Chapter 306
Chapter 306
"I covered my face so as not to startle you."
Xue Yin's lips didn't move as she spoke, making her seem like a beauty carved from ice. Yet, her voice and aura were impossibly warm and gentle.
Shen Lang asked her,
"What is this...?"
"It's poison. A poison I was afflicted with years ago has recently flared up, and there is no cure!"
"May I have a look?"
"Yes."
Xue Yin extended a snow-white hand. It was like ice, like smooth jade, like pristine snow. Shen Lang first took her pulse, then examined her with his X-ray vision.
"May I draw a few drops of blood from your finger?"
"Yes."
When Xue Yin offered her finger, a wound appeared without a sound, and fine, red blood trickled out.
*Incredible.*
However, Shen Lang found no issues in her blood. Scanning her entire body revealed no heavy metals or tumors. A scan of her brain showed nothing amiss, and he detected no poison in her bloodstream. For the first time, Shen Lang was stumped. Since coming to this world, he had become a divine physician beyond compare. He had diagnosed Princess Ning Luo’s lead poisoning at a glance when no one else could, and the same went for Qiu Yao'er's heavy metal poisoning. He had accurately identified and immediately cured Princess Ning Yan's kidney stones, a condition others couldn't even name. But now, he couldn't figure out a thing.
Shen Lang couldn't tell what illness afflicted Xue Yin, or what poison she had been given. But even without a single clue, he wouldn't give up.
"Who poisoned you?"
"Mount Budu."
*Mount Budu? What kind of shadowy organization is that?*
"It is a place on par with the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, located in the west of the Great Yan Empire."
Hearing this, Shen Lang got the gist. Mount Budu must be another one of the world's sacred grounds for martial arts.
"The Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion is a place that transcends the mortal world. I've been there myself, and everyone I met was incredibly talented, well-spoken, and very kind. If Mount Budu is on par with them, why would they poison you?"
"The two places have different temperaments."
Shen Lang understood. In the novels of the great master Jin Yong, the Five Greats—the Eastern Heretic, Western Venom, Southern Emperor, Northern Beggar, and Central Divine, Wang Chongyang—were all peers, but their natures were completely different. The Southern Emperor, Reverend Yideng, was noble, while the Western Venom, Ouyang Feng, was a wicked man.
"Why did they poison you, Divine Lady?"
"Because I killed one of their people."
*Ugh! They say Mount Budu is formidable, yet you killed one of them without a second thought. You, Divine Lady, are even more formidable.*
Just then, footsteps were heard from outside. It was Grandmaster Zhong Chuke.
"Young Master Shen, come out."
Shen Lang went out into the garden, while the Divine Lady Xue Yin bathed and changed her clothes. She loved cleanliness and bathed every day.
"My senior sister doesn't have much time left. Not even ten days."
Zhong Chuke spoke with great calm, but his voice carried a sorrow Shen Lang had never heard before. Shen Lang's heart trembled again. If Mulan was an angel for Shen Lang alone, then Xue Yin was surely an angel for many—a saintly one at that. The word 'saint' had previously held negative connotations for Shen Lang, but now it had transformed into something good and positive.
Grandmaster Zhong Chuke said to him, "I'm going to Mount Budu to seek a final hope. Since they poisoned my senior sister, they must have the antidote."
Shen Lang looked at Zhong Chuke and wanted to offer a piece of advice.
*Grandmaster, could you please stop calling her 'senior sister' in every sentence? The Divine Lady looks so much younger than you, I'd believe she was your daughter.*
Of course, Shen Lang didn't dare say it out loud, for fear of being beaten to death by the Grandmaster.
"I had originally planned to entrust my senior sister to Luoluo's care, but the child has contracted smallpox."
Luoluo was the pet name for Princess Aronana, used only by those close to her.
"So, I intend to leave her in your care. These next ten days will be her last on this earth. Keep her happy, and don't let her dwell on the sorrows of the past. Don't let her blame herself, clinging to past sins. The great tragedy that occurred back then had nothing to do with her."
Shen Lang didn't understand what Zhong Chuke meant.
"I will go to Mount Budu to ask for the antidote... but I hold no hope, and I may not return. If I truly do not come back, you are to take Big Dummy to the Sword Island and tell Li Qianqiu to accept another disciple."
As he said this, Zhong Chuke seemed extremely reluctant.
"Hah, he's destined to become the best in the world, and I have to hand that disciple over to that fool."
In Grandmaster Zhong Chuke's eyes, Li Qianqiu was a fool. He then handed Shen Lang a book.
"I've written down exactly how to teach Big Dummy martial arts in here. If I don't return, give this to Li Qianqiu."
*Isn't this like a last will and testament? Don't do this!*
"I will do everything in my power to save Grandmaster Xue Yin."
At Shen Lang's words, Zhong Chuke offered a gentle smile, but it was filled with despair. The poison of Mount Budu was incurable unless the antidote was given by its creators. Though Shen Lang was a remarkable physician, he would not be able to cure Xue Yin's poison.
"She can't move anything above her neck, as if it's frozen. As the symptoms spread, her entire body will freeze, right down to her toes, until she can't move at all. When that happens, she won't be able to care for herself. She is a person who values cleanliness, so it will be a bother, but please find a young lady to help her with her daily needs."
"Yes."
"For the past while, she has been evacuating and isolating the people of the Qiang Kingdom infected with smallpox. She has poured her heart and soul into saving the people every day. In her final days, let her rest well. Don't let her spend her time running around, busy saving people."
"Yes!"
"If I have not returned by the time she is dying, please ensure she meets her end with dignity and beauty."
"I will keep that in mind."
"Thank you."
With those words, Zhong Chuke raced off to the northwest, toward the stronghold of Mount Budu. The hope of obtaining the antidote was faint, but he would still give it his all.
"Senior Sister, do not wait for my return. But still, you must hold on to the hope that you can live. Is there not a sliver of a chance?"
Just then, the Divine Lady Xue Yin finished her bath and changed her clothes. Her clear, elegant fragrance filled the air. She lay on the bed in the opposite room, her eyes closed in rest. For now, she could still move her hands and feet, and could manage on her own.
"Shen Lang, I'm a little tired. I'll go to sleep now."
Shen Lang was startled.
*Am I going to be sleeping in the same house as the Divine Lady? D-do you trust my character that much?*
"Divine Lady, Princess Aronana has smallpox, but it's a mild case. With her constitution, she will surely survive."
* * *
The next day, Shen Lang went to the royal palace again to see Big Dummy. In just a short time, Big Dummy had lost over ten jin (more than five kilograms).
"Little Dummy, my wife fought with you, but please, save her."
Big Dummy tried to kneel, and Shen Lang rushed to stop him. But it was impossible to block him with his strength, and Shen Lang ended up falling to the floor.
*Damn it, why are you kneeling? It's a good thing I slept so sweetly last night, breathing in the Divine Lady Xue Yin's fragrance. If I'd had a rough night, I would have exploded by now.*
Shen Lang got up, rubbing his bruised knee. Living in the same house as the Divine Lady had filled his heart with beauty and tranquility, making it hard for him to get angry. Big Dummy firmly believed that Little Dummy would save his bride. But several days had passed without Little Dummy coming to help, so an anxious Big Dummy had sought out Shen Lang to beg him to save his wife.
"Big Dummy, do you trust me?"
At Shen Lang's words, Big Dummy nodded desperately. In this world, he trusted Little Dummy the most.
"Your wife will get better soon."
"But she's not well right now. Her whole body is burning up, and she's talking nonsense."
Those were symptoms of the smallpox virus at its peak. But with Big Dummy's intelligence, how could he tell if she was speaking lucidly or talking nonsense?
"My wife said she likes me. If that's not nonsense, what is?"
*Ugh!*
Shen Lang was speechless. Big Dummy's words seemed to have some logic, yet they were also wrong. How could one clearly define a woman's love? The more unique a woman, the stranger her views on affection tended to be.
"Big Dummy, you want to save your wife, right?"
Big Dummy nodded desperately.
"If my wife dies, I don't want to live either."
Who knew he was so deeply in love?
"Big Dummy, then you need to go and strip off her clothes."
Big Dummy nodded. He didn't think there was anything wrong with Shen Lang's words. Little Dummy was smart and good to him, so what he said must be right.
Shen Lang continued, "And then, you must boil water, let it cool until it's warm, and wipe her entire body with it. You have to clean every nook and cranny. Understand?"
Big Dummy nodded desperately. No matter how dull his mind was, he would remember every word Shen Lang said and carry them out as if they were sacred commandments.
"After you've cleaned her, you must change her into clean, fresh clothes. Do this once every day. I'll give you a few packets of medicine. Have Huang Feng brew them and give it to her three times a day. I guarantee that in a few days, she'll be back to her energetic self."
Big Dummy nodded frantically.
"Okay, okay."
Shen Lang suddenly asked Big Dummy, "Big Dummy, if your wife's face is left with pockmarks, will you abandon her?"
"Huh...?!"
Big Dummy was startled.
*Abandon? Is there such a word? What does 'abandon' mean?*
In the past, Big Dummy's father, stepmother, and younger brother had all abandoned him. One could say that everyone except Shen Lang had abandoned him. But in Big Dummy's vocabulary, the word 'abandon' did not exist.
"You only have one wife for your whole life, right? How can you abandon your wife?"
In that instant, Shen Lang felt that Big Dummy was incredible, and he himself was scum.
"Go to your wife."
At Shen Lang's words, Big Dummy took the packets of herbs and excitedly returned to the isolation room.
* * *
When Big Dummy was gone for a while, Aronana grew angry and scolded him.
"Where on earth did you go? Why were you gone for so long?"
It had only been a quarter of an hour, but for Princess Nana, this was a time of great pain and fear. She only felt a sliver of security when Big Dummy was by her side every moment. After coming in, Big Dummy immediately began to undress Princess Aronana. Huang Feng was shocked to see this.
*Big Dummy, you talked with the master for a few minutes, and now you come back and strip Princess Luoluo's clothes off? Aren't you learning bad habits a little too quickly? The master is such a bad influence, corrupting someone as pure as Big Dummy. What will happen to my Thirteen?*
Princess Aronana asked in shock, "Big Dummy, what are you doing?"
Big Dummy didn't understand what she was saying, but he boldly stripped off all his wife's clothes without a word. Then, he soaked the softest towel in warm water and began to gently wipe every inch of her skin. Her body was covered in smallpox pustules, making it the ugliest moment of Aronana's life. On top of that, the high fever had turned her skin beet red. But in Big Dummy's eyes, her body was like a precious treasure, and he carefully cleaned every part of it as if handling a priceless jewel. Huang Feng was deeply moved, and just watching the scene filled her heart with love.
"My dear Shen, I miss you."
Then she quickly shook her head.
*If I say 'My dear Shen,' people might think I'm calling for that scumbag Shen Lang. My dear Thirteen, I miss you so much.*