Leaving the prison, Yun Hao looked troubled, "If you have anything to send to your family, you can give it to me. You don't have to come here every day."
A Jiu didn't say anything. Firstly, she couldn't hand over such an important spiritual spring water in a water pouch to someone she didn't know well.
Secondly, the more people knew how precious this water was, the more trouble it would cause.
Before leaving the yamen, A Jiu thanked him repeatedly.
"How was it?" Tongzi urged the horse carriage back.
"Everything's fine." A Jiu turned her head and asked, "Tongzi, is the medical clinic really in decline since Old Master Liu passed away, as they say?"
Mentioning this, Tongzi sighed, "You saw it yourself. Old Master Liu's medical skills were among the best in the city, which made other medical practitioners envious. Someone must have instigated things from above, forcing the Master to take charge of the epidemic in Nanzhou County."
A Jiu couldn't help but frown. So that's how it was. Rivalry among peers was common, but for A Jiu, why envy others when you could earn a living with your own skills?
And so, a highly skilled old doctor was gone.
"Actually, it's unlikely Miss Liu will find anything even if she goes. She's just unwilling to accept it and wants to fulfill her grandfather's last wish. Now, the authorities have issued a strict order: no return to the city until the source of infection is found."
"..." A Jiu felt a chill down her spine. It was true that being prominent attracted attention. It seemed her grandmother was right; it was always best to be low-key.
When they arrived at the medical clinic, it was deserted.
However, A Jiu noticed five consulting rooms on her first visit, indicating that there were at least five doctors who used to practice here. The number of patients who came for treatment must have been exceptionally high.
"Get the medicine." A middle-aged man arrived at the door.
"Coming right up." Tongzi grabbed the small brass scale and hurried to get the medicine.
A Jiu silently took down the sign from outside. She was determined to try.
To her surprise, A Jiu waited in the main hall until she fell asleep, but no one came.
She stood up, stretched her limbs, and went out for a walk. Earlier, she had entered the spiritual spring space, and the water had increased. This was likely due to the merit points gained from helping Yun Hao's mother.
She had taken Shi Liu's money in advance, but Shi Liu hadn't given it to others yet. After spending five wen on steamed buns, she had fifteen wen left.
As a result, she wandered through half of Nanming City before finding a place selling water pouches, coincidentally near a water distribution shed.
A Jiu bought three water pouches and turned to leave.
This was a reservoir, heavily guarded. Everyone looked at others with sharp eyes, as if A Jiu were going to steal water.
"Why buy so many water pouches?"
"This girl has money and nowhere to spend it. Buying so many water pouches, is she going to fill them with water?"
A Jiu, hearing the murmurs around her, quickly stuffed the water pouches into her embrace.
It was indeed eye-catching to buy even a few water pouches during this severe drought.
Returning to the medical clinic, it was as deserted as ever. Tongzi was sleeping on the counter, his saliva dripping onto his arm.
A Jiu went back to the rear courtyard, entered a room, and closed the door. She instantly entered the spiritual spring space. Along with the original two water pouches, she now had five.
About four water pouches could be filled with water, leaving one empty for backup.
After a whole day, there wasn't a single person in the clinic. A Jiu kicked the ground, which was as hard as stone from years of being trampled.
She wondered if it could be dug. A Jiu pulled out her ox horn knife and gritted her teeth, digging by the window.
She was so tired that sweat covered her forehead, yet she only managed to dig a hole the size of a finger.
"Good enough to plant," A Jiu put the collected pomegranate seeds inside. The space by the window was small, so she planted only three in total.
She poured some spiritual spring water and then closed the door to sleep.
It wasn't until midnight that A Jiu was startled awake by a loud knocking. She jumped up, her face full of irritation.
"Pfft, pfft, pfft." A Jiu batted away the pomegranate branches in front of her, which almost poked her nostrils.
Opening her eyes groggily, A Jiu was shocked. This was no longer her bedroom.