Chapter 207: Unpleasant Smell
Leaving the commander’s tent, Feng Xiyan went to the military infirmary. Along the way, the soldiers clasped their fists and greeted him as he passed.
Upon stepping through the gate of the military infirmary area, Feng Xiyan noticed it was not as busy as before.
After looking around, he stopped a physician apprentice and asked, "Little Brother. Do you know where Physician Yan is?"
The physician apprentice clasped his hands, bowed slightly, and replied, "Answering the Great General, Physician Yan is currently resting in his tent."
Getting Yan Bingyang’s location, Feng Xiyan nodded and said, "Thank you."
The physician apprentice bowed again as Feng Xiyan walked toward Yan Bingyang’s tent.
Ten minutes later, the soldiers guarding the tent saw Feng Xiyan approaching. Clasping their fists, they greeted in unison, "This subordinate greets the Great General."
Feng Xiyan nodded, and the soldiers lifted the tent flap for him.
Inside, Yan Bingyang was weighing medicinal herbs. Not wanting to disturb him, Feng Xiyan sat on a low chair and poured himself a cup of water.
When Yan Bingyang finished wrapping the medicinal herbs, he was surprised to see Feng Xiyan drinking water there.
"Great General, when did you get here?" he asked while tying the pack of medicinal herbs along with three others.
Placing the empty cup on the table, Feng Xiyan smiled and replied, "This general just arrived. Physician Yan, have you finished your work?"
Yan Bingyang nodded. "Yes. I just need to call someone to deliver the medicine to the patients."
He paused briefly, then asked, "Great General, you didn’t come here just to drink water, did you? Are you in need of medicine, or are you feeling unwell?"
Feng Xiyan shook his head and said, "Physician Yan is right. This general didn’t come here just for drinking water."
Seeing Feng Xiyan in full armor and carrying his black sword, Yan Bingyang asked, "Is the Yuezhi Tribe attacking again?"
Feng Xiyan shook his head again and explained, "Physician Yan, I need you to remove the poison from Ji Hui’s body."
Yan Bingyang raised an eyebrow at his words and asked, "Great General, have you found the imperial decree?"
"Not yet," Feng Xiyan replied calmly.
Curious as to why he had not yet found the imperial decree but wanted to remove the poison from Ji Hui’s body, Yan Bingyang asked, "Then why do you want to remove the poison?"
"Because we haven’t found the imperial decree," Feng Xiyan said with a smile, "I plan to interrogate Ji Hui."
Realizing what he wanted to do, Yan Bingyang lit a candle for Ji Hui in his heart.
Picking up his medicine box, he calmly said, "Don’t worry, Great General. Ji Hui will wake up today, whether he wants to or not."
Feng Xiyan chuckled at his words, stood up, and gestured for him to exit the tent. "Physician Yan, after you."
Carrying his medicine box, Yan Bingyang left the tent with Feng Xiyan following behind.
Looking at the soldiers guarding the tent, Feng Xiyan ordered, "Prepare a horse carriage for Physician Yan and bring me my horse."
One of the soldiers clasped his fists and responded, "This subordinate will prepare them immediately."
Before long, the soldier returned with Feng Xiyan’s warhorse and a coachman with the carriage.
Taking the reins from the soldier, Feng Xiyan mounted his war horse. Seeing Yan Bingyang board the horse carriage, he said, "To the Xiqiang Inn."
Then, he rode out of the Feng Army barracks, with the horse carriage following behind.
An hour later, Feng Xiyan stopped in front of Xiqiang Inn.
Watching him dismounted his war horse, the elite soldiers clasped their fists and greeted him. "This subordinate greets the Great General."
When Yan Bingyang stepped down from the carriage, they also greeted him. "Physician Yan."
Yan Bingyang nodded in response and asked, "Anything happen today?"
The captain stepped forward and replied, "Answering Physician Yan. They didn’t cause any trouble today."
Hearing this, Feng Xiyan turned to Yan Bingyang and asked, "Do they usually cause trouble?"
Yan Bingyang thought for a moment, then said, "It wouldn’t be right to call it trouble. They are just... a little demanding."
When he said that, Feng Xiyan tilted his head slightly, not fully understanding what Yan Bingyang meant.
Smiling at him, Yan Bingyang walked into the inn. "You will understand once you see it."
Getting curious, Feng Xiyan followed him inside.
As they walked up the stairs, Feng Xiyan suddenly stopped and frowned. "What is this unpleasant smell?"
While Feng Xiyan looked around to find the source of the unpleasant smell, Yan Bingyang took two surgical masks from his medicine box and handed one to Feng Xiyan.
As he put his on, he said, "Great General, you’d better wear this."
Feng Xiyan looked at him for a moment, then obediently put it on.
As they continued to the second floor, the smell grew stronger. By the time they reached Ji Hui’s door, the stench was so overwhelming that Feng Xiyan felt nauseous.
Smelling the familiar, nauseating smell, his eyes flickered as he muttered, "This is the smell of rotten flesh."
Yan Bingyang nodded. "Yes."
Seeing that he was not surprised, Feng Xiyan lowered his voice and asked, "Is this the result of the poison?"
Yan Bingyang nodded again. He then lowered his voice and explained, "If we delay detoxifying the poison any longer, Ji Hui’s body will rot, and he will die within three days."
When he said that, Feng Xiyan glanced at Yan Bingyang.
Recalling his mother’s teaching in the past, Feng Xiyan thought, ’Mother was right. There are two people I must never offend in this life, my wife and a skilled physician.’
Oblivious to Feng Xiyan’s thoughts, Yan Bingyang knocked on the door. A few seconds later, it was opened from the inside.
The adjutant saw Yan Bingyang standing there and quickly pulled him in, and anxiously said, "Physician Yan, please check on General Ji. He hasn’t woken up, and his wounds are starting to rot!"
Stumbling slightly from the sudden tug, Yan Bingyang said, "Slow down. Don’t pull my clothes."