These were threads made from mulberry bark, with curved needles, straight needles, and hooked needles specially crafted…

Liu Pucheng reached out to pick up a needle, his expression showing a kind of restrained melancholy.

“My master once taught me this technique. He himself had performed such procedures, but many injured patients died from festering wounds, rotting flesh, or high fever with convulsions and unconsciousness. Because of this, my master was chased and beaten by people, and the pharmacy was smashed multiple times. Finally, master sealed away the needles and thread, believing this method was not a good medical practice, that it violated natural law and medical principles and was impractical. He instructed me never to treat people this way again,” he said slowly, looking up at Qi Yue with barely contained excitement in his eyes. “That day when this old man returned and saw chaos in the hall, I was initially minded to scold, but then I saw Madam implementing this technique. This old man was greatly shocked, and then looking at that young man’s wound, it was healing so well.”

At this point, he became so excited he could barely speak coherently.

“Madam, please accept this old man’s bow. If my master were still alive, I don’t know how overjoyed he would be,” he said, indeed bowing deeply and solemnly.

“Physician Liu, you mustn’t,” Qi Yue hurriedly stood up to support him.

Qi Yue was also a physician. When an illness one had always considered incurable suddenly had a cure, she deeply understood that kind of excitement.

“This is all due to the contributions of our predecessors,” she said with shame.

This was the accumulated heritage of generations of physicians that allowed her to learn these techniques today. It had nothing to do with her, Qi Yue. If anyone should be thanked, it should be her thanking these predecessors.

“Now it’s wonderful. With this medicine, it’s a blessing for all people under heaven,” Liu Pucheng said with an excited expression.

Qi Yue’s expression froze.

This medicine…

“It’s gone…” she said with a bitter smile.

Liu Pucheng was stunned, obviously not understanding.

“Madam, what do you mean?” he asked. “Of course, this old man is not asking Madam for this medicine, just happy that suturing techniques can finally be performed again.”

Qi Yue sighed and slowly closed the medicine box in front of her.

“Physician Liu, this suturing technique should still not be used lightly,” she said with a bitter smile. “Even I myself will never perform it again in the future.”

Liu Pucheng was greatly alarmed.

“Madam, what do you mean?” he asked. “Is it still because of the anesthetic?”

“Anesthetic is one issue, but most importantly, I have no more of this antibiotic medicine,” Qi Yue said.

No more—what did that mean?

“After that last one just now, there will never be a second one in this world,” Qi Yue said, looking at him.

This statement shocked both Liu Pucheng and A’Ru.

Liu Pucheng thought of Qi Yue’s expression when she mentioned the anesthetic earlier, while A’Ru thought of the medicine her brother and A’Hao had used…

It was actually so precious? Heaven, if there would never be another in this world, wouldn’t it be a priceless treasure!

A priceless treasure!

Heaven, Young Madam had actually given such things to servants like them!

A’Ru couldn’t help but cover her mouth with her hand, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Doesn’t Madam have the formula?” Liu Pucheng asked in great alarm.

“The formula?” Qi Yue couldn’t help but pinch her temples with a bitter smile.

If she had known this day would come, she would have definitely applied to intern at a pharmaceutical factory for three years instead of coming to Daqing Mountain.

“This was also something my grandmother obtained from a mysterious person, and I don’t know the formula,” Qi Yue said, having to again attribute it to that deceased old woman.

Liu Pucheng’s expression immediately became dejected. He actually sat down in the chair with a thud, his whole person in a daze.

“Physician Liu, Physician Liu,” Qi Yue was frightened and hurried forward to check on him. “Are you alright?”

“Gone, gone,” Liu Pucheng muttered to himself, his gaze scattered. Suddenly he pounded the table in great grief, “Gone… gone…”

Hope had appeared, then vanished…

Was there anything more heartbreaking than this in the world?

This elder actually began crying aloud like a child, pounding the table and stomping his feet, as if in mourning.

Qi Yue watched in bewilderment and hurried forward to comfort him. A’Ru, seeing Physician Liu crying like this and thinking that those medicines had basically been used up because of matters related to her, couldn’t help but kneel down and cry too.

Qi Yue tried to comfort one side then the other, feeling somewhat between tears and laughter.

The crying here attracted attention from outside. The door slid open with a swish, and Chang Yuncheng stepped in.

“What’s all this crying about? The person isn’t even dead yet—what are you all wailing about! Really inauspicious!” he said coldly and sternly, his face full of impatience.

Behind him, the apprentices and others who had been poking their heads in hurriedly shrank back and fell silent.

Physician Liu and A’Ru were startled by this shout and indeed didn’t dare make another sound.

Qi Yue glared at him.

What kind of temper was this person…

Chang Yuncheng swept his gaze over the two people. Looking quite satisfied with the intimidating effect of his words, he turned and left.

“Physician Liu, don’t be sad. These medicines will definitely be available again someday. When that time comes, we can perform any suturing surgery we want—opening the abdomen, opening the skull, anything will be possible. There will definitely be such medicines,” Qi Yue said gently.

Liu Pucheng’s wrinkled face was streaked with tears as he looked up at her.

“Yes, since that master could create them,” he murmured, his originally confused and helpless eyes suddenly brightening, “most importantly, that master proved that this technique can work.”

“Exactly, that’s right. Since someone could create them, then sooner or later, someone will be able to create them again,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

“Yes, create them, someone can create them, can create them,” Liu Pucheng murmured, standing up agilely, pushing past Qi Yue and rushing out.

Until Qi Yue took her leave, Liu Pucheng still hadn’t emerged from the pharmacy.

“Is Physician Liu alright?” Qi Yue asked his eldest disciple with some concern.

The Western medicines of later generations had too great an impact on this old man…

“Madam, please rest assured. The junior disciples have already checked—Master is reading books,” the eldest disciple said.

Qi Yue nodded.

“I’ll come again tomorrow. Use your customary diagnostic treatments and medicines. I don’t understand much about this, but generally those that supplement vital energy and dispel evil toxins,” she instructed the eldest disciple. “Also pay attention to his temperature and urination situation.”

A’Ru couldn’t help but tug at Qi Yue, signaling her not to say that word again.

“Which word?” Qi Yue turned to ask her, not understanding.

A’Ru felt so embarrassed she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and the eldest disciple wasn’t much better off.

“This disciple understands, this disciple understands. Madam, please rest assured,” he said hurriedly.

Qi Yue and A’Ru got into the carriage. Having personally seen the injured person recovering well, a huge weight lifted from Qi Yue’s heart. Her mood was much better than when they came, and she couldn’t help but lift the carriage curtain to look at the street scenes along the way, her eyes full of curiosity.

“Hey, hey, that… whoever?” she couldn’t help but call out to Chang Yuncheng walking ahead.

A’Ru hurriedly pulled down her hand.

“Don’t shout like that. You should call him Lord,” she said in a low voice, her fair face pale with fright, then asked, “What does Young Madam need? Just give orders to this servant…”

Chang Yuncheng had already turned around and was looking over expressionlessly.

“Lord,” Qi Yue forced a smile at him.

Chang Yuncheng continued looking at her expressionlessly.

What kind of attitude was this kid showing? Never mind that “I” am your wife—if you don’t like this wife, so be it. But I at least saved your friend’s life. Not to mention thanking me, but would giving me a decent expression kill you?

Qi Yue had already accumulated a belly full of anger toward him, and now even the forced smile disappeared from her face.

“Driver, not coachman, drive the carriage—I want to go shopping,” she said directly to the coachman, ignoring Chang Yuncheng.

She had originally instinctively wanted to say “let me borrow your family’s carriage,” but then remembered that she didn’t need to borrow anything—Qi Yueniang was the Young Madam of Marquis Dingxi’s mansion, and if she wanted to use a carriage, she could use it as she pleased.

A’Ru hurriedly tugged at her sleeve.

“Go to the liveliest place you have here so I can take a look…” Qi Yue continued giving orders to the coachman.

A trace of disdain or an “as expected” smile appeared on Chang Yuncheng’s face.

“Don’t push your luck,” he said, reining in his horse slightly as the carriage approached, speaking coldly.

“What do you mean ‘push my luck’?” Qi Yue frowned.

“You know what you’re doing,” Chang Yuncheng said indifferently, spurring his horse forward.

Know my head, Qi Yue thought disdainfully, about to urge the coachman to drive when A’Ru gripped her arm tightly.

“Young Madam, if you want to go out and have fun, this servant and the others will accompany you another day. The Lord still has business to attend to,” she said pleadingly.

“I never said I wanted him to accompany me…” Qi Yue said.

But A’Ru’s face clearly read “that’s exactly what you meant”…

“Fine, fine, another day then,” Qi Yue surrendered, then laughed again, pointing at Chang Yuncheng’s back ahead. “Hey, that guy doesn’t think I wanted him to accompany me shopping, does he?”

“Lord,” A’Ru pulled down her hand and said helplessly, tacitly agreeing.

Qi Yue laughed.

“How conceited,” she said with a smile.

Chang Yuncheng couldn’t help but look back, seeing the two of them crowded at the carriage window talking and laughing quietly. He snorted and turned back around.

The “husband and wife” entered the house one after the other, then immediately went their separate ways.

“So it’s settled—we’ll go out and explore together when the time comes,” Qi Yue said to A’Ru as they walked and talked with smiles. “What fun and interesting things do you have here?”

Just as they stepped through the second gate, a little maid jumped out.

“Young Madam, A’Hao and Sister Jiu Zhi sent me to tell Young Madam that those stewardesses are all kneeling at the gate of Qiu Tong’s courtyard,” she said frantically.

Qi Yue and A’Ru were both stunned, recognizing this maid as one from their own courtyard.

Trouble had started?

“Is it because of what I said this morning that trouble started?” Qi Yue asked.

The little maid nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.

“Sister A’Hao told me to tell Young Madam that one of the old women is a dowry servant brought from Madam’s maiden family…” she said in a low voice.

A’Ru’s face changed.

This girl Jiu Zhi was really serious! She really dared to act! At least she should have started with the least troublesome ones first—how could she go straight for the difficult ones?

“Young Madam, this is trouble stirred up by that girl Jiu Zhi,” she said hurriedly.

Qi Yue raised her hand to stop her words.

“That’s not right to say. Jiu Zhi is acting according to my instructions. Since I said so, whatever the consequences, I’ll naturally bear them myself,” she said, neither hurried nor annoyed, slowly lifting her foot to continue forward.

“Young Madam, it’s better not to confront these people face to face. Let this servant go take a look first,” A’Ru said hurriedly as she followed. “Young Madam doesn’t know—these people will sacrifice any dignity, especially now when they’re probably determined to cause Young Madam trouble.”

Qi Yue nodded as she walked, then suddenly stopped.

A’Ru thought she had come to her senses and was about to lead the little maid ahead first.

“Wait, we’re not going back,” Qi Yue called out to stop her, her face full of smiles as she winked at her. “I’ve thought of a good place…”