He initially hesitated to find Song Chongjin, fearing Song Chongjin might think he was seeking repaynt for a past favor. Back then, it was rely a gesture of goodwill from the Wu Family, with no expectation of Song Chongjin’s return.
Moreover, after becoming a Scholar, Song Chongjin had helped the Wu Family in many ways, so they didn’t owe him much gratitude.
Now that he needed to seek help, he found it really hard to ask.
But when Old Man Wu’s condition worsened due to the lack of herbal supplents, he couldn’t care less.
He pleaded with Wu Changshou, asking if he could bring Song Chongjin over.
Wu Changshou told him that as their statuses had changed, since he was the one seeking assistance from Song Chongjin, he should show sincerity by going personally.
How could he expect soone to co to their door?
However, Wu Zhongbao argued that Song Chongjin was not such a person, and right now, Old Man Wu couldn’t do without him.
If he went to find Song Chongjin, it would take a whole day. What if sothing happened to Old Man Wu with no one there to care for him?
Wu Changshou had no choice. His heart ached for the pure filial piety of Wu Zhongbao and wished to give them a hand, so he decided to invite Song Chongjin.
On the way, he dared not speak much, fearing to say sothing wrong.
Fortunately, he only ntioned that Wu Zhongbao needed sothing from him, and Song Chongjin did not press further.
The reason Song Chongjin didn’t ask was because he knew Wu Zhongbao; if it weren’t sothing extrely difficult, he wouldn’t co asking for help.
Even though Wu Changshou ca at the behest of Wu Zhongbao, he wouldn’t question it.
Upon seeing Wu Zhongbao, he would naturally understand.
At this mont, hearing Wu Zhongbao’s request, Song Chongjin pondered for a while and then said, "First, take to see Uncle Wu."
Wu Zhongbao stood up and led Song Chongjin to Old Man Wu’s room, smiling bitterly, "I’ve been truly negligent, I—"
"Between us, there’s no need for such words! To be honest, my wife’s master is a retired Imperial Physician currently residing in Jing County. I’ll first take a look at Uncle’s illness, then personally invite my wife’s master to take a look. If he has a solution, we will find a way to cure it! If not, then we’ll reassess." Song Chongjin explained.
Upon hearing this, Wu Zhongbao’s eyes lit up with hope.
An Imperial Physician! He imdiately nodded repeatedly, saying, "Thank you! Thank you!"
Arriving at Old Man Wu’s room, Wu Changshou was inside watching over, and upon seeing Song Chongjin enter with Wu Zhongbao, he showed a bit of embarrassnt.
"My Lord Song, this old man—"
"No need for words, Town Chief Wu. Let first examine Uncle Wu!" Song Chongjin waved his hand, indicating nonchalance.
Though there was a patient in the room, it was kept clean, with windows open letting breeze in, with no unpleasant odors.
Lying on the bed, Old Man Wu at first glance seed to have stopped breathing.
A closer look revealed a slight rise and fall in his chest and abdon.
His face was indeed sallow and haggard, with sunken eye sockets, so thin he was almost skin and bones.
Just two years ago, he was an astute, capable man, proud and stubborn.
Upon another closer inspection, it was noticeable that while Old Man Wu was thin everywhere else, only his abdon slightly protruded, but nothing else was discernible.
He distinctly rembered that Old Man Wu never had a potbelly before, not to ntion being emaciated like this but still having a protruding belly?
He asked a single question, "Why is Uncle so emaciated, yet his abdon slightly protruding?"
Wu Zhongbao sighed, "Indeed, since he fell ill and wasted away, it’s been like this."
Song Chongjin had an assessnt in his heart and signaled to discuss it outside.
Wu Zhongbao followed him out and heard Song Chongjin say, "I will imdiately go to Jing County and personally invite my wife’s master!"
No unnecessary words.
This burly man, Wu Zhongbao, had tears in his eyes and choked up, "Great kindness and virtue, unforgettable for life!"
Song Chongjin patted his shoulder, turned, and left with Song Xiaoyin and Song Xiaomao on their way to Jing County.
Once they were far, Wu Changshou ca out, exclaiming, "Lord Song is truly a man who rembers past ties! Perhaps your father really has hope this ti!"
Sure enough, Song Chongjin made his way to the Du Family in Jing County.
Old Doctor Du was initially startled, fearing sothing major had happened.
After hearing Song Chongjin’s story, his interest was piqued, and he promptly packed his dicine chest, gave Lady Qi a few instructions, and then followed Song Chongjin back to Shiqiao Town.
Once in the Wu Family ho, upon seeing Old Doctor Du, Wu Zhongbao went down on his knees.
However, Old Doctor Du imdiately inquired about the patient’s whereabouts, needing to see him first.
Wu Zhongbao hurriedly led him to the bedside.
Old Doctor Du first examined Old Man Wu’s complexion, then pried open his eyelids for a look, and finally had all of Old Man Wu’s clothing undone, carefully pressing various areas.
Then he sat down to take his pulse.
The others dared not even breathe out loud, only watched.
When Old Doctor Du finished playing with the pulse, he pulled out a silver needle and inserted it into Old Man Wu’s heart area.
The crowd saw Old Man Wu’s expression twist with pain.
Old Doctor Du watched for a while before removing the needle, which brought out a drop of dark blood.
After he removed the needle, Old Man Wu opened his eyes and glanced around the room but imdiately slipped back into slumber.
Wu Zhongbao didn’t know why, but suddenly felt a surge of hope and cautiously asked, "My Lord, what is my father’s—"
Old Doctor Du wrinkled his brows, thodically cleaned and put away the needle.
Then he spoke, "This affliction isn’t really an illness. There’s sothing else inside the patient—"
Song Chongjin’s first thought was, "A Gu?"
Old Doctor Du shook his head, "It’s not a Gu! Rather, it seems like sothing parasitic, feeding off the patient’s vitality!"
"Then what is it?"
"It’s hard to say imdiately! But this thing inside the patient has been there one or two years already, and has developed significantly! Had it been discovered earlier and I had been called, it might have been expelled. But now, after all this ti, it’s likely intertwined with the patient, posing a complex challenge."
Then he cursed, "I said before, what kind of apprentices did Old Man Qin take? Having such a patient, unable to cure, and they didn’t inform, had they told or Old Man Qin, we might have resolved it by working together! But it’s been needlessly delayed!"
Wu Zhongbao turned pale; the hope that had just arisen was once again shattered.
"My Lord! I beg you! Save my father!" Wu Zhongbao was now banking all his hopes on Old Doctor Du.
Old Doctor Du gestured for Song Chongjin to help Wu Zhongbao up, "If it can be saved, I naturally will save! But now the patient is integrally linked to that thing; unless we sever their connection, any action might be fatal to your father even if the entity is expelled!"
"I must deliberate carefully!" Saying so, he went off to a side to research.
Wu Zhongbao, hearing this tone, felt a flicker of hope, imdiately looking to Song Chongjin.
Song Chongjin nodded reassuringly, "Rest assured, in this world, if Master can’t save, then no one can save Uncle!"
Indeed, the next day, Old Doctor Du first brewed a dose of dicine, and after administering it to Old Man Wu, his whole body went limp.
It almost scared Wu Zhongbao faint.
Old Doctor Du explained, saying it was a modified Powder for Anesthesia, putting both Old Man Wu and the entity inside him under temporarily.
Then he applied a series of silver needles around Old Man Wu’s abdon, claiming to seal the entity there first.
If it were allowed to settle in the heart in a few days, it would be hopeless to reverse it.
Old Doctor Du seed singularly skilled, with this single treatnt involving both dicine and silver needles and a follow-up dose of tonic dicine, making Old Man Wu’s breathing more robust.
Song Chongjin felt sowhat relieved.
However, Old Doctor Du instructed Song Chongjin to bring Wang Yongzhu back, partly so that Wang Yongzhu could learn, seeing that difficult illnesses are most educational and seeing more would do no harm.
And also to have Wang Yongzhu assist.
Therefore, Song Chongjin returned to fetch Wang Yongzhu.
Upon hearing this, Wang Yongzhu couldn’t sit still; he packed a change of clothes, took the dicine box, told Old Granny Zhang, and then hurriedly left for the town with Song Chongjin.
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