Oops… not me ghosting after promising regular uploads! T_T Sorry, I’ve been buried in classes and work. I miss everyone in the comments! Enjoy the extra updates!
..Aren’t we getting a little too close?
This thought flashed through Wen Qingci’s mind.
The next moment, Xie Bufeng let go of his hand and slowly stood up straight.
Out of the corner of his eye, Wen Qingci noticed that the imperial physician’s slap was not light, leaving a glaring red mark on the back of Xie Bufeng’s hand.
“What are you standing here for?” Xie Bufeng’s amber eyes slowly swept over everyone in the room. “If you have any objections, just tell me.” His tone was hard to read.
“No, no objections…”
Everyone immediately complied, scrambling around Yu Guanlin, hastily grabbing the prescribed medicines.
The temporarily converted pharmacy became extremely busy in an instant.
Only the imperial physician who had accidentally hit Xie Bufeng’s hand remained kneeling on the ground, trembling, feeling as if he was facing death.
Xie Bufeng glanced at him, frowning slightly. “Kneeling here without moving, do you want me to help you up personally?”
“No, no… uh, Master, thank you.”
The young imperial physician was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly stood up with the help of a nearby medicine cabinet.
It wasn’t until a colleague handed him the balance scale that he realized—His Majesty didn’t hold it against him?
Then, he couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Xie Bufeng.
The young imperial physician had never experienced such a storm, and at this moment, his thoughts were completely written on his face.
And this glance happened to meet Xie Bufeng’s eyes.
The imperial physician’s face instantly turned ashen.
After a pause, Xie Bufeng asked him with a half-smile, “Do you think I am that petty?”
“I dare not, I dare not.”
Although the imperial physician’s mind was blank, he finally remembered to say something and immediately squeezed into the crowd to weigh the medicine.
Only Wen Qingci remained standing in place, stunned.
Wen Qingci: …
No one had ever mentioned the word “petty” in front of Xie Bufeng. Could he have heard it from that imperial physician’s thoughts?
If he remembered correctly, influenced by the novel “Supporting the Ming Hall,” he had also secretly thought of him this way.
…So Xie Bufeng, could he have heard it too?
This matter was completely unthinkable—
Wen Qingci prescribed common medicines, but due to different properties, each dose had to be boiled three times. By the time all the decoctions were ready, an hour had passed.
During this time, he did not rest but returned to the open space outside the yamen office to perform acupuncture on the patient from earlier.
He then diagnosed several patients with special symptoms, working tirelessly.
Shortly after noon, a servant rushed into the room and said to Wen Qingci, who was writing prescriptions, “Physician, you should go out and take a look. Someone just vomited blood shortly after taking the medicine!”
The next moment, everyone in the room turned their eyes towards him.
…Vomiting blood after taking the medicine?!
Yu Guanlin, who had always been concerned about his reputation, became nervous and stood up to ask, “Is it an isolated case?”
“It shouldn’t be, there are now five or six people with the same reaction,” the servant said with a troubled expression.
“Hurry! Take me there.” Yu Guanlin’s face changed, and he immediately wanted to go out and see.
Although the main responsibility for this matter lay with the two “” invited by Xie Bufeng, the only well-known figure was himself, the imperial physician.
If something really went wrong, the bad reputation would be all his.
“Yes, Imperial Physician.”
The servant hurriedly supported the elderly Yu Guanlin and quickened his pace towards the yamen office.
At this moment, Wen Qingci finally put down his pen and followed them out.
He seemed neither hurried nor worried, as if he had anticipated this scene.
Everyone in the room looked at each other in confusion.
After a long time, confirming that Wen Qingci would not return, someone finally couldn’t help but whisper, “Why do I feel like he wasn’t surprised at all?”
“…The medicines he prescribed, it’s strange if there was no reaction.”
After a few days of interaction, the imperial physicians confirmed that the two quack physicians were not ignorant of medical principles.
The person who prescribed the medicine must have known what adverse reactions it would cause.
He dared to do this… perhaps he was truly skilled and bold.
Outside the yamen office.
People kept dying and were taken to the wilderness to be burned.
Others were brought in, waiting for treatment.
A scene of life and death cycles.
The symptom of vomiting blood was too frightening, and the people had surrounded the patients.
Seeing Yu Guanlin arrive, they immediately sought his help, “Imperial Physician, please take a look, why are they vomiting blood?”
“Calm down.” Yu Guanlin immediately took the pulse.
After a while, his previously furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
Yu Guanlin found that the patient lying on the plank, vomiting blood, was already in the final stage of the disease, with cold limbs and unconsciousness.
…At this stage, almost no medicine could help.
But now, although the patient’s pulse was dangerous and indeed showed signs of poisoning, there was no sign of imminent death.
The medicine just given had worked.
Yu Guanlin felt a mix of emotions, both sorrow and joy…
Sorrow that he might never be able to write such a prescription in his life.
Joy that there was someone in the world who could write such a prescription.
At this moment, Wen Qingci also arrived.
The glaring summer sun cast a faint silver edge on his body.
Under everyone’s gaze, Yu Guanlin slowly smiled, sighed, and put down his hand, then stood up and said towards Wen Qingci, “Since ancient times, heroes have emerged from the youth. Perhaps this illness should not be treated by an old man like me.”
Then, he slowly cupped his hands in salute.
The scorching summer sun shone from the horizon, and fine beads of sweat appeared on Yu Guanlin’s forehead.
He realized very clearly that he was truly old.
Everyone outside the yamen office turned to look at Wen Qingci.
The young Physician in white walked over and simply took the pulse, “No worries, they will be much better after tonight.”
He then took out pain-relief pills from his medicine box and distributed them to the patients.
Throughout, Wen Qingci remained calm and unflustered.
*
The new prescription’s effect was almost immediate compared to the previous ones.
By the next morning, many patients’ conditions visibly improved.
Another day passed, and the results became even more apparent.
At this point, the imperial physicians finally breathed a sigh of relief, but Wen Qingci remained vigilant.
To cure the epidemic, one dose of medicine was not enough.
In the afternoon, Wen Qingci, Song Junran, and the imperial physicians of Yongdu gathered in the conference hall to discuss the next steps.
“…Once the symptoms lighten, the dosage must be reduced to prevent the medicine from being too strong and harming the body’s vital energy,” Wen Qingci said while writing and drawing on the rice paper. “The dosage for each person must be adjusted according to the changes in their condition. This matter requires everyone’s constant attention.”
Adjusting the dosage was crucial to the effectiveness of the prescription.
This task could not be accomplished by one person alone.
“Yes, yes!” Everyone responded quickly.
A few days ago, they might have regarded Wen Qingci as a “quack Physician.”
But today, they wished they could worship him like a God.
—If this epidemic could indeed be successfully handled, they could follow this man and make a name for themselves in history.
Learning a thing or two from him would only benefit their future medical practice.
“Is there anything else you need?” they asked eagerly.
Wen Qingci smiled and shook his head, “Not for now. Do you have any other matters?”
“No, no,” everyone shook their heads immediately.
The conference hall fell silent as the imperial physicians began organizing their notes on the rice paper, studying the intricacies of the prescription.
At that moment, a figure in dark robes suddenly appeared at the door.
It is Xie Bufeng.
Seeing him, the surrounding imperial physicians immediately tensed up, fearing they might accidentally offend the emperor.
But Xie Bufeng didn’t spare them a glance.
He walked in slowly, holding a small wooden box.
“This is a gift from the people outside the yamen office,” he said, gently placing the box on the table.
Wen Qingci paused and slowly picked it up.
Opening the box, he saw a small wooden carving inside.
Seeing this, Song Junran also came over.
“This is your hand,” Song Junran said softly, recognizing the carving. “They really put their hearts into it.”
Due to the size of the wood, the carving only depicted a right hand.
It was carved in the likeness of Wen Qingci holding a silver needle.
A faint fragrance wafted from Wen Qingci’s hand, passing through the white gauze to his nose.
…It was a piece of sandalwood.
In Yongdu, it might not be much, but in Lianhe, it was the most valuable possession of a family.
“This is too precious,” Wen Qingci shook his head.
The item in his hand felt heavier than gold.
Wen Qingci handled it with extreme care.
He had never received such a grand gift…
“Keep it well,” Yu Guanlin said, putting down his teacup and bowing to Xie Bufeng before walking over to Wen Qingci with a smile. “Consider it as encouragement for yourself. It’s the patients’ heartfelt gratitude.”
Xie Bufeng, standing aside, nodded slowly.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the praise, Wen Qingci paused and said modestly, “It was also due to everyone’s cooperation and the trust of the inspector. If it weren’t for your bold decision to use my prescription…”
Unexpectedly, Xie Bufeng suddenly looked at him and shook his head, interrupting him, “It wasn’t a reckless decision. Only you could accomplish this.”
Xie Bufeng’s gaze was incredibly serious.
Being unconditionally trusted was a very peculiar feeling.
Wen Qingci had traveled the world for many years, encountering countless epidemics.
But even in life-and-death situations, most patients, knowing the Physician before them was “Wen Qingci,” would avoid him like the plague…
No one had ever been willing to give him such an opportunity.
This was the first time, and also the only time.
Wen Qingci’s heart couldn’t help but tremble slightly at Xie Bufeng’s words.
But at the same time, a strange thought arose in his mind…
Before he could think further, Xie Bufeng’s voice was drowned out by the flattery of the crowd.
Wen Qingci paused, then had to continue politely with the imperial physicians.
After everyone left, he picked up the wooden carving again, slowly brushing his fingers over the silver needle in the carving’s hand.
“What’s wrong, junior brother?” Song Junran asked curiously, leaning closer.
The wooden needle lightly pricked Wen Qingci’s index finger. Accompanied by a sharp pain, he paused and lowered his voice to say to Song Junran, “I always feel that Xie Bufeng’s words are a bit strange.”
“Strange?” Song Junran’s eyes changed. “In what way?” he asked.
Wen Qingci placed the wooden carving back into the box and said softly, “To him, we should just be two unfamiliar wandering Physicians. Don’t you think he seems to… trust us a bit too much?”
Song Junran: …
Actually, only you.
“Really?” Song Junran picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, slightly unnaturally. “Maybe he just doesn’t trust those imperial physicians in the palace.”
Wen Qingci was silent for a while, finally voicing the thought buried in his heart: “Senior brother, do you think he might have… discovered something long ago?”
As he spoke, he couldn’t help but tighten his grip on the wooden box in his hand.
“Cough, cough, cough…” Song Junran put down the teacup, immediately interrupting Wen Qingci’s train of thought. “I think you’re really overworked and starting to imagine things.”
He gritted his teeth and said, “His Majesty the Emperor is wise and capable, perhaps he… was born with the ability to appoint the right people.”
Author’s note:
Senior brother: He better be.
Informacje Krajowe on BLPSG Chapter 76: Reunion in the Dead City: “There is a quiet authority in your prose. It persuades not through insistence, but by the calm consistency of observation…” Sep 16, 11:54
