Painting Doctor Jinhua

The story about the miracle doctor soon spread in Pengcheng, Xuzhou, but it was only a topic of conversation among some nobles after dinner. After all, the two protagonists in the story left in a hurry without leaving their names.

Ordinary people didn't dare to ask, and the noble men from prestigious families were too proud of their demeanor to ask further questions.

But not asking doesn't mean not to inquire.

At this moment, in a quiet and elegant garden in Pengcheng, Xuzhou, several gentlemen gathered together to drink wine and chat, and they discussed what happened today.

"Sanlang, the genius doctor Yulang we met today, could she really be a young lady? If she is, she is a rare beauty! A beauty with a smart mind and excellent medical skills is even more rare in the world, and a rare treasure is worth owning. With your status as the eldest son of the Cui family of Boling, you can ask which family the young lady is from, and you can take her home as a concubine. Anyway, you have had enough of the one in your family, right?"

"Don't talk nonsense, it was just an accidental encounter on the road, and you can't be sure of the identity of this girl, how can you compare her with the goods?" The man called Cui Sanlang frowned and said unhappily.

The young man who had spoken first laughed heartily, and after he finished laughing, he deliberately put on a look of sorrow and worry, and recited: "Alas, spring is late, and the mulberry trees are lush and green. The red peaches are young, and the green willows are spreading their catkins. I met a beautiful girl, and we strolled along the shore and played on the paths. Beauty is easy to change, and good wishes are hard to fulfill. I don't know who said to the young lady today, 'Beauty is easy to change, and good wishes are hard to fulfill'. Such affectionate and regretful words really moved me!"

"you--"

Cui Sanlang angrily picked up a wine cup on the table and was about to hit the young man on the head, but the boy slipped away like a loach in the blink of an eye. Cui Sanlang could only shake his head helplessly and laugh, but it was only for a moment, and the smile condensed in the corner of his eyes and turned into a trace of melancholy.

It’s not because the girl is beautiful, but because of her expression and the tone of her voice, how could she be so similar to her?

He raised his hand, and the wine in the cup poured out, quickly wetting his white clothes.

No one noticed that a tear slipped from the corner of Cui Sanlang's eye.

Xie Yuqing, the person I, Cui Heng, feel most sorry for in my life is you.

……

As night fell, a candle lit up in a slightly hidden inn. Xiao Jinyu lay in front of the couch, watching the boy grinding the rhino horn very seriously.

In just a few moments, the boy had brought a bowl of ground medicinal herbs to her.

"Brother Qing, what do you think? Is this the case?" Fenghuang asked.

Xiao Jinyu smiled and nodded: "Yes, take three of the three, mix it with warm water and drink it, then put the rest into hot soup, and then you go into the bathtub and fumigate for a quarter of an hour, and the toxins will be completely removed."

"What about you, Brother Qing? Today you..." The boy's face flushed with embarrassment when he mentioned that Xiao Jinyu kissed him on the lips in a hurry. Even though he knew that she just wanted to quickly taste the ingredients of the poison in this way, he couldn't help feeling happy in his heart.

"I'm fine. You forgot that my physique is different from that of ordinary people. Ordinary medicines are no longer effective on me."

Xiao Jinyu said this not to comfort him, but it was the truth. Perhaps it was because she had tasted many medicinal herbs with her mother since she was a child, her body had developed resistance to many drugs. Although she was not immune to all poisons, ordinary poisons could not hurt her at all.

The boy nodded with relief and said with a smile: "Then I will go take a bath now!"

Xiao Jinyu also nodded with a smile, indicating that he could focus on detoxifying himself and not worry about her, and she had no intention of leaving the room.

The two of them fled from Yecheng to Luoyang together, then from Luoyang to Xingyang, and then from Xingyang to Xuzhou Pengcheng. They experienced being hunted down and suffering from illness, and they took care of each other. They had already developed a kinship like that of real siblings, and there was less taboo between them.

There was still only a screen separating the room. In the flickering candlelight, Xiao Jinyu was sleeping on the couch with her head resting on her head. On the other side of the screen, the boy had taken off his robe and completely immersed himself in the bathtub.

Hot steam rose up, mixed with a strong medicinal aroma and an indescribable sandalwood scent, and soon filled the entire room.

The sound of water filled the room, making the night especially quiet, and giving it a mysterious and ethereal feeling as if one were in a dream.

"Beauty is easy to change, but good marriage is hard to achieve?" Xiao Jinyu murmured suddenly. In her dream, there seemed to be an old man with white hair and a kind face. He pointed at a scroll and said to her, "Come, Ah Yu, Grandpa will teach you how to write and read poetry."

"This calligraphy is really beautiful, and the poem is also beautiful to read."

"Of course. These are the poems and essays left by your great-great-great-grandfather. Your great-great-great-grandfather could write poems when he was ten years old. He and your great-grandfather were both outstanding scholars in the Southern Song Dynasty."

"Not only our great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather, I heard from my father and mother that our great-great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-grandfather, and great-great ...

"Not bad, not bad, Ah Yu. You were born into the Xie family. Although you don't have to work hard to have things that others may not be able to get even if they work hard all their lives, the descendants of our Xie family still cannot be lazy. Whether you are a boy or a girl, you must work harder than others. Do you know why?"

"I know. I want to be like a lily orchid and a jade tree, growing in the courtyard in front of the steps. This is what my great grandfather said."

"Yes, Yu is really smart. When Yu grows up, she will definitely be different from others. It's a pity that grandpa may not be able to see it."

grandfather……

Perhaps the dream was too real, a smile gradually appeared on Xiao Jinyu's lips, but after a moment, the smile slowly solidified and turned into a tear that flowed down.

"Brother Qing——"

The gentle call in her ear brought her back from her dream. Xiao Jinyu opened her eyes and saw Fenghuang, who had changed into a light robe, standing in front of her. Although the boy was only eleven or twelve years old, he had a slender figure, and his facial features gradually revealed an unusual handsomeness and intelligence in his childishness, especially his eyes, which were filled with a green light that exuded a kind of captivating charm. This appearance was a very obvious characteristic of the Xianbei people.

Xiao Jinyu didn't know why this boy would follow her so devotedly. They had been through life and death several times along the way, and especially today when he stood in front of him without caring about his own life. It would be a lie to say that she didn't feel touched and guilty.

"Phoenix, I want to hear your opinion on something?" Xiao Jinyu suddenly said.

"Brother Qing, you decide." The boy immediately replied with a smile, "I will obey Brother Qing in everything."

Xiao Jinyu smiled and said slowly: "Although I don't know why you would willingly sell your indentures to become a soldier under my mother, I see that you are good at martial arts, and you must have lived a life of luxury since childhood. If you continue to follow me like this, I'm afraid it will delay your future. I see that Lanling King Gao Changgong seems to be a virtuous and respected king, and the people in Pengcheng also have a lot of praise for him. I think it would be a good idea to follow him, why not..."

Before she finished speaking, the boy put away his smile and said firmly, "I will not work for the Gao family. Brother Qing, do you suspect that I have other intentions by staying with you?"

"Of course not."

"If it's not for this reason, then you shouldn't chase me away!" The boy squatted down, leaned on her knees, and grabbed her hands mischievously, "Brother Qing, I remember there's a saying that goes, 'A drop of water should be repaid with a spring of water, right?"

He paused as he spoke, and Xiao Jinyu looked at him and nodded.

"Then I am here to repay my gratitude. My aunt once saved my life. She has done me more than a drop of kindness, so I must protect her daughter."

As for what kind of life-saving grace it was, the boy did not say, and Xiao Jinyu would not ask.

After a long while, she asked, "Fenghuang, when my mother was an official in the Northern Qi court, did she ever offend anyone?"

When asked this question, the boy's expression changed slightly, as if hesitating about something. After a long while, he answered: "My aunt didn't say that. She is a kind person and has no desires or desires. If Emperor Xuan Gao Yang hadn't insisted that she enter the palace as an official, she would not have been willing to do so. Since ancient times, there has been no talk of women serving as officials. It's just that the king of Qi is so absurd and does whatever he wants..." When he said this, his voice paused, and he could hardly hide his anger in his tone, but fortunately he quickly restrained himself.

"However, Gao Yang is dead, and Gao Zhan no longer cares about state affairs. He favors the flatterer He Shikai. There are people like Lu Lingxuan and Queen Hu in the harem who interfere in government affairs, so I don't know who sent those people." After saying that, he asked, "Brother Qing, do you suspect that my aunt's death is related to those who are chasing us?"

Xiao Jinyu nodded without denying.

"Then I'll go check who sent those people?"

After the boy said this, Xiao Jinyu shook her head again: "No need, we are alone at this moment. Even if we find out something, we have no ability to fight against the nobles of Northern Qi. Besides, you have just been poisoned, and those people will definitely not give up. We still need to be careful and avoid their sharp edge. The most important thing now is to save our lives."

Fenghuang nodded and smiled. Xiao Jinyu suddenly mentioned, "That Lanling King Gao Changgong..." Seeing the boy's serious expression, as if he was extremely nervous, she smiled and said, "Fenghuang, this man has done us a favor today. Since you said that a drop of water should be repaid with a spring of water, then you and I must remember it."

After hearing this, the boy relaxed, grinned, and said happily, "Of course."

Just as he finished speaking, Xiao Jinyu added: "Then please help me send him something! Just consider it as a token of my gratitude!"