I Crossed Over with My Enemy, Only to Find Him Running the Empire - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Playing Along with the Scheme

In this era, failing to bear a son was a woman’s greatest original sin.

Wu Tiesheng’s mind began to waver as well. Although he wasn’t as utterly biased as his parents, he too yearned for a son to carry on the family line.

He mused for a moment: “Since Canghai-ge mentioned it, there must be something to it. When Third Brother comes back with news, if it’s true, we should go beg Mother to see if the Divine Physician can take a look at us as well.”

“Yes! Yes!” Mrs. Yuan responded quickly, seeing a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

In the Third House, Mrs. Zhao was also whispering to her husband: “Old man, Mother asked you to investigate that physician. Be careful; don’t let anyone swindle you. When it comes to silver, you can never be too sure…”

Wu Tiegen rolled over and grunted, “I know. Just sleep.”

In his mind, he was already calculating which friends would be most reliable to ask tomorrow.

Because of the sudden mention of a “Divine Physician,” undercurrents were surging through the small Wu courtyard, with everyone busy with their own private calculations.

…

The Next Day.

Late at night, the Wu courtyard was silent, save for the occasional chirp of insects.

A faint oil lamp still burned in the Third House. Mrs. Liu sat by the bed with her needlework, but she hadn’t made a single stitch for a long while; her ears were fixed on the movement outside.

Finally, the courtyard gate let out a soft creak, followed by stumbling footsteps and suppressed grunting.

Mrs. Liu hurriedly put down her work, slipped on her shoes, and went out. Sure enough, she found her husband, Wu Tiegen, reeking of alcohol, swaying and nearly tripping over the threshold.

“Oh! Why did you drink yourself into this state again!” Mrs. Liu rushed to support him, whispering a complaint as the stench of booze hit her face, making her frown.

Wu Tiegen gave a silly grin, his tongue heavy with drink: “It’s… it’s nothing! Wife, I’m not drunk! I’m happy! Today… I accomplished something big!”

Mrs. Liu struggled to haul him into the room and let him collapse onto the edge of the bed. She went to get water to wipe his face. “What ‘big thing’ could turn you into this pile of mud? You were sent to get news on the physician, and instead, you went out to drown yourself in cat piss!”

“It was to get news!” Wu Tiegen waved his hand triumphantly. “I invited a few brothers to the town tavern for a round! Hah, after a few bowls of yellow soup, what secret can’t be pried out?”

Mrs. Liu paused her hand and asked urgently: “Did you really find out? That Physician Gong…”

“True! It’s absolutely true!” Wu Tiegen slapped his chest, breathing alcohol fumes. “He exists! His medical skills are like this!” He gave a thumbs-up and shook it. “Miraculous! He cures everything! Really! My brother’s distant grand-uncle’s brother-in-law had chronic leg pain cured by him. Now he can run and jump!”

Mrs. Liu’s heart skipped a beat. “Can he cure foolishness? When can he come?”

“Don’t… Don’t worry!” Wu Tiegen slurred with a grin. “It’s all settled! My brother said Physician Gong happens to be traveling nearby. Within these two days, he’ll definitely arrive in Lechuan Town! My brother is keeping an eye out. As soon as he arrives, we’ll invite him straight to our house. Leave it to me!”

The news was found, it was smooth, and even the logistics seemed settled.

Logically, Mrs. Liu should have been happy, but seeing her husband’s drunken boasting, a trace of inexplicable unease flashed through her heart.

Is this… a bit too smooth? If this physician was so miraculous, would he be that easy to invite?

Could the drunken talk of a few rowdies be trusted?

She wanted to ask more, but Wu Tiegen could no longer stay upright. He rolled over and began snoring loudly. He was dead drunk; no amount of pushing could wake him.

Left with no choice, Mrs. Liu sighed, took off his shoes, and struggled to heave him onto the bed.

…

Early the next morning, it was the First House’s turn to cook breakfast.

Mrs. Wei had a long face, clattering pots and pans. She cooked the porridge so thin it was like clear water, and the steamed buns were as hard as rocks.

After the meal, it was Li Qiaoqiao’s turn to clear the dishes, sweep the yard, and feed the livestock.

Li Qiaoqiao rolled up her sleeves and resigned herself to the work. She glanced at Wu Ya, who was standing idly by with his mouth open in a foolish grin. Her eyes darted around, and she intentionally raised her voice to command: “Tie Niu! Don’t just stand there like an idiot! Come here and help me take the bowls to the kitchen!”

Wu Ya, clear-headed as ever, immediately entered his role. He walked over clumsily, his hands trembling as he reached for the stack of bowls. His hand “slipped,” and with a clatter, the top two coarse ceramic bowls hit the ground.

Fortunately, they didn’t break; they just rolled into the dust.

“Oh! You fool! You can’t even hold a bowl!” Li Qiaoqiao immediately put her hands on her hips and scolded him, playing the part of the fierce little wife to the hilt. “Pick them up! Take them to the kitchen! Walk slowly! If you drop them again, see if I don’t beat you!”

Wu Ya shrank his neck, looking terrified. He slowly picked up the bowls, cradling them cautiously, and shuffled toward the kitchen one step at a time.

Seeing this, Zhang Jinhua frowned, but she said nothing. In her heart, her resolve to invite the Divine Physician only grew firmer.

At this time, Mrs. Zhao (Third House) came over to help Li Qiaoqiao clean. She checked her surroundings, leaned in close, and whispered the news Wu Tiegen had found the night before: “Fourth Sister-in-law, the news is in. They say the physician will be in town within a couple of days. Tiegen’s friend promised to help invite him. But…”

Mrs. Zhao paused, her face showing worry: “But Tiegen drank too much yesterday; his words were a bit garbled. No one has actually seen this physician. Don’t pin too much hope on it yet. If he’s not that miraculous or can’t be invited, don’t be too disappointed. It would only hurt more.”

Li Qiaoqiao knew perfectly well that this physician was likely a fraud, but she immediately put on an act: “Really? Thank you, Third Sister-in-law! Thank you, Third Brother, for all the trouble! As long as there’s news, it’s good. Whether it works or not, we are eternally grateful!”

She grabbed Mrs. Zhao’s hand, even forcing a few tears into her eyes. Seeing her like this, Mrs. Zhao’s unease deepened, and she could only pat the back of her hand and sigh.

On the other side, Wu Canghai had finished packing. He was returning to the town academy today.

Zhang Jinhua specially packed a small bag of fine rice for him to take along and brought out a semi-new cotton robe for him to change into: “Dress decently at the academy. Don’t let your classmates or teachers look down on you.”

Wu Canghai thanked her warmly: “Thank you, Grandma. I’ve troubled you.” He changed into the clean robe, carrying the rice. He looked refined and dignified—truly the image of a scholar.

As he walked out, he ran into the two daughters of the Second House, Wu Caixia and Wu Peilan. The two young girls were dressed in old, patched clothes, crouching in the yard helping gather firewood, their little hands red from the cold.

Seeing their brilliantly dressed big brother, envy flickered in their eyes. They whispered softly, “Big Brother.”

Wu Canghai merely gave a shallow nod and didn’t even stop, walking straight out the gate.

The bag of fine rice and his new clothes formed a stinging contrast with his cousins’ tattered rags.

Li Qiaoqiao watched this coldly, her mind screaming: Pah! What a piece of work! The whole family tightens their belts just so he can have everything! Fine rice, new clothes, school supplies—every bit of it is scraped from the mouths of the rest of the family!

Look at that “of course” look on his face! And his mother, wanting to claw every communal resource into her own room! Pure greed and selfishness!

As she scrubbed the pot vigorously, she couldn’t help but think of her mother-in-law, Zhang Jinhua.

The old lady was harsh, sharp-tongued, and blatantly biased, but at least her love for her foolish son was genuine. She was willing to fight for him and spend money on him. Compared to the First House, who wanted to pick everyone else’s bones clean, Zhang Jinhua didn’t seem so bad—she was just a hot-tempered old woman with outdated patriarchal views.

“This place is truly full of schemers,” Li Qiaoqiao rolled her eyes internally, her scrubbing becoming even louder, as if she were treating the bottom of the pot like the faces of the First House family.

The sun hadn’t yet reached its zenith.

In the courtyard, Li Qiaoqiao was directing her “foolish” husband Wu Ya to clumsily water the vegetable patch, making his feet a muddy mess. She was busy calculating how she was going to choke down the afternoon porridge, which was sure to be thin enough to see her own reflection in.

Suddenly, a chorus of excited children’s shouts erupted from outside the courtyard, drawing closer.

“Grandma! Grandma! He’s back! Third Uncle is back!” The two boys from the First House, Wu Qinglin and Wu Zhexun, rushed into the yard like mud monkeys, rolling and crawling.

They were out of breath but their faces were glowing. They pointed outside and yelled, “He… he brought a white-bearded grandpa! He’s carrying a box and holding a banner! So impressive!”

“What? A white-bearded grandpa?” Zhang Jinhua, who was sewing soles under the eaves, snapped her head up.

Mrs. Wei also poked her head out of the kitchen, looking confused.

Li Qiaoqiao and Wu Ya exchanged a glance, both shocked.

So fast? Third Brother only came back drunk with the news yesterday, and today the man is already here? Wu Tiegen’s efficiency was suspiciously high!

Before they could think further, the sound of a crowd and footsteps approached from outside. Clearly, the two boys’ shouting had alerted half the village. Many curious villagers followed to watch the spectacle, crowding around two men entering the Wu courtyard.

Leading the way was a puffed-up Wu Tiegen. Behind him followed an elderly man.

This old man looked extraordinary at first glance!

His hair and beard were white, groomed perfectly. Though his wrinkles were deep, his complexion was ruddy and his eyes were clear. He wore a blue robe that was slightly faded from washing but clearly made of good material, and he wore thick-soled cloth shoes. Most striking was the teenage apprentice following him, carrying an old medicine box and holding a cloth banner high. On the banner, the character “GONG” was written in a bold, sweeping flourish!

This pomp and aura in a small peasant household made him look like a deity descended to earth!

The surrounding villagers began to whisper, pointing and staring with eyes full of awe and curiosity.

“Oh! It really is a Divine Physician!” “Look at that banner! Physician Gong! That’s him!” “Wu’s third son is truly capable of actually bringing him here!”

Zhang Jinhua was both shocked and overjoyed. She quickly dropped her sewing and went to meet them, hardly daring to believe it. She opened her mouth to ask: “Tiegen, this old gentleman is…”

Before the question was out, Li Qiaoqiao reacted instantly. At Wu Ya’s signaled glance, she “zoomed” out of the vegetable patch, her face instantly flooded with wild joy. She lunged toward the white-bearded elder:

“Divine Physician! You must be a Physician Gong! You’ve finally come! Please, I beg you, save my husband!”

She didn’t give anyone a chance to verify his identity. She immediately pinned the title of “Divine Physician” on him, acting as if she had been waiting for a savior her whole life. She reached out to grab the elder’s sleeve, trying to pull him into the house.

In her heart, she was crystal clear:

In the short term, regardless of whether this old man was real or a fraud, she had to solidify his reputation as a “Divine Physician”! Only if he was “Divine” would it be reasonable for Wu Tie Niu to be “cured” by him later. No one would be able to find fault with it! Once Wu Ya was “better,” she could rightfully make him do the work, and she wouldn’t have to carry the burden alone.

In the long term, only if Wu Ya returned to normal could the Fourth House have any say in the Wu family. Only then could they fight to split the household and live on their own, finally escaping this extreme family—especially the control of the deep-scheming protagonist, Wu Canghai!

Mrs. Wei saw Li Qiaoqiao’s frantic behavior and felt disgusted. She curled her lip and spoke sarcastically: “Oh, Fourth Sister-in-law, what’s the rush? The old gentleman just walked in; he hadn’t even caught his breath. We haven’t even confirmed his name or if he’s really a physician! You just pounce on him—don’t offend our noble guest!”

Wu Tiegen, looking for a chance to show off, immediately straightened his back and claimed credit to Zhang Jinhua: “Mother! How could this be fake? This is the Physician Gong I told you about yesterday! I used so many connections and put in so much effort to beat everyone else to the punch and bring him here first! The Physician has had a long journey; please, let him come inside and rest!”

At this moment, the silent, white-bearded elder hadn’t spoken, but the young apprentice holding the banner stepped forward and cleared his throat: “Villagers, Madam Wu, my master is indeed Physician Gong Yunqing. He has practiced medicine for decades. He doesn’t claim to cure every ailment, but he has treated countless difficult cases. He cured the paralysis of the Old Matron of the Li family in Jiangzhou Prefecture to the south, and the strange illness of the Governor’s son in Longxi County to the north. Those who are grateful even wish to erect a monument in his honor. Passing through your land today, he accepted Third Master Wu’s sincere invitation to take a look.”

This speech was detailed—names, places, and illnesses were stated clearly. Mentioning monuments added immense prestige. The rhetoric was brilliant, instantly hoodwinking all the villagers and Zhang Jinhua!

“Oh my! Truly a Divine Physician!” “Listen! Even the Governor’s house hired him!” “They want to build him a monument! Incredible!”

The last of Zhang Jinhua’s doubts vanished. Her face bloomed into a smile, and she quickly stepped aside to make way, her tone incredibly respectful: “So it is Physician Gong’s grand arrival! Please come in! Please sit inside! This old woman was blind not to recognize a mountain of talent; please don’t take offense!”

She glared fiercely at the talkative Mrs. Wei. “First House Wife, go pour some sugar water, quickly!”

Glared at by her mother-in-law, Mrs. Wei shut her mouth sullenly and turned unwillingly to the kitchen.

Li Qiaoqiao breathed a secret sigh of relief and struck while the iron was hot, leading the way enthusiastically: “Physician, please this way. Watch the threshold.”

Physician Gong finally stroked his beard, gave a slight nod with the air of a grand master, and walked with measured steps into the main hall amidst the awe-struck gazes of the crowd.