Chapter 27: Losing Money Goods

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Volume 1: First Foray into Another World

"Brother Zu, please go find my father first. Just tell him you're my friend. I'll come find you after I'm done here," Ji Xiaoxi said to Zu An apologetically, while attending to patients.

"Alright," Zu An readily agreed, as it was exactly what he wanted. Otherwise, once inside, if their stories didn't match, his ruse would be exposed.

Since everyone was drawn to Ji Xiaoxi, the previously bustling entrance of the Ji family was now deserted. The master's chair was also empty, clearly indicating that Doctor Ji was no longer at the entrance.

Zu An went to state his purpose, and a servant led him into a courtyard. The servant told him, "The master is refining medicine inside; you can go in yourself."

Doctor Ji usually didn't allow servants to freely enter and exit the important alchemy area. As for outsiders potentially harming the master, they weren't worried at all, as no one in the entire Brightmoon City dared to cause trouble there.

Zu An pushed the door open and heard lewd laughter from inside. His expression immediately turned odd. After walking a short distance, he discovered that Doctor Ji wasn't refining medicine at all; instead, he was lying on a chair, looking through a suspicious picture album—most likely the one someone had bribed him with that morning.

Noticing the perverse smile that occasionally appeared on Doctor Ji's face, Zu An couldn't help but wonder how such a lewd middle-aged man could have a daughter as sweet and well-behaved as Ji Xiaoxi.

"Oh, you're back so soon? Have you collected all the 'dog's treasures'?" Doctor Ji asked, his eyes still glued to the album, yet seemingly aware of his arrival.

"No 'dog's treasure'," Zu An replied.

"Are you messing with me? Get out, get out, don't disturb my pleasure of reading," Doctor Ji said, impatiently waving his hand while crossing his legs.

Zu An took out a stack of silver notes and waved them. "I don't have 'dog's treasure', but I have money. Do you want it?"

"Why wouldn't I take money when someone offers it?" Doctor Ji quickly sprang up from the master's chair, snatching the silver notes from Zu An's hand. It was indeed a hundred taels of silver. "You were as poor as a church mouse before; how did you get rich so quickly? Hmm, these silver notes look a bit familiar."

Zu An's face was aghast. Could this money-grubber even remember silver notes? These were the notes he'd gotten from Ji Xiaoxi. Worried about being exposed, he quickly said, "I've given you the consultation fee. Shouldn't you examine me now?"

Doctor Ji then put the silver notes into his pocket. "Alright, for the sake of these notes, I'll reluctantly take a look. Take off your pants!"

"Huh?" Zu An's face was full of question marks.

"What 'huh'? How can I examine your problem if you don't take off your pants?" Doctor Ji said with disdain. "You're not a beautiful woman; do you think I want to see that?"

"Didn't you just glance at me earlier today and know my situation?" Zu An found it very difficult to accept taking off his pants in front of another man.

"I could only tell that something there seemed to be sealed, but without a careful examination, how would I know what kind of seal it is?" Doctor Ji pouted. "Take them off, or don't. Suit yourself."

"I'll take them off!" Zu An said with a resentful expression. Since it concerned the happiness of his latter half of life, he had to temporarily set aside his pride. He recalled how happy this guy seemed when looking at the erotic album earlier, so he probably wasn't gay.

"Oh, that's quite uniquely shaped," Doctor Ji chuckled at the sight.

Zu An's face darkened. He thought, *If I didn't know I couldn't beat you, I'd definitely pin you to the ground and punch you right now.*

Doctor Ji lay back down. "But don't be too sad. You've been affected by the 'Great Yin-Yang Pulse Severing Hand' since childhood, which has somewhat hindered your development. Once the seal is removed, it should return to normal."

Zu An's heart immediately brightened. It seemed there was still hope. He quickly pulled up his pants. "What is this 'Great Yin-Yang Pulse Severing Hand,' and how can it be removed?"

Doctor Ji replied, "As far as I know, it's a very potent and malicious sealing technique that circulates within the imperial palace. To remove it, you'd naturally break through the vital points and release the seal once you cultivate to the Grandmaster realm."

Zu An almost spat blood. After all that, it was still the same answer. What had he been busy for? "I already know that! If I could break through to Grandmaster, why would I need you to tell me? Give me my money back! You, the 'divine doctor,' are nothing but a charlatan!"

"You're right. There are only a handful of Grandmasters in the world. Even if you somehow managed to break through by sheer luck, you'd be old and decrepit, and that thing wouldn't be much use anyway," Doctor Ji said, gloating. "Never mind. Seeing how pathetic you are, I might as well tell you: I have another method, but it's extremely difficult."

"What method? No matter how difficult, I'll do it!" Zu An was on the verge of tears. It was truly a case of "when mountains and rivers end, doubt seems to cease; but where willows darken and flowers bloom, there is another village."

"Tsk, with your meager abilities?" Doctor Ji sneered, pouting his lips. "Never mind, I'll figure it out myself. Of course, I'll only save you if you do something for me first."

"But I just paid the consultation fee, didn't I?" Zu An couldn't help but say.

"What consultation fee? That was a registration fee," Doctor Ji glared fiercely at him. "What I'm collecting now is the actual consultation fee! Have you ever seen a doctor before?"

Zu An finally understood why so many patients gathered outside his door every day, cursing. However, he couldn't care less about that now and quickly asked, "What do you want me to do?"

"I don't have many other hobbies in this life; I just enjoy collecting undergarments from beautiful women..." Before Doctor Ji could finish, Zu An couldn't help but flip him off. "I despise you!"

"You don't want to be cured anymore?" Doctor Ji sneered.

Zu An immediately changed his expression. "Brother, please continue."

"That's a better attitude. If you can get me Yu Yanluo's from Cloud County..." Doctor Ji shook his head, interrupting himself. "Never mind. You probably haven't even left Brightmoon City, so how could you possibly encounter such ethereal figures? How about this: if you can get me the undergarments of Madam Qin Wanru of the Chu family, Teacher Shang Liuyu of Brightmoon Academy, or the courtesan queen Qiu Honglei from the Immortal's Abode... any one of theirs will do."

Zu An's eyes widened. He hadn't heard of the latter two, but Qin Wanru... He couldn't help but swallow. "Aren't you afraid that Duke Brightmoon will find out you're coveting his wife and rub you on the ground?"

"Lin Danda is nothing. Why would I be afraid of him?" Doctor Ji said with an arrogant expression.

"Since you're so capable, why don't you get them yourself?" Zu An sneered.

Doctor Ji coughed twice. "Do you think I, a dignified divine doctor, have no reputation to uphold? Such vulgar deeds are not something I would do. Listen carefully: this matter is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. If anyone else finds out, not only will I deny it, but I'll also make sure your impotence becomes known throughout the entire city."

Zu An was furious. "Who's impotent?"

Doctor Ji glanced askance at his crotch. "If you're so capable, show me now?"

"You're not a beautiful woman; it would be perverse of me to get an erection for you," Zu An retorted angrily.

Doctor Ji put an arm around his shoulder. "Stop being stubborn. You do this errand for me, and I'll make sure you're cured."

Zu An's expression flickered between gloom and resolve, but in the end, he reluctantly agreed. "Alright!"

For his own happiness, he had no choice but to go all out!

Leaving Doctor Ji's house, his mind was entirely consumed with how to accomplish this difficult task; he even forgot to say goodbye to Ji Xiaoxi.

As for Shang Liuyu and Qiu Honglei, he'd never even heard of them. Qin Wanru...ugh...

Zu An recalled the scene in the ancestral hall that morning and couldn't help but complain about Doctor Ji's taste. Qin Wanru was beautiful, yes, but her temper was a bit too terrible.

Moreover, she was his mother-in-law. If he were caught stealing her... that... not to mention Chu Zhongtian, even Chu Chuyan would probably flay him alive.

The thought of that terrifying scenario sent shivers down Zu An's spine, and he immediately dismissed the idea.

That left only Yu Yanluo. What a coincidence that he had just saved her. But if he went to her home and asked for her personal undergarments, would he be immediately thrown out?

Damn it, it was all that lewd middle-aged pervert's fault for proposing such a perverse condition.

Not long after he left, Ji Xiaoxi finally finished dealing with the people at the entrance and rushed to the backyard, only to find her father alone. She couldn't help but ask, "Where is he?"

"Who?" Doctor Ji was startled.

"Zu An. Didn't he come in?" Ji Xiaoxi asked worriedly.

"Oh, that fellow? I've already sent him away," Doctor Ji said, looking at his daughter suspiciously. "You know him?"

"Yes, I met him on the road. He helped me too," Ji Xiaoxi replied.

Doctor Ji's brows furrowed. "Stay away from him in the future. No man in this world is any good; your old man knows best what filthy thoughts they have in their heads."

Ji Xiaoxi's face flushed. "He's different from other men."

Doctor Ji then realized something. "Heh heh, you're right, he is different. Well, there's no harm in you being with him."

Ji Xiaoxi instantly understood from his tone that he had already examined Zu An and quickly asked, "Can his condition be cured?"

"Of course it can be cured. Look who your father is," Doctor Ji said, stroking his beard. "However, his problem is a bit tricky; I'll need to take some time to properly consider it."

Ji Xiaoxi immediately beamed. "If Father says it can be done, then it definitely can! Oh, by the way, I found some 'dog's treasures' from a fierce black jackal. Isn't that the ingredient you've been missing for the medicine you're making?"

Doctor Ji was stunned. Upon taking them, he saw that they were indeed genuine 'dog's treasures' from a fierce black jackal. His expression changed. "Did you go to Jackal Valley? What if something happened? You didn't need to risk yourself for something like this!"

He knew that the items he'd given his daughter for self-defense would make fierce beasts actively avoid her, but if she went to kill them, those beasts wouldn't care as much, and his daughter would be in great danger.

Ji Xiaoxi smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, I didn't get them myself; I bought them from someone else."

Only then did Doctor Ji relax, asking with some curiosity, "Who is so capable as to get so many 'dog's treasures'?"

"It was Brother Zu An, who just came in. Didn't he tell you?" Ji Xiaoxi was puzzled.

"Zu An sold them to you?" Doctor Ji suddenly felt something was amiss and quickly took out the silver notes from his pocket. "How much did he sell them to you for?"

"Ten... twelve taels of silver each," Ji Xiaoxi said hesitantly.

"This infuriates me! That brat actually sold them to you for so much!" Doctor Ji looked at the silver notes in his hand, as if they were mocking him. He never thought that after spending his days hunting geese, he would end up being pecked in the eye by one.

"Actually, it's not that expensive. This kind of thing truly has value but no market," Ji Xiaoxi said, her face slightly flushed. She thought, *Fortunately, I quoted a lower price, otherwise Father might hate Brother Zu.*

"How could I have given birth to such a wasteful child?" Doctor Ji said angrily, walking back to his room with his hands behind his back. Seeing his daughter's naive and sweet demeanor now made him feel irritated.

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