Chapter 701: Chapter 237: White-Clothed Sage Hand_2
"It’s not foolproof, Younger Sister Lu might lose her life."
Inside the room, you could hear a pin drop, not a single person spoke.
Lin Danqing gritted her teeth.
"If it hadn’t come to this, I would never have resorted to such a bold method. But now, with Younger Sister Lu growing weaker by the day, the antidotes have no effect on her. Are we to just watch as she loses her life?"
As she spoke, her voice became agitated.
She had studied at the Imperial Medical Bureau for many years and later, went to the Medical Officer Institute. Due to her cheerful and bright disposition, everyone liked her, Lu Tong not being the most enthusiastic among them.
But Lin Danqing liked Lu Tong the most.
Lu Tong appeared cold and indifferent, aloof and taciturn, but she would leave a light on for Lin Danqing late into the night at the residence. Whenever Danqing complained about not understanding the Medical Classics and Pharmacology, soon enough, the medical books she borrowed would have notes in Lu’s handwriting added to them. Lu Tong knew the secrets and confidentiality of the Lin Family and had even advised her aunt on how to detoxify from "Shooting Miu Zi". Unlike their colleagues at the Medical Officer Institute, who might engage in open and covert competition, hoarding their medical knowledge, Lu Tong was open and candid, sharing her prescriptions without a hint of selfishness.
A person so different in temperament always inspired admiration, making one feel guilty for even a hint of jealousy.
Her ancestor hadn’t been able to save his best friend, leading to a lifetime of regret. Lin Danqing didn’t want to end up the same way.
She wanted to save her friend.
In the silence, suddenly someone spoke: "I think it’s worth a try."
Lin Danqing looked over in surprise.
The speaker was Ji Xun, who looked at her: "Healers are meant to save lives. To give up on the possibility because of potential risks is not the right thing to do."
"Nonsense!" A Medical Officer disagreed, "Healers treat illnesses and save lives, not to indulge in momentary satisfaction. In the end, it all boils down to one word—’heal’. Taking such a risk is more harmful than beneficial, it’s not healing but rather harming!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Xun paused for a moment, seemingly reminded of something, and his expression became distant.
After a while, he shook his head and spoke softly.
"You are wrong. As the saying goes, ’Cinnabar and Citrus are highly poisonous, yet a good doctor uses them to save lives.’ The disease is ever-changing, and so should the medicine. Since medicine cannot cure her, maybe poison can."
"You and I have been at the Hanlin Medical Institute too long, each with our fears, always playing it safe, which may lead to losing our initial purpose. Why not ask ourselves, is the reluctance to extend a helping hand truly for the patient’s sake, or for our own?"
As these words were spoken, the Medical Officers were stunned, and the complexion of the person who had just spoken turned red, remaining silent for a long time.
Being an official and being a healer are fundamentally different; as a healer, the first thing should be to empathize with the patient.
And they had been officials for too long.
After a lengthy silence, Chang Jin spoke: "Let’s proceed as Doctor Lin has suggested."
"Chief Physician!"
"The illness did not arise overnight; it developed gradually." The perennially mild-mannered and agreeable man looked at everyone, "Doctor Lu has been a Medicine Man for many years, her spirit stronger and more resilient than most by a hundredfold. Instead of standing by powerlessly as she withers, it’s better to prepare ourselves for one last determined effort."
"Everyone," Chang Jin said earnestly, "life is precious and should not be taken lightly."
The previous speaker remained silent, as Chang Jin looked at Lin Danqing: "Doctor Lin, write down the prescriptions recorded in your notes quickly. We must review the prescriptions to make sure there are no risks before arranging for Doctor Lu to receive treatment."
"Yes."
...
The new prescription for treatment was quickly determined.
Upon hearing about Lin Danqing’s method of treatment, the Medical Officers had mixed opinions.
Some thought the move was exceedingly risky, with a high likelihood of failure, and it would subject Lu Tong to immense pain before her death, with the cons outweighing the pros. Others believed that since life only comes once, a sliver of hope is better than no hope at all.
Lu Tong woke up once more.
At that time, Pei Yunmeng was by her bedside. When Lin Danqing brought the news, she kept her head down, not daring to look into Lu Tong’s eyes.
Supported in Pei Yunmeng’s arms, Lu Tong was already very weak, barely able to speak. After mustering the energy to listen to Lin Danqing, she actually started to smile.
"Alright," she said, "you go ahead and try."
Lin Danqing couldn’t help but look up, "It will be very painful."
"I’m not afraid of pain."
"It might not be successful... pah pah pah, I’m not cursing you."
"It’s fine." Lu Tong said, "I’ve been lucky, I’ve tried many medicines and nothing’s happened, I’m sure I’ll get through this time too."
The hand Pei Yunmeng used to support her arm stiffened slightly, but Lu Tong didn’t notice.
She looked at Lin Danqing. In those eyes, usually calm and indifferent, there was a faint glint of something Danqing recognized—it was the light of hope for life, a desire to survive, which she had seen many times in the Plague Hospital.
Suddenly, Lin Danqing’s throat tightened with emotion.
She took Lu Tong’s hand: "Good, we will certainly get through this."