After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 12.2
The next day, Ruan An took Ruan Xi to the East Market early in the morning. Yesterday, she gained some understanding of the various businesses in the West Market. She knew that if they wanted to settle in Chang’an quickly, and both she and Ruan Xi wanted to have household registrations, it would be best if they could also have their own shop.
Ruan An didn’t know how long she could stay with her son. She was aware that once Ruan Xi successfully acknowledged his relationship with the Huo family, they would not recognize her identity. Her only hope was to stabilize herself in Chang’an and then plead with the Huo family to allow them to reunite a few times a year, which would be enough.
Therefore, in the morning, she inquired about the market prices for renting shops in more remote streets and alleys. By noon, she brought her son to a gorgeously decorated restaurant for lunch, generously ordering many dishes that Ruan Xi liked and not sparing any expense.
She hoped that before parting, every meal she shared and every word she spoke with Ruan Xi could become pleasant and warm memories in the child’s heart.
The two were quietly waiting for the servant to bring the dishes. Unexpectedly, from the adjacent elegant room, there came a particularly sharp voice belonging to a young girl—
“This illegitimate daughter is truly despicable! She ruined my new clothes. This robe is made of snow silk, and a bolt of snow silk is worth dozens of silver coins. I’m so angry. This is a gift from Princess Xiaoyan!”
“Don’t be angry, Miss. That illegitimate daughter did it out of jealousy. Don’t let it affect your health.”
The indignant person was Miss He Xinruo of the He family. However, the maid’s words did not appease her emotions.
“Bang!” He Xinruo vented her anger by smashing many bowls and plates. Then, mocking the illegitimate daughter she mentioned, she said sharply, “Ugly people are always mischievous. With such an ugly face, she even resorts to such despicable means!”
Ruan An hurriedly covered her son’s ears with her hands.
The more she thought about it, the more puzzled she became.
Who was this girl, and why did she speak so rudely? She had servants, and she had contact with the princess. Her background should be decent, so why did she speak in such an offensive manner? The words she used to insult others were no different from those of her predecessor, Madam Zhu, who was in prison. They were vulgar and unpleasant to hear.
The servant quickly brought the dishes, and the emotions of the young lady in the adjacent room seemed to calm down a bit. The commotion was reduced, but as there was only a bamboo curtain separating the two rooms, Ruan An could still faintly hear their conversation.
The maid’s voice came softly, “Miss, why get angry? Anyway, her face can’t be improved. Occasionally, let her have her way.”
As soon as these words fell, He Xinruo couldn’t help but chuckle. She played with the delicately embroidered handkerchief in her hand, and her tone became much calmer, “Indeed, why bother with someone who is inferior to me in every aspect.”
The adjacent room fell silent for a while, and Ruan An released her son’s ears.
However, she noticed that her son, Ruan Xi, looked up at her with a puzzled expression in his innocent eyes.
Ruan An shook her head at her son, signaling him not to pay attention to the words he had heard earlier.
Since arriving in Chang’an, this was the first time she had come into contact with these aristocratic young ladies. Unexpectedly, in her first encounter with them, she heard about the secretive matters within the inner courtyard.
It seemed that the face of that illegitimate daughter was somehow related to the young lady next door.
And Ruan Xi was going to enter the gates of the Huo family. The residence of Huo Lang was both a noble house and a marquisate. If she wasn’t by her son’s side, could Ruan Xi adapt to life there?
Ruan An couldn’t be certain.
For the first time, doubt crept into her mind, and she began to question whether her decision to bring her son to Chang’an was the right one.
The next words spoken by the maid next door made Ruan An widen her eyes involuntarily.
The old woman continued to console her, “You are going to marry the second young master of the Huo family. This is a wealth that many people can’t reach. The princess’s gifts are good, and the trousseau prepared for you by the lady is not bad either. Some treasures were brought from the Western Frontier and have never been seen by that illegitimate daughter.”
Upon hearing the five words ‘second young master of Huo family,’ Ruan An perked up her ears.
So, the man whom this noble lady was about to marry was none other than the half-brother of Huo Pingxiao — Huo Changjue.
Huo Changjue also held the position of Junior magistrate in Jingzhou, coincidentally the same rank as Li Yifang.
Thinking of this, Ruan An couldn’t help but sigh in amazement at how small the circle of Chang’an City was.
After finishing lunch, Ruan An continued to stroll through the streets and alleys with Ruan Xi, continuing to inquire about suitable storefronts. However, this matter could not be rushed, and Ruan An was prepared to carefully compare several options before making a decision.
In a narrow alley, a small sedan happened to stop. As Ruan An and Ruan Xi passed by, they heard the pitiful and painful cries of a young girl inside the sedan:
“I feel disgusted when I see my face. Who could ever like me?”
“I hate attending banquets the most. Those girls all mock me, saying I can’t get married. Any man who sees my pockmarked face1 will avoid me…”
The more the girl cried, the more distressed she became. The little maidservant outside the sedan busily tried to console her, “Miss, please don’t cry anymore… The physician said that if you keep crying, your pockmarks won’t get better.”
Ruan An stopped in her tracks and could roughly guess the identity of this young lady.
Ruan An stopped in his tracks and roughly guessed the identity of this young girl. She should be the eldest daughter mentioned earlier in the adjacent room, the illegitimate daughter.
As a medical practitioner, Ruan An naturally wouldn’t stand idly by in the face of such a situation. Seeing that the maid was struggling to console her mistress, Ruan An walked over holding Ruan Xi’s little hand, and spoke gently to the maid.
The maidservant immediately conveyed Ruan An’s words to her young lady, He Xinyan. He Xinyan lifted the curtain of the sedan and, upon raising her eyes, saw a kindly elderly woman standing before her.
Under the gentle gaze of Ruan An, He Xinyan’s turbulent emotions calmed down a bit. She replied politely, her voice still carrying a hint of choking, “Old lady, thank you for your kindness, but this young lady has looked for renowned physicians everywhere and hasn’t been able to cure the pockmarks on my face. How could you possibly help?”
Upon hearing the term “young lady,” Ruan An became even more certain of this person’s identity but remained unsure of her full name.
Her tone was gentle as she persuaded He Xinyan, “Since you’ve sought renowned physicians without success, why not let this old lady’s folk remedy give it a try? What harm could it do?”
He Xinyan’s long lashes were adorned with glistening teardrops. She hesitated for a moment, and Ruan An asked again, “May I ask for the young lady’s surname?”
“I am surnamed He…”
“Surnamed He.”
Ruan An recited her surname, saying, “Miss He, I am surnamed Ruan, I used to practice medicine in Jiazhou…”
Before she could finish her sentence, she was abruptly interrupted by the other party.
He Xinyan’s expression was filled with excitement, even a hint of disbelief. She eagerly asked, “Your surname is Ruan?”
Ruan An was a bit puzzled, she nodded at He Xinyan, but then the girl asked with excitement, “Are you the famous divine healer Ruan Gu?”
“I am Ruan Gu, but the title of divine healer…”
He Xinyan held back her tears and exclaimed to the little maid beside her as if hitting the jackpot, “It’s truly a small world. Today, I actually ran into the famous medical immortal, Ruan Gu!”
Ruan An found He Xinyan’s reaction quite perplexing. She knew she had some reputation in the southern region, but how could people in Chang’an City know her?
After He Xinyan got out of the carriage, she explained the situation to Ruan An.
It turned out that several years ago when Huo Pingxiao returned to the capital from Jiazhou, he recounted all the experiences Ruan An had shared with him about the southern region to the emperor. Her stories quickly spread outside the palace and were even intentionally exaggerated by storytellers, turning them into popular tales.
Several years ago, stories about Jiannan’s Ruan Gu were very popular in the various taverns of Chang’an. Although her fame had waned somewhat in recent years, most of the people in Chang’an City still knew about her.
Listening to He Xinyan recounting Ruan An’s experiences in great detail, both Ruan An and Ruan Xi were dumbfounded.
He Xinyan whispered, “I love hearing storytellers talk about you, especially the part about Huainan Road. The storyteller said the local military governor there even wanted to build a temple for you. Did he actually build a temple for you?”
Ruan An didn’t know how to respond and could only blush and change the subject.
She hadn’t forgotten the main purpose and, after carefully examining He Xinyan’s facial blemishes and inquiring about her condition, Ruan An specifically instructed, “When treating these blemishes, please don’t mention it to anyone else. In three days, after I’ve prepared the medicine at the familiar pharmacy, you should discreetly send someone to come and collect it.”
He Xinyan seemed to understand vaguely, but looking at Ruan An speaking with confidence, she nodded.
Pockmarked Face
