Chapter 18: Doctor Bai's Trial

After walking for a quarter of an hour, Chen Jie felt that Doctor Bai was becoming heavier and heavier...

His body, he had to admit, was still too weak. Just as he thought he couldn't go on any longer, he suddenly remembered the Yang Chun Skill and immediately adjusted his breathing, adopting the breathing technique of the Yang Chun Skill.

At first, there wasn't much of a change, but gradually, Chen Jie started to feel his breathing smooth out a lot, no longer difficult, and as his breathing eased, his body didn't feel as fatigued as before, and even began to slowly recover.

Even the walk became easier and easier.

This Yang Chun Skill was really something!

In this manner, he continued downward, and finally descended the mountain and returned to the village. Chen Jie delivered Doctor Bai back to his home.

Only Doctor Bai's daughter was at home, as her husband was busy at the fishery and had not come back.

Seeing Doctor Bai so seriously injured, the daughter was terrified and quickly asked if everything was alright. Doctor Bai waved his hand and said, "It's fine, just sprained my foot."

Chen Jie helped Doctor Bai into the house and seated him on the bed. It was only then that Doctor Bai breathed a sigh of relief.

The daughter, needless to say, served Doctor Bai with water.

Seeing that everything was alright inside the house, Chen Jie stepped outside and saw many millstones of different sizes, seemingly used for honing strength.

He remembered that Doctor Bai's son-in-law was named Wu Zhong, a Ming Jin Martial Artist who had broken through his limits.

It seemed these were used for building up strength.

Thinking this, Doctor Bai called his daughter inside the house.

"Go to the cabinet and take out three taels of silver to give to him."

The daughter was startled and looked at Doctor Bai, "Father, isn't that too much?"

Doctor Bai replied, "Is my life not worth three taels of silver?"

The woman was taken aback, then quickly said, "No, father, that's not what I meant."

Doctor Bai asked, "Do you know who he is?"

"Who?"

The Bai family had just recently moved back to Xiantao Village, so the younger generation was not well acquainted.

"He's Chen Yongwang's grandson."

"Ah! It can't be Chen Jiusi, that gambling addict!"

"Shh, keep it down."

Doctor Bai gestured for her to be quiet and continued, "Ah... I lost to Chen Yongwang back in the day and admittedly, I wasn't convinced, but his medical skills were indeed extraordinary, and this Chen Jiusi should also be considered a descendant of a famous doctor."

"It's a shame he's taken up gambling, but today I saw him, and his understanding of medicine is quite innovative, he has some talent..."

"Father, you don't mean to take him as an apprentice, do you?"

Doctor Bai said, "Why not? I lost to his grandmother, and now by taking him as an apprentice, I can let the deceased Chen Yongwang know, know about my, Bai Wenjing's, magnanimity."

"But... well, first give him the silver. If he takes it, we'll leave this matter at that, and I'll have repaid the favor. If he doesn't accept, you go to his house tomorrow and say that we're too busy here and are looking for an apprentice, ask him if he's willing."

After Doctor Bai finished speaking, he sent his daughter out.

Soon the daughter went out to the courtyard and saw Chen Jie slapping a millstone. Watching this scene, the woman laughed, "Jiu Si, right?"

"Good day, Auntie."

Chen Jie came over, and the woman said, "Mm, we owe you a great deal today. If not for you, our old man would have been in danger. I won't say much else, one does not thank for great kindnesses—here, take these three taels of silver."

"Ah, I can't take this."

Chen Jie immediately refused, but the woman insisted, "Take it."

Chen Jie saw the situation and immediately jumped back, "Auntie, I've delivered the patient, so I won't stay any longer. Please tell Doctor Bai that I have left."

Chen Jie left as if fleeing.

Meanwhile, Bai Wenjing was peering out the window from inside the room. Seeing Chen Jie leave without asking for money, she smiled and nodded, choosing not to say more.

The woman also watched Chen Jie's departing figure, regarding him a bit more highly. Chen Jiusi didn't seem to be as bad as they said.

The woman went back inside and said, "Father, he didn't ask for money."

Bai Wenjing replied, "When Ah Zhong returns, have him prepare a larger fish. Tomorrow, you go to his house and ask if he's willing to be my apprentice."

"Yes, Father."

Chen Jie left the Bai family's place, looked back at the few large tiled houses built with green bricks in the village, feeling a little envious.

As for accepting money today, Chen Jie definitely would not.

Accepting the money would mean the debt of gratitude was repaid, and his goal wasn't the three taels of silver, but rather to use Doctor Bai's status as a stepping stone and eventually climb onto the big tree of the Fishing Guild.

You must not underestimate the power of the Fishing Guild.

Daqian was a country established by a foreign tribe, with a significant distrust of the Han people. Thus, even though government offices and County Magistrates were present everywhere, most were either house slaves of the Mulan people or Han people who climbed up the ranks through favoritism.

Therefore, the true holders of local power were the Darugachi sent by the Mulan people to supervise the regions.

To limit the power of these promoted Han County Magistrates, the Darugachi relied heavily on local guilds to help manage the localities, achieving a balance of power while also taking the opportunity to make money.

Consequently, these local guilds held tremendous power, and a Gang Leader could sit on an equal footing with the County Magistrate.

And locally, the influence of a guild was definitely more intimidating than that of the government officials.

Therefore, getting involved with a guild in this world held great prospects.

Similar to joining the Green Guild in Shanghai at the beginning of the last century.

Chen Jie left the Bai family and headed straight for the town. Upon arriving, he quickly found a pharmacy, which was also a subsidiary business of the Fishing Guild.

Chen Jie sold the ten-year-old ginseng he had, fetching three taels and eight maces of silver.

This price wasn't high, but it wasn't a rip-off either.

With money in hand, Chen Jie started purchasing goods. His home could be said to be empty, living from meal to meal, so he had to first address the basic necessities.

Chen Jie first bought a hundred catties of sorghum rice, then some fatty meat, which would be perfect for rendering into lard back home.

After that came oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

As the saying goes, "To open a door, you need seven things: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea."

Chen Jie bought a round of each, and then he went to the pawnshop to find the Shopkeeper and redeem a pawn.

Chen Jie remembered that Su Yunjin had pawned a hairpin given by her mother in exchange for arsenic. The hairpin was made of copper, plated with silver, not very precious, yet the damn Shopkeeper insisted on one tael of silver for it.

Chen Jie thought it over and still chose to pay.

He had also wanted to make a new piece of clothing for each of his two girls, but after spending most of his money, only eight maces of broken silver were left.

Chen Jie borrowed a wheelbarrow from someone in his village and was pushing his purchases home.

But then, on the road, he suddenly encountered a group of people. The leader had a face full of smallpox scars and, upon seeing Chen Jie, especially the cartful of goods, he greeted him with a grin from afar, shouting, "Brother Jiu Si!"

Chen Jie recognized him, Ma Liu, a lackey of Yu's Treasure House, in Macau, people like him were called Betting Agents.

In the latest intelligence update he had yesterday, there was information about him colluding with the Young Master of Yu's Treasure House.

It said that San Liu, that fat pig, had taken a liking to his wife and wanted to set up a scheme to make him lose Su Yunjin to him.

And this Ma Liu was his accomplice. Chen Jie squinted his eyes and smiled, "Oh, Brother Ma Liu, isn't it?"