19 Noble Person
I left Luoyang and wandered aimlessly around Kaifeng, taking care of minor ailments, earning a little money, and searching for the Kaifeng snacks I remembered. Especially the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) from Kaifeng's First Restaurant—I just can't resist them. (When I was ten, I could eat four baskets by myself; now I can't. A few are too greasy.)
"Purple Mist." I picked up the first steamed bun and carefully put it in my mouth. The oil slid smoothly into my stomach, the aroma was delightful, and I felt very satisfied. Before I knew it, a smug smile appeared on my face.
The only people who would call me that are those who come to me for medical treatment. During the time I traveled in Jiangnan, I also saw a few high-ranking officials and nobles at Ruoyao's urging, but they used the name Ziwu.
"It's you." I looked at the smiling man. He was the most famous doctor in Hangzhou, named something like Liu Ya. Young but highly respected, he was indeed a kind and compassionate doctor. Regardless of wealth or status, he loved saving lives.
"Purple Mist, you're here too. Just here to join in the fun, right?" He sat down happily without thinking twice.
Yes, and you?
"I'm here to find someone."
"Looking for someone?" I squinted at him.
"Young Master Feiwu".
"Cough, cough..."
"Purple Mist, be careful, no one's going to take it from you."
"What do you want with him?" If you tell him that the person you've been searching for is right under your nose, even though he's far away, wouldn't he just want to smash his head against a block of tofu and die?
“I…” he stammered.
"Forget it, you're only looking for him to find medicine. I understand." I patted his shoulder generously. "However, I've heard many people are looking for him, so you might not be able to find him." I wasn't trying to discourage him, but I didn't plan to meet him in my true form. I was afraid he would be so disappointed that he might commit suicide.
"By the way, Purple Mist. Could you please do me a favor?" Liu Ya suddenly whispered.
"What favor? Who are you saving this time?" I patted my chest, nonchalant. I'm always eager to try anything fun. I'll find a way to solve any difficult problem.
Liu Ya led me through a maze of twists and turns. I looked up and saw an elegant villa at the foot of Mount Song. "One of them is seriously injured and has been unconscious. Although I used golden needles to stop the bleeding and sealed his lifeline to preserve his true energy, he will still die if he doesn't drink any water," Liu Ya rambled on all the way.
"You really know how to find people; all your patients are half-dead. They're either seriously ill or severely injured." I shook my head to express my regret.
"Purple Mist, I'm counting on you." Liu Ya looked at me expectantly.
"I'll give it a try, but I might not be able to save them. Anyway, I can't kill them. Just don't come looking for me if someone dies."
"Look at what you're saying."
A tall man lay on the white bed, truly very tall, taller than most men. I touched his wrist, grasping his pulse. Then I lifted his eyelids to look at his pupils. Thankfully, he wasn't far from death. If it weren't for Liu Ya's miraculous healing pills and classic acupuncture point sealing technique, he would probably have died quietly.
"Is it alright?" a hoarse voice asked. The person was clearly a servant, glaring at me disdainfully before looking at Liu Ya, who was full of anticipation.
"We'll try anything, even if it's a dead end. Come here." I beckoned to the servant who was breathing heavily through his nose.
"What are you doing?"
"His true energy is depleted and needs to be replenished, so you'll have to make a small sacrifice." I laughed; everyone who offended me is dead.
"Me? Can I do it? If I can, I don't mind. You can even take all my inner energy." He said this so honestly.
"I don't need that many. Liu Ya, please prepare some silver needles for me."
"Purple Mist, I'm counting on you."
Actually, I could give him my inner energy, and the effect would probably be even better. However, I'm not that kind. My kung fu is for doing whatever I want, not for healing. Besides, at this critical moment, with so many people after me, I need to conserve all my strength to escape.
The transfer of true energy isn't particularly difficult, but it's very risky, especially for the person whose true energy is being drained. If I insert the needle into the wrong acupoint, or if he's not careful, it could reverse the flow, and then neither of us would survive. However, I'm not worried. Even if someone dies, it's not my problem. (Adversity: If it's not your problem, whose problem is it?) Because I have no psychological burden, I'm naturally relaxed. I calmly and unhurriedly pulled out Liu Ya's golden needles, glancing at them and noticing that they were still coated with high-quality fumigation medicine. He really went to great lengths to heal people.
In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, while I was leisurely humming and laughing, the servant had long since grown impatient, but he dared not speak out. He simply let me do as I pleased. Since he couldn't understand my medical skills anyway, I took the opportunity to stick a few more needles into his body, so that he would suffer from unbearable pain and itching for the next few days, hehe. Imagining his miserable appearance made me feel extremely good.
Smoke swirled as I inserted my silver needles one by one, and my inner energy slowly flowed into the man's body. He actually opened his eyes, without saying a word. His willpower seemed truly strong, but I didn't particularly like those eyes that seemed to see through everything. He stared intently at me, making my scalp tingle.
"Close your eyes." I couldn't take it anymore. If you keep staring at me like that, my surgery might fail, and you'll be the one suffering in the end.
He smiled and obediently closed his eyes.
I worked from around noon until nightfall, and finally finished. Looking at the servant who was almost exhausted, I patted him on the shoulder. "Good job, go and rest. He's fine now. You need to recuperate for a few days. Liu Ya will take a look at you."
"I will never forget your great kindness." He suddenly knelt down and looked at me with adoring eyes. I was startled and quickly helped him up.
"Purple Mist, you're amazing." Liu Ya walked in, not daring to disturb me the whole time. "You know such ancient medical techniques, I wonder which family you've studied under."
"I just figured it out on my own. This is all I'm good at." I wiped the sweat from my brow. "I'm hungry, treat me to a meal."
"Okay, bring it up."
"I'm fine now, so why are you still here?" The person remained silent for a long time, and when he finally spoke, his tone was icy enough to freeze me.
“You’re alright now, but I never save people halfway. If you die in the middle of the night, it would be unfair to blame me.”
"What's the meaning."
"Your bodyguard has lost all his martial arts skills. If your enemies come looking for you tonight, you'll only have me to rely on." I smiled as I munched on a steamed bun. Liu Ya is truly a wise man who knows when to yield. She knows I like the steamed buns there.
"You're quite interesting."
"Thank you for the compliment." Then I continued reading the novel that A had just transferred.
“You’re not asking? That means you know.” He suddenly opened his eyes and reached out to grab my wrist. “Such a slender wrist, such smooth skin…” he murmured to himself.
"Such slender wrists, such smooth skin, are not something you can just touch carelessly." If I hadn't controlled myself well, you would have been poisoned to death long ago. "The fact that I don't ask means I know what I'm doing, and it also means that even if you kill me to cover it up, I'm not afraid," I said quietly.
“I’m a grateful person, how could I kill someone to cover it up?” He smiled, a slight blush appearing on his usually resolute face. “Are all men in the Central Plains as handsome as you?”
I wiped my face; the human skin mask was still on. Where did this talk of beauty come from? What a pitiful child, he'd probably never seen a beautiful woman in his entire life.
"I'm referring to your intelligence and methods, like a luminous pearl that shines brightly in the night. And this appearance, is it not your true appearance? A person as intelligent as you must have an unparalleled beauty." He reached out and stroked my face, trying to tear off my disguise.
"I don't care what conflict you have with Shaolin Temple. After being injured by Master Yijue of Shaolin Temple, shouldn't you be more cautious?" I shook off his hand. He really doesn't know what's good for him. If I wanted to, you would have been poisoned to death a hundred times over by the medicine in my skin by now.
"How did you know? Are you very familiar with Shaolin Temple?" He squinted at me. "First, the safest place is the most dangerous place. You deliberately chose to stay in the place closest to Shaolin because you're afraid of their investigation. Second, your idiot subordinate knelt down when he saw I could heal. That doesn't work in the Central Plains. You value loyalty so much, you must be from Liao. Third, that Liu Ya guy seems so carefree, but the patients he treats are all seriously injured, wounded by experts. I've long suspected his true identity. Fourth, your willpower is extraordinary. Even when I drugged you, you were still able to open your eyes, which proves you're no ordinary person. I wonder which prince from Liao this hero is?" I chuckled at him.
He didn't answer, but just stared at me intently, then he smiled—a very genuine smile. "Since you knew that, why did you save me?"
I scratched my head. "I'm willing, okay?"
"I want to see your true face," he suddenly said, grabbing my wrists and tearing off my cloak with lightning speed. Hmph, if my family's disguise techniques were that easy to spot, I'd change my surname to yours. He was somewhat displeased that he couldn't tear off my mask.
"Sick people should not move around unnecessarily."
"I want to see," he said playfully, as if about to launch another sneak attack.
"Aren't you bored?"
“I want to see. I’ve never failed at anything I’m going to do.” He reached out again. I swung my hand back and knocked him onto the bed.
"Sick children need to take their medicine and go to sleep obediently. Okay, Uncle has things to do. I'm not playing with you anymore." Ignoring his grimacing, I gently sprinkled a layer of dust. "You can sleep peacefully now. Before tomorrow, no one can come in. And you can't leave either."
The highly poisonous powder dissolved and transformed into wisps of purple smoke. He gradually fell asleep, emitting soft breathing sounds.
"He'll be fine by tomorrow morning. You stay outside. I have to go." Looking at Liu Ya, who stood there bewildered outside the door, I put on my cloak and left under the cover of night.
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