roccoschili Chapter 263 (017 words added)
Chapter 263 (017 words added)
Xue Ruanruan walked lightly back to the magnificent and imposing Zhenguo General's Mansion. This mansion was located in a bustling area of the capital, covering a vast area. Its vermilion gates soared into the clouds, and two majestic stone lions stood in front of the gates, inspiring awe.
As she approached the gate, the gatekeeper had already spotted her and hurriedly stepped forward to greet her respectfully, saying, "Miss, you're back!" Xue Ruanruan nodded slightly in acknowledgment before entering the mansion.
Upon entering the mansion, a wide, straight bluestone avenue comes into view, lined with lush trees and vibrant flowers. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves, filling the air with fragrance, creating a tranquil and refreshing atmosphere. Continuing along the avenue, a beautifully crafted artificial hill stands in the center of the garden, with flowing water and cascading waterfalls, resembling a beautiful painting.
Further inside was the main hall of the General's Mansion. The hall was spacious and bright, with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent in gold and jade. In the center of the hall stood a huge sandalwood table covered with a luxurious brocade tablecloth, surrounded by several exquisite armchairs. At this moment, the mansion's maids and servants were busily moving about, preparing for the upcoming banquet.
The Regent had long coveted the General of the State's mansion, and this banquet was likely a trap. Xue Ruanruan thought to herself, her mind sharpened by her medical training since childhood. Entering the main hall, she found her father and brothers discussing the banquet. Seeing her return, a hint of relief appeared in their eyes. Xue Ruanruan stepped forward and said softly, "Father, brothers, I'm back. This banquet is likely fraught with danger." The General of the State nodded gravely. "Ruanruan, you've always been clever; do you have a good plan?" After a moment's thought, Xue Ruanruan said, "I do have a plan. I can bring some specially made powder. This powder is colorless and odorless. If someone with ill intentions tries to poison us, the powder will change color upon contact with the poison. We can then take precautions." Everyone praised her brilliant idea.
As the banquet began, guests arrived one after another. The Regent, dressed in magnificent robes, arrived with an air of arrogance. During the meal, dishes were served one by one, seemingly peaceful and harmonious. Xue Ruanruan discreetly sprinkled medicinal powder near the dishes on the table. A short while later, a steamed fish was served. The Regent's eyes flashed, and he secretly gave a signal. A servant casually approached the table, and just as his finger twitched as if to add poison, the powder next to the fish instantly turned black. The General of the State, seeing this, shouted, "Regent, what is the meaning of this?" The Regent's face changed, and he began to argue. But the evidence was irrefutable, and he could only slink away. The General of the State's mansion successfully defused the crisis, and everyone praised Xue Ruanruan's exceptional wit.
"Ruanruan, tonight's banquet is no ordinary affair. Remember, don't say a word, and be extremely careful in everything you do!" My father looked at me sternly, giving me his earnest advice. His furrowed brow and worried eyes seemed to foreshadow countless unknown dangers and conspiracies lurking behind this banquet. I nodded obediently, indicating that I would remember my father's instructions and would never cause him any trouble. However, a sense of curiosity couldn't help but rise within me: what kind of banquet could make my usually composed father so nervous?
Xue Ruanruan nodded in agreement. As evening fell, the Regent arrived with his entourage. The banquet was filled with singing and dancing, but Xue Ruanruan noticed something amiss. The dishes seemed tampered with; several medicinal herbs, when mixed, could disrupt one's internal energy. She remained calm, feigning illness, and left the table, going to the kitchen. In the kitchen, Xue Ruanruan carefully examined the ingredients and seasonings. She discovered a rare spice; this spice itself was non-toxic, but when combined with several common ingredients, it produced an effect that disrupted internal energy. This must have been a carefully orchestrated scheme, specifically targeting those in the household with internal energy.
Xue Ruanruan knew the gravity of the matter, so she quickly prepared the antidote and added a small amount of its ingredients to some common foods. Then, she quietly returned to the banquet.
She subtly hinted to her father and brothers that they would only eat a few specific dishes. Her brother understood and quietly maintained control of the situation.
Just as everyone was wondering why Xue Ruanruan only recommended these few dishes, one of the advisors beside the Regent suddenly clutched his chest, his internal energy surging erratically. It turned out that this advisor had intended to influence the internal energy of everyone in the Zhenguo General's Mansion through the food, and then create trouble, but he hadn't expected Xue Ruanruan to counter him.
The Regent was shocked and wanted to make trouble, but couldn't find a reason. Enraged and humiliated, he was at a loss for what to do and could only hastily leave with his advisors. Everyone in the General's Mansion breathed a sigh of relief. After this incident, the General looked at Xue Ruanruan with loving eyes and pride. "Ruanruan, thanks to you," he said. Xue Ruanruan responded with a gentle smile.
Several days later, shocking news suddenly spread through the once peaceful city—an epidemic was quietly spreading! This news struck like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering the tranquility of people's lives. Tension and panic filled the streets and alleys, with citizens whispering and discussing the sudden disaster. Some speculated that the source of the epidemic might be travelers from outside the city, while others believed that food in a shop within the city had been contaminated. Regardless, the shadow of the epidemic had already fallen on everyone's hearts. Just when everyone was at a loss for how to deal with this intractable disease, Xue Ruanruan, who had been quietly listening to the discussion, suddenly stepped forward. Her soft yet firm voice broke the heavy atmosphere: "I am willing to volunteer to go and treat the patients!" As she spoke, her beautiful eyes shone with confidence and courage, as if she could already see the joy of successfully curing the patients. Those around her looked on with surprise and admiration, but even more so with worry. After all, this illness was exceptionally complex, and the slightest misstep could lead to irreversible consequences. However, Xue Ruanruan remained unmoved, resolutely embarking on this path of treatment fraught with unknowns and challenges. She arrived at the epicenter of the outbreak with her medicine kit and several capable assistants. The place was deathly silent; the people's faces were etched with illness, and they were suffering terribly. Xue Ruanruan calmly examined the symptoms and discovered that this was not an ordinary epidemic, but rather the result of a man-made poison. Xue Ruanruan frowned; she knew that to cure this poison, she had to find the poisoner and the formula. While using existing medicines to alleviate the patients' symptoms, she sent people to investigate the recent movements of suspicious individuals in the city. After several days of investigation, her assistant reported that a mysterious sorcerer had been frequently visiting the city's water source before the outbreak. Xue Ruanruan deduced that this person was definitely involved in the poisoning. She decided to personally find this sorcerer.
Following the clues, Xue Ruanruan found him at an abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the city. The sorcerer, instead of panicking upon seeing her, sneered that it was all for revenge against the Zhenguo General's Mansion. It turned out he had been expelled from the General's Mansion. Xue Ruanruan righteously told him that his actions would harm countless innocent lives. The sorcerer remained unmoved and even attacked Xue Ruanruan. Although skilled in medicine, Xue Ruanruan had also learned self-defense techniques. She skillfully dodged his attacks and, taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, sprinkled a sleeping potion to subdue him.
After finding the antidote formula on the sorcerer, Xue Ruanruan rushed back to her clinic to make the medicine and save lives. As the antidote was distributed, the sick people gradually recovered. To express their gratitude, the Zhenguo General's Mansion provided financial assistance to the poor families in the city affected by the epidemic. Xue Ruanruan's reputation soared because of this incident, and she became a revered divine physician in the city.
Her eyes were sharp as she carefully observed the symptoms and pulse of the poisoned person, her focused expression seemingly able to see through all secrets. After careful consideration, she began to peruse the mountain of medical books and ancient texts around her, her fingers moving swiftly and precisely between the pages, searching for any potentially useful clues.
Time ticked by, and everyone around her held their breath, watching her every move with bated breath. Finally, her eyes lit up, as if she had discovered something important. Then, she picked up a pen and quickly wrote down a series of medicinal herb names and dosages on a piece of paper, along with detailed instructions on how to prepare and consume them.
Afterward, she personally cooked, carefully selecting each medicinal herb and strictly following her own written recipe to brew the medicine. During the brewing process, she constantly adjusted the heat and stirring frequency to ensure that the medicinal effects were maximized. The entire room was filled with a rich herbal aroma, which was refreshing and invigorating.
When the medicine was finally brewed, she carefully poured it into a bowl and presented it to the poisoned person. Seeing the person gradually regain their life after drinking the antidote, a relieved smile finally appeared on her previously tense face. Everyone who saw this praised her superb medical skills. During the treatment of the patients, she unexpectedly discovered that the mastermind behind it all was a remnant of a gang that had been defeated by the General of the Nation. They attempted to use the plague to disrupt the capital and retaliate against the General's Mansion. Xue Ruanruan treated the people while simultaneously sending someone to inform her father of the truth. Finally, after a long and fierce battle, the General's Mansion's elite troops displayed unparalleled fighting power and unwavering will. Like an iron torrent, they swept through every corner, giving the remnants no chance to breathe.
Shouts of battle and the clashing of weapons mingled together, echoing through the sky. Blood stained the earth, and the air was thick with the stench of blood. Yet, the soldiers of the General's Mansion did not flinch, but charged forward with unwavering courage.
In this thrilling siege, the remnants fought desperately, but ultimately could not withstand the overwhelming offensive of the General's Mansion. One by one, they fell in pools of blood, their former arrogance completely shattered. After the dust settled, Xue Ruanruan did not relax. She realized that although the capital was temporarily safe, similar threats might exist in the surrounding areas. Therefore, she asked her father if she could travel the world, teaching methods of disease prevention and treatment. Although the General was reluctant, he understood his daughter's intentions and granted her request.
Xue Ruanruan set off with several assistants. Along the way, they encountered many difficult and complicated cases, which Xue Ruanruan resolved one by one with her solid medical skills. When they arrived at a small town, it was threatened by a plague following a flood. Xue Ruanruan immediately began to provide aid, while also teaching the local doctors how to identify the characteristics of various disasters and plagues and how to deal with them.
One day, while traveling through the mountains, they encountered bandits. Xue Ruanruan remained calm and fearless, releasing a homemade smoke bomb. Taking advantage of the chaos, she and her assistants hid in the dense forest. Once the bandits dispersed, they continued their journey.
Over the course of several months, Xue Ruanruan traveled to many places, and her reputation spread far and wide. Many aspiring medical students came to her for guidance, and Xue Ruanruan began to take on apprentices and teach, passing on her medical skills and ethics, hoping that there would be no more epidemics or evil deeds in the world, and that peace would prevail.
Finally, on that breathtaking battlefield, accompanied by a piercing scream, the last remaining rebel fell beneath the valiant soldier's sharp sword. In an instant, the entire battlefield fell into a deathly silence, with only the lingering smoke and the blood-soaked ground bearing witness to the fierce and tragic nature of the battle. The soldier who had successfully slain the last rebel stood like a war god, his resolute face weary, but even more so, filled with the joy and pride of victory. The entire battlefield fell silent. Suddenly, cheers of victory erupted, echoing across the blood-stained land. The General's Mansion had successfully completed its mission, completely eradicating all the remaining rebels and bringing peace and tranquility to the nation and its people. Xue Ruanruan, having successfully stopped the spread of the plague, became a revered physician in the capital, and the General's Mansion's fame spread even further. Xue Ruanruan stepped forward and calmly revealed the truth about the tampering with the dishes and the strategist's conspiracy. Upon hearing this, the guests unanimously accused the Regent of being treacherous and cunning. Seeing the situation turning against him, the Regent hastily left with his men. The General's Mansion once again escaped danger, and Xue Ruanruan, with her superb medical skills, became the mansion's guardian star.
His eyes were fixed intently on the pile of colorful and oddly shaped herbs and medicine bottles before him, his hands skillfully and precisely manipulating them. Relying on his extensive medical knowledge accumulated over the years, he quickly selected the necessary herbs from the many and mixed them together in a specific ratio.
As he stirred and mixed, a faint medicinal aroma gradually filled the air. Soon, the antidote was successfully prepared. He then carefully picked up the container of the antidote, quickly walked to a well-ventilated area in the room, and gently sprinkled the antidote evenly there. He then quietly told his father and brother the truth. When the Regent, believing his conspiracy had succeeded, made unreasonable demands, everyone in the General's Mansion showed no sign of anything amiss. The Regent was suspicious, but could only give up. After traveling and lecturing for a long time, Xue Ruanruan's homesickness grew stronger. She bid farewell to her students and embarked on her journey home.
Back at the General's Mansion, the entire household was filled with jubilation. The father, tears streaming down his face, tightly embraced his beloved daughter. The brothers were also overjoyed and busied themselves ordering the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous meal.
However, the peaceful days didn't last long. One night, Xue Ruanruan was studying an old medical book in her room when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. It turned out that a group of assassins had broken into the mansion.
Xue Ruanruan remained calm and quickly retrieved the powerful anesthetic powder she had developed. Using the familiar terrain, she stealthily approached the assassins. Taking advantage of their distraction while searching for valuables, she decisively threw out the powder. Instantly, the assassins fell victim to it and collapsed.
The general's guards arrived and captured the assassin. Interrogation revealed that a neighboring country, jealous of Xue Ruanruan's renowned medical skills, wanted to abduct her for their own use, threatening to destroy her if that failed. The general was furious and wrote a letter warning the neighboring country.
Having experienced this, Xue Ruanruan decided to open a medical clinic within the manor, recruiting more disciples to teach not only medicine but also self-defense techniques, in preparation for any eventuality. From then on, the Zhenguo General's manor became increasingly peaceful and prosperous, and Xue Ruanruan continued her medical practice, benefiting the local people. After seeing off the Regent, the General's manor was at peace. Looking at the night sky, Xue Ruanruan knew this was only temporary tranquility; she needed to be even more vigilant in the future to protect the safety of her family.