According to Li Changning, he needed to administer medicine to Jiang
Suizhou for a period of time before he could conclude how to cure his
weakness.
Jiang Suizhou didn't mean that, so he didn't take his words to heart. He just
asked him to prescribe his medicine daily according to his diagnosis, and
then observe the aftereffect.
Li Changning naturally did as he was told.
And on the first day of dispensing medicine to Jiang Suizhou, Jiang
Suizhou retained him.
"Go check his legs," Jiang Suizhou, who had received the decocted soup,
said to Li Changning.
There was no one else in the room except for Meng Qianshan. Li
Changning contemplated his stern voice and then saw Wei Kai secretly
winking at him.
As early as yesterday, when he first consulted with Jingwang, he mentioned
his 'Madam Huo's' leg problems. Yesterday, Wei Kai and he also discussed
this matter in private.
When he met his eyes, Li Changning understood. After bowing towards
Jiang Suizhou, he moved toward Huo Wujiu's couch.
Meng Qianshan served Jiang Suizhou. He drank the soup and then waited
for Li Changning to examine Huo Wujiu.
He watched as Li Changning kneeled in front of Huo Wujiu, fiddling and
examining him up and down. He asked Huo Wujiu a few questions from
time to time, and then retrieved a booklet from his medical kit. He wrote
some notes and drew pictures on it.
After a long time, Li Changning packed up his things and stood up.
"How is it?" Jiang Suizhou hurriedly asked.
Li Changning gathered up the medical kit by his side and handed it over to
Wei Kai. He got up and turned to Jiang Suizhou, bowing. His tone was
tinged with a bit of hesitation when he spoke, "Madam's leg problems…I'm
afraid it's difficult to heal."
Jiang Suizhou's brow wrinkled, and his complexion gradually turned heavy.
Then he heard Li Changning sigh and continue, "The meridians in Madam's
legs are damaged, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to heal them. With all
my life's work, I can only relieve him of one or two ailments."
Hearing these words, Jiang Suizhou asked, "How are you going to relieve
them?"
Li Changning replied, "I know the art of acupuncture and moxibustion, so I
can help Madam to relieve his pain. That way, when it's cloudy and rainy,
he will suffer less."
Jiang Suizhou heaved a sigh of relief deep inside.
He knew that Huo Wujiu's legs would unlikely be cured, but he also placed
a lot of hope on the doctor in front of him. It was just a pity that the doctor
he sought early wasn't the person he really wanted to find.
He could only comfort himself inwardly.
Forget it, didn't this doctor say that he could relieve Huo Wujiu's illness?
This wasn't entirely useless. After all, every time it rained, Huo Wujiu's
legs hurt badly. It was good to alleviate his symptoms a bit.
With this thought in mind, Jiang Suizhou nodded. His expression remained
indifferent, and he said impassively, "It doesn't matter. I also have no
intention to cure him. Since this is the case, feel free to give him medical
treatment. Whatever the results, I won't pursue it."
Hearing these words, Li Changning seemed to be relieved and bowed to
thank him.
Jiang Suizhou waved his hand to let him get up. The words that came out of
his mouth carried a bitter taste, but deep inside he was palpitating. Did the
doctor say just now that he could give Huo Wujiu acupuncture?
Since needles would be used, a more spacious place was, of course, needed,
for him to perform the procedure freely. Although the couch in the room
wasn't narrow, there was no reason for the doctor to treat Huo Wujiu on it
every day.
In that case…
Jiang Suizhou held his cup of tea and pondered over it.
Could he take this opportunity to have Huo Wujiu move out?
—
When Huo Wujiu first moved into his mansion, Jiang Suizhou let him stay
in his room temporarily because he couldn't find an excuse otherwise.
However, this time, a legitimate excuse was handed to him.
Jiang Suizhou began to seriously think about the feasibility of this matter.
After all, he initially got Huo Wujiu to his side, all in order to protect him
on his own turf. Now that Huo Wujiu had gotten used to living here and
became more familiar with him, it would be perfectly reasonable and safe if
he took this opportunity to arrange another residence for Huo Wujiu in his
manor.
In passing, he could also have a little showdown with Huo Wujiu to try his
luck and sound him out.
Thus, Jiang Suizhou made up his mind and dismissed all the people who
were waiting for him during the evening meal that day.
Beneath the glowing candle flames, Huo Wujiu raised his eyes and looked
at Jiang Suizhou.
Jiang Suizhou's stance told him that he had something to tell him.
Huo Wuguo thought to himself, Just in time.
He also had something to say to Jiang Suizhou.
Just listening to what the old man said to Jiang Suizhou today, he knew that
those two people had reservations about Jiang Suizhou today.
Huo Wujiu knew that Wei Kai would never do anything that he wasn't sure
of. The doctor he brought with him would never fail to cure his leg.
The two of them said this, all to guard against Jiang Suizhou, fearing that
when they could cure his legs, he would take precautions against them.
Similarly, the old doctor must have been able to cure Jiang Suizhou's
illness, but was fishing for his words. He was 80% sure he was waiting for
his orders.
However, they didn't know that Jiang Suizhou had never been a threat to
them.
Even yesterday, Jiang Suizhou directly told him he would cure his leg, and
even was prepared to confront Jiang Shunheng on his behalf after curing
him.
Huo Wujiu could no longer hold himself back.
He wanted to tell Jiang Suizhou that the doctor could definitely cure him
and also himself.
He also wanted to tell Jiang Suizhou that he didn't have to be afraid. Jiang
Shunheng, whether to him or to Jiang Suizhou, would always be a
threatening enemy. Once he had recovered the strength to contend with him,
he wouldn't let Jiang Suizhou be caught in the crossfire.
In contrast, he would protect him well.
Huo Wujiu had always been cautious and meticulous. In the past, he would
never let people in the rival camp find out the tiniest bit of the actual
situation.
But for some reason, Jiang Suizhou was different.
Perhaps becaused Jiang Shunheng picked on him, so even if he was in the
enemy camp, he would never be in cahoots with them; or perhaps it was
because this person was very simple. Although Jiang Suizhou insisted that
he was a bad person, he was devoid of the least bit of lethality and was
worthy of trust.
Or perhaps…it was because he seemed to, well, really like him.
Huo Wujiu thought that he had always been a character who disliked owing
others. This Jingwang took the liberty of liking him and sacrificed so much
for him, making him unable to bear deceiving him. He even wanted to
entrust all his unsavory background to him.
Not just because Huo Wujiu trusted him, but more because he didn't want
to hide it from him.
This "not wanting to hide from him" thought had been poking around in
Huo Wujiu's heart since yesterday when Jiang Suizhou told him that he
would let the doctor treat his legs.
It was a spark of fire that flared up in Huo Wujiu's heart, scorching his heart
to a frightening degree.
He had hidden that tongue of flame in the depths of his heart, and at this
time, only a pair of extremely well-disguised black eyes quietly looked at
Jiang Suizhou.
When there was no longer a third person in the room, Jiang Suizhou
deliberated before speaking.
"You have heard the doctor's diagnosis today," he said indifferently.
Huo Wujiu responded with a hum.
He paused and was about to speak, but heard Jiang Suizhou continue.
"Although he can't cure you, it's more or less a two-way street of hope," he
said, "Anyway, since acupuncture and moxibustion are required, this Prince
thought it would be more convenient for you to live in another place."
A gust of wind seemed to blow by, puffing the tongue of flame burning in
Huo Wujiu's heart into a flicker.
He faltered and again answered with a hum.
"Indeed," he said.
Jiang Suizhou nodded his head.
"This Prince has asked Meng Qianshan to arrange a room for you in the
courtyard, so you can just stay there and get well at ease. When this Prince
told the doctor to heal you at will, it was nothing more than covering up the
scene. If he really dares not to do his best, you just tell Meng Qianshan," he
said.
Oh, he would still live in his courtyard, ah.
The fleeting gust of wind dissipated without a trace.
Huo Wujiu looked indifferent and said, "En."
Jiang Suizhou assessed his expression and tentatively opened his mouth
next.
"I never told you before why I moved you to Anyin Hall, right?" he said.
Jiang Suizhou knew that it was most appropriate to say these words at this
time.
Had he told Huo Wujiu from day one that he wanted to treat him kindly,
Huo Wujiu wouldn't have believed him, and instead became more wary of
him. If he also didn't say it now, they'd be meeting less afterward and have
no way to talk about it. It'd be painstaking to talk to him next time.
At this moment, telling Huo Wujiu that he wanted to help him and
cooperate with him was the most appropriate opportunity. After all, his
recent circumstances and good deeds were all visible to Huo Wujiu.
But then he faltered when he saw Huo Wujiu's unpleasant expression,
which looked as if he had beat someone up.
After a moment, he raised his eyes to him with his brow furrowed and
softly said, "No."
Jiang Suizhou was about to speak when he heard Huo Wujiu then say, "…
Don't say anything."
How can this work! Jiang Suizhou was anxious.
I must tell you clearly, ah! If I don't, how can you know my good intentions?
How can you see how I swallowed humiliation? How can you be grateful to
me, ah?!
He hurriedly said, "I have to say it. Since things have reached this point, I
think you've understood a thing or two of what I want to do."
Huo Wujiu's brow furrowed even deeper.
What exactly did this Jing Wang want to do?
Is he going to use today to express his feelings to me?
For some reason, Huo Wujiu felt a little flustered and couldn't even think of
a countermeasure for a while. But strangely enough, that spark of fire that
he hid blazed even hotter, as if oil was poured on it.
This made Huo Wujiu's heart beat faster.
How could this Jingwang be so stupid? Wasn't he afraid of being rejected
and losing face? This in turn made Huo Wujiu's heart soft. He even felt that,
no matter what he said, he couldn't say no…
But then, he heard Jingwang speak.
"My royal brother humiliated you and wanted to use the method of raising
Gu to make me fight you. Naturally, I don't want to give him what he
wants."
That clear and fresh voice sounded like a mountain spring, cool, calm and
gentle.
"I moved you to the Prince's courtyard to protect your integrity. Although I
am a man of the Southern Jing, I am regarded as a thorn in the eye and a
thorn in the flesh by my royal brother, and he wishes he could get rid of me
right away. Although I can drag out my ignoble existence here, I also know
that I will be killed sooner or later."
"As far as I am concerned, wiping out the Jing Dynasty is my way out.
General Huo, these days, I think you've seen that I'm different from them. I
have no intention of killing or humiliating you, but want to cooperate with
you."
That cool and refreshing voice akin to a mountain stream flowed into Huo
Wujiu's heart.
For a moment he only felt empty in his heart.
He only heard Jingwang slowly say, "I can keep you safe for the time being,
and I can help you heal your legs in the future. All I'm asking for is a way
to survive, nothing more."
"Zzz," came a sound.
The spring water suddenly dripped over Huo Wujiu's limbs and bones,
gently flowed through his heart, and then suddenly extinguished that raging
fire.
Huo Wujiu's voice sounded a bit muffled.
"…Nothing else?" he asked.
The next thing he knew, he met a puzzled pair of clean and unadulterated
eyes.
"Nothing else, ah."
—————
The author has something to say.
Jiang Suizhou: What's that sound?
Huo Wujiu [expressionless]: The sound of a young man's heart breaking.