Chapter 663

"No, old man, what kind of misunderstanding is this? From a single prescription you can actually tell whether you were diligent when you treated Le Zhuang's grandfather back then?"

Wang Ping'an, having eavesdropped on Zhao Kangtai's reply, wore a puzzled expression. He thought for a long while, still could not understand how one could judge diligence from a single prescription, and muttered to himself in curiosity:

"Old man, since you say that, I'd actually like to hear your answer. But it looks like my master will have to take the blame again. You'd better keep an eye on the old man so he doesn't go after my master, otherwise it'll easily cause a misunderstanding. Though my master is old, his back is still broad; taking a few black pots isn't a big deal!"

Zhao Huai was equally puzzled. How could the never‑met Kumu Daozhang discern from a single prescription whether his grandfather was diligent? He asked in confusion: "Grandfather, I don't understand what you mean. How can that Kumu Daozhang, using this prescription—especially one he wrote—tell whether you were diligent?"

"Father, you mean… it won't be that Kumu Daozhang wants to see whether you have the skill to treat Uncle Gu, right? If you have the skill, it would prove that back then you treated Uncle Le without diligence!"

Zhao Derun, carrying the bundled herbs, walked over from the counter. Hearing Zhao Huai's question and recalling Zhao Kangtai's initial statement, he said thoughtfully:

"And the prescription he slipped into Uncle Gu's pocket was because he feared you, Father, couldn't treat Uncle Gu and didn't want to gamble with Gu's life; so he deliberately left the prescription for Gu's illness there, giving you a chance to discover it?"

The moment the words left his mouth, a flash of barely concealed anger flickered in Zhao Derun's eyes before vanishing.

He admired Kumu Daozhang's skill; he had personally diagnosed Gu Liangong's condition. Unable to find a cure, he could only think of a prescription that would grant Gu Liangong another year or so of life. The prescription Kumu Daozhang could provide would let Gu Liangong live another ten or twenty years, which clearly demonstrated Kumu Daozhang's medical prowess.

It was countless times stronger than him and his father!

However.

He was angry that Kumu Daozhang would even doubt his father, for his father had faced double threats when treating Le Wenmao. If his father's reputation hadn't been widespread, he would have treated countless people, including many extraordinary individuals, and inevitably someone would have stepped in for his father at a critical moment, which saved his father's life…

No.

Not only his father, perhaps the entire old Zhao family was saved!

The viciousness of the Cui Clan and the Zhu Clan is evident to all; they have never committed a single act that exceeds the people's bottom line, yet they have indeed done wrongdoing, so one must imagine the Cui and Zhu families in the worst possible light.

Under these circumstances, his father would still step forward to treat Le Wenmao; how could he possibly be careless?

"Le Wenmao's body, I know better than anyone. In normal terms, even if he were paralyzed in bed, living another few decades would not be a problem!"

Zhao Kangtai let out a slight sigh, his face full of barely concealed sorrow. Having just learned from Gu Liangong that Le Wenmao had passed away, his sorrow deepened. In Liangshui Town, he had few peers of the same age, and he lamented:

"He had been paralyzed for years, and now he's dead. Because of the relationship between the second‑generation Kumu Daozhang and Le Wenmao, people will doubt me, thinking I was careless when I treated Le Wenmao—nothing more normal than that!"

He knew exactly why Le Wenmao suddenly became bedridden a decade ago: Le Wenmao had been stubborn all his life; his son and daughter‑in‑law were brutally killed by Zhu Xing, and because the young Le Zhuang still needed care, he couldn't avenge Zhu Xing, which wore his body down.

During that time.

When the Cui Clan tried to stop him from treating Le Wenmao, the Cui Clan had not yet latched onto Zhu Xing's side, though they were already looking for opportunities. This time was their best chance to shine, but they didn't expect him to be equally stubborn. At that time, he knew the Cui Clan might use him as a stepping stone to get close to Zhu Xing, yet he paid it no mind.

He never expected the Cui Clan would eventually give up! That finally gave him a peaceful chance to treat Le Wenmao. Yet Le Wenmao's ailment was a mental one; without personally slaying Zhu Xing and avenging his son and daughter‑in‑law, the heart disease could not be cured.

There was no way.

He could only prescribe a palliative remedy for Le Wenmao!

Wang Ping'an watched Zhao Derun hand the medicine packet and prescription to Zhuo Tie, who took Gu Liangong home. Seeing there was nothing to see and no need to worry about whether Gu Liangong's illness could be cured, there was no need to keep lurking secretly outside to eavesdrop, even though Zhao Kangtai and Zhao Derun were still conversing.

Yet their conversation was entirely about proving the potency of that prescription.

One after another, none could cure Gu Liangong's illness; the best they could do was give him another year or a year and a half, or at most three to five years. Yet the prescription hidden in Gu's pocket actually cured him, surpassing their abilities beyond measure.

From that prescription, based on Gu Liangong's condition, the father and son discussed and derived their own insights, resulting in a sudden, dramatic breakthrough in their medical practice.

Wang Ping'an listened to Zhao Kangtai and his son's professional arguments. Because he possessed the innate gifts of observation, listening, inquiry, pulse‑taking and of matching treatment to the condition, their expert discussion was clear to him, whereas Zhao Huai, who had been learning his family's medical arts since childhood, still understood only partially and missed many points, yet he listened with great interest.

During that time.

He could also hear Zhao Kangtai and his son praising that prescription from time to time, but the most frequent praise came from his master, Xuanqing Daozhang, who clearly regarded the prescription as his master's work.

Once or twice.

This novel you have reached

He listened happily, but after hearing enough, the two's praise of his master was the most frequent, so he no longer had the inclination to eavesdrop further.

Kumu Guan.

"Father, Mother, look at our Ping'an lying here, just like a wealthy landlord—one can see at once that he's destined to enjoy a comfortable old age!"

Wang Ping'an had just regained control of the Paper Person and was about to survey his surroundings, ensuring there were no problems—more precisely, that his master would not discover him. He quickly tucked the Paper Person back into his storage bag, and then heard his mother's praise. Though her praise wasn't as flattering as Zhao Kangtai and his son's, it came from his mother's mouth, and that mattered.

Not to mention it was praise; even if it were a scold, he was unusually delighted.

"Dongzhu, you're right. Our Ping'an will indeed enjoy a blessed future!"

Zhang Guihua agreed: "You see, Ping'an is smiling; that shows he'll become an old master!"

(End of chapter)