As the young man led Shang Shaoyan inside, he said, "You don't need to call me a divine doctor. My surname is Lin, my given name is Jing, and my courtesy name is Wuchen."
Shang Shaoyan smiled and said, "Then I will take the liberty of calling you Doctor Lin. You don't need to call me County Princess. My surname is Shang, and I am the second son. You can just call me Second Madam Shang."
Lin Jing seemed quite pleased with the title "Dr. Lin." He smiled, stopped in the backyard, and pointed to a small stool casually placed in the yard, saying, "Sit down."
Bai Lu and Cheng Chu, who were following behind, wanted to say something, but Shang Shaoyan didn't think there was anything wrong with sitting on the small stool. She sat down leisurely and watched Lin Jing begin to process the medicinal herbs.
Lin Jing remained silent, and she did not urge him. She simply watched Lin Jing work attentively, and after a long while, she suddenly spoke up: "Dr. Lin has taught A-Le very well."
Lin Jing's hands continued moving, and upon hearing this, the corners of her lips curled up slightly: "I don't need to teach him. A-Le has always been smart and adorable. He used to be an abandoned baby, and after I picked him up, he has always stayed by my side. I originally told him that I was his father, but he was precocious and knew that I was lying to him. He avoided me for several days. After that, I dared not tell any lies to coax him again."
Shang Shaoyan didn't speak, and the air suddenly became quiet. Lin Jing looked at her strangely a few times, and she quickly explained, "I was just thinking that A-Le is about six or seven years old, and Dr. Lin is only in her early twenties. When you found A-Le, you were just a teenager. It must have been very difficult."
Lin Jing finished tidying up the medicinal herbs, and a hint of warmth appeared in her usually indifferent eyes: "It's no exaggeration to say that we depend on each other for survival. I saved him, and he saved me."
This statement seemed a bit nonsensical, but Shang Shaoyan quickly conjured up a story in his mind: "Lin Jing wanted to commit suicide because he was not understood by the world, and A Le's appearance added a touch of vitality to his life."
Lin Jing personally put the medicinal herbs back into the pharmacy, then looked at Shang Shaoyan: "You came here for the Duke of Zhenguo, didn't you?"
Shang Shaoyan quickly stood up and sighed, "My brother's health has been deteriorating lately. The imperial physician says he probably only has five or six years to live..."
At this point, Shang Shaoyan choked up with genuine emotion: "My brother and I have relied on each other for many years and have a deep bond. He originally didn't want to be treated anymore, saying it was a waste of manpower and resources... But I know he was unwilling to give up. He is a man of great talent and ambition. He often tells me what he wants to do and what he wants to do. He has a grand vision in his heart, but I can see that he is powerless to do so. So I can't bear to let him leave this world like this."
Lin Jing looked at Shang Shaoyan with some surprise.
He was a doctor and had witnessed countless partings and deaths, but he had never heard such words from Princess Heyang before.
When patients who sought his treatment refused to continue, their relatives invariably said, "If he/she leaves, how will I live?" Only the County Magistrate of Heyang truly considered things from the patient's perspective.
Shang Shaoyan burst into tears: "Doctor Lin, you don't know this, but my brother and I had originally planned not to treat the illness. But when the news of our parents' death reached the manor that day, my brother fell ill. He was in so much pain that his face turned pale, but he gritted his teeth and refused to cry out. He even tried to comfort me, saying that he would restore the Duke's manor to its former glory sooner or later..."
Shang Shaoyan wiped away his tears, forcing back his sobs: "At that time, I knew that he was not willing to leave like this. That afternoon, I knelt in the Buddhist hall for three hours. Even if it cost me ten years of my lifespan, I wanted my brother to live a healthy and peaceful life and realize his ambitions."
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