Chapter 9: The Noble and the Base

Neither He Ru nor Zuo Wen knew about Xu You's physical condition. They assumed it was merely a lingering effect of his old injuries that would heal with time and care. Neither of them suspected that a cold and vicious hidden force was lurking within Xu You, which not only robbed him of his martial arts but also threatened his life. Furthermore, because Zuo Wen maintained a cautious distance during all his encounters with Li Yifeng, he was unaware of the existence of the Mind-Sustaining Pill, let alone He Ru, who had never left Mingyu Mountain.

When the subject was brought up at this moment, Xu You deliberated for a moment and decided to tell He Ru the truth. The two of them were now as close as one body; He Ru’s ultimate objectives were entirely transparent to him. Until their deep blood feuds were avenged, they would not become enemies, and revealing the internal details would not compromise his own safety.

Xu You recounted the origins of the matter. "My life was originally picked up from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood; living one day longer is simply a bonus, and it is of no great consequence. The reason I did not tell you clearly before was simply because I had not found the right opportunity. Of course, the primary reason was that Wen Ruquan once said I could fully recover, whereas Li Yifeng believed there were hidden risks that might suddenly flare up in the future and become life-threatening. Since even he was not entirely certain, I did not take it too seriously."

In his years of traveling across the land, He Ru had seen and experienced more than anyone else, cultivating an extraordinary composure. Hearing Xu You's words, his expression did not change in the slightest. "The name of the divine physician Wen Ruquan is known to all under heaven. Since his gold-standard verdict declared you safe, you will undoubtedly be safe. As for Li Yifeng, he merely learned a bit of medicine from Li Changfeng, painting talismans with enchanted water to fool the ignorant populace. He is simply exaggerating to scare people; his words carry no weight!"

Xu You smiled bitterly. "You need not try to comfort me. Li Changfeng authored the six volumes of *Discussions on Diseases* and the twelve volumes of *Pulse Secrets*. How formidable his medical skills are is proven by the shrines erected for him throughout Yizhou. Li Yifeng has attended him since childhood, absorbing his knowledge day and night; even if he has not mastered eighty percent of Li Changfeng's skill, he has certainly attained fifty percent. His deep concern for my illness led him to travel day and night to beg for three Mind-Sustaining Pills from Heming Mountain. Surely, this cannot be groundless alarmism."

Relying on his exquisite medical skills, Li Changfeng firmly secured his position as one of the seven great libationers of the Celestial Master Dao. His reputation among the common people was so grand that even Sun Guan could hardly compare. In particular, through his scholarly works *Discussions on Diseases* and *Pulse Secrets*, he was hailed as the most creative theoretical medical writer since Zhang Zhongjing's *Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases*. If Wen Ruquan could save the living, Li Changfeng could bring back the dead; the two were at least evenly matched!

He Ru shook his head and said, "From observing Qiulang's physiognomy, you are certainly not someone destined for an early death. Even if what Li Yifeng said is true and you are currently afflicted with some mysterious ailment, you will surely turn misfortune into blessing and remain safe."

He pondered for a moment, then spoke with resolute determination, "The Mind-Sustaining Pill is far too important; it can save you from danger at least three times... Qiulang, Fenghu's illness is not an acute emergency. With his profound internal energy, he can hold on for a while longer. Do not use the Mind-Sustaining Pill just yet. Let us consult more renowned physicians; perhaps one of them will be able to neutralize his poison."

Xu You's eyes shone like morning stars. He gazed intently at He Ru and said, "Qiyi, if you were injured, I would likewise use the Mind-Sustaining Pill to save you. Fenghu shares a bond of life and death with me, and we have sworn a pact as brothers. To save his life, let alone a single Mind-Sustaining Pill, even if all three were taken, what would it matter?"

He Ru stood up, solemnly adjusted his robes, then knelt with his hands crossed before him, speaking with profound gravity, "Qiulang, people are born into high and low stations. You are the master, and we are the servants. Naturally, the master must take precedence. In my life, I have never had friends, but through my time spent with Fenghu, I have come to regard him as a true confidant. If I can save his life, how could I begrudge a single Mind-Sustaining Pill? However, there are barely a dozen such pills in the entire world. Use one, and there is one fewer. When your internal injuries truly flare up and you lack this pill, you might well lose your life. If you are no longer here, everything is over; what use would the rest of us be, even if we survived? That is true for Fenghu, and it is true for me. Should we encounter danger in the future, I would rather die than use the Mind-Sustaining Pill to cling to life!"

"All living beings under heaven are equal. The so-called distinctions of high and low are merely perceptions in the eyes of the worldly. Qiyi, your learning encompasses heaven and earth, yet in this insight, you fall short even of the Celestial Master Dao." Xu You did not help him up. He sighed and said, "Affairs have their priorities of urgency, and the Mind-Sustaining Pill is not some rare treasure. Let us save Fenghu's life first. If I truly have need of it in the future, I can simply go to Heming Mountain and ask Li Changfeng to bestow another..."

"Qiulang, do you think Mind-Sustaining Pills are mere dirt and gravel, to be picked up anywhere? Li Changfeng has only ever refined a little over a dozen in total. To give you three this time is already a profound act of grace; how could he possibly bestow more?"

Xu You smiled faintly. "When it comes to scholarship, I am no match for you, but when it comes to business, you are no match for me. At its core, the Celestial Master Dao is also a sect that amasses wealth. The Mind-Sustaining Pill is the ultimate secret technique at the bottom of Li Changfeng's box; could there truly be only a dozen or so in existence? Do you know how many years the Mind-Sustaining Pill has been passed down?"

"At least a decade or more... I had already heard of the great reputation of the Mind-Sustaining Pill when I was in the Wei State."

"Precisely so. Over all these years, refining a few batches each year, even accounting for failures, a stock of over a hundred must exist. Otherwise, when influential nobles whom they cannot afford to offend come begging for medicine, and they search the bottom of the box only to find nothing, where would the reputation of the Celestial Master Dao and Sun Guan's face go? Furthermore, while I am not one to disparage myself, I know that if only a dozen or so truly existed in the world, relying merely on the past goodwill of the Xu clan would not have been enough to secure two or three out of that ten."

He Ru was left speechless. Upon careful reflection, what Xu You said made complete sense. There is no merchant without cunning; although Li Changfeng practiced medicine to save the world, he was also a great libationer of the Celestial Master Dao. Just looking at the bloody storm Du Jingzhi stirred up in Yangzhou was enough to show how vital wealth was to the Celestial Master Dao. Anyone who could not generate wealth for the sect could not firmly occupy the seat of a great libationer. Therefore, the external rumor that only a dozen or so Mind-Sustaining Pills existed was very likely a ploy to drive up the price and sell them at a premium.

That being the case, He Ru had no further grounds for objection. Together with Xu You, he went to the side room to visit Zuo Wen. Lishuang opened the door with a worried expression. Xu You signaled with his eyes, and Lishuang whispered, "He is worse than yesterday. He can no longer speak..."

Xu You's heart sank. Zuo Wen had still been able to speak when he visited yesterday; he had not expected him to lose his voice by today. Walking closer, he saw Qiufen holding a bowl, helping Zuo Wen take his medicine. Zuo Wen's face was the color of gold paper, his breathing as faint as thread, and his tiger-like eyes tightly shut. Fortunately, his teeth could still open and close, and his consciousness remained somewhat clear, knowing he should try his best to take the medicine. However, his tongue was numb and sour, and half of the medicine he drank flowed back out.

Xu You had heard the physicians who came for consultations say that the poison Zuo Wen contracted seemed to paralyze the nervous system, causing the five senses and perceptions to gradually vanish while rendering the entire body immobile, until the poison finally spread to the brain and caused death. It could truly be called vicious in the extreme.

Hearing the commotion, Qiufen turned her head. Looking at Xu You, her face was already covered in tears. Ever since their days in Jinling, Zuo Wen and she had lived and worked closely together, treating each other with kindness and steadfast care, sharing a bond like brother and sister. Witnessing this scene, how could she keep her composure?

Xu You gently stroked her hair and said softly, "Do not cry. I have already found the medicine to save Fenghu."

"Ah?"

Qiufen and Lishuang were struck by a simultaneous wave of ecstasy. Xu You had no time to explain in detail. Following He Ru's instructions, he had Qiufen decoct camphor leaves, let the water cool, dissolve the Mind-Sustaining Pill in it, and administer it to Zuo Wen in three doses.

That night, Zuo Wen vomited black blood continuously. By the following morning, his complexion had finally returned to normal—though pale, it no longer had the appearance of gold paper, and he could speak in a low voice. Since Xu You had already used the Mind-Sustaining Pill, he was naturally willing to use aged ginseng soup to restore Zuo Wen's vitality and blood. After another three to five days, the remaining toxins were completely purged, and Zuo Wen was able to get out of bed and walk around. His life was safely preserved.

"How does it feel to have walked through the gates of hell?"

The sun was shining brightly that day—a rare and fine day in the dead of winter. Xu You and Zuo Wen sat under the veranda, letting the warm light wash over them in indescribable comfort and ease. Wrapped in a thick quilt, Zuo Wen gave a light cough and said, "I have served in the army for many years and have walked through the gates of hell more than once. But those past brushes with death were all encounters with the blades of swords—over in the blink of an eye, dodging them meant they were past. This time, however, I was completely paralyzed. My mind was entirely clear, yet I could only quietly wait for death. To be honest, I never want to experience that feeling a second time in this lifetime!"

Xu You laughed heartily and said, "Misfortune is what fortune leans upon; having survived this great disaster, Fenghu will surely enjoy blessings hereafter."

"If it weren't for the master using the Mind-Sustaining Pill..."

"Alright, say no more. Compared to you, the Mind-Sustaining Pill cannot be considered precious!" Xu You frowned and said, "It is all because of that big-mouthed Qiyi. I instructed him not to tell you, yet he still disobeyed."

He Ru's position was different. To him, Xu You had made such a massive sacrifice that, both publicly and privately, Zuo Wen had to be informed. Whether it was buying people's loyalty or displaying grace, whatever Xu You was unwilling or inconvenient to do, He Ru regarded as his unshirkable duty. Using a Mind-Sustaining Pill was regrettable, indeed, but if it made Zuo Wen willing to shed blood and smash his brains out in return, then it was well worth the cost.

"This is not Master He's fault; I insisted on asking!" Zuo Wen's fierce eyes surged with an indescribable gratitude. "The Mind-Sustaining Pill is the master's life-saving medicine, something the Daoist Master Li Lingguan spent countless efforts to bestow upon the master, yet it was wasted on me..."

"A mere Mind-Sustaining Pill, do not take it to heart. If Heaven truly wishes to claim my life, no amount of Mind-Sustaining Pills would avail!" Xu You offered a few words of comfort. At that moment, he saw Wan Qi walking in and immediately stepped forward to greet her, asking, "Didn't you say you wouldn't arrive in Qiantang until the day after tomorrow? Why have you returned ahead of schedule?"

"My Lady and the Master are still on the boat. I transferred to a fast horse midway to return ahead of time and report the news to the master."

Knowing that Zhan Wenjun surely had something important to tell him, and seeing Wan Qi covered in dust with cracked lips, Xu You hurriedly called Qiufen to take care of Zuo Wen, then led Wan Qi into the room to speak.

"Drink a cup of tea first to moisten your throat."

Xu You personally poured a cup of tea for Wan Qi and watched her drain it in one breath, the spilled droplets wetting her collar. He smiled and said, "Slow down, don't choke."

Wan Qi possessed a proud and aloof temperament and had never acted so unreservedly in front of a man. Yet, facing Xu You, everything had changed. It felt as though whatever she did was natural and proper, without any need to consider whether she might lose her composure, reveal her flaws, or displease others. No matter what, Xu You always appeared as warm and polished as jade, smiling faintly with a gentleness that made one wish to lean on him and never leave.

*Note: "Discussions on Diseases" and "Pulse Secrets" were works by Wang Shuhe, an imperial physician of the Jin Dynasty. This individual collected ancient texts and organized Zhang Zhongjing's lost "Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases" into the "Shanghan Lun," rendering an immeasurable contribution. Here, the attribution has been adapted to Li Changfeng, and discerning readers need not dwell too deeply on the historical anachronism.*