The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#546 - Crazy Woman

Lu Jing had the gatekeeper deliver Ma Bancheng's letter to Zhang Yuanwai. After a while, a man of about fifty years old, dressed in a deep robe, with a round figure and the appearance of a wealthy man, walked out of the courtyard. He cupped his hands at Lu Jing and said, "Is this the esteemed Daoist Yang?"

Lu Jing nodded, "Indeed, this humble Daoist."

"Quickly, please come in." Perhaps because of Ma Bancheng's endorsement, Zhang Yuanwai was very polite to Lu Jing. He didn't ask many questions after meeting him and invited Lu Jing into the courtyard.

Taiwan Fiction Net → 𝘁 𝘄 𝗸 𝗮 𝗻 . 𝗰 𝗼 𝗺

As Lu Jing entered, he also observed Zhang Yuanwai. Although he was dressed in fine clothes and seemed to have no worries about food and clothing, his brows were always tightly furrowed, and his expression was quite weary.

Clearly, the recent events had also left him mentally and physically exhausted.

After entering and being served tea, Zhang Yuanwai didn't exchange many pleasantries with Lu Jing and went straight to the point, "I heard from Brother Ma that the Daoist's medical skills are superb. I wonder if you have any knowledge of the illness here." Zhang Yuanwai pointed to his chest, the location of his heart.

The ancients mostly believed that the heart was the central organ that controlled the body, which is also the origin of the so-called madness.

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have come to your door." Lu Jing nodded, appearing confident.

He knew that Zhang Yuanwai was a man who valued face and had read some books and held some minor official positions in his early years. He always talked about cultivating oneself and managing the family, so he naturally didn't want his family's scandals to be known to others.

If he didn't speak with certainty, Zhang Yuanwai might not be willing to let him try.

Sure enough, hearing his sonorous and forceful reply, coupled with the precedent of Ma Bancheng's old mother, Zhang Yuanwai finally made up his mind, put down the teacup, and sighed.

"It's shameful to say, it's all because I didn't manage my household strictly that such a disaster occurred. But no matter what, Yue Ru is always my concubine. If the Daoist can cure her madness, I am willing to reward you handsomely."

Lu Jing looked at the simple woodshed, which was only about ten feet long and wide, and raised his eyebrows, "Have you been keeping her here all these days?"

The steward nodded and complained, "Daoist Yang, you don't know, it's not that the master is heartless, but the second mistress was really too violent before. She even rushed into the first mistress's room with scissors, saying she wanted to seek justice for her dead child, not only startling the first mistress but also frightening the old mistress who was in the first mistress's room at the time."

"They insisted that the master divorce the second mistress. In the end, the master had to plead and persuade to keep the second mistress. The reason for placing her here is because it's the farthest place from where the master and the other mistresses and young ladies usually rest, so the impact of the second mistress's madness and shouting will be slightly less."

Lu Jing expressed his understanding.

The steward then instructed, "I know that Daoist Yang is an expert, but it's best for Daoist Yang to be careful when entering. Although we have taken away all the sharp objects in the room, there have been maids who were bitten by the second mistress while delivering food before."

"Also, Daoist Yang, to prevent the second mistress from running out after you enter, I will lock the door again. If Daoist Yang wants to leave or encounters any trouble, just call me."

After saying that, he stepped forward and gently pulled out the wooden bolt on the door, his movements as if he were dealing with a prisoner.

Lu Jing didn't say anything, reached out and pushed the door open, then carried his medicine chest and stepped inside.

As soon as he entered, the wooden door closed behind him, but Lu Jing looked around and didn't see a single figure in the room.

The next moment, Lu Jing's ears suddenly twitched, and then a figure pounced down from the roof beam, directly straddling his back.

Lu Jing didn't move, but the dark figure was rude, intending to take his life while he was weak, and bit directly on Lu Jing's arm.

The next moment, the dark figure felt a sharp pain in her mouth. She felt as if her teeth had hit a stone.

The dark figure didn't believe in evil. Ignoring the sharp pain in her mouth, she immediately went to bite Lu Jing's ear.

That was almost the softest part of a person's body, but the result was that the dark figure's front teeth were directly broken.

Lu Jing looked at the figure huddled in the corner, covering her mouth, and slowly said, "Second Mistress?"

The latter didn't reply, but only looked at Lu Jing with hostile eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm not on the side of the first mistress and the old mistress," Lu Jing paused and added, "Nor am I on your husband's side."

However, the dark figure still didn't speak.

Until Lu Jing said, "Let's talk about your child's matter."

This time, the dark figure finally reacted and shouted again, "Quickly, give me back my child's life!" After saying that, she rushed towards Lu Jing again.

However, when she was about to rush in front of Lu Jing, her speed gradually slowed down. It wasn't that she suddenly regained her sanity, but that this man in front of her made her feel that there was nowhere to bite.

The lesson was right in front of her. Just now, with those two bites, she lost a front tooth, but Lu Jing on the opposite side was unscathed.

And seeing her rush over again, Lu Jing very considerately rolled up his sleeves and stretched out his arm.

"Please, feel free. I know you've suffered a lot of grievances here, and you're uncomfortable being confined. You have reason to vent your dissatisfaction. When you've bitten enough, let's talk about your son's matter."

Faced with such a sincere invitation, the dark figure didn't move again. After a long while, she still glared at Lu Jing fiercely and said, word by word, "I, I know you, you are the murderer who killed my child. You can't deceive me!"

Lu Jing originally wanted to refute, but with a thought, he followed the dark figure's words and continued, "Is that so? I didn't expect you to still remember me."

"You villain, even if you turn into ashes, I will never forget you!" The dark figure gritted her teeth.

"Then do you still remember how I killed your poor child?"

"Of course, I had just finished giving birth when you rushed in, without explanation, snatched my poor child from the midwife's hand, raised your head and laughed three times, then did a somersault, shouted 'I'm leaving', and disappeared from my sight. After you left, you even told me that I would never see my child again."

"Midwife? Who was the midwife who delivered you?" Lu Jing tried to find the key points from the dark figure's incoherent words.

But the dark figure ignored him and just said to herself, "Later, my child appeared in my dream, and I learned that he... he was actually buried by you, in the mass grave east of the city."