Jiang Suizhou paused, frowned, and looked down at the doctor's disciple's
face.
But the disciple's head was hanging too low, and he couldn't see anything
except the glimmer of tears just moments ago.
Jiang Suizhou was about to look again when he heard the old man speak up.
"Please extend your hand out, Your Highness."
Jiang Suizhou looked at him and saw him with lowered eyebrows and eyes,
respectfully waiting in the same place, seemingly waiting to take his pulse.
He faintly glanced at his disciple, then slowly extended his hand and rested
it on the pillow that the old doctor had laid out.
"Your disciple is quite tall," Jiang Suizhou withdrew his gaze and
commented indifferently as if without thought.
The old man put his finger on his wrist and smiled respectfully: "Your
Highness, you wouldn't believe it. This boy was originally a farmer. He fled
from the north some years ago and came here. I saved his life, so he
followed me."
The old man glanced at his apprentice and said, "He's from the countryside.
He hasn't seen anything in the world, so I hope Your Highness won't blame
him."
Jiang Suizhou chuckled lightly but did not speak again.
A moment later, the doctor withdrew his hand that was taking the pulse and
knelt down respectfully in front of Jiang Suizhou.
"Speak." Jiang Suizhou lifted his hand and accepted the hot tea that Meng
Qianshan handed.
The doctor replied, "I have diagnosed Your Highness's pulse and have some
humble opinions, but…" he paused and then said, "Your Highness needs to
dismiss the crowd."
Jiang Suizhou glanced at him with downcast eyes: "Why? What must be
said in private?"
The doctor answered unhurriedly, "Although Your Highness's pulse is
weak, your pulse is weak and unstable on the surface. It appears that there
are possible causes other than contracting an illness."
At this point, he cautiously stopped talking and raised his eyes to Jiang
Suizhou, quietly waiting for the latter's next instructions.
His gaze was calm and penetrating, which stunned Jiang Suizhou.
Jiang Suizhou immediately understood that this old doctor had seen the
fishy origin of his illness.
His heart skipped a beat; his gaze was a bit flustered, and for the first time,
he looked toward Huo Wujiu.
He did not expect that this doctor, who was seemingly a charlatan, actually
had a few tricks up his sleeve.
Fortunately, Huo Wujiu sat there quietly, reading a book with his eyes cast
down, and was seemingly oblivious to their exchange. Jiang Suizhou
assumed he did not hear the hints in the doctor's statement.
Presently, his room was full of people. In addition to the silly Meng
Qianshan, there were many maids and servants. The matter of him
poisoning himself was a private discussion between him and Gu Changyun,
and no one else knew about it. Of course, it was inappropriate to make it
public for more people to hear.
He pondered for a moment and lightly ordered, "All of you, go out."
Meng Qianshan was stunned. "Your Highness?"
Jiang Suizhou's eyes traveled between the old doctor and his disciple, and
he said lightly, "Since this old gentleman wants to talk to me in private, let
me talk to him. You lead this gentleman's disciple to the side room, and let
him drink a cup of tea for now."
Meng Qianshan immediately replied, dismissed the servants, and bowed to
invite the doctor's disciple out.
Then he realized that Huo Wujiu was still left in the room.
Meng Qianshan hesitated for a moment.
Er…Madam Huo had stayed in his master's room day after day and now
although his master wanted to dismiss everyone, he wasn't sure if his
Madam was considered among the people to dismiss.
He promptly looked askance at Jiang Suizhou.
However, before he could make a move, Huo Wujiu, in the corner, put the
book aside, pressed his wheelchair and rolled out in silence.
Meng Qianshan sighed with relief.
This master, whom the Prince placed on the tip of his heart, was one he
couldn't provoke. But fortunately, although this master was aloof, he was
very conscientious, leaving him, a servant, with a lot of room to perform his
duties.
—
According to Jiang Suizhou's instructions, Meng Qianshan led the doctor's
disciple all the way to the side tea room and asked him to take a seat for the
time being.
Madam Huo was also 'kicked out' with the rest, so Meng Qianshan
naturally couldn't leave him alone. As soon as Meng Qianshan went out, he diligently invited Madam Huo to the tea room and poured a cup of tea for
both of them.
After pouring the tea, Meng Qianshan hung his hands and stood by his side.
Huo Wujiu's gaze swept over the man sitting in a restrained manner at the
other end of the tea table, then raised his eyes to look at Meng Qianshan.
This kid's face had always been unable to hide anything. He'd better fool
him.
Although he was waiting here at the moment, he couldn't hide his anxiety.
At first glance, he was worried about Jiang Suizhou's situation in the room.
He wanted to go and stand guard, but because he received no order, he had
to endure it here.
Huo Wujiu spoke gently, "Go and do what you ought to do."
Meng Qianshan was taken aback, and snapped a glance at him.
Madam Huo, who was sitting there quietly, put down the tea cup without
lifting his eyes and said, "You're not needed here."
Meng Qianshan felt as if he was granted an amnesty.
When he heard the doctor, who appeared skilled at seeing patients, express
his opinion, his heart was already hanging by a thread. He just wanted to
stand guard at the door and wait for the Prince to call him. But the Prince
drove him out together with the others. He had to take care of his other
master, too, so he naturally didn't dare to leave easily.
But it was different now. His master had spoken!
Meng Qianshan was aware that in the absence of the Prince, nothing
definitely could go wrong in obeying this master. He just assumed that this
master must have considered him too much of an eyesore. When he
hurriedly exited, he still didn't forget to be grateful and thanked Madam
Huo repeatedly.
However, Madam Huo didn't spare him a glance.
Huo Wujiu looked down at the tea on the table, and out of the corner of his
eye, he quietly watched Meng Qianshan exit from the tea room and
thoughtfully close the door after him.
The sound of footsteps drifted away.
Huo Wujiu raised his eyes and looked at the man sitting across the tea table.
He did not say anything and only fixed a pair of dark eyes at him.
The man placed the tea cup in his hand on the table, and when he raised his
eyes again, they were tearful and red.
He stood up and knelt down heavily toward Huo Wujiu.
"General, this subordinate came late. I deserve to die!"
His voice was lowered with great effort, and as he knelt down, two beads of
hot tears suddenly slipped from his eyes and dripped to the floor.
Huo Wujiu slowly closed his eyes.
"You're still alive?" His tone sounded calm, but his voice trembled slightly.
The man in front of him was Wei Kai, his lieutenant, who had been
following him since he was at Yangguan.
This time, Wei Kai's troops were the first batch of advance troops to follow
him across the river. When he was ambushed, and the reinforcements were
cut off, the army split up, and Wei Kai brought up the rear for him. Since
then, Huo Wujiu never heard from him again.
He never dared to hope that this person was still alive, and he never thought
that he would see him alive in front of him one day.
Huo Wujiu looked calm, but his hand on the wheelchair tightly gripped the
wooden armrest.
Wei Kai kneeled on the ground and wept, "This subordinate is still alive,
but I'm ashamed to face you again, General!"
Huo Wujiu took a deep breath: "Get up and talk."
Wei Kai wiped a handful of tears and got up from the ground. He stood
three steps away from Huo Wujiu, and then sobbed while attempting to step
forward to face him.
Huo Wujiu slowly instructed, "Sit back down and wipe your tears clean."
Wei Kai had no choice but to stiffly move back.
He sat down at his original position at the tea table and wiped his eyes a
few times before he could stop his tears.
Huo Wujiu lowered his eyes, unmovingly suppressing the heat that had
risen in his eyes.
Perhaps it was because he had been detained in an enemy country for too
long. He seemed to have been cut off from his original years with shining
spears and armoured horses. He was born in the sands as a child, and
soldiers and weapons were his hands and feet. He'd been steeling himself
for revenge and quietly biding his time, but never thought that there would
still be some strength left from the wounds of his severed limbs.
It was the feeling of something that belonged to him, slowly returning to its
place.
This feeling could have driven people to tears, but Huo Wujiu had never
been accustomed to shedding tears, let alone showing even a hint of
fragility in front of people.
He lowered his eyes for a moment, and when he raised them again, there
was only composure and calmness left in his eyes.
He asked, "How many people are left?"
Wei Kai swallowed the choke in his throat and whispered, "There are less
than 20 men left. At that time, the battlefield was chaotic. Southern Jing's
military forces only cared about catching you and bringing you back to
receive rewards, so a few of my men hid among the piles of corpses and saved themselves. In recent days, I have thought of some ways to sneak our
men into Lin'an City. Now, although we are few in number, we can be at
your disposal at any time, General."
Huo Wujiu gave a muffled grunt.
Wei Kai continued, "After we entered the city, we tried every means to
inquire about you. We learned that you were detained in the palace, and
then heard no more news afterward. Until a few days ago… General, I have
just learned that this Jingwang humiliated you… "
At this point, Wei Kai choked up again, unable to speak.
When Huo Wujiu raised his eyes at him, he saw Wei Kai, covering his face
with one hand. He was about to start crying again, looking as if he had
suffered some unprecedented shame and humiliation.
They had known each other from childhood. When Wei Kai was seriously
injured, with broken arms and legs, he just gritted his teeth and carried on.
He never saw him shed a tear. It was only until today that Huo Wujiu
realized for the first time that his subordinate was also a man made of water.
He was somewhat speechless and said without mercy, "Control yourself."
Wei Kai gave a stifled sob in response.
Huo Wujiu sighed slowly.
"I wasn't insulted in any way. Don't have to take it to heart," he said.
"But General, your leg…"
"Didn't you bring someone here?" Huo Wujiu raised his eyes and glanced
at him.
Wei Kai nodded repeatedly.
"I found this man outside Lin'an City. He is a highly skilled doctor,
especially in treating injuries. He can heal withered bones and connect meridians. General, don't worry, he will definitely be able to cure you!"
Huo Wujiu responded with a hum. After a pause, he drawled awkwardly, "If
Jingwang hadn't asked for medical treatment this time, you wouldn't have
sneaked in so easily."
Wei Kai nodded repeatedly once more.
"After I found this doctor, I have been trying to find you at Jingwang
Manor. But since the Jingwang Manor is heavily guarded and surrounded
by people sent from the palace to monitor you, it's been impossible to find a
chance."
Speaking of this, Wei Kai seemed to have determined a very important
realization. He pressed one hand on the edge of the table, raised his eyes to
Huo Wujiu and said firmly.
"General, it's considered this dog Jingwang's mistake that has allowed me a
chance to save you. Grandpa Huo has taught me since I was young to know
how to repay kindness. After this matter is completed, I will remember his
grace today and leave his corpse intact!"
He looked firmly at Huo Wujiu, just waiting for a compliment from his
unsmiling general, who had always been clear in his rewards and
punishments.
However, he found that Huo Wujiu's face, which was already
expressionless, gradually became colder and colder.
Wei Kai was at a loss for words.
Then he heard Huo Wujiu's words that were slowly squeezed out from the
gap between his lips.
"I haven't seen you for months, but you're now better at deciding
everything by yourself," he said.
Facing the ice-blade-like eyes of his own General, Wei Kai had a rough
thought in mind.
He didn't do anything wrong that could cause such hatred from the General.
It must be that Jingwang did something behind his General's back and
tormented him to death!
Wei Kai clenched his teeth and compromised.
"Alright…if leaving his corpse intact isn't okay, then we can cut him to
pieces, too. This subordinate is the best at it. Don't worry, General!"
The author has something to say: Real steel, straight man Wei Kai muttered
in confusion: Why is the General getting more and more angry?