Chapter 3

Hearing Jiang Yunzhou say he could detoxify, Shen Qinqi thought he was treating ordinary poisoning, and she shook her head to explain:

"This is no ordinary poison; in just two moments it crippled the arm of that Southern Peace Prefecture flag officer, and no matter what methods we tried, the toxin could not be completely cleared—even the Wei medical officer of the Imperial Medical Bureau has no solution."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunzhou had a plan in mind and smiled, saying:

"Since it's come to this, why not let me have a look? I'll just treat it as trying to revive a dead horse."

Shen Qinqi merely thought Jiang Yunzhou was a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.

A physician who has only just begun studying medicine, upon first seeing patients, always feels he can cure anything, but reality always gives them a resounding slap.

Although I hate to see this handsome younger brother get beaten, letting him receive some education is also good.

At worst, after reality finishes beating him, I'll just comfort him properly afterward.

After all, the medical path requires not only long training but also the accumulation of various treatment experiences; it's not something mere talent can achieve, and I have deeply felt this myself.

Since he insists so firmly, letting him have a look is fine—just consider it broadening his horizons. Thinking this, Shen Qinqi nodded and said:

"Then let's go in together and have a look, but we must not speak much."

"Yes!"

Jiang Yunzhou followed Shen Qinqi into the medical room, and indeed saw a sturdy man who had removed his upper garment lying on the sickbed.

His entire right arm was already purplish-black, and it appeared the toxin was spreading toward his chest.

The old man beside the bed had already made several small incisions on the arm, letting out the black blood, but it seemed to have no effect in slowing the toxin's spread.

The woman in red came to the man's rear, using inner energy to press on his arm, trying to suppress the toxic blood from entering his meridians, but it appeared equally futile.

The woman in red urgently inquired:

"Sir Wei, can we use a decoction?"

"No, a decoction works too slowly; even if we had a snow toad, it might only ease it, but I fear this arm cannot be saved."

Zou Zhen, hearing this, also dared not speak further, for at this moment he understood better than anyone that the toxic blood was flowing into his meridians.

He was gritting his teeth, about to reply, when Jiang Yunzhou beside him spoke up:

"Sirs, may I try?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look, only to see beside Shen Qinqi a handsome young man in a blue robe standing there, and despite the bloody scene, he was actually smiling faintly.

Wei Zongluo wiped the sweat from his forehead, turned back, and asked:

"Manager Shen, who is this?"

Seeing Jiang Yunzhou speak, Shen Qinqi could only introduce him:

"He is a distant relative of mine, named Jiang Yunzhou; his family also practices medicine."

Shen Qinqi did not go into too much detail, after all involving some family history best not exposed.

Sir Wei, too, was open-minded, rose, and said:

"Could it be that you have previously resolved this poison?"

Jiang Yunzhou shook his head and said:

"No, but I have encountered something similar; if you have no better method, I am willing to give it a try."

Zou Zhen faced either losing his arm or death next, so he naturally clung to the last hope and let him try.

Wei Zongluo then made way, and Jiang Yunzhou came to sit beside Zou Zhen.

Shen Qinqi also stepped to the rear, curious whether this adopted nephew truly had some skill.

Jiang Yunzhou first reached out and pinched Zou Zhen's swollen shoulder, then turned to Yang Hanlu behind him, who was still using inner energy to suppress the toxin, and said:

"Miss, you may release your hold."

Yang Hanlu's sword-brows furrowed:

"If I let go, the toxic blood will flow back into the heart meridians!"

From the tone, she also sounded quite stern, appearing to be a very forceful woman.

Had I known, I would have stepped on you at the doorway earlier just to see how strong you are.

"Don't worry."

Seeing Jiang Yunzhou seem fully assured, Yang Hanlu had no choice but to slowly release her grip.

As a result, however, she discovered the toxic blood was not flowing back.

Immediately thereafter, she saw Jiang Yunzhou with a single hand pinching Zou Zhen's arm acupressure point,

she herself had been continuously sending inner energy inward to block the toxic blood; merely pinching the point would surely not suffice—could it be that this fellow's inner energy is so great that a single hand can suppress the toxin?

Curiosity compelled her, and Yang Hanlu could not help but take another look at the handsome blue-clad youth who had just knocked her down.

Seeing Yang Hanlu looking at him, Jiang Yunzhou apologized again:

"I really didn't mean to step on you, miss; please don't take it to heart."

Only then did Yang Hanlu realize she had been staring blankly, and she rose awkwardly, saying:

"It's fine."

Zou Zhen cleared his throat to remind:

"Hey hey hey! There's still a dying patient here! Little brother, pay attention!"

Jiang Yunzhou laughed and soothed:

"Don't worry."

But the ensuing action left everyone present gasping in astonishment.

Only to see Jiang Yunzhou directly pull out the silver needle that Sir Wei had been using to suppress the toxin's spread.

Zou Zhen was even more startled, his eyes widening:

"Little brother, don't toy with me!"

Jiang Yunzhou still remained calm and unhurried, soothing:

Don't worry, if I kill you while treating you, I'll compensate you.

You'll compensate me with my life?

I'll compensate you for funeral expenses.

……

Zou Zhen regretted letting this young master treat him; looks really can't put food on the table.

Jiang Yunzhou, however, paid no attention to the surprised glances around him and turned his head, saying:

"Auntie, could you fetch three new needles for me?"

Seeing Jiang Yunzhou's calm and unruffled demeanor, Shen Qingru thought he showed no sign of being a novice physician; instead, he seemed steadier than an old Chinese doctor who had sat in his clinic for decades.

She immediately didn't dare to question it, and had the assistant fetch three silver needles that had just been boiled and sterilized from the medicine hall and handed them over.

After receiving the silver needles, Jiang Yunzhou looked left and right, saw the saber at Yang Hanlu's waist, and handed the three needles over, saying:

"Miss, could you chop off the upper half of these three needles' handles, leaving only the tips for me?"

Yang Hanlu, like everyone else present, had no idea what this was for, but since it was part of the treatment, she could only comply.

Firmly gripping the three needles, Yang Hanlu drew her saber and sliced across in one smooth, graceful motion.

With a flash of cold light, the silver needles were cleanly stripped of their handles and handed to Jiang Yunzhou.

The crowd also felt curious; it was the first time they'd seen someone use broken needles to save a life.

Jiang Yunzhou then inserted the three broken needles diagonally into the wound on Zou Zhen's arm where the poisonous needle had struck; lacking handles, the three needles sank flush into the flesh and disappeared.

Watching this, Zou Zhen felt like crying:

"Little brother, does this even make sense? The needles are already in!"

Jiang Yunzhou extended three fingers of his right hand and gently stroked Zou Zhen's swollen arm, saying:

"I know, I know. By the way, I haven't yet asked how to address the two of you."

Zou Zhen looked torn between laughter and tears:

"Little brother, is this the time for small talk?"

"Since I'm the doctor, you ought to listen to me, right? This is also part of the treatment."

"Flag Officer Zou Zhen of the Southern Pacification Office."

"Chief Flag Officer Yang Hanlu of the Southern Pacification Office."

"A flag officer commands twenty men, a chief flag officer has five flag officers under him; this red‑clothed lady is young but holds a fairly high rank."

"Where is the Southern Pacification Office located?"

Zou Zhen already had a resigned, "do whatever" attitude of waiting to die, and said helplessly:

"Yanpang Street in the south of Shangyang City—hey!"

Before Zou Zhen could finish speaking, Jiang Yunzhou pressed his three fingers on Zou Zhen's arm and swiftly slid them down.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The three fine needles that had been inserted into the flesh shot straight out from the pulse point on Zou Zhen's wrist.

Everyone present was startled by the sudden move, but they immediately realized that Jiang Yunzhou's earlier talk had been to relax Zou Zhen so as to facilitate shooting out the fine needles.

Without looking at the flying broken needles, Jiang Yunzhou quickly grabbed Zou Zhen's wrist.

Then he picked up Lord Wei's silver needle and swiftly pulled out three slender black worms from the wound that had been pierced through on Zou Zhen.