Chapter 7: Healing

After sending away the Zhang family’s servants, Hu Er asked excitedly, "Qingli-meimei, do you really have a way?"

Xie Qingli nodded gently. "I only have a twenty percent chance of success at the moment; I need to check his pulse to be sure."

"Twenty percent is already a lot! After all, every other doctor said there was no hope." Hu Er rubbed his hands together excitedly, looking ready to dive into action. "What do we need to prepare?"

"I need some medicinal pills; I will prepare them tonight." Xie Qingli bowed to Hu Er. "I also need a set of silver needles and the usual tools for a consultation. I’ll have to trouble you, Hu-dage."

"Just that?" Hu Er looked a bit disappointed. "I can prepare those."

"Hu-dage, do you really trust my medical skills that much? If I can't cure him, I’ll offend the Zhang family and implicate you all..."

Hu Er looked stunned. "Why would I doubt you? You saved Zhi'er and Zhuangzhuang; none of the doctors I know have even a fraction of your skill. Besides, Young Master Zhang is critically ill—it’s a case of treating a dead horse as if it were alive. If you can't cure him, that’s normal. The Zhang family won't be unreasonable."

"Aren't you curious about where I learned my medical skills?"

Hu Er shook his head. "If you could say, you would have said so already. If I ask now, would you tell me?"

Xie Qingli chuckled. "I met an expert by chance, and they taught me."

Upon hearing this, Hu Er gave her a look that said, *You’re just making up lies to fool a ghost.*

Xie Qingli didn't bother explaining further and continued, "However, I am still young, and I fear no one will believe I can cure Young Master Zhang. Tomorrow, I will need to borrow your reputation as a 'divine doctor,' Hu-dage."

Hu Er scratched his head, embarrassed. "That 'divine doctor' title is completely hollow. Use it however you like."

And so, Xie Qingli gave him instructions on how they should proceed.

...

At the first light of dawn the next day, a Zhang family carriage was already waiting at Hu Er’s door.

Xie Qingli boarded the carriage with dark circles under her eyes. Before long, she was leaning against the wall of the carriage, dozing off. She didn't wake up until they reached the county seat. She stretched lazily, the fatigue from staying up all night to make medicine vanishing instantly.

She lifted the curtain to look outside and happened to pass a jewelry shop. She immediately ordered the carriage to stop, jumped out, and dashed into the shop.

The Zhang family servants were growing impatient. The Master and Mistress must be waiting anxiously; this little "divine doctor" was truly playful. Why go shopping at a time like this? Had this country bumpkin never been to the city before? But they only dared to grumble in their hearts, remaining extremely restrained on the surface.

Fortunately, after a short while, Xie Qingli came out with a light step, returning to the carriage with two exquisite brocade boxes tucked in her arms.

Xie Qingli took out two oil-paper packets and opened them to reveal two pitch-black medicinal pills. She tossed the oil paper aside and placed the pills neatly into the brocade boxes, looking quite satisfied. "Not bad, not bad. This looks like a divine medicine worth a thousand gold."

Hu Er was left dumbfounded, looking rather foolish. Xie Qingli shook her head and laughed; this man didn't have a shred of a "divine doctor's" demeanor.

When the carriage arrived at the Zhang residence, the butler led them to the flower hall.

Inside, Master Zhang and Mistress Zhang had been waiting for a long time, their expressions anxious.

They sized up the two people behind the butler. Both were dressed in coarse cloth. The older one was in his twenties, with delicate features, looking like a refined farmhand; the younger one was just over ten, with a decent face but thin and frail, looking very immature. Only those bright, sparkling eyes showed anything out of the ordinary.

Master Zhang and Mistress Zhang exchanged a look, both feeling disappointed. However, sticking to the old saying "since they're already here," Master Zhang led them to Zhang Shou'an's bedroom.

Zhang Shou'an was breathing as thin as a thread, his eyes tightly shut, seemingly unresponsive to the movements around him.

Hu Er and Xie Qingli took his pulse one after the other. Hu Er thought to himself that Young Master Zhang was indeed beyond saving, feeling quite discouraged. However, he saw Xie Qingli nod at him and hold up one palm. Hu Er was overjoyed.

Following the script they had agreed upon, Hu Er bowed to Master Zhang. "Young Master Zhang’s pulse is weak, the toxic fire has congealed, and the poison is attacking his lungs and stomach. I only have a fifty percent chance of success."

Master Zhang, hearing the beginning of the diagnosis which was no different from Imperial Physician Xue's, didn't catch the latter part. He said with a dejected face, "The two of you may return! The butler will see you out."

Everyone was shocked. What did Master Zhang mean by this?

Mistress Zhang grabbed Master Zhang’s arm excitedly. "Master, a fifty percent chance! Fifty percent! Don't send them away."

Master Zhang was startled, stuttering, "Re-really? Can you save him?"

Hu Er nodded firmly. "There is a fifty percent chance. However, we have one condition..."

Master Zhang grabbed Hu Er’s hand. "Don't talk about one condition, a hundred would be fine. Name it, name anything." He was so happy he wanted to jump for joy, but with the servants watching, he had to hold it in!

Once Master Zhang had calmed down, Hu Er continued, "In a moment, we must perform acupuncture on Young Master Zhang to expel the toxins accumulated in his body. We need to clear everyone out during the procedure, including you and the Mistress."

Mistress Zhang hesitated slightly, but Master Zhang waved his hand. "That's easy." He turned and ordered, "Everyone, withdraw." The maids and servants in the room filed out.

Hu Er took out a brocade box and handed it to Master Zhang. "This is a divine medicine I obtained by chance; there are two pills in total. Have Young Master Zhang dissolve this one in water and drink it. We can begin the acupuncture fifteen minutes after he takes the medicine."

Master Zhang respectfully took the medicine and, together with Mistress Zhang, helped Zhang Shou'an take it.

Hu Er added, "Prepare a clean spittoon, and then you two may go and rest. You won't be able to come back in for about an hour."

Everything was ready. Master Zhang and Mistress Zhang respectfully exited and ordered the doors to be shut tight. Neither of them had the heart to rest; they stood on either side of the door like two gate gods.

Xie Qingli scorched the silver needles over a flame, then ordered Hu Er to uncover Zhang Shou'an's clothes and began the acupuncture. Her eyes were focused, her movements skillful. Before long, Zhang Shou'an's body was densely covered in silver needles. A fine layer of sweat beaded on Xie Qingli's forehead; the acupuncture looked easy, but it was actually mentally exhausting.

Hu Er secretly marveled. Qingli-meimei’s needle technique was exquisite and her movements were masterful, leaving him in awe. Her medical skills were truly unfathomable. Such skills must take twenty years to master!

Once Xie Qingli finished the acupuncture, she ordered Hu Er to prick Zhang Shou'an’s index finger, and black blood dripped into the spittoon.

Hu Er stared blankly at the needles on Zhang Shou'an’s body, trying hard to recall the technique he had just seen, but he could only remember fifty or sixty percent of it.

Xie Qingli didn't expect Hu Er to have the potential of a medical fanatic. She chuckled, "Hu-dage, the technique I just used is quite complex and difficult to learn in a short time. Young Master Zhang will need acupuncture once a month to fully recover. That technique is simpler; I will teach it to you later, and you can perform the acupuncture on him from then on."

Hu Er nodded excitedly. To learn even a fraction of such an exquisite technique would be a tremendous stroke of luck.

Everything inside the room was proceeding in an orderly fashion, but outside, an uninvited guest had arrived.

Imperial Physician Xue had sent a clerk to the Zhang residence to gather information. The clerk reported back: a young man and a girl of about ten had entered the Zhang residence and had yet to come out.

After waiting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and still seeing no one emerge, Imperial Physician Xue didn't want to wait any longer. "Hmph, out of respect for Master Zhang’s sincere invitation yesterday, today I, the former Director of the Imperial Medical Academy, shall expose these two country bumpkins and set the record straight."

Thus, Imperial Physician Xue arrived uninvited.

The Zhang family servants saw that the visitor was the honored guest Master Zhang had treated with such respect yesterday, so they did not stop him.

Without waiting to be announced, Imperial Physician Xue strode into Zhang Shou'an’s courtyard. Compared to yesterday, when he was being supported and carried in a sedan chair, he looked like a completely different person.

Seeing the two masters of the Zhang house pacing anxiously outside the bedroom door, Imperial Physician Xue guessed that Zhang Shou'an must be dying.

He gathered his emotions and said in a mournful tone, "Has the young master's condition worsened because of those two swindlers? Alas, it is all my fault for my lack of medical skill; otherwise, the young master wouldn't have to suffer like this before his end."

Master Zhang and Mistress Zhang were already agitated from waiting, and now that Imperial Physician Xue was buzzing like a fly and cursing Shou'an to die, they were furious. But out of respect for his status, they dared not speak their anger.

Master Zhang forced a smile. "Imperial Physician Xue, you worry too much. Shou'an is fine; a divine doctor is currently treating him."

Seeing Master Zhang’s smile, which looked worse than crying, Imperial Physician Xue concluded he was right. Master Zhang didn't trust his, Xue Henian’s, medical skills, but instead turned to be led around by the nose by two peasants. He must not want to be exposed to his face. *Hahaha, what a way to suffer for the sake of face!*

"Brother Zhang is kind-hearted and cannot bear to treat his neighbors harshly. However, in my humble opinion, while these people may be neighbors, they are swindlers. To let them wreak havoc in the countryside is worse than dealing with them early, lest they harm more innocent people."

Without waiting for Master Zhang to refute him, Imperial Physician Xue turned to the servants in the courtyard and ordered, "Why haven't you caught those two swindlers and tied them up yet? And send someone fast to report this to the authorities."

The servants looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Had the Zhang residence changed its name to Xue?