Volume Two: An Eventful Autumn, A Series of Twists and Turns. Chapter One Hundred and Six: No Serious Harm, Accumulating Merit Through Good Deeds.

While the water was boiling, hurried footsteps echoed outside the door. Chang Yu and Chen Xin pushed the door open, ushering in an old physician.

"Sir, he is right here. They are waiting inside."

The old physician had hair as white as frost. Despite his medical cap, his advanced age was evident. Dragging him along in such a rush had left him breathless; he sat on a stool and gasped for a few moments before he could speak.

"Move this young lady's hand out from under the quilt so I may take his pulse."

Yang Chengzi looked somewhat embarrassed. "Sir, he is not a young lady. He just has some strange quirks. It seems he injured his head, and I must trouble you to take a look."

"Strange quirks?"

The old physician sat beside Chen San with a look of disdain. Chen San, who had been on the verge of sleep, was stirred awake by the man's arrival and immediately began clamoring for milk.

As the physician checked the pulse, he bobbed his head as if reciting scripture. "The pulse is steady, and the vital energy is abundant, but the Yang energy is insufficient and the kidney Yin is weak. It seems his conjugal life may be compromised."

Chang Yu and Chen Xin blushed, lowering their heads in shame, while Yang Chengzi felt even more awkward.

"Doctor, no, please look at his head. Ignore the rest. Focus on the head. Ever since he woke up, he has been acting silly, shouting for milk like a three-year-old. Did he sleep himself into a stupor?"

The doctor leaned in to examine Chen San’s eyes and poked around his scalp. "Sleeping oneself into a stupor is impossible. Did he fall or bump his head?"

"We didn't pay much attention. Perhaps he bumped it?" Yang Chengzi replied uncertainly.

"What do you mean 'perhaps'? A bump is a bump. Look here, there is some swelling. He must have hit his head at some point. Fortunately, it isn't severe, though there is likely some congealed blood. It’s nothing major. I will write a prescription to disperse the stasis. Once he drinks a few bowls of the decoction, his consciousness should return."

Yang Chengzi inspected the spot the doctor had touched, and sure enough, there was a slight swelling. "Thank you, sir. Will my friend suffer any long-term effects?"

"Oh, you young man are quite knowledgeable. As for long-term effects, that is up to the Heavens. We must wait until his mind clears to see. Some effects are trivial and heal with time, but others, I fear, are not so easily mended."

"Here is the prescription. Take it with you to get the medicine filled. Each dose should be decocted from four bowls of water down to one. After three days of treatment, there shouldn't be much of a problem."

Hearing that it wasn't a major issue, the group felt a weight lift from their hearts. Chang Yu felt a sense of relief.

"This fool really did fall and lose his wits. It’s a good thing we didn't find the Shangqing Sword; otherwise, I might have really wronged him to death."

***

After the medicine was brewed, Chen San naturally refused to drink it. Coaxing and trickery failed, and when they tried to force it into his mouth, he sprayed it all over Yang Chengzi’s face, insisting only on milk. In Yang Chengzi’s words, there was no point in arguing with a fool.

Milk was, of course, unavailable. Finally, out of options, Chen Xin took a mouthful of the bitter concoction and fed it to him mouth-to-mouth. It was strange—he wouldn't resist the mouth-to-mouth feeding, and the nauseatingly bitter medicine was consumed that way. Chang Yu watched from the side, full of envy, thinking how wonderful it would be if it were Yang Chengzi who had turned into a fool.

By evening, Chen San had become much calmer. After a light meal, he stopped demanding milk, though he clung to Chen Xin’s hand and refused to let go. Chen Xin felt awkward, as if she were carrying a piglet she couldn't shake off.

With him clinging like that, sleeping became a challenge. Tying him up and throwing him on the bed was not an option—he might toss and turn, kick off the quilts, and catch a cold, as the weather had turned chilly enough to require two layers of blankets. If he were tied up and kicked off the covers, he would freeze. But leaving him untied was also difficult; Chen Xin and Chen San were not married, and even if he were currently simple-minded, she was still uncomfortable.

Logically, he should have slept with Yang Chengzi, but the moment she closed her eyes, Chen San would wander over to Chen Xin’s bed, holding her hand with an innocent look and curling up to sleep peacefully by the bedside.

Chen Xin had no choice but to shift over and let him sleep beside her. She spent the entire night uneasy, feeling as though Chen San was doing this on purpose.

The night passed. Warm sunlight streamed into the room, and the sounds of carriages and peddlers echoed through the small town outside.

Chen Xin had barely slept, fearful that Chen San might try something, a lingering fear from their time at the Tianxiang Pavilion. To her surprise, he hadn't moved a muscle until dawn, sleeping as soundly as if he were in his mother’s arms.

Since he hadn't acted out, she began to worry again. It seemed the physician was right—he wasn't faking it; he really had fallen and lost his senses.

Since Chen San had not recovered, they could not resume their journey. If he didn't improve, they would need to find another doctor, and there would be no one to help them in the middle of nowhere. With nothing to do, they could only drink tea and tell stories to pass the time.

"Knock, knock, knock. Daoist, it is the County Magistrate. I have a few more things to ask you regarding the Tianxiang Pavilion. I wonder if you have a moment?"

While the group was feeling bored, the Magistrate arrived. Yang Chengzi rose to invite him in, poured him a cup of tea, and asked, "Sir, you are a busy man. What is it you wish to ask?"

"Heh heh, Daoist, did you rest well? I sent my bailiffs to inspect the Tianxiang Pavilion again. Many of the young ladies there were indeed coerced into prostitution. The pavilion has been sealed, and those women have been sent home. Are you satisfied with this, Daoist?"

Yang Chengzi was momentarily confused. "You are the Magistrate; why ask if I am satisfied? I am a Daoist, concerned only with matters of Yin and Yang. I do not interfere in the rights and wrongs of the mortal world."

"Heh heh, but you are a Maoshan Daoist. Eliminating the evil of the Tianxiang Pavilion for our Yutai Town is a great act of merit. On behalf of the people, I thank you." The portly Magistrate made a show of bowing.

Yang Chengzi raised a hand to stop him. "Sir, you are too kind. Exorcising demons is what we Maoshan Daoists do. Please, no need for such formalities. If you have something to say, speak plainly."

"As expected of a Daoist, your insight is divine. I was just... for the sake of my career, I was hoping for your kind guidance."

So that was it. Yang Chengzi smiled. "Your fate holds an official career, but it is not destined for greatness. Even if I were to help you, you would not reach a very high position. It might be better to simply remain a County Magistrate."

The portly Magistrate realized there was more to his words. He pulled a thick stack of banknotes from his sleeve and pushed them toward Yang Chengzi.

Chang Yu and Chen Xin’s eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Such a thick stack of bills—what an immense fortune!

Yang Chengzi didn't even glance at the money. "Sir, you misunderstand. Maoshan disciples do not hoard wealth; we only observe causality. Please, take your money back. If you truly wish to rise in rank, do more good deeds. When you accumulate enough merit, you will naturally create favorable conditions. Even if you do not become a high official, you will be blessed with longevity and good fortune."

Upon hearing this, the portly Magistrate cursed him a hundred times in his heart. *Asking me to do good deeds? Does he think money grows on trees?*

Thinking this, he nevertheless replied aloud, "The Daoist’s words are profound. A single conversation with you is worth ten years of study. Very well, I shall perform more good deeds. I shall not disturb you further. Farewell. If you encounter any difficulties in Yutai Town, come to me. Anything I can do, I will."

"Many thanks, sir."

As they watched the portly Magistrate depart, Chang Yu felt a deep sense of regret. She couldn't let go of the thought of that stack of banknotes. Once the door was closed, she remarked, "Wow, that stack must have been worth thousands of taels! How long would you have to stay at the Tianxiang Pavilion to earn that much?"

Yang Chengzi shook his head. "That is wealth squeezed from the blood and sweat of the people. It carries bad karma. Do you want that kind of burden? Are you tired of living?"

"Pfft. You say that, but those corrupt officials live perfectly well. I haven't seen any of them drop dead."

"That is only because you are unaware. Countless corrupt officials are executed every year. Those who lose their heads are the ones with short lives. Those who live long are merely enjoying the good karma they accumulated in their previous lives."

"So there is such a thing as previous lives?"

"Naturally. Is there not a saying about retribution in this life? Where there is current retribution, there is future retribution. It is not that retribution does not come; it is simply that the time has not yet arrived. Do you think the Ten Yama Kings and the eighteen levels of hell in the underworld are just for show? The suffering in the mortal world is nothing compared to the torment of the soul. Better not to do evil; every account is tallied clearly."

Chang Yu felt a chill run down her spine. Fortunately, she hadn't done anything truly wicked. She glanced at Chen San.

"Did this guy see us changing clothes? If he dies, how will he be judged down there?"

Yang Chengzi furrowed his brows, his face darkening. "I don't know how he would be judged. I only know that you two have seen Chen San’s backside. If it comes to judgment, Chen Xin is his future wife, so it might be forgiven, but you, as an outsider—tsk tsk tsk..." He shook his head as he spoke.