Resplendent – Chapter 381

Chapter 381: Waking Up

The Great Pharmacists Convention is held only once every ten years. 

Gu Xiao knew that his granddaughter cared deeply about this pharmacist examination. If she missed this opportunity, she would certainly be very upset. He pondered for a moment and made a decision on behalf of his granddaughter: “Let’s set off! If her condition worsens along the way, we can dock at a big city and seek medical help.”

The ship slowly departed from the shore. Gu Xiao stood on the deck outside his granddaughter’s cabin, gazing at the shimmering surface of the river. He wasn’t sure if the decision he made was right or wrong. However, he knew that if his granddaughter were awake, she would have made the same choice.

The ship glided quietly along the river, with the river water surging diagonally under the boat and then sinking back down. In this rise and fall, everything remained silent, as if it was trying not to disturb a certain person who lay asleep on the boat. The ship was very steady, with almost no sense of motion.

The shore gradually receded into the distance, and the sky became wider, revealing an endless expanse of water. The wind gradually picked up, blowing through their hair and making their clothes flutter. If it weren’t for the worries in their hearts, it would have felt far more comfortable than being on land.

Through the open window, one could see the little girl lying quietly on the bed. Beside her, two maidservants, one older and one younger, gently fanned her. Suddenly, the little girl’s foot moved, and with a turn of her body, she kicked off the thin silk blanket that covered her.

“Miss, Miss…” The small, slender maid, who looked only about six or seven years old, thought that the young lady had woken up and gently called to her.

The little girl on the bed lay face down on the bamboo mat, completely still. The other round-faced maid shook her head at the slender one, but the worry on her face seemed to have eased a bit—as the young lady had at least come out of her coma. As for when she might fully wake up, that was still uncertain.

Night gradually enveloped the river, and the lights from the fishing boats around them mingled with the stars in the sky, as the entire Liao River grew still. The evening breeze blew through the window into the cabin, bringing a refreshing coolness.

Suddenly, the little girl lying down turned over again, sprawling out on her back with arms and legs outstretched. The slender maid pressed her lips to hold back a laugh—her lady’s sleeping posture was even worse than hers!

Hua Hao had just prepared a bowl of cooling herbal tea and was about to bring it into the cabin when Gu Ming intercepted her at the door, taking the bowl in his hands and pushing the door open to enter. 

Jun Qicheng also followed him inside. In his heart, he treated Gu Ye as a little sister, and with so many people around, there was no need to worry about the propriety of mingling between men and women.

When Jun Qicheng entered, the little girl on the bed was curled up like a frog, her arms and legs bent, resembling a squashed toad. He held back his laughter, barely managing not to let it out.

“Sister, sister! Wake up and take your medicine!” Gu Ming called out gently, as if speaking to a fragile treasure, not daring to raise his voice even a little.

“Didn’t you say she was awake?  Why is it that I’ve been calling her for so long without any response?” Gu Ming’s brows gradually furrowed with worry.

“Miss woke up briefly but fell back asleep,” Yue Yuan replied, taking the bowl of medicine and gently supporting the girl, letting her rest against her shoulder. Perhaps her body felt too warm, making Gu Ye uncomfortable. The little girl furrowed her brow and made a small, weak struggle.

“Miss, have a few sips of the medicine before going back to sleep!” Yue Yuan brought the bowl to her lips and slowly fed her. 

As soon as the bitter medicine touched her tongue, the little girl’s tiny face, not even the size of a palm, scrunched up tightly. She swung her small arm forcefully If Yue Yuan hadn’t dodged in time, the bowl would have been knocked out of her hand.

The little girl squinted her eyes as she sat up, her long, silky hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall. She sat quietly for a long time, her body swaying unsteadily, as if she might collapse at any moment. The little girl slowly opened her eyes, her expression vacant, as if her soul had left her body and only an empty shell remained.

Seeing this dazed and adorable side of her, Jun Qicheng couldn’t hold back anymore and let out a chuckle. Sister Ye was so cute, just like a finely carved wooden doll, especially with those few strands of messy hair on top of her head, playfully sticking up—it made her even more amusing the longer he looked.

Normally, she was so sharp and capable that it was easy to forget her age. Now, it became clear that she was just a girl of twelve or thirteen!

“Don’t you dare laugh at my sister!” Gu Ming, protective as ever, nudged him with his elbow.

Hearing their voices, Gu Ye slowly raised her hand and rubbed her eyes. She glanced out the window, disgruntled, and said, “It’s the middle of the night, why aren’t you two sleeping and instead barging into my room?  If you’re not sleeping, at least let others sleep!  Ugh, what is this awful taste in my mouth? Ugh…Yue Yuan, quickly, give me a piece of candy!”

“Miss, you fainted from heatstroke. This is the medicine prescribed by Doctor Yang!” Yue Yuan quickly brought the bowl of medicine to her lips, knowing that the effectiveness would be greatly reduced if the medicine cooled down.

Medicine? Just the smell of it made her feel sick! Gu Ye quickly pushed the bowl away and glared at Yue Yuan. “Are you silly? Don’t I have Wuji Pills in my medicine box?  They clear heat, dispel summer heat, and have a refreshing aroma. The effect is just as good as this cooling herbal tea, but much faster. You know very well that I hate bitter medicine, yet you’re making me drink this. Are you doing this on purpose?”

Yue Yuan looked aggrieved. “Miss, you were unconscious. Even this herbal decoction was half spilled while we tried to feed it to you. It would have been even harder to make you swallow a pill.”

“Alright… fine!  Now that I’m awake, quickly take this medicine away. Just looking at it makes my headache worse! Ouch—” Gu Ye cried out as she touched her forehead, feeling a large bump and wincing in pain. “What happened? It hurts so much!”

Yue Yuan took out the Wuji Pills from the medicine box and handed them to her, explaining the cause of the swollen bump on her forehead. Gu Ye took out a small mirror and examined herself, seeing a large, purple bruise with a swollen lump that made her look like a one-horned king—it was so ugly.

After taking a Wuji Pill, she quickly grabbed a balm for reducing swelling and bruising, applying a thick layer to the area. The egg-sized jar of balm she had in her hand was excellent for reducing swelling, alleviating pain, and preventing scarring. 

On the market, a box of it would sell for hundreds of taels of silver, and people would still scramble for it. Yet here she was, using half a jar in one go.

Doctor Yang, who came to give Gu Ye a follow-up examination, checked her pulse and said she was fine, advising her to rest, eat a light diet, and continue drinking the cooling herbal tea, among other things.

Yue Yuan showed Doctor Yang the homemade Wuji Pills that her lady had prepared. After examining the Wuji Pills, the elderly Doctor Yang couldn’t help but praise them. He noted that their formula was virtually identical to the cooling herbal tea, but with a more precise blend and better effectiveness. Moreover, the small pill form made them easier to take. 

As expected of the disciple of the Sage Apothecary,” he remarked, ‘such refined skill in crafting medicine.’

Seeing how much he admired the Wuji Pills, Gu Ye generously gifted him a bottle. She knew she was prone to heat, so before setting off, she had prepared several types of medicine for treating heatstroke. It turned out to be a wise decision! 

The young girl felt quite proud of herself, thankful for her foresight. Otherwise, she would have been forced to drink strange herbal decoctions for the next few days.