Chapter 92

Chapter 92

When the old man said he could cure, his face was flushed with urgency. The yamen runner beside him was about to drag away this insolent old man, but Qi Hanzhou had Ye Xuanjiu handle it. The matter of the Sixth Prince's poisoning couldn't be publicized, but the commoners present didn't take the old man's words seriously. Lately, rumors about the Sixth Prince's illness had already grown exaggerated, and because of the previous food shortage rumors, the people had learned their lesson—without proof, they wouldn't believe anything.

As the yamen runners dispersed the crowd, Chen Xuqiu saw the red-faced old man growing anxious. She quickly walked over and bowed respectfully: "Elder, this way, please."

The red-faced old man stared at Chen Xuqiu for a moment. Seeing Qi Hanzhou approach, he silently moved a few steps away from him. Turning his head to look at Chen Xuqiu, he asked, "Where is he?"

Qi Hanzhou nodded, and Chen Xuqiu led the man inside.

In a temporarily constructed room behind the Jiangling Prefectural Office, several Light Garment Guards were stationed. When Chen Xuqiu brought in an unfamiliar face, the guards in hiding became instantly alert. Just these past few days, several waves of assassins had tried to infiltrate the office to kill Ying Fusheng, including one disguised as a medicine merchant only a few days ago.

Qi Hanzhou glanced around, and the Light Garment Guards understood—they quickly concealed themselves.

A person who could accurately state that Ying Fusheng had been poisoned could also be, for example, someone sent by the mastermind behind the scenes. Until certain, Qi Hanzhou would not allow any unidentified person to approach him.

"This is—" The imperial physician found the man somewhat familiar.

Chen Xuqiu explained in a low voice: "A doctor from Jiangling, quite skilled. Let him have a look."

The red-faced old man walked slowly, following Chen Xuqiu without looking around, until he entered the room where Ying Fusheng lay. His nose twitched, as if identifying the medicinal scents in the air.

Qi Hanzhou stepped closer. When the red-faced old man approached Ying Fusheng, he stayed by the side, ready to intervene at any moment.

Earlier, at the yamen gate, the old man had spoken with certainty, but when he actually saw Ying Fusheng's complexion, his expression turned grave. Ying Fusheng lay in a coma, his brows tightly knit, his lips pale. In just a few days, his condition had worsened significantly since his time in the refugee camp. The red-faced old man gently felt his pulse, taking a long time. When the imperial physician finally couldn't hold back and asked, he spoke slowly: "Chronic poisoning for years, the poison has entered the lungs and organs. There was fetal poisoning, and the poison was once drawn out..."

He rolled up Ying Fusheng's sleeve, saw the needle marks on his wrist, and asked, "This technique—what is your relationship with that old woman named Chen?"

Hearing this, Chen Xuqiu knew this old man possessed true skill. The Chen family's acupuncture method was rare, and her grandmother's modified technique had gone unrecognized even by the imperial physicians. But this old man saw through it at once: "She is my grandmother."

The red-faced old man froze for a moment, then turned back to look at Chen Xuqiu.

When he turned around again, his gaze toward Ying Fusheng held a touch more seriousness. "This pulse suggests Suihongzi."

"One ingredient is Suihongzi, but the other—the fetal poison—is hard to diagnose," Chen Xuqiu said.

Hearing that the fetal poison was difficult to diagnose, the old man frowned. "Drawing out poison is something your Chen family is better at than me."

"His lungs and organs are in such a bad state—he's had a cough for a long time, hasn't he?"

Song An was startled. Yes, the prince's cough had never eased since arriving in Jiangling. He often woke coughing at night and took a long time to calm down before he could rest again.

The young man lying on the bed had a pallid complexion. This was not a sign of longevity. With fetal poison eating away at him since childhood and a history of Suihongzi, two potent poisons entwined in his body, it was a miracle he had survived this long, thanks to the royal family's resources to keep him alive. The red-faced old man had only seen him once before, but now, feeling this pulse... he couldn't help but examine him more carefully.

The imperial physician watched from the side. The old man had been diagnosing for a long time but hadn't said anything crucial.

He looked at Chen Xuqiu with doubt. Chen Xuqiu observed the old man's movements. After about half an incense stick's time, the old man finally stood up. "Give me paper and brush."

Paper and brush were already prepared. The old man ignored the imperial physician, sat down, and dipped the brush in ink to write.

As he wrote the prescription, he paused and deliberated every step.

It took him a long time to finish the prescription. He put down the brush and handed it to Chen Xuqiu: "His body can only be treated slowly. Follow this prescription for the next few days."

Chen Xuqiu glanced over the written formula, and a light shone in her eyes.

The prescription didn't mention poison at all, but it clearly outlined how to nourish and regulate the body. Ying Fusheng's body was too depleted for ordinary tonic formulas to work. But the herbs listed in this prescription were precisely targeted at the key points for nurturing his health. Ying Fusheng remained unconscious because his organs were too weak—this regulating formula was aimed directly at that.

The red-faced old man seemed to have come only to write the prescription. After finishing, he picked up his crutch and slowly hobbled out. Chen Xuqiu hurried to see him off. Qi Hanzhou looked at the imperial physician beside him, who was already studying the prescription with the other doctors.

"Any problems?" Qi Hanzhou asked.

"We'll try it, but the use of medicines is ingenious. This elder is truly skilled," the imperial physician said.

The Jiangling Prefectural Office became busy. The imperial physicians quickly set about preparing and testing the medicine according to the prescription.

Qi Hanzhou went out. By this time, Ye Xuanjiu had already investigated the red-faced old man's background and came to report.

This man's surname was Wu. It was said he was from Western Shu. Years ago, he had fled as a refugee to this place. Because of his lame leg and burns, and his stubborn personality, he ended up doing odd jobs at a medicine shop in the city. The shopkeeper said he understood some pharmacology, but he had once offended a high-ranking official and didn't even have travel documents—he was a black household in the city.

"He never tried to get registered?" Qi Hanzhou frowned.

Ye Xuanjiu said: "The shopkeeper said he offered to use connections to help him register, but he refused. All these years, he never left the city. He's quite bold—he managed to evade the household registration checks before. Because he had skills and knew medicine, the shopkeeper kept him on."

"Does anyone have close dealings with him?" Qi Hanzhou asked.

"People at the medicine shop don't like interacting with him. They say he has a strange temper," Ye Xuanjiu said carefully. "He has no friends or relatives. He takes care of an eight-year-old child he picked up during a snow disaster a few years ago. Strangely, he never registered himself, but he specifically asked the shopkeeper to register the child."

Qi Hanzhou thought it over. "Have someone tail him."

Inside the Jiangling Prefectural Office, the imperial physicians had already tested the medicine. Only after confirming it was safe did they dare administer it to the prince. Several doses of the newly decocted medicine were prepared. When Qi Hanzhou fed the medicine, he felt that Ying Fusheng had grown even thinner. The vitality in him had weakened considerably. Earlier, he sometimes muttered deliriously, but lately, when fed the medicine, he remained quiet.

Half a month had passed, and he showed no sign of improvement.

Qi Hanzhou finished feeding him, helped him lie down, and after handling the relevant matters, went to deal with other business. In these days, not only had there been attempts to assassinate Ying Fusheng, but many had also tried to sneak into the prefectural prison. As news that the Sixth Prince had been enfeoffed as a king reached Jiangling, people in the officialdom of Jiangnan grew restless. They couldn't use official duties to transfer these people away, so they resorted to killing them to silence them.

After several days of interrogation, most officials were just following orders. The biggest problem in Jiangling Prefecture lay with Prefect Liu.

But Prefect Liu was a tough nut to crack. Qi Hanzhou used some methods and uncovered two leads on him: one involved grain transactions between Jiangling and the Prince of Qin's domain in Western Shu, and the other was correspondence between Prefect Liu and a high-ranking official in Jiangnan officialdom.

"So, the Prince of Qin moved grain from Jiangling without reporting it to the court?"

Ye Xuanjiu hesitated. "Is there something wrong in Western Shu?"

If one talked about wealth, Jiangnan was far richer than Western Shu, and its officialdom was more complicated.

Qi Hanzhou had first gone to Jiangnan and obtained clues about the chief commander from a secret signal, but he had only uncovered half a list. He still hadn't found the chief commander's whereabouts. He had sent people to watch everyone on the list, but the list only pointed to high-ranking officials in Jiangnan, with no clear indication of which prince or marquis was behind it.

Now it seemed that the Prince of Qin, though in Western Shu, was deeply connected with people in Jiangnan officialdom. He was the prime suspect.

If this conclusion held, then the Prince of Jin also came under suspicion. As the most powerful prince in Jiangnan, these covert activities couldn't have been completely hidden from him. This meant that the secret exchanges between Western Shu and Jiangnan must have been known to both the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin.

"And the Prince of Pingnan's estate?" Qi Hanzhou asked.

When Ye Xuanjiu came south, he had discussed with Old General Chen about consulting the Prince of Pingnan. This prince had been guarding the southern border for years, and many things would be easier to handle through his connections. But he learned that the Prince of Pingnan, who a few years ago could still drink and laugh with Old General Chen, had been bedridden for the last two years. When Old General Chen went to visit, the prince could no longer speak.

"The Prince of Pingnan is old. He had old injuries from the battlefield. In this situation, I'm afraid we can only approach the Prince of Pingnan's heir," Ye Xuanjiu said. "Should I go to the estate?"

Qi Hanzhou pondered. "No, let's wait."

He had no deep connection with the Prince of Pingnan; it was only through his father, Qi Shen, that there was a relationship. As for the heir, he had only met him a few times in the capital. Even Old General Chen knew only part of his and Ying Fusheng's plans. As long as the Prince of Pingnan was not in his right mind, Qi Hanzhou would not resort to using the Prince of Pingnan's connections.

Ye Xuanjiu looked at his young general. After everything that had happened in the capital, the young general questioned everything before believing.

He had even taken the risk to send a message to the northern border to summon the Light Garment Guards. The young general trusted no one in this investigation. Back when he was in the northern border and returned to the capital, General Qi had suggested he stay up north—victorious troops returning to court would likely have left him assigned to the capital. But the young general still returned to the capital, all for the truth about Youzhou City.

Now that the culprit behind the tragic massacre in Youzhou City is likely in the southern frontier, the Junior General will definitely not let it go.

He took the order and continued his investigation.

Qi Hanzhou, seeing him leave, turned and instinctively headed toward the back courtyard.

He paused mid-step. The habit of walking toward the back courtyard seemed to have formed unconsciously over the past two weeks in Jiangling. Every day after finishing his official duties, he would go there. Most of the time, the person inside was asleep, yet somehow, staying there for a while always brought a sense of peace to his heart.

Looking down, he noticed the bloodstains on his robes, remembering that he had been to the refugee camp today. He turned to leave.

Just then, urgent footsteps sounded from behind. He stopped and turned around. The imperial physician rushed out, looking agitated, and when he saw Qi Hanzhou, he said excitedly: "Commander! His Highness is awake!"

Qi Hanzhou was momentarily stunned. Before he knew it, he was already at the back courtyard of the government office.

Inside the chamber, Song An was helping the bedridden man sit up. Ying Fusheng struggled to rise, sweat beading on his forehead. Sitting up seemed to take great effort; his trembling hands propped him up until he leaned against the bedding, finally relaxing his effort.

When Ying Fusheng regained consciousness, the first thing he felt was the weakness in his body.

Even moving a finger brought a deep ache in the marrow of his bones. In his previous life, when he was gravely ill, his bones ached every day without exception. This familiar sensation stirred a faint discomfort within him.

Though he had endured such debilitating pain day and night in his past life, the recurrence of this powerlessness now brought only disgust. Rebirth had changed much. The poison Suihongzi had not driven him to madness as in his previous life. He felt his current body was far better than before, but the aftermath of the poison attack at Beishan Hunting Ground had brought him back to the condition of his past life.

He was not afraid of death—only afraid that he wouldn't have time to take the damned down with him.

"How many days?" Ying Fusheng's voice was weak.

Song An replied, "Your Highness, it has been over two weeks..."

Hearing "two weeks," Ying Fusheng's gaze sharpened, and he was about to summon Weng Yanqing.

But as he turned his head, he saw Qi Hanzhou standing by the door.

The room was dim; the light from outside streaming in as Qi Hanzhou stood silhouetted against the light. Ying Fusheng's eyes, unused to the brightness after days of sleep, stung. He recalled many times in the past when he would wake to find Qi Hanzhou standing just outside the door.

Qi Hanzhou always carried the lingering smell of blood from his kills. Each time he came, he would stand outside for a long time, leaving the door barely open to keep the cold wind out. Yet he would always be discovered when Ying Fusheng was awake. Then, he would take off his sword and outer robe before entering.

This moment felt like a lifetime had passed. Before he could react, Qi Hanzhou was already by his side, gently adjusting his position so he could lean more comfortably against the piled bedding.

"Qi Hanzhou," Ying Fusheng called out.

Qi Hanzhou gave a low hum in response. "Go fetch the herbal medicine."

Song An understood and quickly hurried off to the pharmacy at the back, saying, "Chen Xuqiu has gone to find someone. Your illness came on suddenly. Chu Taiyi didn't come, but the Empress Dowager sent medicine from the capital and sent a letter for you."

Ying Fusheng caught a crucial piece of information from his words: someone had come from the capital.

Hoarsely, he asked, "Who came?"

"Meng Jinyuan. He's still in Jiangling Prefecture," Qi Hanzhou said.

Ying Fusheng pondered this, about to ask more, when Song An returned with the medicine.

Qi Hanzhou took the bowl and stirred the bitter herbal decoction. As the pungent smell reached him, Ying Fusheng was momentarily dazed. When the spoon was brought to his lips, he instinctively opened his mouth.

The warm medicine was just the right temperature, sliding down his throat, soothing his dry, hoarse throat.

This task, usually handled by Song An, had somehow become Qi Hanzhou's. Still groggy from the long sleep, Ying Fusheng finished the entire bowl without thinking.

"Why is Meng Jinyuan here?" Ying Fusheng asked.

Qi Hanzhou didn't answer him. "There are some things; we'll discuss them once you've recovered."

Ying Fusheng was taken aback, sensing something off. "You—"

Before he could finish, voices came from outside the chamber. Wang Guanzhi strode in, carrying an old man on his back.

"He's here!" Wang Guanzhi announced.

The imperial physician's loud voice carried outside, spreading the good news. Chen Xuqiu had gone to fetch Old Man Wu from the infirmary as soon as Ying Fusheng woke. That herbal prescription had seemed unremarkable—a simple restorative formula—and the imperial physicians had seen more refined ones. But for someone who had been unconscious for days to suddenly awaken, the cause couldn't be just a restorative; the prescription had hit the mark exactly.

After using the medicine for only four days, the patient whom the physicians had been helpless to treat had regained consciousness.

The imperial physicians felt as if they had encountered a modern-day Hua Tuo. The Jiangling government office dispatched people personally to invite him, afraid he might refuse. Vice Prefect Xu and Weng Yanqing set aside their official duties and rushed over. On the way, they ran into Wang Guanzhi. When Lord Wang saw that Old Wu had difficulty walking, he didn't hesitate to hoist him onto his back and run.

The old man cursed him all the way, but Wang Guanzhi had carried stones on the embankment; an old man was no burden at all. He carried him all the way into the Jiangling government office.

Old Wu's curses stopped when they entered the chamber. He saw the person who had awoken and was now sitting upright on the bed.

The Sixth Prince—no, now it should be Prince Yan. The imperial decree had spread throughout Jiangling. Now, every street and alley in the city was buzzing with the news that Jiangling would become Prince Yan's fief. The refugees, who had endured floods and epidemics, found their nearly two months of fear and uncertainty soothed by Prince Yan and the current Jiangling government.

When they heard that Jiangling would be under Prince Yan's administration, the commoners came to the government office daily to inquire about his condition. And now, the man who had been unconscious for days sat there silently.

Looking at him in person, Old Wu found it hard to believe that this young man was responsible for the peace in Jiangling. If it were indeed him, then what would become of the southern frontier in the future...

He got down from Wang Guanzhi's back, hobbled over to Ying Fusheng on his cane, and solemnly bowed: "Your Highness."

Old Wu had a peculiar temper. He had even cursed Wang Guanzhi before.

This was the first time everyone had seen him bow so formally.

Ying Fusheng shook his head. Too weak to move much, he could only nod slightly: "No need for formalities. Thank you, elder, for saving my life."

"I'm just a common doctor, nothing special," said Old Wu.

"Please, Your Highness, allow me to take a more detailed pulse."

Old Wu became very serious. He took the pulse with far more care than before. The pulse condition before him was indeed the most complex he had seen in all his years—it had already deteriorated when the poison erupted. Yet this prince not only survived but dared to use such a frail body to enter the epidemic-stricken Jiangling.

He could only say it was bold beyond measure. And yet Jiangling could not do without someone like him.

This pulse diagnosis took half an incense stick's time before Old Wu lowered his hand. He seemed hesitant to speak.

Qi Hanzhou, sensing his reluctance, waved a hand to dismiss the others, keeping only Chen Xuqiu and Song An. Now, the entire court and the Jiangnan officialdom were watching Ying Fusheng. News of his awakening would spread throughout the city within half a day, so the diagnosis result would be a sensitive matter.

"I am not skilled in toxicology. Your Highness has residual poison in your body, which hinders your health. It can only be removed bit by bit by Miss Chen. This poison has seeped into your organs, draining your body."

"Should the poison be completely cleansed and then you undergo careful recuperation, avoiding cold and dampness and minimizing mental strain, though you may not be as robust as an ordinary person, your health should be fine in the future," Old Wu said cautiously.

Ying Fusheng suddenly interjected, "I cannot avoid mental strain."

Qi Hanzhou frowned and looked at him. Ying Fusheng's voice was hoarse, but he spoke seriously.

In his past life, Ying Fusheng had heard the advice to rest quietly for many years. During the year he was bedridden and severely ill, the imperial physicians had always said he must avoid mental strain. If he had to lie in bed like an invalid, then he could never accomplish what he needed to do.

Hearing this, he knew the outcome would be the same.

"I only said to minimize mental strain, not avoid it entirely. Your pulse already shows signs of exhaustion from overwork. Even if Miss Chen reminds you daily, you cannot avoid it," Old Wu said, rising.

Ying Fusheng was taken aback: "Elder, what do you mean...?"

Qi Hanzhou said in astonishment: "Can mental exhaustion and depletion be treated as well?"

"It's indeed rare to see such a bad pulse."

Wu Lao said seriously: "But Your Highness's body, I, a commoner, can regulate."

He muttered to himself: "It's just a bit troublesome, but it's not incurable."

Song An felt a sting in his nose upon hearing this. He stared blankly at the old Mr. Wu. For the past few years, so many famous doctors had dared not give a definitive conclusion, yet this old gentleman could conclude with just one prescription. This was something they had never even imagined. "Is... is it true?"

"You excel in the art of nurturing life." Chen Xuqiu had noticed the extraordinary nature of this old gentleman's use of medicine when he saw the prescription that day. Each physician has their own expertise—just as he can detoxify and regulate Ying Fusheng's body, he cannot guarantee that he can properly repair the damaged internal organs. Once a person is depleted, the five vital energies are all impaired; the slightest mistake could worsen the illness.

He was good at saving lives, but nurturing life was a real challenge. Most folk doctors studied the art of saving lives, so what this old gentleman specialized in was indeed surprising.

"I learned this skill when I was young; it's nothing compared to your Chen family." As Wu Lao withdrew his fingers, his gaze swept over the faint blue veins on Ying Fusheng's wrist, which bore many traces of acupuncture. His wrist was stiff. When he looked up and saw the prince looking at him, afraid that his burn-scarred face would startle him, he lowered his head and said: "If I'm to treat you, the prescription must be mine, and during this time, you have to do as I say."

Just like that day at the government office gate, when he brazenly claimed he could cure it. When these words fell, the others could not help but look at him. In so many years, he was the first physician to dare make such a definitive claim.

After Wu Lao finished speaking, he saw that the others remained silent.

At this moment, Ying Fusheng suddenly moved. Wu Lao paused and said, "Stay seated!"

Qi Hanzhou quickly supported him.

"I have a request." Ying Fusheng struggled to sit upright. "Regardless of the outcome, there is only one answer to the outside world regarding today's matter."

A hint of deep thought flashed in his eyes: "A sign of a short life span."