Chapter 1224: [Contact] (Part 1)

Li Changxing nodded repeatedly. Hu Xiaotian had two people hold Li Changxing's body steady, had one person grip Li Changxing's upper arm to provide counter-traction, he with one hand grasped Li Changxing's wrist, continuously pulling in the direction of the elbow deformity, with the other palm pushing backward from in front of Li Changxing's right elbow toward the distal humerus, while the remaining four fingers pulled the olecranon process forward behind the elbow joint. Accompanied by Li Changxing's loud shout, the joint reduction succeeded.

Hu Xiaotian then had someone fetch a piece of cloth, bent Li Changxing's elbow joint to ninety degrees, and suspended it in front of his chest with a triangular bandage. After all, Li Changxing was elderly; after dislocation, joint swelling was obvious, requiring half a month of rest to fully recover. In fact, Hu Xiaotian also had miraculous pills on hand, but he hadn't brought them with him.

Hu Xiaotian had just finished when he was about to leave, but he heard a concerned voice from outside the door: "Father, I'm late; are you alright?"

Hu Xiaotian silently cursed his bad luck; things were really too coincidental. Li Mingju had neither come early nor late, but showed up just then. Although he was in disguise, Li Mingju had previously seen his disguised appearance, and now there was no way to avoid it.

Moreover, Li Changxing had already taken the initiative to introduce Li Mingju, saying: "Mingju, coincidentally this divine doctor is treating illness in prison, and he has already healed my arm."

Hu Xiaotian had no choice but to steel himself and salute Li Mingju with clasped hands, saying: "Commoner pays respects to Master Li!"

Li Mingju saw Hu Xiaotian and recognized him at a glance, his mouth opening wide in surprise. Upon learning that Hu Xiaotian had just been treating prisoners in jail, he immediately understood his purpose: "You……are……"

Hu Xiaotian worried that he would expose his identity, and hastily said: "I am merely an ordinary physician; Sir, you should not have seen me before." This remark was tantamount to reminding Li Mingju: you kid, definitely do not reveal my identity.

Li Mingju immediately understood, smiling: "You look somewhat familiar, Master, though we have never actually met."

Hu Xiaotian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Respectfully he said: "Sir Li, Master Li, I still have patients to see; I'll take my leave now."

Li Changxing noticed nothing amiss; he had his son see Hu Xiaotian off, and also instructed him to give Hu Xiaotian some reward money.

Li Mingju escorted Hu Xiaotian to the outside of the Ministry of Justice Prison, then couldn't help but smile: "I don't even know whether I should call you Master Hu the financier or Master Hu the divine doctor."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Thank you, Master, for your kindness!"

Li Mingju said: "I haven't done anything for you, nor can I help you; on the contrary, I should thank you, for it is thanks to you that my father's injury was healed."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I still have some miraculous medicines not on hand; they could help Sir Li recover quickly. Why don't I bring them to your residence tomorrow?"

Li Mingju said: "No rush." He looked Hu Xiaotian up and down, saying: "You really do have a way!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Master Li has delayed giving me a reply, so I have no choice but to act this way."

Li Mingju stared at him with piercing eyes and said: "You wouldn't be thinking of breaking into the prison, would you?"

Hu Xiaotian glanced around. Feeling certain no one was paying attention to this side, he then smiled: "Master, you worry too much; I harbor no ill intent toward Sir Li. If Master Li does not trust me, feel free to have people come and seize me."

Li Mingju said: "You had better not, for the sake of protecting my father. I will spare no expense."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Anyone would do the same, Master Li. I'll take my leave now; if there is a chance later, I will speak openly with Master Li. Tonight does not seem the right time. Master Li, you had better hurry back to attend to your father."

Li Mingju, reminded by him, then remembered his father was still waiting inside, and he whispered: "Tomorrow I will come find you."

Hu Xiaotian gave a faint smile, watched Li Mingju's back disappear behind the gate, then fetched his own horse. He galloped toward the Immortal Guest Inn.

Hu Xiaotian returned to the Immortal Guest Inn, where Yu Wan Li had already been waiting anxiously. Seeing Hu Xiaotian come out, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and followed Hu Xiaotian into his room: "Master Hu the financier, you have worried me to death!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Shopkeeper Yu, you're worried about my ten thousand taels of silver, aren't you?" He produced a banknote and handed it over.

Yu Wan Li received the banknote, beaming with joy, yet still put on a pretense, saying: "I regard you as a friend, not merely helping you for money."

Hu Xiaotian took off his long robe, stretched his arms, and said: "Shopkeeper Yu, I still need you to do me a small favor."

Yu Wan Li nodded and said: "Master Hu the financier, just say it; if I can do it, I will certainly do my best." As long as Hu Xiaotian is willing to pay silver, everything is easy to discuss.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Please investigate whether any important figures have recently come from the Da Yong side, and also I heard that the Bohai Kingdom recently invited a national preceptor; please find out who that preceptor is, who accompanies him, and where he usually resides."

Yu Wan Li readily nodded and said: "What's the difficulty?"

Hu Xiaotian then produced another banknote for five thousand taels: "Shopkeeper Yu, gathering information also requires silver; use these for now, and once the matter is settled, I will certainly reward you handsomely."

Yu Wan Li laughed: "Forget it; consider this matter my gift to you. We've said we treat you as a friend, and I can see you're no ordinary person; if I ever need your help in the future, just don't refuse."

Hu Xiaotian found Yu Wan Li to be straightforward as well, and nodded: "All right, if Shopkeeper Yu ever has a use for me, I will certainly do my utmost to help."

Feng's Iron Workshop is located in the northwest of Seaview City. Hu Xiaotian arrived there early the next morning, hearing the clanging of metal inside; the workshop had already begun its day's labor.

Hu Xiaotian entered Feng's Iron Workshop and asked the worker who was arranging metal pieces outside; the worker shouted loudly inside: "Master, someone is looking for you!"

Not long after, a man built like an iron tower walked out; he was over ten feet tall, dark-skinned, with a head of messy red curly hair, a square face, eyes glaring like bronze bells, and spoke in a rough voice: "Who's looking for me?" This man was none other than the workshop's proprietor, Feng Lao Dao.

Hu Xiaotian gazed at his physique, admiring his knotted muscles, and inwardly praised: what a formidable fellow; he looks a size larger than me, and his facial features suggest he is not a pure Bohai Kingdom native.

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Are you Feng Lao Dao?"

Feng Lao Dao said: "What's up? Got business? Paleface, I don't know you!"

Hu Xiaotian chuckled; his own mask was also a big black face, yet he was called paleface. He cupped his fists toward Feng Lao Dao and said: "Brother Feng, I have come at someone's request to meet you."

"Who?"

Hu Xiaotian extended his hand, showing the earring in his palm.

Feng Lao Dao's expression tightened at the sight of the earring, and he whispered to Hu Xiaotian: "Let's talk in the back courtyard."

Hu Xiaotian followed Feng Lao Dao to the workshop's back courtyard; Feng Lao Dao closed the gate, pointed to the stone bench inside, and said: "Sit!"

After Hu Xiaotian sat down, Feng Lao Dao, somewhat nervously, asked: "Have you seen her?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded.

Feng Lao Dao asked anxiously: "How is she? Is she all right? Has she suffered any injustice? Has anyone tortured her?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed.

Feng Lao Dao, obviously agitated, snapped: "What the hell are you laughing at? What's there to laugh about?"

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, seeing Feng Lao Dao so tense, it was clear his feelings for Ling San Niang were not ordinary, and he asked: "What is your relationship with her?" This question was a bit gossipy.

Feng Lao Dao glared at him and said: "She's my sister. Got it?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded, though he harbored doubts, for Feng Lao Dao's appearance differed greatly from Ling San Niang's; although Ling San Niang was no great beauty, she still retained some charm, while Feng Lao Dao was rather coarse-featured, and he deliberately said: "How could they not look alike?"

"Same father, different mother! Kid, you're also meddling too much!"

Hu Xiaotian finally obtained a reasonable explanation, and he smiled: "Actually, she hasn't suffered any torment; her situation is tolerable for now, and she asked me to tell you not to bother rescuing her."

Feng Lao Dao said: "How could we not rescue her? Why would she say that?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Can you get in touch with the Chief and his people?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Lao Dao became wary again, sizing him up from head to toe and said: "Who are you? Why should I believe you?"

Hu Xiaotian was both laughing and crying; having just shown him Ling San Niang's earring and thought he had believed him, Hu Xiaotian then produced the earring in his palm again.

Feng Lao Dao wore a sly grin and said: "Maybe you snatched it from her."

Hu Xiaotian glared at him and said: "Believe it or not, help me contact the Chief; just tell him my surname is Hu and that I am his friend."

Feng Laodao's expression showed some disdain; in his view, few in the world were qualified to be friends with Yan Tianlu. Although Hu Xiaotian's age appeared somewhat older after his disguise, he still looked about thirty or so, and Feng Laodao couldn't recall the island master having such a friend.

Hu Xiaotian also couldn't be bothered to say more; the point had already been conveyed. Feng Laodao should be the liaison between Ling Sanniang and Python Dragon Island, and this Feng Ji Iron Workshop is almost certainly one of their contact points. I believe he can pass the message to Yan Tianlu.

When Hu Xiaotian got up to leave, Feng Laodao asked again, "How can I contact you?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "I'm staying in Room No. 1 of the Immortal Guest Inn; whenever you need to contact me, just go there to find me."

Xia Zhangming brought Hu Xiaotian a piece of news: the Da Yong Eldest Princess Xue Lingjun had already been in Bohai State for several days; previously, accompanied by the Bohai State queen, she had toured various places, and today she had returned to Lookout Sea City. Upon hearing this, Hu Xiaotian immediately fell into deep thought. The purpose of Xue Lingjun's trip is almost certainly related to the Treasure Gathering Studio; her appearance in Bohai State is highly sensitive—could it be that she and Xue Daohong have jointly plotted all this? Recalling Xue Lingjun's previous mission to Dongliang Jun, this Eldest Princess and the new ruler of Da Yong seem not so harmonious after all. Yet royal affairs are hard to say; even mortal enemies can temporarily join forces for mutual benefit.

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