I Raised A Sick And Weak Prince
Chapter 21
The Yong An Temple was overflowing with disaster victims. The seriously ill people were lined up from the temple to the outside, blocking more than a hundred levels of bluestone stairs.
When Lu Huan arrived again, he saw that the temple was even more crowded. Someone had set up a table and was giving porridge to the disaster victims.
He frowned slightly and was slightly surprised. Since the frost disaster, many people had been starving for a long time, but the officials in the capital didn't do anything about it.
Why would someone be so kind as to give porridge?
He asked around a little.
Su Xi understood a small part of the plot. It turned out that —
[The person who is giving porridge out of kindness is a character named Zhong Ganping.]
[Zhong Ganping: In the capital, he deals in silk, agricultural products, inns, and so on. He owns thousands of acres of fertile land. He's considered a small figure with some reputation.
He's ranked tenth among the richest merchants in the capital.]
[It wasn't easy for him to have a son in his old age. He cherished his two-year-old son very much. However, just a few days ago, his precious son was infected with an incurable cold. He used his connections to invite the best doctor to treat him, but he couldn't save him!
In his anxiety and heartache, his hair turned white overnight!
While preparing a coffin for his youngest son, he couldn't bear this result. Hence, he asked his family's servants to give the commoners some porridge at the Yong An Temple, hoping to accumulate merit and pray for blessings.]
Su Xi's intuition from playing games told her that this Zhong Ganping should be a key NPC. Otherwise, his name would be Merchant A.
After Zaizai finished asking around, she thought for a moment and walked to the abbot of the Yong An Temple. When she borrowed his furnace to boil medicine, Su Xi looked for this person named Zhong Ganping in the scene.
Sure enough, he found him in the temple. He was in a quiet room in the temple, kneeling and worshipping with a heavy heart. Next to him was a middle-aged woman wearing a yellow embroidered cloak. She was constantly wiping her tears and copying scriptures in her hands.
The couple was copying scriptures and praying for their youngest son who had been ill for a long time.
Zhong Ganping said with tears in his eyes, "Bodhisattva, please bless me. I, Zhong Ganping, have lived for most of my life and have never done anything wrong. It wasn't easy for me to have such a son!
If he can't be saved, the two of us might just follow him to the grave!
Please open your eyes. You must save my son from the gates of hell! "
When Su Xi saw his plea on the screen, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He had an idea.
She pressed her finger on the screen and moved it.
The Guanyin Bodhisattva in front of Zhong Ganping moved slightly.
Zhong Ganping's eyes widened. He suspected that he was hallucinating. He looked into the quiet room again. Only he and his wife were here. The doors and windows were closed. It couldn't be the wind. This, this …
He rubbed his eyes and looked at Guanyin Bodhisattva again.
However, he saw, he saw …
Guanyin Bodhisattva once again moved in front of him!
No, he was not mistaken. It was not an illusion. Bodhisattva really moved!!!
The uneducated folk believed in ghosts and deities, not to mention that Zhong Ganping's son was terminally ill and on the verge of death. His desire for Bodhisattva had reached the point of Qigong Deviation!
"The Bodhisattva has shown up?!"
Zhong Ganping immediately jumped up in surprise and joy, but he was afraid of disturbing Guanyin Bodhisattva, so he quickly knelt down heavily with a "plop".
This kneeling nearly stunned Su Xi. He saw the merchant kneeling so hard that his knees bled!
He kowtowed three times very loudly and said with bitter tears, "Bodhisattva, I beg you. You must protect my son!"
Zhong Ganping's wife did not know what had happened. She looked at him in horror, thinking that he had lost his mind.
However, Zhong Ganping quickly pulled her to kneel down with him. He was so excited that his tears flowed, "Since Bodhisattva has shown up, please give me instructions. How can I save my son?"
Su Xi was about to think about how to lead this clue to Zaizai when she found that there seemed to be a conflict in the temple. Messages kept popping up.
She did not care about Zhong Ganping and quickly switched the interface.
She saw that Zaizai had already used the stove borrowed from the abbot to boil the decoction. The firewood here was too choking, and his white face was dirty with a few streaks of gray dust. His clothes were also in a mess because there were too many patients in the temple.
However, none of the patients around him took his medicine. Instead, they stared at him with suspicion and distrust.
"Young man, you said that your medicine has a miraculous effect on treating colds. But how can you prove it? What if someone dies from drinking it?"
"Could it be another charlatan?!"
The monk sweeping the temple also advised, "Yes, young man. Don't join in the fun. There are many patients here. Go home before you get infected."
A middle-aged man coughed and said angrily, "If a charlatan comes to swindle us, I'll report it to the authorities!"
Su Xi did not expect this task to not be simple. These simple people still had their own vigilance and were unwilling to drink Zaizai's medicine.
She was thinking of a way to promote the plot. She saw Zaizai's gaze sweep across these people. He picked up a bowl of medicine and drank it all. He put down the bowl and said to these people, "If I drink it first, will you still think it's poisonous?"
After Zaizai did this, the people widened their eyes in surprise and their attitudes changed slightly.
However, there were already three doctors in the temple who were invited by Lord Zhong Ganping to treat everyone for free. Although most of the seriously ill people did not see any effect from the medicine taken by those doctors, those three people were still legitimate doctors!
And this young man in a black cloak who looked to be in his teens suddenly said that he had a miraculous medicine that could save lives. Who would believe him?
Could it be that some child sneaked out to play a prank on people? He picked up some black soil and soaked it in water, fooling people to drink it as a prank?!
Those doctors also felt that their reputation had been smashed. They lost face and ordered the people around them to chase him away, "Where did this young man come from? Leave quickly. Don't get in the way!"
One of them pushed Lu Huan.
Su Xi was a little angry. How could they not know what was good for them even after she saved them? She was about to pry that person's hand away from Zaizai's, but Zaizai was one step ahead of her. He took a step back and coldly twisted that person's wrist away.
That person never thought that such a young boy would have such great strength. He rubbed his wrist and was shocked.
Lu Huan let go of his hand. His voice was cold as he said to those people, "There's still a bowl of medicine here. Is there anyone who wants to try it? Let's see if you're completely cured the next day as I said?"
When he said this, some people in the crowd hesitated. Since it was already like this, they might as well treat a dead horse as a living one.
Even if this young man casually made some medicine to fool people, could it be worse than the current situation of being terminally ill?
Thus, a yellow-faced, emaciated young man who coughed incessantly stood up and said to Lu Huan, "Can I … can I try it?"
Lu Huan handed the medicine to him.
He took the bowl, divided it into a few mouthfuls, and drank it nervously.
After drinking it, he did not feel anything for a while. He was still coughing violently and even coughing up blood.
A group of people who were half curious and half disdainful were immediately disappointed. They scattered in all directions and cursed, "I knew this child was fooling people. How could there be people who believed him?!"
Lu Huan had long expected such a thing to happen. Thus, his face under the black veil was expressionless.
He had only brewed two sets of medicine. After the young man drank it, he packed up his bag and left.
Seeing him leave, Su Xi quickly changed the interface and followed him back. Before changing the interface, he glanced at Zhong Ganping who was still frantically kowtowing in the quiet room.
Su Xi: … I'm sorry, rich merchant.
When Lu Huan went back that night, the note was still lying quietly on the table. However, he knew that it was probably not time for that person to appear yet, so he was not in a hurry.
He found a piece of wood at night and leaned against the head of the bed. He began to carve something.
The candlelight flickered under the eaves and fell on his face through the window, covering it with a faint layer of light.
He looked very focused.
Su Xi was a little curious about what he was carving.
Everything that Zaizai did before, including carrying water, farming, and shopping on the streets, was all for the sake of making a living.
This was the first time Su Xi saw him doing something unimportant and even seemed to be leisurely and elegant.
Although Zaizai was not very good at needlework, he was very agile when carving. His small hand holding the sharp knife flew up and down. Soon, there was a pile of wood shavings on the floor beside the bed.
Although he could not tell what Zaizai was carving for the time being, Su Xi still watched with great interest. He could not help but limp to the fridge to get a can of cola and a bag of potato chips and continued to watch.
Soon, it was late at night in the game. After seeing that Zaizai finally put down the carved wooden pillar, turned off the lights and went to sleep, Su Xi exchanged some medicine from the shop and put it on the table.
There were all kinds of medicine in the shop.
Su Xi looked at it. There were plagues, arrow wounds, smallpox, but compared to other products, medicine was slightly more expensive.
Cold medicine cost 20 gold coins per pack, which was equivalent to 20 cents per pack.
Ever since Su Xi started spending money, his wallet had shrunk rapidly. Fortunately, he had been doing missions recently, so the gold coins given by the system added up to a few hundred.
Thus, he exchanged for 50 packs of medicine and neatly stacked them on the table.
After hesitating for a while, he took the note away.
It would be a pity if he did not take it away. Zaizai's handwriting was so beautiful.
It was still the same as before, buried in the secret base in the bamboo forest.
He specially waited until Zaizai fell asleep before doing all this. It was also night in Su Xi's place. Mother Su came to urge her to sleep. She yawned and temporarily went offline to sleep.
Before going to sleep, she was still thinking about cooking. However, Su Xi did not know how to cook. The birthday noodles she made last time were directly exchanged from the shop.
But this time, she planned to make a more special dish after thinking seriously.
After all, according to the nature of this game, different dishes might trigger different key plots.
The next day, in Yong An Temple, there was an uproar!
The young man who drank the youth's medicine yesterday was called Chang Gongwu. He came to the capital to find a livelihood, but unexpectedly, he caught a cold and was chased out by the inn owner. Thus, he could only stay in Yong An Temple and rely on financial assistance to survive.
He was poor and had no money to see a doctor. It could be said that he was waiting for death. But who would have thought that after one night, his cold was completely cured!
Not only did the dizziness in his head disappear, but he also stopped coughing. His whole person was visibly more energetic!
The doctor in the Yong An Temple was extremely shocked. He helped him feel his pulse and confirmed that he had indeed recovered from his cold in just one night!
Chang Gongwu was so grateful that he almost fainted in the temple. He thought that he was going to die and that he would die sooner or later, so he drank the mysterious youth's medicine. But he never expected that the medicine was actually a miraculous medicine!
Many people in Yong An Temple saw the scene yesterday with their own eyes and were shocked for a moment.
Apart from that, those who doubted the youth and did not take the bowl of medicine yesterday regretted it so much that their livers hurt.
Among them, there were those who were seriously ill and those who were not.
Those who were not seriously ill were still okay. They felt that they would have a chance to meet the youth again and ask for another bowl of medicine. But those who were seriously ill looked like they were dying. They did not know when they would die. They were so regretful that their eyelids rolled and they almost fainted!
This matter spread quickly in Yong An Temple.
Hundreds of refugees knew about this matter.
Zhong Ganping was anxious to save his son. He did not want to let go of even a glimmer of hope. In addition, he saw the Bodhisattva's spirit in the quiet room yesterday. He almost immediately believed that the youth was instructed by the Bodhisattva!
After he mentioned the Bodhisattva's spirit yesterday, the people in the temple and their relatives were even more excited. Could it be that they were really saved?!
However, on the morning of the second day, the black-clothed and black-robed youth did not return.
The people in Yong An Temple were anxious and started to kowtow to the Bodhisattva. Zhong Ganping was even more so!
He walked around the quiet room. He was burning with anxiety. He regretted that he did not go out to take a look when he heard the commotion outside yesterday. He actually let the youth sent by the Bodhisattva leave!
And the only bowl of magical medicine was actually given to an unknown worker?!
Then what about his son?
Zhong Ganping gave the order. He was anxious to find the young doctor from yesterday as soon as possible.
In this way, this matter was not only known by the people in the temple. Very soon, the news spread.
Many people in Prince Ning's Mansion knew about it. Bodyguard Third, who often ran around selling eggs in the market outside, also heard about it. When he went back, he told his adoptive father and his master, Ding Yi. The two of them guessed that the young divine doctor might be the one who secretly sent them the cold medicine that day.
If so, he really saved his foster father's life. He was a great benefactor!
Zhong Ganping wanted to find the young doctor. Master Ding also wanted to find him. How could they not repay the kindness of saving their lives?
But, even if they found him, how could they repay him?
The father and son were in a dilemma. Their savings were all used up when they were treating the illness. Although they still had some copper coins earned from running errands for the Third Young Master, it was not enough to repay that person.
Bodyguard Third was deeply depressed. It was winter at the end of the year. Even if they were to break stones and perform on the streets, they could not earn much money. The most profitable thing now was food!
He suddenly thought of the Third Young Master's hens.
Those hens could lay so many eggs. The Third Young Master had so many of them. If he borrowed one of them, would he find out?
He promised that he would only borrow it for a while and lay a few more eggs. After he earned some money, he would quickly return it to the Third Young Master.
Bodyguard Third was not a person who would steal from others, but when he thought of the kindness of saving his life that he could not repay, this thought flashed through his mind.
The news that there was a person in the Yong An Temple who was about to die from the cold and was saved by a bowl of medicine quickly spread to Lady Ning's ears.
Her anxious heart finally had a glimmer of hope. Almost immediately, she ordered forcefully, "You must bring that person to me!
Within three days, you must find that young man for me. You must bring the medicine to Wen Xiu! "
The surrounding servants all looked down and thought to themselves, 'How could it be so easy to find someone who hasn't shown his face in three days in such a big capital?'
This princess consort always looked dignified on the surface, but in reality, she had done many things to oppress people. This Second Young Master had fallen ill after coming back from the stream. This was really retribution …
Of course, no one dared to say this out loud. They all hurried out to find the person.
Lady Ning had been anxious for the past few days and had become much more haggard. At this time, she sat back on the bed and held Lu Wenxiu's hand. She let out a sigh of relief …
Since someone had been cured, it meant that the young Divine Doctor had some skills. As long as they found him, Wen Xiu could be cured.
— At this time, she still thought that it was as simple as finding a person.
At this time, the people in the Yong An Temple were all talking. The seriously ill people were all complaining about the people from yesterday.
— "If you did not speak rudely, why would the young Divine Doctor not say a word and just pack up his things and leave?
It's all your fault that we have no medicine to treat! "
— "Can you blame me for this?
Didn't you all not believe it yesterday and think that the young man was lying?! "
— "What can we do now?
If we can't find the Divine Doctor, we can only wait for death! "
After Lu Huan woke up, he planned to decoct the rest of the medicine in advance today and pour it into his water bag. He didn't want to waste a lot of time in the crowded temple like yesterday, when he had to use the abbot's stove to decoct the medicine.
Apart from that, he also planned to spend some time carving the things that he didn't finish last night.
Therefore, he didn't go to the Yong An Temple in the morning.
But he never thought that he would see fifty more bags of medicine on the table in the early morning.
Lu Huan had gradually gotten used to the sudden addition of things in his house and courtyard. He wasn't as surprised as when he saw the bedding suddenly changed for the first time.
However, these medicines were truly timely.
Could it be that that person knew that he had gone to the Yong An Temple yesterday and knew what he had done?
This feeling of being watched made Lu Huan feel a little complicated.
To him, this was a feeling that he had never experienced before.
Because since he was young, no one had cared about him. No one cared whether he was dead or alive, let alone pay attention to his every move …
But he faintly felt that he didn't seem to reject it —
He didn't even know when, but he seemed to be looking forward to that person's arrival and communicating with that person.
Apart from that, the note expressing his gratitude on the table was also taken away by the other party.
Although that person still didn't leave any reply, Lu Huan realized that the previous person only came once every three or four days. Yesterday seemed to be the first time, as he appeared for two nights in a row.
This meant that after he started leaving notes, the communication between him and that person began to become more frequent.
For some reason, just knowing this made Lu Huan's heart faintly jump for joy.
But he didn't show it on his face.
Thinking of this, Lu Huan left another thing and a note on the table today.
And in order to keep up with the plot in the game, Su Xi set an alarm at 3: 30 a.m. to see how the situation at the Yong An Temple was.
3: 30 a.m. was still late at night. She struggled to wake up, took out her phone, and went online in a daze.
As soon as she went online, she caught Zaizai putting something on the table.
She saw —
It was a lifelike wooden rabbit about the size of a palm. It was small and exquisite, and the wood grain was beautiful and exquisite. Under the light of the morning sun in front of Zaizai's window, it actually had a faint jade luster. It was very exquisite and pleasing.
Maybe it was because he got her rabbit lantern last time, so he specially carved a rabbit for her?
Su Xi had never seen such a good thing before. She immediately woke up in surprise. She propped up her elbows and stared seriously at Zaizai in front of the table.
Was it for her again?
Su Xi was still complaining in her heart yesterday that the traveling frog game gave postcards every day, but this game didn't give anything. Zaizai kept giving her things again and again.
Today, he even made it himself!
Her old mother was so happy that she felt dizzy!
Zaizai stood in front of the table and continued to write a note. Today, he wrote.
— — "Today's weather is clear and there's no snow.
I picked up a cheap wooden rabbit in the market as a gift for the lantern. "
After he finished writing, he picked up the pen.
He seemed to, although he didn't know what to write to the person whose identity he didn't know, he still wanted to write something.
He wanted to keep in touch with that person.
Because he was always alone.
Whether it was day or night, spring came and autumn came, winter came and summer left, he was always alone.
It was only after that person appeared that a small cluster of fire was ignited in his long night with a crackling sound.
Even if it was to tell him about the weather, no one had ever told him before.
And now, he also wanted to be like an ordinary person, casually saying that the weather was cold and the flowers were blooming.
Su Xi was about to die of laughter outside the screen. Wait, Zaizai, aren't you lying with your eyes wide open?
What do you mean by picking up a wooden rabbit in the market, and specially emphasizing that it was a cheap rabbit?
It was obvious that you carved it all night with great difficulty!
It turned out that the game character also knew how to lie!
Su Xi was overjoyed and then looked at his expression.
Zaizai stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back. His eyes were moist, and there was no longer the usual coldness in his eyes. Instead, they were calm and stunned.
For a moment, it seemed that he was no longer the illegitimate son who was full of emotions, had a cold personality, and had a mysterious background. Instead, he was just a young man who grew up carefree and thinking about how to write letters.
Su Xi looked at him through the screen for a while, and suddenly realized something.
Although Zaizai didn't say it and didn't show it, in fact, he seemed to be very attached to his appearance.
He was almost always looking forward to his appearance.
He didn't show his joy or anger, but as long as there was a little response from him, he would be very happy.
After Su Xi realized this, he hesitated and made a decision in his heart.
In the future, he would set an alarm clock every day and go online every eight hours. In this way, Zaizai would find out that he was there every night, instead of waiting for him to go every three days.
After setting the alarm clock, Su Xi also found out with a headache …
Was she too addicted to this game?