The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#274 - Observation, auscultation, questioning and palpation

Lu Jing took a wicker basket off the carrying pole and handed it to the middle-aged woman, "Your fruits and vegetables."

However, instead of rushing to open it, she looked at Lu Jing and asked, "Don't you need to confirm it again? Maybe I'm a swindler like him. After all, I don't look like some young marquis."

"It doesn't matter," Lu Jing shrugged, pointing at the old fisherman and saying, "He said something quite right. It's just a basket of fruits and vegetables. If I give it to the wrong person, so be it. At worst, next time I come, I'll bring another basket to the real young marquis."

"Do you know what this place is?" The middle-aged woman asked with some surprise upon hearing this.

"Mirror Lake Valley," Lu Jing replied honestly.

"Then do you know what kind of people live in Mirror Lake Valley?"

"Uh, paper… people?"

"That's right. Since you know what we are, Wu Han must have reminded you that we are not easy to deal with. In fact, even those instructors from the academy are cautious when they come to Mirror Lake Valley. You, on the other hand, are so carefree, not at all worried that you might ruin the errand."

Lu Jing felt a little guilty when the middle-aged woman hit the nail on the head.

Fortunately, the middle-aged woman who claimed to be the young marquis didn't dwell on the matter. While speaking, she reached out and lifted the wicker basket, glanced inside, and then said to Lu Jing.

"When you go back, tell Wu Han that I have received the things and am very satisfied."

Lu Jing nodded, then picked up the carrying pole, preparing to find Ding Liu and the medicine boiler.

He had already made up his mind not to look or ask too much in this Mirror Lake Valley, to keep his distance from everyone as much as possible, to honestly complete his courier work, and then finish work and leave.

This was the safest way, but he had only taken two steps when he heard the middle-aged woman speak again, "Do you know why I'm called the young marquis?"

Lu Jing could only stop helplessly and reply, "Why?"

"In the early years, there weren't as many paper figures in Mirror Lake Valley, and everyone basically lived their own lives with little interaction. But later, as the number of people gradually increased, coupled with the different personalities of the paper figures, various troublesome things also increased."

"And the academy doesn't allow us to fight each other, so any problems can only be resolved through discussion. But just sitting down is useless. After all, you say yours, I say mine, and in the end, no one can convince anyone."

"So there must be someone who can make a decision. This person is called the young marquis. The reason for this name is because the first person who did this was called the young marquis. But later, the young marquis died, and everyone discussed it and simply elected a new young marquis to continue doing what the previous young marquis hadn't finished."

"However, the new young marquis doesn't need to work until death, but instead is changed every seven months. Now it's my turn to do it."

"If you're using the excuse of delivering vegetables to seek medical advice, then the three of us are the people you must see," the middle-aged woman said indifferently.

So the trap is here?

Lu Jing secretly wiped away a cold sweat when he heard her words. Wu Han really didn't have good intentions, wanting to start with medicine and test whether his cultivation aptitude could be saved.

And the most hateful thing was that this guy didn't say it clearly… causing Lu Jing to be kept in the dark the whole time, thinking that as long as he didn't talk to the people in the valley, there would be no danger, but he never expected that he was the goods being delivered to the door.

Fortunately, the middle-aged woman's reminder came in time, so Lu Jing quickly cupped his fists and said, "Since the young marquis recognizes Ding Liu and the medicine boiler, can you please forward these two baskets of fruits and vegetables to them for me?"

The young marquis was originally 70% sure that Lu Jing had come to Mirror Lake Valley for medical treatment, but after hearing the latter's words, she became confused again.

What does this mean? Could it be that she guessed wrong, and this kid really just came to deliver vegetables?

No, that's impossible.

Mirror Lake Valley is almost the most secretive place in the academy. Most students don't even know that there is such a place in the academy until they leave. Even those instructors who want to come must first report to the director of studies and the supervisor, and can only enter after obtaining their approval.

Wu Han didn't know what method he used to send this freshman in. If it was simply to deliver vegetables, there was no need for this at all.

Thinking of this, the young marquis's gaze towards Lu Jing became strange.

However, she still answered Lu Jing's question first, "I can help you deliver Ding Liu and the medicine boiler's share of fruits and vegetables to them."

Before Lu Jing could breathe a sigh of relief, he heard the young marquis change the subject, "But if they have any words to bring to Wu Han, you have to listen to them yourself, so you'd better come with me."

The young marquis's words were half true and half false, because Ding Liu and the medicine boiler rarely left the valley on weekdays, and as doctors, they inevitably needed medicinal herbs to make medicine.

Although they had their own cultivated medicinal gardens, it was impossible to grow all the medicinal herbs, and they often needed to purchase a certain herb or several herbs from outside, so they could only entrust the academy to do this.

It's just that it wasn't through Wu Han. The reason why the young marquis said this was actually to see with her own eyes what Lu Jing's purpose in entering the valley was.

Lu Jing knew that he couldn't escape. In fact, letting the young marquis deliver the goods on his behalf was just an expedient measure, because he was going to deliver vegetables for a full two months next, and it was impossible for the young marquis to help every time, so he could only nod, "Then I'll go too."

With the young marquis leading the way, Lu Jing was spared the trouble of finding people in the valley. The two walked half a circle along the lake shore and soon arrived at Ding Liu's residence first.

Outside the small courtyard, there were several clusters of bellflower planted, surrounded by rhododendrons and datura, all of which could be used as medicine.

The young marquis stepped forward and knocked on the thatched door in front of her. After a while, an old man with white hair and a youthful face, of unknown age, pushed open the thatched door from inside.

After he came out, he first cupped his hands to the middle-aged woman, "Young marquis, this old man observes that your complexion is ruddy, your breathing is even, and your eyes are bright. You should not be suffering from any illness."

The latter pointed at Lu Jing upon hearing this, "I'm not the one looking for you, it's him."