Chapter 33
Mei Liangyu was amused by Yu Sui's answer: "You'd better remember what you just said."
Yu Sui nodded earnestly.
She focused on eating, and Mei Liangyu saw that she had shed her fatigue and become full of energy again, so he didn't concern himself further. Standing up, he said: "Clean up yourself, I'm leaving."
Yu Sui: "Okay."
She ate small bites, calm and slow, taking some time to finish everything in the food box before tidying up and putting the lid back on.
Yu Sui took out her Wind-Listening Ruler and opened it. There were quite a few messages, the most recent from Zhongli Que.
She seemed very anxious.
"Sui Sui, are you alright?"
"After I did divination, I couldn't sleep. I keep feeling something bad happened."
"Are you studying?"
"Sui Sui!"
Yu Sui's fingers gently rubbed the edge of the Wind-Listening Ruler, staring at the messages for a long while before finally replying: "I'm fine."
……
Qingyang Imperial Capital.
Before noon, the younger daughter of Second Master of the Zhongli family suddenly fell gravely ill, collapsing unconscious while dining with her mother. Yesterday, this cousin had arranged to go to the Military School's Heavy Platform with Zhongli Que today. When Zhongli Que heard she had collapsed, she immediately got up and rushed to Second Master's house.
Outside the room, many of the Zhongli family's female relatives were already waiting.
When Zhongli Que and her mother arrived, they saw her Second Aunt crying with red-rimmed eyes, sitting beside the bed looking at her unconscious daughter with tears streaming down.
Zhongli Que's mother, Lady Sun, came to sit beside Second Aunt, placing her hand on her back to comfort her, asking gently: "What did the physician say?"
The maid beside them hesitated to speak.
Second Aunt looked at Lady Sun with tearful eyes, reaching out to tightly grasp her sleeve and choking out: "After the household physician examined her, he said this isn't something an Ordinary Practitioner can resolve and needs a technique physician, but if Xu'er... if word gets out about requesting a technique physician for treatment..."
She really didn't dare think about what would happen next.
Lady Sun gently soothed: "When human life is at stake, if we're constrained by those concerns to the point where even seeking medical treatment is forbidden, that would be truly absurd."
"Where is Second Master?" she asked.
Second Aunt wiped her tears: "Still teaching at the Military School's Heavy Platform. I've already sent someone to notify him."
Lady Sun looked at Zhongli Xu's pale face and dry lips on the bed, even her breathing had become weak. She felt they couldn't delay and said decisively: "Go fetch a technique physician. Xianglin, send someone to invite Miss Chu. See if she's available now. If not, go invite Physician Zhang."
Zhongli Que was startled upon hearing this. Miss Chu?
Was this the Little Medical Saint recently talked about in the imperial capital?
Xianglin went out briefly and returned: "Madam, Miss Chu says she'll come right away."
Lady Sun said: "Send someone to escort her here."
Xianglin nodded in acknowledgment and withdrew to receive the guest.
Lady Sun held Second Aunt's hand, reassuring her: "This Miss Chu is the Little Medical Saint recently talked about in the imperial capital, named Chu Jin. I knew her before she was called the Little Medical Saint. This child is kind-hearted, discreet, skilled in medicine, and very responsible toward her patients. Don't worry, everything will be fine."
Second Aunt looked at her unconscious daughter with her deathly pale complexion, nodding with tears in her eyes.
Zhongli Que stepped forward and asked quietly: "Mother, how do you know Miss Chu?"
Lady Sun stood up, pulling her aside before explaining softly: "Last spring, your Third Aunt and I went to burn incense at Antan Mountain. We encountered heavy rain that stirred up the mountain's miasma. Your Third Aunt, our party, and I all inhaled the miasma, had difficulty breathing, and nearly lost our lives. It was Miss Chu who saved us. At that time, she was still cultivating on Antan Mountain and hadn't come to the imperial capital."
Zhongli Que had no idea that this Miss Chu had such an encounter with her own mother.
"The old injury I sustained when saving your father years ago was also greatly alleviated under Miss Chu's treatment." Lady Sun sighed softly, "Miss Chu is also a pitiful person. It's not easy for her to make her way alone in the imperial capital. I trust her character. Even if something happens to your cousin today, she won't speak of it to others."
Zhongli Que nodded.
The waiting time was unbearably torturous. Everyone kept glancing toward the door until Xianglin led a graceful figure in white through the entrance, and only then did Lady Sun's anxious heart settle.
The young lady Xianglin brought was dressed in white robes with white sashes hanging between the dark colors. She moved with ethereal grace, walking past the screen to reach the inner chamber. Through the gauze curtain, people could see Miss Chu's delicate eyebrows and apricot-shaped eyes, naturally smiling without speaking.
The moment Zhongli Que saw Chu Jin, she felt this person was naturally kind. When those water-cut black pupils looked at you, just one glance and gentle smile would make you feel favorably toward her.
Chu Jin bowed respectfully to the two ladies of the Zhongli family.
Second Aunt rose with tears: "Miss Chu, please save my Xu'er."
"Madam, don't be anxious." Chu Jin's gentle voice seemed to carry spring breezes across one's heart, sweeping away people's worries and depression, refilling them with steady strength.
Chu Jin came to sit beside the bed, reaching out to gently feel Zhongli Xu's forehead. Her fingertips gathered a strand of golden Five Elements energy, lightly touching Zhongli Xu's forehead, nose bridge, eyes, cheeks, and ears in exploration.
Zhongli Que had been curiously watching Chu Jin treat the patient when her Wind-Listening Ruler suddenly buzzed. She quickly retreated outside the chamber, going behind the screen to take out her Wind-Listening Ruler and open it. Seeing Yu Sui's message saying she was fine, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Are you well?" Zhongli Que asked.
Yu Sui briefly described what happened last night, replying: "I've recovered my spirits now."
But Zhongli Que's eyes widened slightly as she read, cursing the Agricultural School people for their shamelessness in her heart, even pressing the message squares harder than usual: "How does he have the nerve to say such things to you? Absolutely no upbringing. He even spoke up for Lady Su, yet Lady Su has never offered them half an explanation."
Her upbringing and cultivation prevented her from using harsher words. Although very angry, she could only repeat those same one or two phrases.
Yu Sui always wanted to laugh whenever she saw Zhongli Que curse at people.
When Zhongli Que got angry, she couldn't hide her fury. Sometimes when she got too worked up, she'd even stutter while cursing, speaking haltingly while her face puffed up with anger, both annoyed and resentful.
Looking at Zhongli Que's repeated messages calling them "shameless," Yu Sui could imagine what expression she must have now, and couldn't help supporting her head and laughing for quite a while.
Zhongli Que told Yu Sui about her cousin Zhongli Xu falling ill, with the imperial capital's Little Medical Saint Miss Chu currently helping to examine her.
"She looks only a few years older than us, yet she's already so capable." When Zhongli Que mentioned Chu Jin, her finger pressure on the message squares also lightened, "Mother says she's trustworthy, but I still need to trouble Sui Sui to help me watch the Wind-Listening Ruler, just in case."
Yu Sui: "Alright."
After thinking for a moment, she asked again: "Didn't this Little Medical Saint visit Lady Su at the Prince's Manor before?"
Zhongli Que replied: "The news from the Prince's Manor said she only stayed briefly and left because she couldn't treat Lady Su's old ailment."
Lady Su's old ailment was due to the Breath Soil. She wondered if this Little Medical Saint had noticed.
But since the Prince's Manor dared let her leave, probably not.
Yu Sui rolled her eyes and opened Old Yan's message interface to send him a message.
Zhongli Que heard Chu Jin say to the two ladies: "The Five Elements energy in her body is chaotic, seemingly affected by some toxin. Has she eaten anything these past two days?"
Second Aunt rallied her spirits: "Bring everything the young miss has eaten these past two days."
Chu Jin used Five Elements energy to gently press Zhongli Xu's abdomen. Zhongli Xu frowned deeply, groaning with discomfort, but as Chu Jin continued pressing, her expression gradually improved and her furrowed brow slowly relaxed.
"I'll first calm the chaotic Five Elements energy in her body. This will make her more comfortable." After thinking for a moment, Chu Jin looked at Lady Sun, "Madam, if it may be spoken, I have something to say."
Lady Sun dismissed the maids, leaving only Second Aunt and Zhongli Que in the room, then looked at Chu Jin: "Speak."
"Although Miss Zhongli has a Five Elements Light Core, she has never cultivated, so she still has Five Elements energy in her body. Her breath has a faint orchid fragrance, her eyes are clouded, and her Five Elements energy is chaotic, which are reactions to drinking Earth Spirit Water." Chu Jin said softly, "And this Earth Spirit Water... is the main ingredient for making Orchid Poison."
On the Xuangu Continent, among the Six Kingdoms, there was a forbidden substance called Orchid Poison.
It would devour people's rationality and self-awareness, granting momentary peace and beauty, making you addicted, then taking away everything you had.
Whether Ordinary Practitioners or Nine Schools Arts practitioners, none could escape its toxic temptation. That's why it was banned by the Six Kingdoms, who attempted to destroy all Orchid Poison in the world. Privately hoarding, selling, and consuming Orchid Poison were all serious crimes that could implicate nine generations of one's clan.
Even if what Zhongli Xu consumed wasn't Orchid Poison itself but the Earth Spirit Water used to make it, it would still cause huge waves in the imperial capital.
Lady Sun's face changed slightly as she looked at Second Aunt, who swayed and whispered softly: "Impossible, how could she... I clearly..."
Chu Jin continued: "Fortunately, the amount was small. Perhaps she regretted it right after drinking and stopped, or maybe she drank it by mistake. Today I'll first expel the remaining toxins from her body, then with proper care afterward, she'll be fine."
Second Aunt covered her face with both hands and sobbed.
Lady Sun supported her shoulder, telling her to calm down first.
When Second Master of the Zhongli family returned and learned of this matter, he had a huge fight with Second Aunt.
"I told you long ago to manage her properly! Not to let her run around outside, and now she dares to touch even such things!" Second Master was so angry the veins on his forehead bulged, "She's been spoiled by you to the point of lawlessness. I usually forbid her from going out, but you constantly make exceptions for her. When she does such rebellious things, don't you think about the consequences?!"
Second Aunt was already crying too hard to speak.
Lady Sun signaled Zhongli Que to escort Chu Jin away first. Zhongli Que obediently complied, going over to lead Chu Jin out.
Chu Jin smiled at her slightly and got up to follow.
Zhongli Que led Chu Jin outside, saying along the way: "I didn't know before that Miss Chu had saved my mother at Antan Mountain. Now that I know, I must thank Miss Chu properly."
Chu Jin smiled with pursed lips: "Lady Sun is kind and caring, and has helped me greatly. If we're talking about who helped whom more, it's Lady Sun who helped me more. If anyone should be thanking anyone, it should be me thanking the young miss and Lady Sun."
Hearing her speak so warmly and pleasingly, Zhongli Que felt she could never hear enough.
"Today's matter with my cousin has also troubled Miss Chu." Zhongli Que looked at her with elegant demeanor, "If Miss Chu ever needs anything in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."
"Since the young miss mentions it, I do indeed have a favor to ask." Chu Jin laughed softly, "Lady Sun's old injury from her youth often causes her back and leg pain, especially on rainy days. When severe, even walking is difficult. Having her come to me frequently for massage and acupuncture is inconvenient for her, and when it flares up, movement is also difficult."
"Why don't I teach this set of techniques to the young miss? You're often by Lady Sun's side, so you could regularly massage her to provide relief and reduce her pain."
Zhongli Que was stunned: "This is the favor you want to ask?"
Chu Jin nodded gently, looking at Zhongli Que with smiling eyes: "What does the young miss think?"
"But I..." Before Zhongli Que could finish expressing her concerns, Chu Jin continued: "These are just ordinary medical massage techniques, unrelated to Nine Schools Arts. The young miss learning these skills for her own mother won't give anyone cause for gossip or grounds to attack the Zhongli family."
"Alright." Zhongli Que nodded, "I really can't bear to see my mother suffer during the rainy season either."
Chu Jin's eyes curved with her smile: "To avoid gossip, I'll have to trouble the young miss to come to my medical clinic in the future."
It would indeed be inconvenient for her to frequently visit the Zhongli family, as that would invite suspicion. Better for Zhongli Que to come directly to her clinic for lessons. With many eyes and ears there, it would confirm that Zhongli Que wasn't learning Nine Schools Arts, just a few massage techniques to ease her mother's pain.
Zhongli Que bowed slightly: "It's no trouble. Let's settle on that then."
The sunlight hid in the sea of clouds, casting deep shadows on the ground.
Chu Jin got into the departing carriage and bid farewell to Zhongli Que standing at the door.
Zhongli Que watched the direction the carriage departed for a long time. So gentle and understanding, no wonder Mother likes her so much.