Chapter 677: Chapter 230: Repeating the Past_4
"There’s improvement," Lin Danqing exclaimed with joy, "don’t stop, keep going—"
Behind the curtains of the Plague Hospital, the lights had burned all night until the dawn’s light gradually brightened, and Cuicui’s pulse had finally stabilized.
Lin Danqing wiped the sweat from her forehead and took off her soaking wet outer robe, "That scared me to death."
She yawned, sat down on the floor of the Plague Hospital, propped her cheek with her hand and said, "Allow me a moment’s rest." However, within a few breaths, upon looking again, she had already fallen into a deep sleep.
She was truly exhausted.
The patients all remained silent, not wanting to disturb her. Lu Tong covered her with a blanket and stepped outside the Plague Hospital.
It was early morning, and unusually, there was a hint of sunlight today. The pale light seemed undiminished by the thick clouds, revealing a sliver of golden red, as if providing a glimpse of the sunrise itself.
Ji Xun approached from behind.
After a full day’s toil, weariness was evident between his brows. He rubbed his forehead and said, "Cuicui’s condition is not good; most of her body is now covered in purple clouds spots."
Even if they saved her now, she didn’t have much time left.
"I know," Lu Tong replied, "but the new prescription has been proven unusable."
"I have an idea," Ji Xun looked at her, "Using the new prescription, we could extend her life by a few days; without it, she could die at any moment in the next few days."
Lu Tong looked at him, "The new prescription isn’t suitable. Ding Yong died from poisoning by using it. You know this better than I do, Doctor Ji."
Ji Xun shook his head, "It’s not that the new prescription is poisonous, but that the Hou Bian within it is toxic. If we could find the antidote to Hou Bian, there might still be a chance for life."
"What are you getting at?"
"Let’s use the new prescription. The poison in Hou Bian is a heat toxin; I want to try using the Chi Mu Teng," he said.
Lu Tong was surprised, "There is no Chi Mu Teng in Su Nan. Perhaps not even in Pingzhou."
"The Chief Physician has already sent word to Pingzhou; maybe we can buy a few days’ time. Doctor Lu, we don’t have much time to wait."
Ji Xun had always been cautious and careful. In the past, when she had used a dose of Hong Fang Xu from Jin Xianrong’s medicinal stock in the Medical Officer Institute, he had reprimanded her with harsh words. Now, this plan was incredibly bold, and it was as if she had become the cautious one. The reversal of roles was nothing short of absurd.
"It’s somewhat risky."
"For the patient, every glimmer of hope is worth fighting for."
Actually, he was right.
"It’s a pity that Pingzhou is still some distance from Su Nan," Ji Xun sighed, "I don’t know if Cuicui can last until then."
This mournful sigh echoed in Lu Tong’s ears, even as she returned to her quarters.
To counter only the poison of the Hou Bian...
Lu Tong sat down at the table, and just as she did, a withered grasshopper caught her eye.
Lu Tong was taken aback.
It was as if she could see Ding Yong’s honest smiling face and Cuicui’s joy when she presented her the grasshopper.
She stared at it for a long while before she lowered her head to grab paper and pen.
Ding Yong’s prescription was rewritten on paper, and Lu Tong’s eyes landed on the words "Chi Mu Teng" among the list of many medicinal herbs.
Frankly, this prescription was indeed very bold. The poison of Hou Bian was difficult to counter, and an overdose of the antidote could instantly neutralize the poison. This meant that balancing the properties of the counteracting medicines was even tougher. Using other poisons would only exacerbate the toxicity.
In the end, Ding Yong was unable to neutralize the poison.
All the medicinal herbs brought from Shengjing, along with the herbal medicine Pei Yunmeng had sent from near Qi Shui, had been examined. They had used everything possible, but the efficacy was still poor.
There were no other herbs available in Su Nan.
Chi Mu Teng...
Even if it were transported from nearby Pingzhou, it would take five or six days.
Lu Tong’s brows furrowed as she looked out the window.
Through the window, amidst the stark white snow, the faint red of Luomei Peak could barely be seen.
Luomei Peak did have many herbs, and she had often gathered them in the past, but they were all highly toxic and entirely incapable of countering the poison of Hou Bian.
However, the Ailanthus...
Lu Tong’s mind stirred.
Wait, she seemed to have overlooked a place.
...
The next day, at the Medical Officer Institute residence rest was undisturbed, early in the morning, before dawn broke, Lu Tong rose early from her couch.
In the next room over, Lin Danqing had not yet awakened. Lu Tong strapped on her medical kit and pushed open the door to leave.
It was still very early, and the medical officers who had been on duty at the Plague Hospital the night before had not yet returned to relieve their shifts; the courtyard was desolate and cold. Lu Tong, holding a lantern, had just walked into the yard when she heard a "creak—" as another room in the courtyard opened.
Lu Tong looked back in surprise.
At this hour, the medical officers should still be resting, and even if someone was up early, they shouldn’t be up quite so early.
She wanted to see who the other person was, yet the figure who emerged was quite unexpected.
"Pei Yunmeng?"
The snow of the early morning was not heavy; amidst the scattering of fine snowflakes, he was dressed impeccably, his demeanor composed as if he had been waiting there specifically for her.
"Why are you sleeping here?"
The accommodations for the Imperial Guards were not in this area; Pei Yunmeng had come out from one of the medical officers’ sleeping quarters.
"Last night I suddenly felt unwell, feared falling sick on the spot, and specially requested Chief Physician Chang to exchange rooms," he said.
Lu Tong’s heart sank.
His answer was delivered so smoothly, yet the excuse was so absurd; he had clearly made up a reason on the fly. But why would he sleep here—it couldn’t be that he guessed she was up to something and waited here in advance for her.
Could he read minds?
"And you?" The young man glanced at her, his tone half-mocking, half-amused, "Up so early, where are you going?"
"To the Plague Hospital," Lu Tong replied promptly, "to replace the on-duty medical officer."
"Oh," Pei Yunmeng nodded, taking her measure, "Going to the Plague Hospital, you’ve taken your medical kit, cloak, bamboo basket, iron spade..."
He scoffed, "Why don’t you simply hire a carriage?"
Lu Tong: "..."
"Doctor Lu, you’re not planning to go up the mountain, are you?" Pei Yunmeng’s gaze landed on the iron spade she was carrying on her back.
Lu Tong did not speak.
The day before, she had asked Chang Jin if he could take someone up Luomei Peak.
Chang Jin had not yet spoken, when Li Wenhu, who was on the side, objected strongly upon hearing this proposal.
"Luomei Peak is huge," Li Wenhu said, "and the mountain roads are steep. People are loath to travel to those barren mountains even when it’s not snowing. Only those who have dead in their family and throw bodies on Chaos Burial Mound go there. There’s a large area of Chaos Burial Mound on the mountain; it’s said the plum blossoms there bloom especially bright because of the numerous deaths. It’s frightening."
"Right now, the heavy snow has sealed off the mountain; it’s even more impossible to go. Once someone enters the mountain, they essentially can’t come out. Doctor Lu, you can’t be thinking of taking medical officers up the mountain? I advise you to abandon that notion! Medical officers are scarce as it is, and if they perish on the mountain, they can’t be retrieved—it’s seeking death."
The voice of a person nearby interrupted her thoughts.
"The snow is falling on the mountain; the paths are difficult and the danger is a hundred times greater than usual. Have you lost your mind?"
Lu Tong looked at him.
He stood in front of her, his mouth curved in a smile, yet his tone was very serious—he was earnestly warning her.
Lu Tong said, "I have reasons I must go."
He slightly furrowed his brows.
The silently falling snow fluttered between them.
He watched Lu Tong intently for a long while, and after a moment, Pei Yunmeng nodded, "Then let’s go."
Lu Tong was taken aback, "What?"
The young man took the heavy iron spade from Lu Tong’s hands and said indifferently, "I’ll go with you."