Chapter 146: [Tracheotomy] (Part 2)

Zhou Wenju slowly lowered his wine cup, looking at Hu Xiaotian and said: "Sir Hu, do you believe in the existence of ghosts and gods in this world?"

Hu Xiaotian had already anticipated that he would eventually bring up this topic; he hehe laughed and said: "So-called ghosts and gods are merely a name; I have always divided people into two parts, ** and spirit, Mr. Zhou, have you ever considered this question: ** after death, does the spirit still exist?"

Zhou Wenju froze for a moment, he tightly gripped the wine cup, pressed his lips together hard, his brows furrowed into a shape like the Chinese character for river, sinking into contemplation.

Hu Xiaotian again said: "Sometimes do you do things, vaguely feeling that these things have happened in your dreams before; have you ever experienced ** already collapsed but spirit still supporting? Some things are beyond your seeing and recognizing, but that does not mean they do not exist." Hu Xiaotian's words were purely a bluff; in fact even he himself did not believe in ghosts and gods.

Zhou Wenju still insisted: "I still think the ghost and god theory is extremely absurd; everyone says there are ghosts, but who in this world has actually seen one?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "A true physician treats people's illnesses, not only curing the body but also the mind. A physically healthy person, yet convinced he is ill, someone tells him he will die in three days; thus he worries anxiously, fearful and unable to find peace all day, and indeed dies within three days. Another person suffers from a fatal disease, originally expected not to live past a month, but encounters a doctor skilled in curing the mind, who gives him merely ineffective medicines, merely letting him believe they work, keeping the patient's heart full of hope; this patient actually overcomes the limit, lives five more years, and finally passes peacefully."

What Hu Xiaotian said are the most common cases in medicine, namely psychotherapy; Zhou Wenju nodded repeatedly, he vaguely guessed Hu Xiaotian's meaning, Hu Xiaotian's so-called Nine Cauldrons Suppressing Evil should be a method of treating the Wan family's mental illness. Regardless of whether ghosts and gods exist, the Wan family believes it to be true. Mental illness still requires mental medicine; Hu Xiaotian's method cannot be called wrong; my previous conclusion was somewhat hasty.

Zhou Wenju still had some doubts about the matter of Wan Ting Sheng. He lowered his voice: "Sir Hu, I have only heard of craniotomy in the past, but never seen it; you performed a craniotomy on the Wan family's second young master, although you saved his life, he lost all his memory. This may not be a good thing for him." He always speaks frankly and did not avoid this issue.

Hu Xiaotian said: "As a physician, the first thing that comes to mind is saving lives; I do my utmost, and how far I can go is left to human effort and fate; at that time choosing craniotomy was the only option; if I did not take immediate craniotomy, the bleeding inside Wan Ting Sheng's skull would compress his brain, causing severe and irreversible brain damage, even brain death." When discussing the condition, Hu Xiaotian involuntarily used modern medical terminology.

Zhou Wenju understood only half, but he already had a preliminary understanding of Hu Xiaotian's medical skill, realizing that Hu Xiaotian's way of treating illness was not the same as his own. He had already formed his own theory for chronic diseases, yet Hu Xiaotian's handling of acute conditions was beyond his reach; he was obviously aroused by Hu Xiaotian to have a strong desire for knowledge, humbly asking for clarification on points he didn't understand, and Hu Xiaotian patiently explained. Their conversation was quite congenial. Finally, Wan Boping, unable to wait any longer, sent the steward Wan Changchun to ask Hu Xiaotian to draw talismans. Only then did Hu Xiaotian rise.

In the room specially prepared for him at the Wan family's residence, the yellow paper and brushes needed for drawing talismans were all ready. Hu Xiaotian had just sat down when Wan Boping came in with a beaming smile; today his attitude toward Hu Xiaotian was also twists and turns, wavering between doubt and conviction.

Hu Xiaotian, however, knew that if not for tonight's accident, Wan Boping, that old turtle, would surely want to play cat-and-mouse with me, perhaps finding an excuse to spite me severely; this person's character is truly despicable.

Wan Boping leaned close to Hu Xiaotian and said: "Sir Hu, I'm truly sorry for tonight's incident; I never expected Zhou Wenju to be a fraud who deceives the world and steals fame."

Hu Xiaotian glanced at him with some displeasure, thinking: "You just came over to flatter me; what were you doing just now? Zhou Wenju targeting me must be your instigation!" He did not expose this, and calmly said: "It cannot be said that way; Mr. Zhou is certainly not an empty reputation; expertise has its specialization, learning has its sequence; I am merely more skilled in emergency treatment."

Wan Boping wore a petty villain's expression, leaning close to Hu Xiaotian's ear and said: "Sir Hu, you are truly modest; I can clearly see that in medical skill you are far superior to him."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Wan Yuanwai, he's always your old friend; isn't it improper to speak ill of him behind his back?" He despised most people like Wan Boping who are two-faced; since this scoundrel can speak like that about Zhou Wenju, he can also speak ill of me behind my back.

Wan Boping hurriedly distanced himself: "I have hardly met him a few times; it was my brother-in-law who recommended him, so I invited him; who would have thought this person is actually a complete incompetent." His saying this was full of trying to please Hu Xiaotian, but he didn't realize it only increased Hu Xiaotian's aversion toward him.

Hu Xiaotian silently cursed Wan Boping's baseness, his contempt for this troublemaker growing, and softly said: "Wan Yuanwai, you just said last night the furnace cauldrons were knocked over six times?"

Wan Boping nodded repeatedly: "Absolutely true! Moreover, many talismans bear bloody handprints." He handed over the talismans collected with bloody handprints to Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian took it and looked; indeed, each talisman bore a bloody fingerprint. He secretly thought: it could not be the work of ghosts and gods; certainly it was done by a person, and this person most likely ** is inside the Wan household. Unfortunately, the current era lacks fingerprint identification technology, and there is no fingerprint database; otherwise, based solely on these few bloody handprints, the suspect could be quickly identified. Hu Xiaotian did not voice his thoughts; he sighed and said: "Wan Yuanwai, Wan Yuanwai, I told you yesterday about this matter; I fear you have completely forgotten it."

Wan Boping said: "Sir Hu, I haven't even had time to do it, yet so many things have already happened; now what should we do?"

Hu Xiaotian in one sentence exposed the various mysteries: "It's not that there's not enough time, but that Wan Yuanwai lacks trust in me."

Wan Boping bitterly exclaimed: "Sir Hu, Heaven's conscience! You are my lifesaving benefactor; you saved my son, and now also saved my daughter-in-law, taking no payment, your kindness to me is like a second rebirth; how could I not believe you?"

Hu Xiaotian blinked, thinking: "You damn it, when did I ever say I wouldn't take a penny? You think I saved your daughter-in-law out of charity? Damn! Old fogey, playing mind games with me, thinking that after putting me on a pedestal I'd be embarrassed to ask for money? Believe it or not, I'll make you compensate for the daughter-in-law and owe money as well!" Hu Xiaotian was never a penny-pincher; seizing the opportunity, he put forward his own condition: "Regarding the charitable sale, you..."

Wan Boping had long experience with this scoundrel's extortion tactics, secretly cursing Hu Xiaotian's insatiable greed; yet now, having a request of him, even if his heart bled, he had to agree, he nodded and said: "Sir Hu, rest assured, I will take full responsibility for this matter."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "This matter had better be done sooner rather than later; I think the day after tomorrow will do."

After settling the charitable sale matter, Hu Xiaotian was delighted; he then picked up a brush and began drawing talismans on the yellow paper, this fellow writing whatever came to mind—he drew a pig while looking at Wan Boping, then glanced at Wan Changchun and drew a dog; Wan Boping and his servant stood there smiling, completely unaware that this fellow was cursing them.

While Hu Xiaotian was drawing talismans with vigorous, flourishing strokes, Murong Feiyan arrived; Hu Xiaotian sent Wan Boping and his servant away.

Murong Feiyan took off her straw hat, removed her raincoat; although the rain outside was light, she still had many damp spots on her body. Hu Xiaotian kindly handed her a towel: "Would you like me to wipe you?"

Murong Feiyan snatched the towel away: "Get lost!" Yet in her heart she felt no anger at all.

Hu Xiaotian leaned against the desk, hands propped on the surface, watching Murong Feiyan wipe rain from her hair; his gaze traveled from top to bottom, finally resting on her pair of flawlessly beautiful calves—this figure, this skin, this curve left nothing to be desired!

Murong Feiyan realized that this fellow's lecherous eyes were feasting on her legs, and immediately bent down to pull down both pant legs.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your boots are wet, aren't they? Take them off and I'll warm them up for you."

Murong Feiyan replied: "No need for your fawning; I ended up like this only because of you."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "What does your being wet have to do with me?"

Fortunately Murong Feiyan didn't catch the hidden meaning in his words; otherwise she would surely have knocked out his front teeth. She whispered: "As expected, that Liu Boju is shady; after he left, the carriage went to the county office, and I saw him go straight to Xu Qinglian's place."

Hu Xiaotian poured a cup of tea for Murong Feiyan and handed it to her personally; he knew she must have discovered something else, otherwise she wouldn't have been gone so long.

Having followed them for so long, Murong Feiyan was indeed a bit thirsty; after finishing that cup of tea she said: "I took advantage of the rain to sneak into the county office, arriving outside Xu Qinglian's study; the two were holding a secret talk inside, and Liu Boju reported to Xu Qinglian everything you and he had said."

Hu Xiaotian gritted his teeth: "That bastard, he really pretended to be drunk with me, trying to pump information out of me."

Murong Feiyan nodded: "They also said that even now repairing the bridge is already too late..."

"Repairing the bridge is already too late?" Just this sentence alone cannot infer their true intentions; the only thing we can determine is that it concerns Qingyun Bridge.

Murong Feiyan said: "They also said they have already sent someone to Xiezhou Prefecture to sue you!"

"Sue me for what?"

"Sue you for extortion and corruption!"

"Uh... this is basically the thief crying 'catch the thief'!" Hu Xiaotian realized he had still underestimated the vileness of Xu Qinglian and his gang.

Murong Feiyan said with a beaming smile: "You're all no good, you're all thieves!" (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for Recommendation tickets, Monthly Ticket; your support is my greatest motivation.)