Inside Fuyuan Restaurant,
Zhong Yuan originally wanted to book a private room to talk.
But I didn't expect it to cost fifty taels.
His Huichuntang clinic mainly treats ordinary people and doesn't make much profit. He just accompanied the retired emperor on a tour.
Perhaps because he had been cooped up in the palace for too long, the retired emperor went out this time without bringing anyone with him.
Not only did they not bring any people, but they also didn't bring any money.
They buy whatever they see even without money.
Zhong Yuan was heartbroken from spending so much money, but there was nothing he could do about it.
The only meat dish they ordered was placed in front of Jiang Qingwan, while the Emperor Emeritus was surrounded by vegetables.
The lush greenery made the Emperor Emeritus stare wide-eyed.
"I'm not a cow, I don't eat this. Why is there no wine? Waiter, bring the best wine."
Zhong Yuan couldn't stop him at all.
"Grandpa, your current health condition means you can't eat meat or drink alcohol."
The retired emperor glanced at him.
"I don't drink alcohol or eat meat, how many more days can I live?"
One sentence shut down all of Zhong Yuan's advice.
Jiang Qingwan, on the other hand, quite admired it.
Few people can take life and death lightly.
Even fewer are found in royalty.
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many absurd stories of emperors plotting to find the way to immortality.
The waiter quickly brought over the finest pear blossom wine.
Zhong Yuan was anxious to back out.
Jiang Qingwan, however, opened the stopper and personally poured a bowl for the Emperor Emeritus.
"Dr. Zhong, the most precious thing in life is to be free and at ease. This meal is on me."
"Waiter, please add one roasted pigeon, one Qingjiang fish, one spicy stir-fried eel, one celery and river crab, and one winter melon soup."
The waiter happily agreed and left.
The retired emperor took a sip of wine, savoring it greedily between his lips and teeth.
A moment later, he opened his eyes and looked Jiang Qingwan up and down again.
"You really can't read faces?"
Jiang Qingwan smiled and said, "If there's money to be made, I can learn to read faces and tell fortunes. Those who believe will believe, and those who don't won't believe either."
The retired emperor was stunned for a moment.
Isn't this just making things up and lying?
His fingers caressed the wine bowl, his eyes swirling with complex and dark emotions, and his voice was low and husky, more like he was talking to himself.
"I once met a very powerful Taoist master who could see through people's hearts at a glance and understand what they were thinking without the slightest error."
Jiang Qingwan felt a surge of curiosity.
Just as I was about to ask where the person was, the old man suddenly raised his eyes and looked straight at me.
"How could someone as capable as him not be able to predict his own fortune?"
Jiang Qingwan's heart trembled inexplicably.
She could clearly sense the other person's sadness, mixed with anger.
She said in a deep voice, "When divining, one should not consider oneself. This is the rule. If one tries to divine one's own fortune, one's destiny will be reversed and drastically altered. In other words, it's a waste of time to divine."
The old man continued to stare at her blankly.
It was as if he wanted to see right through her.
Have you ever heard of... a living person turning into a demon?
"Bang!"
Zhong Yuan lost his grip on the wine bowl, and it rolled to the ground.
He hurriedly bent down to pick it up.
The retired emperor snapped out of his daze, lowered his eyes, picked up the wine bowl, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
But then he started coughing because his breathing was unsteady, and he couldn't stop for a while.
The back of his hand, which was covering his mouth, was stained with blood.
Zhong Yuan was extremely anxious and immediately reached out to take the emperor's pulse, but the retired emperor avoided him.
He stamped his feet in frustration, his eyes red-rimmed.
"I told you you can't drink alcohol!"
At that moment, Jiang Qingwan raised her hand and poured another glass of wine, handing it over.
"Shunshun!"
"Jiang Niangzi!" Zhong Yuan urgently stopped her.
The Emperor Emeritus choked on a mouthful of blood, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Ignoring Zhong Yuan's outstretched hand, he took the blood and gulped it down.
The wine penetrated my lungs, and the tightness and pain in my chest miraculously disappeared.
It felt as if a stream of icy spring water spread from the tip of my heart, filling my eyes and limbs.
He had only ever experienced this feeling of complete comfort with Murong Yanyan.
With a mixture of anticipation and nervousness, he suddenly looked up at Jiang Qingwan.
"What did you add?"
Zhong Yuan was surprised. Taking advantage of the break, he immediately took Jiang Qingwan's pulse. After a few breaths, he withdrew his hand, lifted his robe, and knelt directly in front of her.
"Madam Jiang, I beg you to heal my husband."
The Emperor Emeritus's heart, which had been quiet for so long, began to pound wildly.
"Can you really cure my illness?"
He was long past his prime, beyond the reach of medicine.
But I still can't let go of my obsession.
He didn't desire immortality, but he wanted to search and search some more, hoping that perhaps that person could really come back.
Don't they say that demons can live for thousands of years?
The wine that Jiang Qingwan had just handed over had a trace of spiritual energy added to it.
It may make the other person feel better, but it cannot cure the disease.
If her senior brother were here, perhaps there would still be a chance.
Of course, if it were necessary to forcibly prolong her life, she could do so.
However, such a heaven-defying act would have a severe backlash, and she might lose half her life.
She wouldn't do that for a stranger.
"I'm sorry, I can't cure it."
Unwilling to accept Zhong Yuan's courtesy, she got up and changed her seat.
"Dr. Zhong, please get up."
Zhong Yuan refused to give up.
“I just took his pulse, and the old man’s pulse is much stronger. I’ve tried many remedies but haven’t been able to achieve the desired effect. You must have a way. Just tell me, and I’ll agree to any conditions.”
The retired emperor had already calmed down from his earlier excitement.
"Zhong Yuan, get up. A person's lifespan cannot be changed, so don't make things difficult for her."
"But……"
Zhong Yuan knew, of course, that his lifespan was beyond repair.
But if there was still a chance, how could he just watch the retired emperor die?
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