Chapter 29 Gentle and Kind: Li Chenjin was actually not gentle at all...
Li Chen sat down casually, looked at the person opposite him who was momentarily stunned, raised an eyebrow, and smiled, "See, here he is."
Han Shannan was hesitating, wondering whether he should ask for some side dishes, when a middle-aged man led about a dozen servants into the small building with its doors wide open. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought they were there to cause trouble.
Li Chen put down his chopsticks, looked at the leader who was covered in sweat and looked anxious, and slowly said, "Are you Master Wu? Seeing how anxious you are, could it be that the evil spirit I mentioned yesterday is causing trouble in your mansion?"
Master Wu wiped the sweat from his forehead and repeatedly agreed. He then waved his hand, and two burly men walked out from behind him, dragging two people who were bound hand and foot.
The two burly men loosened their grip, and the two men, who were bound like crabs, were thrown in front of them.
Li Chen glanced at him, then looked at Master Wu with a puzzled expression. "Master Wu, what's going on?"
Master Wu quickly cupped his hands and smiled obsequiously at her, saying, "I happened to be away from home yesterday. As soon as I returned today, I heard that these two had offended you, so I brought them here to apologize to you."
As he spoke, he stepped aside, and a servant carrying a wooden box walked up to them and placed it on the table.
Once the wooden box was opened, it revealed a box of silver neatly arranged. In an ordinary household, that amount would be more than enough for an average person to live comfortably for a lifetime.
This shows that Mr. Wu was indeed a well-known wealthy merchant in Xicheng Town, and he was quite generous in his spending.
Master Wu continued, "These are the gifts I prepared for you as an apology. Please do not refuse them, otherwise I will truly feel guilty!"
Li Chen smiled and said, "Master Wu, you are too kind. I didn't take it to heart. However, I noticed that you looked flustered. Did the evil spirit cause trouble last night and frighten you?"
Upon hearing this, Master Wu's eyes immediately filled with sorrow, and even a few tears welled up. "Yes, it was my son... my son... my son was frightened last night. When he was found, he was dazed and confused, as if he had lost his soul. He didn't respond no matter how we called him."
“Since last night, I have been praying to the gods and seeing doctors, but nothing has worked. In fact, it has only gotten worse. Layman, please have mercy and save my son! I am so old, and he is my only precious son. He is my lifeblood! You must save my son, Layman!!”
Li Chen pondered for a moment and said, "We came here to eliminate evil spirits, and we certainly will not stand idly by regarding your son's matter. However..."
Hearing Li Chen's words trail off, Master Wu's heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "But what? Please tell me, whatever you need, as long as it can save my son, I will find it for you!"
Li Chen smiled and said, "But it's breakfast time now, so we need to have breakfast first before we can visit your residence."
Master Wu: "..."
Han Shannan: "..."
The rest of the group: "..."
Master Wu's expression stiffened for a moment, seemingly surprised that Li Chen would say such a thing, but in the end he still smiled ingratiatingly and said, "It's my pleasure, it's my pleasure..."
"Please have your breakfast first, we'll wait here."
Seeing that Master Wu was indeed waiting with his men to the side, and Li Chenjin was slowly sipping his porridge, Han Shannan hesitated for a long time before finally saying what he had been wanting to say: "Li Chenjin, do you have any side dishes? I've been wanting to ask you this for a while, do you never put salt in your cooking? No matter what you make, it has no flavor at all..."
Li Chen shook his head. "There are no side dishes; we really don't add salt now. If you want side dishes, go buy them yourself."
Just as Han Shannan was about to say something, Master Wu, who was waiting quietly to the side, hurriedly called to the servants beside him, "Quickly, go and buy some side dishes for the two laymen!"
"Yes, yes... but sir, what side dishes should we buy?"
"A little bit of everything, please!"
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Han Shannan glanced at the servant's retreating figure as he ran off, then turned back to look at Li Chenjin sitting opposite him.
If he wasn't mistaken, she seemed to have secretly smiled when she turned her face away just now?
He wasn't sure at first, but now he has. Li Chenjin looks gentle and kind, but he is actually neither gentle nor kind. He also likes to tease people and laugh at them. He is wicked by nature. Would the Sword God really have been friends with such a person before?
However, because there are outsiders present, he cannot ask this question now, and it is destined that he will not get an answer at this time.
After they finished breakfast, they were led to the Wu family home by the anxious Master Wu, who was waiting for them.
The Wu family, whom they couldn't enter yesterday, are now begging to let them in. It's quite a pleasant feeling. No wonder Li Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled at him when he entered.
As soon as they entered the Wu family's gate, Master Wu eagerly led them to Young Master Wu's room.
Upon opening the door, one would see that Young Master Wu was bound hand and foot to the bed, his mouth stuffed with a large wad of cloth, his eyes bloodshot, and his body twisting and turning. He did appear to be mentally unstable, but he did not seem as dull-witted as Master Wu had described.
Li Chen said, "Master Wu, your son's condition is much more serious than you described."
Master Wu wiped his sweat, looked at his son on the bed, sighed deeply, and almost shed tears of heartache. "Master, my son was originally just mentally challenged, but after those quack doctors came, they made his condition worse. I have no face to ask you for help, but... but my son, my son is still young, in the prime of his life, he can't be ruined like this..."
"Layman, even if you were to give my life for my son's health, I would never say 'no.' Please save my son! Layman, I know that Zen Master Mingcun is extremely skilled in medicine. You are a disciple of Zen Master Mingcun and are also known for your healing touch. I used to speak ill of the Zen community; I was blind to their abilities. Please have mercy and save my son, please save my son..."
Li Chen nodded and took a few steps closer to the bed.
The person on the bed saw people and writhed even more violently. Although they couldn't speak, they managed to squeeze out a few broken growls from their throats, like a mad beast ready to pounce and tear apart any living thing in their sight.
"The reason why Young Master Wu has become like this is because he has been entangled by the resentment of that evil spirit, which has clouded his mind. Although ordinary medicine cannot cure him, I have a prescription that can calm him down temporarily after he takes it, so that he will not be as prone to harming himself or others as he is now," Li Chen said.
Hearing Li Chenjin's words, Master Wu breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his heart was still heavy. He asked, "Master, does this mean my son will only be like this from now on? Master, please think of another way. I only have this one son. If my son can only be a mentally challenged child in the future, then my vast family fortune will have no successor! Master!!"
"Please rest assured, Master Wu, I will do my best." Li Chen turned around and looked at Master Wu with gentle eyes. "The root of this illness lies in evil spirits. There are two ways to cure it. One is to dissolve the resentment on the evil spirits; the other is to eliminate the evil spirits after they appear."
"But ever since we arrived here, that evil spirit has been deliberately avoiding the two of us. Even if we wanted to get rid of it, we couldn't find a suitable opportunity, so we still need Master Wu's help in this matter."
Master Wu hurriedly asked, "Please speak, Layman Chenjin. As long as it is within my power, I will certainly do it for you!"
Li Chen said, "Right now, all we need to do is find a house for Young Master Wu that is far away from here, and give me Young Master Wu's birth date and time, his old clothes, and a lock of his hair. That will be enough."
Master Wu seemed surprised by such a simple request and was momentarily stunned. "Is that all? No need for paper figures, paper horses, or gold and silver jewelry?"
Li Chen thought for a moment and said, "We still need Master Wu's permission to walk around the mansion and see where the resentment is strongest."
"The fact that this evil spirit is staying here may be related to your household. Therefore, we might ask some of your servants to see if they noticed anything amiss beforehand. This will also help us find traces of the evil spirit."
Master Wu hesitated for a moment, but looking at his son, who was in a state of madness on the bed, he finally nodded and said, "Please, gentlemen, do as you please. Wherever you go, no one in the manor will stop you. I only beg you to save my son. As long as he can recover, I am willing to pay any price!"
Li Chen smiled and said, "Then I will write a prescription for Young Master Wu first, and Master Wu can have someone fill the medicine according to the prescription later."
"Good, good!" Master Wu hurriedly said, "Quickly! Get some writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone for Hermit Chenjin!"
"Yes, sir."
After Li Chen finished writing down the prescription, he waited for the Wu family's servants to prepare the medicine according to the prescription and give it to Young Master Wu.
Seeing that Young Master Wu had indeed calmed down and stopped being crazy shortly after taking the medicine, Master Wu was certain that Li Chen was truly capable, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
After Young Master Wu was carried away, the servants of the Wu family changed the bedding that was soaked with Young Master Wu's cold sweat. This room then became Han Shannan's temporary residence, while Li Chenjin stayed in the room next to Han Shannan's.
Han Shannan looked at the clothes presented to him. Although they had been washed, they were still worn by someone else, and he absolutely refused to touch them, much less wear them. "Why should I wear his clothes? I won't wear them!"
A note from the author:
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