Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

123. Could it Be Malaria?

Translator: Sissy That Walk

“Achoo!” Yao Wenyuan sneezed, he muttered, “Who is talking about me behind my back?”

“Young Master, Eunuch Liu is here.” a page came rushing in.

Yao Wenyuan put down the book in hand, pouting, “I don’t get it why he always wants to see me every time he comes to our manor. Go tell him that I’m busy.”

The page grimaced, “Eunuch Liu is here to give you a present.”

“What present? I’m sure it’s just some novelty, maybe a conch again. Last time Cao Mo laughed at the giant conch I showed him, he said it was just some sea snail and conches are everywhere by the sea. I wish I knew it before he laughed at me.”

With that Yao Wenyuan picked up the book, “I didn’t see him even once when I went to Xiao Manor, when can he treat me like I were cousin Yi… …”

The page soon came back with Eunuch Liu, “Young Master, Prince Xing said Eunuch Liu needed to watch you drink the decoction.”

Before Yao Wenyuan repiled, Eunuch Liu invited himself in with a hamper in hand, “Greetings, Childe Yao, Taifu Yao must be so gratified seeing you studying so hard.”

“Eunuch, greetings, thank you s much for coming, to what do I owe the pleasure.” Yao Wenyuan exchanged greetings with Eunuch Liu.

Eunuch Liu put the hamper on the table and withdrew a bowl of steaming decoction, “I’m glad the charcoal works, Childe, please take this decoction.”

“What is that?” Yao Wenyuan panicked, ‘Is Prince Xing poisoning me?’

Eunuch Liu put on a smile, “This decoction can help prevent flu and pandemic, His Highness is taking a dose per day as well. I’ve presented a copy to Taifu Yao as well. His Highness asked me to watch you take it for your own good.”

Yao Wenyuan made a face, he looked at the bowl, “Is this a punishment? Such bitter decoction.”

“Childe, you are joking. It is he Young Madam of the Xiao Manor who has come up with the prescription, they are all taking a dose daily, His Highness asks you to do so because he cares about you.”

Yao Wenyuan expressed gratitude for Prince Xing and gulped down the decoction, he was glad there was no goldthread root in the decoction, it was tolerable.

Eunuch Liu showed a smile and withdrew the room, he heard Yao Wenyuan cursed Cao Mo when he walked out of the door, “Damn you Cao Mo, such bitter decoction, this is all your doing!”

Three days later, Yao Wenyuan’s friends were all absent from the poem gathering he organized days before, Yao Wenyuan asked around and he was told his friends all caught a cold.

… …

Auntie Lu had been bedridden since Lu Jianzhong taken her home because she exposed to the rain the other night. She had been in a fever and suffered a diarrhea, her maids showed the same symptoms as well.

Dowager Xiao sent her greetings to Auntie Lu, she made a copy of the prescription for Lu Jianzhong as well.

But all the herbal medicines on the prescription were sold out in the capital city, the prescription Cao Mo had made became popular from mouth to mouth.

… …

In Cao Manor.

Cao Mo’s father caught a cold as well, how he wished his son had sent him a copy before he got sick.

“Father, I say we go confront him in his house, why didn’t he send you a copy, we’ve only heard of it after everyone in the capital city knows about it.” Cao Le wiped his nose.

“Enough. Why can’t you be as good-natured like your brother, no way would Xiao Jin give you cold shoulder if you were as honey mouthed.” Cao Mo’s father replied, he just took the medicine, but he wasn’t feeling better.

Two herbal medicine on the prescription were impossible to get in the capital city, Cao Mo’s father had to his page to Cao Mo for help while Cao Le kept complaining at home. Officer Cao was so mad, he felt like he couldn’t rely on neither of his sons.

Cao Mo finally had arrived at Cao Manor in the after noon, Officer Cao started to tremble in pain already.

“Father! Why are you so sick now, it’s just been several days since last time I saw you.” Cao Mo felt his father’s forehead and asked people to bring alcohol to rub him.

Cao Le pushed Cao Mo away seeing him taking off father’s clothes, “What do you think you are doing, father will get worse if you take off his clothes.”

Cao Mo didn’t have time for Cao Le, “Old Lu, send him to his room, he can come out when I say he can.”

“Yes, Madam.” Old Lu who came with Cao Mo grabbed Cao Le by his collar and walked to Cao Le’s room.

Officer Cao wanted to rebuke Cao Mo, but he halted on a second thought, he just stared at Cao Mo, showing a pitiful look.

Cao Mo snorted, “I won’t hurt him, don’t worry. It’s just you need to cool down now, otherwise you will suffer a brain damage from the fever.”

Officer Cao opened his mouth, he wanted to say something, but he couldn’t make a sound because his throat had festered due to the fever.

Cao Mo was about to rub alcohol on his father when his father made a sound meaning he needed to go to the bathroom.

Cao Mo supported Officer Cao in spite the disgust in the heart.

Cao Mo’s mother, Madam Cao wiped her tears, “Your father were fine until he received the emissaries of the Southern Country, he started to vomit and have watery stools on that very night. This is all of those barbarians’ fault!”

Hearing that, Cao Mo’s heart sank, ‘All those symptoms, could this be… malaria instead of a cold?’

“Malaria has an incubation period, it’s very serious when the symptoms start to show. I’m afraid father is suffering malaria.” Cao Mo frowned.

Officer Cao opened his mouth with effort, “Watch you mouth, they are here for a political reason as well, we can’t offend them.”

“You are too cautious, how can you represent our country if you are so afraid of them?”

Officer Cao averted his face with frustration, ‘Mo is revenging me, he blames me for his marriage when he needs to thank me for his status and wealth.’

Cao Mo told a page to bring him some Sweet wormwood in the field.

The page soon returned, Cao Mo extracted half a bowl of essence from the Sweet wormwood and asked Officer Cao to take it.

“Is this helpful?” Officer Qin asked, suspicion clouded his face.