Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace

Chapter 189: It’s an Illness, So

Chen skillfully examined Xu, and he knit his brows.

Goodness. I can feel the heat in your joints. This must be very painful. Are you enduring this all this time?

Chen pointed out, and Xu nodded while with downcast eyes.

He probably hit the bulls eye, so she must have felt awkward.

Your tolerance is pretty good and you have the grit, but it backfired this time. We have medicine that can help if youre in pain, you know? Besides, these hands are the tools of your trade, arent they?

No, thats because

Xu was about to rebut Chens scolding, but she just fell silent again.

Yui Mei recalled the story that she heard from Chen as she looked at them.

Miss Xu, is there perhaps someone in your family who also suffered from feng shi?

Yui Mei asked. Xu looked like she was conflicted on whether she would answer or not, but she chose to speak eventually.

Not sure if its feng shi or not, but the joints of my grannys hands had been strangely swollen. I heard that the Taoists claimed that she was cursed, and she was driven out of the city.  

I see, so there was a precedent for that mistake among the people familiar to you.

Yui Mei grimaced when she heard her reply.

Apparently, somebody from her family had been unjustly persecuted because of this condition.

This old wives tale of prejudice is quite deeply rooted, huh.

Chen looked extremely bothered while muttering this.

Even the curse stories from the previous winters influenza didnt disappear in the end, too.

Taoists were far more familiar to the citizens of this country compared to physicians, so they probably think that it would be better to trust them rather than the doctors.

There was also the possibility that those who put their faith in the taoists thought that physicians were quacks who wanted them to eat unknown weeds.  Humans were beings who believed whatever they wanted to believe, after all.

Chen and Yui Mei were nodding to each other in understanding, when Xu timidly inquired about her condition.

Ahm, Im still half dubious about what this girl here told me before, but is it true that Im not cursed because I did something wrong?

Youre completely mistaken, you know? This is an illness called feng shi, and if you drink medicine as early as possible and have yourself treated, its possible to recover.

Chen refuted her words right on the spot.

I see, so its an illness I see

Xu must have been scared of the possibility that her being cursed would be confirmed. She finally looked relieved after hearing his words.

Miss Xu, youve been suffering from a lot of bad things..

Perhaps, if she hadnt been burdened and shocked by the matter regarding the death of her lover, she probably went to the physician by recommendation of the Jiaofang despite her doubts.

If that was the case, then Yui Mei was bothered by another thing.

Miss Xu, are you perhaps refraining from moving your joints because of the pain?

Did she want to continue hiding her condition while not moving out of fear that other people would point her out as being cursed? 

Yeah, well, thats right.?

The words Why are you asking that? were written on Xus face as she confusedly nodded in reply to Yui Meis question. 

Itll be bad if you dont move them.

Chen muttered when he heard her answer.

It might have been a good method to endure the pain, but she couldnt continue doing that as her way of coping with the illness.

Your joints will become stiff if you remain inactive, so please move them as much as you can while the pain is being calmed down.

Yui Mei said, and she then demonstrated the rheumatism therapy exercises that they used to do in the hospital she worked at in her previous life.

She then cautioned Xu to cool her joints with a wet towel if she felt them heating up, and she also told Xu that it would be good if she were to warm her body otherwise.

In other words, a warm bath is effective if your joints arent inflamed. Please observe your condition, alright?

So thats how it is.

Xus eyes widened as she listened to Yui Meis explanation.

I had been struggling with baths because of the pain. I see, so I made a mistake with the timing, huh.

Apparently, bathing had been the most challenging part of her daily life.

However, if she didnt bathe, her reputation would be affected, so she still pushed herself to do it.

Feng shi come in waves; there are times when it is very painful, and times when it isnt, so we have to know your pattern, first.

Yeah, thats right, we have to start with that.

Chen voiced his agreement to Yui Meis words as he sat beside her.