“Since that’s the case… then please, Qian Patriarch, lead the way. I will examine Old Master Qian.”
“Of course, of course! Come, come, Master Xu, this way please.” Qian Guoshun warmly welcomed Xu Ping’an inside.
“Old Zhao, stay close to Mister.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Zhao Pingzhi didn’t suspect a thing, thinking that Li Yuer was simply worried that Xu Ping’an might be wronged, so he put down his horsewhip and followed along.
Zhou Liang continued fulfilling his role as the coachman.
After Zhao Pingzhi followed Xu Ping’an into the courtyard, Li Yuer suddenly spoke up to warn:
“Zhou Liang, be alert.”
Hearing this, Zhou Liang furrowed his brows, his gaze instantly sharpening as he scanned the surroundings and immediately sensed something amiss.
His hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of his blade as he stepped back toward the carriage.
“Miss, there’s an ambush nearby, about a dozen men. I’m not sure which faction they belong to.”
“Don’t make a sound. Let’s see how the Qian family reacts.”
“Yes.”
Li Yuer sat quietly in the carriage. When she learned they would pass by the Qian family’s estate, she sensed something was off.
It wasn’t that she had any special sixth sense; she just knew more than others.
For example… Qian Guoshun’s Master.
The current Great Qi court was divided into three factions. If one had to classify them strictly, there was the Progressive Faction, the Moderate Faction, and the Fence-Sitter Faction.
And Qian Guoshun’s Master, Left Chancellor An Bulu, was a representative of the Progressive Faction.
The biggest ambition of this Progressive Faction was to completely abolish the system of Princes, establishing a highly centralized state with the Emperor as the absolute power.
That was why Li Yuer was on guard.
If the Qian family truly wanted to kill her, now would be the perfect time.
Outside the gates of the Qian estate, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Xu Ping’an had already arrived at the rear courtyard of the Qian family.
Ignoring the supposedly scenic courtyard, he immediately followed Qian Guoshun to the room of Old Master Qian, Qian Zhongyi.
Before he could enter, they heard Qian Zhongyi’s angry shout from inside:
“Let go of me all of you! I can walk by myself!!”
“Old Master, you mustn’t! The Doctor has already said you can’t walk unaided. If you fall and something happens, who will bear the responsibility?”
“Yes, Old Master, please pity us!”
The servants pleaded repeatedly, but Qian Zhongyi, clearly a stubborn man, roared in anger, “What nonsense doctor? All quacks! Shun’er, get him here! Bring Master Xu at once! No! I’ll go myself!”
“That’s impossible, Old Master!”
“Yes, Old Master! You mustn’t!”
The voices inside grew louder.
“Qian Lao, still strong in spirit as ever~ Young man Xu Ping’an, passing by and came to pay respects.”
“Ping’an!? You’re here? Hurry, hurry, don’t just stand around, bring Ping’an in! No! I’ll fetch him myself!”
“No need. The young man was impetuous, but he’s already inside.” Xu Ping’an pushed the door open.
An elderly man with graying hair, a gaunt frame, sharp eyes, and a goat beard sat beside the bed. One hand lay limp with fingers spread, the other propped against the bedrail as if forcing himself to stand.
“You brat! You come without warning—how am I supposed to prepare myself?”
“Old Master Qian, how could I trouble you to prepare ahead of time? That would be too much of an honor.”
Xu Ping’an smiled faintly and stepped forward, reaching out to support him. Qian Zhongyi seemed to like Xu Ping’an very much and immediately showed a kind smile at his approach.
“You… fine. Since you’re here, I can rest easy. Those quack doctors, none of them work! Come, feel my pulse! Tell these people, I’m not old yet!”
“Yes, yes, I will check your pulse right away.”
In truth, no pulse diagnosis was necessary. Just a glance was enough to tell that Old Master Qian was suffering from the aftereffects of a cerebral thrombosis.
He was partially paralyzed.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too severe; otherwise, in this era, conditions like cerebral thrombosis were almost impossible to save. Whether he would recover depended entirely on fate.
Fortunately, Qian Zhongyi wasn’t one to indulge in overeating or heavy drinking—only the occasional drink, which likely caused the cerebral hemorrhage.
Xu Ping’an placed his hand on the pulse and nodded.
“Old Master, your illness isn’t serious. You’ve got at least ten good years left. Don’t worry. I’ll apply acupuncture and prepare medicine for you right away. I guarantee you’ll be able to move freely within a month.”
Hearing Xu Ping’an had a solution, Qian Zhongyi’s spirits lifted noticeably.
“Listen, everyone! This is a Divine Doctor! You all call for those barefoot doctors—say I’ll be bedridden forever. Those quacks have done nothing but harm! When I recover, I’ll have to visit the Liuhe County magistrate and have a word with him!”
“Ah, Old Master Qian, you don’t need to be so anxious. Your illness isn’t a big problem, but ordinary doctors really can’t treat it. It’s not that they lack skill, but I received a Prescription from an Old Mister, specifically for this disease, which is why I’m confident.”
“Oh? Is that so… then no wonder.”
Qian Zhongyi stroked his goat beard with a pleased look.
“Well then, enough talk. Come, start the acupuncture.”
“Yes, yes, Old Master, please be patient. This treatment might cause some pain and itching, but you must endure it.”
“Hahaha! Young man Xu, come at me! I was once hacked with an axe, nearly had my intestines cut out, yet I didn’t even blink!”
Qian Zhongyi laughed heartily.
Just as Xu Ping’an turned to rummage through his medical box for silver needles, Qian Zhongyi’s gaze suddenly sharpened and he glared fiercely at Qian Guoshun.
Qian Guoshun immediately trembled, his face turning fearful, and hastily lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
“Hahaha! By the way, I forgot to ask. What’s your wife’s name? Which family does the young lady belong to?”
Xu Ping’an felt awkward but couldn’t say that Li Yuer was unrelated.
Under the current circumstances, it was obvious Li Yuer was being targeted.
If he didn’t step up to protect her now, Li Yuer might never make it to the capital, Chao Ge.
“She… my wife’s surname is Li, a young lady named Yuer.”
Qian Zhongyi pondered for a moment. His eyes gleamed, and he clapped his hands with laughter:
“Li Yuer? Li Yuer… Haha! What a fine name, what a fine name! I like it very much!”
“Miss Li, please stay vigilant. The Qian family is more dangerous than it seems.”
“Understood.”
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