Tao Lengshuang sighed with heartache. If the world were not so difficult, with her medical skills and prescriptions, her family would not be living in such poverty.
Thinking of prescriptions, she thought of a way to make money and discussed it with Mo Lingxi: "What do you think? If I sell health and beauty pills to noble families, can I earn money?"
Mo Lingxi said she could. Even though the world was chaotic, the noble families still lived luxuriously.
For these noble families, they lacked nothing; they only wished to live longer and healthier lives.
Tao Lengshuang was overjoyed and immediately returned to her room. She sat on the heated brick bed and made various beauty and health pills, planning to ask Mo Lingxi to help her sell them to the noble families.
With enough money, she could buy more houses.
With sufficient supplies, she wouldn't have to worry about difficult times.
After making three bottles of pills, she handed them to Mo Lingxi: "Each bottle contains ten pills..."
She explained the uses of each bottle, how to take them, and asked Mo Lingxi to sell them to corrupt officials.
Corrupt officials had money, and they weren't good people. She felt at ease earning money from them.
Mo Lingxi pocketed the pills and asked, "What conditions can the health pills regulate?"
Tao Lengshuang understood his meaning and explained, "Medicinal tonics are part of it, but more importantly, it's about personal maintenance and so on."
Medicinal tonics alone could not guarantee true health. Health was multifaceted and not solely dependent on one aspect.
Mo Lingxi frowned: "What if it's an illness?"
Tao Lengshuang knew what he meant but didn't expose it: "It depends on the type of illness."
"You need to understand that doctors are people, not gods, and pills are supplementary. Don't exaggerate the efficacy of the pills."
She was a normal doctor, not one who performed such feats.
Mo Lingxi pondered for a moment: "If I asked you to treat someone who has been bedridden for a long time, what percentage of success would you have?"
Tao Lengshuang rolled her eyes at him, speechless: "I don't even know the patient's condition, how can I say?"
"By guessing?"
Mo Lingxi intended to ask Tao Lengshuang to treat the person but was worried she might refuse.
He had only learned about the person's situation in the past two days and also learned that the person didn't want treatment and just wanted to wait for death.
"I'll ask their opinion first. They've always been unwilling to be treated, believing no one can cure them."
Tao Lengshuang hadn't examined the pulse and didn't know the patient's condition, so she couldn't guarantee she could cure them: "Actually, the most important thing for someone who is ill is their mindset."
"Some people have a good mindset. Even if they contract a certain illness, they feel they can live for decades, and they truly do live for decades.
Others catch a minor illness but sigh and lament all day, feeling they won't survive, and indeed, they don't live long.
Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Mo Lingxi nodded in understanding: "It's because they have a mindset of impending death that their condition worsens."
Tao Lengshuang stated that this was one aspect. A person's severe illness was multifaceted and couldn't be viewed from just one angle.
"If you truly want to cure them, you must make them cooperate actively. Otherwise, even a celestial being couldn't cure them."
Hearing this, Mo Lingxi had an idea and thanked Tao Lengshuang repeatedly.
He had to persuade that person first.
So, the next day, Mo Lingxi quietly returned to Dongdu and arrived at a large mansion.
He silently entered the main courtyard and saw the man lying on the bed.
This was a middle-aged man, emaciated and exuding an aura of death.
Upon seeing Mo Lingxi, he struggled to sit up.
But Mo Lingxi pressed him back down: "Just lie down."
"Why have you returned at this time?" the middle-aged man asked in a low voice, full of worry: "It is rumored that His Majesty already knows you are alive and is secretly searching for your whereabouts everywhere.
Aren't you giving others an opportunity by returning at this time?"
Mo Lingxi replied that no one knew he had returned: "I've come this time to persuade you to seek treatment.
I've found a renowned doctor for you, who might be able to cure your illness."
The middle-aged man's mouth was bitter: "Even if my illness is cured, what then?
In this world... and looking at His Majesty's actions, he is forcefully destroying the empire and its foundations."
Mo Lingxi knew best that the person before him cared about the state: "Precisely because of this, you must rally your spirits and not let the schemes of villains succeed.
Believe me, I will change all of this."
The middle-aged man looked at Mo Lingxi for a long time, then sighed deeply: "I naturally believe in you.
But with my current sickly body, how can I help you?"
Mo Lingxi gently patted his shoulder and comforted him: "You can help me a lot.
Pull yourself together, recover well. Both the Crown Prince and I need you."
The middle-aged man opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word, finally falling silent.
Mo Lingxi knew he needed time and didn't say anything further, leaving as quietly as he had arrived.
He didn't leave Dongdu. After finishing his matters with Tao Lengshuang, he packed some food from Qingfeng Restaurant, planning to bring it back for Tao Lengshuang and Xiao Feng to try.
Before he left, the shopkeeper came and whispered something to him.
Mo Lingxi's eyes darkened: "Are you sure?"
The shopkeeper nodded respectfully: "Yes, the waiter heard very clearly. Madam Cheng and an unidentified person were discussing in the private room how to deal with the doctor."
Madam Cheng was Sheng Li.
Mo Lingxi truly hadn't expected Sheng Li to still be targeting Tao Lengshuang. How small-minded could this woman be, to be entangled over such a trivial matter until now?
"Have you found out who she met with?"
The shopkeeper shook his head: "The other party was wearing a veil, and the waiter didn't dare to get too close, fearing discovery."
If he were to say it, Madam Cheng was also not very bright. She had already been reprimanded and ostracized by the Sheng family, and her in-laws were almost estranged from her, yet she still had the leisure to do such things.
Mo Lingxi suspected foul play and instructed the shopkeeper to keep a close eye on the two: "Sheng Li owns many shops. Help her out a bit, so her life isn't too comfortable."
The shopkeeper replied, "Yes," showing no sympathy for Sheng Li, who was a typical example of someone who, instead of enjoying a good life, constantly caused trouble.
Mo Lingxi gave the shopkeeper a few more instructions, then carried the packed food out of Dongdu and headed straight back to Shilipo Village.
Just as he reached a secluded entrance outside the village, a hidden guard landed in front of him.
"Master."
The hidden guard bowed and reported something.
Mo Lingxi narrowed his sharp eyes: "Investigate who is behind this. They don't have the courage to do such things."
The hidden guard retreated to carry out the task.
When Mo Lingxi returned home, the first thing he saw was Tao Fangfang, who had been hung by the door and was almost a block of ice.
He didn't even spare her a second glance and walked inside: "I'm back."
"Daddy's back!"
Xiao Feng darted out with a whoosh, but then cried out and sniffed around Mo Lingxi incessantly.