Chapter 13: Spatial Condensation

Imperial Physician Cheng? There’s an Imperial Physician among this group of exiles! Xin Wenyuan realized belatedly, looking in the direction Xin Wen’an was gesturing toward.

In the corner sat Imperial Physician Cheng’s family of four. Among them, an elderly lady was in quite a bad state; she leaned against a stack of firewood, her lips pale and dry, her complexion listless, and her breathing labored.

Imperial Physician Cheng was likely a clever housewife unable to cook without rice; having neither medicine nor diagnostic tools on hand, he couldn't even look after his own family’s illnesses.

So, would asking him be of any use? Xin Wenyuan secretly questioned.

Madam Yu wore a sorrowful expression. "Fourth, Third Girl has been drifting in and out of consciousness with a fever that won't break. As her mother, I have no choice but to beg you for help."

The old lady didn't want to take advantage of her fourth daughter-in-law either, and her face flushed as she spoke.

But despite the difficulty, she had to ask. After all, Third Girl’s situation was dire, and currently, only the Fourth’s family held supplies and could afford to hire a doctor.

Seeing his mother so uneasy, and with his third brother wearing a fierce expression that said, "If you dare refuse, I'll finish you off," Xin Wenyuan quickly said, "I'll handle this. Don't worry, Mother. I'll go ask Imperial Physician Cheng right now if he’s willing to treat Third Girl."

Xin Wen’an curled his lip and said stiffly, "That’s more like a Fourth Uncle."

Xin Wenyuan couldn't be bothered to deal with him. He immediately wrapped up a few flatbreads and took three pieces of dried meat to Imperial Physician Cheng.

After briefly explaining the situation, Imperial Physician Cheng looked embarrassed. He helplessly cupped his hands toward Xin Wenyuan. "Brother Xin, it’s not that I’m unwilling to help, but I have neither silver needles nor herbs on me. I truly don't know where to begin."

"It’s alright. Imperial Physician Cheng, you have more experience than us regardless. Just go and take her pulse. We have some medicine here; you can see how best to use it." Xin Wenyuan shoved the small package of food into the physician's hands. "A small token of appreciation, I hope you can assist us."

Xin Nian didn't pay attention to what her father was doing. After a simple dinner, she began to immerse herself in circulating and absorbing energy.

Under the cover of Xie Ninglan, Xin Nian huddled in a corner and successfully broke through to the first level of her ability.

With her right hand behind her back, she clenched and retracted it. The space twisted slightly, and the air trembled gently.

In an instant, a colorless, transparent bead appeared at the girl's fingertips.

The bundles of firewood behind her had vanished without a trace.

Xin Nian raised an eyebrow, met Xie Ninglan’s glowing eyes, pursed her lips in a smile, and nodded.

"Spatial condensation. For now, there’s only about ten cubic meters of storage space."

Xie Ninglan let out a breath and lowered her voice. "That’s wonderful."

Ten cubic meters was just the beginning. Xie Ninglan was quite confident in her daughter; she knew the girl would eventually reach heights rarely seen in this world.

Xin Wenyuan hurried back. Xin Nian glanced toward the Xin family and saw they had already used two straw mats to partition off a corner.

She asked curiously, "Dad, what are you busy with?"

"Imperial Physician Cheng took Third Girl’s pulse and said this injury can't be delayed. We must immediately clean the wound with hot water and reapply medicine."

Seeing his wife and daughter, Xin Wenyuan complained, "The old lady wasn't happy at first, saying there were too many eyes here and how could a proper young lady apply medicine in such a place."

Xie Ninglan and Xin Nian rolled their eyes in perfect synchronization.

"It wasn't until Imperial Physician Cheng said that minor wounds left untreated would turn into serious illnesses that the old lady finally relented. I borrowed two straw mats from Dali to screen off the corner and had the Xin family stand outside to keep watch."

Xin Wenyuan grinned at his daughter. "The twelve wen for the hot water was supported by your mother. Right now, your mother is the rich woman in our family; a little bit leaking through her fingers is enough to feed us for three to five days."

"Isn't a basin of hot water eight wen?"

"That's right. I bargained with them and got two basins." Xin Wenyuan looked at Xin Nian as if remembering something. "Daughter, those two basins of hot water you got earlier, surely you didn't pay full price..."

"I bargained too. Got them for ten wen." Xin Nian lifted her chin, wearing a proud expression.

Xie Ninglan chuckled and covered her mouth. "Old Xin, our daughter has inherited your stinginess."

"That's for sure. Look at whose daughter she is." Xin Wenyuan laughed.

"Dad, you're so attentive to your niece while ignoring your own eldest brother." Did the old lady and the others forget that her eldest brother was still unconscious?

No one had stepped forward to show any concern. Perhaps the Xin family had long since treated the eldest brother as a corpse, just waiting for him to breathe his last.

"That's because I know my daughter has great abilities. Why bother with others? Once you get the basic herbs, you'll definitely be able to wake your brother up."

Xin Wenyuan gestured toward the Xin family. "Don't worry about them. Eldest Brother's wife and Second Brother's wife are helping to treat the wound. With Imperial Physician Cheng guiding them on which acupoints to press, the fever should break..."

Before he could finish, Second Brother's wife, Madam Mei, hurried over and bowed. "Fourth Uncle, I need to borrow some clean linen from Fourth Aunt to wrap the wound."

After Dali coldly pulled a piece of linen from the cart, Madam Mei reached out to take it.

Dali gave a hard tug, splitting the linen in two.

"This is enough." Dali kept the larger half and tossed the rest to Madam Mei.

The latter thanked him sheepishly and left.

In the corner, after much fussing, the Xin family finally stabilized the Third Miss's condition.

The old guard walked into the room, swept his gaze over everyone with a smile, looking quite benevolent. "It's about time. Everyone, be quiet and rest. A reminder: we depart tomorrow at the hour of the Tiger."

Xin Wenyuan was shocked. "Daughter, what time is the hour of the Tiger??"

"Three in the morning." Xin Nian made a bitter face, looking hopeless. "It’ll still be pitch black then; we won't even be able to see the road under our feet."

"Damn." Xin Wenyuan’s pupils dilated in shock. "What kind of hellish schedule is this for the ancients?"

Xin Nian sighed and enlightened her father, "People here are used to working at sunrise and resting at sunset. Sleeping at seven or eight and waking at three gives them seven or eight hours of sleep. It’s enough."

"My god, I definitely won't be able to sleep with this hellish schedule."

No sooner had Xin Wenyuan finished speaking than he began to snore within thirty seconds of lying down.

Xin Nian was in agony. All night, she only heard the loud and soft snores in the woodshed, thunderous and rhythmic. High-frequency vibrations here, low-frequency accompaniment there, intermittent spirals, chaotic and overlapping.

She kept her nerves taut and only managed to fall asleep near midnight.

Before three o'clock, Xie Ninglan shook her awake and whispered in her ear, "The guard told us to go to the back door of the post station."

Xin Nian frantically circulated her healing power, letting her ability soothe her throbbing head.

As the healing power spread, the cooling sensation intensified, and Xin Nian took a deep breath, feeling her head clear up a bit.

The two rubbed their chilled arms and walked to the back door of the post station. Through the broken door, they vaguely caught sight of a pale figure.

The tall, slender youth turned around. It was not yet dawn, and a touch of moonlight spilled onto him, making him look as if he were carved from jade—clear and cold.

(End of chapter)