That morning, just after Mo Lixia finished breakfast, a visitor arrived.
He was a young man with handsome, chiseled features, dressed in deep blue silk that screamed wealth. Two servants followed closely behind him.
Seeing Mo Lixia, he bowed politely. "May I ask if Doctor Mo is in?"
Mo Lixia replied calmly, "I am she. Is something wrong?"
"I am from Fucheng. I came to Canghe to ask Doctor Mo to examine my wife."
"Where is she?" Mo Lixia asked cautiously. She only made house calls for familiar families. As a young woman without martial arts skills, she had to be careful.
Sensing her hesitation, the man, Yan Xiuye, quickly added, "She is at our villa here in Canghe."
"What are the symptoms?"
"Well..." The man looked a bit embarrassed. "My wife and I have been married for over three years, but we still haven't been able to conceive."
"I understand. Wait a moment, I'll get my things." Mo Lixia glanced at him coolly, then closed the door.
She grabbed her medical kit and a white cloak. Before leaving, she patted A'Mu on the head. "Guard the house well. I'll bring you back something good to eat."
"Squeak, squeak!"
Yan Xiuye had prepared a carriage for her.
It wasn't Mo Lixia's first time in a carriage, but she still wasn't used to it. The ride was incredibly bumpy.
They arrived at a quiet, secluded estate in town. The plaque above the gate read "Yan Residence."
"Doctor Mo, please." Yan Xiuye dismounted and guided her in.
It was a typical two-courtyard compound. Though not overly luxurious, it was filled with lush plants and flowers. The owner was clearly a flower lover.
"My wife tends to these," Yan Xiuye explained, seeing Mo Lixia looking around. "If you see any you like, just say the word, and I'll have them sent to your home."
"You are too kind, sir. I prefer wild flowers from the mountains."
They exchanged a polite smile and continued inside.
"Brother Ye, is the doctor here?"
A beautiful young woman, roughly twenty years old, appeared at the door.
"Ling'er, I'm right here," Yan Xiuye walked over and gently embraced his wife, ignoring the presence of an outsider. He turned to Mo Lixia with a smile. "Doctor Mo, thank you for your trouble."
The couple was clearly very much in love.
Once inside, Mo Lixia began the examination. She checked the wife's pulse.
"Any symptoms? Irregular periods? Abnormal discharge?"
The wife, Ling'er, shook her head shyly. "No. We've seen many doctors, and they all say I'm healthy."
Mo Lixia frowned. Without modern equipment, she couldn't check for structural issues like blocked fallopian tubes.
She thought for a moment, then looked at the maids in the room. "Please leave us."
Once the servants were gone, Ling'er grabbed Mo Lixia's hand, tears in her eyes. "Doctor Mo, I know you are skilled. Please help us. Brother Ye and I are childhood sweethearts, but my mother-in-law is pressuring him to take a concubine because I haven't produced an heir..."
Mo Lixia sighed. This era was cruel to women.
"Madam, I need to ask a private question. During intimacy... have you noticed any blood in your husband's essence? Or perhaps... does it end very quickly?"
Ling'er's face turned crimson. She shook her head. "No... actually, my husband and I are very compatible. But I just can't get pregnant. Sometimes I suspect someone in the household is poisoning us, but we check our food carefully."
"Is there anything unusual?" Mo Lixia pressed.
"Well... Brother Ye often suffers from severe itching on his skin. But doctors said it's nothing serious. He applies cottonseed oil when it itches."
Mo Lixia's expression instantly turned cold. "How long has he been using it?"
"For three years... ever since we got married. Is something wrong?"
"Very wrong."
At that moment, Yan Xiuye rushed into the room, hearing his wife's anxious tone. "Ling'er, what's wrong? Did she find the cause?"
"The problem isn't with your wife," Mo Lixia looked at him sternly. "It's with you."
"Me?" Yan Xiuye was stunned.
"Doctor Mo says the cottonseed oil you use is... harmful," Ling'er explained, trembling.
"Cottonseed oil stops the itch, yes. But it is highly toxic to a man's seed," Mo Lixia stated bluntly. "Long-term use kills the essence. That is why she cannot conceive."
The couple's faces went pale. This wasn't an accident. Someone had deliberately recommended that oil to ensure Yan Xiuye would be childless.
"Doctor Mo, is there a cure?" Yan Xiuye asked, his voice shaking with anger and fear.
"I need to examine the itchy area on your body first," Mo Lixia said, staring at him professionally.
"Right... right now?" Yan Xiuye, a grown man, blushed furiously.
"I am a doctor," Mo Lixia said calmly, waiting for him to disrobe.