Chapter 2 Your father's heroic appearance
In the main room of Qixia Courtyard, the strong smell of medicine was mixed with a nauseating fishy-sweet smell.
Cui Xiao, the son of Weiyuan Marquis, who used to be full of energy and always had a sly smile on his face, now lay lifeless on the large bed with a pale face.
His lips were a terrifying dark purple, and his eyelids, earlobes, and even the edges of his nostrils were faintly stained with dark red blood. His breathing was so weak that it was almost inaudible, and the rise and fall of his chest had almost stopped.
Madam Zhou had cried herself dry and slumped down on the footstool, clutching her son's cold hand tightly, her eyes filled with emptiness and despair.
Several maids were carrying basins of hot water and clean towels, but they were all standing around the bed, at a loss, with fear written all over their faces.
Cui Yan almost broke the door open and rushed in, with a cold air.
He rushed to the bedside and looked at his son's miserable condition. His eyes turned red instantly and his voice changed tone.
"Get out of the way!"
A clear young boy's voice sounded, with unquestionable determination.
Hu Qing's thin body nimbly squeezed past the maid who was blocking his way and reached the bed in two steps.
He only glanced at Cui Xiao's expression, his nostrils twitched slightly as he sniffed the air, and his surprisingly bright eyes suddenly narrowed, with a sharp light flashing in their eyes.
Without saying a word, he put the huge medicine box on his back on the ground with a "bang" and opened the lid with swift movements.
It was filled with various bottles and jars, cloth bags of different sizes, and silver needle wallets of strange shapes, which were categorized into different categories.
He didn't even look at the precious medicinal materials, but pulled out a flat black leather case from an inconspicuous corner and unfolded it.
Dozens of golden needles of varying lengths and as thin as cow hair were revealed inside, the needle tips flashing with a cold golden light in the dim room.
"Hot water! The hottest! Quick!" Hu Qing ordered without raising his head, his voice crisp and short.
A clever maid woke up as if from a dream and hurriedly brought a basin of boiling water to the front.
Hu Qing quickly picked out the three longest gold needles, and without even looking at them, he plunged the needle tips into the boiling hot water with his backhand, twisting his fingers a few times extremely steadily, so fast that it was dizzying.
The movement had a strange rhythm, as if washing away some invisible filth in boiling water.
Cui Yan and Li's hearts were in their throats, and they were so nervous that they almost forgot to breathe.
"Hold his shoulders! No matter what happens, don't let him move!"
Hu Qing's voice was almost coldly calm.
Cui Yan took a quick step forward and pressed Cui Xiao's thin shoulders with his big hands as big as a palm-leaf fan. The force seemed to press his son's bones into the bed.
Hu Qing's move was as fast as lightning!
The first needle, a slender golden light flashed, and pierced into the Baihui acupoint in the center of Cui Xiao's head with incredible precision!
When the needle penetrated about an inch, Cui Yan even heard an extremely slight "hiss" sound, as if it had pierced through some invisible barrier.
The second shot, as swift as a meteor, went straight to the Tanzhong point on Cui Xiao's chest! With this shot, Cui Xiao's chest, which had been so weak that it had almost stopped, suddenly rose and fell violently, and a terrible "ho ho" sound came from his throat, like a worn-out bellows being forcibly pulled.
The third needle, with an unwavering determination, fiercely pierced into the Qi Hai acupoint three inches below Cui Xiao's navel! The moment the needle tip sank in—
"Uh---pfft!"
Cui Xiao's body suddenly arched upwards in an incredible arc, like a fish out of water, and a dying gurgling sound came from his throat, followed by a mouthful of fishy and foul-smelling stuff as thick as black and purple paste gushing out!
The filth splashed into the copper basin beside the bed, making a slight corrosive sound. A strong and pungent stench of bitter almonds instantly spread, making several maids who were nearby unable to help but retching.
After spitting out the filth, Cui Xiao's arched body suddenly collapsed, and the rise and fall of his chest miraculously became much more obvious, although still weak.
But he no longer looked as if he was on the verge of death. The lifeless golden color on his face had faded a bit, and although he was still frighteningly pale, the dark purple color on his lips had faded a lot.
The whole house fell into deathly silence.
Everyone was stunned by the thrilling three injections and the terrifying vomiting scene.
Hu Qing let out a long sigh. His temple hair had already been soaked with sweat and stuck to his fair forehead.
He raised his hand and wiped his face with his sleeve. His tense little face finally showed a trace of fatigue as if he had been relieved of a heavy burden. Then he raised a bright and dazzling smile.
Showing a row of neat little white teeth, he said to Cui Xiao, who was still unconscious but obviously alive on the bed:
"It's done! The King of Hell has asked me to give you a message. He says today is not a good day to take anyone in. He wants you to get back home as soon as possible!"
These words, full of vulgarity and even vulgarity, coupled with his childish face and the miraculous tricks he had just used,
It creates an extremely bizarre yet reassuring impact.
Cui Yan stared blankly at his son's chest, which was obviously getting better, and then looked at the black and purple filth in the basin that was emitting a foul smell.
Looking at the young boy in front of him who was sweating profusely but smiling brightly, huge ecstasy and fear hit him like a huge wave.
The legs of this iron-willed marquis softened, and he fell to his knees in front of Hu Qing with a thud, his voice choked and hoarse, and his words were incoherent.
"Hu...Brother Hu! Miracle doctor! You saved my life! I, Cui Yan...my Cui family...will never forget you!"
Zhou also reacted, rushed to the bedside, touched her son's wrist which had warmed a little, and tears burst out again, but she was crying with joy, and was about to kowtow in the direction of Hu Qing.
"Hey! No, no, no!"
Hu Qing was startled and jumped two steps away like a frightened rabbit and dodged!
He waved his hands repeatedly, and the little pride on his face was instantly replaced by embarrassment.
"Please stand up, my lady! I'm so embarrassed! I'm just an errand boy learning a trade, and I just happened to know how to deal with this 'red stone'! I don't deserve it!"
"Red Heart Stone?!"
Cui Yan raised his head suddenly, a terrifying cold light flashed in his eyes, and his teeth chattered.
"Arsenic?!"
He finally determined what that faint smell of bitter almonds was!
A cold murderous intent emanated from him, and the temperature of the entire room seemed to drop a few degrees.
Hu Qing nodded, his face turned serious, and he walked to the copper basin, pointing at the filth inside.
"Yes, and the dosage was extremely high, mixed with several other slow-acting poisons that block Qi and blood. If the prince wasn't young and well-preserved, and if it weren't for the coincidence..."
He glanced out the window in the direction of Yanshou Hall, but didn't finish his words, but the meaning was self-evident.
"I'm afraid he wouldn't have made it this far. Most of the poison has been forced out, but his internal organs are damaged and the remaining poison hasn't been cleared. He needs careful care."
He turned around swiftly, rummaged through his treasure chest-like medicine box, and pulled out a few oil-paper packets and two small porcelain bottles, which he stuffed into the hands of an old woman who was staring at him in amazement.
"Please, Madam, follow the recipe I wrote. Boil three bowls of water into one bowl, and drink it once in the morning and evening.
The pills in the white bottle were dissolved in warm yellow wine and fed to the prince at noon every day.
Mix the powder in the black bottle with good honey to make a paste, and apply it to the painful area of the prince's abdomen, changing it once a day.
Remember, avoid meat, fish, and greasy foods, especially ginseng! For at least three months!
The old lady held the medicine as if it were a life-saving elixir and nodded repeatedly.
In the following days, Qixiayuan became Hu Qing's temporary base.
He would come every day, sometimes carrying a few bags of freshly picked herbs, sometimes carrying a bowl of strange-smelling decoction.
He swaggered through the curious, inquiring, or hostile gazes in the Marquis' Mansion and went straight into Cui Xiao's bedroom.
Cui Xiao's life was pulled back from the gates of hell.
I felt groggy for the first two days and could only drink rice soup.
On the third day, he was finally able to open his eyes, although his bones felt like they were falling apart and his internal organs were aching.
But a faint light had gathered again in those slightly upturned peach blossom eyes.
"Hey...are you the...young apprentice of the Yanwangchou family?"
Cui Xiao's voice was as hoarse as sandpaper. He leaned weakly on the pillow, looking at the boy in plain clothes who was sitting beside the bed and taking his pulse.
The young man looked focused, his slightly cool fingertips resting on his wrist pulse, his brows slightly furrowed, as if sensing something.
Hu Qing didn't even raise his eyelids and replied casually
"Well, I'm the apprentice Hu Qing, and I've been ordered to come and 'renew' your subscription, Your Highness." His tone was relaxed, with a bit of the slickness that was typical of a street boy.
Cui Xiao was amused by his "renewal" statement and wanted to laugh, but ended up getting a stomachache, making him grimace in pain and gasping for air.
"Hiss...be gentle...Doctor Hu, who did you learn these medical skills from? Is the King of Hell really that familiar with you?"
He tried hard to force out his usual cynical smile, but his face was pale and it didn't work.
Hu Qing withdrew his hand and nodded seriously.
"How could we not be familiar with each other if we visit every few days? I've almost plucked out all the precious medicinal herbs in his backyard. He's so angry that he's jumping up and down, yelling that he wants to raise the rent for my master!"
“Puff…”
A little maidservant serving nearby couldn't help laughing out loud, then quickly covered her mouth.
Cui Xiao also laughed. Although his smile was uglier than crying, his eyes brightened a little.
He looked at the boy who was younger than him, spoke incoherently but saved his life.
The slight sense of trepidation and fear of the gloomy atmosphere surrounding the Marquis' Mansion in my heart inexplicably dissipated a little. This kid... is quite interesting.
Cui Xiao rolled his eyes, with a bit of youthful cunning.
"Tell me, is there something strange about the poison I took?" He lowered his voice.
Hu Qing paused while packing the medicine box, raised his amazingly bright eyes, and glanced at Cui Xiao with a half-smile.
"My Lord, I only care about curing illnesses and saving lives. As for other matters... I know nothing and will not ask."
He slowly stuffed the last roll of cloth into the box
"But, this 'Red Heart Stone' mixed with 'Seven-Step Vine', and then added with some 'Dream-Drunken Flower' root powder... Tsk tsk, this formula is quite exquisite, so exquisite that it's a bit... insidious. An ordinary pharmacy clerk can't make it."
He patted the medicine box, put it on his back, and grinned at Cui Xiao, showing his little white teeth.
"You should just be content with your sickly state! Stop dwelling on useless things and quickly strengthen your body. That's better than anything else! I'm leaving now. I'll come back tomorrow to 'renew' my subscription!"
After saying that, without waiting for Cui Xiao to ask any more questions, he waved his hand, hummed a tuneless little song, and ran away.
Cui Xiao leaned on the pillow, looking at the thin figure disappearing at the door. The sly smile on his pale face slowly faded, and his eyes became deeper and deeper.
Red calcite... Seven-step vine... Drunken dream flower... Hu Qing's seemingly unintentional words were like a few cold stones, smashing heavily into the muddy swamp in his heart, stirring up a shocking ripple.
He closed his eyes, and his grandmother's cold face, shrouded in Buddha's light and twirling Buddhist beads, appeared clearly.
Hu Qing became a frequent visitor to Qixiayuan and the only source of entertainment for Cui Xiao during his recuperation.
This young doctor is not very old, but his knowledge is ridiculously wide. From the wind and sand of the camel bells in the northwest desert to the soft Wu dialect in the water towns of the south of the Yangtze River;
From the folk remedies of soldiers at the border using strong liquor to treat their wounds, to the strange and bizarre secret recipes of ointments used by the concubines in the deep palace to compete for favor... he could describe them all vividly and with great enthusiasm.
Cui Xiao listened with gusto, occasionally cracking jokes. He was naturally lively and bubbly, and after a brief bout with the gates of hell, he had added a touch of worldly laziness and a certain inherent wit.
"Hey, Xiao Hu,"
Cui Xiao held the bowl of black medicine, pinched his nose, and looked worried.
"Why did my old, old-fashioned father trust Fatty Feng and bring you here? He usually only asks doctors with gray beards!"
Hu Qing was fiddling with a jar of pungent ointment and didn't even raise his head when he heard this.
"Hey, you don't know this, right? Back then, your father was fighting in the northwest, and a wolf-tooth arrow pierced his buttocks, leaving him on the verge of death. It was my master who sewed it up!
At that time, your father was screaming in pain, holding my master's thigh and shouting "Grandpa Yanwangchou, help me!" His face was covered with snot and tears! Uncle Feng was watching right next to him!
With such a close relationship, how could he not believe it?" He imitated Cui Yan's miserable condition perfectly.
"Puff—cough cough cough..."
Cui Xiao almost spit out the medicine, choking and his face flushed red, and he laughed so hard that he pounded the bed.
"Hahahaha... Is this true? My dad? Hugging his thigh and crying? Ouch... It hurts, it hurts..." The laughter hurt the wound again.
"Absolutely true! Uncle Feng said it himself!"
Hu Qing swore solemnly, with a mischievous look on his face.
"So, when your father saw me, he probably remembered his heroic past. How could he not trust me?"
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