Chapter 122: Here you go!

Tuan Tuan led the group of young ladies back to the Prince's Mansion in a grand procession, like a proud hen that had just won a battle and was bringing her chicks back to the nest.

Just stepping into the front hall, Tuan Tuan immediately saw Guo Taiyi speaking with Cheng Ru'an.

Guo Taiyi had obviously just arrived as well, and was currently paying respects to Cheng Ru'an.

"Physician Grandpa!" Tuan Tuan exclaimed happily, running over. "It's been so long since you came, I've missed your beard!"

Guo Taiyi felt both amused and helpless, immediately raising his hands to protect his carefully groomed beard.

But Tuan Tuan had already turned and flung herself into Cheng Ru'an's embrace, her little mouth chattering as she began to recount her recent "feat": "Mommy! Mommy! Let me tell you!"

"There was a wicked villain bullying the young ladies! I caught him! I had Second Uncle send him to the Jingzhao Prefecture!"

"Then I brought them all back! I want to open a 'Nüzi Jian'!"

"Let those who want to study medicine study medicine, those who want to learn cooking learn cooking, all mastering real skills, so that no one will dare bully them again!"

She spoke with animated eyebrows and radiant expression, completely unaware that beside Guo Taiyi stood an old man in a gray cloth robe, his hair white yet his complexion flushed.

Upon hearing her plan to open a Nüzi Jian, the old man's calm eyes flashed with a glint of light.

Guo Taiyi nodded repeatedly: "Miss, this deed is greatly kind!"

"Male physicians are numerous, female physicians few. Many female patients, due to gender segregation, conceal their illness and avoid treatment, losing their lives as a result!"

"If more women could practice medicine, these women's ailments would have someone to treat them, without need for hesitation."

Seeing her daughter bring back so many girls, Cheng Ru'an felt surprised; after hearing the reason, she couldn't help but nod repeatedly.

"Saving those in peril is only right."

"Guo Taiyi," Cheng Ru'an glanced at the old man who had come with him, not having time to ask details, "Please, old sir, take a seat—someone, bring tea."

"Liu Mama, tidy up the vacant Jinse Hall to the west, bring these girls there to wash and settle, then summon a physician to properly examine those with injuries, and instruct the servants not to be negligent."

"Yes." Liu Mama replied, leading the group of flustered young ladies away.

As the room quieted down, Guo Taiyi then introduced: "Princess Consort, Miss, this is my master ancestor, Mo Zhanggeng, also known as Mo Lao."

"Master Ancestor, these are the Princess Consort Ning and Princess Jiayou I mentioned to you."

Cheng Ru'an's face showed surprise: "Could this be the renowned Divine Doctor Mo, famed for his 'Resurrecting Spring Hand'?"

Mo Zhanggeng gave a profound nod.

Tuan Tuan looked at Mo Zhanggeng with curiosity: "Physician Grandpa, is he your master ancestor?"

Guo Taiyi said proudly: "Yes, Miss, my master ancestor is indeed the famed Divine Doctor with the Resurrecting Spring Hand."

Tuan Tuan glanced at him, then at Mo Zhanggeng: "Why doesn't he have a beard? Yours is so long!"

Guo Taiyi: "……"

Cheng Ru'an smiled and stroked her daughter's head: "Good, a beard—keep it if you like, age doesn't matter."

"Oh!" Tuan Tuan nodded: "I thought, as your master ancestor, his beard should be longer than yours."

"Uh…… How can a child's thoughts always be so strange!"

Guo Taiyi shook his head and continued: "Before, the Prince and the young masters had stubborn illnesses; I once wrote to seek help from my master ancestor."

"But my master ancestor has been wandering the lands; only recently did he receive the letter and rush to Jingcheng."

"I didn't expect that all of your health would already be restored."

"My master ancestor heard that Miss, by a fortunate coincidence, had obtained a stalk of thousand-year snow ginseng, a supreme treasure of medicine, and thus came to appraise it, please grant permission, Princess Consort."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ru'an realized that Mo Zhanggeng had come to Jingcheng expressly to treat her family's illness; she felt immediate respect and said: "Indeed, thank you, Divine Doctor Mo, for your great kindness. Someone, go to the storehouse and bring that stalk of snow ginseng."

"Yes." Not long after, a servant brought a jade box and placed it on the table.

As the box lid opened, a fresh, sweet fragrance immediately filled the room.

Mo Zhanggeng immediately rose, stepped forward, the nonchalance on his face completely gone: "Spiritual objects conceal their radiance; the treasure's light lies within—indeed true!"

He looked at Tuan Tuan: "Little one, your fortune is not shallow! This item cannot be obtained without affinity; although you won it in a bet, if it does not suit you, you cannot keep it."

Tuan Tuan gazed at him: "The red glow on this old man's body is the brightest I've ever seen on anyone!"

"He must have saved many people; he's a good old man!"

She took her short steps, walked up to Mo Zhanggeng, raised her little face, and waved her small hand:

"Grandpa, this, I give to you!"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone in the room was startled.

Guo Taiyi nearly bit his own tongue, and Cheng Ru'an also looked at her daughter in astonishment.

Mo Zhanggeng fixed his gaze on the little Xiao Tuanzi, who hadn't even reached his waist, his voice changing: "What did you say? Give it to me? Do you know what a precious treasure this is?"

"Of course," Tuan Tuan nodded, matter-of-factly, "It's just something that can save lives."

"Big Brother's already better! Keeping it here would be useless!"

"Grandpa, you're Physician Grandpa's master ancestor—take it, you can save many, many people!" She stretched out her little arms, making a big circle to indicate "so many, so many."

She spoke lightly and naturally, as if she were giving away a piece of candy rather than a thousand-year snow ginseng worth a city.

Mo Zhanggeng gazed at those clear, see-through eyes and the little expression on Xiao Tuanzi's face that said "Isn't this obvious?" as if his chest had been struck hard by something.

He suddenly squatted before Tuan Tuan, forcing out a smile he thought was kind and approachable, his tone eager: "Little one! Your heart is pure good, your talent spiritually outstanding, and rarer still, you harbor the universe within, deeply understanding the great way of 'benevolent heart of a healer'!"

"Staying here would be a waste! Why not become my disciple? I will pass all my medical arts to you! I guarantee you'll be a hundred times more capable than this Physician Grandpa! How about it?"

Guo Taiyi listened on the side, his mouth twitching: "Master Ancestor, are you trying to make Miss my senior aunt?"

But Tuan Tuan wrinkled her little nose, stepped back, and looked disdainfully at the folds on his face: "No."

"Why?" Mo Zhanggeng was dumbfounded.

"When you smile," Tuan Tuan pointed her little finger at his old face, dead serious, "you look like a wicked old man on the street trying to trick kids into giving up candy."

Mo Zhanggeng: "……"

Guo Taiyi and Cheng Ru'an: "……"

"You? You!" Mo Zhanggeng straightened his face, "Little one, do you know how many people in the world want to become my disciple?"

You actually dare to despise me?

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes, honestly shook her head: "I don't know~".

She thought for a moment, then added another stab: "Why do I need to know? I don't want to be a doctor!"

Mo Zhanggeng clutched their chest, her words choking them so that their chest felt blocked to the point of inability.

Guo Taiyi watched from the side, heart pounding with fear, terrified that Master Ancestor wouldn't catch their breath and would collapse again.