The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Resembling Whom

He didn’t ask why they had used his name to enter the residence, nor did he ask how she had cured Xiao Tenth Miss’s illness. This Seventh Young Master Xiao simply let them go without a word.

“Young Master Xiao Xian is indeed a true gentleman.”

After saying this, Xiao Jinyu didn’t stand on ceremony and walked towards the courtyard gate with Fenghuang. But after taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped and looked back at the young man in the wheelchair.

The young man had a tranquil and aloof air, with a detachment from worldly affairs and a noble grace that commanded respect. Even his disability did not detract from his innate noble bearing. This was the exceptional temperament cultivated in a place like a prominent clan, where talent and refinement were nurtured.

Xiao Jinyu couldn’t help but feel a sense of trance, as she felt that this young man bore a striking resemblance to the Crown Prince Zhao Ming from her past life.

Her inability to save the Crown Prince’s life had been her greatest regret, which led her to feel a sense of pity for this young man who was also destined for a short life.

However, it was just a fleeting thought, and she quickly collected herself and continued walking. As she left, she said, “If one ascends to a high place and gazes far into the distance, stands by the water and bids farewell to departing guests, feels the wind stir in the spring morning, sees the moon shine bright on an autumn night, observes the early geese returning to their nests, and witnesses the blooming of flowers and the falling of leaves, one cannot help but respond to these natural occurrences. Young Master Xiao Xian has a good mentality. If you can truly live as you wrote, perhaps you can live a long life.”

A look of surprise flashed across Xiao Xian’s eyes. By the time he came to his senses, he realized that Xiao Jinyu and Fenghuang had already left.

“Young Master, what’s wrong? What did that physician mean?” his attendant couldn’t help but ask.

The 《”Climbing Heights Essay”》 was a piece of writing that Xiao Xian had composed at a Pure Conversation Gathering. It was highly praised by the Minister of Personnel at the time and widely circulated in Jiankang City.

The attendant naturally didn’t understand such things as essays and poems. What he cared about was the last sentence: “He said that Young Master might live a long life?”

Xiao Xian wasn’t born disabled. The lingering cough he suffered from was contracted after a major epidemic in Jiankang City. Several young masters of the Xiao family had died, and he was the only legitimate son left by Lady Zuo.

Xiao Xian had been fond of reading since childhood. At the age of five, he could read through the classics and histories, not much different from Crown Prince Zhao Ming back then. The head of the family was particularly fond of him, and every time he saw him, he would sigh, “To have a son like this, what more could I ask for?” But who would have thought that during his first attempt at horsemanship and archery, he would fall off his horse and break his leg, leaving him reliant on a wheelchair to replace his feet? Later, he unfortunately contracted the epidemic. He survived, but the physicians determined that his vitality had been damaged, and it would be fortunate if he could live past twenty-five.

The head of the family’s hopes for him were dashed. From then on, apart from the usual inquiries about his well-being, he no longer tested his knowledge, and the attention and cultivation he received were not as much as those given to Eighth Young Master Xiao Yun, the son of Lady You.

There were even rumors circulating privately in the residence that Eighth Young Master Xiao Yun would definitely be the next head of the Xiao family.

The attendant couldn’t help but have a bold guess in his heart: If the head of the family unfortunately passed away, and Lady Zuo was in her current state, with Lady You managing the household affairs, would there be any way for his young master to survive?

Now, hearing someone say that his young master could live a long life, he couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

However, just as he was thinking this, Xiao Xian poured cold water on his hopes: “It was just a casual remark. Don’t take it seriously.”

After saying that, he added, “Feng Dong, take me to Lingqing Pavilion. I’ll go see Third Miss.”

The attendant named Feng Dong hurriedly replied, “Yes,” and pushed the wheelchair towards Xiao Tenth Miss’s courtyard.

As soon as they saw Xiao Xian approaching, the maids waiting under the corridor rushed to greet him.

“How is it? Is Tenth Miss still unable to take her medicine?”

The maid nodded dejectedly and replied, “Yes, she always vomits more than she swallows.”

“What did that physician say?” Xiao Xian asked again.

A glimmer of hope appeared in the maid’s eyes: “That physician said that the young lady’s illness isn’t serious and can be cured. But everyone says that physician is a charlatan. The young lady is so ill, how can she recover just because someone says it’s not serious?”

Xiao Xian pondered.

At this moment, Xiao Tenth Miss’s voice came from inside the room: “Is that Seventh Uncle? Please come in, Seventh Uncle.”

The maid quickly responded and looked at Xiao Xian.

Xiao Xian nodded and instructed the attendant to push the wheelchair into the pavilion. But he stopped at the door.

“Seventh Uncle, it’s alright. A’ling has already dressed. Come into my room. A’ling has something to tell you.”

Hearing the young girl’s weak voice, Xiao Xian felt even more distressed. He motioned for the attendant to open the door and went in.

As soon as he entered, he saw the young girl dressed in a white, wide-sleeved robe, her thin frame overwhelmed by the delicate garment. Her small face was pale, and her once bright eyes had lost their luster. She looked like a fragile youtan flower that could wither at any moment.

The young girl coughed softly and took out a silk scroll from under her pillow: “Seventh Uncle, look at this.”

The attendant hurriedly took the silk scroll and presented it to Xiao Xian.

Xiao Xian unfolded it and saw that it was clearly a prescription. The handwriting was elegant and forceful, with a majestic air that seemed to encompass mountains and rivers.

“What is this?”

“That physician gave me this prescription privately. He seems to know my situation in the Xiao family and even deliberately gave Nurse Wei a fake prescription to deceive others.” Speaking of this, Xiao Ruoling asked, “Seventh Uncle, do you know this person? I saw his face just now, and he looks very much like someone.”

At this moment, Xiao Ruoling genuinely believed that this physician had been invited by Xiao Xian, so naturally, she assumed they knew each other.

“Who does he resemble?” Xiao Xian asked.

✿✿✿

Xiao Ruoling pondered for a moment before answering, “He resembles the man who recently died in the Ministry of Justice, the one who was favored by Emperor Wen, the most handsome man in our Southern Chen.”

“General of the Right Guard, Han Zigao.”

As soon as Xiao Ruoling finished speaking, Xiao Xian’s expression changed drastically.

Xiao Ruoling had never seen such a shocked expression on her Seventh Uncle’s usually calm face. She hurriedly asked, “Seventh Uncle, what’s wrong?”

Xiao Xian pondered for a long time before shaking his head: “Nothing. Third Miss, if you’re worried, I’ll take this prescription and ask other physicians if it’s feasible. If it is, Seventh Uncle will get the medicine for you.”

Because he didn’t trust others, he handled everything himself. Who else in this residence could do so much for a niece?

Xiao Ruoling was naturally touched and couldn’t help but shed tears: “Seventh Uncle, it’s all A’ling’s fault for being unreasonable. I won’t worry you anymore.”

She had concealed from Xiao Xian that she had poured all the medicine into a flowerpot, wasting his kindness.

“It’s alright. You are the only bloodline left by Elder Brother. I naturally won’t let you suffer any harm.” He paused for a moment and added, “Including your marriage. If you don’t want it, Seventh Uncle will help you find a way. Don’t joke with your own health anymore.”

Xiao Ruoling looked up at Xiao Xian in surprise: “So Seventh Uncle, you knew all along.”

He knew why she was prolonging her illness, and he knew that she wasn’t satisfied with the marriage arranged by the mistress of the household.

After giving some instructions, Xiao Xian left Lingqing Pavilion with doubts in his heart.

As soon as he left Lingqing Pavilion, he took out the silk scroll and examined it carefully. The more he looked at it, the more incredible he felt. Suddenly, he said, “Feng Dong, let’s go out again.”

✿✿✿

As night fell, the moonlight spilled down, casting a soft glow over the beautiful trees in the courtyard, enveloping them in a watery, gentle light.

In the silent night sky, stars were scattered everywhere, with a few particularly bright stars twinkling incessantly.

Fenghuang, having just finished tidying up the room, came out and saw Xiao Jinyu sitting alone at a stone table, gazing at the sky, seemingly fiddling with a compass in her hand.

“Qing Gege, what are you doing?”

Fenghuang curiously ran over and asked, but he saw that there seemed to be complex characters written on the compass, which he couldn’t recognize anyway.

Xiao Jinyu pointed to the brightest twinkling star in the north sky and said, “Fenghuang, look, the Po Jun star has entered the imperial palace. Perhaps it won’t be long before it joins the Qi Sha and Tan Lang stars in the same palace.”

Fenghuang had heard of the Purple Star Astrology in the 《”I Ching”》. There was a saying about the unity of heaven and man, that the celestial patterns reflected human destiny. Each star might correspond to the fate of a certain person on earth.

“What will happen when the Po Jun star joins the Qi Sha star in the same palace?”

Xiao Jinyu replied, “Po Jun represents a general who conquers the world, Qi Sha represents a thief who disrupts the world, and Tan Lang represents a cunning and treacherous person. When these three stars appear in the imperial palace at the same time, the world will surely change hands!”

“Ah? So that’s how it is. Then, does this mean that the Southern Chen won’t last long?” Fenghuang seemed a bit excited. “Qing Gege, who could this Po Jun star be? I didn’t know you could read celestial patterns. Do you also know astrology?”

Amidst Fenghuang’s barrage of questions, Xiao Jinyu fell silent. She did know astrology. Everyone thought she was gifted, but only she knew that this talent came from a handwritten notebook left by her ancestors. But even with this talent, what could she do?

In her past life, she had also predicted the decline of the Great Liang Dynasty and calculated the Qi Sha star that would bring about its destruction and plunge the world into chaos. But what was the result?

Even if she could know the fate of the future, she still couldn’t predict the human heart.

Take Emperor Wu of Liang, for example. He had several opportunities to prevent Hou Jing’s rebellion and save the people of Jiankang City from the near-extinction disaster.

But he didn’t believe it. He didn’t believe that a petty thief with only two thousand soldiers could cause such a great calamity. He didn’t believe that his Buddhist compassion couldn’t influence this outsider abandoned by the Eastern Wei. He didn’t believe that the father-son bond he had cultivated for a lifetime couldn’t withstand the temptation of power. One by one, his sons betrayed him and abandoned him.

Xiao Jinyu didn’t answer, and Fenghuang didn’t ask any more questions.

After a long while, Xiao Jinyu suddenly asked, “Fenghuang, didn’t you say that my mother didn’t allow me to show my true face to others, especially those in Jiankang City?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”