chance encounter in the garden
After the incident with the sachet, Su Qingyue's situation in the Prime Minister's residence underwent a subtle change. The servants looked at her with less contempt and more scrutiny and caution. Although Madam Wang no longer openly made things difficult for her, she continued to cut back on her allowance, only in more subtle ways.
Su Qingyue was happy to have some peace and quiet. Aside from the necessary greetings, she stayed in her own courtyard each day. She used her limited resources to tidy up the small courtyard. She taught Qingdai to identify several edible wild vegetables and even cleared a small patch of land in the corner to try planting some easy-to-grow herb seeds. Life was still poor, but at least it was no longer as hopeless as before.
That afternoon, the rare warm sunshine dispelled the gloom of the past few days. Seeing that Qingdai had been working hard for days and her face had become thinner, Su Qingyue decided to take her for a walk in the most secluded western garden of the Prime Minister's residence. It was close to the outer wall and was usually deserted, with a desolate landscape, but its advantage was its tranquility and low profile.
"Miss, I heard that the plum blossoms in the West Garden are in full bloom these days!" Qingdai rarely showed such a joyful expression, like a little bird that had been locked up for a long time and was finally able to go out and run around.
The master and servant avoided the main road and headed west along a less traveled path. The further they walked, the more secluded it became; pavilions and towers gradually thinned out, replaced by jagged artificial hills and neglected ancient trees. The air was filled with the scent of withered branches, fallen leaves, and earth, a stark contrast to the carefully crafted floral fragrance in the main courtyard.
Sure enough, deep within a desolate forest, several old plum trees with gnarled branches bloomed alone in the cold, their sparse shadows casting long shadows and their subtle fragrance wafting in the air. Though not lush, they possessed a unique kind of proud spirit.
Standing beneath the plum tree, Su Qingyue took a deep breath of the crisp, fragrant air, and the yearning for freedom that belonged to her modern soul seemed to find some solace. She closed her eyes, as if she could touch the wind of another time through the ancient fragrance of plum blossoms.
Just then, a suppressed, painful groan came from behind the artificial hill not far away, interrupting her thoughts.
Qingdai was startled and instinctively grabbed Su Qingyue's sleeve: "Miss, what was that sound?"
Su Qingyue frowned slightly, made a shushing gesture, and listened carefully. The sound was rough and short, carrying a suppressed pain, unlike ordinary illness.
Her healer's instincts compelled her to walk behind the artificial hill. Although Qingdai was afraid, she followed closely behind.
After walking around a huge Taihu rock, the sight before them startled both of them.
An elderly man dressed in dark blue casual clothes sat leaning against a rock in the artificial hill. His face was ashen, his lips an ominous purplish-blue. He clutched his left chest tightly with one hand, his breathing rapid and labored, and beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He had no attendants with him, and judging from his clothes and demeanor, he was not a servant of the mansion, but rather a guest of considerable status. It was unclear why he had fallen ill here alone.
"Grandpa!" Su Qingyue immediately knelt down and asked in a calm tone, "Where do you feel unwell?"
The old man barely managed to lift his eyelids and glance at her. His eyes were already somewhat unfocused. He opened his mouth but could not utter a clear sound. He could only painfully point to his heart.
Heart attack! Su Qingyue judged instantly. The symptoms strongly resembled what is now known as an acute myocardial infarction or angina attack—a very critical situation!
"Qingdai, quickly go and see if anyone is around! Find someone to help!" Su Qingyue quickly ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Qingdai responded and hurriedly ran away.
Su Qingyue immediately supported the old man, keeping him in a semi-reclining position to minimize the burden on his heart. She quickly unbuttoned his collar to ensure his airway was clear. There was no stethoscope, no blood pressure monitor, no emergency medication! Her mind raced, searching for a feasible first aid plan under such rudimentary conditions.
Acupuncture! This is currently the only potentially effective method!
Without hesitation, she pulled out the thinnest silver hairpin from her hair—the only keepsake left by the original owner's birth mother, made of ordinary material, but now her only hope. She vigorously wiped the tip of the hairpin on her sleeve a few times, as if to disinfect it.
The acupoint must be accurately located! She held her breath, pressing her fingertips firmly on the inside of the old man's arm, searching for the Neiguan acupoint. Found it! Holding the silver hairpin, she skillfully inserted it into the acupoint, then began a continuous, gentle, twisting stimulation.
The old man's body trembled violently, and he let out a muffled groan.
Su Qingyue remained unmoved, focusing entirely on the sensations she felt in her hands. She needed to sense the flow of qi to unblock her heart meridians and blood circulation. Next, she aimed at the philtrum at the top of the old man's nasolabial fold, making shallow insertions and lifting and thrusting movements at a specific frequency…
Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Behind the artificial hill, only the old man's heavy breathing and Su Qingyue's steady breathing could be heard. Sunlight filtered through the bare branches, dappling the two of them.
Gradually, a miracle occurred. The old man's rapid breathing seemed to calm down a bit, the hand that was tightly clutching his chest loosened its grip slightly, and a faint trace of color returned to his pale face.
Just then, Qingdai rushed over with a man who looked like a butler. The butler, seeing the scene before him, was terrified: "Master! What's wrong?!"
The old man weakly raised his hand to indicate that he was alright, but his gaze fell on Su Qingyue, filled with undisguised surprise and curiosity. He felt an indescribable soreness spread after the cold silver hairpin pierced his heart. His heart, which had felt like it was being crushed by a boulder and was about to stop beating, was as if a warm current had been injected into it, and the excruciating pain was miraculously relieved.
"It's...it's this young lady..." The old man's voice was still weak, but he was able to speak coherently.
Seeing someone arrive, Su Qingyue slowly removed the needles. She reinserted the silver hairpin into her hair, her movements natural, as if the dramatic emergency treatment she had just performed was merely a casual act. "The elderly man suffered a sudden heart attack, which has now been temporarily relieved, but he still needs to rest quietly immediately. Please have the doctor examine him carefully, and he must not be overexerted or emotionally agitated," she instructed calmly, speaking entirely in the tone of a physician.
The steward quickly called over two servants who were waiting in the distance and dared not approach to disturb the old man, and they carefully helped him up.
The old man was helped to his feet. He gave Su Qingyue a deep look, his gaze sharp and profound, as if it could pierce through her skin. "Thank you for saving my life, young lady. May I ask where you live, young lady...?"
"It was nothing, old man, you don't need to worry about it." Su Qingyue gave a slight curtsy, interrupting his question, her attitude distant yet polite. "Your health is important, please go back and rest." She didn't want to reveal her identity at this moment and cause any unnecessary trouble.
Seeing that she was unwilling to say more, the old man did not press her. He simply took a seemingly ordinary jade safety buckle from his waist and handed it to her, saying, "This is a small token of my gratitude. Please accept it, young lady. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, you can use this to find me at 'Moyunzhai' in the east of the city."
Su Qingyue initially wanted to refuse, but seeing the unwavering determination in the old man's eyes, and realizing that "Moyunzhai" seemed to be no ordinary shop, she was moved and accepted it: "Thank you, sir."
The old man, surrounded by his steward and servants, slowly departed. After taking a few steps, he turned back to look at Su Qingyue, his gaze lingering for a moment on her worn-out dress and serene face, before turning and disappearing at the end of the artificial hill.
"Miss, who is that old man? He looks so imposing!" Qingdai came closer, looking curiously at the jade clasp in Su Qingyue's hand.
Su Qingyue stroked the smooth, warm jade clasp. It was plain, yet exuded an ancient and grand air. "I don't know," she said calmly. "Perhaps it was just a passerby."
But she knew in her heart that the old man was no ordinary person. His demeanor, his speech, the strange fact that he had no attendants with him when he fell ill, and the "Moyunzhai"... all of these things seemed unusual.
This unexpected encounter was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating new ripples on her chessboard, which was originally confined to the internal power struggles within the Prime Minister's residence.
She carefully put the jade clasp away. This might turn out to be an unexpected card.
Looking up, the old plum trees still bloomed quietly, their fragrance lingering. Su Qingyue took a deep breath, feeling as if the mist ahead had dissipated somewhat, revealing a wider and more unknown world.
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