The antique girlfriend of a chaebol heir

Xie Shuheng was silent for a moment.

He slowly straightened up, his eyes shining brightly, as if he had made some kind of do-or-die determination.

"Mr. Wu, let's use the prescription you gave us."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was as firm as iron.

"I'll figure out how to get the medicinal herbs."

Physician Wu looked up at him, his gaze complex.

He figured it out.

This young master of the Xie family must be deeply in love with that eldest daughter of the Shen family. He's willing to empty the Xie family's coffers and even go to any lengths to save that girl's lifespan.

"Young Master Xie," Physician Wu said, his expression unusually serious, "you should think this through carefully. This is no small sum..."

"I've thought it through."

Xie Shuheng interrupted him, a faint smile even appearing on his lips.

There was no joy in that smile, only an almost obsessive tenderness.

"Old Wu, just focus on prescribing the medicine. Don't worry about the money."

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Xie Shuheng went out.

He visited several of the largest pharmacies in Jiangnan City, using the silver notes he brought from the capital to select the best medicinal herbs one by one.

The prescription given by Imperial Physician Wu was extremely meticulous, requiring the finest saffron from the Western Regions, each root being dark red in color and with a complete stigma.

The ginseng must be wild ginseng from Changbai Mountain, with long and thin whiskers and a tightly packed rhizome.

Cordyceps sinensis should be from Nagqu, with plump insect bodies and short, golden-yellow tips...

Each ingredient was selected from the best stock available on the shelf.

Two hours later, the medicinal herbs were sorted and wrapped in plain yellow paper packets, then neatly stacked into a sandalwood medicine box.

Imperial Physician Wu was drying herbs in the courtyard when he saw Xie Shuheng return, carrying a lot of things with his servant. He raised an eyebrow.

"Young Master Xie, have all the medicinal herbs been prepared?"

"Everything is ready. Elder Wu, I have a favor to ask."

"explain."

"Please make all these medicinal herbs into pills."

Physician Wu was stunned, and the medicinal herbs he was drying fell back into the bamboo tray with a "thud".

He looked up, sizing Xie Shuheng up and down, as if he hadn't understood: "Make into pills?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Physician Wu frowned. "Decoctions are the fastest-acting, while pills, though longer-lasting, require a certain amount of time to take effect. Perhaps... you should change your mind?"

Xie Shuheng shook his head. Sunlight fell on his tired brows and eyes, but it couldn't hide the tenderness and stubbornness in them.

"Mr. Wu, I've thought about it."

He paused, then spoke very softly.

"First, although pills are complicated to make, they are much easier to swallow than bitter decoctions. Miss Shen has been taking medicine for many years, and her stomach and intestines are already very weak. If they are made into pills, she will suffer much less from the pain in her mouth."

Upon hearing this, Imperial Physician Wu's expression shifted slightly, but he remained silent.

Xie Shuheng added, "Secondly, and most importantly—once it's made into pills and ground with honey, the specific prescription becomes indistinguishable, and it becomes impossible to identify which precious medicinal herbs were used. This way, Prefect Shen and Miss Shen won't refuse to use the medicine because of the price."

"At the Shen residence, just say it's a specially made heart-nourishing pill for your usual use in regulating the heart meridian. As for the price..."

Xie Shuheng raised his eyes, his gaze clear and earnest. "Just say it's ordinary medicinal material, and charge the price of regular pills. As for Lord Shen, I hope Elder Wu can cover for him."

The autumn wind swept through the courtyard, swirling up a few fallen leaves that landed on the stone table.

Physician Wu remained silent for a long time.

"That's enough, that's enough."

He finally let out a long sigh, a sigh that carried a hint of helplessness, a touch of emotion, and the knowing wisdom of someone who had been through it all.

"Young Master Xie is truly a devoted man. He considers Miss Shen in every way... In all my years, I've never seen anyone like you."

He picked up the sandalwood medicine box, turned and walked towards the pharmacy, his white beard twitching in the wind: "I'll help you with this favor, consider it... an act of kindness."

Three days later, Imperial Physician Wu personally visited the Shen residence, carrying an ordinary-looking white porcelain bottle.

Prefect Shen personally welcomed him into the hall.

Physician Wu stroked his beard, placed the porcelain bottle on the table, and said in a very calm tone, "This is a special heart-nourishing pill that I made. It uses only common medicinal herbs and is not worth much. Miss Shen, take three pills with warm water every morning, and I will come back for a follow-up visit in a month."

Prefect Shen looked at the small porcelain bottle, then at Physician Wu's calm and composed face, and did not refuse.

He ordered someone to bring ten taels of silver as a consultation fee, and Physician Wu accepted it symbolically without any pretense.

A month later, Physician Wu visited again.

He knew the pills were working after just one glance at Shen Ci.

She was still pale and slender, but her lips had a faint blush of color, like the first hint of peach blossoms on a branch in early spring.

Imperial Physician Wu stepped forward to take his pulse, and after a moment, his gray eyebrows relaxed.

"Good, good. Although the pulse is still weak, it is much stronger than before."

Prefect Shen stood to the side, and upon hearing these words, his eyes suddenly reddened.

The next day, a banquet was held at the Shen residence.

The banquet was held in the flower hall, with Prefect Shen personally accompanying the guests. Imperial Physician Wu sat at the head of the table, while Xie Shuheng was seated to Prefect Shen's right.

After several rounds of drinks, the soft tinkling of jade pendants could be heard from behind the screen.

Everyone looked up and saw a slender figure, supported by a maid, slowly walking out.

She wore a moon-white long dress with a matching jacket over it, and her face was covered with a thin white veil, revealing only her clear, bright eyes.

Those eyes were like black jade immersed in a stream, clear and warm, carrying the unique fragility and clarity of someone recovering from a long illness.

It was Shen Ci.

Xie Shuheng's wine glass suddenly stopped.

He felt as if he had been transported to another world.

In his previous life, the last time he saw her was on a television screen.

With her temples streaked with gray and wearing thin-rimmed glasses, she stood calmly under the flashing lights and spoke with composure.

And at this moment, she stood right in front of him, separated by a small table and the lingering aroma of wine, young and vibrant, like an orchid that had just survived the winter, timidly peeking out new buds.

Shen Ci gave a slight bow to Imperial Physician Wu and Xie Shuheng.

She picked up the teacup on the table, her voice coming through the veil, slightly hoarse yet gentle: "Old Wu, Young Master Xie, Shen Ci offers this tea instead of wine to thank you both for saving my life."

As she spoke, she was about to drink the cup of tea.

"Don't drink it!"

A voice suddenly rang out, not loud, but carrying an undeniable urgency.

The entire room fell silent.

Xie Shuheng suddenly stood up, realizing his lapse in composure, his ears instantly turning red, but his gaze remained stubbornly fixed on the teacup in Shen Ci's hand:

"You...you're still taking medicine. Tea will counteract its effects, so please don't drink it. As for your thanks...we'll talk about it later."

The flower hall was so quiet that you could hear the rustling of the wind blowing through the withered chrysanthemums.

Shen Ci's hand, holding the teacup, paused in mid-air as she looked at the young man who had suddenly stood up through her veil.

He wore a moon-white brocade robe with a jade belt around his waist. He had a handsome face and the noble air unique to a young master from a prominent family.

But at this moment, the eyes that were looking at her were filled with undisguised concern and tension, as if they were afraid that she had come into contact with some kind of deadly poison.

The gaze was so intense that Shen Ci's fingertips trembled, and she quickly lowered her head, gently placing the teacup back on the table.

Shen Ci was completely baffled.

They had only met a few times when they were young and didn't have much interaction.

During the meal, it was obvious to everyone that this young master of the Xie family had feelings for the eldest daughter of the Shen family.

Prefect Shen glanced at his daughter, then at Xie Shuheng, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly. He ultimately said nothing, only trying to smooth things over:

"Young Master Xie is right. Youyou, you've just recovered, so don't drink tea. Bring warm water instead."

Xie Shuheng then realized that he was still standing and slowly sat down, but his gaze seemed to be glued to Shen Ci, and he couldn't look away.

What's even more unexpected is that since arriving in Jiangnan, Xie Shuheng seems to have completely forgotten that he is still a candidate for the imperial examination.

He never returned to the capital.

Instead of returning, he rented a shop on Zhuque Street, the most bustling street in Jiangnan City.

The shop was originally a closed-down silk store. Xie Shuheng spent three days renovating it and hung up a brand-new plaque – "Hengji".

No one knew what the eldest son of the Minister of War was going to do.