Forbidden to Bully the Storybook’s Heroine – Chapter 89
by Little PandaStudying Medicine to Follow the Army
On the day Jiang Yao left with the army, a fierce wind raged, blowing leaves from the trees until they rustled and fell all over the courtyard. Song Muyun dearly wanted to say that such weather was unsuitable for travel, but the army was already prepared. She could only silently pack the clothes she had made for Jiang Yao, then take out the storybook1 Jiang Yao had slipped inside the night before.
Jiang Yao, who witnessed this firsthand: ……
“No, wait, I can read it when I’m bored. Leave one, at least leave one!”
She instinctively reached out, trying to save her storybook, but Song Muyun held it further away. “A single mistake in a military campaign can cost lives,” she said. “If you have free time, you should rest more. You are not allowed to stay up at night reading storybooks, and especially not the ones with pictures!”
If others saw it, wouldn’t she be deliberately inviting ridicule?
The mere thought of it made Song Muyun’s face flush, and she refused to return the storybooks and picture books to Jiang Yao under any circumstances.
Outside, the sky was already brightening. Jiang Yao had no time to snatch her things back and could only lower her head, looking pitiful. Then, she saw Muyun’s slender, snow-white hand appear before her, stuffing several silver notes2 into her bundle. Her voice was gentle. “You’ll always need money when you’re away from home. Take all of this. If you need it for something, don’t try to save it. Just spend it.”
Her silver had long been handed over to her wife for safekeeping, and now a good portion of it was back in her hands.
“I’m leaving, then. If anything happens while you’re alone in the capital, go find my parents. For any dirty or tiring work, find Jiang Huai. Do you understand?”
“Mm, I understand.”
She always listened to Jiang Yao the most. She would wait for her to return.
Although she desperately wanted to cry, Jiang Yao was about to leave. It was the first time they would be separated for so long, and she couldn’t let Jiang Yao worry.
Song Muyun held back her tears and saw Jiang Yao out.
The rest of the Jiang family was also waiting outside.
Jiang Heng patted Jiang Yao’s shoulder, leaving her with a single sentence. “Be careful in all things.”
Liang Qingyin’s eyes were red-rimmed. She told her to take care of her health while she was away, not to get sick, and if she did get sick, to stay off the battlefield. Military merits didn’t matter; returning safely was all that mattered.
Jiang Zhi, on the other hand, was very confident in Jiang Yao. With a grand wave of his hand, he declared heroically, “Go on! With your martial arts, you’ll at least muddle your way into a general’s position.”
Jiang Yao bid her family farewell, mounted her horse, and headed for the city gates. Muyun was in her arms, and Jiang Ru rode another horse beside them.
General Guide’s army was assembling at the city gates. According to the ministers at court, this battle would not be difficult, so not many soldiers were sent. The only ones seeing them off were the soldiers’ families. Unlike difficult campaigns of the past, the Emperor would not be present with his officials to send them off.
Jiang Yao returned to her unit. Dressed in armor, she quickly disappeared among the troops. Song Muyun, using Jiang Ru’s status, went up the city wall to gaze at Jiang Yao from afar.
Even with so many people, so many heads, she still spotted Jiang Yao at first glance.
Jiang Yao had only just left, and she was already starting to miss her. How was she supposed to get through the days to come?
Song Muyun’s pair of phoenix eyes3 were glistening. She didn’t know, nor did she want to know. She only knew that she missed Jiang Yao very much.
Jiang Ru seemed to sense the emotions of the person beside her. She turned and put an arm around her, patting her back comfortingly. “Jiejie said this would make saozi feel a little better.”
Song Muyun, whose eyes had just turned red: ……
Thanks, but that only works when your jiejie does it.
Her heart was full of a sorrow she couldn’t vent. She didn’t speak, afraid that the moment she opened her mouth, a shameful sob would escape.
“Don’t be sad, saozi. Jiejie told you not to cry. She’ll be back soon.”
…She hasn’t even been gone that long, and she already knew I was going to cry!
The young woman sniffled, trying hard to look up at the sky and force her tears back bit by bit. In a nasal voice, she said, “I—I’m not crying. Jiang Yao is just talking nonsense. I would never cry.”
The young woman was terribly aggrieved, her beautiful eyes shimmering and translucent.
Jiang Ru, following Jiang Yao’s orders to soothe her saozi when she cried,4 immediately agreed. “Yes, yes, I also think jiejie was talking nonsense. Saozi has always been resilient. You won’t cry.”
Jiang Ru’s features were gentle, and she seemed extremely patient. Jiang Yao had found the right person when she entrusted her with the task of coaxing.
Song Muyun gazed into the distance at the army, which was now barely a speck. “I just miss her a little,” she said.
She had only just left, and the longing had already begun.
There was nothing Jiang Ru could do about this. She hesitated for a moment before saying, “Jiejie asked me and the Eighth Prince to take you out to have some fun. Where would you like to go? We can take you, all right? Cheer up. If jiejie knew you were like this, her heart would ache.”
But Song Muyun just shook her head gently. “Never mind. I want to read.”
“Read?”
Jiang Ru was filled with solemn respect. “Saozi is truly a modern-day talented woman, a person who loves and cherishes books. In that case, may I read with you?”
Jiejie had said that on the first day she was gone, Jiang Ru absolutely had to stick close to her saozi, not leaving her side for a single step,5 lest her saozi become absent-minded6 and do something rash.
“All right.”
Song Muyun agreed. From here, the vast and imposing army was long out of sight. She led Jiang Ru back to Hengwu Courtyard, the one she shared with Jiang Yao. The place was filled with the traces of their life together, but now, the other person in the room was gone.
A warmth involuntarily welled up in Song Muyun’s eyes. Remembering Jiang Ru was there, she managed to hold it back and led her to the side study. It was originally Jiang Yao’s study, but… it had grown cobwebs and was never used by Jiang Yao.
Later, after Muyun moved in and the two had pledged their love, it was given to her to use. She was very good at tidying up and always kept the study spotless and orderly.
She skillfully took a book from inside and told Jiang Ru not to be polite, to take whatever she wanted to read.
Jiang Ru marveled before the bookshelf. “Saozi, you have so many medical books here.”
“Mm, I want to learn a little.”
It was the recent events that had put her on alert, making her want to study medicine. Jiang Yao was born for the battlefield; it was her dream. But Song Muyun always worried about her getting injured. It was better to learn some medical skills herself, so she could treat Jiang Yao if she got hurt in the future.
At this thought, a gentle smile touched the young woman’s lips. Perhaps if she became skilled enough, she could even follow the army. She had heard that every time an army was dispatched, they would specifically bring several physicians and female physicians7 to treat the wounds of injured soldiers.
If others could go, why couldn’t she?
Song Muyun was unwilling to remain forever in the capital, watching Jiang Yao’s departing back.
She wanted to go with Jiang Yao. Wherever she went in the future, she would go too.
The young woman felt a little regret that she hadn’t started studying medicine sooner. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late now. She had an excellent memory and could easily commit the contents of the books to mind.
The more Jiang Ru looked, the more amazed she became. On her saozi’s bookshelf, aside from some authentic works by great masters and a few military texts, everything else was a medical book.
“Saozi, do you want to be a physician in the future?”
She had thought that with her saozi’s talent, she was destined for the imperial examinations.
“Mm.”
Song Muyun replied faintly. As if knowing what Jiang Ru was wondering, she explained, “My father never intended for me to enter the court as an official. He never taught me the ways of officialdom, only the Three Obediences and Four Virtues.”8
He had meant to marry her to a man, for her to be a virtuous wife and good mother.
Having been held in the palm of Jiang Yao’s hand for so long, she had almost forgotten she had ever learned the Three Obediences and Four Virtues.
Only now did she recall it again. She was a wife. And as a wife, taking care of Jiang Yao’s food, clothing, and daily life ought to be her duty.
Jiang Yao had gone on a campaign. How was she to take care of her? Naturally, by staying by her side. She would take care of her, and Jiang Yao would only need to focus on fighting the enemy. She would handle her daily needs, and Jiang Yao wouldn’t have to worry about anything else.
Song Muyun barely managed to suppress the longing that danced like vines in her heart. She smiled gently at Jiang Ru, then sat down to read.
Jiang Ru was clever. From just those few words, she pieced together Song Muyun’s meaning, her eyes widening slightly in shock.
Longing was like the wind, omnipresent. A mere half-month of sleeping on a lonely pillow9 was enough to make Song Muyun feel that life was worse than death.10 She dreamed of her every night, only to wake and find her pillow soaked with tears, cold to the touch.
Jiang Yao had said that if things went smoothly, she could be back in three or four months.
Three or four months…
It had only been half a month. How could she possibly wait that long?
On nearly every sleepless night, Song Muyun would fall into a heavy slumber only by clutching Jiang Yao’s clothes. Her longing was unspeakable. Jiang Ru came to find her and keep her company every day, but she had little desire to chat and laugh with her. She couldn’t bring herself to smile, unable to entertain Ru’er with warmth and courtesy.
She missed Jiang Yao. She wanted Jiang Yao to hold her.
Just hold her…
Of course, Jiang Yao wasn’t there. She wouldn’t appear. She had gone to fulfill her ideals, her ambitions.
It was only then that Song Muyun realized she had no great ideals or ambitions of her own. She just wanted to be with Jiang Yao.
On another late night, the sleepless woman rose alone, lit two candles, and sat on the soft couch piled with Jiang Yao’s clothes, reading by lamplight.
The next day, terrible news arrived. The nation that had taken up arms against the Da Jin Kingdom11 was the neighboring Sheng Kingdom. The Sheng Kingdom’s military strength was no match for Da Jin’s; they should have been retreating step by step and sending a letter of surrender. But things were far from simple. For some unknown reason, the Wei Kingdom, which bordered Sheng, had sent troops to aid them. When the three forces clashed, it was the Da Jin Kingdom that was at a disadvantage, writing back to the court to request reinforcements.
The children of many aristocratic families and ministers were on the list for this expedition. They were naturally frantic. Without even waiting for the court session to end, they had already decided, one after another, to send thirty thousand reinforcements.
The Emperor couldn’t even get a word in about observing the situation before acting. Those old ministers looked at him with tears in their ancient eyes. Did he dare to chill the hearts of his old subjects?
He didn’t dare in the slightest.
He could only agree.
With the increase in troops, the number of accompanying physicians naturally had to increase as well. This matter was the responsibility of Song Muyun’s second uncle.
It was Jiang Ru who brought her the news.
She knew what her saozi wanted to do, knew the depth of the feelings between her saozi and her jiejie, and couldn’t bear to see her saozi grow more haggard by the day.
Song Muyun went to find her second uncle and asked how many people were to accompany the expedition.
Second Uncle Song said that the number given from above was two physicians and ten female physicians, and he had already filled the roster.
Song Muyun’s mood at that moment: ……
Truth be told, Second Uncle Song naturally did not want Song Muyun to go to such a dangerous place.
She was the only bloodline left by his eldest brother and had overturned the verdict against the Song family. She was the Song family’s great benefactor and absolutely could not come to harm.
Song Muyun begged her second uncle to let her in, but he said she had no experience and feared she would only cause trouble. She could only go if an extra spot was added.
She went to ask the other female physicians. The dynasty did not train many female physicians. Some had already been taken on the previous expedition, and even fewer were now volunteering to go with the army. They only knew some simple bandaging and application of medicine; some couldn’t even identify all the medicinal herbs. Yet her second uncle was still unwilling to let her go.
With no other choice, Song Muyun returned to the Jiang Residence, utterly dejected.12 She had only been sitting for a short while when Jiang Ru arrived.
The moment she saw Jiang Ru, it was as if she saw a glimmer of hope.
……
In the end, Jiang Ru was pleaded with by her saozi to find Murong Ci. This wasn’t a major issue. In any case, the one going was Jiang Yao’s wife, not her wife. With a grand wave of her hand, she directly changed the number of female physicians to eleven.
One more female physician meant one more soldier could receive timely treatment. Naturally, no one would object. This time, it was the Song family’s turn to be anxious.
They came to the door one after another to persuade Song Muyun, but all returned unsuccessful.
They were grateful to Jiang Yao for helping the Song family, but they also worried for the safety of their eldest brother’s only remaining bloodline.
But once Song Muyun had truly made up her mind, no one tried to persuade her further. They could only exhort her that the battlefield was dangerous, that she must not distract Jiang Yao, that she must not leave the military camp, and that she must not trust anyone’s words except for Jiang Yao’s. If she had to go out, she could only go with Jiang Yao.
Nearly a year of exile had shown this group of people, raised in gold and jade, just how filthy human nature could be.
They knew, but Song Muyun had been so well-sheltered by Jiang Yao that she did not. They did not want their niece and jiejie to experience what they had, so they warned her a thousand times and exhorted her ten thousand times,13 terrified that she would be deceived.
Finally, on the second day, the physicians and female physicians took their luggage and set off together to join the army at Linjiang City.
Outside Linjiang City, the army was encamped. Jiang Yao found a large tree and sat beneath it, wrapping a wound on her arm with gauze.
The enemy’s assault had been ferocious. They had been on the verge of forcing them to retreat, but then the Wei Kingdom had stuck its oar in. Now, neither side would yield to the other. They were at a slight disadvantage, and the number of wounded soldiers was growing. There weren’t nearly enough female physicians and physicians to go around. For minor injuries like this, they all just bandaged it themselves.
After dressing her wound, Jiang Yao leaned against the large tree and closed her eyes to rest. She remained there until her spy among the aristocratic young masters came to find her.
That spy was, of course, her master’s son, Sima Jushan.
Sima Jushan strode over from a distance and plopped down beside her, his face a mask of speechlessness. “Damn it, have those young masters’ brains been clogged with shit? They’ve got less guts than an ant. I’m seriously impressed.”
Jiang Yao leaned against the tree, not even bothering to open her eyes, and asked in a faint voice, “What’s wrong? Tell me.”
“Tsk, they see we’re about to lose the battle and are afraid they’ll lose their lives if they stay, so they’re plotting to desert in the face of battle.14 They say they’ll escape to a nearby small village to see how things go. If we can win, they’ll come back. If we can’t, they’ll slip back to the capital. Tell me, are they stupid or what?”
Jiang Yao was struck silent for a moment. She also thought it was stupid, but she couldn’t very well say it out loud. After a moment, she said, “Do they all think this way?”
“Not all of them. It’s mainly that Wu Yan from Duke Wu’s family. He’s the one shouting the loudest. A lot of them have been incited, but a few disagreed and left early without listening to the rest.”
“So you listened to the whole thing?”
Sima Jushan put his hands on his hips, tilted his chin up, and said smugly, “Of course I had to listen to such stupid words. How else could I make fun of them later?”
“Then did you hear when they plan to leave?”
At this, a trace of disgust appeared on Sima Jushan’s face. “Tonight at the Zi Hour.15 Seven-foot-tall men, and they’re so timid.”
“All right. I’ll go block them tonight.”
Being a deserter was a crime that earned one the world’s scorn, yet they wanted to be deserters while still reaping military honors?
Where did they get the nerve?
Pulling such tricks right under her nose.
At the Zi Hour, Jiang Yao was not yet asleep. She lay on a thick tree branch, a twig dangling from her mouth, one leg propped up, waiting. This was the only path out of the camp.
Soon, the sound of deliberately muffled footsteps appeared below.
Jiang Yao flipped over into a sitting position and lowered her gaze, seeing a group of people arriving together.
Sima Jushan hadn’t come. He still had to act as Jiang Yao’s inside man and see what new tricks this group of young masters had up their sleeves. He couldn’t expose himself so soon.
The sons of aristocratic families had endless glory and wealth to enjoy; naturally, they were reluctant to die. Thinking they were about to escape, their voices carried a lighthearted tone.
Until… Jiang Yao spun through the air, flying down from the large tree, and landed in front of them, sword in her arms.
The young masters were completely stunned. The gap between heaven and hell couldn’t be greater than this. The more timid among them couldn’t stop their legs from trembling.
Wu Yan’s martial arts were decent, and he was considered the leader of the group. He forced himself to remain calm for a moment, then looked at Jiang Yao and spoke. “It’s so late. What are you doing here?”
Jiang Yao’s expression was playful. The corner of her mouth hooked up, and the outer corner of her eye tilted upwards. “That’s what I should be asking you. It’s so late. What are you all doing here?”
“We… it was just stuffy in the tent, so we came out for some fresh air.”
“Is that so? But this seems to be outside the bounds of the encampment. You’ve come quite a long way for fresh air, haven’t you, Young Master Wu?”
Wu Yan frowned, feigning displeasure. “We were just walking and talking, and we unintentionally came this far. Jiang Yao, what do you mean by that? Even if you’re targeting me, you should at least let them go back first. Don’t drag others into the grudge between us.”
The others instantly looked at Wu Yan with grateful eyes.
Who among them hadn’t been beaten by Jiang Yao? For Wu Yan to say this, it was as if a deity had descended to the mortal world16 to save them from fire and water!
They quickly nodded, then all looked at Jiang Yao, hoping she would let them scram.
Jiang Yao took out the sword in her arms and glanced at it. Suddenly, one hand gripped the hilt and the other the scabbard. Her voice lowered, sounding particularly hollow and laced with sarcasm. “You think I’m targeting you?”
Then, the snow-bright blade was drawn halfway from its sheath under the night sky, frightening the group into silence again.
Wu Yan silently gripped his own sword, his eyes already scanning the surrounding paths, lest Jiang Yao go crazy and leave him with no escape.
“Do you know that deserting in the face of battle is a capital offense?”
The group shuddered as one, and they all began to change their tune. “What desertion? I’m not deserting!”
“Right, right, we were just out for a walk, getting some fresh air, clearing our minds. How could we be deserting!”
“Jiang Yao, to slander us like this, aren’t you going too far?”
“I’m slandering you? What is there about you worth my slandering? A bunch of useless mud that can’t be plastered on a wall.”17
She glanced at them, then immediately looked away as if the sight hurt her eyes.
The men’s cheeks flushed red from the scolding, but they clenched their teeth, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal.
“Now, get back there immediately. I’ve memorized all of your faces. From now on, I’ll be checking to see if you’re present every day. If anyone dares to desert… hmph, don’t even think of having a good time after returning to the capital.”
Jiang Yao’s expression was menacing. She hardly needed to lift a finger; the men already understood her meaning and obediently returned.
Only Wu Yan was left behind, his face ashen. Someone had tugged him twice, but he hadn’t moved, so the person had to run off on his own.
After everyone had left, he glared at Jiang Yao and demanded, “Are you doing this to get revenge on me?!”
Hearing this, Jiang Yao was amused. “What is there about you that’s worth my revenge?”
The other man clenched his fists, declaring with conviction, “Because I admire Muyun, so you’re getting revenge on me!”
“Yun’er is so wonderful, it’s normal for people to admire her. If I had to get revenge on every single one, wouldn’t I be exhausted?”
She walked over to Wu Yan and patted his shoulder. “Don’t overthink it. I simply… look down on any and all deserters.”
With that, she walked past Wu Yan and left. Wu Yan’s hand on his sword tightened, and finally, he gnashed his teeth in hatred and returned to the camp.
After Jiang Yao had intimidated the most restless ones that night, the following days were much more comfortable.
In order to survive on the dangerous battlefield, everyone trained with exceptional diligence. In the past, the young masters who joined the army would naturally have special privileges and were always placed at the very back, lest they actually die and their elders at home cause trouble.
But this time, the one leading the army was the unyielding Wen Yueyu.18 And among her troops was the scourge Jiang Yao.
With two people who couldn’t tolerate a single grain of sand in their eyes together, many had already begun to secretly blame their fathers for insisting on sending them out to earn military honors this time.
On this morning, the Sheng soldiers launched a surprise attack. Everyone grabbed their swords and went out before dawn. Hot blood splattered on their faces, on their eyelashes, almost dyeing everything before them the color of blood. But they didn’t care. The only thing they cared about was the enemy before them.
The victor becomes king, the loser a slave. No one wanted to be a slave.
Everyone wanted to be a victor, a hero of the nation.
A horn sounded in the distance. Wen Yueyu looked up. The sound of galloping horses and the chaotic footsteps of a rapidly advancing force filled her ears. She shouted, “The reinforcements have arrived! Everyone, on my command, kill—!”
Even though the thirty thousand reinforcements had just endured a long journey, their imposing manner was still incredibly intimidating. They quickly carved a bloody path, forcing the troops of the Sheng and Wei Kingdoms to retreat step by step.
Da Jin had won for the time being. Jiang Yao panted as she got up and pulled Sima Jushan, who had fallen to one side, to his feet.
So much for being the son of the Great General, being this useless. If she hadn’t been there to block for him just now, he would have been stabbed through long ago.
Yet he was still running his mouth. “Next time, this young master will definitely fuck up this bunch of turtle’s grandsons!19 Daring to launch a sneak attack from behind!!!”
“Enough, shut up. You collapsed after one sword strike. I’m seriously impressed.”
With a look of disgust, Jiang Yao dumped Sima Jushan at the wounded soldiers’ camp and left.
She had no idea that after she left, a familiar person from her bedside, dressed in coarse cloth and hemp garments, her long hair crudely coiled up with a wooden hairpin, walked toward Sima Jushan with medicine in hand.
When Sima Jushan saw her, he was in utter disbelief. He stared with wide eyes, rubbing them until they were red. It wasn’t until she opened her mouth to ask, “Why is it you? Are you hurt? Then what about Jiang Yao? Is Jiang Yao all right?” that he finally dared to be certain.
Holy shit, Jiang Yao’s wife is here!
What virtue or ability did Jiang Yao possess for her wife to actually chase her all the way to the military camp?
Seeing Sima Jushan staring at her in a daze, Song Muyun grew more anxious, her willow-leaf brows furrowing tightly. “Say something! Is Jiang Yao all right?”
Though her words were urgent, her hands did not falter in the slightest. The cloth over the bleeding wound on the man’s abdomen was ripped open, revealing the injured flesh beneath.
The girl who was so gentle and delicate in front of Jiang Yao had just ripped his clothes!
This, this, this…
Before he could react, a damp cotton cloth for cleaning the wound was pressed onto it, causing his face to contort in pain, rendering him speechless.
Yet Song Muyun kept asking relentlessly, “How is Jiang Yao? Say something! Is she hurt? Is it serious? Has she seen a physician?”
The dirty wound was cleaned over and over. Every wipe sent a jolt of pain through him, and his ears were ringing. Finally, when the cleaning was done, just as he was about to slowly reply, the not-so-high-quality and extremely painful Golden Sore Medicine20 was immediately poured onto his wound. In an instant, he bit down hard on the soft flesh inside his lip to keep from crying out in pain. However, the demonic voice continued to buzz in his ear, asking only about Jiang Yao, Jiang Yao, Jiang Yao. Wait, wasn’t he the one who was injured right now?
Footnotes
- Huaben (话本) are vernacular storybooks, often for popular entertainment. This is distinct from the erotic picture books (画本, huaben) mentioned next.
- Yinpiao (银票) were promissory notes issued by private banks, used as paper currency in place of heavy silver ingots.
- Fengmou (凤眸), or phoenix eyes, is a classic literary descriptor for eyes that are long and slightly upturned at the corners, considered a standard of beauty.
- The original phrase is shùn zhe máo lū (顺着毛撸), which literally means “to stroke the fur in the right direction.” It’s a colloquial saying for placating or humoring someone.
- Cun bu bu li (寸步不离) is an idiom meaning to follow someone so closely as to never be more than a step away.
- Xinshen bushu (心神不属) is an idiom describing a state of being distracted, unsettled, or having one’s mind elsewhere.
- Yinü (医女) were women trained in medicine. They often served in the imperial palace or, as seen here, accompanied armies on campaigns.
- The Three Obediences and Four Virtues (三从四德, sancong side) was a set of traditional Confucian moral principles for women, demanding obedience to her father, husband, and sons, and virtues of morality, proper speech, modest manner, and diligent work.
- Guzhen nanmian (孤枕难眠) is a classic literary phrase meaning “lonely pillow, hard to sleep,” used to describe the sleeplessness of someone separated from their lover.
- Sheng bu ru si (生不如死) is an idiom for suffering so intensely that death seems a preferable alternative.
- The original idiom is bingrong xiangjian (兵戎相见), which literally means “to meet with weapons,” a formal way of saying to go to war.
- Shihun luopo (失魂落魄) is an idiom meaning “to lose one’s soul and spirit,” describing a state of being completely crestfallen or dispirited.
- Qian dingning wan zhufu (千叮咛万嘱咐) is an idiom meaning “a thousand warnings and ten thousand exhortations,” used to describe repeated and earnest urgings.
- Linzhen tuotao (临阵脱逃) is an idiom meaning to desert one’s post in the face of the enemy.
- Zi shi (子时) is the first of the twelve traditional two-hour watches, running from 11 PM to 1 AM.
- Tianshen xiafan (天神下凡) is an expression used to describe someone arriving like a savior in a desperate situation.
- Lan ni fu bu shang qiang (烂泥扶不上墙) is a common and vivid idiom meaning a person is a hopeless case, so useless that they cannot be helped.
- The original phrase is ning zhe bu wan (宁折不弯), an idiom meaning one would “rather break than bend,” describing someone who is principled and uncompromising.
- Guisunzi (龟孙子), literally “turtle’s grandson,” is a harsh insult similar to “son of a bitch” or “bastard.”
- Jinchuangyao (金疮药) is a general term for powdered medicine applied to external wounds, especially cuts from metal weapons.
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