Chương 13: Quality
Biên tập viên: Atlas Studios
Madam Gu took the prayer beads that the servant girl picked up and muttered to herself, "So fast?"
Eight years ago, when the late emperor was still alive, the Great Jin Dynasty signed an armistice agreement with the State of Yue in the south. To show his sincerity, the late Emperor sent his eldest grandson, Chu Yi, who was only 10 years old at the time, to the State of Yue as a hostage. This trip lasted for eight years.
At the end of last year, the late Emperor passed away. For the official enthronement at the beginning of the year, it was negotiated with the State of Yue to bring Chu Yi back.
This was a major matter that concerned the country's foundation, and it was spreading like wildfire in the capital. Many people were worried that the State of Yue would not allow the prince to return safely.
Initially, Madam Gu thought so too and even secretly hoped so.
However, reality poured down like a bucket of cold water. The Eldest Prince had actually successfully returned to the country!
Granny Xu naturally did not know what Madam Gu was thinking and echoed obsequiously, "The heavens have blessed us. The Emperor has been looking forward to this day for eight years."
"…" Madam Gu's expression instantly darkened. She glanced at Granny Xu gloomily.
Granny Xu felt her scalp go numb and hurriedly reported, "Madam, the Eldest Prince seems to be seriously ill. The personal guard accompanying him invited a doctor to treat him. Unexpectedly, not only did he not cure him, but his illness became even worse. The personal guard had no choice but to alarm the magistrate. Today, the magistrate just invited the Eldest Prince to the Danyang Manor."
Serious illness?! Madam Gu's eyes lit up and her heart raced.
It would be wonderful if the Eldest Prince was seriously ill.
He had always been weak and sickly, and it was difficult for him to live long. If anything happened to the Eldest Prince, in the future… According to the laws, the ministers would have to ask the Empress Dowager, the ancestral decree, and the elders to choose a suitable new ruler among the relatives.
The current Empress Dowager was the successor to the late Emperor.
Kang Wang was her only biological son. He held the title of legitimate son and had a virtuous reputation. It was obvious that he would be the first candidate to inherit the throne.
Madam Gu seemed to have seen the grand occasion of Kang Wang's ascension to the throne, and a hot light flashed in her eyes.
Her Rong'er would definitely marry Kang Wang. In the future, her wife would become the Empress of the Great Jin Dynasty and become the mother of the world.
At that time, as the mother family of the Empress, their Dingyuan Marquis Household would definitely be able to return to its former glory… No, to a higher level!!
Madam Gu turned around slightly and looked in the direction of the Danyang Manor.
High in the sky, there were no clouds.
The weather had been hot of late. The air was stale and windless. Everything from the trees to the people was listless and lazy.
Only the Danyang Manor in the middle of the city was an exception. The entire prefectural government office was on high alert because of the arrival of their esteemed guests.
An octarine palace lamp was lit in the hall. The candle flames flickered.
"Cough…"
The handsome young man sitting at the head of the table pressed his fist against his lips. His face was half lowered as he coughed repeatedly.
He was dressed in a snow-white robe. It was spotless and as loose as jet-black hair that was half bunched and half scattered.
The warm candlelight poured gently over him, coating him in gold powder. His skin shone faintly with a pale golden luster, making his face as pale as paper. The mole at the end of his eye was as red as blood. He had a sickly but elegant beauty.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" A middle-aged man in a fourth-grade embroidered robe asked carefully.
Chu Yi wiped his mouth with a square of white handkerchief. There was a sickly flush on his pale cheeks, and his thin chest rose and fell with a slight urgency.
"Quite all right. Thank you for your concern, Lord He." He smiled, his voice a little husky, his manner gentle and cultured.
The Eldest Prince was as gentle as he was rumored to be. Magistrate He thought to himself, 'I'll send a doctor to see His Highness…'
Before he could finish, a middle-sized servant walked in quickly and reported to Magistrate He, "Magistrate He, Doctor Cheng is here."
Half a cup of tea later, a physician in his 50s with a straight green beard hurried into the hall with the manservant. He had a square face, a goatee, and a black turban. His forehead and neck were covered in fine beads of sweat.
Doctor Cheng had long been reminded that the patient today was a noble. He bowed to the two of them in fear.
Magistrate He instructed with a dignified expression, "Doctor Cheng, take His Highness's pulse carefully."
Doctor Cheng agreed repeatedly. Then, he invited Chu Yi to extend his left wrist and respectfully take his pulse. He focused and lowered his eyes.
The pulse under his finger was soft and heavy, weak and smooth, like cotton under water. This was asthenia syndrome, an illness characterized by insufficient vital energy and blood. It was even a sign that his lifespan was not long.
Silence filled the hall.
After a while, Doctor Cheng finally retracted his hand and wiped his sweat with his sleeve. Then, he said tactfully, "Your Highness, your Qi and blood are insufficient, and there's blockage of your muscular interstices. You also have pathogenic wind. Please allow me to prescribe some nourishing medicine for Your Highness."
Chu Yi turned his face away and covered his mouth with his handkerchief. He coughed again.
Xiao Shi gently stroked his back and shouted at Doctor Cheng angrily, "What are you doctors talking about? When will His Highness get better?"
"…" Doctor Cheng was sweating profusely. He stammered, "He'll have to take a few doses to know…"
Xiao Shi was about to say something when Chu Yi raised his hand to silence him.
Chu Yi smiled gently. "Doctor Cheng, my subordinate is impatient…"
"It's fine." Doctor Cheng did not dare to argue with the people around the Eldest Prince.
Soon, a servant prepared the brush and ink. Magistrate He reminded him in a high and mighty tone, "Doctor Cheng, if you need any expensive herbs, just let me know."
Doctor Cheng agreed obediently and quickly wrote down the prescription. He also instructed Chu Yi to take good care of himself. From the beginning to the end, he did not dare to look at Chu Yi directly.
Chu Yi seemed to feel that his subordinate was being rude, so he instructed his other guard, "Si Hai, send Doctor Cheng out."
The plain-looking gray-clothed youth cupped his fists and personally sent Doctor Cheng out.
The sunset at dusk was so golden that it was blinding. The sticky air seemed to have frozen.
After passing through a moon cave, Si Hai suddenly stopped and reached out to stop Doctor Cheng. He asked, "Will the Eldest Prince recover?"
No one was around except the two of them.
Doctor Cheng looked at the four seas uneasily and swallowed. "My medical skills are limited… However, the imperial physician should have a way."
Si Hai stared at Doctor Cheng without blinking. After three breaths of silence, he said coldly, "Let him weaken naturally and then die of illness. You should have a way to do that, right?"
The rays of the setting sun filtered through the layers of leaves, casting mottled shadows on Si Hai's face, making his originally ordinary face look abnormally strange.
Doctor Cheng: "!!!"
Even though he tried to remain calm, his eyes still widened uncontrollably. His pupils flickered and his body tensed.
Chương 14: Talisman Drawing
Biên tập viên: Atlas Studios
Doctor Cheng said with a patched throat, "Sir, I'm a doctor. I only save people, not harm them."
"This matter will benefit you as well." Si Hai's lips curled into a cold, meaningful smile. "This is what the Crown Prince asked me to convey to your country."
Doctor Cheng pursed his lips tightly and was shocked. Everyone knew that the Eldest Prince, Chu Yi, had not been conferred the title of King. Could the Crown Prince this person was talking about be…
Kang Wang?!
Could this be someone planted by Kang Wang to harm Chu Yi?
The more Doctor Cheng thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
What shocked him even more was that Kang Wang actually knew about their stronghold in Danyang City.
Doctor Cheng clenched his hands into fists in his wide sleeves, his eyes dark.
He was not from the State of Jin, but from the State of Yue. He had been lurking in Danyang City for more than ten years.
Now, the Sage had the intention to form an alliance with Kang Wang of the State of Jin. Once the alliance was established, the State of Yue would do their best to help Kang Wang inherit the throne. After Kang Wang's promise was fulfilled, he would help the State of Yue take down the southwestern State of Qiang.
This cooperation concerned the two countries, and there was no room for mistakes. Doctor Cheng had no choice but to be extremely cautious. He was skeptical of Si Hai's words. With no evidence, who could prove that this person was a subordinate of Kang Wang?
Seeming to have seen through Doctor Cheng's doubts, Si Hai continued, "The Eldest Prince is weak and sickly to begin with. He has traveled thousands of miles north and is exhausted from the long journey. It's inevitable that he will become sick again. This is a rare opportunity."
"When he returns to the capital, there won't be another chance like this."
"Can you take responsibility for delaying 'something big'?!"
Si Hai pressured the other party.
Doctor Cheng clenched his fists even tighter, his eyes hesitant.
After a moment, he gritted his teeth in response. "I'll have it delivered tomorrow."
Si Hai extended his hand and made an inviting gesture. He did not continue to send the guest off and stayed behind to watch Doctor Cheng leave.
The surroundings were as quiet as a tomb. From afar, Chu Yi could be heard coughing in the back hall.
"Cough…"
"Cough, cough, cough…"
Doctor Cheng strode out. As soon as he left the Danyang Manor, he returned to the Cheng Medical Center and closed the door early.
Doctor Cheng carefully fastened the bolt and looked out through the crack in the door. Only then did he relax and walk inside. He walked through the front hall, the courtyard, and all the way to a private room at the back.
A bamboo curtain hung down, blocking the person behind it. Through the gap, he could vaguely see a man in blue sitting on the other side.
"Sixth Master." Doctor Cheng bowed respectfully with a salute.
He did not dare to look up at the man behind the curtain. He methodically recounted what had just happened at the Danyang Manor. Finally, he said, "Sixth Master, the Jade Moon Grass is colorless and tasteless. It will make the consumer's body weaker. Then, he will die slowly."
"Sixth Master, do you want to add the Jade Moon Grass to Chu Yi's medicine?"
The Jade Moon Grass was a secret medicine unique to the State of Yue. It was a slow-acting poison. The person who consumed the Jade Moon Grass would not show symptoms of poisoning, be it in appearance or pulse. Others would only think that he had been sick for a long time and was gradually hollowed out.
The blue-clothed man known as the Sixth Master casually tapped the lid of his tea, making crisp porcelain clinking sounds.
The air in the house was dry and dull, making one feel as if they would suffocate in the next moment.
Doctor Cheng maintained his bow without moving. After a while, he heard the Sixth Master ask slowly, "Is there anything special about Chu Yi's pulse?"
Doctor Cheng carefully recalled. "Today, I checked Chu Yi's pulse again. His pulse is like cotton in water, and his Qi is weak. It's a weak pulse."
"Chu Yi has always been weak…" The Sixth Master seemed to be talking to himself, his expression dark and gloomy.
Chu Yi had been in the State of Yue as a hostage for eight years. Apart from not being able to leave the capital at will, he could move freely in the city. He also often interacted with the royal family and nobles of the State of Yue. Among them, he was famous for being a gentleman.
At the beginning of the year, Emperor Mingde ascended the throne and negotiated with the Sage to release Chu Yi.
Kang Wang planned to kill Chu Yi silently after he entered the State of Jin. This matter was not a secret. The Sage's attitude was that they would just sit back and watch the internal strife of the State of Jin.
However, Kang Wang's plan to assassinate Chu Yi failed again and again. Chu Yi actually arrived at Danyang City safely.
The Sixth Master frowned tightly and threw out another question. "Can this pulse be faked?"
Doctor Cheng thought for a moment and asserted, "Based on my decades of experience as a doctor, Chu Yi has an ailment brought about by his mother's womb. This pulse is difficult to fake."
The Sixth Master lowered his eyes and smirked cynically. He thought to himself, 'Kang Wang must be anxious. He's afraid that Chu Yi will return to the capital and didn't hesitate to ask them to help him deal with Chu Yi.'
Since the Sage had the intention to form an alliance with Kang Wang, this matter would not do them any harm…
The Sixth Master considered the pros and cons in his heart. He suddenly opened his eyes and emitted an ambitious and fierce glint. He said, "Give it to him."
"I'll go prepare now." Doctor Cheng bowed and accepted the order, his eyes shining.
The sun was setting, but the weather showed no signs of turning cold. It was stiflingly hot.
The city was dead. There was neither wind nor insects.
Gu Yanfei looked up at the setting sun outside the window. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed half the sky red.
A suffocating feeling came from her chest. Gu Yanfei narrowed her eyes, and her dark pupils seemed to flash with blood. She whispered to herself, "There's not much time left."
"Meow, meow~"
The little kitten that was squatting at the table meowed softly with a cute endearment that made one's heart tremble.
The kitten was less than two months old and was at the age of being playful. It reached out a furball-like claw to pull at the cinnabar in the porcelain bowl, but in the next moment, the flesh on the back of its neck was pinched by a few slender fingers. Immediately after, its body was lifted up.
The originally noisy kitten curled up its body obediently as if its acupuncture points had been tapped. Just like that, it was thrown into the cat bed by Gu Yanfei.
Qing Guang squatted in the cat bed, licking its paws and washing its face.
Gu Yanfei picked up a calligraphy brush and dipped it in a bright red cinnabar.
Spiritual energy poured into the tip of the brush, and the tip of the brush outlined a winding curve like an earthworm on the pale yellow talisman paper.
But the drawing became slower and slower…
Over the past few days, she had been drawing talismans. However, the spiritual energy in this small world was too weak. Every talisman had failed. Only the two talismans she had drawn with her blood essence on the day of her rebirth had succeeded.
She couldn't possibly use her blood essence to draw talismans every time. She would die early!
Gu Yanfei stared intently at the tip of the brush that was dipped in cinnabar. Her eyes were sore, but she still did not blink.
The hand that held the brush was as light as a feather and yet heavier than Mount Tai.
After repeated failures, she gradually grasped how to communicate with the almost non-existent spiritual energy in the world. She learned how to turn spiritual air into spiritual energy and connect it with the cinnabar at the tip of the pen…
In the beginning, she hadn't been able to draw even a third of a talisman. Now she was only a fraction away.
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