Chapter 56: Indiscriminate Health Supplements Bring Tears to Loved Ones

“Everyone, please calm down. The scars on this young lady have only worsened because an incompetent doctor prescribed the wrong medicine. They pose no risk of infection or anything of the sort!”

“Master, are you saying her scars can be treated?” someone in the crowd asked.

“They can. But, young lady, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve been drinking a great deal of herbal medicine, haven’t you?”

“That’s right. The scars have been there since our young mistress was a child, so she’s been taking herbal remedies for years,” her maid answered quickly.

Yang Wei clicked his tongue. “When it comes to treating scars, timing is everything. It’s like a snakebite: treating it on the spot is far better than waiting. But if you’ve let it go untreated for so many years…”

The veiled girl’s expression changed. “You mean there’s a good chance my scars can’t be treated?”

She had heard those words countless times this year. Each time, hope had come first, only to be followed by despair.

Now, hearing them again, she felt nothing but another pang of sorrow.

She was just about to leave when the man continued.

“For anyone else, treating your scars would be difficult. But for me, it would be child’s play!”

Master Yang Wei put on an air of mystery. “I can see that the area between your brows is dark. And from your pulse, I can tell your constitution is weak, which is why you scar so easily. If you want to recover at once, I can give you a powerful remedy!”

The crowd was astonished to hear that even such severe scarring could be cured.

“Only a master could do it! Those scars are so bad, yet he says they can be healed. Just watch—one dose of his medicine, and the problem will be gone!”

The girl’s eyes filled with hope. “R-Really? Is there a cure?”

Seeing her hopeful expression, Yang Wei knew she believed him. His aim had been achieved, so he went on. “I have a prescription that treats the problem both externally and internally. As for the fee…”

“You needn’t worry about that. If you can cure me, name your price.”

“In that case, I’ll be frank. I recently developed a new scar-removal ointment, an improved version of my earlier formula, with many precious ingredients added. I can apply some now so you can see how it works.”

As he spoke, he took out a jar of whitening cream and quickly spread it over the girl’s shoulder blade.

The once-gnarly scar faded in an instant beneath the ointment.

“Master, that’s miraculous!”

“That’s the master for you! No wonder his rouge and powders sell so well. He really does have the goods!”

“Master, how much is the scar cream? We want some too!”

“…”

Everyone chimed in at once. But the whitening effect of that scar cream…

Lin Zhaozhao, standing nearby, felt that something wasn’t quite right.

Before she could figure out what it was, she saw the girl, who had still seemed hesitant, suddenly brighten and ask, “If the ointment works so well, what do I have to take internally?”

“Blessed water!”

Yang Wei enunciated each word. “You look like you come from a well-to-do family, so I imagine you know that many things in this world are mysterious beyond our understanding. I once studied the arts under a master on Spirit Mountain. If you trust me, I can write you a talisman to strengthen your body and remove your scars.

“But it is a talisman, after all, and you are only mortal. After taking it, you may feel weak and vomit blood for a while. Only then will the scars disappear completely. If you’re willing to accept that, I’ll draw it for you now.”

The maid had been delighted to hear that the scars could be treated, but the mention of drawing a talisman for her mistress to drink—and the possibility that she might vomit blood—made her uneasy.

Their young mistress was a precious daughter of a distinguished house. If anything happened to her, they would have no way to answer for it.

But the girl was resolute. “Draw it! Please treat me. If you succeed, I’ll reward you handsomely!”

A woman dresses to please the one who loves her. If this could cure her scars and spare her further ridicule, she’d drink horse urine if she had to—never mind talisman water!

After all, many people in Great Yong believed in the gods and Buddha. The imperial family held annual rites, praying to Heaven for favorable weather and bountiful harvests.

When doctors couldn’t cure someone, people often went to temples to pray for protective charms, or asked Taoist priests to treat their illnesses by drawing talismans for them to drink or burning talisman paper and applying the ashes to their wounds.

Seeing how completely she trusted him, Yang Wei was delighted.

Truth be told, he wasn’t particularly skilled at anything. He’d simply been lucky from childhood. He had studied a few more characters than most under a village scholar, learned to read a few books, and become good at reading people and guessing what they were thinking. That was how he’d made a name for himself in the black market.

In truth, he didn’t even know who his parents were. He had once been reported to the authorities for treating people recklessly. Fortunately, he’d been clever enough to bribe someone before his execution and have another condemned prisoner take his place. He had been in the capital for half a year now, and it was about time to make another killing and move on to a new place to continue his swindling.

He had no idea how to remove the scar on the girl before him. That was why he’d invented the whole business about drawing a talisman. He took out a specially made brush and ink, scribbled something at random on a sheet of yellow paper, then flicked it into the air. The talisman burst into flames, turned to ash, and fell into a bowl of wine.

“Miss, drink this bowl of blessed water, and your scars will be healed in ten days!”

The girl’s eyes shone. She was about to drink it.

“Wait!”

Lin Zhaozhao, standing in the crowd, suddenly called out.

She had lowered her voice slightly, making it sound androgynous, like that of a young man.

Everyone turned toward her.

Even the haughty Yang Wei looked back, wondering where this young master had come from and why he was shouting.

The girl holding the bowl paid Lin Zhaozhao no attention at all. Her mind was fixed on one thing: she was going to be beautiful. She was going to be gorgeous. She was going to be captivating!

She tipped her head back, ready to down the whole bowl.

But just as the wine passed her lips, a hand clamped around the back of her neck.

Then the person squeezed and tapped her throat.

“Urgh!”

The wine she’d worked up the courage to swallow came right back out.

Good heavens!

“An assassin! Protect the young mistress!” the maid cried, snapping back to her senses.

Lin Zhaozhao raised a hand to stop her. “I’m not trying to assassinate her! Why would I do that?”

“Then you’re trying to steal my blessed water!” The girl had been startled by Lin Zhaozhao’s looks and wondered where such a handsome young man had come from. But now it turned out he was after her blessed water, not her!

She gave a huff. “The master’s medicine is being auctioned. Are you trying to get something for nothing?”

“I have no interest in having a charlatan prescribe medicine for me,” Lin Zhaozhao replied, each word deliberate. “I stopped you from drinking that stuff for your own good. If you had swallowed it, within half an hour you’d be doubled over with stomach pain and vomiting blood. You’d be poisoned, and it would be hard to save you!”

Ancient technology was poorly developed. Talismans themselves weren’t harmful to the body, but burn one with ink or cinnabar on it and that was another matter. It could release substances like benzene and other hydrocarbons.

Benzene was toxic.

“Meeting by chance means we’re fated to cross paths. I was feeling all motherly—no, fatherly—and decided to lend you a hand! Young lady, eat random health supplements and your loved ones will be the ones shedding tears!”

“What are you talking about?” The maid’s face darkened with anger. “How dare you curse our young mistress to die! Do you even know who we are?”

Yang Wei was furious too. “You’re going too far, young master. I’ve done nothing to you, yet you’ve burst in here and slandered me without cause. Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

Then he turned to the onlookers, who were beginning to doubt him.

“I came to the black market to help innocent young women who suffer because of their looks. If none of you trust me, then I’ll leave! And don’t come looking for me to buy rouge or cosmetics again!”