Chapter 32: This Nasty Old Man is Truly Wicked
Rong Qing was in such a wretched state that the soldiers couldn’t bear to watch. Even Vice General Liu found it hard to look on. "Rong Qing, give up," he said. "With a leg injury that severe, it’s impossible for you to become one of the Princess’s guards. Why must you torture yourself and put the Princess in a difficult position as well?"
Suddenly, someone nearby knelt before Xiao Li, unable to stop themselves from pleading on Rong Qing’s behalf. "Princess, I beg you, please give Instructor Rong a chance."
Soon, others followed suit, kneeling. "Please, Princess, give Instructor Rong a chance."
"Please, Princess, give Instructor Rong a chance."
Xiao Li remained unmoved. "Am I not giving him a chance right now?"
She dismounted her horse and strode to the finish line, facing Rong Qing. Her gaze burned as she looked at the man struggling in agony. "Rong Qing, get up."
The man lying on the ground shuddered. After a long moment, he lifted his head. His face, smeared with sweat and blood, was a frightening sight, but one could still make out his well-defined, resolute features.
His eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead bulged. He had gritted his teeth the entire way, biting down so hard that his mouth was now filled with blood.
Xiao Li didn’t move forward, simply waiting for him right where she stood—impartial, and terribly cruel.
Finally, he moved again. Pressing his bloody palms against the ground, he began to crawl toward her, one agonizing movement at a time.
Everyone forgot to breathe, their chests tightening with anxiety.
Five meters. It wasn’t far, but it nearly cost him his life.
"SLAP!"
His palm fell one last time, finally touching the finish line.
"He did it!"
Everyone cheered. "Wonderful, he finally made it!"
Xiao Li crouched, looking down at the man who had desperately crawled to her. "I will honor my promise. But what can you offer me?"
Rong Qing struggled to lift his head and look at her. Though he was a disheveled, broken wreck, his eyes were exceptionally firm. Bloodied, he enunciated each word with great effort, "Rong... Qing... has... Sword Skill... a life to give... Swears fealty... unto death..."
Xiao Li was satisfied. She raised her hand. "Get him on a horse and summon a doctor."
The soldiers cheered for Rong Qing. They might have been jealous of the others who received rewards from the Princess, but Rong Qing alone had earned their complete and heartfelt admiration.
Vice General Liu looked at the disorderly military camp, let out a heavy sigh, barked a few reprimands, and turned his horse to head back for some rest.
Just as he entered his quarters, he saw Yang Jun, who had gone and returned. "General Liu."
Vice General Liu was surprised. "Guard Yang, does the Princess have further instructions?"
Yang Jun held out a box. "This is a reward from the Princess for you, General. She also asked me to convey a message: ’An eagle does not take flight until it feels a mighty wind. Is the General willing to be that eagle, waiting for his moment?’"
Vice General Liu stood stunned for a long moment before coming to his senses. He opened the box Yang Jun had given him. Inside was a box filled to the brim with small gold ingots.
Suddenly, the world seemed so quiet, so still that the only sound he could hear was the THUMP-THUMP of his own heart.
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Xiao Li brought the man back and then washed her hands of the matter. Yang Jun would handle his arrangements; if he couldn’t even do that properly, he might as well stop being her head guard.
Rong Qing was a problem for now, but his willpower had convinced Xiao Li to take on that problem.
She had him washed and cleaned, then summoned a doctor. When the doctor bluntly stated he couldn’t treat the injury, Xiao Li sent for an Imperial Physician.
’If the Imperial Physician can’t cure him, isn’t there still the Divine Doctor?’
’He managed to save Lu Yanzhi from the brink of death. Wouldn’t someone like Rong Qing be a piece of cake for him?’
’As for whether Cen An is willing to provide treatment, that’s not up to him. He saved Lu Yanzhi and ruined my plans. Shouldn’t I ’thank’ him properly for that?’
Fortunately, there was one Imperial Physician who actually knew his stuff. And as it turned out, he was an old acquaintance of the Rong Family. He had been displeased at being summoned by Xiao Li to treat a mere subordinate, but after seeing Rong Qing, he looked as if he wanted to pour his life’s entire medical knowledge into healing him.
Xiao Li was puzzled. "If you’re old acquaintances and both in the Capital City, why didn’t he seek you out?"
The Imperial Physician looked wistful. "I knew his grandfather, General Chang Wei. Back then, the old general was still commanding armies on the battlefield, while I was just a fledgling physician. I was fortunate enough to be saved by the General, a debt I’ve never forgotten. But the old general probably wouldn’t remember it; he saved so, so many people. Later, he was stationed at the border for years, and I never found a chance to repay his kindness. Fate is truly a cruel mistress. To think that the once-great General’s family of Rong has been reduced to this one last heir."
Xiao Li couldn’t be bothered to listen to his sentimental ramblings. What she wanted was a cure.
However, it was clear this man was treating her like an easy mark.
"Princess, Rong Qing’s external wounds aren’t serious. The most severe issue is his leg. The bone didn’t heal properly, and he didn’t recuperate well afterward, which is what caused his limp. To treat it, we would need to cut open the flesh and scrape the bone to promote regrowth. During this process, various medicinal herbs are needed to aid the growth of bone and flesh."
Xiao Li said, "Then use them."
The Imperial Physician’s graying beard trembled. "Reporting to the Princess, among them are two key ingredients. One is called Snow Dragon Spine, an herb that grows on snow-capped mountains. It has the miraculous effect of mending bones and regenerating tendons, but its unique growing conditions make it extremely rare. The other is called Five Tiger Skins, which is the skin of a certain sea fish. When added to the prescription and refined into Bone and Muscle Powder, it can allow his restored tendons and channels to become even stronger than before."
Xiao Li’s eyelid twitched. "So, you’re telling me to climb a snowy mountain and dive into the East Sea for him? Why don’t you just ask me to ascend to the heavens while you’re at it?"
The Imperial Physician trembled again. "I wouldn’t dare trouble the Princess so. The Snow Dragon Spine is available in the palace, but it is an extremely precious tribute item that cannot be used without the Emperor’s decree. As for the Five Tiger Skins, larger apothecaries in the Capital City should have it, but it is exceptionally expensive. A single piece of skin costs fifty taels of silver, and for his injury to heal properly, he’ll need at least ten pieces."
Xiao Li understood. He was simply treating her like a rich fool. ’And he just had to insist on using the tribute item.’
She crossed her arms and sneered. "I asked you to treat an injury, not to cause trouble for me."
The Imperial Physician bowed, looking as brazen as a dead pig that doesn’t fear boiling water. "I wouldn’t dare. Common herbs can be used, but the effect will be greatly diminished. As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to recover from a bone and muscle injury. With that treatment, it would be at least a hundred days before he could even stand and a full year before he’s better. Even then, he’d never be as strong as he was before."
"But if I have these two ingredients," the physician continued, "I can have his broken bone mended and his channels cleared in less than a month. I guarantee there will be no lasting effects."
"The Princess brought him back, presumably not to care for a crippled invalid. And then there’s the awe-inspiring Rong Family’s Saber Technique... surely the Princess wishes to witness it?"
Xiao Li: "..."
’This damned old man is truly devious, trying to trick me into spending money.’
"Heh, heh heh..." Xiao Li let out a series of cold laughs. "Guess whether I believe you or not. If you’re so incredible, how come you couldn’t cure the Prince Consort before?"
The old imperial physician wasn’t the least bit flustered. "Princess, do you truly believe the Prince Consort could have held on until the heir of the so-called Divine Doctor arrived if not for my intervention?"
"I was the one who cleaned and stitched all the Prince Consort’s wounds. That young whelp from the Cen Family simply had a Life-extending Soul Reviving Pill that could bring someone back from the dead. If I had medicine like that, I could have kept the Prince Consort alive too."
!!?
’And he’s proud of it?’
Xiao Li ground her teeth, a dangerous glint in her eyes. ’So, the one who ruined my plan was this damned old man standing right in front of me all along!’
So angry she began to laugh, Xiao Li’s expression turned ’gentle.’ "Speaking of which, I haven’t had the pleasure of asking your esteemed name."
The old imperial physician replied, "My surname is Ning, and my given name is Song. Just a decrepit old man, Princess. You needn’t be so polite."
’Hmph! Ning Song! A truly wonderful name. I’ll remember it.’