Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

After leaving the pharmacy and turning east, the area became increasingly remote.

First, the bluestone road was turned into a gravel road, and the shops on both sides changed from silk shops and jewelry stores to shoe repair shops, charcoal shops, and scrap collectors.

Further in, even the gravel path disappeared, replaced by solid yellow mud, full of potholes, with water still lingering from the rain a couple of days ago.

The low, mud-brick houses stood close together, with moss growing at the base of the walls. Some of the eaves of the houses had collapsed halfway and were barely supported by a few wooden sticks.

Tao'er carefully lifted her skirt and walked around a puddle, her gaze sweeping over the dilapidated houses.

She had assumed that Mr. Xu was just short of money, but she never expected him to be living in such a place.

It seems that the old lady's illness has depleted the last bit of their savings.

"arrive."

Li Chenhao stopped in front of a crooked wooden door.

Most of the black paint on the door had peeled off, revealing the grayish-white wood underneath, and the door knocker was a rusted black iron ring.

He raised his hand and tapped, the force neither too strong nor too weak.

There was no movement inside for a long time.

Li Chenhao knocked twice more before he heard slow footsteps approaching from afar.

The door creaked open a crack, revealing half a face.

He was an elderly man in his sixties, with gray hair that was neatly combed. He wore a faded blue cloth long gown, which, though patched, was clean and tidy.

The wrinkles on his face were very deep, especially the one between his eyebrows, which looked like the marks left by years of frowning.

His gaze was clear and upright, and his brows carried an imposing aura of authority.

"Young Master Li?"

Xu Heng relaxed slightly upon seeing the newcomer, but his gaze tightened again when it passed Li Chenhao and landed on Tao'er. "And this is..."

"May Mr. Xu be well."

Li Chenhao cupped his hands in greeting and handed over the medicine packet he was carrying.

"I heard from the shop assistant a few days ago that your wife's medicine was almost finished, so I just got a new batch of Sichuan fritillary bulbs and brought some over to you."

in addition……"

He stepped aside to let Tao'er pass, "This is Miss Liu. She wants to invite you to come out of seclusion and teach!"

So, this junior has taken the liberty of bringing her here…

Xu Heng took the medicine packet, his gaze lingered on Tao'er for a moment, then he shook his head and closed the door a little closer: "Young Master Li, I appreciate your kindness."

As for teaching, given my current situation, I simply don't have the energy. Please leave.

"Old Xu..." Li Chenhao wanted to persuade him further, but the door was already about to close.

"Wait a minute."

Tao'er suddenly spoke, her voice not loud, but steady and clear, "Mr. Xu, I know that your wife's illness has dragged on for a long time."

I know how to gather herbs and have some knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine. I dare not claim to cure all diseases, but perhaps I can help your wife improve her health.

Xu Heng's hand paused, the door stopped at the middle crack, revealing a gap about a hand's width wide.

His gaze peered through the gap at Tao'er, filled with scrutiny and doubt.

Tao'er did not look away, and continued to speak in his direction, "I also know what your wife's knot is in her heart."

If this knot in your heart is not untied, no matter how much medicine your wife takes, it will only cure the root cause, not the underlying problem!

Could you please do me the favor of letting me in to say a few words?

I was alone; Brother Li was waiting outside.

feasible?"

After a long while, the door finally opened slowly.

Li Chenhao tactfully took two steps back: "Miss Liu, I'll wait for you outside."

Watching Tao'er slip through the door, he stood in the alley, his heart pounding with anxiety.

The Xu family's courtyard looked even more dilapidated than it appeared from the outside.

The main house has two living rooms, and one room was used as a kitchen.

In the corner of the yard, there was a pile of chopped firewood, neatly stacked, showing that even though the owner was down on his luck, he still retained his sense of discipline.

A small clay stove sat on a medicine pot by the kitchen door, bubbling and steaming, and a bitter medicinal smell permeated the courtyard.

"Old woman, we have a guest."

Xu Heng said something to the east room, then pushed open the door to the west room and let Tao'er in.

The west room was small, with a table, two chairs, and a bookshelf taking up most of the space.

A few books were sparsely placed on the bookshelf, their spines worn white, yet they still stood upright neatly.

An open copy of the Analects lay on the table, next to a broken ink stick and a worn-out writing brush.

Tao'er didn't sit down. Instead, she glanced at the books on the bookshelf and got a sense of what to do.

"Old Master Xu refused to agree just now, firstly because he was afraid of delaying his wife's treatment, and secondly because he didn't trust me."

Am I right?

Xu Heng did not reply, but the expression on his face said it all.

Tao'er got straight to the point and continued, "I can give you a definite answer right now: I will treat the old lady's illness."

Whether it can be cured or not, you will know in the future.

If I cannot do this, then pretend I never said anything today. You are free to leave at any time; I will not force you.

Xu Heng remained silent, simply staring at her.

His wife's illness was indeed caused by that incident, which triggered a deep-seated emotional knot. Over the years, she has seen many doctors, but most of them shook their heads and could only rely on expensive medicinal herbs to keep her alive.

But this girl in front of me was only sixteen or seventeen years old, yet she claimed she could cure him.

His eyes were bright when he spoke, without a trace of pretense, as if he truly had some confidence.

After a long silence, Xu Heng finally spoke, "Young lady, you say you know my wife's inner turmoil? Are you trying to deceive this old man?"

"The old lady's biggest worry is your missing granddaughter. I can find her."

No matter how much effort it takes, I'll find it for you.

I believe that once your granddaughter is found, her spirits will return, and the treatment will be much more effective!

Furthermore, the old lady's illness had been delayed for too long, and the virus had penetrated deep into her lungs.

Acupuncture and moxibustion, supplemented by medication, are necessary to completely eliminate the virus from the body.

Xu Heng's Adam's apple bobbed, and after a long pause, he asked in a hoarse voice, "What are you after?"

This little girl seems to have some real skills; she even knows acupuncture and acupressure.

"As I just mentioned, Mr. Tu's scholarship is truly remarkable; I would like to invite you to come out of seclusion and teach my younger siblings."

Tao'er said frankly.

"Then you can send your younger siblings to the county school, why bother asking me for help?"

Tao looked directly at him, "It's different!"

I would like to invite you to stay at my home and teach my younger siblings.

Room and board are included, with a monthly salary of five taels of silver. Writing materials are extra. The teacher need not worry about anything else; he only needs to focus on teaching the two children well.

Rest assured, sir, I have no ulterior motives.

Five taels of silver?

Xu Heng did a quick mental calculation and realized that it would be enough for his wife to take medicine for two months, and he could also save some money to ask someone to inquire about his granddaughter's whereabouts.

"Take a look at my wife's illness first," he finally relented.

Tao followed him into the east room.

The house wasn't big, but it was fairly tidy, though the smell of medicine was stronger than in the yard.

Lying on the bed was an old woman who was so thin she was almost unrecognizable. Her face was sallow and her breathing was shallow and rapid. She barely opened her eyes when she heard the noise, looked at Tao'er with cloudy eyes, and then closed them again weakly.

Tao'er sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to feel the old lady's wrist pulse.