Chapter 9 - The Cold and Aloof Superior Visits
Of the three types of monsters created by the Red Rain, Grave People were undoubtedly the most troublesome.
Demonic Creatures could be detected using cultivation techniques or magical artifacts.
Nightmares only appeared in Red Rain dreams.
But Grave People, so far, could only be tracked down through human investigation. If even a small clue was missed, it could lead to a major disaster that couldn't be undone.
Their benevolence or malevolence depended on their former selves.
But in any case, if the Grave People wasn't eliminated within ten days, everyone who had come into contact with it would become a skeleton.
While Leng Xinnan and the others were urgently searching for the 'Grave People' He Qing Yu, Li Nan Ke, who had provided the crucial autopsy clues, became idle.
After wandering around the county yamen for a while, he simply went home.
When he returned home, his wife, Luo Qian Qiu, was seeing a patient.
The patient was a beautiful woman, exuding a charming and seductive aura.
Li Nan Ke recognized her. She was a courtesan from the Xiang Hua House in Dongqi County, named Wan Hu Die (Ten Thousand Butterflies), and was quite popular among the patrons, skilled in the art of pleasure.
According to the gossip of a friend from the yamen, this woman once held a large-scale "concert."
She was proficient in all kinds of musical instruments and singing.
Even the sturdy, gold-lacquered elm bed was broken the next day.
After hearing about this, a scholar jokingly said that the woman's belly could hold a boat. Over time, Wan Hu Die earned the nickname 'Little Chancellor.'
Although her arms had pillowed thousands of men, it didn't prevent her from being one of the top courtesans of the Xiang Hua House.
Whenever she encountered Li Nan Ke on the street, she would wave her handkerchief flirtatiously, calling him "young master" and "my dear husband," trying to lure the man's hormones to her own "stage."
However, he was unresponsive, wasting her efforts.
Seeing Li Nan Ke now, the woman had a worried expression, without her usual frivolous demeanor.
"It's caused by cold invading the stomach. It's not a serious problem. Just pay more attention to your diet," Luo Qian Qiu said calmly, picking up a brush.
"I'll prescribe some herbs to nourish your stomach. In addition, buy some lychees and costus root, grind them into powder according to the ratio I tell you, take one qian (a unit of weight) each time, and mix it with clear soup."
The doctor's words made Wan Hu Die breathe a sigh of relief, her tense heartstrings relaxing.
"That scared me to death."
The woman gently patted her half-exposed bosom, smiling seductively.
"It's good that it's not that kind of illness. Otherwise, my good days would be over."
Luo Qian Qiu remained silent, folded the prescription, and went to the next room to prepare the medicine.
Wan Hu Die turned to look at Li Nan Ke.
The man's handsome and elegant appearance made her heart flutter. She crossed her legs, her raised skirt barely concealing her fair skin, and said softly,
"Why did you come back so early today, Little Brother Li? Did you know that I was coming and couldn't wait?"
Li Nan Ke casually joked, "If I had known that Sister Wan would come for treatment, I would have bought a few more night lamps."
Wan Hu Die was taken aback. Even though she was used to the world of pleasure, she couldn't help but blush slightly.
Not to be outdone, she took the initiative to continue the flirtation.
"I thought Little Brother Li was an unsophisticated man who didn't understand romance. I didn't expect you to be so skilled and interested in teasing women. It seems you've cultivated quite a bit in the garden of flowers."
"Cultivation is an exaggeration. After all, I'm destined to be a monk by nature and can't touch rouge and powder."
Li Nan Ke gave a shy smile.
He wanted to leave, not wanting to get entangled in a conversation with the woman, but she wasn't ready to give up.
Wan Hu Die, with her charming and seductive demeanor, said in a coquettish voice.
"Even monks need to cultivate. If you're interested someday, why not come to elder sister to learn some scriptures? The Buddhist teachings here are unfathomable."
"Sister Wan, you flatter me. With my little cultivation, I'm not even enough for you to snack on."
Realizing that things would get out of hand if they continued chatting, Li Nan Ke politely declined.
"Moreover, a true seeker of scriptures should brave thorns and blaze their own path. Following the path paved by others is certainly smooth, but it also lacks some fun, doesn't it?"
Hearing this, Wan Hu Die giggled, her laughter echoing through the room.
She wasn't angry at his subtle jab.
The woman was about to continue with her suggestive remarks, but she caught sight of Luo Qian Qiu returning with the herbs and closed her mouth, taking out some silver from her fragrant pouch and placing it on the table.
"Remember to get plenty of rest."
Luo Qian Qiu's usually expressionless face showed a rare hint of concern as she gently advised.
"Also, you have some emotional distress. Going out for a walk occasionally will help."
Sensing the genuine concern in her voice, Wan Hu Die's expression became somewhat complicated.
Good medicine cured illnesses, and kind words warmed the heart.
Thinking of her husband's deliberately ambiguous words and entanglement with her earlier, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.
After a moment of silence, she couldn't help but laugh and waved her hand.
"It's nothing. If I really rest at my age, there would be no hope for the future. Besides, there's no field in this world that can be over-farmed, wouldn't you agree?"
Luo Qian Qiu handed over the packaged herbs and didn't say anything more.
The woman gave Li Nan Ke a flirtatious glance, her words carrying a hint of nostalgia and envy, and deliberately reminded him.
"I truly envy Doctor Luo for having such an interesting husband. You must cherish him and don't let other women steal him away."
With that, she took the herbs and left, leaving behind a strong scent of rouge.
During this time, Li Nan Ke had been sitting upright with his eyes fixed on his nose and his nose fixed on his heart.
"How is the murder case going?"
Luo Qian Qiu got up and walked to the basin, carefully washing her hands.
Her hands were extremely beautiful, her fair and slender fingers as delicate as the tips of bamboo shoots. It was hard to imagine that these delicate hands were the ones that usually dug for herbs in the soil.
Li Nan Ke was momentarily mesmerized.
He thought that if his wife played the pipa, it would be a sight to behold.
Of course, if she could wield a spear or a staff, it would also be irresistible.
He probably wouldn't last three seconds.
"Is it serious?"
Seeing that her husband hadn't responded for a long time, the woman looked at him questioningly.
Li Nan Ke looked away and coughed lightly. Noticing Sister Goose passing by the door, he casually grabbed her long neck and held her in his arms.
While stroking Sister Goose's tail feathers, he said, "A scholar died, but the situation is quite serious. A Grave People has appeared."
"A Grave People?"
Luo Qian Qiu's delicate, crescent-shaped eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Was it murder?"
Li Nan Ke nodded.
"Judging from the autopsy results, it was murder. But at the moment, whether it was murder or accidental death is not the most important thing. The important thing is that someone resurrected him in a Red Rain dream.”
“A person who died five days ago was seen drinking in a restaurant three days ago. He must have come into contact with many people. I hope the Night Patrol can handle this. If too many people die in this small county, and the higher-ups investigate, not many will be able to bear the responsibility."
Luo Qian Qiu finished wiping her hands, put the dried herbs into the medicine pot, and softly reminded him.
"Husband, you should also be careful and avoid getting involved."
Li Nan Ke nodded.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
After dinner, the couple returned to their usual routine.
Luo Qian Qiu quietly read medical books, serene as a lotus flower.
Li Nan Ke leisurely sat on Grandpa Turtle's back, holding the reluctant Sister Goose to ward off loneliness.
Although Luo Qian Qiu was a skilled physician, not many people came to see her every day.
Firstly, Luo Qian Qiu only treated women.
Secondly, since they had just moved here, her reputation naturally couldn't compare to the local physicians who had been established for a long time.
In addition, there was another reason. In this era, when it came to private matters, many women, even if they were ill, would be too ashamed to seek medical treatment.
Unless they had severe symptoms.
Near the second quarter of the Xu hour (7:30-7:45 PM), a special person came seeking treatment.
It was Leng Xinnan.
"Why are you here?"
The cold beauty, who was the chief of the Vermilion Bird Division of the Night Patrol, couldn't help but show surprise when she saw Li Nan Ke.
Li Nan Ke was equally surprised by her arrival and bowed in greeting.
"My lord, this is my humble abode."
"Your home?"
Leng Xinnan was taken aback and looked at Luo Qian Qiu.
"Then she is..."
"My wife, her surname is Luo."
Li Nan Ke smiled and introduced Luo Qian Qiu.
"This is Lord Leng, the chief of the Yun City Night Patrol."
"Greetings, Lord Leng." Luo Qian Qiu bowed slightly.
Looking at Luo Qian Qiu's appearance, Leng Xinnan felt a strange sensation in her heart.
With Li Nan Ke's handsome and outstanding appearance, and still being young, even if he didn't have much talent, he could easily charm a beautiful and wealthy young lady by relying on his looks.
She hadn't expected his wife to be so ordinary in appearance.
Either they were forced into marriage by their parents through a matchmaker, or they fell in love because of each other's inner qualities.
But judging from Li Nan Ke's attitude towards his wife just now, there didn't seem to be any disgust or unfamiliarity between them. It seemed they were truly in love and chose to be together.
With this thought, Leng Xinnan couldn't help but look at Li Nan Ke in a new light.
"Are you here to see a doctor, my lord?"
Li Nan Ke asked.
Leng Xinnan hummed softly, her expression slightly uneasy.
Although it was normal to seek medical treatment, her condition involved a private area. If it were someone else, it wouldn't matter, but it was someone she knew, which made it inevitably awkward.
The woman couldn't help but think of finding another doctor.
"Then I won't disturb you."
Li Nan Ke tactfully walked out of the room, holding Sister Goose.
With this, Leng Xinnan couldn't easily say she wanted to leave anymore and had no choice but to follow Luo Qian Qiu into the next room for treatment.
"Where are you feeling unwell, Lord Leng?"
Luo Qian Qiu brought a cup of tea and placed it in front of her, asking softly.
Smelling the faint fragrance of the tea, Leng Xinnan thanked her and described in detail the symptoms she had been experiencing these days.
She said helplessly, "I've seen several female physicians, but none of them were helpful. If there's really no other way, I can only go to the capital."
"Could you please undress and let me have a look?"
After taking her pulse, Luo Qian Qiu's eyes flickered slightly.
Undress?
Leng Xinnan was stunned and hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she took off her dress.
The woman's skin, as smooth and delicate as white porcelain, looked unreal in the light.
Coupled with her refined and cold features, she looked like a porcelain doll sculpted by a skilled craftsman.
Luo Qian Qiu took out a silver needle from the wooden box on the table and gently inserted it half an inch below the Lingxu acupoint.
"Bear with it, it will hurt a little."