The consultations lasted from dawn until dusk.
Despite such intensive medical practice, some refugees were still unable to see a doctor.
"Poison Elder, Brother Feng, no need to look for an inn, come and stay at the yamen with us." Zhou Tianqing warmly stopped Nan Shiying and the others.
Poison Elder glared at him and exclaimed, "What Brother Feng? Have you forgotten the rules of Medicine King Valley?"
Zhou Tianqing's face stiffened slightly. With his colleagues around, he felt a bit embarrassed, but glaring at by Poison Elder, he dared not remain silent. He cleared his throat, and after a long period of psychological preparation, he slowly said, "Brother Feng."
Poison Elder then nodded with satisfaction.
However, Nan Shiying was unwilling to acknowledge this matter. If she did, it would be equivalent to taking on a huge burden. This was also why she ran when she saw the jade pendant.
Poison Elder had been claiming all day that she was his disciple, also intending to make the situation irreversible.
Truly insidious and cunning!
She said, "Imperial Physician Zhou, you are too kind. What disciple, what senior brother? I am, at best, a registered disciple, no different from you, Imperial Physician Zhou. If you don't mind, you can call me Brother Feng, and I'll be taking too much liberty."
Brother Feng was better than Senior Brother Feng, so how could Zhou Tianqing refuse? But what about this registered disciple? Didn't Poison Elder say this was his disciple? Could a registered disciple be considered a disciple?
Upon hearing Nan Shiying's words, Poison Elder's brows shot up in anger. He no longer cared what Zhou Tianqing and the others thought, flying into a rage and questioning her aggressively, "What? Are you wronged by being my disciple? Ask this kid here, how many people want to be my disciple and can't?"
"Indeed!"
Zhou Tianqing could attest to this.
However, from what he heard, Zhou Tianqing finally understood. It turned out that the matter of taking a disciple was Poison Elder's one-sided enthusiasm; the person had not agreed at all!
How terrifying must the talent be of someone that Poison Elder was so eager to take on?
Zhou Tianqing couldn't help but gasp.
Nan Shiying wasn't unwilling to learn medicine from him, but she didn't want to cause trouble. Her greatest wish in this life was to be a carefree idler who enjoyed good food and fun.
It was a pity that she had started in hell mode, forcing her to return to her old ways.
She sighed and said, "Poison Elder, let me think about it."
Poison Elder took a breath and snorted impatiently, "I'll give you one more chance."
Zhou Tianqing: "..."
You say it as if the person is eagerly seeking you out.
Why is the old man so tsundere?
As for staying at the yamen, Nan Shiying politely declined Zhou Tianqing's invitation: "I'm used to being free and unrestrained; I'll be more comfortable staying at an inn."
Seeing this, Zhou Tianqing didn't say anything further. He merely exchanged a few words with his colleagues. Imperial Physician Li and Imperial Physician Zhang nodded to him, then bid farewell to Nan Shiying and the others before leaving. Zhou Tianqing then led the group to the inn.
It was then that Nan Shiying realized Mu Xiaoxiao was missing.
She asked Xuan Yi, "Where is Mu Xiaoxiao?"
Xuan Yi thought to himself, she's been missing for a whole day, and you just noticed? Aloud, he said, "Young Master, the County Princess heard that you were already married and ran off."
Nan Shiying frowned, not understanding the connection.
"Ran off? Why?"
Xuan Yi glanced at her. It shouldn't be like this. With your playboy demeanor, how could you not understand why the young girl ran off?
So he said, "Likely heartbroken."
Nan Shiying: "...?"
"Nonsense!" Nan Shiying couldn't help but reprimand. "She's heartbroken because of me? I am..."
Nan Shiying suddenly fell silent. She remembered her current appearance and suddenly felt a little guilty.
Perhaps, maybe, probably.
Seeing Nan Shiying speechless, Xuan Yi tutted.
You say yourself, disguised as a man, you still incur romantic debts??
Zhou Tianqing listened, utterly bewildered. He didn't dare to ask, only hearing that the person who ran off was a County Princess, he couldn't help but inquire, "County Princess? Which County Princess?"
"Jiacheng County Princess," Xuan Yi replied.
"Jiacheng County Princess?" Zhou Tianqing couldn't help but raise his voice. The County Princesses of Lin Yuan Kingdom were few and far between, and the most noble among them was undoubtedly Jiacheng County Princess. He no longer had the time to ponder why Jiacheng County Princess would appear in Yuzhou; his only concern now was her safety.
"Yuzhou is not safe at this moment. No, I must report to Lord Hong immediately and have him quickly gather people to search for the County Princess." Zhou Tianqing quickened his pace, wanting to return to the yamen as soon as possible.
Xuan Yi said, "My lord need not worry. The County Princess has escorts following her for protection, so she will be fine."
Hearing that someone was protecting her, Zhou Tianqing breathed a sigh of relief. If anything happened to Jiacheng County Princess in Yuzhou, then Lord Hong Yi, even if he managed to control the flood, would inevitably be implicated.
Nan Shiying glanced at Zhou Tianqing and asked, "Lord Zhou, why are you so worried? Are you afraid that something happening to the County Princess will implicate Lord Hong?"
Zhou Tianqing nodded; there was no need to hide this.
"Yes, Lord Hong labors day and night to manage the flood disaster. How can we let him be punished for a crime he doesn't need to bear?"
Nan Shiying mused for a moment and nodded slightly, saying nothing more.
This Hong Yi seemed quite popular. Was he highly capable, or was he truly a selfless gentleman who prioritized duty over personal gain?
After Zhou Tianqing escorted them to the inn, he took his leave.
In the room, Nan Shiying worriedly instructed Xuan Yi, "Have Xuan Wei protect Mu Xiaoxiao well."
Xuan Yi nodded and accepted the order. He opened his mouth and hesitantly asked, "Your Highness, aren't you going to ask where she is now?"
Nan Shiying glanced at him and said, "It's enough that she's safe."
She couldn't let Mu Xiaoxiao misunderstand again, or it would be impossible to explain.
Xuan Yi couldn't help but mentally scold her again: Pfft,渣男 (scumbag)!
...
The next morning, after breakfast, Nan Shiying headed to the refugee camp with her medicine chest. By the time Zhou Tianqing and the others arrived, Nan Shiying was already treating the refugees.
The group couldn't help but praise her and quickly began their own day of consultations.
Hong Yi had heard of Feng Luan of Quanzhou yesterday and also learned of his identity as a disciple of Medicine King Valley from Zhou Tianqing. He couldn't help but pay more attention. However, as the embankment had not been completely sealed yet, he did not go to the refugee camp immediately to establish contact with Feng Luan.
At the embankment, laborers were throwing sacks filled with sand into the breach of the collapsed dike. However, the wind whipped up the waves formed by layers of seawater, and the surge after surge made the repair work increasingly difficult.
The sky today was even gloomier than yesterday.
This was by no means a good omen.