C27 What Was the Ai Grass?

Xuanniang almost blurted out "disinfect and reduce heat," but then remembered this was ancient times. How would anyone here know what disinfecting meant? Using modern medical terms would only confuse them.

So, Xuanniang adjusted her advice: "Boil some water with mugwort and soak in it for about half an hour after bathing. Once a day should do it."

Old Master Lee was quite surprised and asked, "Mugwort? What is mugwort? Forgive my ignorance, but even though I'm not skilled in medicine, I've never heard of any herb called mugwort."

Xuanniang paused, realizing that in these ancient times, many herbs grew abundantly but were unrecognized. She had seen mugwort everywhere while gathering herbs in the mountains, yet it seemed it wasn't acknowledged in this era.

She couldn't explain to Old Master Lee that mugwort was indeed a medicinal herb. With his wealth, everything he used was meticulously selected. If she insisted that mugwort was a remedy, the doctors might label her a charlatan.

Xuanniang had to offer an alternative: "Then don't use mugwort. Instead, add some salt and vinegar to your bathwater, and you can also pour in some ginger tea to bathe with."

Old Master Lee was a bit skeptical. The itching had subsided somewhat, so he dismissed his servant. "Are you sure about this? Just adding salt and vinegar to my bath daily will cure my skin condition completely?"

Xuanniang smiled gently, "Mr. Lee, don't just pick and choose parts of what I say. I've mentioned that you need to wear only linen or cotton and cut down on high-calorie foods like meat and eggs. Also, ease up on alcohol and sweet drinks. In other words, you need to completely adjust your diet to burn off excess fat. That's the only way to prevent your skin from breaking out in rashes during hot weather."

Mr. Lee frowned and paced around the gazebo a couple of times before turning back to Xuanniang, who hadn't left yet. "Doctor, is there any other way? What you suggest is a treatment, but it seems like it will take some time. Isn't there something quicker and more effective?"

Xuanniang chuckled inwardly, thinking Mr. Lee must weigh nearly 600 pounds. What he really needed was a good weight loss plan. To lose weight quickly, he'd have to endure a lot of stomach upset, and looking at him, exercise didn't seem like an option. The only way was to combine a strict diet with some digestive issues, and he'd slim down in just a few days.

With Xuanniang's treatment, Mr. Lee could quickly drop from nearly 600 pounds to just over 400. Given his height, that wouldn't be considered overweight—just solidly built. Without excess calories, his skin wouldn't break out in rashes.

"As a doctor, I naturally choose methods that won't harm your body. If you want something faster and more effective, it would be very taxing on your health. It's better not to try that. Mr. Lee, if you follow my advice, your allergy symptoms should be completely gone in about six months."

Old Master Lee patted his chubby head with his plump hand. "Here's the deal: I can describe the person who tipped me off, and in return, you tell me a more effective method. Don't worry, if there's any risk, I'll take full responsibility and won't hold you accountable."

Xuanniang was silent for a moment. To be honest, she was eager to find out who was secretly working against her. Being in the open while her adversary lurked in the shadows was a recipe for disaster. With this information, at least she could take some precautions. Although Old Master Lee didn't know the exact person, he could probably make a good guess based on their appearance and attire.

Sigh, it's just a weight loss method, and for this middle-aged man on the brink of a stroke, it might actually be beneficial. Out of professional ethics, Xuanniang was reluctant to take that step. But since the patient himself brought it up, she decided not to refuse. More importantly, she was eager to learn about the person pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Alright, I'll give you some mint leaves. After each meal, brew them in water instead of tea. Drink it three times a day, and you'll be visiting the bathroom frequently. There might be some stomach pain, but the side effects are minimal. Just use a small piece when you brew it, and eat less meat and more vegetables. After about three to five days of this, you'll start losing weight. Just remember, no silk clothing."

Old Master Lee nodded as he listened, then shouted at the two servants, "Did you all get that, you bunch of slackers? From now on, whatever I eat, you eat. A-Jia, quickly share the information you got last time with the doctor here."

One of the servants stepped forward to relay the news he had received. "The person who passed us the information was a young woman in a light red dress. Although her face and hair accessories were covered by a hat, you could still see her hair styled in a sophisticated updo. Her voice sounded a bit soft, and her eyes, visible beyond the veil, were bright and captivating. She had a certain charm about her.

We didn’t notice much else. The doctor should pay attention to anyone like that around him; she moved with the grace of someone trained in martial arts."

Xuanniang quietly noted all the features he described and, after expressing her thanks, headed straight home.

In truth, based on the servant's description, Xuanniang had someone in mind, but without confirmation, she didn't want to jump to conclusions and risk wrongly accusing someone. She preferred not to think in that direction.

Despite her doubts, she knew she had to take things one step at a time and see how events unfolded. Xuanniang kept all her suspicions to herself.

Early the next morning, she prepared to head out as usual.

"Xuanniang, let me come along and help today. There's not much housework these days, so I can go out. Please, take me with you," Xu Fangfang insisted, once again standing in Xuanniang's way.

Xuanniang recalled the last time Old Master Lee spoke to her, describing a woman with a slightly reddish complexion, dressed in a light red dress, her hair styled elegantly. What stood out most was how the servant described the woman's eyes and brows, which bore a striking resemblance to Xu Fangfang standing before her.

Xuanniang couldn't bring herself to let Xu Fangfang accompany her. Their relationship was uncertain, and Xuanniang couldn't be sure that Xu Fangfang wouldn't secretly make a move against her.

Seeing Xuanniang silently sizing her up, Xu Fangfang twirled in front of her. "How do I look today? Thanks to your generosity, I had some extra money to get myself a new outfit. Isn't this dress pretty?"

Xuanniang feigned delight, trying to probe further. "Yes, it looks great. Do you usually wear light red? It suits you well."

"Absolutely, I love light red. All my dresses are in that shade. Would you like one? We're about the same size, so I could give you a set. I dressed up especially to help you out today. Don't let my efforts go to waste—take me with you!"

Xu Fangfang circled back to her request, persistently pleading with Xuanniang to let her join.