Chapter 49

The cold northern wind blew past, and in front of the Imperial Medical Institute, two men stood facing each other. One was dressed in black robes, wearing black boots, with a dignified and imposing presence, his eyebrows arched and his eyes filled with the霸气 of swallowing mountains and rivers. He held a secret book in his hands.

In front of him stood an elderly man, standing tall and proud despite his coarse linen clothes. His white hair and long beard fluttered in the wind, giving him an almost divine appearance, as if he were a celestial being about to ascend to heaven.

Both men remained silent, but the atmosphere grew heavy. The old man's breathing became rapid, like the sound of a windbox being pulled urgently, his breaths long and deep, far from that of an ordinary person.

"Is this the legendary one?" the old man asked.

"Exactly as you see, sir! It is indeed this item! However, regarding its authenticity, you are the expert, and I dare not make any rash claims. I need your discerning eye to identify it!" the man in black replied.

"It seems that I must enter this gate filled with worldly troubles!" The old man stroked his beard, did not take the item from the man in black, and laughed loudly as he walked toward the gate. Snowflakes danced in the air, and the north wind howled behind him.

In the palace, in the Zhaohua Hall, Emperor Li Yuan was reviewing memorials when a eunuch came to seek an audience.

"Your Majesty, Daoist Sun Simiao has entered Chang'an. Should we summon him to the palace to treat Your Majesty?" The eunuch, a trusted confidant of Li Yuan, dared to speak directly to the emperor.

"Sun Simiao is in Chang'an? Where is he now?" Li Yuan did not look up, continuing to focus on the memorials.

"He is already at the Imperial Medical Institute, where Prince Qin has welcomed him to treat Princess Pingyang's injuries," the eunuch replied.

"It seems that my second son truly cares for Xiu Ning, unlike Jiancheng and Yuanji. If he were the eldest, things would be much easier!" Li Yuan put down the memorial and rubbed his temples. Lately, he felt his health declining, partly due to his age and partly due to the stress caused by his three sons. This time, with Li Er inviting Sun Simiao, Li Yuan also wanted to take the opportunity to check his own health and see if he needed some rest and recuperation.

"Have someone draft an edict to summon Daoist Sun Simiao to the palace to meet the emperor! Then send someone to the Imperial Medical Institute to deliver the edict! Make sure it is done with great ceremony!" Li Yuan thought for a moment and said.

"Your servant obeys the edict!" The eunuch bowed and retreated, only turning around after leaving the gate. A glint of ambiguity flashed in his eyes, and he waited for the edict to be drafted. He then prepared the ceremonial procession and left the palace in a carriage. Unbeknownst to him, a small piece of paper had appeared between his fingers, which he secretly slipped into a crack in the wall as he passed through the palace gate.

On the other side, at the Imperial Medical Institute, Li Er was anxiously waiting at the door. Princess Li Xiu Ning's wound was in a sensitive area, and Sun Simiao, being a doctor and nearly sixty years old, had no taboos. However, young men, even relatives like Li Er, were not allowed to enter. He could only wait at the door. It had been almost two hours since Sun Simiao entered, and it was getting dark. There had been no sound from inside except for a few muffled groans from Li Xiu Ning earlier. This made Li Er extremely anxious, and the eunuchs who had come to deliver the edict were also worried, as the emperor was waiting for news. However, they could not disturb Sun Simiao while he treated Princess Pingyang, so they had no choice but to wait.

Finally, the door opened. Sun Simiao, with his white beard and hair, wearing coarse linen clothes and straw shoes, walked out, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He looked no different from a common old farmer, but he was the most famous divine doctor of the time.

"I have not let Prince Qin down. I have treated Princess Pingyang's wound. The magical alcohol you provided was indeed very effective in cleaning the wound. I wonder if Prince Qin has more of it?" Sun Simiao had discovered that the solution in the small bottle, which came with the surgical instruments, was very effective in cleaning the wound and removing external pathogens. This made the old doctor, who was dedicated to medicine, very excited. If this could be widely used, many patients who suffered from infections or disabilities due to external injuries would be greatly reduced. This would be a great blessing for the people, so he asked Li Er for more. He knew it was called alcohol from the label on the bottle.

Hearing the name, it seemed related to wine, and the smell was very strong, even stronger than the most potent grassland wine. Compared to the alcohol, the Tang Dynasty's Sanlejiang was like a diluted, inferior wine.

"What alcohol?" Li Er did not know about this. He had been busy running around the past two days and was not aware of what was happening at home. The distillation apparatus diagram given to him by Li Kuan was only handed over to Changsun, and he did not understand the significance of the drawings.

Changsun, upon receiving the diagram, immediately had it made. She wanted to ask Li Er about it, but he had already left the city to inspect the military camp. So she sought out Li Kuan, who guided her to buy a hundred pounds of fine wine and distill it several times in the apparatus, resulting in a small pot of alcohol weighing only a few pounds.

Through this magical device, Changsun realized the power of the scientists behind Li Kuan and saw a path to wealth. This gave her a new and exciting idea, which would later become the beginning of a great transformation in the Tang Dynasty.

Li Er was unaware of all this. He had been so busy the past two days that he would have forgotten about the *Qing Nang Jing* if it were not for carrying it with him. When Sun Simiao asked, he remembered that his son had promised to provide a cleaning solution for wounds, which was likely the alcohol Sun Simiao was asking about.

"Daoist Sun, this was made by my son. I am not very familiar with it. I must ask you to come to my residence to ask my son about it," Li Er said. This was true, but he also had his own thoughts. It was getting dark, and if Sun Simiao went to the Qin王府, he would have to stay overnight. This would inevitably label him as an ally of Li Er, making it impossible for the Crown Prince to accept such a doctor who could save lives from the brink of death.

Li Er's plan was good, but it was interrupted by a group of eunuchs. With a sharp cry of "Imperial Edict!" a group of guards carrying ceremonial regalia and two eunuchs approached.

"Divine Doctor Sun Simiao, receive the edict!" the eunuch announced loudly.

"Your humble subject Sun Simiao, receives the edict!" Sun Simiao knelt down, and Li Er, standing beside him, had no choice but to kneel as well.

"The emperor decrees: Divine Doctor Sun Simiao is to enter the palace to meet the emperor! So be it!" The edict was very brief, only stating that Sun Simiao was to enter the palace, without specifying a time, indicating that he was to go immediately. Li Er was somewhat disappointed, but he could do nothing against the imperial command.

However, Sun Simiao did not immediately accept the edict and thank the emperor. Instead, he raised his head while kneeling. "Please forgive your humble subject, but I cannot comply with the edict. Princess Pingyang has just been treated, and the results are still unknown. If there are any complications, I fear..." His words were firm, though polite, and Li Er could sense his unwavering determination. Sun Simiao's refusal to comply with the edict for the sake of Li Xiu Ning's health earned him Li Er's respect.

In fact, Li Er had another startling thought: if the person lying on the bed were not Li Xiu Ning but an ordinary patient, Sun Simiao would still make the same choice. He did not know why he had this thought, but it felt very real and credible. Li Xiu Ning's status merely provided a face-saving excuse for Li Yuan.

"These eunuchs cannot make such a decision!" The eunuchs, who were servile to Li Yuan, were arrogant to outsiders. Even in front of the most famous divine doctor, Li Yuan would give him some respect, but these eunuchs dared to be disrespectful.

Li Er shook his head, thinking these eunuchs were out of touch with reality, but he did not speak. He observed: among these people, there must be some despicable individuals, and their behavior had deeper meanings. Was there some new development? According to the information Li Er had, the despicable ones were just a group of people trying to protect themselves, but now it seemed they were also involved in political factional struggles.

Li Er would not reveal this, but he would strengthen his precautions in secret. As for the thoughts of these people, he could guess to some extent: their arrogant behavior was meant to provoke Sun Simiao into a strong refusal. But what good would that do besides making Li Yuan lose face?

Could they be trying to sow discord between the emperor and me? Making the emperor think that Sun Simiao has my support and dares to defy the imperial command? Li Er was shocked by this possibility, realizing that these eunuchs and palace women had aligned with the Crown Prince. This could not continue!

"Please inform the emperor that Mr. Sun has just treated Xiu Ning and is exhausted. It is also getting dark, so he will not go to see the emperor today. He will apologize in person when Xiu Ning's condition stabilizes tomorrow!" Li Er stepped forward. Since these eunuchs dared to act this way, he would not hold back. He directly refused the imperial command on Sun Simiao's behalf, and his reasons were reasonable. Even if these eunuchs distorted the facts, there were many famous doctors in the surrounding rooms who could serve as witnesses. These people could only hint subtly and dare not speak openly.

With Li Er's words, the eunuch delivering the edict had nothing to say. Besides, they had waited for so long, and Li Yuan probably already knew the situation. Sun Simiao treating Princess Pingyang immediately upon arriving in Chang'an was a great honor to both Li Yuan and Li Er. Delaying for a day or two for her sake was understandable.

After the eunuchs left in disgrace, a carriage drove into the courtyard of the Imperial Medical Institute. Changsun, Li Kuan, and Li Lizhi arrived. The two children were not in good health, and they wanted to take advantage of Sun Simiao's presence to have them examined.

PS: Today, another reader has tipped. Thank you, Ye Hongxue, for the 100 Qidian coins tip!

[Page Flip AD Start]

[Page Flip AD End]