Chapter 523: Fed Out By My Own Hands

Xiao Er heard that and was also startled: "Miss, what are you going to do?"

The old man stared blankly at Tuan Tuan, still not having recovered from the previous words.

Tuan Tuan lifted her small face and looked at him: "Grandpa, after you finish treating my mother, can you then go with Uncle Daoba to check Grandpa's leg, okay?"

Daoba was suddenly startled.

His eye sockets instantly reddened.

Brother Xie begged renowned doctors to let Elder Xuan examine his leg injury, and the little "ancestor" even remembered it!

It seems she had already planned: if she could summon that esteemed master, see the Princess Consort, then ask him to examine Elder Xuan's leg!

He lowered his head, looking at the tiny figure; his lips moved, his throat seemed blocked, and after a long moment he managed three words: "Little ancestor!"

Xiao Er also wore an expression, staring unblinkingly at his own Miss; "Miss, how can you be so wonderful."

The old man looked at Tuan Tuan and suddenly laughed: "Little doll, do you really still have a hundred thousand taels?"

"Of course!" Tuan Tuan shouted boisterously, "Uncle Daoba, also give him the remaining hundred thousand silver notes!"

Daoba wiped his eyes, pulled a bundle of silver notes from his chest and handed them over.

The old man took them, counted each note meticulously, slipped the silver notes into his pocket, and surveyed Tuan Tuan from head to toe.

"Little doll, who are you? How can you be so rich?"

Tuan Tuan looked at him earnestly: "As long as you can cure my mother and Grandpa, what do these silver and spirit herbs matter?"

She glanced at Shanzi: "You take our silver, but you don't take Uncle Shanzi's; you're a good person!"

The old man was stunned.

He lowered his head and looked at the powder‑makeup, jade‑carved little doll before him.

Those eyes were clear and bright, containing no calculation nor guard, just staring straight at him, full of trust.

"This world," the old man suddenly said, his voice low, "most poor and destitute are kind‑hearted."

"Only those with power and status disregard others' lives, caring only for their own fame and profit."

He paused, the corner of his mouth lifting: "Such people, I naturally won't be soft on."

Tuan Tuan asked: "Grandpa, have you agreed?"

The old man gave no answer, raised his eyes toward Shanzi: "They were brought by you; you cannot stand by idly."

Shanzi hurried forward: "Whatever I can do, just command."

The old man raised his hand and pointed at the neatly arranged spirit herbs: "When I'm gone, you must tend these herbs for me."

Shanzi nodded repeatedly: "Alright, alright, I'll watch them, Grandfather, rest assured."

"Nothing else to worry about," the old man said, pointing to a corner by the spring pool, "just come by each day for a glance. If you see the leaves curling, water them promptly."

He raised his hand and asked: "Did you see that water dipper?"

Shanzi followed his finger, seeing on a stone by the spring a half‑worn wooden dipper.

"Water each plant with half a dipper," the old man's voice grew stern, "remember, not too much, and never too little!"

Shanzi nodded vigorously: "Got it, don't worry!"

Only then was the old man satisfied, withdrew his gaze, hoisted his hoe, and staggered toward the thatched hut: "Wait, I'm going to tidy up."

After a while, the old man changed into a long robe, lifted a medicine box, and left the thatched hut.

Tuan Tuan looked at him: "Grandpa, you really do look like a doctor!"

The old man proudly lifted his head: "What do you mean 'like'! I am a doctor!"

None of them delayed a moment; they mounted their horses and rode swiftly, finally returning to the Xibei Daying that afternoon.

Tuan Tuan grabbed the old man's hand and ran into Cheng Ru'an's tent: "Grandpa, hurry! Mother! I've invited the doctor!"

【9】 Xiao Yuanhang and his son were seated by the couch; seeing this, they hurried to stand: "Tuan Tuan!"

Xiao Yuanhang and his father were sitting by the edge of the couch; seeing the situation, they both hurriedly stood up: "Tuan Tuan!"

"Dad! Brother!" Tuan Tuan rushed to the bedside, looking at her mother on the bed, "Mother, I'm back."

But after a few days, Cheng Ru'an had become very thin, her cheeks hollow, her face like blank paper.

She slowly turned to her daughter: "Tuan Tuan, Mother finally waited for you."

She trembled, reached out and touched Tuan Tuan's hair: "Let Mother have another good look at you."

Tuan Tuan lifted her small face, looked at her mother, and tears instantly fell: "Mother!"

The old man, watching the scene, coughed: "Little doll, move aside."

Tuan Tuan hurriedly stood, wiping a tear: "Grandpa, hurry!"

Xiao Yuanhang glanced at the old man: "This old gentleman is…"

The old man rushed to the couch, brow furrowed: "Stop the chatter, all of you out!"

"The old man diagnosing, I hate having someone babbling beside me."

Xiao Yuanhang was startled, indeed a short‑tempered doctor.

He bent down, lifted his daughter: "Let's go, we all step out, so the doctor can calmly pulse‑diagnose An Er."

The group exited the main tent, and Xiao Ningxun asked Xiao Er about the old man's background.

Xiao Er recounted everything they encountered on this outing.

Tuan Tuan stared unblinkingly at the curtain of her mother's tent: "Grandpa, why hasn't he come out yet!"

Xiao Yuanhang gently patted his daughter's back: "Tuan Tuan, since you've invited the master, don't be anxious any more; leave it to him."

Xiao Ningyuan brushed the little tuft on Tuan Tuan's head: "Our Tuan Tuan is truly amazing!"

Xiao Ningchen watched his sister silently, his heart aching, for making her endure so much suffering.

Xiao Ningxun pulled Tuan Tuan's small hand: "Good, well done."

Grandma Liu carried the freshly decocted medicine and came over; seeing them all standing outside the tent, she halted: "Prince, where is the mother?"

Xiao Yuanhang said: "The doctor Tuan Tuan invited is inside diagnosing the pulse."

He glanced at the medicine in Granny Liu's hand: "Take it away."

"This medicine has been taken for several days with no improvement at all; we might as well wait for today's doctor to write a prescription, then brew a new medicine for An'er."

"Yes." Granny Liu turned and left.

Everyone waited anxiously, as if burning with worry, for a full half an hour.

The old man lifted the curtain and came out; everyone rushed forward, and Tuan Tuan was the first to speak: "Grandfather, how is my mother?"

The old man surveyed everyone: "I have already given her acupuncture and let her take my secret antidote..."

"Antidote?" Xiao Ningyuan's face filled with shock: "My mother was actually poisoned?"

Xiao Ningxun asked: "What poison?"

Xiao Ningchen also asked: "Has it been resolved?"

The old man rolled his eyes: "I haven't finished yet, you youngsters, stop butting in!"

Tuan Tuan softly explained: "Grandfather, they're all my brothers; please don't be angry, okay?"

"Take your time, I'm listening."

The old man's expression softened: "This little one speaks pleasantly; where was I?"

Tuan Tuan hurriedly reminded: "The antidote!"

"Yes, the antidote. But your mother isn't poisoned; rather, a Gu worm has infested her brain."

"A Gu worm?" Everyone's faces changed dramatically.

Xiao Yuanhang recalled the Gu he had once contracted, his face sinking immediately: "Sir, do you know what kind of Gu this is? How can we remove it?"

The old man nodded: "Of course I know; it's the Gu I personally raised back then."