"Alright, we just need to wait a little while longer," Gu Shanhai finished collecting the remaining silver needles and unceremoniously poured himself a cup of tea as he sat down.
Li Yu, on the other hand, watched his daughter’s body covered with silver needles and, for a mont, didn’t know what to say.
Gu Shanhai’s movents were extrely fast. He had just requested that it be done as quickly as possible, and the next second, Gu Shanhai had already finished inserting the needles.
"How... long will this take?" Li Yu hesitated to ask.
"Three..."
"Three hours?" Li Yu sighed in relief, finding it acceptable.
But then he heard Gu Shanhai add, "Two..."
"!!!" Li Yu was utterly baffled. "Why are you counting down?"
"One, she’s awake. Make sure she doesn’t move around too much. We still need to expel the remaining toxins," Gu Shanhai then said.
No sooner had he spoken than noises erupted from the bed, followed by a scramble, and soon a figure pricklier than a hedgehog was soothed.
"She’s awake, she’s awake, thank you, Mr. Gu for your help. I don’t know how my daughter should recuperate now, please instruct us," Li Yu’s attitude did a complete one-eighty, showing utmost respect for Gu Shanhai.
"After half an hour, rember to remove the needles. Just don’t forget that," Gu Shanhai indicated that removing the silver needles would suffice.
"Mr. Gu, aren’t you going to prescribe any dicine?" Li Yu inquired further.
"Do you have kidney deficiency or sothing, why would you need dicine?" Gu Shanhai retorted.
Li Yu’s face turned green. He hadn’t expected Gu Shanhai to say that, so he quickly replied, "I ant for my daughter, does she need nourishnt after her serious illness?"
"No need, you asked for a speedy treatnt, so I skipped that step for you. Otherwise, why would I put so many needles in her? Just to idle around? No thanks," Gu Shanhai comnted dryly.
At that mont, Li Yu wanted to explain that he hadn’t ant that kind of speed, but he didn’t dare. The man before him certainly had genuine skill, or he wouldn’t have finished so quickly, and he might even be a master strategist.
"Anything else? If not, you’d better arrange soone to send back. I need to go back to sleep."
"Oh, right, you’ll need to pay for the consultation too. Since I didn’t write a prescription, I’ll discount ten coins for you."
Gu Shanhai indicated that he couldn’t stand being there any longer.
"Mr. Gu, you jest. Today’s oversight was my family’s fault. Please, stay at my humble ho and rest for the day," Li Yu, a man concerned with his dignity, couldn’t just let Gu Shanhai leave like that, rely offering ten coins as a fee—word would spread throughout Wen’an Prefecture City, causing him to lose face.
"That wouldn’t be right, we aren’t acquainted," Gu Shanhai was thinking he needed to get back to check his data.
"Exactly because we aren’t familiar, we should get to know each other better," Li Yu pressed, unabashed.
Being able to build his business from scratch, whether in capability or foresight, Li Yu possessed enough skills—how else could he have beco the wealthiest man in Wen’an Prefecture City?
After exchanging pleasantries, Gu Shanhai reluctantly agreed.
Because if the politeness continued, the day would probably dawn.
Following the healing of Li Yu’s daughter, the once chaotic Li Mansion quieted down again.
The next morning, Gu Shanhai got up and, while washing up, casually brewed a cup of red date and goji berry tea—both ingredients produced by his own Spirit Plant.
Once middle-aged, it’s proper to brew goji berries in a thermos, fitting the image of a middle-aged man.
"Mr. Gu, you’re awake. The master has been waiting for you for a while," Li Jiu approached Gu Shanhai as soon as he ca out.
"If you had any emotional intelligence and perceptiveness, you wouldn’t still be a house servant," Gu Shanhai teased, not noticing that he hadn’t even had breakfast yet and was already being ushered to et soone. Thankfully, he was a broad-minded person; otherwise, he would have been complaining bitterly.
Li Jiu rely gave a wry smile, still not understanding.
When the procession reached the main hall, Li Yu, seeing Gu Shanhai arrive, stood up to greet him: "Mr. Gu, did you rest well last night?"
"Not really, I’m a bit particular about my sleeping arrangents..." Gu Shanhai didn’t mince words, putting Li Yu in an awkward position.
Fortunately, Li Yu was thick-skinned and quickly changed the subject, "Our humble ho has not provided well, please have a seat, Mr. Gu."
Li Yu was sensible, having prepared a lavish breakfast table.
That day, he had soone inquire in Cansang Village and confird directly that Gu Shanhai was a reclusive expert. If not for this fortunate eting, Li Yu wouldn’t have been able to access such a figure on his level.
The Li family, though known as the wealthiest in Wen’an Prefecture City, had its limitations—lacking military tactics for legacy and without recomnded official status, the forr making their fortune unsustainable and the latter unable to guarantee current status.
The Li family’s stability was partly due to internal peace in Dalong and partly through collaboration with Lord Wen’an to boost the latter’s political performance. If, in the future, Lord Wen’an was promoted and replaced by soone coveting his property, Li Yu feared he might have to sacrifice parts to protect himself.
But now, with Gu Shanhai’s encounter, he saw an opportunity for a change in fate.
Without delving into details, if he could obtain martial arts for his family legacy and get recomnded for official positions, not only could he secure his family’s enterprise, but he could also elevate them to a prestigious family.
There was, however, a minor issue in his plan: he had no male heirs.
As a woman could not beco a military commander in the feudal societal norms of this ancient world, these restrictive beliefs persisted.
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