Chapter 54: The Unfortunate News

Witnessing this scene, Gou Ye seemed unsurprised, as if he had foreseen it all. Regardless of the location, wherever the aroma wafted, people would naturally follow it. Coupled with his promotion in the pamphlet, this alley had already begun to attract the notice of county residents. The pamphlet, serving as an advertisement, had indeed yielded some effect; it appeared that in the future, he would need to devote more effort to such endeavors.

Whether in ancient times or the present day, there have always been gourmands; as long as the food is delicious, no matter how distant or remote the place, they will seek it out. This scene reminded Gou Ye of the bustling food stalls of his own era, and he grinned to himself, thoroughly pleased.

Only now did the Guo brothers truly witness Gou Ye’s abilities, and both were sincerely impressed by him. As for Yun Niang, Gu Shen, Dali, and Caisheng, they had grown used to Gou Ye’s surprises; he always managed to astonish them in unique ways.

The villagers called out energetically, each face radiant with joy. Though they were all new to the trade and their hands clumsy, making food slowly, it did nothing to diminish the crowd’s hunger for snacks. The streets and alleys were packed with people.

Gu Shen, holding a lamb skewer in one hand and a pancake in the other, spoke to Gou Ye as he ate, “Brother Gou Ye, I’m truly curious. I wish I could open your head and see where all these strange ideas come from.”

Yun Niang chimed in, “Exactly, Brother Gou Ye. How is it that you never had these thoughts before? You’ve changed so much since you recovered from your illness.”

Gou Ye, feeling rather elated, replied, “I’ve always had ideas; it’s just that my poor health made me despair and give up. Now, this is only the beginning. Just wait, in a few years, my name will appear on the list of Ming’s wealthiest.”

“Keep boasting!” Gu Shen said, mouth full and words muffled.

Mentioning the illness, Gou Ye couldn’t help but think of Yun Niang’s mother, and he asked Gu Shen, “Brother Gu Shen, do you have any news of Divine Physician Hua? When will he return? My aunt’s condition has worsened again—she has just improved a little, but I fear it may change for the worse.”

At this, the previously cheerful Yun Niang was suddenly downcast.

Gu Shen swallowed his food and replied, “Brother Gou Ye, don’t worry. My father has sent someone with a letter to Old Master Hua. My father said he should be returning within the next couple of days.”

Yun Niang thanked him repeatedly. These days, watching her mother grow thinner and weaker, she had been anxious and uneasy. Now that her mother had shown a slight improvement, she insisted Yun Niang accompany Gou Ye for a walk. Seeing Yun Niang’s daily loss of appetite, her mother’s heart ached as well.

Because of her mother’s illness, Yun Niang was reluctant to stay away and told Gou Ye she wanted to return to the village in the afternoon. Gou Ye readily agreed, and since Gu Shen had not seen Yun Niang for several days, he arranged a lavish banquet at the Drunken Immortal Tavern to entertain everyone. It was as if the feast had been prepared for the Guo brothers; most of the dishes ended up in their bellies.

Watching the brothers devour their food like starving ghosts, Gou Ye finally understood why their martial arts master sent them out into the world—they were likely too expensive to feed. As there was no wine, the meal ended quickly, and just as they were about to leave, a servant from Gu Shen’s household hurried up the stairs.

He entered, breathless, and Gu Shen told him to take his time. Dali handed him a cup of tea, and after swallowing, the servant finally spoke, “Young Master, I’ve finally found you. If it weren’t for your carriage outside, I wouldn’t know where to look. Master told me to inform you that Old Master Hua has returned.”

Gou Ye and Yun Niang immediately stood up. Gou Ye called to the others, “Come! Let’s go find Divine Physician Hua.”

Divine Physician Hua had barely settled in at the residence, just finishing his midday meal, when Gou Ye’s party whisked him away. Healing the sick was his vocation, and seeing Yun Niang’s anxious face, he showed no displeasure. On the road, he asked Yun Niang about her mother’s condition. When she told him her mother had unexpectedly improved today, he frowned and said to Dali, who was driving the carriage, “Hurry up, please. I am quite capable of enduring this.” Seeing Divine Physician Hua so urgent, everyone sensed the gravity of the situation and hastened their pace. The mood grew tense; Gou Ye held the anxious Yun Niang, comforting her as best he could.

They rushed nonstop back to the village, barely slowing at the entrance, and sped straight to Gou Ye’s house. Yun Niang leapt from the carriage and ran inside. When she pushed open her mother’s door, she was startled to see her mother collapsed at the bedside, trembling, with a patch of blood still visible on the floor.

Yun Niang hurried to her mother’s side, crying as she helped her up. To avoid too much commotion, Gou Ye asked the Guo brothers, Dali, and Caisheng to wait downstairs, bringing only Divine Physician Hua upstairs. When he saw the scene, Gou Ye was visibly shaken, and Divine Physician Hua quickly went over to examine the patient’s pulse.

After checking her pulse, he touched her forehead and examined her tongue, then with a troubled expression, took several medicines from his box and instructed Yun Niang to administer them to her mother. Yun Niang wiped her tears and hurried to the kitchen with the medicine.

Divine Physician Hua placed a pill into her mother’s mouth, and with Gou Ye’s help, laid her flat on the bed. Her mother opened her eyes weakly and said, “Divine Physician Hua, please tell me the truth—how is my illness?”

Divine Physician Hua shook his head, his face clouded with sorrow. “I do not wish to deceive you. Alas, it is my own incompetence. I thought your illness was no different from a common lung disease, but my therapies have only suppressed the symptoms. Just now, I found your breath disordered and your tongue cracked. These signs show your illness is already at death’s door. All I can do is prolong your days a little, but not for long. I hope you will make arrangements early.”

Gou Ye’s eyes widened. Though he had suspected as much, he still could not accept it. If even Divine Physician Hua had no remedy, was Yun Niang’s mother truly beyond hope? At this thought, Gou Ye could not help but shed tears. He pushed Divine Physician Hua anxiously and pleaded, “Divine Physician Hua, I am not afraid to spend money. If there is any way to save my aunt, no matter how rare the medicine, I will find it. Please, think of something else!”