jie'er? What should she do? She is even completely unaware of the situation regarding the real person's parents! If she meets the relatives, she will definitely be exposed!

Upon closer inspection, Qingyun realized it was a silver phoenix hairpin. She seemed to recall Aunt Ma mentioning that Sister Jiang Qing's mother possessed such a hairpin, so she took it and examined it closely

The hairpin seemed to have some characters engraved on it. She felt that the surface was somewhat uneven. Bringing it closer to her eyes for a closer look, she recognized that there were two small characters: Bi Luo

When Jiang Qingyun arrived at the medical clinic, Dr. Qian was busy attending to patients, and a long line had already formed outside the clinic. Qingyun quietly counted and found that there were at least ten people. Upon entering the clinic, he saw that seven or eight more were seated inside, making the small shop feel completely crowded. Dr. Qian, sweating profusely, sat behind the consultation desk, surrounded by many patients and their families. Two young assistants were busily sorting and weighing medicine in front of the medicine cabinet, while the other one was nowhere to be seen.

Qingyun smiled silently in response, but Dr. Qian did not make things difficult for her: "Alright, it is good to meet them. If they are indeed your relatives, I must inform them about your condition. However, I have a patient coming in for a follow-up shortly, so I cannot leave for the time being. You go ahead first, and I will join you after I have seen the patient."

Qingyun retreated to his room, pacing back and forth seven or eight times, gradually calming down

Qingyun decided to speak to her godfather about this matter after returning to the city, momentarily forgetting the tension and panic in her heart. It was only when she stepped into the lobby of the Tongfu Inn that she suddenly remembered the purpose of her visit, leaving her momentarily frozen. However, Manager Wang had already approached her with a smiling face.

"No... it's nothing." Doctor Xiao Cao seemed somewhat dejected, lowering his head and taking a sip of tea, "I didn't expect... you would forget the things from the past."

After half a day, the sun had risen to its zenith, and the nearby households were emitting the aroma of cooked meals. The patients in the clinic gradually decreased, and Dr. Qian finally found some free time to stretch his arms and legs, then began to lament: "Oh, my old back!"

Doctor Qian raised his eyebrows and asked, "What is it?"

This is indeed a troublesome matter. Qingyun thought to himself: If Liu Xie were still serving as the clerk in the workshop, he might still be able to help a bit, finding some work for these displaced people, repairing roads, bridges, and city walls, but now that he has been promoted to the position of chief clerk, specifically responsible for documentation, his status and treatment have improved, and his authority has changed. There is no perfection in the world; heaven is fair.

Possessed by a ghost? You might as well invite a monk or Taoist to exorcise her; as for time travel? The ancients were not familiar with this term

Manager Wang felt relieved and laughed, saying: "Qing Jie'er has been seriously ill and has forgotten many things from the past. It is normal for her not to remember you. You should tell her more about our hometown; she might be able to recall some memories!"

Qingyun had no choice but to comply, bidding farewell to them as he continued to leave the city

The man had his back to her, appearing somewhat slender, not very old, and dressed in a deep blue fine cloth robe, neatly and cleanly arranged. When he turned around, Qingyun suddenly felt less tense.

The young boy, with a mournful expression, said: "Many of those who went up the mountain before have returned, but they did not learn well and are always fighting. I have accompanied Grandpa Qian out of the city a few times, and it was quite frightening! Grandpa Qian even lost money on medicine. Furthermore, the weather is bad today, with three cold days and two warm days. Grandpa Qian said that the people in the city are delicate and easily catch colds, and most of the patients outside come in with colds."

She had seen this person once, on the day when County Magistrate Zhou had just taken office at the county government, and she had accidentally bumped into that young man on the street. If this person were her relative, it would indeed be a coincidence, but there is one thing she can be certain of: he does not recognize her either

Having made up her mind, she deliberately dressed herself up again, putting on her clothes neatly. To be on the safe side, she also brought along all the belongings that originally belonged to "Sister Jiang Qing" when she came here, including two sets of clothing and the travel permit she carried when she fled to Qinghe with other refugees. Although her parents had died unexpectedly and left her no property, she possessed complete household registration documents and a travel permit. Thanks to these items, she was able to easily prove her past identity as a good citizen to the Qinghe County government. Liu Xie recognized her as his goddaughter, rather than choosing other refugee girls, likely for this reason. Moreover, she carried the travel permit when she fled to Qinghe with other refugees. Although her parents had died unexpectedly and left her no property, she possessed complete household registration documents and a travel permit. Thanks to these items, she was able to easily prove her past identity as a good citizen to the Qinghe County government. Liu Xie recognized her as his goddaughter, rather than choosing other refugee girls, likely for this reason.

It doesn't matter; when she first woke up, she deceived those around her by claiming she had amnesia. Even if that relative found it strange, she had witnesses to corroborate her story. Perhaps she could even turn around and question that relative's identity. Regardless, the body she currently possesses indeed belongs to Sister Jiang Qing; who would have thought that she had already changed her core?

"Sister Qing, you finally made it! We have been waiting for half a day, why are you so late?" Manager Wang happily pulled her to a table in front of the counter, "See if you recognize this? This young Doctor Cao is a relative of yours!"

Doctor Xiao Cao smiled, then lowered his head to sip his tea. His eyes flickered before he set down the cup and said淡淡地: "Actually, I am just a distant relative of your family. Your father's kin heard that I was coming to Qinghe and entrusted me to inquire about your family's news. I originally only knew that your parents might have arrived in Qinghe, possibly coming with the refugees, but beyond that, I was not clear. It took me a month to find out that your parents had traveled with Manager Wang here, and then I learned from Manager Wang that your parents had already passed away. I originally thought... I could learn more from you."

Outside the West City Gate, the previously desolate and chaotic scene has undergone a transformation. Due to the new county magistrate Zhou Kang's directives, along with the influence of Liu and Xie, the county office did not impose additional difficulties and issued documents allowing the displaced people to repair the new road on this land and to construct a new bridge over the river. Although the new road is merely a rudimentary dirt path, it is relatively level and wide, and many horse-drawn carts loaded with goods are already traversing it. In the distance, where there used to be a thicket of trees, people are building new huts or wooden houses, presumably as the displaced individuals descending from the mountains prepare to settle there. Although the new road is merely a rudimentary dirt path, it is relatively level and wide, and many horse-drawn carts loaded with goods are already traversing it. In the distance, where there used to be a thicket of trees, people are building new huts or wooden houses, presumably as the displaced individuals descending from the mountains prepare to settle there.

She revealed a sweet smile: "I have seen you, it was that day in the county town, I didn't see you coming from the other direction and bumped into you."