A man, praised by Cheng Beizheng as formidable, was currently waking up on a wooden plank bed. He assessed his condition; his arrow-wounded foot was painless but utterly devoid of strength.
"Ah, you're awake," the woman tending to medicinal herbs by his bedside happily put down her pestle. Before he could ask, she chattered away, explaining everything. "I found you in the river, tsk, you were poisoned! If I'd been a moment slower, you'd have been a goner."
"You cured me of the poison?"
"Of course! There's no way to repay such a life-saving kindness. As it happens, I'm in need of a husband, so you should pledge yourself to me."
"Cough, cough, cough," Situ Yan erupted in a fit of coughing. "No, I'm already married. Perhaps you should find a better match elsewhere, young lady."
"Ah, what bad luck. Then the medicine I used on you was wasted?" The young girl looked crestfallen. "That medicine is very precious! How about I just offer you to Wanwan then."
Situ Yan was stunned, wondering what "offering him to Wanwan" meant. "Who is Wanwan?"
"Do you want to see it?"
"Actually, I'm not that keen." Curiosity killed the cat, and he wasn't much stronger than one right now.
"You should see it anyway. Perhaps after seeing it, you'll change your mind. Oh, I forgot, you don't have much strength right now." As she spoke, a small pellet was popped into his mouth. It melted instantly, and in a moment, he felt his strength returning.
The efficacy of this medicine!
Situ Yan's pupils contracted.
The young girl didn't give him time to react, pulling him up and guiding him outside, utterly unconcerned about his thin attire and the biting spring chill.
They exited one room, then another, turned through three doors, and entered a room reeking of medicine, shrouded in darkness. As soon as they stepped in, he felt a chill, damp and cold. The young girl lit a lamp. "Look, that's my Wanwan. It's all grown now."
The candlelight illuminated the room, revealing rows of jars of identical size.
"Wanwan," at the young girl's crisp call, the largest jar stirred. Situ Yan followed the sound and saw the jar move a few times. Then, a triangular snake head pushed open the lid, and a vibrantly colored venomous snake slithered out of the jar.
Situ Yan gasped, "Is this a Gu?"
"Eh, you're quite knowledgeable. I thought no one in the world remembered witchcraft and Gu anymore."
"Are you a Gu master from Xijiang?"
"My grandmother is. I'm just a Gu raiser, at best." The large snake quickly crawled up her skirt and onto her shoulder, its vertical pupils fixed on Situ Yan, its forked tongue flicking.
"Wanwan, don't be difficult. It's not time to eat yet."
Situ Yan was alarmed, "...Young lady, you're not actually planning to feed me to your snake, are you?"
The young girl looked displeased. "This is Gu. Sir, have you reconsidered? Actually, I don't mind being a concubine, as long as you take me out of here."
"Out?"
"Xijiang was destroyed many years ago. Last month, even my grandmother died. I don't want to stay here alone. Aren't all men in your Dayin polygamous? Taking one more concubine shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Situ Yan shook his head. "I promised my wife that I would only ever marry her."
"Tsk, you're not just saying that, are you? Your wife didn't actually believe you, did she?"
Situ Yan: "...A gentleman's promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. How could I deceive my own wife."
The young girl sighed. "Then I'll have to feed you to Wanwan. After all, the medicine I used on you cost a lot of money. It would be such a waste."
The large snake obligingly hissed twice, stretching its body closer to him.
Situ Yan: "No, no! It's just money, I'll pay you back."
The young girl still shook her head. "Grandmother said that unless someone is willing to marry me, no outsider can discover my hiding place. Actually, taking me as a concubine is quite good. I don't eat much, it's just the medicinal herbs for raising Gu that cost money."
Situ Yan looked at the jars filling the room. "You call this 'just cost money'?"
"I notice the fabric of your clothes is quite fine. Can't you afford five hundred taels a month?"
Five hundred taels!
The poor Situ Yan gasped, a sound even louder than when he first saw Wanwan.
The young girl looked at him suspiciously. "You're not one of those who come from a destitute family, with only your clothes being valuable, are you?"
Situ Yan desperately wanted to say yes, but he was more afraid that this girl would think he couldn't afford the medicine and actually feed him to the snake. He could only say, "No, these clothes were bought for me by my wife. Her family is very wealthy."
"Oh, so you're a kept man. But if your wife is rich, she'll surely be willing to spend five hundred taels a month to buy your life back. I'll still be your concubine." The young girl's eyes lit up. "I've had enough of this wretched place."
"Aren't you afraid I'll sell you off as soon as I take you out?"
The young girl's eyes widened in surprise. "Joke! Do Xijiang Gu raisers fear people going back on their word?"
Situ Yan: ...
What strange place had he fallen into?
"Well, have you thought about it?" she asked, all the while stroking the snake's head. The large snake, Wanwan, was incredibly docile under her touch. He had no doubt that with a single command, the snake could consider him dinner.
However, he still resolutely shook his head. "I can give you money, but I absolutely cannot bring you into my mansion. You are too terrifying. What if you want to harm my wife? I wouldn't be able to guard against it."
The young girl said, "I didn't expect you to be so devoted. Sister Naduo said that truly devoted men are rare these days. I'm almost reluctant to kill you."
Situ Yan quickly nodded in agreement. "Exactly! Fighting and killing are so unpleasant. We can discuss everything. If all else fails, I can introduce you to a wealthy husband outside."
"How wealthy?"
"Do you know the richest man in Jiangnan?"