Jun Jiuling

Chapter 184: My Promise

"She has money, what about it?"

While Hu Gui was asking around about it, Master Yan naturally knew of it already.

After all, Miss Jun’s actions in Runan had caused quite a stir. When the De Sheng Chang had appeared and bought herbs for her, ordinary people might not have known, but those like Master Yan did.

Everyone in Runan was paying careful attention.

"If you’re rich, then you’re omnipotent?" Master Yan smirked. "Just because you are rich does not mean you can bully others. I have the deed, she does not have reason on her side."

"But Master, about the house," someone mentioned cautiously.

"What about it?" barked Master Yan. "Who can confirm I did it? Where is the proof? Tell me, did you see the government office hearing the case?"

The attendant did not dare say anything else.

"Is she trying to do a good deed with her money? Like giving porridge to refugees and the like," said Master Yan. He patted his ample belly. "You have money, you give free treatment, the commoners adore and thank you, but so what? You doing such things is just for you. What does it have to do with others? It’s all someone else’s issue; who would waste their time meddling in other’s affairs."

The attendant nodded.

"That’s right, these people are just here for the free medicine," he said. "They are all destitute wenches. Those with money are not hard-pressed for her medicine. She is also no famous doctor; who would look for her, know who she is."

Master Yan nodded at his servant.

"Children can be taught," he said, patting his belly again as he strolled along the veranda, and teased a laughingthrush in its cage. "A good reputation is useful, but reputation can also be useless if it is ineffective with the useful people. Then it’s just trash reputation. Except for looking good, it is worth nothing."

......

As expected, several days later, those who come seeking treatment had lessened.

After all, the poor could not eat medicine and be sick everyday.

The poor from far away also would not come. Those who lived near have not finished eating their first batch of medicine, so those who were coming now were there purely for the free medicine.

Because their motives were impure, fights started to occur.

"Why are you not giving me this medicine? It’s written right here in the prescription,"came a sharp voice from the straw shack. A bony woman slapped the table and got to her feet.

Hu Gui, who was standing not too far off as usual, took several steps.

"Second Uncle, this person was not sent by Master Yan, right?" asked his nephew.

Hu Gui shook his head.

"It shouldn’t be," he said. "This would happen sooner or later, so there is no need for Master Yan to make a move."

Young people were still too young. They did not know the evils of the human heart.

Hu Gui smacked his lips and sighed.

Old Heavenly Father will not be fair to you just for your benevolence.

The desperate poor people had already sounded out Miss Jun’s character, that of standing straight for her benevolent reputation. Inevitably, there would be people who would take advantage.

These days, there were many people with prescriptions intending on getting free medicine.

These people were not from destitute backgrounds. They did not come here to survive, but for cheaper medicine.

Miss Jun looked at the woman in front of her with her gentle expression.

"Auntie, this medicine is not suited for you illness, so of course I can not give it to you," she said.

The woman reached out and patted her shoulder.

"How can it not be suitable? Doctor Zhou from the Guizhi Hall personally saw me," she stated. "Do you know Doctor Zhou? He is the most famous doctor in the Cai Prefecture."

Lei Zhonglian stared woodenly at this woman.

Miss Jun had made him responsible for getting the medicine, so that was what he was respnsoible for, not anything else.

Fang Chengyu, as always, was watching the proceedings with interest.

He had read many books, so he knew that there were many kinds of people, but seeing them in reality was quite fascinating.

The moods of the three people in the straw hut were calm. Hu Gui saw them and shook his head.

Of course, right now he was not thinking of the young girl, the lame boy, and the dull servant. Instead he was thinking that the children of wealthy families did not know the human heart.

These people cannot be reasoned with.

"I don’t know him," said Miss Jun simply. "No matter if he is famous or not, this prescription is not right for your illness."

"You child, can you even treat illnesses?" the woman shouted loudly. "You actually said Doctor Zhou’s prescription was incorrect."

The people in line behind the woman were engaged in furious discussion, and were pointing this way and that.

Miss Jun did not say anything, she simply smiled.

"You child, Doctor Zhou saw my illness himself and prescribed me medicine. The prefectural city is too far. Since you asked me I let you take a look, can’t you see how I should get better?" continued the woman helplessly. She looked at everyone else. "How could you say that my medicine is not right, that you wouldn’t give it to me? If you won’t give me free diagnosis and medicine then say it. Stop pretending to be a good person."

Several people behind her nodded in agreement.

"Yes, if you don’t want to give us the medicine for free just say it."

"I should have known you were just pretending."

"Saying that some other doctor is not right. Really, young people talk big."

The chaotic discussion was filled with doubt and dissatisfaction.

"People are like this. Fragrant from far but smelly up close," Hu Gui said to his nephew. "You see, when she first arrived everyone was excited and happy for her, but that was because their own benefits were not involved. If you look at it now, she insisted on causing such a stir. She has money but she can’t give away medicine for her whole life. <anno data-annotation-id="7a238ba0-04bc-df8f-9286-0191eeb92ace">A sheng of rice begets gratitude, while a dou of rice begets hate</anno>. In not even a month, she won’t be able to remain in Runan."

The nephew nodded and looked over with envy.

Miss Jun was still not anxious or upset. She listened to the discussion and heard the doubt.

"Then it will be like this," she said. "I will make a batch of medicine according to the prescription, and another according to my prescription. If you eat that without effect, then you can try mine. Auntie, is this okay with you?"

The woman stared, and the people locked in discussion were also stunned.

So they could do it like this?

"So you’re saying you will give me the medicine Doctor Zhou prescribed?" she asked in disbelief, "and also your medicine?"

Miss Jun nodded, and wrote down a prescription of her own and handed it with the woman’s prescription to Lei Zhonglian.

"Draw it up," she said.

Lei Zhonglian agreed with a sound and walked over to the medicine cabinet without question.

The woman was still a bit stunned. All the tricks she had hoarded were not needed at all, so she didn’t really know what to do.

The people behind her were also stunned.

"So you can fulfill the prescriptions we received from other people?" everybody clamored to ask.

"If the other person’s prescription is correct for the sickness of course. If I feel it was not right, I will give you two prescriptions," said Miss Jun.

Everyone was shocked.

"Why?" someone asked. "Why would you do that?"

Miss Jun looked at him with surprise on her face, like his question was strange.

"Because I said that my Jiuling Hall can vanish ills with medicine and possesses wonderful skills that can bring back spring. If I don’t do that, then you can smash this sign," she said. "Since you came here for me to treat your illness, I guarantee you will become well."

Yes, she had made this promise. Everybody had forgotten, only remembering the free diagnosis and medicine.

But wasn’t that promise just a nicety, like congratulations and much wealth at New Years. Could it be that if you said that, you had to guarantee the wealth?

<annotations style="display: none;"><li>sheng: a measurement of rice, one-tenth of a dou<br>dou: a measurement of rice<br>if you give a little help in a crisis, people will be thankful. If you give too much, they will become dependent and when you cut them off, they will be mad</li></annotations>