Chapter 703: 237 Chapter White-Clothed Sage Hand_4
Su Nan and Shengjing were separated by a thousand miles, and news of the epidemic took many days to travel back and forth. Miao Liangfang had asked acquaintances in the Imperial City for news, only to learn that the epidemic in Su Nan was serious, but under the efforts of numerous medical officers, there was already some improvement. As for the specific condition of any medical officer, that was unknown.
There was no news of Lu Tong.
"I wonder how the young lady is doing now..." Yin Zheng said, somewhat worried.
The journey to Su Nan was so long, and Lu Tong herself had a delicate constitution. After the long and arduous journey, she still had to treat the epidemic. Lu Tong was not one to voice complaints and grievances, which always left others concerned for her.
Seeing the worry between Yin Zheng’s brows, Du Changqing waved his hand expansively, "Hey, you’re worrying too much! I said from the start that she shouldn’t have gone to make a show of this. But knowing her, although she’s as stubborn as an ox, she’s also quite capable, never undertaking battles she isn’t sure of. Since she’s chosen to go, it’s certainly not without a plan. Our medical officer can even bring the dead back to life under her hands, what’s a mere epidemic to her?"
"When it stops snowing in a few days and the sky clears, I’ll go to Wan’en Temple and offer incense to the monks, that will protect our Doctor Lu from all illnesses and ensure she returns to Shengjing safe and sound!"
His words lightened the mood of everyone at the table.
Ah Cheng laughed and said, "Good, good, good, when the time comes, we’ll offer the biggest bribe to Buddha!"
Miao Liangfang picked up a sweet dumpling and popped it into his mouth, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus mixing with the rich aroma of sesame. He praised it for a while before turning to look out the window.
In the courtyard, a red plum tree was in full bloom, each petal a fragment of jade flying amidst the crystal.
"Today is the Winter Solstice. With the famine and epidemic in Su Nan, they probably don’t have sweet dumplings to eat." He sighed, "I wonder what Xiao Lu is doing now?"
...
The night deepened.
A fierce wind swept over Luomei Peak, the red plums dancing wildly.
At the foot of the mountain in the city, the lodgings of the medical officers were brightly lit.
Ji Xun and Lin Danqing were by the bedside, administering acupuncture to Lu Tong.
Chang Jin was periodically checking Lu Tong’s pulse, his expression extremely grave.
The potent remedy from the "White-Clothed Sage Hand" had been administered to Lu Tong, but whether it was because her constitution was too unique or the remedy itself was problematic, Lu Tong displayed no reaction after taking it, remaining unconscious as before.
In the Medical Officer Institute, Ji Xun was the best at acupuncture, and Lin Danqing was the one who knew the manual by heart. Together, they worked on administering needles to Lu Tong.
This method of needling was more difficult than ever, and both Ji Xun and Lin Danqing started to sweat profusely. As the candle in the room burned down, Lu Tong suddenly exhibited a change.
It was as if the delayed agony had finally struck at the last moment; she began to tremble, shaking so violently that the gold needles were dislodged by her quivering. Ji Xun shouted, "Hold her down!"
Lin Danqing hurriedly restrained Lu Tong.
While being held down, Lu Tong’s face showed increasing pain, and she couldn’t help but groan, crying out, "It hurts..."
Ji Xun paused, and everyone in the room was taken aback.
No one had ever heard Lu Tong cry out in pain.
She was always calm, facing everything with serenity. After all, as a Medicine Person for many years, she had experienced the agony recorded in that manual at a young age. To her, most of the so-called pain in this world should have been ordinary.
But now, she was crying out in pain.
Chang Jin’s face changed, "Her pulse is weakening."
Ji Xun and Lin Danqing exchanged a glance. Lin Danqing grasped Lu Tong’s hand, "Younger Sister Lu, stay alert! Can you hear me? Don’t sleep! Hang on!"
Ji Xun concentrated, his hands trembling slightly as he inserted a gold needle into the side of her neck.
Lu Tong’s expression became even more agonized. She started to struggle fiercely, and Lin Danqing held her hands to prevent her from touching the needles.
But at the next moment, with a "puff" sound, she suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.
The blood was actually black.
Chang Jin was alarmed, "Doctor Lu!"
Her expression suddenly relaxed, as if the last bit of strength had dissipated, and she seemed to make a desperate attempt to open her eyes and see before her, but ultimately, she closed her eyes.
Chang Jin rushed to check her pulse.
He stiffened and began to speak with a tremble.
"There’s no breath left..."
After a moment of silence, Lin Danqing’s quiet sobbing could be heard in the room, and Ji Xun’s face turned deathly pale.
Pei Yunmeng, who had been waiting at the door, suddenly looked up sharply.
The long night was impenetrably dark, and the biting cold wind pierced to the marrow. He stood frozen, for a moment feeling as if he had plunged into an abyss.
Unbeknownst to him, the snow in Su Nan had stopped.