Subversion of the plot [Comprehensive]

Chapter 131 The Dream of the Red Mansion 3

It was the winter season, and Tao Shuobai was still wearing a snow-white brocade dress, covered with a peach blossom cloak with a white fox collar, her long hair tied up with a jade hairpin.He is slender, with a leisurely posture, and his movements are windy. He is also eye-catching in Beijing where the rich and powerful gather.

Following him was a man in his thirties, dressed in brocade clothes, with handsome features and a dignified air in his movements.Seeing his demeanor being exposed, this person took it easy and said with a smile: "I think you have an extraordinary temperament, and I like it in my heart. How about treating you to a cup of hot tea?"

There was a frivolous and casual tone in this person's eyebrows and eyes, and it was obvious that this kind of thing was commonplace.If you look carefully, you will find that the depths of this person's eyes are very clear, and he is definitely not the kind of person who is dizzy when he sees color.

"No need." Tao Shuo Bai Guanqi knew his identity, he should be a member of the royal family, he didn't want to get involved with him, turned around and left.

"How bold!" shouted a follower.

Tao Shuobai didn't pay attention.

The person behind him stopped his followers and followed him with great interest, as if he wanted to see where he was going.

——Rejuvenation Hall!

Tao Shuobai stood in front of this newly opened medical clinic, and took a closer look.The location of this medical clinic is excellent, with two doors, one is where medicines are taken and dispensed, and the other is where doctors sit, and there are several patients waiting for consultation.This is the clinic opened by Xu Yan. He himself did not attend consultations all day, but invited another doctor. This person was just in his early thirties and was also young.

"Shuobai!" Xu Yan just came back from his visit, when he got out of the car, he saw Tao Shuobai standing there, his anticipation and joy were beyond words. "Just arrived? Why don't you go in? Why isn't Ban Xia missing?"

Ban Xia is Xu Yan's servant, and has been with him for many years, this time it is Ban Xia who is responsible for picking him up.

"I've never seen Pinellia before. I thought I'd be delayed by something, so I came by myself. Please let people pay attention. The Lin family will send my things later." Tao Shuobai didn't care about Pinellia, but saw Xu Yan lost some weight: "But too busy? You are a doctor, so don't be careless about your body."

"Don't worry, I don't care about myself." Xu Yan waved his hand to order Tiandong to bring the medicine box in, and then led Tao Shuobai to the backyard.

Behind this hospital is a residence, not many people live there, but it is quite spacious.In the medical hall, there is a waiter, a shopkeeper, and a doctor Chen He who sits in the hall, but they all live here.Xu Yan brought Pinellia and Tiandong with him, and bought two maids to cook and do laundry. These people lived in the yard, and there was a big room underneath where medicinal materials were stored, but Xu Yan lived on the second floor of the medical hall.His relationship with Tao Shuobai caused rumors after all, and the second floor was quiet.

Xu Yan led him to see the second floor, except for the bedroom, there is also a study room, all kinds of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, which are all his usual pastimes.

The two of them narrated some parting events. They hadn't seen each other for two or three months. Xu Yan couldn't help feeling emotional when he looked at the person who was close at hand.

At this time, Ban Xia's voice came from outside the door: "Master, Ban Xia is back."

Xu Yan is thirty this year, but he has never grown a beard, and he looks very young. Although he has no family members, the two servants around him still follow the rules and call him master.Pinellia and Tiandong were taken in as medicine boys at the beginning, serving as assistants and taking care of daily life. They have identified a lot of medicinal materials, but they have no talent in medical skills.Now these two are seventeen or eighteen years old, and they will marry a wife and start a family in two years. Xu Yan is thinking about finding a child with good qualifications, who will stay by his side to teach like a disciple, and pass on his mantle.

"The older you get, the worse your behavior is? I asked you to pick up someone, what did you do?" Xu Yan's demeanor and words were all gentle, but Ban Xia, who knew him well, could hear the coldness in his words, don't He thought that looking gentle and smiling often meant he had a good temper, but that was because he didn't care about it. Once he got angry, he really didn't dare to think about the consequences.

Ban Xia knelt outside and kowtowed to plead guilty: "My lord, let me go out early to pick up Mr. Tao according to my lord's order, but my stomach hurts halfway, I really can't bear it, and I almost made a fool of myself. When I get better, I rush to the pier. The Lin family left early , Mr. Tao..."

Xu Yan knew that Pinellia was greedy, so he must have spoiled something last night.

"Go and clean up a few bags of medicinal materials in the backyard, it will be done in three days!"

"Thank you, master!" Ban Xia heaved a sigh of relief, but when she thought about those sacks of medicinal materials, she felt bitter again.

Xu Yan shook his head with Tao Shuobai in the room and sighed: "At the beginning, I saw these two were clever and clever, but the bigger they are, the more unusable they become."

"As time goes on, take your time and pay attention, you will always find someone you like." Tao Shuobai comforted.

In the past two days, Xu Yan stopped visiting the doctor, and mentioned Wuxiang Teahouse to him. The tea in that building is good, and the plum blossoms are also good.Now is the season to appreciate plum blossoms, and many literati and students are composing poems in the teahouse, which is very lively.Xu Yan originally wanted to take him to enjoy the scenery of the capital, taste some tea, and appreciate the plum blossoms, but before he left, he received a post first.

"Zhongshun Palace?" Xu Yan frowned as he looked at the post in his hand.

"My lord admires Mr. Tao's name and was just about to make friends. It just so happened that the opera troupe in the Fuzhong had a new play, and I specially invited Mr. Tao to listen to the play." The person who came was the second housekeeper of the palace. .I can't blame the other party for being like this, who doesn't know about Prince Zhongshun?Although loyal and submissive to the prince, he has a bad reputation for raising opera actors, but he is quite favored. Now he specially posts a post to invite him, how condescending and condescending, is it possible that he still refuses.

Xu Yan's eyes were cold, and his smile was cold: "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Tao, I'm afraid I won't be able to go."

The housekeeper smiled and said, "Doctor Xu, the prince is here to invite Tao Shuobai, doctor Xu, please don't worry about it!"

"I won't go!" Tao Shuobai threw back the post, his voice was still flat: "If Prince Zhongshun sincerely invites him, let him come."

"You! How courageous!" The housekeeper was surprised and angry, but he was afraid of the prince's attitude, so he didn't want to offend too much.

"I've always been more courageous." Tao Shuobai raised his hand and pushed, the housekeeper and two servants felt an irresistible force coming towards them, and they all stumbled out of the clinic.

If they hadn't been concerned about Prince Zhongshun's power and feared that Huichun Hall would be difficult to support, the three of them would not have left so easily.Tao Shuobai's attack was not because of the "drunkard's will" of Zhongshun Prince, but because Xu Yan was angry.

"Let's go!" There were many people watching on the street. It was the first time the butler was treated like this, and they were extremely annoyed.

Xu Yan and Tao Shuobai arrived in the backyard.

Xu Yan frowned: "This King Zhongshun is very troublesome, he will not let it go, the so-called strong dragon does not overwhelm the snake, not to mention he is still the son of a dragon." Xu Yan did not suggest that he hide for a while, do you still want to hide? A generation?Besides, he and Tao Shuobai are not this kind of people.After thinking for a while, Xu Yan said: "The only way is to find someone to restrain King Zhongshun so that he doesn't dare to come rashly. If you don't know what to target, you and I are not afraid of anything else."

"Who are you looking for?"

"Four princes."

"Fourth prince?" Tao Shuobai knew there was another story as soon as he heard it.

There are some things that need to be taboo, and the walls have ears, so the two went to the study on the second floor.Needless to say Tao Shuobai's ability, Xu Yan also practiced martial arts since childhood, otherwise he would not be able to collect herbs in the mountains and travel around the world, and he is still safe and sound.In the past few years of acquaintance, Tao Shuobai gave him the appropriate inner strength method, which not only made his inner breath long and his body light as a swallow, but also his ears and eyes are clear, if he really got close, he would definitely notice it.

"After I came to the capital, some powerful families invited me to see a doctor. One time, the old concubine of Nan'an was ill. Although it was a minor illness, the imperial doctor had been invited many times but it was not cured. I don't know who mentioned me, so they invited me to come. Outsiders don't know that I have good ears and eyes. When the prince of Nan'an paid his respects to the old concubine, I was exiting the door. Their voices were very low, but I still heard them talking about the fourth prince's illness."

"What's so strange?" Tao Shuobai also heard that the fourth prince's illness was not a secret, and he never said how serious the illness was, but it has been more than three months, and he still hasn't recovered.Presumably the fourth prince and the others hid his illness. After all, the emperor was old and gradually unable to do what he wanted in the past two years. The prince was deposed earlier and passed away. The throne is a chance for any prince.

Xu Yandao: "The case of the four princes is kept secret, but there are always rumors outside, true or false, I feel something is wrong. But in the past, I didn't care about this matter, so I don't want to rush to recommend myself. There is a person in the imperial hospital who knows me well. You can go and visit."

"No, the prince's pulse case is very important, even if you have a close personal relationship, I'm afraid it's rare to get news. I'll go to the prince's mansion!" Even though the prince's mansion is heavily guarded, with Tao Shuobai's ability, he can come and go freely.

"It's too dangerous!" Xu Yan objected intuitively.

"This matter started because of me. Besides, you still don't believe in my ability?" The conversation changed, and he said, "It's better to go directly to Prince Zhongshun's mansion, once and for all."

Of course he would not kill a prince, but besides killing people, he has other ways to make Zhongshun stop making trouble for himself.

Xu Yan sighed: "Lord Zhongshun must have checked you and knew that you were the teacher of the Lin family. Even though Lin Ruhai has not yet been transferred to a document, the emperor did not forget to transfer him from Yangzhou at this time, which shows that he attaches great importance to it. From this, Lin Ruhai will be the teacher in the future. It may be half a level, or a first-rank, even if the level does not change, it is definitely not the same. King Zhongshun is a prince, but his power is not comparable to Lin Ruhai. How can you not give Lin Ruhai face to pester you when you act smartly?"

After Tao Shuobai heard this, why didn't he understand, it must be that the emperor is not well.

Xu Yan knew that if this matter came to Lin Ruhai, Lin Ruhai would intervene, but this was not what he wanted.Asking for asylum is only for a while, he prefers to have that ability himself, so that people don't dare to provoke at will.

He said: "The fourth prince acts differently from others. At first glance, he is not very prominent among the princes, but if he is not sick, he should be the emperor. The emperor is old, but he has not enjoyed enough rights. He is much older. His sick body made him unable to do what he wanted, and all government affairs were handed over to the minister and prince, but the decision-making power was still held in his hands. Just imagine, if the disease worsens, the country cannot live without a king, what will the emperor do?"

"Abdicate and become the Supreme Emperor." In short, if the emperor is unwilling to delegate power and has to abdicate, then the new emperor had better be weak, so that he can be controlled by him.

The fourth prince's personality is straight and cold, he is merciless in handling errands, his mother's family is weak, his wife's family is mediocre, and he has no intimacy with his brothers, so he is not the most suitable candidate.It happened that he was sick.

Feeling strange for some reason, Tao Shuobai pinched his fingers and calculated, frowning: "The fate of the fourth prince is wrong."

That night, Tao Shuobai sneaked into the fourth prince's mansion.

He went directly to the most heavily guarded courtyard.

This is the fourth prince's study room, the night is quiet, the courtyard is brightly lit, and there are faint voices in the room.In the study, besides the fourth prince Tu Jing, there are two invited aides, and the three are discussing the current situation.The two gentlemen's brows are full of worry. After all, the fourth prince is ill at the critical moment, and he will never recover.

Tu Jing's complexion was slightly paler than that of ordinary people, not the healthy jade white, but the sickly white.His spirit is getting worse and worse. Recently, his temper has become bad and he gets angry easily. The imperial physicians all said that it was because of his illness, but he couldn't cure it.When it comes to his illness, it's also strange. He doesn't feel uncomfortable during the day, but at night, his heart throbs, his limbs feel cold, and his whole body feels like falling into an ice cave. The symptoms will not disappear until an hour later.Accumulated over time, after three months, he became thinner and thinner, his sickness worsened, and he was unable to do many things.

Although Tu Jing acted in a low-key manner, as a prince, how could he not have ambitions, who knew that fate would play tricks on others.

"It's getting late, the two gentlemen go to rest."

Everyone retreated, Tu Jing laughed ironically, feeling quite disheartened.

Tao Shuobai waited for Tu Jing to fall asleep, probed his body with spiritual energy, and finally discovered the cause of the disease.It was a Gu worm!And it's not an ordinary Gu worm, but a Gu worm that steals vitality and luck.You know, Tu Jing is not an ordinary person, he is a prince, and his fate has the air of an emperor, how bad luck is to steal Tu Jing.The people behind the scenes may have cultivated with vitality and luck, or they may be fellow princes who want to increase their chances of winning.

No matter what kind of guess, there must be someone from the sidelines, this person knows how to look at the aura, at least he can see that Tujing's luck is not trivial, otherwise he would not have placed such a precious and rare Gu worm on an unremarkable prince.

Things are in trouble.

Tao Shuobai returned to the clinic and told Xu Yan about it.

"Gu worms?" Xu Yan was quite surprised: "I have seen Gu worms in the villages of the Miao people. They use Gu worms to cure diseases, especially for trauma and poisoning, but their Gu worms are extremely difficult to cultivate. Only wizards can't support them. Are there really Gu worms that can devour life in this world?"

Tao Shuobai didn't tell him that he could also devour luck, because not only in the eyes of ordinary people, but also in the eyes of immortal cultivators, such Gu worms are terrifying and precious.Of course, the Gu worms on the Fourth Prince would definitely not be able to break through the defense of the cultivator, but if there were such Gu worms, if they found a suitable method to make them advance, it would be impossible to guarantee that they would not be able to swallow the luck of the cultivator.

"This kind of Gu worm has a popular name: Longevity worm. It lurks in the fourth prince's body, devours the fourth prince's vitality, and then transmits this vitality to his master through the blood contract. The master obtains the vitality of others, which can cure diseases. Delays aging, enhances appearance and prolongs lifespan.”

"The so-called vitality is lifespan?" If Tao Shuobai hadn't said this, Xu Yan would have laughed, but he couldn't laugh at this moment, not because he was afraid, but because he was fascinated: "It really is amazing."

...Tao Shuobai remembered that Junshi had studied Gu insects in Wang Lianhua's lifetime.

"You still want to treat him?"

"Unless you hide in the barren mountains, things will always come to you. Can you avoid it again and again?" Xu Yan is a doctor. Although he is good at medicine, he may not be able to bring the dead back to life. Today, perhaps the dignitaries treat him as a guest , he will be angry and cast him in prison.As for Tao Shuobai, his appearance is too outstanding, and his temperament is unique. Nowadays, the rich and powerful are in the south, and he is not the only one who is loyal to the prince, and others are not as flamboyant as him.

He also said: "Besides, my ambition is not in the mountains, and I'm not a veterinarian. If you and I two big men are really reduced to wandering in the mountains for the rest of our lives, we are really useless. Volunteering to return to the countryside, and being forced to have nowhere to go, It's totally two different things."

"Do what you like, and I also can't leave the capital for the time being." Tao Shuobai agrees with his words, the two of them are not burdened by relatives, so they have to act freely, even if they are in a desperate situation, he can protect them .

Xu Yan smiled gently: "Can you cure the fourth prince?"

"En." In several lifetimes, he has learned a lot from "Jun Shi", even if he can't raise Gu worms, he knows how to get Gu worms.

"Then why don't you go to the Prince's Mansion to recommend yourself?" Xu Yan said.

"I'm going?" Tao Shuobai was surprised.

"Naturally, if the fourth prince really has the emperor's order, there will always be benefits in the future. Even if he is still the prince, and the new emperor ascends the throne, he will also be crowned prince. No matter what, knowing that you have such abilities, he will definitely treat you kindly."

"The royal family has complicated thoughts, so it's hard to guarantee that they won't hide everything." Ordinary people fear ghosts and gods, but if there are ghosts and gods around them, they will be extremely afraid and full of greed, and the ending will always be tragic.Gu worms are evil things to ordinary people, and the fourth prince will be bitten by snakes for ten years and be afraid of well ropes. He can take out Gu worms, how can he know that he can't place Gu worms?Suspicious and apprehensive at that time, what would happen to the Fourth Prince?

Xu Yan smiled: "Then make it impossible for him to abandon you."

"Why?"

"What if the person who played the Gu escaped? How dare he abandon you if the foreign troubles are not eliminated?" A coldness flashed in Xu Yan's eyes.Not to mention the royal family, the so-called unpredictable people's hearts are the same no matter who they are, as long as they plan properly, there is no need to look forward and backward.

"Why didn't you go into official career?"

"Official career is much more enjoyable than being a doctor. To be an official or butcher, you have to do things according to the emperor's wishes. As a doctor, the life and death of patients are all in my hands." It was only when he faced Tao Shuobai that he would speak so unscrupulously.

Early the next morning, Xu Yan and Tao Shuobai came to the fourth prince's mansion.

The fourth prince's illness has been incurable for a long time, and the imperial doctors have nothing to do. The fourth prince began to seek medical treatment among the people. He invited many people in the name of prestige, but there was no improvement. You can enter only if you prove your identity, but there are only a few real recommenders.

Xu Yan came to Beijing not long ago, but Tu Jing had heard his name, because he knew that Xu Yan was good at gynecology and he was young, so he didn't invite him.Seeing Xu Yan posting a self-recommendation suddenly, Tu Jing was quite surprised, thinking that he has not been able to touch public affairs and government affairs recently, and he is idle, so he ordered people to come in.

When seeing the two people coming side by side, Tu Jing not only praised: "What a handsome man!"

"Xiaomin Xu Yan has met His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince."

"Excuse me." Although Tu Jing had a bad complexion, but his eyes were firm and cold, it was hard to believe that he was seriously ill.Tu Jing looked at the two of them and said, "You are Xu Yan from Huichun Hall. I have heard of you. According to what I have heard, Dr. Xu is not good at intractable diseases."

Indeed, although Xu Yan likes to study difficult and miscellaneous diseases, he has limited experience and has not achieved much in this area.

Xu Yan was not nervous, and smiled gently: "Your Highness, Xu is just accompanying, this is the one who came to treat His Highness."

"Tao Shuobai?" Tu Jing saw this name on the name post, but had never heard of it.

Tao Shuobai is straightforward: "Although I am unknown, I may be able to cure His Highness' illness."

Up to now, Tu Jing has little hope, but it is better to have hope than to have no hope.He didn't care about the current situation, he stretched out his wrist, allowing Tao Shuobai to diagnose his pulse with ease.

Tao Shuobai has been diagnosed once, looking at it now, the Gu worm is still lying on the heart without moving, it seems to be in a deep sleep.I remember that during the investigation last night, the Gu worms were also sleeping peacefully, and they must only wake up at a specific time, once they wake up, it will be the time of "illness".

"Your Highness is bewitched."

"What?" Tu Jing thought he heard it wrong.

"This Gu worm is in His Highness's heart. Whenever it wakes up, His Highness will feel pain in his heart, and his whole body will feel cold. If it is checked normally, the pulse condition will not show at all. It seems that there is no damage in a day or two. It has been a long time. , Your Highness has decreased energy, is irritable and irritable, drowsy, and will never wake up one day."

Tu Jing wanted to refute, but everything the other party said was right, and he knew it better than the imperial physician.His face changed frequently, he took a deep breath, and asked, "Can Mr. Tao have a solution?"

"I'm somewhat sure." Tao Shuobai deliberately didn't say enough.

"How does Mr. Tao plan to do it?"

"I want to open a hole in His Highness's heart, and use the medicinal fragrance to lure it out." The medicinal fragrance is just a cover, he actually doesn't know much about this kind of Gu insect, but one thing is certain.Since the Gu worms feed on vitality and luck, as long as he drops a drop of his own blood, the Gu worms will definitely smell it, after all, how can the vitality of mortals compare to him.

When Tu Jing heard this method, he hesitated, but quickly nodded: "Okay."

"May I ask when your highness will get sick every day? Gu worms will wake up when they get sick, and this is the best time."

"Children."

The night was getting darker and darker, and it was midnight.

In the fourth prince's study, apart from Tao Shuobai, there are two personal guards of the fourth prince, the eunuch Dai Quan who served since childhood, and Xu Yan waiting outside.Tu Jing was lying on the couch with his shirt off, his heart was throbbing due to the awakening of the Gu insect, his limbs were cold, and he was in extreme pain.

Two guards held down his hands and feet, Dai Quan wiped his sweat, while Tao Shuobai took a sharp dagger and quickly made a small cross in his heart, a drop of blood flowed out.He brought the concoction prepared earlier to the cross wound, waited for a while, and suddenly heard Dai Quan's exclamation, and saw a foreign object the size of a sesame seed emerge from under the skin of Tu Jing's chest, moving extremely fast , Blink of an eye to the cross wound.Dai Quan saw a small dot shot out and fell into the concoction saucer precisely, Tao Shuobai quickly took another saucer to hold it.

At this time, Tu Jing's complexion began to improve, and his originally cold limbs also began to warm up.

After waiting for a while, Tu Jing opened his eyes.

Dai Quan hurriedly said: "Congratulations Your Highness, the worm has been taken out!"

Tu Jing himself also felt that the time had not passed, but his symptoms disappeared, and it was obvious that he had succeeded.He didn't want anyone to help him, so he sat up by himself, stared at the plate he was holding, and asked, "Can I have a look?"

"This worm is too small, so it's not easy to find." Tao Shuobai fetched a bowl of water, opened the plate, picked out a green sesame seed with a needle, and put it into the water.After the green concoction was washed off, the Gu worms disappeared from everyone's eyes.

"Where's the bug?" Dai Quan was afraid that the bug would run away.

"It's still here. It's white all over, and its body is small, so it doesn't look obvious. Because it's soaked in medicinal juice, it fell asleep." Under Tao Shuobai's guidance, Tu Jing really saw the inconspicuous creature. Little Gu worm.Tao Shuobai said again: "Through it, you can find the person who committed the Gu."