Chapter 115 Didn’t wash your dirty linen in public
Madam Luo’s hands were constrained by Mammy Tang tightly. The itching powder in her face and hands drove her crazy and mad. She wanted to scold Luo Baishao, but she couldn’t speak due to constant yawn, sneeze and burp.
Seeing that Luo Baiqian wanted to feel the pulse for Madam Luo, Mammy Tang shook her head immediately and shouted, “Stop! First Master, it is infectious! Back off! Everybody!” Her words not only stopped Luo Baiqian successfully, but frightened Dong Xinlan who tried to support her injured body and wanted to care for Madam Luo. However, Dong Xinlan’s back-off accidentally affected her injured arms, which was so painful. But she couldn’t speak now, with tears and snivel on her face, making her uglier.
Mammy Tang was holding Madam Luo’s hands which touched the poisonous silk handkerchief. Her hands were also a little itchy. Before it became more serious, she said quickly, “First Master, take First Younger Mistress and Wei back to Liu Li Tang. You couldn’t let others know that Madam Luo was infected with Diaoshanyao Powder. Zhu will stay here and will be treated by Dr. Ma and Dr. Wu. Don’t come to Ting Zhu Yard these days. If there is any news, I will let you know immediately. Hua Sanniang, Li Siniang, Pin Shiniang, Shi Liu, and Pu Gongying… hic… after sending First Master away, ho-hum, you get back to guard the gate of the main hall. Don’t let anyone be close to here!”
After those mammies and maids sent away Luo Baiqian’s family, Mammy Tang looked up at Feng Jiugu and asked, “Jiugu, do you have more Qingdu Baihuo Powder that you gave me the day before yesterday? Hic! It’s so effective that I immediately felt much better than before when I put it on my skin. Achoo!”
Feng Jiugu frowned, “OK, I will take it immediately, but it may not work for you. Hong Jiang, you got poisoned lightly that day, so the medicine worked. I have checked the silk handkerchief…” She shook the dangerous handkerchief which had been isolated in a brocade box, and continued, “This itching powder is the same as that on the clothes you gave me that day. Besides, there are more powders that can let you yawn, sneeze and burp. That’s why you feel like this. I know something about the poisonous powders but can put off your symptom just for a while. All right, let me make preparations.” Then she left quickly.
There were only Dr. Ma and Dr. Wu who treated Zhu, as well as Madam Luo, Mammy Tang and Luo Baishao who were poisoned by the “compound poison powders” in the room. At this time, the three tried their best to bear the itch, and kept yawning, sneezing and burping, even spitting out acid saliva.
Dr. Ma worried about Madam Luo and suggested, “Madam Luo, I will make a medicine soup for you to clear the poison. You can wash your face with it.”
Madam Luo was angry and didn’t want to reply. She just stared at Luo Baishao. Luo Baishao scratched her hands and cried, “Forgive me, Grandma. I didn’t know this poison… hic… was so powerful. If I know that… hic… I shall not bring it to Third Sister! Achoo!” This was the first time that Luo Baishao had known the effect of Diaoshanyao Powder. She almost wanted to cut her hands off. Just for a while, her hands were red and swelling, and the skin was also peeling because of her scratching. Luo Baishao’s face which always had smiles before was full of tears now. She sobbed, “I just… ho-hum… haven’t seen Third Sister for a long time, so I miss her so much. Hic! I want to play a joke with her, but… ho-hum… I don’t know you would take that silk handkerchief. What should I do? Achoo! I’m so itchy. Help me, Grandma!”
Madam Luo trembled with anger. She gritted her teeth and didn’t want to respond. Then she turned her head towards Dr. Wu, “Do you figure it out? Hic! What poison did Zhu get?”
Dr. Wu touched his mustache, nodding and shaking his head now and then. Finally, he said, “Yes, yes… he ate the knockout drops made by me.”
“Ho-hum… Hic! Did you let Zhu eat knockout drops?!” Madam Luo stared at him.
Dr. Wu was scared and shook his hands repeatedly. His mustache also moved with his action. He explained, “Never have I given that to Young Master! Every time I make a prescription, I will prepare three copies. One is to give the apprentice to fill the prescription, one for myself, and the last one for you to check. I have never given Young Master the knockout drops!”
Madam Luo thought his words were reasonable. Although doctors gave medical advice and made prescriptions, the food and medicine that Zhu ate were made by the family members and not transferred by Dr. Wu. Madam Luo scratched and burped, “But why did you say that the knockout drops were made by you?”
Dr. Wu instantly told her what happened, “I’m a famous doctor from San Qing Tang, and I love my reputation more than anything. Even though someone spends a lot of money to buy the knockout drops from me, I shall not give him. However, a few months ago, the First Younger Mistress came to me. She said there was a thief in Liu Li Tang of Luo’s Mansion who stole her tonic, so she wanted to put the knockout drops in food. The person who fainted would be the thief. At beginning, I told her that I couldn’t make it. I recommended her to get some crotons which are also effective in catching the thief. But she said that her tonic was liquid and the powder must be colorless and tasteless.”
Mammy Tang yawned and blamed with misty eyes, “But you still can’t give her the knockout drops!”
Dr. Wu threw up his hands, “Oh, Mammy, do you think I’m willing to do this? At that time, the First Younger Mistress was pregnant for 8 months. If I didn’t give her the knockout drops, she would sit in the Medicine Room and didn’t leave! The workers of the Medicine Room bustled in and out. There also were stoves and smog. If there was anything wrong with her, I couldn’t afford it! And she also said she would take charge of San Qing Tang in the future, and asked us who live by the Medicine Pavilion to know that she would be the boss!”
After hearing this, Madam Luo was too mad to say anything. Suddenly, a cold and melodious voice appeared, “Dr. Wu, there are many kinds of knockout drops. Maybe someone else wants to murder Zhu and feeds him that secretly. Are you sure that the knockout drops are those taken by Elder Sister-in-law from you? Watch your words.”
“Achoo!” Mammy Tang wiped her tears and snot with her handkerchief while asking, “Third Miss, where did you go? Hic! Do you get over your vomiting?”
He Danggui nodded, “Uncle Nie’s Zhenqi was very useful. He cured my vomit immediately, but he went to see Wang Fan, the zombie, so he can’t help Grandma right now. Grandma and Fourth Sister, I just kept vomiting, so I took little care of you. What happened to you? You’re yawning all the time. Are you sleepy?”
Yawning and sneezing, Luo Baishao said angrily, “He Danggui, are you pretending to be stupid? You had already used this kind of yawning powder in the last class. Ho-hum… How dare you ask this question! You must do it on purpose! Achoo!”
With her eyes wide open, He Danggui covered her mouth and smiled, “Oh, you misunderstand me. I don’t know there is the yawning powder in the world! Last time, the teacher asked me to stand and beat my palm as punishment because I yawned in the class. I was angry about my laziness… But now I know the reason. Ha-ha! It’s so interesting! Next time, we play this yawning powder with our Second Sister! I know you must have something interesting and new! I’m so excited!”
Luo Baishao was surprised that He Danggui talked all the time. It was so strange that He Danggui should change greatly after just a month!
On hearing this, Madam Luo poked Luo Baishao’s head angrily, “Hic! Did you play this dangerous thing with your two sisters? Now, another one is misled by you, Shao! You’re going to be a wife of a noble family. Hic! Do you want to use these powders to manage your family affairs? Ho-hum… Where did you learn it?!”
Luo Baishao backed off and cried, “Grandma, you were poisoned in your hands. Hic! Don’t touch me!”
Madam Luo was too angry to say a word. She scratched her ears and cheeks, and threw her head into the quilt. “What bad things we have done! How can I have such a naughty and unfilial granddaughter!”
Mammy Tang worried about revealing family scandals in public. She was searching for the fake Feng Yang and Ning Yuan, but found none of them everywhere. Then she was relaxed, “Third Miss, achoo! When did the guests leave? Did… hic… they hear our conversation?”
“Leave?” He Danggui pointed to the tearoom with a smile, “They never say goodbye to Grandma. How dare they leave? They are waiting in the tearoom. They want to send best wishes to Grandma before they leave. Shall I call them in?”
Mammy Tang was surprised. She waved her hands instantly and said in a lower voice, “Don’t let them in at this moment! Hic… everyone was in a flurry! Third Miss, you just thank for their kindness and explain what happened. You could say… hic… that because of fever, Fourth Miss had got migraine. Ho-hum… Today’s trouble was caused by her migraine. And you also need to explain what happened on the First Younger Mistress, achoo! You make an excuse by yourself. Anyway, you should save the reputation of Luo’s Family! Why are you standing here, Third Miss? Hurry up!”
After sending He Danggui away, Mammy Tang turned her head towards Dr. Wu and asked, “I think Third Miss was right. There are many kinds of knockout drops. Hic! How do you know that the medicine Zhu ate was from you? It couldn’t be the First Younger Mistress. Hic… Watch your words. Will a mother murder her own son?”
Dr. Wu shook his head helplessly, “From your words, I know that you and Third Miss don’t know the pharmacology. Actually, ‘knockout drops’ are a generic term for this kind of medicine. It includes 8 classes and 500 subclasses. Each doctor has their own way in making drugs, and this is why the medicine is different. Therefore, I’m sure that Zhu ate my knockout drops and I want to say something right now!”
Madam Luo scratched and thought for a while. Then she said to Dr. Ma, “You take Shao to the Medicine Room and make a medicine for her to wash hands. Achoo! Find out if there are any other medicines that can help us.” On hearing the words, Dr. Ma and Luo Baishao left. When Madam Luo couldn’t hear their footsteps, she nodded to Dr. Wu, “There is no one else here. Hic! You can say directly.”
Dr. Wu sighed, “In my opinion, the First Younger Mistress also doesn’t know the pharmacology. Half a month after I gave her the knockout drops for the first time, she came to ask me for four packs of knockout drops. At that time, she was about to give birth to a child, so I didn’t dare to argue with her and I gave her the medicine as she required. However, she asked me for the knockout drops once again one month after she gave birth to a child. This time I decided to refuse her in the risk of offending her. I told her that I was a famous doctor, and my medicine was used to save people’s life instead of hurting them. I told her that she could go to the night fair in the West Street. There were a lot of knockout drops! Madam Luo, do you know what did she say?”
“Hic… What did she say?” Madam Luo scratched two new blood stains on her face, so Mammy Tang used a towel to tie her hands behind. Although Madam Luo was unpleasant, she knew that it was good for her, so she didn’t complain anymore.
“The First Younger Mistress said, ‘I come here just for your good skill. How can I use those cheap things to my husband…’ Then she broke off in mid-sentence!” Dr. Wu shook his head and frowned, “Alas! I didn’t know who would eat these knockout drops, so I persuaded her that if someone was suffering from insomnia, I could give her some Clove Pacifying Pills. As a saying goes, ‘Every medicine has its side effect’. There were some toxic herbs in the knockout drops which couldn’t be taken for a long time. But she insisted that the Clove Pacifying Pill was not as effective as knockout drops. Finally, she took away knockout drops of 1 jin greedily!”
Mammy Tang frowned, “The First Younger Mistress always stays in the mansion to raise her three children in Liu Li Tang, and she never manages the family affairs. Achoo! Why did she need so many knockout drops?”
Dr. Wu hesitated, and then gritted his teeth, “A few days ago when I was treating patients in San Qing Tang, the First Master came to inspect. I saw that he was weak, with his Cuanzhu acupoints black and his eyes bloodshot. Therefore, I asked to feel his pulse and I was shocked. He was slightly poisoned by Datura stramonium and radix aconiti which were the main herbs in my knockout drops!”
“Ho-hum… You mean that my granddaughter-in-law gave the knockout drops to Qian!” Madam Luo shouted and yawned with tears on her face.
Dr. Wu nodded and added, “In order to make sure whether the First Master got poisoned, I used a silver needle to prick his Fengchi acupoint and the needle tip became cyan. Seeing that I was serious, he asked what’s wrong with him. I couldn’t tell him the truth, so I just told him that he got hyperactivity of liver fire. Madam Luo, you know that once the Fengchi acupoint become cyan, it means that the First Master has taken slight toxic drugs for a long time!”
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