Bian Que (Part 2)
I exchanged a glance with Ah Yuan and hurriedly entered the room.
We saw Wei Jue sitting on the bed, his face dark and fixed on Wei Jiao, saying, 'What a medicaster! Drive him out!"
Wei Tan quickly said, "Fuqin, Wei Bian Que is a successor to the divine physician, especially skilled in acupuncture and moxibustion. Considering Fuqin's prolonged wind ailment, why not give it a try?"
"I have no ailment!" Wei Jue waved his hand and lay back on the bed, "Everyone, leave!"
Everyone looked at each other, but no one spoke.
Wei Jiao, with his thick, arched eyebrows and eyes cast downward, held his head high, displaying an indifferent attitude as if the matter had nothing to do with him.
"Zhugong." Guo Furen glanced at Wei Tan, then approached and advised in a gentle tone, "Zhugong, please calm your anger. Da Gongzi only has filial piety in his heart."
Wei Jue let out a "hmph" and closed his eyes.
"Fuqin," Wei Tan furrowed his brow, saying, "Fuqin has been confined to bed for many days. Everyone in the family is anxious. The fact that this ailment persists despite the previous prescriptions indicates their ineffectiveness. Regarding Si Di's journey to Jiangdong, Wei Bian Que has been taking care of him all along. His intentions are sincere. Fuqin, please give it a try." After speaking, he looked at me.
I understood and stepped forward, saying, "Jiushi, what Fujun says is true. Wei Bian Que is indeed highly skilled in medicine. When we encountered danger in Jiangdong, it was also thanks to Wei Bian Que's intervention that both Er Fu and the unborn child were saved."
Wei Jue looked at me, but before he could speak, Wei Jiao heard Wei Tan as he sneered and say, "Da Gongzi and Shao Furen need not to persuade. There are rules in medicine. If a patient conceals their ailment, even if they wish to be treated, Mou, too, refuses to accept!" After speaking, he gave a slight bow to everyone, "Farewell!" With that, he turned and left, sweeping his sleeves.
I was startled and quickly signaled to Ah Yuan.
"Bian Que..." Ah Yuan hurriedly blocked his way.
"Wait." Wei Jue's voice came from the bed. Looking over, I saw that he had already sat up, gazing at Wei Jiao. After a moment, his eyes held a playful glint. "According to your words, if I refuse treatment, will I turn into Duke Huan of Cai?"
Wei Jiao lifted his head proudly and said, "Replying to Chengxiang, as for Duke Huan of Cai, Mou is not familiar, but Mou does know a Bian Que."
Wei Jue smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Someone come, help Bian Que to take a seat."
The expressions of everyone relaxed. Servants stepped forward to greet Wei Jiao, saying, "Bian Que, please."
However, Wei Jiao didn't budge.
"Chengxiang invited you to go." Ah Yuan urged in a low voice.
Wei Jiao looked at her, then at me and Wei Tan. After a moment, still somewhat annoyed, he said, "I'm doing this out of consideration for Da Gongzi's face."
We all exchanged a glance.
"Of course, of course, everyone knows you were invited by Da Gongzi," Ah Yuan said.
Only then did Wei Jiao relax his expression, straighten his robe, and step forward.
Wei Jiao examined Wei Jue's pulse, prescribed a treatment plan, and administered acupuncture. He busied himself for most of the day.
Wei Tan and Guo Furen remained by Wei Jue's side the entire time, while I stayed outside the room. Not long after Wei Jue agreed to let Wei Jiao examine him, Wei Zhao and Liang Hui also arrived. After exchanging greetings, Wei Zhao went inside, while Liang Hui stayed with me outside the room.
"Jiushi has been suffering from this illness for quite a long time," Liang Hui looked towards the partially closed door and spoke softly.
I nodded, "Indeed, it has been a long time."
Liang Hui looked at me, "One heard that this Bian Que is a disciple of Zhou Bian Que from Maozhou?"
"It is exactly so," I said.
A faint smile played at the corner of Liang Hui's lips. "Jiushi's willingness to seek treatment is indeed a rare occurrence."
I looked at her, smiled, and said nothing.
Wei Jiao's statement that Wei Jue conceals his ailment is not entirely inaccurate. Before this year, when Wei Jue fell ill, he was always a compliant patient. However, after the incident with Ni Rong, Wei Jue started to become extremely cautious. He would only invite familiar physicians, and he would meticulously verify every prescription, fearing any possibility of poison. As a result, even the most experienced doctors became exceedingly careful. Aside from the stress of the Qiling incident, I fear this is likely one of the contributing factors to Wei Jue's severe and lingering headache this year.
Actually, I somewhat disagree with Wei Tan arranging for medical treatment for Wei Jue. Ever since the incident with Ni Rong, seeking medical attention within the residence has become exceptionally cautious. If Wei Jue's condition improves, it would certainly bring joy to everyone. However, if the treatment proves ineffective, wouldn't those with ulterior motives seize the opportunity to sow discord?
After waiting for a while, the door finally opened.
When I saw Wei Tan and Wei Jiao come out, I hurriedly went forward to them.
"How is it?" I asked.
"Take the medicine as prescribed. I'll come again tomorrow for acupuncture," Wei Jiao wiped the sweat from his forehead and said to Wei Tan.
"En," Wei Tan nodded.
After a few more words, Wei Tan called for the servants to come over and instructed them to escort Wei Jiao out.
Wei Jiao bowed to us, and when he lifted his head, he suddenly glanced behind us.
I turned slightly, and Ah Yuan stood behind me, gazing at the courtyard with a somewhat uneasy expression on her face.
*****
From then on, Wei Jiao came to the residence every afternoon at a set time to attend to Wei Jue. After a few days, Wei Jue's pain had considerably eased, and he no longer suffered through sleepless nights.
After attending to Wei Jue, Wei Jiao would also come to check my pulse.
"Shao Furen has been feeling agitated lately. Allow Mou to adjust the diet to help alleviate it," Wei Jiao commented.
I was surprised. "How does Bian Que know that I've been feeling agitated?"
Wei Jiao glanced at me, as if he were addressing a simpleton, and emphasized, "Mou is a Bian Que."
I raised an eyebrow.
He's not wrong. As my belly gradually swelled, it's true that I became less patient than before.
I find myself prone to overthinking. Sometimes, when I look in the mirror and see my swollen belly, I feel like I've transformed, and it can be a bit disheartening.
I can't stand too much noise, yet I also can't bear complete silence.
If Wei Tan comes back early, I find his pacing around irritating. If he comes back late, I worry that something might be wrong outside.
I find the food tasteless and hard to swallow. I eat very little at each meal. Wei Tan and Ah Yuan furrow their brows and urge me to eat more, which only makes me feel more impatient.
Of course, I'm aware that my temper has become inexplicably short, so I try my best to control it. However, I still can't help but get hung up on Wei Tan's casual remarks or occasionally argue with him. Sometimes, I manage to infuriate Wei Tan to the point where he glares at me, veins popping on his forehead. Yet, he never shouts at me or raises a hand. Instead, he'll storm around the house or kick the wall a few times. When he returns, his expression is as if he's just had a profound realization.
"Fujun is angry?"
After that, I also felt embarrassed for asking Wei Tan in such a manner.
Wei Tan looked up at the ceiling, took a deep breath, and said, "Not angry."
"Why?" I asked.
Wei Tan smiled, "What is one plus seven?"
"Eight."
Wei Tan patted my head gently and said with sincerity, "Weifu is using the food meant for one person to feed eight mouths. How could One be angry?"
.........
"Pregnancy is indeed significant, but excessive anxiety is detrimental to the baby's vitality," Wei Jiao finished writing the prescription and handed it to Ah Yuan. He spoke in a calm and unhurried manner, "Aside from the foods I've previously mentioned to Furen as ones to avoid, there's no need to be overly strict with your diet. Intimacy (yes, he means intercourse) in moderation, maintaining a balance between yin and yang, can also contribute to a tranquil state of mind…"
I cleared my throat with coughs and quickly glanced around, then looked at him wordlessly.
"What 'intimacy'?" Ah Yuan blushed, glaring at Wei Jiao. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"How could this be nonsense?" Wei Jiao set down his pen and said seriously, "This is something Mou learned from observing patients with One's Master(his teacher) since One was young. Mou has also mentioned it to Da Gongzi before. Intimacy, aiyo..." He hadn't finished his sentence when Ah Yuan forcefully twisted his arm.
Wei Jiao bared his teeth and was about to retort, but he was met with an equally fierce glare from Ah Yuan.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore," Wei Jiao looked at her and immediately switched to a smiling face.
"Ah Yuan," I looked at them and took the prescription, "call for the servants to see Bian Que off."
Ah Yuan glanced at me, nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to look at Wei Jiao before leaving the room.
Even after her figure disappeared beyond the door, Wei Jiao's small eyes continued to dart around. When they finally settled and met mine, he immediately composed himself and adopted a serious expression.
"Thank you, Bian Que," I smiled.
"It should be One's duty," Wei Jiao replied with a serious expression.
After Ah Yuan returned, I closed the door and asked her what was really going on between her and Wei Jiao.
Ah Yuan stammered and said there was nothing between her and Wei Jiao. She explained that when we were on the ship, Wei Jiao gave her an heirloom jade piece. After her explanation, she took out the jade and showed it to me. When I saw the intricate carvings and the quality of the jade, based on my past experiences in the marketplace (younger Fu Jin doing business), I knew that such an item would be considered a treasure even in ordinary households.
I handed the jade back to Ah Yuan and said, "Throwing a papaya in return for a fine jade pendant. Did you throw a wooden fruit to him?"
Ah Yuan quickly said, "No, no, Madame. He gave this to me himself."
"Does your father know about this?" I asked.
Ah Yuan blushed, "He doesn't know yet."
I pondered on it. Wei Jiao, despite his somewhat plain appearance and talkative nature, seemed to have a decent character. As for Li Shang, since returning to the capital, I hadn't gone out due to the child, and Ah Yuan had only been home once, telling me that father and son Li Shang and Li Huan were doing well. The medicinal shop was also making some profits. Besides this, I hadn't even seen Li Shang's face, making it difficult to discuss matters regarding him.
"What are your thoughts on Wei Jiao as a person?" I looked at Ah Yuan.
Ah Yuan looked a bit embarrassed, thought for a moment, and said, "He's very good."
I wasn't satisfied and teased her, "What do you mean by 'very good'? Don't you find him rather plain-looking?"
Ah Yuan's face grew even redder. She said, "But he's responsible and follows through with his words. He's stronger than many others. Furen, when I'm with him, I always feel joyful."
Hearing these words, I was moved in my heart. Suddenly, I thought of Wei Tan. Somehow, wasn't it the same feeling of "joy" that I experienced whenever I thought of him?
"Be cautious. This is the Wei residence, remember there are masters (of the family) above you," I said, offering no further comments, just a gentle reminder.
Ah Yuan looked at me, stunned for a moment, then her face lit up with a mix of surprise and joy. "Furen, you've agreed?"
I pinched her cheek and sighed. "Even if I agree, does it really count? You still have a father and older brother, and we must also consider the opinions of the elders in the (Wei) household."
Ah Yuan nodded repeatedly, her face beaming with a bright smile.
When Wei Tan returned, I was standing in front of the mirror, slowly combing my hair.
"Why are you standing?" Wei Tan walked over and asked.
"Qie has been sitting all day. Wei Bian Que said it's not good to sit for too long," I replied while continuing to comb my hair.
Wei Tan smiled and wrapped his arm around me. We stood in silence for a moment. He looked at the mirror and asked, "Has he grown a bit more?"
"He" refers to the child in my womb. Lately, we've found it easier to refer to the baby this way.
I couldn't help but feel a bit helpless. "Fujun asked the same question just yesterday."
"En? Is that so?" Wei Tan raised his eyebrows, and after a moment, his face in the mirror took on a thoughtful expression. "I should stock up on more provisions."
"Why?" I asked.
"Furen, think," he said, his gestures illustrating his point, "once he's born and grows bigger, Furen will need this much food for each meal to fill him up."
Me: "....."
Wei Tan kissed my cheek. "Furen, rest assured, even if One don't raise a navy, Weifu will make sure Furen is well taken care of. Quality is guaranteed, and you can have your pick of meats and vegetables."
This man was teasing me again. Playing along with his words, I said, "According to Fujun's, it won't matter if Qie ends up with a plain face and a plump figure in the future?"
"Who said Furen would have a plain face?" Wei Tan assumed a mischievous look. "Even if Furen gains weight, Furen will still be beautiful."
"Oh? What if compared with Ren Ji?" I turned to look at him and asked.
Wei Tan was momentarily taken aback, then quickly responded, "Furen is more beautiful."
I, however, was not in a playful mood. I looked at him earnestly and said, "Fujun has spoken of treating each other honestly. But aren't these words somewhat insincere? Qie is pregnant, so of course the body will change. Ren Ji hasn't experienced that, so she naturally maintains her figure. Beauty is beauty, there's no need to evade the truth, is there?"
Wei Tan looked surprised. After a moment, he asked, "Is this how Furen thinks?"
I didn't answer, but instead asked, "Let's talk about this, Fujun. At this moment, who looks better, Qie or Ren Ji?"
Wei Tan's eyes gleamed, and he earnestly said, "Furen looks better."
I smiled, pleased with his response.
****
Wei Jiao's medical skills were indeed superb. Half a month later, Wei Jue's headache had already healed. The entire Wei residence was overjoyed and Wei Jiao was rewarded generously.
At the same time, news came from Li Shang's side that Gongyang Gui had returned, along with Ma Kui.
Wei Tan was evidently aware of this development. The next day, he sent someone to request Gongyang Gui's return to official service.
However, there was still no news from that side. The Wei residence was once again bustling with activity for another reason—Wei Tan's San Shufu had arrived in Yongdu.