The Assassin Posed as a Physician

Cao Renqi had originally remained skeptical that Huang Shaojie could handle it.

To be honest, he did not believe Huang Shaojie could deal with that assassin.

Could an Imperial Guard Battalion Commander barely twenty years old really have reached the Grandmaster Stage in martial cultivation?

But on second thought, it did not matter whether this Imperial Guard Battalion Commander could deal with the assassin. As long as he, Cao Renqi, could handle him, that was enough.

Although he had been struck by the assassin's Flying Dagger last night, fortunately it had not injured his heart. After taking several healing pills, applying golden wound medicine externally, and using his Internal Cultivation to circulate his energy and heal himself, he was now more or less recovered.

If that assassin dared come to assassinate him again, Cao Renqi was confident he could capture him.

With that thought, Cao Renqi immediately agreed. "Fine, we'll proceed according to Battalion Commander Huang's plan."

"Hey, what kind of notice is that?"

"Does anyone here know how to read? Read it aloud for the rest of us."

A notice had been posted on an official bulletin board, and a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered around it.

Most commoners, however, could not recognize a single character, let alone a basketful of them. They had no idea what was written on it and were simply there to enjoy the spectacle.

A middle-aged man in a green scholar's robe studied the notice and said:

"Lord Commandant was wounded near the heart by an assassin's Flying Dagger and is in critical condition. A reward is now being offered for a renowned physician to treat him. Whoever can save Lord Commandant's life will receive ten thousand taels of silver."

The crowd all gaped in astonishment.

"Wow, ten thousand taels of silver! If I could cure Lord Commandant, I'd be rich!"

"Lord Commandant really is wealthy. He throws out ten thousand taels of silver just like that."

"What nonsense. The Commandant is a high-ranking official. Is his life worth only ten thousand taels of silver?"

"It really pays to be an official. They can casually pull out tens of thousands of taels of silver. Sigh, poor common folk like us can't even earn ten taels in a year for the whole family."

"But that assassin is truly bold, daring to assassinate an imperial official. He must be tired of living."

"Hmph, it would be best if all those corrupt officials were killed. Not a single one is any good. Who knows how much of the people's blood and sweat they've squeezed dry?"

"Brother, are you tired of living? You dare say that in public? Be careful someone reports you and gets you dragged to the yamen for a beating."

The onlookers chattered all at once, voices buzzing with discussion.

At that moment, a middle-aged man in a coarse blue cloth shirt stood among the crowd, reading the notice as well.

The man was tall and powerfully built, with rugged features and an unshaven face that gave him a down-and-out appearance. Yet his eyes glinted sharply.

The middle-aged man stared at the notice for a while, and an imperceptible cold smile curved his lips.

Then he turned and left.

Two days later.

A physician carrying a medicine chest arrived outside the gates of Cao Manor.

The physician was hunched over, his beard and hair completely white, yet his complexion was rosy, giving him the air of an old man with a youthful face.

"May I ask if this is Lord Cao's residence?"

The old physician came before the gates of Cao Manor, cupped his hands in salute, and asked the two servants guarding the entrance.

"That's right. This is the residence of Lord Commandant Cao." One servant looked the old physician over and asked, "Are you a physician here to treat our master?"

The old physician stroked his beard and nodded. "This old man has devoted forty years to the study of medicine. Though I would not dare claim I can cure every illness, I am confident I can heal Lord Cao's injuries."

The servant curled his lip. "Heh, every physician who comes says his medical skills are superb and that he can cure our master's injuries. But what happens? Not a single one can cure him, and in the end they all get thrown out."

The other servant said, "Who cares? Just take him inside. If he can't cure him, he won't be paid anyway."

With that, he beckoned to the old physician. "Old man, come in with me!"

The old physician followed the servant into Cao Manor and was led to the main hall.

In the eastern wing room.

Cao Renqi and Huang Shaojie sat leisurely drinking tea on chairs beside a carved round table. At the moment, however, Huang Shaojie was dressed in the uniform of a Cao Manor guard.

Just then, a servant came to report.

"Master, another old physician has arrived. He says he can heal your injuries."

Cao Renqi took a sip of tea and said, "Bring him here."

"Yes, Master."

The servant accepted the order and departed.

Cao Renqi set down his teacup and smiled at Huang Shaojie. "Looks like even having a peaceful cup of tea with Battalion Commander Huang is difficult."

With that, he rose, removed his fox-fur cloak, and lay down properly on the bed.

Huang Shaojie also stood, back straight as he waited attentively at the side.

Before long, the servant led the old physician inside.

"Master, the physician has arrived," the servant reported with cupped hands.

"Cough, cough..." Cao Renqi pretended to cough violently several times, tossed a handkerchief smeared with chicken blood beneath the bed, and said weakly, "You've brought the physician over, have you?"

A sharp gleam flashed through the old physician's eyes. Carrying his medicine chest, he walked to the bedside and cupped his hands. "Greetings, Lord Cao."

Cao Renqi weakly waved a hand. "No need for formalities. So long as you can cure this official's injuries, this official will reward you with ten thousand taels of silver... cough, cough..."

"Lord Cao, let this commoner first take your pulse, then administer acupuncture."

As he spoke, the old physician placed his medicine chest on the table and drew several silver needles from it, holding them in his hand.

Standing to one side, Huang Shaojie secretly observed every physician who entered with his Insight Technique.

None of the previous physicians had posed any problem, but the instant this old physician entered, Huang Shaojie immediately sensed something was wrong.

First of all, this "old physician" wore a fake gray-white beard. Killing intent lurked within his gaze, while true energy was tightly restrained around his body.

An ordinary person naturally would not notice such things, but escaping Huang Shaojie's Insight Technique was simply impossible.

Huang Shaojie could be certain that this old physician was the assassin in disguise.

The assassin had indeed taken the bait!

Huang Shaojie sneered inwardly as he circulated his energy through both palms, gathering force and waiting to strike.

Cao Renqi, however, did not notice anything amiss with the old physician. He extended his hand for the old physician to take his pulse.

Yet Cao Renqi secretly circulated his true energy as well. The moment he discovered anything wrong with the old physician, he would strike with his palm.

The old physician reached with his left hand toward Cao Renqi's right wrist, while his right hand gripped three silver needles.

The instant his left hand clamped onto Cao Renqi's wrist, the three silver needles in his right hand shot simultaneously toward three of Cao Renqi's vital acupoints.

The sudden change came with lightning speed!

Fortunately, Cao Renqi had been prepared. The moment the old physician seized his wrist, Cao Renqi immediately knew something was wrong and circulated his energy to break free from the old physician's grasp.

He was also wearing an iron plate beneath his clothes for protection. All three silver needles struck the iron plate.

Huang Shaojie slashed a palm toward the assassin.

Knowing he had fallen into a trap, the assassin met Huang Shaojie's palm with one of his own, used the force to leap backward, and smashed through the window.

Huang Shaojie sprang after him.

"Capture the assassin!" Cao Renqi leaped from the bed and shouted.

Outside in the courtyard, more than a dozen skilled fighters from the manor, who had been lying in ambush around the area, sprang out and attacked the assassin.

Seeing this, Huang Shaojie flipped through the air and landed, intending to watch the show first.

If those manor experts could capture the assassin, it would save him the trouble of acting.

If the manor's experts could not handle the assassin, then it would not be too late for him to intervene.

That would make him seem more impressive. If he joined those manor guards in surrounding and attacking the assassin now, it would be rather beneath him.