Mercenary Princess - Chapter 23
"You're not feeling well, so try not to talk too much." Seeing her cough, Rongyue quickly reached out to pat her back to ease her cough.
Drip, drip... Huh? What's that? Feeling a sticky liquid dripping onto her leg, she looked down in confusion and was horrified to find that her snow-white robe was now stained crimson with blood! Trembling, she raised her head, and the blood that kept overflowing from Yu Yan's mouth stained Rong Yue's eyes red...
"Yu Yan--"
"Yu Yan, don't scare me! Wake up! Yu Yan! Yu Yan!!"
"Young Master Murong, don't worry, Miss has just fainted..."
"Doctor, she's vomiting blood! Please save her! Please save her!" Rongyue's eyes were bloodshot as she gripped the doctor's collar, screaming at the top of her lungs. She didn't want her to die. This doctor was her only friend, her confidante, the only one who understood her! She wouldn't allow her to die, she wouldn't allow it!!
"Ah Luo, don't be like this." Master Murong pulled the agitated Rongyue aside, suppressing the sorrow in his heart as he asked in a low voice, "I wonder how much longer my daughter has..."
The doctor also looked grave: "It'll probably be this month."
"Is there really no other way?" Heavens, are you really so cruel? You won't even let Yu Yan stay with this old man for a few more days?
The doctor looked grave and remained silent, only letting out a mournful sigh.
Like a thunderbolt from the blue! Although Master Murong had been mentally prepared, receiving the answer now still sent shivers down his spine. He staggered a few steps, only managing to steady himself by grabbing the side table. Outside the window, the sudden rain had just stopped, the world was washed clean, a scene of vibrant life, but Master Murong's heart was ashen. His eyes were empty, his expression dejected, and he stared blankly at the lingering raindrops dripping from the eaves like a clay sculpture…
"Ah, if only the divine physician and the holy son of medicine were still alive..."
"If he's alive, he can save Yu Yan?" Seeing the doctor nod, Rong Yue's eyes lit up with renewed hope: "Where is his apprentice? His apprentice must know how to cure her?"
"It's a pity that the Medicine Saint was solitary, and he didn't have a single successor until his death..."
"Didn't he leave behind any medical classics or books about his medical practice?"
"He left behind quite a few books; even I have some handwritten copies of his books..."
"Then you must know how to cure Yu Yan's illness!" Rong Yue exclaimed excitedly, grabbing his collar again, her hope burning even brighter. Hearing this, Master Murong, who was standing nearby, also perked up and looked at the doctor with hopeful eyes.
The hopeful gazes of Rongyue and Master Murong filled the doctor with a deep sense of guilt, as well as a profound reluctance to shatter their expectations: "There is a method, but it doesn't quite work!"
"Don't understand? Aren't you doctors? Can't you just read the books and prescribe the medicine? What do you need to know about 'key points'!"
"Young Master Murong, you may not know this, but the Medicine Saint's medical skills don't rely on medicine, but on needles!"
"Needles? Could it be acupuncture? Yes! Acupuncture! I'm so stupid! How could I forget this! Now, acupuncture is the only way to save Yu Yan!" Excitedly, Rong Yue pulled the flying needles from her sleeve and presented them to the doctor: "Here, I have needles! Quickly, save her! Quickly, use acupuncture to save her! Hurry!"
Looking with difficulty at the silver needles forcibly shoved into his hand, the doctor smiled bitterly: "Young Master Murong, using silver needles to save lives requires mastery of all the major acupoints on the human body. The needle insertion point must be placed in the center of the acupoint; even a slight deviation, or a millimeter off, will result in the patient's immediate death. But mastering all the major acupoints on the human body is no easy feat. Even among the current martial arts masters, none possess such skill! Therefore, Young Master Murong, I truly cannot help you..."
"I'm proficient in all the acupoints... I know them, but what's the use? I can only use them to kill, not to save! Why didn't I learn acupuncture back then... Hey, that's it! Doctor, you can tell me which acupoints to insert the needles into, and I'll hold them, that'll do!" Yes, that way, Yu Yan can be saved!
Unlike Rongyue's jubilation, the doctor's face was full of worry and doubt: "Young Master Murong, treating people with acupuncture is not something to be taken lightly! One wrong move and your wife could die on the spot..."
"Stop rambling, just tell me if you can recite those acupoints!"
"It's something you have to carry on your back..."
"That's it!" He snatched the flying needle from the doctor's hand, lit the candle, and began to sterilize the needle.
"Master Murong, look at this..." This young master Murong is young and impetuous, utterly lacking in judgment! Back then, the supreme martial arts master, Yi Tiandao, devoted his life to the study of martial arts, achieving remarkable success in the research of acupuncture points. His daughter suffered from palpitations, and to save her, he risked everything, relying on his decades of research into acupuncture points, and adopted the acupuncture treatment of the Medicine Saint. The result? He misaligned the needle slightly to the left at the last acupuncture point, failing miserably, and his daughter died! Even the supreme martial arts master couldn't do it; how could this young man, barely fourteen or fifteen years old, possibly succeed?
"Do as he says!" Master Murong waved his hand, then staggered away from the room that filled him with sorrow and oppression.
As people get older, they become more timid! He dared not stay in the house; he was afraid, afraid that he would witness Yu Yan's departure with his own eyes. Such pain was unbearable for him; he was truly afraid that he would succumb to it and follow Yu Yan in death...
It wasn't that he didn't trust Rongyue, but he had heard bits and pieces about the legendary martial arts master from back then. If even such a master couldn't do it, could he...?
Well, everything is fate, and nothing is up to us. Whether she lives or dies, it's all Yu Yan's destiny! Perhaps, death is a kind of liberation for Yu Yan...
Volume One: Pear Blossom Courtyard Under the Melting Moon, Chapter Thirty: The Rogue
"Did you know? The Medicine Saint has been reincarnated!" Inside the Guest House, a man with a blue robe on his head leaned close to a red-faced man drinking opposite him and said mysteriously.
"What! The Medicine Saint has been reincarnated!" Upon hearing this, the red-faced man's eyes widened in shock, and he shouted in disbelief.
The shout attracted the attention of people on both sides: "Really? Such a thing can happen? You're not making this up, are you?"
"Exactly, if such a thing were true, how come we haven't heard of it?"
"You can't just spout nonsense about things like that!"
"That's right, that's right..."
The suspicious looks from those around him made the man with the blue robe in his hair lose face! With a loud bang, he slammed his hand on the table and stood up excitedly: "How could I make up such a thing! There is solid evidence! The reincarnation of the Medicine Saint is Murong Luo, the son-in-law of the Murong family!"
Murong Luo! The surrounding crowd erupted in chatter, discussing this legendary figure of the town. The reason a figure is legendary lies in their unknown and mysterious nature, which ignites people's desire for exploration and curiosity. All eyes turned to the excited, red-faced man, urging him to continue.
Seeing that he had piqued everyone's interest, the man began to gloat. He leisurely took a sip of his wine and began, "Do you know Murong Yuyan, the eldest daughter of the Murong family? This young lady is a natural sickly one; even the imperial physicians said she wouldn't live past next spring! Just a few days ago, her condition suddenly worsened; she was vomiting blood incessantly and seemed on the verge of death! The doctor even refused to prescribe any medicine, advising Master Murong to prepare for the worst and accept the inevitable. Master Murong was heartbroken, holding his daughter's hand, wishing he could go with her. But at this critical moment, guess what happened?"
"What's wrong?"
Suddenly, Murong Luo, holding embroidery needles, leaped in front of the young lady and, with a few swift movements, pierced several needles into her body!
"Huh? Has he gone mad?"
"Listen to me! What's even stranger is that after a few needles, the young lady who was on the verge of death suddenly opened her eyes and started talking to her husband and father with a smile on her face!"
"That's amazing?"
"What's even more amazing is yet to come! I heard that this young lady was able to get out of bed and walk around that very day, jumping and skipping around just like a healthy person! The doctor took her pulse, and wow, he was stunned! This person who was supposed to die could easily live for several more decades!"
Seeing everyone's mouths agape in disbelief, the man continued triumphantly, "Back then, the Medicine Saint used needles, not medicine, to heal people. Now, Murong Luo also used needles to snatch Murong Yuyan back from the clutches of Yama. What does this prove? There's only one answer: Murong Luo is the reincarnation of the Medicine Saint!"
The surrounding crowd erupted in discussion again, their voices rising higher and higher, making the entire Kelaiju residence exceptionally noisy.