Super Main Gauche Dorée

Chapitre 24

Nie Chengyan read the letter twice, then locked himself in his room for half a day. In the afternoon, he called Huo Qiyang in: "The pharmacist who found the culprit among the pharmacy's servants, isn't that the one who fell off the cliff with Xiaoxiao?"

"Yes, Master. His name is Shi Er."

"Hmm." Nie Chengyan pondered for a while, then said, "Call him over."

A short while later, Shi Er arrived, cautiously wondering what this young master, with whom he had never had direct contact, wanted to see him about. Upon entering the courtyard, he saw a child of about twelve years old holding a book and sunbathing in the middle of the yard. Shi Er wondered whose child this was, daring to be so arrogant on the young master's territory.

Shi Er's meeting with Nie Chengyan was brief, lasting only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. He looked at the child again and finally remembered who he was. "Han Le?" he called out tentatively.

Han Le tilted his head and looked him over. After a long while, he also called out, "Shi Er?"

"Hey, you recognize me?" Shi Er was surprised.

"Just like you, I listened to what my sister said." Han Le said calmly, then looked at Shi Er carefully again, and then chuckled, "My sister said you're a real man."

Upon hearing this, Shi Er blushed. No one had ever praised him so directly in his life. He scratched his head and chuckled, "Not at all, not at all."

Han Le nodded seriously: "I was thinking about it too, where? I couldn't figure it out."

Upon hearing this, Shi Er stopped scratching his head, turned around and left: "You can play by yourself, I have important business to attend to."

Han Le called out loudly from behind him, "Then you'd better work hard, don't slack off, man!" Seeing Shi Er stumble, Han Le laughed heartily. Turning around, he saw Nie Chengyan staring at him from the main door of the house. Han Le stopped laughing and said, "Lord City Lord, would you like to sunbathe?"

Nie Chengyan stared at him for a long time, his expression seemingly struggling. Han Le felt uneasy under his gaze, and an ominous premonition arose. Then, sure enough, he heard Nie Chengyan say, "Come here and tell me, what did your sister say about me to you?"

Han Le was so shocked that his mouth dropped open. Then Huo Qiyang carried him, chair and all, into the house. On the way, Han Le grabbed Huo Qiyang's arm and asked, "Great hero, will you save my life?"

Huo Qiyang laughed and placed him inside the room, rubbing his little head: "Don't be naughty, answer the master's questions properly."

Nie Chengyan spun his chair around, adjusted its position to face Han Le, and said, "Tell me, what did your sister say about me?"

"Of course, we should praise the city lord."

"Really? How did you praise me?"

"It was the City Lord who kindly took us in, providing us with food and lodging. The City Lord is a kind, good-tempered, knowledgeable, and capable man who can use an abacus..." Han Le squeezed out his words, his voice growing softer and softer under Nie Chengyan's gaze.

"to be honest."

Han Le shut his mouth, his little head tilted back, and remained silent for a long time. Nie Chengyan grew impatient: "Speak!"

"I've been trying so hard to think of it, did my sister ever tell me?" Han Le was still feeling wronged. How could she not think of it? It must be because her sister hadn't told her.

She never said that? Nie Chengyan's face turned pale. How could she praise someone else's man? She had only met Shi Er a few times. She spent time with Han Xi instead, so how come she never said that?

While Nie Chengyan was angry, Han Xiao was anxious. Lin Zhi's condition was extremely unstable that day. Han Xiao and Xue Song discussed it for a long time, but they couldn't come up with a good solution. After most of the day had passed, Lin Zhi looked like dried pickled vegetables, her whole body withered. She could hardly swallow water, and her hands and feet would twitch from time to time, indicating that she was still in pain, but she no longer had the strength to struggle or twist.

Having no other choice, Xue Song had to go and ask the old man in the clouds. The old man in the clouds had used the rare medicine Rejuvenation Pill to save Nie Chengyan that day. Although Xue Song did not think that his master would give such a good medicine to Lin Zhi, since her condition was critical, he should report it. Otherwise, if she passed away, the diagnosis of the poison would not be confirmed, and he would be guilty of dereliction of duty.

Xue Song had been gone for a while when Lin Zhi suddenly had an attack. Han Xiao, who was diligently studying a medical text on poison treatment in the next room, rushed over upon hearing the servant's call. Lin Zhi was struggling violently, her eyes were lifeless and almost glazed over, and her limbs were flailing uncontrollably, making the ropes binding her snap loudly. Han Xiao pressed down on her hand and checked her pulse, and was horrified; she was clearly on the verge of death.

Han Xiao hurriedly ordered the servants to hold her down, while she herself forcefully pressed and plucked several major acupoints on Lin Zhi. Lin Zhi seemed to catch her breath, but Han Xiao knew this wouldn't work. She pulled over her medicine box, took out her needles, and suddenly the scene of saving someone in her dream last night flashed before her eyes. She realized that using these fine needles to bleed Lin Zhi probably wouldn't be enough to deal with Lü Xue. Han Xiao put down the needle box and loudly ordered the servants, "Get me bamboo tubes, find some thick needles and awls, and light a candle."

The servants responded and quickly prepared. Lin Zhi lay lifelessly on the bed, seemingly without breath. Han Xiao closed her eyes, trying to calm herself, and tried to recall the treatment methods she had dreamed of yesterday. Although the application wasn't exactly like this, the medical principles were similar. She tried hard to remember the acupuncture points, the pulses, the dangers of the needles, the pressure, the techniques…

Everything was prepared. Han Xiao took Lin Zhi's pulse; it was so weak it was almost imperceptible, and she seemed to have no breath left. She pressed several acupoints on Lin Zhi, then had the servant turn her over. Han Xiao herself took three acupuncture needles and, with a swift motion, forcefully inserted them into Lin Zhi's back.

Blood gushed out immediately. Han Xiao took a bamboo tube, heated the empty part over a candle flame, and pressed it against the bleeding area. The tube was sucked onto Lin Zhi's back. Han Xiao pulled it out, using the suction from the heat inside to draw out a significant amount of poisoned blood. The attending physicians watched in stunned silence, not knowing what kind of method this was, and naturally dared not ask. Lin Zhi was, after all, being used for poison testing; the doctor could do whatever he wanted with her.

When the old man of the clouds and mist arrived with Xue Song, what he saw was Lin Zhi lying on her back, breathing softly and slowly in a deep sleep.

The author has something to say: The weather in Beijing is awful; there hasn't been any sun for days. So, I had to let little Han Le get some sun for my silly son. My silly son always climbs onto the rocks to wait for the sun; he looks so pitiful, it breaks my heart.

By the way, I'll be taking a break these next couple of days and writing some Little Demon King stuff. Are there any fans still waiting for Little Demon King side stories? Any suggestions?

Want to protect each other

The old man in the mist entered the room, and everyone hurriedly made way for him. He walked to Linzhi's bedside, took her pulse, examined her eyes, and then looked at the medical instruments Han Xiao was using, asking, "How much did you put in?"

"Three needles in a group, four in total, each needle inserted one fen deep," Han Xiao answered earnestly, listing all the acupoints for bloodletting. The old man in the clouds picked up the needles and examined them, remaining silent. Han Xiao continued, "Yesterday, when we first treated her, Doctor Xue already used a fine needle to draw blood, so it wouldn't be appropriate to use such a strong method again. However, Miss Lin's condition was critical just now, and if we didn't do it, she might not survive. So, I took the liberty of trying."

The old man in the clouds twitched the corners of his mouth, his expression unreadable, and he said softly, "Another bold attempt..."

Han Xiao wasn't guilty at all. She explained the pulse, the symptoms, the medication, the reaction, the emergency treatment techniques, the acupuncture methods, the pressure, the medical principles behind them, and her ideas for applying the changes. She did it all in a very orderly and logical manner.

Several medical servants nearby clicked their tongues in astonishment. They knew about bloodletting, but to use such thick needles and heated tubes together, especially on a dying person, was something they dared not imagine. Moreover, Han Xiao dared to speak so confidently in front of the divine physician, focusing on the application and changes of medical principles. These so-called changes were quite complex, and only a master of medicine would dare to deviate from the rules and regulations of medical books and talk about changes.

Xue Song listened to what Han Xiao said, then stepped forward to take Lin Zhi's pulse. After that, he pondered deeply, but the old man in the clouds could not tell what he was thinking. After a long while, he only hummed in agreement.

Han Xiao, being a man of principle and knowing when to back down, explained his reasons and justifications for taking action, then retreated behind Xue Song, waiting for Elder Yunwu to speak. Elder Yunwu, however, no longer looked at Lin Zhi, but instead glanced at the bamboo tube, then said to Xue Song, "Her vital energy is so weak; although this bloodletting saved her life, it will severely deplete her strength. The prescription and methods used cannot be the same as those used on Ayan. Han Xiao will decide on the subsequent prescriptions and treatment arrangements." Xue Song, though surprised, immediately agreed.

The old man in the clouds turned to Han Xiao, who was equally surprised, stared at her for a moment, and said, "Let me see your skills, Han Xiao. Not relying on luck or tricks, not just coping mechanisms in a crisis, but truly saving a person from a stubborn and deadly poison."

Han Xiao was speechless; she was actually excited. "Not relying on luck or tricks, not just a crisis-time tactic, but truly saving a person from a stubborn and deadly disease." Could she really do it?

The old man in the clouds and mist had actually hit the nail on the head. She had never truly had the opportunity to cure extremely difficult diseases. On the mountain, she had only observed, listened, memorized, and pondered. In Hundred Bridges City, she could mostly cure common and stubborn ailments. Her much-talked-about "miraculous healing" feats were merely "luck, trickery, and emergency measures." The old man in the clouds and mist was right; she had saved Lin Zhi's life, but that didn't mean she was skilled. Just like when she faced the lifeless Shi Er, she only knew how to prick the heart with a needle, without considering the consequences or the methods of healing. Han Xiao felt her blood boil. She wanted to prove herself; she wanted to challenge "skillful" medical techniques.

The old man in the clouds ignored her emotions and didn't wait for her reply. He left Xue Song behind and went out of the room. Han Xiao looked at Lin Zhi on the sickbed and suddenly felt a sense of unreality. She turned to Xue Song and asked, "Dr. Xue, did I hear that right? You're here to treat Miss Lin, aren't you?"

Xue Song answered "yes," and seeing Han Xiao's happy expression, he felt a pang of sadness. He didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing for this kind-hearted girl. He had long recognized her talent as a doctor. Anyone could memorize prescriptions and medical books, but applying them properly was not something everyone could do, and the courage to think and act was even rarer. Yet she possessed all of these abilities. In less than two years since she arrived on the mountain, from her reckless act of stabbing someone in the heart followed by her unreasonable arguments, to her current bold and reasoned approach to acupuncture, her progress had been so rapid that he had never imagined it. Now he could only hope that this girl's talent would be protected, not stifled. But he could never fathom his master's thoughts. Now that she had the opportunity to hone her skills, he should let her practice diligently.

Han Xiao wasn't thinking about any of that; her mind was completely focused on curing the Green Snow Poison. She pulled Xue Song into the next room to discuss prescriptions and treatments. Previously, she had no say in the matter and could only offer ideas, but now Xue Song was giving her advice, and she was the one deciding on the prescriptions. This made Han Xiao hesitate for a moment. But after a heated discussion, she boldly wrote down two prescriptions. Xue Song glanced at them and thought that these prescriptions were indeed unconventional, but also "not impossible." He thought about it again and again, nodded in agreement, and handed the prescriptions to the physician outside.

Gossip always travels incredibly fast in the Cloud Mist Mountain, but the news Nie Chengyan received spread even faster than the gossip itself. Before noon, he learned from He Ziming about the task the Cloud Mist Elder had assigned to Han Xiao. He read Long San's letter, summoned Shi Er to see him, interrogated Han Le, and then sat alone in the room for a while before instructing Huo Qiyang to tell the Cloud Mist Elder that he wanted to have dinner with him.

Nie Mingchen and Nie Chengyan, grandfather and grandson, hadn't dined together for many years, so when Nie Mingchen heard Huo Qiyang's message, he was excited for a moment. Fortunately, he managed to control himself, pretended to think for a while, and finally said in the tone and expression of the Cloud Mist Elder, "Very well, I have no plans for today, so let's go together."

The grandfather and grandson ate their meal in utter silence, as cold as an icebox. The servants who served them trembled with fear, barely daring to breathe. Finally, after the meal was over and the servants were dismissed, the two began to speak.

"Is your leg injury feeling better?"

"fine."

"Injuries to the tendons and veins are inherently difficult to treat, and yours is a serious injury. You still need to practice more exercises on your legs. It should be fine now, but it will hurt more in rainy weather. Avoid spicy foods on weekdays..."

“I know,” Nie Chengyan interrupted him, frowning. “Anyway, it won’t work.”

After being rebuked like that, the old man in the clouds and mist fell silent. He waited for a while and then said, "You didn't come to eat with me for no reason. What do you want to say to me?"

Nie Chengyan didn't answer directly. He looked at him and suddenly said, "Sometimes I wonder when I will become another you."

These words made the old man in the clouds purse his lips. Nie Chengyan continued, "I don't want to become like you, but I'm finding more and more that I'm too much like you. My heart is as black as yours, and my personality is as bad as yours. I just don't know if I will end up like you, alone for the rest of my life."

"When you wanted to marry Xie Jingyun, wasn't it to prove to me that you were different from me?"

Nie Chengyan subconsciously reached for the earrings, but then remembered that they had been stored in the cabinet for a long time. He couldn't help but feel a little irritated and said in a deep voice, "But you've ruined everything."

The old man in the clouds seemed to have been touched on a sore spot, and he clenched his fist suddenly: "I didn't want it to happen either. How could I have expected someone to plot against you? If you hadn't gone home to propose to Xie Jingyun, none of this would have happened?"

“You still don’t dare to take responsibility. You don’t like Yun’er, and you’re never satisfied with anyone I chose myself. If you hadn’t come and interfered back then, the murderer wouldn’t have had the opportunity to lurk among us and strike. Ironically, the murderer used your poison.”

"I..." The old man in the clouds stood up and paced back and forth a few steps, unable to find the words, but said, "What's so good about Xie Jingyun that makes you disobey me at every turn?"

"She's kind, gentle, well-behaved, and obedient. What's wrong with her?"

“Her identity is the problem. How can an ordinary family be worthy of our Nie family of Yunwu Mountain?”

"Stop overestimating yourself. You, from Yunwu Mountain, are insidious and filthy. You think you're a hot commodity?" Nie Chengyan scoffed at this.

The old man in the clouds glared at him, his expression exactly like Nie Chengyan's. The two stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Finally, the old man in the clouds spoke: "You've come here, have you? To bring up old grudges with me?"

"If you're just bringing up old grievances, why bother eating this unpalatable meal?" Nie Chengyan's words stung the old man Yunwu once again. He angrily turned around, sat down, and slammed his hand on the table: "Then why did you come here?"

"I want to try having a meal with my grandfather and see if I can still feel that sense of family affection."

The old man in the clouds twitched his jaw. He dared not ask whether there was any or not. Eating was like torture, and after eating, they would start arguing. This was probably not a good feeling.

The room was deathly silent. After a long while, Nie Chengyan spoke again: "More than 30 years ago, there was a legendary doctor in the martial arts world named Chi Yanxing. He was a highly skilled physician, an upright man, and he treated many people without seeking fame or fortune. It is said that no patient died under his care."

The old man in the clouds and mist listened to his words, his face tense and his lips pursed. Nie Chengyan stared at him and continued, "Back then, in terms of fame, status, and prestige, he was better than a divine doctor named Nie Mingchen. So this divine doctor was not convinced and challenged Chi Yanxing to a medical contest in Yaoxi Town. The loser would have to stay away from the Central Plains and never set foot in the martial arts world again."

"I won, that's why I'm where I am today," the old man in the clouds interrupted him, no longer wanting to hear more.

"Your present state is nothing more than a group of disciples chasing fame and fortune, a bunch of sycophantic servants, no children, only a lame grandson left behind... Your present state is truly wonderful."

The old man in the clouds couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "What exactly are you trying to say? I indirectly caused your leg injury, I also caused your fiancée's death, and I also caused my son and daughter-in-law's death?"

Nie Chengyan remained calm in the face of his rage, coldly saying, "I just want to tell you that although I don't know what methods you used to force Chi Yanxing away more than 30 years ago, it seems that retribution has come. You should have heard that Green Snow has appeared in the desert."

"He is no match for me. I am the most skilled doctor in the world, so naturally I can also concoct the most poisonous medicine in the world."

Nie Chengyan looked at him coldly: "You mean, you think he'll compete with you in poison-making?"

The old man in the clouds remained silent, so Nie Chengyan continued, "You have his inside man in this mountain, don't you?"

The old man in the clouds turned his back and remained silent. Nie Chengyan smiled coldly: "Perhaps you know the truth, but you are unwilling to reopen old wounds and expose your ugly side."

"You can leave now. I will handle this matter myself."

Unfortunately, Nie Chengyan ignored the order to leave, saying, "I still have something to say."

The old man in the clouds turned around and looked directly at him. Nie Chengyan said clearly, word by word, "I will never forgive you for what you have done to me." The old man in the clouds clenched his fists tightly behind his back, his jaw tightened, and he gritted his teeth. He heard Nie Chengyan say again, "Don't let me find out again what tricks you're playing or what underhanded methods you're using to hurt the people around me, or we'll see. Don't forget, as ruthless as you are, I am ruthless too."

As Nie Chengyan left the old man's house, he heard a sound of wood cracking from behind. He didn't turn around, but waved to Huo Qiyang who was coming to greet him. Huo Qiyang pushed him slowly towards Yanzhu.

The bright moonlight cast a serene and tranquil glow on the smooth mountain path. Huo Qiyang asked softly, "Master, shall we go to the Xi Clinic?"

Nie Chengyan remained silent for a long time. Huo Qiyang was just wondering whether to ask again when he heard him ask, "Qiyang, if you find that you like something, but you know you are not good enough for it, what would you do?"

Author's note: Okay, does anyone have an answer for Nie Chengyan? What should we do?

Heart fluttering

Not good enough for her? Are you referring to Miss Han?

Huo Qiyang was somewhat surprised by his thoughts and was about to reply when Nie Chengyan waved his hand and said, "No need to answer, pretend I didn't say anything." Huo Qiyang shut his mouth, pushed him along for a while, and then asked, "Is Master going to Xi's clinic to pick up Miss Han now?"

Nie Chengyan shifted his body, somewhat irritable, and his tone was unpleasant. "Return to Yanzhu."

But when he was almost at Iwachiku-in, he changed his mind: "Let's not go back yet, let's walk a little further."

Huo Qiyang paused, then, understanding the gesture, pushed the chair towards Xi's clinic. After walking for a while, just as they were about to arrive, Nie Chengyan called for a stop. He looked at the building of Xi's clinic, lost in thought, and finally said, "Let's go back to Yanzhu."

Huo Qiyang sighed silently, but still obeyed the order and pushed the awkward man back to the Yanzhu courtyard.

Back in his room, Nie Chengyan dismissed Huo Qiyang, pushed a chair to the bedside, climbed up, lay down, and stared blankly at the beautifully tied sash above the bed. After a while, his gaze shifted, and he saw the black bell ribbon on the headboard. He frowned, sat up, and began to remove the ribbon. He then moved back to the chair, spun around to the small cabinet, and retrieved the purple bell ribbon representing Han Xiao. With great effort, he reassembled the ribbon, then climbed back into bed to lie down and look at it.