Chapter 513: Chapter 505: ng Family and I are Naturally at Odds
During the ti when Yue Ding was receiving the acupuncture, Qin Liuxi took a short rest. Without any pretense, he also downed a bowl of ginseng and chicken soup, which made his complexion look less ghastly.
Acupuncture seems simple, but locating the acupoints accurately is crucial. In addition, a high degree of concentration is required when performing the needle technique. Treating paralysis like this is particularly draining on one’s ntal and physical energy. Without sufficient strength and vitality, one cannot properly complete the procedure.
That’s why so doctors exhaust themselves after performing acupuncture – it’s genuinely draining and demanding.
In extre cases, it could even deplete one’s vital energy, causing the practitioner to vomit blood after the procedure. Naturally, an acupuncture technique that drains and causes a doctor to spit blood must be incredibly complex and strenuous.
When the ti for the needles to be left in was up, Qin Liuxi stepped forward to remove them and withdrew the incense acupoint therapy, looking at Yue Ding and asking, “How do you feel?”
“I feel a slight pain in my leg,” Yue Ding replied honestly.
“It’s just the first day of formal treatnt and you already feel it. That’s an excellent start; your recovery is not bad. However, as you receive more acupuncture, you will feel increasing pain and more intense sensations, but rember, that’s a good sign.”
Upon hearing this, Yue Ding responded, “I’m looking forward to it.”
Qin Liuxi revealed a aningful smile at those words. No, you’re not going to look forward to it.
Yue Ding couldn’t understand his smile until after four consecutive days of acupuncture, by which point he would tremble at the sight of the needles – the pain was just too much.
The agony from the needle insertion hadn’t even subsided before he was imrsed in a specially prepared dicine bath, feeling as if his body was being sliced by a thousand knives. Even for a man accustod to martial training, the intense pain was unbearable and torturous.
Yet the stronger the pain, the wider Yue Ding’s smile beca, because the more pain he felt, the better his sense of awareness was recovering.
So Yue Ding endured the blend of tornt and exhilaration over the next seven days, and his legs had regained the ability to extend and bend.
This news brought everyone to tears of excitent.
Even Yue Ding himself felt a sourness in his nose; the sensation of moving his legs freely was dearly missed.
“You’re recovering quite well. In a few more days, you should be able to stand,” Qin Liuxi said with a smile after checking the pulse, then instructed him to go for a dicine bath.
The old servant and Leshui pushed Yue Ding to the cleansing room for his usual bath.
Leshui excitedly said, “Young Master, the Junior Temple Master said in a few days you’ll be able to stand – that’s just fantastic. Didn’t she say it would be two to three months for a quick recovery, and six months for a slower one? I think, looking at this, it might truly be just two months before you’re as good as before.”
Yue Ding felt joy in his heart, yet he maintained a pretense of steadiness, saying, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’ve only just seen improvent. It would be a joke to others to get carried away too quickly.”
Leshui scratched his head sheepishly, replying, “I guess I really do wear my happiness on my sleeve. I just can’t help but feel delighted.”
Yue Ding touched his leg which had regained sensation, feeling joyful himself.
Leshui noticed the old servant looking sowhat worried and couldn’t help asking, “Uncle Guan, what’s wrong? The Young Master is recovering well; why do you seem a bit anxious?”
Yue Ding looked their way too, with inquiring eyes.
The old servant said, “I’m concerned about the Young Master’s treatnt fees.”
Both were taken aback.
“When the old Marquis implored the Junior Temple Master, she made her demand for the treatnt clear – it was for a five-hundred-year-old Jiao Pearl. Now that we’ve located it, it seems it was already claid by soone else, and it can’t be retrieved. Young Master, how will we explain this to the Junior Temple Master?”
Yue Ding’s elation subsided—they had just learned of this matter, and it was the personal guard beside his grandfather who had co to inform them.
Regardless of who might have obtained the Jiao Pearl, the fact that they could not was their problem, a sign of their incompetence.
“Let’s speak openly.” Yue Ding said somberly, “Indeed, the Jiao Pearl is rare, and the ng Family is well aware of this, using it to blackmail us. The Yue Family cannot agree to their terms. We should state our position frankly and see what they intend; it wouldn’t be right to conceal anything.”
The old servant nodded: “That’s the only choice we have.”
Leshui said indignantly, “Relying on Noble Princess Consort ng’s favor, the ng Family really doesn’t know what’s good for them. If the Emperor makes her son the Crown Prince now when one has yet to be appointed, she’ll think she has the authority to reach the heavens.”
“Be careful with your words, Leshui!” Yue Ding glared at him.
Leshui pursed his lips, silently cursing the ng Family for eighteen generations in his heart, blaming them for all the faults of the household.
Having prepared themselves, they returned to the flower hall, where Qin Liuxi was discussing dicine with Teng Zhao. Seeing them return, they stopped their conversation and handed over a prescription.
“Given that there’s been so progress in your treatnt for so ti, I’ve changed the prescription. You should follow this new prescription from now on. Body Refining must not stop; now that your legs are flexible, you can move them more and get used to it, especially since you’ve been immobile for almost two years.”
Leshui took the prescription.
“If there’s nothing else, we will take our leave.”
The old servant quickly stopped her: “Junior Temple Master, please wait a mont, I have sothing to inform you.”
Qin Liuxi raised an eyebrow and sat back down.
“It’s like this: previously, Junior Temple Master and our Marquis had agreed to obtain the Jiao Pearl as a condition for treating our young master. The pearl’s whereabouts have now been ascertained.”
Qin Liuxi narrowed her eyes slightly: “What, has the Jiao Pearl already been taken by soone else or has it been destroyed?”
Leshui expressed surprise: “How did you know?”
“It’s obvious from your expressions. When ntioning the Jiao Pearl, there’s not a trace of joy on your faces, just guilt. It must be gone,” Qin Liuxi stated.
Yue Ding forced a bitter smile: “You truly can’t hide anything from your Dharma Eye. It’s not that it’s gone, but rather soone else got to it first. The item was in the hands of a family of fisherfolk who’ve been fishing for generations. They never thought their son would reveal and trade it to secure his own life and future.”
“Who got their hands on it?”
“It’s the Ancheng Marquis Mansion, that is, Noble Princess Consort ng’s maternal ng Family. They obtained this treasure and wish to present it to the Emperor as a longevity gift.” Yue Ding said gravely, “My grandfather went after them personally to negotiate with the sons of the ng Family, offering a hundred thousand taels of silver for the pearl, but they refused. They want more than just money. They expect our Yue Family to back Noble Princess Consort ng’s Fifth Prince as the future Crown Prince in return.”
The old servant continued, “The Yue Family has guarded the East Sea for generations. Although the Yue Family Navy has a formidable reputation, we never indulge in the disputes over the succession; we remain loyal to the Emperor. They are seizing this opportunity to blackmail us. The Marquis, naturally, cannot agree, so… we truly owe an apology to Junior Temple Master.”
Qin Liuxi tapped the table lightly and chuckled: “The ng Family again, eh? It’s as if they are my natural adversaries.”
Last year, when the Qin Family suffered a crisis, the ng Family played a part in their downfall which led to the collapse and dispersal of the Qin Family. The won and children went back to the old mansion, and unwittingly, she ended up shouldering a great burden.
Now, the Jiao Pearl that she desired had also fallen into the ng Family’s hands. If not natural adversaries, then what?
She was displeased!
Yue Ding said, “Regarding the pearl, my grandfather has sent his most trusted staff to negotiate with the Ancheng Marquis Mansion to see if they can exchange it for sothing else and to see if there might be another Jiao Pearl out there. However, the prospects seem bleak; after all, a five hundred-year-old Jiao Pearl is comparable to a Holy Object, truly rare. If in the end, there is no result, I shall consider my life to be at the disposal of Junior Temple Master.”
The old servant and Leshui were alard. Such a promise—surely that wasn’t necessary?
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