Mr. 04

But the woman in labor continued to scream in agony. The midwife wore a grim expression. "Bring the needle!"

Wang Laogou obediently fetched the needle, watching as the midwife viciously jabbed it into the woman's finger, muttering incantations under her breath all the while.

When Yan Wushuang arrived, he heard the woman's wretched screams. Pushing past the Wang family's attempts to stop him, he drew his gun and rushed inside. The sight that met him made his blood boil with rage.

But someone was faster than him. A figure darted past him, followed immediately by the sound of several crisp slaps.

"I, your Daoist Master, generally don't hit women, but you are a damn disgrace to humanity!" Fang Zhiyi stood with one hand on his hip and the other pointing at the midwife, cursing. "The woman is having a difficult labor and you're stabbing her fingers? What the hell is wrong with you!"

Yan Wushuang stood there, dumbfounded.

It wasn't until he saw Fang Zhiyi stepping in to deliver the baby without the slightest hesitation or taboo that Yan turned his back out of propriety. When he finally heard the baby's cry, a strange sense of relief washed over him.

Subsequently, under Fang Zhiyi's interrogation, Wang Laogou confessed about his daughter. Fang Zhiyi immediately turned and left to save her, while Yan Wushuang glared at Wang Laogou. "Let me tell you, there are laws in Qingxi Town. If your daughter dies, you, and you," he pointed at the midwife who was covering her face and weeping, "are both going to rot in prison!"

Fang Zhiyi rushed to the riverside. Seeing the little girl's pale, deathly face, he jumped into the water without hesitation to save her. Scarcely had he entered the water when a bloated face loomed beneath the surface.

The face locked eyes with Fang Zhiyi for a moment before immediately covering itself and retreating to a safe distance.

Fang Zhiyi pointed at him through gritted teeth and raised a hand threateningly. The water ghost turned and fled. *Why is it this Daoist again? Will it never end? I was just giving thanks for nature's bounty, and here he comes to ruin it!*

With the girl carried back to the Wang household by Fang Zhiyi, Wang Laogou breathed a sigh of relief. He certainly favored sons over daughters, but he wasn't heartless enough to truly disregard his daughter's life; otherwise, he wouldn't have raised her to this age.

What followed was a torrent of abuse from Fang Zhiyi.

"You've lived all these years and learned nothing? Don't you know that feudal superstitions kill people? If she can't deliver, get a doctor! A doctor!"

"But the doctors in town are all men..." Wang Laogou said with a pained expression.

"And I suppose I, your Daoist Master, am a woman?" Fang Zhiyi rolled up his sleeves, looking for all the world like a street thug ready for a brawl.

"Master Fang, you're different..." Wang Laogou waved his hands frantically. Leaving aside the fact that Fang Zhiyi had saved the lives of his wife, child, and daughter, just seeing Fang Zhiyi's stance reminded him of the slaps the midwife had just received.

"How am I different? Am I a hermaphrodite?" Fang Zhiyi wouldn't let it go.

Wang Laogou hung his head and fell silent.

"In the eyes of a doctor, a patient is just a patient; there is no distinction between men and women. When human life is at stake, instead of trusting a doctor, you trust this nonsense!" Fang Zhiyi lectured him thoroughly. Wang Laogou nodded repeatedly; although it was strange to hear such words coming from Master Fang, they made a lot of sense.

"Maybe in the future, there will be female doctors too. As long as you don't value men over women, women can hold up half the sky! You've cut off your queues, yet you're still living in the past!"

Fang Zhiyi's critique ranged from feudal superstition to social progress.

Whether Wang Laogou took it to heart or not, the girl who had just woken up from her daze certainly did. *Can girls study medicine too?* She looked at Fang Zhiyi, and a seed was planted in her mind.

Yan Wushuang was equally baffled. He almost wanted to applaud Fang Zhiyi, but he managed to restrain himself. What exactly was this charlatan up to? Shouldn't you be performing ritual dances or selling talismans?

That was until Fang Zhiyi suddenly held out his hand. "Pay up! Emergency consultation fee!"

Wang Laogou paid up quickly, partly because it was deserved, and partly because he really didn't want to be scolded anymore.

*How had I never noticed Master Fang had such a fiery temper before?*

*Then again, with those two disciples of his, who could possibly remain calm?*

Watching Fang Zhiyi swagger away, Yan Wushuang opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. He turned to look at the midwife and flashed a sudden smile. The midwife felt a sense of impending doom.

July arrived. Fang Zhiyi summoned his eldest disciple, who had been strutting around town, and with a fake smile, ordered him to get to work offering incense to the wandering spirits. Li Huaian agreed reluctantly.

Fang Zhiyi immediately headed to the police station. Seeing him enter, Yan Wushuang looked confused.

"Can I help you?"

Fang Zhiyi nodded. "Sheriff, as an upstanding citizen of this town, I have a matter I need assistance with."

Yan Wushuang nodded. "Go on."

"Someone is planning to steal the deed to my house."

"What?" Yan Wushuang frowned. "Who?"

Fang Zhiyi smiled. "I can't say who just yet, but such an event will indeed occur. So... I'd like to file a preliminary report with you."

Yan Wushuang was perplexed.

"I want you to accompany me to process some paperwork and issue a new deed. That way, when someone shows up with the old deed, the thief will reveal themselves. It'll be a major credit to you."

Yan Wushuang looked at Fang Zhiyi with displeasure. "Without any evidence, how do you expect me to believe you? Are you making a fool of me?"

Fang Zhiyi raised an eyebrow. "Care to make a wager? If my prediction is wrong, I will leave this town for good. If I'm right... I don't need you to do anything other than become my disciple. How about it?"

"Preposterous!" Yan Wushuang slammed the table, his eyebrows shooting up in anger.

"And here I thought you were educated in Western schools, yet you don't even have the guts for this..." Fang Zhiyi knew exactly how to handle a hotheaded youth like him.

"It's a bet! Let's put it in writing!" Yan Wushuang was about to explode with rage.

The agreement was quickly written up, and the two immediately went to the mayor to have a new deed issued. Watching Fang Zhiyi tuck it away safely, Yan Wushuang huffed and turned to leave, but not before taking a close look at the old deed.

Just as he was leaving, he was stopped by Fang Zhiyi again. "Disciple of mine, care to watch a spectacle?"

"Who's your disciple?!" Yan Wushuang snapped. "What spectacle?"

Fang Zhiyi put on a show of counting on his fingers in divination and pointed in a direction. "This evening, in front of the Fulai Restaurant."

Yan Wushuang snorted and walked away.

Just as in the original storyline, Li Huaian had offended the spirit of a peddler and was now firmly entangled by it. Already lacking in skill, he hadn't even realized he was possessed before he began being controlled, making a complete spectacle of himself.

Yan Wushuang hadn't planned on coming that day, but he kept remembering Fang Zhiyi's words. Restless, he couldn't resist coming to take a look. That single look shocked him to the core—the kid before him had stripped stark naked and was dancing in broad daylight!

Just as Li Huaian was about to attack a passerby, Yan Wushuang stepped in. He pinned Li Huaian down, but Li Huaian's strength was astonishing. Yan had to ask the bystanders for help to restrain him before hauling him off to the police station.

He soon learned of Li Huaian's identity from others. Upon discovering that he was Fang Zhiyi's disciple, he frowned. Was Fang Zhiyi having his disciple put on a show just for him? What a charlatan!