"Prince Xiahou, please wait a moment!" Unexpectedly, the butler nimbly turned in front of Xiahou Qin and blocked the way of the two in an instant!
Xiahou Qin's gaze instantly shifted to the butler. He sized him up and down with interest, his face filled with shy smiles. He smiled faintly and said, "The butler's skills are quite good. He was able to block my path so quickly! But, I wonder what the butler is worried about. Is he afraid that I will poison my uncle? Or is he unsure about Doctor Nie's medical skills? As for the former, I have no reason and no need to poison my uncle! As for the latter, I believe the prince has already introduced Doctor Nie to the butler. He was the doctor who treated the plague last year, and his medical skills are recognized by the emperor! I wonder what the butler is worried about!"
Seeing Xiahou Qin express his worries so quickly, the housekeeper's eyes froze, but his smile remained undiminished as he spoke respectfully, "Prince, what are you talking about? How dare I stand in your way! However, my Lord truly needs to rest. Besides, my Lord has been ill for these days, and except for the servants in the courtyard, no one else is allowed to enter, lest the cold air be brought into the inner room and cause my Lord to catch a cold, which would only make my Lord suffer more. I can't explain this to my Lord! Please invite my Lord and Doctor Nie to the front hall for tea. You must be thirsty!"
As he said that, the butler made a gesture of invitation, but his body blocked Xiahou Qin, preventing him from having the chance to walk towards Chu Pei's courtyard!
However, given Xiahou Qin's status, he would definitely not obey the orders of a steward! Moreover, this steward was not only not from the Xiahou clan, but also from the Chu Mansion. How could Xiahou Qin give him face?
He put away the faint smile on his face, his expression slowly becoming serious. His slightly furrowed brows revealed his current mood, and the cold corners of his lips slowly spilled out the question in his heart, "Butler, are you not giving this prince face? Who am I? And who are you, sir? The Chu family and the Xiahou family are related by marriage. Does this prince need your butler's approval to come visit his uncle? The rules of the Chu Palace in Kyoto are not as high as the Chu Mansion's arrogance! This prince has heard from my sister that the Chu Palace treats even the two young ladies of the Xie family as their own! How come you are wasting this prince's kindness in this Chu Mansion? It's really chilling! Or is it that now that this prince's uncle is unconscious and the Chu Mansion's mistress is far away in Kyoto, there is no one in charge of the mansion, and you, a bunch of servants, are thinking of bullying the master and claiming to be superior. To cover up your ambitions, you are doing everything you can to block this prince's way?"
The questioning made the butler's expression change. The smile in his eyes faded and solemnity filled his pupils. But even so, he couldn't scare Xiahou Qin away!
Staring at Xiahou Qin, who was determined not to give up until Chu Pei was seen, the housekeeper knew that this man would not be easily persuaded. He was just worrying about how to start the conversation, but Xiahou Qin suddenly pulled the silent Nie Huaiyuan aside and quickly moved sideways, bypassing the housekeeper who was blocking the path in the middle of the path and quickly walked towards Chu Pei's courtyard...
"Prince..." Without paying attention, he saw that Xiahou Qin and Nie Huaiyuan had already left him several feet away. The housekeeper was very anxious and tried to catch up with Xiahou Qin, but the other party also walked towards the inside without any relaxation and turned a deaf ear to his shouts!
When the butler caught up with Xiahou Qin, he was already standing at the gate of the courtyard. The busy people in the courtyard were surprised to see Xiahou Qin. They stopped what they were doing and bowed to him, "Greetings, Prince Xiahou!"
"Get up and do your own things!" Without any self-consciousness, Xiahou Qin pulled Nie Huaiyuan into the main house as if he was familiar with the place. The smell of Chinese medicine made the two of them look at each other silently. Nie Huaiyuan walked into the side room where the medicine was decocted. However, Xiahou Qin did not enter the inner room immediately, but stood in the lobby waiting for the housekeeper to come in!
"The prince is really agile. He left me behind in the blink of an eye!" After a while, the butler came in. He spoke to Xiahou Qin with hidden meaning in his words. The unhappiness he had felt for Xiahou Qin's casual entry into the courtyard had long disappeared. The smile on his face was humble and sincere!
Xiahou Qin naturally understood the deeper meaning of the housekeeper's words. Unlike the housekeeper, Xiahou Qin had not lived in the Chu Mansion for many years and knew the routes to the Chu Mansion like the back of his hand. However, he had just found Chu Pei's courtyard accurately. It was obvious that Xiahou Qin was not as easy to get along with as he seemed. I'm afraid he had not been staying obediently in the Youzhou Inn during this period!
However, even though the housekeeper knew all this, he could not accuse Xiahou Qin because he had no evidence, and could only hint at it with words!
"We've been traveling all year round, so our sense of direction is naturally impeccable! Besides, this prince and my uncle are family. The close bond between family members can only be felt but not expressed in words. Even if this prince is standing at the gate of the Chu Mansion, he can still feel where my uncle is! The housekeeper also has family, so he must have a deep understanding of such things!" Xiahou Qin avoided the important issues and talked about some weird things, but it was impossible to refute them! The housekeeper would not overturn his words, lest he be accused of being heartless!
Seeing that Nie Huaiyuan was missing, the housekeeper knew that he must have gone to see Chu Pei's doctor, so he asked the maid to bring two cups of good tea, and sat with Xia Houqin in the lobby to chat. "Prince is right! There is naturally telepathy between relatives! However, such things usually happen between parents and children. It is rare for someone like you to do this!"
After debating for a long time, Xiahou Qin was already thirsty. Even though the housekeeper was waiting for him to speak, he still picked up the teacup at hand, gently lifted the lid to blow away the tea residue, and elegantly took a few sips of hot tea. After the mellow tea slid into his stomach, he slowly said, "This prince and the prince have a very good relationship, just like brothers. I even regard my uncle as a father, so this feeling is naturally stronger! This prince believes that for a family like ours, there is nothing wrong with more family affection!"
As he was speaking, a quarrel was heard from the side room where medicine was being boiled, which made the housekeeper frown and Xiahou Qin's eyes became stern!
The two men stood up at the same time, walked towards the side room, lifted the door curtain, and saw Nie Huaiyuan holding a pill in his hand and wanting to put it into the boiling pottery pot. However, Doctor Chu Pei stopped Nie Huaiyuan's action and did not let him touch the pottery pot at all!
"What's going on?" The housekeeper's eyes were focused on Nie Huaiyuan's hand. He saw that his right thumb and index finger were holding a brown pill, and he was pushing and shoving the doctor, stubbornly trying to put the pill into the ceramic jar!
Hearing the housekeeper's question, the doctor held Nie Huaiyuan's hands tightly while looking at the two people who came in with embarrassment. He frowned and answered the housekeeper's question, "Housekeeper, the master's medicine was all personally prescribed, dried, and boiled by me. There has never been a mistake! But Doctor Nie just came in and took out this pill without authorization to add it to the soup. Isn't this treating human life as a joke? What's more, Master Chu is an official appointed by the court and the father of the King of Chu. If something goes wrong, who will bear the responsibility?"
Hearing this, the butler's eyes immediately shot towards Nie Huaiyuan, staring intently at Nie Huaiyuan's every move and expression. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, "Doctor Nie, I know you have good intentions and want to save my lord! But even a normal person shouldn't take decoctions casually, let alone my lord's current condition. How can you casually add other pills to the already prepared decoction? If my lord gets into trouble after taking these pills, will the King of Chu blame me for my negligence or Doctor Nie for my own decision? Moreover, although Doctor Nie developed the formula during the plague in Luo City, he has never come into contact with my lord's condition. How could he so casually give a patient an unknown pill? He is so careless about human life. Isn't Doctor Nie afraid of damaging his reputation?"
The housekeeper was threatening Nie Huaiyuan by thinking that his medical ethics and skills were at stake, and he also hoped that he would give up. Otherwise, once Xiahou Qin intervened in the matter, the pill would probably be put into the pottery jar!
Seeing Xiahou Qin and the housekeeper come in at the same time, Nie Huaiyuan immediately stood up straight, shook off the doctor's obstruction, held the pill in his palm and put it behind his back, with a proud look, not showing any fear for the housekeeper's threat. Instead, he sneered and said, "Don't worry, housekeeper, since I have decided to put this pill into the pottery jar, I am naturally 100% sure that I can cure Lord Chu and remove the toxins from his body! As a doctor, I am naturally a kind-hearted doctor! At that time, I also wanted to help the people of the world. Do more good deeds. That's why I resigned from my position as Imperial Physician to the Emperor, dedicating myself to treating the wounded and sick outside the palace! A few days ago, I saw Lord Chu bedridden. I returned home and researched a prescription day and night, finally developing this antidote today. I also fed the puppy with Prince Xiahou, and only when I was sure everything was safe did I give it to Lord Chu! But Lord Chu had been unconscious for too long, and naturally, he couldn't swallow a pill like this. So, I came up with the idea of mixing the pill into a decoction for him to drink. I believe it will definitely help Lord Chu recover!"
Seeing that Nie Huaiyuan was so eloquent, Xiahou Qin, who wanted to speak, stood aside and kept silent. Who would have thought that the idiot who stayed in Xiyuan all day immersed in medical studies would have such a side to him? It was a bit beyond Xiahou Qin's expectations!
However, thinking carefully about what the butler had just said to Nie Huaiyuan, Xiahou Qin immediately understood. He was afraid that the butler had touched Nie Huaiyuan's bottom line and actually questioned his medical skills to his face. This made Nie Huaiyuan in a bad mood and retaliated!
However, compared to Xiahou Qin's calmness, the housekeeper and the doctor were shocked. The doctor looked at Nie Huaiyuan with a reproachful look, dissatisfied, "Lord Chu is of noble status. How could you give him a pill you feed livestock? Doctor Nie, don't you even understand the meaning of 'rebellion against superiors'?"
Seeing the doctor making such a fuss, Nie Huaiyuan frowned in confusion, then asked, "You are all doctors. Are you going to let others test the medicine for a patient just to save him? What if the pill is an unmodified formula? What if the pill contains deadly herbs? Wouldn't that be a disregard for human life? Besides, feeding the puppy the antidote was originally to test whether it contained mixed toxins. Now that everything is normal, it should naturally be given to Lord Chu! I think no doctor would want to see his patient lying in bed forever!"
These words, with both emotion and rationality, are both touching and convincing!
Even the doctor who raised questions and ridicule lowered his head slightly and stopped talking!
Only the housekeeper frowned, his eyes filled with caution and alertness as he looked at Nie Huaiyuan. His mind was filled with Nie Huaiyuan's previous reply, and he tried every possible way to find a flaw in it...
"Butler, do you have any questions?" At this time, Nie Huaiyuan was not in a hurry to put the pills into the pottery jar. Seeing the butler's calm and thoughtful look, he knew that he was picking on him. In addition, he had just doubted his medical skills, which made Nie Huaiyuan a little annoyed. He even wanted to confront him. Xiahou Qin leaned against the wall with his hands on his chest, admiring the rare anger on Nie Huaiyuan's face!
The housekeeper was slightly annoyed when he heard this. He raised his slightly worried eyes and said calmly, "According to what Doctor Nie said just now, we are only checking whether this pill contains any poison. But what if this pill is not poisonous to begin with, but becomes poisonous after being combined with this medicine? Wouldn't that be a good intention with bad results? Not only would it harm the master, but also ruin you, Doctor Nie? Therefore, it is better to be cautious in everything. Don't assume that this is feasible just because there is no problem on one side!"
Xiahou Qin listened carefully to the housekeeper's words, nodded slightly, and looked at the housekeeper with a hint of inquiry. Such efforts to stop him and Nie Huaiyuan, and every word was reasonable, was indeed not something an ordinary person could do! No wonder Chu Pei had been injured for so long, and Xie had taken her two children to stay in Kyoto, but the Chu Mansion remained in perfect order, without any disruption of rules due to the absence of a master!
However, after hearing these words, Nie Huaiyuan smiled faintly. His elegant and handsome face showed neither the coldness of King Chen nor the arrogance of Chu Feiyang. With his unique modesty and prudence, he displayed his confidence!
Nie Huaiyuan looked at the butler calmly and said slowly, "Butler, you may be too busy! I remember that when I accompanied the prince here last time, I had seen Lord Chu's prescription. As long as we avoid the herbs that will produce toxins when preparing the antidote, the antidote will naturally be safe to take!"
As soon as these words came out, a hint of smile appeared in Xiahou Qin's eyes, but the housekeeper's expression suddenly changed, gradually becoming ugly. His sharp eyes stared at the pottery jar in front of him, and a strange light flashed in his eyes...
"In that case, let's hurry up and let your uncle take it!" Xiahou Qin spoke at this time, and his figure quickly came to Nie Huaiyuan's side. Without waiting for the other two to stop him, he took the pill from Nie Huaiyuan's hand and instantly threw it into the boiling soup. The pill melted in the yellow-brown soup in the blink of an eye, without even giving the housekeeper a chance to pick it up!
Seeing that things had come to this, the housekeeper could only find another way. Just as he was about to call the maid outside to bring in the medicine, Xiahou Qin's voice suddenly came through again, "Huaiyuan, why don't you quickly pour out the medicine and take it to your uncle?"
Meanwhile, Nie Huaiyuan had already regained his usual expression. Silently and steadily, he took a porcelain bowl beside him and rinsed it with hot water. Then, he wrapped the handle of the pottery jar with a white cloth and slowly poured the medicine into the bowl, filling it exactly halfway. He then nodded to Xiahou Qin, and with Xiahou Qin guarding him, the two of them walked towards the inner room...
The door curtain was lifted and then lowered, and the housekeeper glared at the doctor with a look of reproach, then quickly followed him out of the side room!
The inner room was quiet, and the doors and windows were tightly closed. Even though it was daytime, it looked as dim as dusk!
"Prince, this medicine is too hot. Why don't you put it on the table to cool down for a while!" The butler who came in saw the medicine in Nie Huaiyuan's hand steaming, so he spoke up to remind him!
But to his disappointment, Nie Huaiyuan did put the medicine bowl on the table, but he was also sitting beside the table, holding the medicine bowl lightly with one hand, and using a porcelain spoon with the other hand to gently stir the medicine inside so that the heat could dissipate quickly!
"If you have nothing to do, housekeeper, go ahead and get busy! You don't have to worry about us here!" Xiahou Qinze also sat next to Nie Huaiyuan, looking at the housekeeper's face who was trying to maintain a smile with a smile in his eyes, and made a suggestion!
"The prince is angry! How can we let the prince and Doctor Nie do the work of our servants while we enjoy the good life on the side! Besides, if Doctor Nie's pills are really effective, I naturally hope to be the first person to see you open your eyes!" As he said this, the butler's eyes were filled with tears!
"Since you are so loyal, just watch from the side!" This time, Xiahou Qin generously agreed to the housekeeper's request. He lowered his eyes slightly, hiding the brilliance in his eyes, and only stared at the bowl of medicine in Nie Huaiyuan's hand, and his brows wrinkled inadvertently!
Nie Huaiyuan, on the other hand, seemed much calmer, his eyes fixed intently on the medicine in his hand. He watched as the heat inside gradually subsided until it was just warm enough for him to drink. He then stood up with the medicine bowl in hand and walked towards Chu Pei with Xiahou Qin. Xiahou Qin helped Chu Pei up while Nie Huaiyuan spoonfully fed the medicine into Chu Pei's mouth...
"Okay! Lord Chu will be able to wake up in about an hour!" Looking at the empty medicine bowl, Nie Huaiyuan spoke affirmatively!
The housekeeper stood aside, watching them make Chu Pei drink the entire bowl of medicine. His heart was already in his throat, so he immediately followed Nie Huaiyuan's words and said, "Since that's the case, the prince is tired. Why don't you go to the front hall and rest for a while! I and others are watching here. If anything happens, I will send someone to fetch you and Doctor Nie!"
After he finished speaking, the housekeeper came forward, covered Chu Pei with a quilt, and then made a gesture of invitation, wanting to ask the two people sitting in front of the bed to leave!
But Xiahou Qin sat by the bed like a rock, shook his head with a faint smile, and said firmly, "Thank you for your kindness, housekeeper! The prince is not in Youzhou right now. Since I am the prince's cousin, it is natural for me to fulfill my filial duty on his behalf. The prince cannot see my uncle wake up in person, so I will watch over him in his place. When the prince returns to Youzhou in the future, I will be able to tell him everything in detail! As for Doctor Nie, with him waiting by the bed, any problem my uncle has can be solved, and you and I can rest assured! The housekeeper must be tired of standing, so let's sit down and wait for a while! I believe that the toxins in my uncle's body will be eliminated and good things will come!"
After being blocked by Xiahou Qin's words, even if the housekeeper had a thousand reasons, it was all in vain. He could only sit down as Xiahou Qin said and look straight at Chu Pei on the bed!
As night gradually fell, the maids saw that the inner room was pitch black, so they bravely walked into the inner room, lit the candles inside, and then retreated silently!
With the illumination of candlelight, Xiahou Qin and Nie Huaiyuan could finally see Pei's face clearly. He looked even thinner than before, with sunken cheeks and yellow skin, which made Chu Pei lack his former charm and grace!
"The prince and Doctor Nie must be hungry! Why don't you go out for dinner first? I'm sure it will take a while for the adults to wake up!" The butler suggested after looking at the sky outside!
Xiahou Qin also turned his head to look at the completely dark sky outside, and then said to Nie Huaiyuan, "Huaiyuan, you should go out and eat first! I'll stay here and take over later!"
Hearing this, the butler's face darkened slightly, but Nie Huaiyuan had already stood up and walked towards the outer room, which made the butler feel very regretful. He could only watch the two of them take turns to finish their dinner like this!
The inner room fell silent again, and the three of them waited quietly for Chu Pei to wake up...
Chu Pei's eyes, which had not opened for a long time, moved slightly, and then he seemed to fall asleep again. After a while, his eyes and eyelids moved again, causing the three people sitting by the bed to stand up at the same time. They all stood by the bed, waiting for Chu Pei to wake up...
After a long sleep, Chu Pei's eyes could no longer tolerate strong light. Even the candles he lit at night still made his vision extremely sensitive. After repeatedly opening and closing his eyes more than a dozen times, he finally opened them...
"Master..." Seeing that Chu Pei had really woken up, the housekeeper's eyes suddenly filled with tears. He immediately knelt down beside the bed and burst into tears uncontrollably!
Meanwhile, Nie Huaiyuan was already sitting beside the bed. He took Chu Pei's wrist and began to carefully feel his pulse. He then took out a small package from his sleeve, opened it, and pulled out a slender silver needle. He skillfully inserted it into Chu Pei's palm. After a while, he slowly twisted the needle, then raised it high and carefully observed it for a moment. Only then did he reply with certainty, "The toxins in Lord Chu's body have been completely eliminated! Just rest well in the next few days, and you will recover quickly!"
After he finished speaking, Nie Huaiyuan put away the silver needle, stood up, and stood behind Xiahou Qin!
Xiahou Qin looked at Chu Pei who had opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and then he smiled and said, "Congratulations, uncle! Butler, I leave my uncle to you. I hope that when the prince returns, he will see a healthy person!"
"Yes!" After wiping the tears from his face with a handkerchief, the butler stood up and bowed towards Xiahou Qin's back!
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
I went to the hospital to see a doctor today. I stayed there from morning to night and didn’t go home to write until six o’clock. I will try to write more tomorrow!
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