The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Unaware of the Divine Physician’s Regret

Princess Yunyin’s mood was already terrible. Last night, she had stayed up all night, unable to sleep, listening to her son’s painful pleas. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown. However, because she was waiting for news that would make her happy, even excited, it was worth staying up all night. It was something to look forward to.

As dawn broke, Nurse Wei, who had been sent to inquire about the news, returned. However, facing Princess Yunyin’s condescending gaze, Nurse Wei trembled and dared not speak.

“How did things go? Why aren’t you speaking?” Princess Yunyin asked coldly, sensing something was wrong.

Nurse Wei stammered. Under Princess Yunyin’s stern reprimand, she finally prostrated herself on the ground and said, “It… it didn’t work… Nie Yinniang sent five top assassins to assassinate Seventh Young Master, but none of them succeeded. The first four couldn’t even find their bodies. The last one managed to return alive to report, but only said… said that someone was guarding Young Master Xian on the roof of the Elegant Poetry Pavilion.

And this person… is also an extremely skilled assassin. According to Nie Yinniang’s estimation, even she might not be a match for that person!”

“So, you’re trying to tell me that Xiao Xian is not dead, and he’s still alive and well?”

“Yes! He’s not only alive, but also… also…” Nurse Wei’s body trembled as she nearly cried. She didn’t dare to speak the second half of the sentence.

“Also what?” Princess Yunyin raised her voice and asked.

“He also stood up! Nie Yinniang said that the last assassin she sent saw it with her own eyes… Seventh Young Master got out of bed early in the morning and stood up, just like a normal person. He opened the door and walked out leisurely… as if his legs had never been crippled…”

“Impossible!”

Princess Yunyin seemed to not believe it. She smiled, paced back and forth in the room, and repeatedly said:

“Impossible!”

“Impossible! Impossible!”

“I had a special imperial physician examine his illness, and even Liu Lü personally took his pulse. His legs have lost all sensation for more than ten years. How could he possibly stand up again? Absolutely impossible, absolutely impossible!”

“Liu Lü!” she suddenly shouted, as if losing her mind.

Physician Liu Lü immediately ran out of Xiao Yun’s room and bowed, “Your Highness, what is the matter?”

“Tell me, can Xiao Xian’s illness still be cured? Can his legs still be healed?”

Liu Lü shook his head and replied, “It’s impossible. I observed that the toxins in Seventh Young Master’s body have already entered his internal organs. His premature death is only a matter of time. As for his legs, it’s even more impossible. A person who has been paralyzed for more than ten years, unless a deity is alive, it’s absolutely impossible to cure!”

“What if there really is a divine physician in this world who can cure him?” Nurse Wei couldn’t help but interject.

“If there really is such a miraculous skill, Liu Lü is willing to become her student!”

“Get out!”

Before Liu Lü could understand what was going on, he was met with a burst of shouting from Princess Yunyin. He then shrank into a ball and slowly retreated to Xiao Yun’s room.

“So, you’re trying to tell me that someone cured him, right?” Princess Yunyin asked again. “Is it that wretched servant girl?”

Nurse Wei closed her eyes, struggling as if she was dying. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, “Yes, the news I got from Apricot Blossom and Misty Rain Tower also said that the little… Young Lady, after Your Highness returned, took Seventh Young Master to a private room for treatment. From yesterday afternoon until midnight, she didn’t come out. This morning, someone saw Seventh Young Master stand up. So…”

“So, it must be that wretched servant girl who cured him, right? You want this princess to admit that she is the divine physician, right?”

She didn’t believe it. She didn’t believe that a fifteen-year-old servant girl could have the ability to learn skills that others couldn’t acquire even after a lifetime of pursuit!

Doesn’t the princess know that I’m a doctor?

The more she didn’t believe it, the more that slightly mocking voice echoed in her ears!

Don’t you know that I’m a doctor?

From the beginning, I entered the residence as a divine physician, and later became famous as a divine physician.

But you never believed!

You didn’t want to believe!

“Get out, all of you get out!”

Princess Yunyin suddenly roared like she was going crazy. Xiao Yun’s voice came from her ears, pleading, “Mother, save me, Mother, I don’t want to be crippled for the rest of my life… I don’t want to…”

✿✿✿

Today’s Apricot Blossom and Misty Rain Tower was bustling with activity. The earth-shattering drama that had taken place in the Elegant Poetry Pavilion yesterday had spread throughout Jiankang City. As a result, more curious people came here, some for entertainment and fame, and others to see the granddaughter of the Xiao family, Xiao Jinyu, who had cleared her mother’s name and dared to confront the Chen princess.

“They say she’s the granddaughter, but the Young Lady does have the jade seal representing the Lanling Xiao Clan and a handwritten letter from the clan head. So it’s not an exaggeration to say she’s a descendant of the Lanling Xiao Clan!”

“Indeed! Her mother was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Xiao family, and she even led the clan members to escape the war, preserving the family’s foundation. Logically speaking, her contribution should not be underestimated. She should be an example for the clan and be remembered by future generations. How could she end up in such a miserable situation?”

“Yes! In the end, it’s because the clan head was too cowardly and muddle-headed, bewitched by a woman!”

Hearing the sighs and discussions around him, Xiao Jian pulled his hood tighter in shame and hurried towards the Elegant Poetry Pavilion.

At this moment, in the Elegant Poetry Pavilion, Fenghuang and A’xiu had already prepared the meal. The Elegant Poetry Pavilion, which originally only had the sounds of silk, bamboo, and flowing water, suddenly had a touch of warmth.

A row of white porcelain plates was placed on a long, low table, each filled with thinly sliced meat and fragrant condiments.

A pot was bubbling and steaming.

A’xiu brought a plate of already cooked meat slices and a small bowl of soup to Xiao Jinyu.

“Young Lady, please eat!”

Xiao Jinyu nodded and picked up her chopsticks, slowly savoring the food.

“Is this hot pot with beef?” Li Mi looked at it curiously and sniffed, unable to help but shrink his nose as the aroma filled the air. “It smells delicious!”

“If you don’t mind, why don’t you all join us for a meal?” Seeing Li Mi’s surprised expression, Xiao Jinyu couldn’t help but smile.

✿✿✿

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony! Third Young Master, let’s join them!”

As Li Mi and Cui Heng sat down, Lady Wei’s startled voice suddenly rang out from the pavilion:

“Oh my! What are you doing? This is my elegant place for Winding Stream and Floating Cups. How can you set up a dining table here? You’re ruining the refined atmosphere!”

“Lady Wei, there’s no refined atmosphere left here. After yesterday’s commotion, all that’s left is a tarnished reputation!”

Li Mi, never one to back down from a verbal spar, quickly retorted.

Lady Wei rolled her eyes at him and walked directly to Xiao Jinyu, saying softly, “Young Lady, are you going to let your little servant get away with this?”

As she spoke, she stared at Xiao Jinyu’s face, rubbing her eyes as if she had seen a ghost. She took another careful look.

“Eh, are you the Young Lady from yesterday? I saw you last night, and you didn’t look like this. How could… Could it be that my eyesight is failing me, and I’m seeing things?”

Seeing Lady Wei’s confused expression, Li Mi had a flash of inspiration and quickly interjected, “Lady Wei, I’m sure your eyesight is just failing you. This Young Lady has always looked like this, I guarantee it. Maybe last night, with the dim candlelight and the late hour, and you being a bit older, it’s normal to have mistaken her appearance!”

“Who are you calling old and saying their eyesight is failing?” Lady Wei suddenly became displeased and shouted angrily.

Lady Wei was at most thirty-five years old, still retaining her charm.

“I was wrong, I was wrong. Lady Wei is actually a charming and unique beauty!” Li Mi quickly changed his tune.

Being praised as “unique” by a handsome young man made Lady Wei very happy. After smiling, she seemed to remember something and her expression immediately changed:

“It’s no use flattering me. Get up, all of you get up. I have guests to welcome today. Because of yesterday’s commotion, my Apricot Blossom and Misty Rain Tower’s business is even better. More people have come today, so I need to do business. Please leave!”

“No way!”

Fenghuang suddenly stood up with a serious expression. “We haven’t finished eating yet! We can’t leave!”

“Hey, little Young Master, who’s the guest and who’s the host? You borrowed my auspicious place, and now you refuse to leave? This is not a place for eating, it’s a place for elegance, for scholars to recite poetry, write prose, and engage in refined conversations!”

“Can elegance fill your stomach? Can people who come here spend a whole day being elegant without eating?” Fenghuang retorted.

Lady Wei’s eyes widened in frustration, feeling like she was talking to a brick wall. Finally, she could only say, “Eh, forget it, forget it. But I really need to do business here, so please leave quickly! If you don’t leave, I won’t be polite!”

“It’s all the same to you who you do business with. I’m booking this place today. Tell those idlers to get lost! Don’t disturb my Qing Gege while he’s eating!”

“Oh, little Young Master, you think you can just book the place? How much money do you have to book it?”

Hearing this, Fenghuang became annoyed and glared at Lady Wei, saying:

“Yesterday Xiao Yun booked this place, even a vulgar person like him could book it, why can’t I? Are you looking down on me?”

Fenghuang spoke righteously, leaving Lady Wei flustered. Only Li Mi was watching the drama unfold with amusement, covering his mouth to stifle his laughter.

“That’s not what I meant…”

Unable to explain herself, Lady Wei turned her gaze to Xiao Jinyu and said softly, “Young Lady, are you going to indulge your little servant like this?”

Xiao Jinyu stood up and said, “Lady Wei, you’re wrong. First, Fenghuang is not my servant, he’s my family who has gone through life and death with me. Second, what he said makes sense. Although this is a place for elegance, the things people do here are not necessarily elegant. Besides, food is the most important thing for people. Who says eating can’t be elegant?

Is reciting poetry and writing prose always elegant? Sometimes, things may appear beautiful on the outside but are rotten on the inside. That’s not necessarily elegant.”

“The Young Lady is absolutely right!”

Li Mi and Cui Heng, who were eating with gusto, listened intently, feeling enlightened. However, Lady Wei was still puzzled.

“Young Lady, you seem like an elegant person, but you disdain elegant things?”

“Not at all!” Xiao Jinyu’s eyes darkened, and she said thoughtfully, “I just don’t agree with elegant things that come at the cost of national ruin and people’s suffering.”

Hearing this, Cui Heng’s expression changed, and a look of doubt appeared on his face.

Li Mi also fell silent, lost in thought.

At this moment, Xiao Jinyu smiled at Lady Wei and said, “How much does it cost to book the place? I’ll pay!”

“Young Lady, you’re so generous. It seems you’re a wealthy person!” Lady Wei joked.

“No, I have no money!”

After saying this solemnly, Xiao Jinyu looked at Lady Wei with a meaningful smile, “But someone will send me the money!”

“Who?” Lady Wei scoffed, confused and disbelieving. “Who would send you money?”

At this moment, a figure stumbled towards the Elegant Poetry Pavilion, only to be stopped by the attendants at the door.

“Look, the person sending the money is here!”