Chapter 3: “Child, Come on Out”
Translator: Flying-Lines
The spacious mansion was home to the Prime Minister and the family retainers only, lively and bustling one might presume, it was actually silent and isolated .
Bai Qingqing made decent company for the Prime Minister . A country girl she was, her eloquence and ability were simply outstanding .
She was now eighteen years old, but a catastrophe took place in her hometown six years ago which almost wiped out the whole village .
Mo Shoude was then passing by the village, so he saved Bai Qingqing and raised this half dead girl himself since then .
Quite young Qingqing was, she sure was intelligent, it only took her several years to inherit Mo’s marvelous medical skills .
Knowing Qingqing practiced medicine, the servants turned to her in twos and threes while she resided in the mansion .
The servants were simple-minded, they deemed Qingqing as no more than a country girl who might know one thing or two about the art of healing, but she bordered on a quack .
The servants who turned to her were bothered by ailments like fever and cold, they purely intended to get medicine for free .
The fact that Qingqing, the country girl in their eyes, cured the butler who had suffered senile foot chilliness for over a decade left everyone jaw-dropping .
To everyone’s greater astonishment, the Prime Minister got rid of the migraine that had haunted him for well over four years .
No one thought little of Qingqing as a doctress after that .
A bold thought flash through Qin Zizheng’s mind, whose original plan was to convince Qingqing to hurry Mo to the capital city .
This day after dinner, Qin Zizheng asked Qingqing in dead earnest, “Child, I have no idea how sophisticated your medical skills are, but Lao Mo educated you for six years in person, I’m sure you are pretty capable . Frankly speaking, the reason why I highly requested your master’s presence was I need his help on curing a dignitary patient . Now that Lao Mo failed to make it here, can I please ask you to fill his shoes?”
Qingqing picked up the seriousness from the Prime Minister’s tone, “Can I get informed about this person’s identity?”
“I’m afraid I cannot disclosure his identity for the time being, all I can say is that his existence is of great importance to the Great Yan Kingdom . ”
Bai Qingqing was startled, but she understood that there must be some unspeakable reasons .
She would not make a detailed inquiry on something one felt reluctant to disclose .
“What are his symptoms?” (Bai)
“Blindness . ” (Qin)
“Congenital or not?”
“The latter . ”
“For how long?”
“Six years!”
“Got treated by other doctors?”
“Their hands are tied . ”
“I earned your trust?”
“I can only let you know the answer after you give it a try . ”
“I am here representing my master for his promise, I’ll definitely give it a try .
On the next morning, led by the Prime Minister, Bai Qingqing was carried to the eastern suburb in a soft sedan chair .
Located in an isolated area, the eastern suburb was sparsely populated . But an extravagant mansion came to everyone’s sight after they passed a lush black bamboo grove .
When Qingqing’s sedan chair was carried to the front red gate, she saw two characters “Ink Garden” on the plaque above the gate .
Prime Minister’s sedan was no stranger to the guards on duty at the gate . They were being greeted once the sedan was parked .
Soon, a young man of twenty-five or twenty-six hurried out from the mansion, and bowed to the Prime Ministry reverently, “Prime Minister, welcome, what an honor to host you!”
Qin Zizheng stepped out from the sedan, replying to the young man with a smile, “Minghao, Lord Seventh is home today, right?”
The man named Minghao was in light grey imperial bodyguard’s outfit, with a sword hanging on his waist belt . Minghao was a handsome young man who behaved in a poised and dignified manner .
“Yes, Prime Minister . What a beautiful coincidence, Lord Seventh just came back yesterday evening from the Putuo Temple where he resided for nearly a fortnight . I cannot guarantee his presence if you pay this visit even one day earlier . ”
“Haha, Perfect! A timely arrival is better than an early one . ”
The Prime Minister’s energetic laughter surprised Minghao .
“Prime Minister, correct me if I’m wrong, your complexion turns so much better than the old days . ”
“Kid, you are indeed an elite trained by Lord Seventh for years, you can tell the difference within one blink, so observant . Frankly speaking, this is why I’m paying this visit . ”
Then he turned to Qingqing who was in the other sedan, “Child, come on out . ”
Qingqing gently lifted up the sedan curtain and stepped out .
When her eyes swept Minghao inadvertently, her pupils contracted, her lips twitched, even her limbs turned stiff .
Qingqing managed to collect herself within a flash, so no one noticed .
Seeing Qingqing in plain clothes, Minghao viewed her merely as a country girl .
With that being said, this country girl was introduced by Qin Zizheng----the first-ranked official after all . Minghao wouldn’t slight her in her face .
“Prime Minister, who is this lady?”
“She is the doctress that I specially invited for Lord Seventh . ”
That startled Minghao, and one could read disbelief from his eyes for a quick moment .
He couldn’t help but disapprove secretly in heart, “Prime Minister, are you too old to think straight? Finding a little girl like her to treat Lord Seventh is no difference than upsetting His Highness! Even though the imperial physicians lost their bearings at the moment, that didn’t justify you on getting an imposter like this little girl . ”
Qin Zizheng read Minghao’s mind with a simple glance, yet he simply tapped Minghao’s shoulder, saying, “Let’s elaborate when we meet Lord Seventh . ”
Minghao’s unsettling mind wasn’t eased by that, but he acted compliantly . After nodding to Qingqing who was being mute, he led them into Ink Garden .
Ink Garden was situated in the eastern suburb of the capital city, where was a low-profile area . However, entering the garden you would find yourself in a place where it got all the marvelous items that you expected to find .
Ink Garden was a huge mansion with seven jin (seven halls lengthwise), possessing a world of its own .
All the servants were well trained, being neither too humble nor too pushy .
Before long, led by Minghao, they entered a room scented with ambergris .
The room they were in was very spacious, with luxurious yet polished interior designs .
A giant white jade screen stood in the middle of the room, on the walls of which hanged calligraphies and paintings of high value .
The red rosewood table chair set in the room was priceless, the antiques and vases displayed in the room were rarely seen as well .