Chapter 341 A Gentleman’s Way, A Tyrant’s Way
"The Hidden River tried to assassinate Grand Preceptor Dong?" Ye Ruoyi was shocked when she heard the news from Sikong Qianluo. "What impudence."
"Everybody knows that Grand Preceptor Dong never involves himself in party disputes and will never support any one of the princes. He was the same before Mingde Emperor ascended the throne and he’s the same now. Killing him will not have the slightest impact, but it would deal a heavy blow to the entire imperial court and all under Heaven," Xiao Se said.
Ye Ruoyi frowned. "Could it be because Grand Preceptor Dong attended the banquet at Grand Golden Terrace so they assumed that he was on our side?"
"If they were so naive, they wouldn’t be able to survive until now. According to the information you gathered before, the Hidden River is colluding with the White Prince?" Xiao Se asked.
"That’s right. Whether they were the ones who intercepted Li Hanyi to kill her at Mount Luolei, or the ones who conspired with Tang Clan to destroy Lei Clan, the figure of the White Prince with his white blindfold was spotted nearby. The Hidden River must be colluding with him, but…" Ye Ruoyi was puzzled. "Considering the White Prince Xiao Chong’s personality, he wouldn’t do something like this."
"Indeed, he wouldn’t. When we were young, we attended Jixia Academy together. The Chancellor at the time was the Confucian Sword Immortal Xie Xuan under a pseudonym. He once asked us to choose our Way of the Emperor. Er-ge chose the gentleman’s Way. This gentleman’s Way valued morality, emphasised benevolence and justice, and served the people with virtue and kindness. As for lao-Qi, he chose the tyrant’s Way. The tyrant’s Way should belong to a ruler during troubled times, to oppress the people with military strength and administer the government with force. But, lao-Qi said that regardless of the dynasty or reign, all times were troubled times. This was extremely disrespectful but Xie Xuan didn't criticise him. Although Er-ge prevented me from returning to the capital so that he could seize the throne, he will not betray his own gentleman’s Way. This affair of assassinating the Grand Preceptor is something he’d never do." Xiao Se nodded.
"Which Way did you choose back then?" Ye Ruoyi asked curiously.
Xiao Se chuckled. "I chose the Way of the heroic wanderer."
"The Way of the heroic wanderer?" Ye Ruoyi was taken aback.
"Follow the sword and the martial world, get drunk everywhere you go. I was ten years old at the time, and that’s all I wanted to do." Xiao Se knocked his hand lightly on the table.
Ye Ruoyi laughed and said, "Sounds like something Lei Wujie would say."
"I heard someone call my name." Lei Wujie strode in. "Did Miss Ye need me for something?"
Ye Ruoyi returned a benign smile. "Just listening to Xiao Se talk about his childhood and thought he sounded a bit like you."
Lei Wujie was stunned for a moment, then he glanced sideways at Xiao Se languishing at the table, his tone filled with disdain. "How’s this half old man like me?"
"Half old man?" Ye Ruoyi sniggered, covering her mouth.
Lei Wujie nodded. "Look at him. Every day, he’s lazing about like a half-frozen dog. Doesn’t he look like a half old man?"
"Ridiculous." Xiao Se yawned, intending to ignore him.
"Young master, a guest is here," Steward Xu announced respectfully as he entered the main entrance of the anteroom.
"Which guest?" Ye Ruoyi asked.
"The little genius doctor who’s currently treating His Majesty, as well as the third young master of the Qingzhou Mu family," Steward Xu replied.
Xiao Se nodded. "Let them in."
Hua Jin took the lead and strolled in leisurely while Mu Chunfeng followed obediently behind her, a small medicine box on his back. This scene really stunned Xiao Se and the others.
"I wonder if the Qingzhou Mu family’s old master could see Mu Chunfeng’s undignified behaviour, would he still be willing to let him inherit the family." Lei Wujie scratched his head.
"Doctor Hua." Xiao Se stood up and greeted.
Hua Jin frowned. "Why do you sound like you’re calling an old man?"
"Just call my shifu genius doctor," Mu Chunfeng said, clearing his throat.
Hua Jin was very pleased with Mu Chunfeng's words. She tipped her toes and patted Mu Chunfeng's shoulder. "Well said."
Mu Chunfeng hurriedly bent over to cater to Hua Jin. "Thank you for your praise, shifu."
The people around him felt goosebumps rise on their arms. Lei Wujie said mockingly, "Back when I met Mu-xiong on the boat, I thought you were suave and full of style. But, looking at you today, Mu-xiong is also very talented at boot-licking, huh. "
Hua Jin turned around, glared coldly at Lei Wujie, and her hand twitched.
Lei Wujie laughed and exhaled a breath. The fine silver needle melted into a drop of molten iron in front of him. "Genius doctor, I’m not that sickly person you met at Sword Heart Tomb. Are you trying to seal my acupoint to mute me again?"
Hua Jin stomped her foot angrily. "Let's go."
Ye Ruoyi sighed. "Lei Wujie, you’re acting the same age as the genius doctor."
"Shifu, we don't have to condescend with the likes of him." Mu Chunfeng hurriedly pulled Hua Jin back.
Xiao Se stepped forward and asked, "Genius doctor, how has my imperial father’s illness been recently?"
"If the ailment of the heart cannot be cured, all diseases are difficult to treat. I have cured your imperial father's illness long ago, but it will always relapse. I’m afraid that he has matters in his heart he can’t let go, but I also suspect there’s another genius doctor hidden in the palace." Hua Jin frowned and uttered her suspicion. "His Majesty the Emperor's recurring illness may be related to him."
"Someone is poisoning him?" Xiao Se was alarmed.
"If it was poison, I would have detected it. It’s something more subtle, but I can’t really explain it either." Hua Jin sighed. "I discovered something fishy in his food a few days ago, and yesterday, it was some weird drug in the incense. Just before I left today, I found a little scorpion on His Majesty the Emperor’s bed. Saving a life takes a long time, but taking a life requires but a moment."
"Ghost Doctor Ye Ya." Ye Ruoyi thought of a name.
"I also thought of this shishu whom I’ve never met." Hua Jin nodded. "But I will be more vigilant from now on. I will definitely keep your imperial father safe, but you have to help me find this shishu of mine. I still want to go home. This Heavenly Revelations City is too boring."
"Qingzhou Yunjian City is very interesting!" Mu Chunfeng interjected in a hurry.
Hua Jin rolled her eyes at him, then turned back to Xiao Se. "There’s one more thing."
"What is it?" Xiao Se asked.
"A person who looked like some scholar or another came to see me, but I heard other people calling him Gonggong or something, although I didn’t think he looked like one. Anyway, he asked me to help him see a patient. I don’t know if I should agree so I asked Lanyue Marquis. He said I should ask you."
"Eunuch of Records, Jin Yu Gonggong." Ye Ruoyi and Xiao Se exchanged a look before she asked, "Who does he want you to treat?"
"He said he was a blind man. When he was young, he drank a bowl of water from someone and after that, he could no longer see. It’s already been twenty years so I don’t know if it’s possible to cure him," Hua Jin said.
"White Prince Xiao Chong." Ye Ruoyi frowned.
"Can you cure him?" Xiao Se asked.
Hua Jin considered her thoughts. "If he was recently blinded, I could use acupuncture to force the poison out. But, he’s been blind for twenty years. I think he may have to transplant another pair of eyes."
Lei Wujie was stunned. "Is the genius doctor kidding? You can even transplant eyes?"
Hua Jin was too lazy to answer him and asked Xiao Se directly, "Just tell me, do I treat him or not?"
"You’re a doctor. Your job is to treat illnesses and save people. What’s more, that person is very rich and you don’t have to worry that he can’t afford your fees. Of course, you can go treat him…" Xiao Se said, but Ye Ruoyi interrupted him, "Xiao Se, you can’t!"
Xiao Se waved his hand. "It's fine. But when you treat him, tell him that I asked you to do it."
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