The guesthouse where Lu Qing and Zhu Yu stopped for a rest was the largest in this small county town. However, fearing the noise might disturb the guests, it wasn’t located in the most bustling street market, but the road in front was quite wide.
From a distance, the four of them could see a long line of people outside the guesthouse, so many that it seed to block half of the originally spacious road. Most of the people in line looked sickly and wore ragged clothes, frequently craning their necks to look ahead, appearing very anxious.
At first glance, one might mistake it for a soup kitchen distributing food to the needy, were it not for the absence of bowls and pots in their hands.
Fulu was initially startled by the scene, even worried about the safety of staying here. After inquiring inside, they learned that these people weren’t here to book rooms, nor to cause trouble, but were lining up to seek an audience with an esteed guest staying here.
"Could it be so great philanthropist doing charity at your guesthouse?" Rune asked curiously.
The shopkeeper shook his head and explained, "Honored guests, you may not know, but he isn’t here for charity.
He’s a wandering Divine Doctor, just passing through, and has been staying in our small inn for about a dozen days.
This Divine Doctor is truly incredible. On the first day of his stay, he happened to co across soone outside who was barely clinging to life, just carried out from another dical clinic. No doctor there dared to treat him, afraid of failing and damaging their reputation.
The Divine Doctor suggested they lay the person under the shade of a tree and then checked his pulse. Afterward, he took out a pill and instructed the person’s family to dissolve it in water and administer it, also prescribing a formula.
What a miracle! After just one dose of the dicine, the person ca back to life!"
Rune glanced at Lu Qing, who showed no reaction.
Zhu Yu was quite astonished to hear this. She couldn’t believe that outside the Capital, and even in such a relatively remote place as Li State, there could be soone with such excellent dical skills: "Does this person intend to stay in your county to open a clinic?
Why doesn’t he rent a place and see patients there instead of operating out of your guesthouse?"
The shopkeeper laughed and said, "You’re joking. If the Divine Doctor really wanted to see patients in our place, it would be an honor for us, and we would feel proud!
The Divine Doctor initially said he would stay for just a few days and see patients with difficult and strange diseases as fate allows. But then, the number of people seeking his treatnt beca overwhelming, so much so that he couldn’t leave.
Each day, from before dawn, a line forms outside our guesthouse, and it doesn’t disperse until late at night.
So, the Divine Doctor wants to leave, but he can’t, prolonging his stay day after day."
"Does it cost a lot to see him?" Zhu Yu was even more curious.
"No, no, this Divine Doctor is remarkable. If he chooses to treat soone, no matter how severe the illness, he will manage it. If they have money, they can leave so as wine money; if not, he accepts nothing.
But if the Divine Doctor feels no connection with soone, he won’t bother at all, even if they’re offering gold ingots. He won’t even lift his eyelid and will directly have our shop’s attendants escort them out!
Everyone says this is the conduct of a living immortal!
For a small-town guesthouse like ours, encountering such a guest in a lifeti is an eye-opener indeed!"
After saying this, the shopkeeper reassured the four guests not to worry, saying, "The Divine Doctor stated that he does not look at contagious diseases, only peculiar and serious illnesses. So whether it’s those going upstairs to see him or those waiting outside, none carry the plague.
If you’re concerned about being disturbed, I’ll arrange for you to stay in so rooms further away for a guaranteed peaceful rest."
"Please do." Lu Qing nodded at the shopkeeper, placing so silver on the counter, "We are indeed worried about the noise, so we ask for your accommodation. Please do not let these people loiter inside day and night."
The shopkeeper quickly collected the silver: "Of course, rest assured, we wouldn’t allow outsiders to disturb the Divine Doctor’s rest during late hours. We lock the doors by the second watch, denying any more entry."
Lu Qing was satisfied with this and the shopkeeper quickly summoned a young attendant to guide the four to their rooms on the eastern side of the second floor, opposite where the Divine Doctor stayed on the western side, the farthest away.
Upstairs, it was indeed quiet on the east side, not noisy at all.
Before putting her things away, Zhu Yu curiously glanced down the western corridor, then settled in her room as Lu Qing approached her. The four went out to find a decent eatery and ordered several signature dishes.
Traveling is tiring, and Lu Qing always ensures to find a nice place to dine and enjoy a comfortable al with Zhu Yu whenever they stop to rest, never settling for less.
While eating at the eatery, their ears caught the conversations around them, most of which revolved around the guesthouse’s Divine Doctor. Many were curious about who he was and why even the county’s most experienced doctors couldn’t cure patients as effortlessly as he could.
So were discussing how to catch the Divine Doctor’s eye to be granted a consultation.
As for the reasons to see him, they were diverse.
So, deeply imrsed in studying the Holy Books yet finding no success, hoped to seek from the Divine Doctor a secret thod to unlock their minds.
Others, troubled by their wives and concubines not bearing sons, were eager to spend heavily for a redy to have a healthy son.
Listening, Zhu Yu realized that over these ten days, truly few had peculiar illnesses needing the Divine Doctor’s miraculous touch.
Those lining up each day outside might self-diagnose severe illnesses or pretend to be sick just to et the miraculous Divine Doctor who revived soone in the street.
More were from less wealthy families, who figured it’s no sha to visit a doctor at the clinic, but if they could try their luck and gain the Divine Doctor’s approval, they’d receive treatnt for free, saving costs, and expecting the Divine Doctor to be better than local doctors.
So, while the line seems long these days, very few actually receive the Divine Doctor’s treatnt.
Yet this didn’t dampen the zeal outside; rather, it made them more persistent in trying their luck.
User Comments
0 comments from readers