Chapter 69 of Volume 1: Strolling Around the Street

  Reward for He Shi Bi, thank you for your rewards and pink votes...

  It's not that he hasn't seen death before, with soldiers lying on the battlefield, their legs and feet severed, pierced through the chest, beheaded, with bloody deaths every day. But what makes Shen Zhongjie feel an unspeakable heaviness in his heart is watching a weak life like this one dwindle away bit by bit at such a young age, like a candle in the wind, turning to ashes in an instant...

  Distant mountains, withered trees, a slender figure in the distance, like a desolate ink painting.

  Suddenly, he felt the sunlight was somewhat dazzling.

  He blinked hard and walked over with big strides.

  "General..." Hearing footsteps, Zhen Shi Niang turned around.

  "We should go." Shen Zhong'e reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  Facing Shen Zhong's thousand-year-old icy expression, Zhen Shi Niang hesitated for a moment, "What kind of prescription did you open?"

  By looking at Fangzi, she could tell what new views Zhongdafu had on her illness.

  "No opening... " Shen Zhong's voice was consistently low and cold, unable to discern joy or anger.

  Zhen Shi Niang raised her head in shock, her lips moved slightly, but ultimately didn't make a sound. She lifted her foot and walked towards the front yard.

  He just wanted to confirm whether what she said was true or false!

  Listening to her own footsteps crunching through the snow with a soft "crackling" sound, Zhen Shiniang felt a faint sense of disappointment in her heart.

  His hands suddenly felt empty, Shen Zhongge was stunned for a moment, and then he followed up with his feet.

  Bidding farewell to Zhong Dafu and his family, the coachman cracked his whip, "Drive!"

  The horse carriage creaked and moved forward.

  "...In Wutong Town, there is a Dr. Jian who specializes in treating difficult and complicated diseases. Have you gone to see him?" Shen Zhongge suddenly asked.

  Hearing the three words "Jian Da Fu", Zhen Shi Niang's heart skipped a beat, and she slowly turned her head to look at Shen Zhong Ke.

  Why did he ask this?

  "It was Mr. Zhong who recommended him." The gaze made Shen Zhongge feel somewhat unnatural, so he turned his head around.

  It was like this originally.

  Zhen Shining let out a sigh of relief and thought to herself, "If I tell him that I haven't found it, will he dig up this simple doctor?" Although she was very curious, she didn't dare risk her life to gamble. After a moment's consideration, she said, "That prescription is the one written by Doctor Jian."

  "He can't either!" Shen Zhong's tone suddenly rose several degrees.

  Zhen Shiniang jumped down.

  She was stunned for a moment before regaining her composure, smiling and teasingly saying, "There are six illnesses that cannot be cured, she prescribed that formula also to fulfill human obligations, my illness is one that requires fate."

  Furrowing his brow, Shen Zhongge was speechless.

  Zhen Shining quietly listened to the sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the thick snow.

  After a long while, Shen Zhongge suddenly asked again, "What is meant by 'six non-treatments'?" He remembered that she had many medical books in her house.

  "It comes from the 'Biographies of Bian Que' in the Records of the Grand Historian," Zhen Shining explained, "There are six cases that cannot be cured: being arrogant and unreasonable, this is one case that cannot be cured; valuing wealth over one's own life, this is a second case that cannot be cured; eating and drinking excessively, this is a third case that cannot be cured; the balance of yin and yang and the stability of the internal organs are not settled, this is a fourth case that cannot be cured; being too weak to take medicine, this is a fifth case that cannot be cured; believing in witchcraft but not believing in doctors, this is a sixth case that cannot be cured."

  "...Isn't that just watching someone die without lifting a finger!" Shen Zhong's tone had risen again without him realizing it.

  What kind of rescue is this!

  This person has a really bad temper, why does he get angry at every turn?

  Zhen Shi Niang rolled her eyes inwardly, took out the patience to explain to Jian Wu Jian Wen, "It's not that we don't treat them, nor is it a case of seeing someone die and not saving them. It's just that these six conditions are difficult to treat, and even if treated, they are hard to be effective. So we must be extra cautious and careful, also to avoid disputes with patients..."

  Just then. The carriage creaked to a stop, and Rong Sheng came to the front of the car, "We're about to leave Liulin Town, General, do you want to have lunch first?"

  Shen Zhong rang the bell and lifted the curtain of the carriage to take a look at the sun. It was already noon, so he nodded, "Let's have lunch first."

  Rong Sheng found the largest restaurant in town.

  He and Shen Zhongjie came out after dinner, but Rong Sheng didn't know where he went. Zhen Shi Niang was hesitating whether to go to the carriage to wait, when she saw Shen Zhongjie walking towards the silk fabric store across the street.

  After a moment of hesitation, Zhen Shiniang followed him.

  It was the time of year when the New Year's Eve was approaching, and the business at the silk store was booming. People came and went constantly to buy new clothes, making it very lively. When Shen Zhongge appeared, the shopkeeper personally welcomed him, "Sir, what can I help you with?"

  "Is there ready-made clothes here?" Shen Zhongge's eyes scanned around.

  "Yes, yes..." The shopkeeper nodded and bowed as he led Shen Zhongge to the inner room. "The finished clothes are in the inner room, please follow me...". He looked Shen Zhongge up and down a few times, "Sir, are you buying for yourself or for your family? Do you have measurements?"

  "Bring her a few sets..." Shen Zhongge turned his head and pointed at Zhen Shimiang, "Just pick the best ones."

  Don't you need to try on clothes when buying them?

  Shen Zhong's words were persuasive, not provocative. Zhen Shiniang blinked her eyes repeatedly. She secretly wondered if he would have the patience to wait if she insisted on trying it on herself.

  Look, the shopkeeper took out a dozen or so exquisite, colorful satin clothes and said they were cotton-padded jackets, but in order to show off their figures, they were all made like quilted jackets. Zhen Shiniang suddenly remembered a joke from her previous life:

  There was a period when sable coats were particularly popular, and colleagues discussed whether they should also buy one to show off. The department head frowned seriously and said, "I really can't imagine what it would be like for us to wear sable coats while performing surgery or making rounds."

  The colleagues who were fooled burst out laughing and also dispelled their thoughts of showing off.

  As doctors, they spend most of their time in operating rooms or wards every day, where is the time to show off?

  She has to rush about for a living, every day making medicine, cooking, taking care of the children, washing dishes and sweeping the floor. Unlike the women in the general's mansion, who have nothing to do all day but dress up and intrigue against each other.

  She really couldn't imagine what it would be like to wear these gorgeous but impractical brocades, shivering and shaking while washing dishes and sweeping the floor in the kitchen. Seeing Shen Zhongge directing the shopkeeper to choose a few pieces that fit her figure, Zhen Shimu hastily waved her hand repeatedly, "These clothes are all too thin, not suitable for wearing now." Seeing Shen Zhongge frown, she smiled and pointed outside, "General has a kind heart, why not buy some fabric instead? I can make it myself, it's also satisfying."

  Shen Zhong furrowed his brow, seemingly somewhat impatient. However, he still walked out and began to examine the fabrics in the outer room.

  Zhen Shiniang was dressed in coarse clothing, and the shopkeeper originally didn't think much of her. So when he saw Shen Zhongge not trying on the ready-made clothes, he didn't remind him, only thinking about recommending expensive ones. Who knew that Zhen Shiniang's one sentence would change Shen Zhongge's mind? At this time, he regretted it in his heart, "If I had known earlier, I would have flattered her just now." His face was full of smiles, nodding and bowing to explain to Zhen Shiniang, "In the winter, there are heated kang beds and fire pits at home, and when going out, wear a large cloak, so thick cotton-padded clothes are not needed..."

  Zhen Shining quickly lifted her feet and walked out.

  The town was not big, and the best fabric laid out was not as good as what he wore. Shen Zhongke looked down at his own clothes, then eyed them for half a day, and reluctantly pointed to two of the highest quality fabrics, "Just these two will do."

  Is this for buying fabric to make clothes for her? How can it be done without asking for her opinion?

  Look at those two pieces of brocade he's pointing to, one is similar to the pattern on his clothes, and the other is similar to mine. Zhen Shiniang sighed from the bottom of her heart.

  He's really not the type for window shopping.

  After being obtained by later generations, it was already snapped up by those proud daughters of heaven.

  Anyway, having is better than not having, Zhen Shining wouldn't go against the money that came flying in. She sighed silently and turned her head around, just in time to see a blue fox fur sleeveless jacket hanging at the door of the inner room. "This dress is really beautiful!" she exclaimed, turning back to call out to the shopkeeper. "...take it down and let me take a look?" After fiddling with it for half a day, she asked again, "Is there any more? I want two sets, just this color." She also pointed at the fox fur hat that was specially matched with the clothes in the store, "I also want two of those little fox fur hats."

  The color of this dress is bright and the style is good-looking, especially the white fox fur on the shoulder, which is particularly eye-catching. Jian Wu and Jian Wen will definitely like it.

  Although they couldn't recognize each other, in the future, tell Jian Wu and Jian Wen that this was the first piece of clothing their father bought for them, which would also be a comfort to them. Thinking that Jian Wu and Jian Wen were also Shen Zhong's sons, Zhen Shi Niang smiled calmly.

  It's natural for a father to buy clothes for his son, and this doesn't count as extortion.

  "This is for kids to wear, you can't wear it..." The shopkeeper hesitated and looked at Shen Zhongge.

  Shen Zhongbo looked at Zhen Shiniang with a puzzled expression.

  This seems to be for boys, besides, Chuyu's size seems a bit small, what does she want it for?

  "Oh..." In response to his inquiring gaze, Zhen Shiniang suddenly realized, "For the children of Ji Kuai."

  "The magpie's children haven't been born yet." Shen Zhongge looked even more astonished, and he was also a bit uncertain whether newborn babies needed to wear clothes.

  Don't they all use quilts?

  He had never seen a newborn baby before, and his only daughter was born when he went to war. When he came back, his daughter could already walk on her own, but he didn't understand these things either. Moreover, the clothes seemed too big for her as well, his daughter was almost five years old, and everything looked oversized on her.

  "This is for a five or six year old child, how can a newborn baby wear it?" The middle-aged woman who was picking out clothes next to them couldn't help but chuckle and said with a smile, "The baby's skin is too delicate to wear this, miss, if you want to prepare clothes for the kid, go pick some fine cotton fabric over there, it's soft and comfortable, most suitable for babies." She pointed to the counter by the door.

  This lie is too much!

  Zhen Shiniang broke out in a cold sweat and stole a glance at Shen Zhongjie's expression, "I just like this, the child will grow up quickly, and soon he'll be able to wear it."

  The corners of his mouth were originally curled up with a hint of mockery, but upon hearing this, Shen Zhongge's body shook.

  Even if it grows with the wind, it will take five or six years!

  In five or six years' time, how many things can change? Even the vast ocean can become a mulberry field. If clothes are kept till then, will their colors still be so bright and vivid?

  She's only two years old, but she wants to buy clothes for the magpie's children when they're five or six years old. Is she eager to see what the magpie's children will look like when they grow up?

  Suddenly, I remembered that she had asked me to do something for the magpie before, and although she knew she couldn't wait or see it, she still couldn't let go, stubbornly asking, doing, and chasing. Doesn't this mean that deep down, she also yearns to live a long life?

  Is she really as carefree as she seems on the surface, waiting for death at such a slow pace?

  Suddenly, a strong sharp pain emerged in Shen Zhong's heart.

  It seemed as if he was the culprit who had strangled the life of this blossoming season, and with a sudden turn, he strode out.

  Just waiting for Shen Zhongjie's answer, Zhen Shiniang's face suddenly stiffened.