Green Mountain
Chapter 86 - 70. Farewell

Chapter 86: 70. Farewell

The morning sun was just right as Chen Ji asked Liang Mao’er and She Dengke to carry him and his bamboo chair to the main hall of the Medical Hall.

Old Yao was diagnosing patients, She Dengke and Liang Mao’er were dispensing medicine for the patients, and Chen Ji just watched, as if he wanted to keep the sunlight that shone in from outside and the lively atmosphere of Anxi Street in his mind.

If he were to go to the Jing Dynasty, before he stepped into the Seeking Dao Realm with his Sword Seed Path and Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture, it would be hard for him to return.

Liu Quxing joyfully returned to the Medical Hall carrying pork, lamb, fish, a basket of vegetables, and a jar of osmanthus rice wine from the Xue Family’s old tavern.

Old Yao, sitting behind the counter taking someone’s pulse, saw him carrying a big heap of items and wondered, "Did you sell your brain? How did you suddenly get so much money?"

Liu Quxing replied, "... Master, what are you saying? Chen Ji gave me the money to buy these. He said he wants to make a meal for everyone at noon."

Old Yao paused for a moment and turned his head dubiously toward Chen Ji.

Liu Quxing carried the items over to Chen Ji, and like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, he reported the cost of each item: "Today, pork is forty-one cents a pound, lamb is thirty-four cents a pound, fish is fifty-two cents each..."

After that, he pulled out a string of copper coins from his sleeve: "This is the change I got for you; I didn’t pocket even a single cent."

Chen Ji smiled and took the copper coins: "Thank you, Senior Brother, for helping me buy the items."

Liu Quxing gleefully said, "I’ll take these to the kitchen and help pick the vegetables first."

She Dengke curiously asked, "Chen Ji, why did you suddenly want to treat everyone to a meal? Is there some good news?"

"There’s no good news," Chen Ji responded with a smile: "These past few days I’ve been injured, everyone has taken great care of me. You and Senior Brother Liu Quxing helped me change my dressings, Brother Liang Mao’er carried me around, and Master also diagnosed and prescribed medicine for me. It’s only right for me to treat everyone to a meal."

Actually, if circumstances allowed, Chen Ji even wanted to buy Liu Quxing a Yingzi Wave Cap from Li Ji, a silk outfit for She Dengke, a box of pastries from Zhengxin House for Liang Mao’er, and a new bamboo chair for Old Yao.

But he was leaving tomorrow evening for the far-off Jing Dynasty, and there wasn’t enough time.

Chen Ji suddenly said, "By the way, some tiles on our clinic’s roof have been displaced by grass growing from bird droppings. The undigested grass seeds in the droppings sprouted willow saplings. Willow saplings can seriously damage the roof, and if we don’t remove them promptly, it might start to leak later."

"Our clinic’s windows also need re-papering, or else it’ll surely be drafty in winter. The cotton quilts for both Senior Brothers should also be fluffed up, otherwise, they won’t keep you warm."

Old Yao skeptically remarked, "Why do you suddenly sound like you’re settling your affairs? Don’t worry, your minor injury won’t kill you."

Chen Ji just smiled and said no more; he feared that saying more might give something away.

At that moment, Old Yao picked up a medical prescription: "Who will go to Guangle Street and deliver these two prescriptions to Landlord Wang?"

She Dengke raised his hand: "Master, I’ll go. Guangle Street is a bit far, and I’m good on my feet."

"Alright, then you go."

Chen Ji slowly got up, supporting himself on the bamboo chair’s armrest. He rolled up his sleeves to his forearms and slowly moved to the kitchen at the back, joining Liu Quxing in picking vegetables.

Liu Quxing laughed and said, "It’s only right for brothers to look after each other; you shouldn’t have to spend so much. By the way, where did this money come from, did your family give it to you?"

"The Commandery Princess gave it."

Liu Quxing clicked his tongue: "The Commandery Princess is really nice, not at all like high officials and nobles."

"What should high officials and nobles be like?" Chen Ji asked.

"They should be aloof, looking at you like you’re an ant," Liu Quxing said with emotion: "The year my parents and I attended Old Master Liu’s birthday banquet, there were many high-ranking officials gathered, some even came from the Imperial Capital, Jinling, and Shanghai. You wouldn’t believe the scene; just the carriages were lined up for several miles outside the Liu Family Mansion."

Liu Quxing continued, "My father is just a minor official in Mengjin County, where he gets some respect. But at the Liu Family Mansion, no one gave him a proper glance and they seated us at the servants’ table. Sitting with the servants was one thing, but the high officials’ servants wouldn’t even look at us straight. Once you’re there, you realize there truly are different social ranks."

"Have you ever thought about pursuing official honors? You study medicine diligently; it’s unreasonable that you couldn’t master the classics."

Liu Quxing laughed, "The path of the imperial examination isn’t feasible for the likes of us. Those schoolmasters also discriminate based on family background. If you only pay tuition fees, you get to hear only the most basic lessons. But if you regularly bribe them with grain and money, they let you into their homes for private lessons, teaching you the real stuff!"

Chen Ji fell silent.

Liu Quxing shook his head with a smile, "I’d rather cling to Master’s coattails and become an Imperial Physician than give those schoolmasters dozens of silver taels. Next time I see those schoolmasters, I’ll deliberately stick a few extra acupuncture needles in them!"

Chen Ji chuckled.

Perhaps his sense of attachment to this place was partly because of people like Liu Quxing, who were somewhat common yet endearing.

Chen Ji looked at Liu Quxing, who was bent over picking vegetables, and said, "Senior Brother Liu, you’ll surely become a great Imperial Physician one day, living a prosperous life."

"Borrowing your auspicious words," Liu Quxing asked, "...what dishes are you planning to make for lunch?"

"Pork stew with vermicelli, steamed bass, lamb with scallions, braised eggplant, and also a pot of white rice. How does that sound?"

Liu Quxing’s mouth watered, "That sounds delicious!"

...

...

At that moment, She Dengke ran back into the Medical Hall, shouting loudly, "Master, Master, save me! A passing thief slashed my arm with a blade."