Earlier, when he had examined Wenren Lingmeng, he had spent a long time searching for the cause of her illness. He had been unable to find it or cure her, and could only arrive at one conclusion.
He was quite certain that Wenren Lingmeng hadn't been sick, and that he hadn't been the one to heal her. So he was very surprised and wondered what had caused her to wake up.
He checked Wenren Lingmeng's pulse. After a while, his expression turned uncertain. "It's the same as when she was unconscious. I can't make head or tail of it."
Mu Zibai took Wenren Lingmeng's hand and smiled. "The master's conclusion was right. Lingmeng really had fallen into a deep sleep. Back in the Capital City, I tried many methods to wake her, but none worked. Yesterday, after hearing what the master said, it was like a bolt of inspiration struck me. I found a way."
"Oh?" Monk Lanyuan's eyes lit up. Could Mu Zibai be a skilled physician after all? Curious, he asked, "Are you proficient in medicine, young friend? What method did you use?"
Monk Lanyuan had studied medicine for many years and was deeply interested in it. Knowing that Mu Zibai had managed to wake Wenren Lingmeng naturally stirred his curiosity. He wanted to get to the bottom of it.
It was also a way of furthering his studies in medicine.
Once he learned that Mu Zibai was proficient in medicine, he had changed how he addressed him, from "benefactor" to "young friend."
"It's actually quite simple." Mu Zibai briefly described the treatment. Of course, he made the whole thing up, and it had nothing to do with what had happened that night.
He cited knowledge from Shen Nong's Herbal Compendium, making his explanation sound well-reasoned and supported by evidence. After listening, Monk Lanyuan pondered for a moment, then nodded firmly in approval.
For a skilled physician like Monk Lanyuan, Mu Zibai had to make his story convincing for him to believe it.
"How many years have you studied medicine, young friend?" Monk Lanyuan asked curiously.
From Mu Zibai's explanation just now, his foundations seemed solid and his reasoning clear. He had explained everything in a way that made perfect sense, and some of his insights seemed even more profound than Monk Lanyuan's own.
He wondered if Mu Zibai had studied medicine from a young age. He must have been born into an Aristocratic Clan of physicians.
"Not long, just a few years. I only read about it in my spare time. I haven't studied it much," Mu Zibai replied with a smile.
Monk Lanyuan: "..."
He nearly spat blood. He only read about it in his spare time? For some reason, that stung.
Could Mu Zibai be a medical prodigy?
"What medical books do you usually study, young friend?" Monk Lanyuan asked.
"I just read whatever I happen to come across. I can't really remember. I'm a scholar, and I read all sorts of things. I dabble in a bit of everything, but I can't remember that much," Mu Zibai answered with a smile.
Monk Lanyuan drew in a sharp breath. A scholar? A Confucian cultivator? A bookish scholar?
With medical skills like that, he was actually a scholar? Monk Lanyuan felt a deep sense of regret and inwardly cursed Mu Zibai's father for not knowing better. A medical genius had gone to waste—what good was sending him to become a scholar?
If he could persuade Mu Zibai to abandon literature for medicine, that would be no worse than leaving darkness for the light.
And if he could also bring him into the Buddhist Dao, it would be all the more perfect. Monk Lanyuan began to scheme.
Mu Zibai was still teasing Wenren Lingmeng. Wenren Qingyi was beside them, holding Wenren Lingmeng's other hand and leaning against her.
Mu Zibai tapped Wenren Qingyi on the nose. She immediately looked up and snapped her mouth shut on his finger, glaring at him with a fierce, fierce-cute look.
Her cheeks puffed out, and her fierce eyes seemed to warn Mu Zibai: Just try me. I'll bite you to death.
"Are you a dog or something?"
"Now you know. Hmph." Wenren Qingyi folded her arms across her chest with a huff and ignored Mu Zibai.
Just then, Monk Lanyuan spoke. "Would you be interested in studying medicine, young friend?"
"I only read about it in my spare time."
"You have an astonishing talent for medicine, young friend. Why not renounce the world and study medicine with me? One day, you're sure to reach the pinnacle of the medical arts," Monk Lanyuan said with a smile.
Mu Zibai: "..."
What the hell, renounce the world with you? Only a fool would become a monk.
At those words, Wenren Lingmeng's expression changed. She had been quite grateful to Monk Lanyuan, but now her eyes were full of hostility.
Mu Zibai was about to refuse when Wenren Qingyi couldn't hold back any longer. "You old bald monk, do all monks like tricking people into renouncing the world? Aren't you leading him astray?"
My brother-in-law is so amazing, a master of both letters and arms. He's sure to make a name for himself one day. And he's my sister's husband, so what's he supposed to do renouncing the world with an old geezer like you?
Make my sister a widow while he's still alive?
She immediately decided this old monk was rotten to the core! She had heard that old monks liked tricking people into joining the Buddhist Dao, but she hadn't believed it. Now it seemed the rumors were true.
Her hostility was plain as day.
Monk Lanyuan smiled awkwardly and took out a book with yellowed pages. "Everything I've learned in my life is in this book. I'll give it to you today, young friend."
Mu Zibai glanced at it and shook his head. "There's no need, Master. I only study medicine in my spare time."
He knew Monk Lanyuan meant well, but Mu Zibai truly had no such intention. Accepting the book would be like accepting Monk Lanyuan's legacy.
He had no time for that, so he refused without hesitation.
"I see. It seems we were never fated to meet, young friend. I won't disturb you any longer." Monk Lanyuan pressed his palms together and left.
"Qingran, tell me, when are we getting married?"
"Benefactor Jiang, please spare me. I'm a monk. I can't take a wife," the young monk Qingran said helplessly.
"Then just return to lay life!"
"I can't. I promised the abbot I'd practice Zen for a hundred years. I won't return to lay life before then," the young monk Qingran said timidly.
"The old abbot's been dead for years. Are you really going to eat vegetarian food and chant prayers for the rest of your life? You promised you'd marry me!"
"Please don't make things difficult for me, benefactor." Qingran looked troubled.
Jiang Keyin said angrily, "I shouldn't have let you come to Tianling Temple in the first place. That old monk tricked you into becoming a monk! It makes me furious! Tomorrow, I'll have Father tear down Tianling Temple. Then we'll see how you practice Zen!"
Monks were the worst. They loved tricking people into renouncing the world. Qingran had fallen for that old monk's scheme and been deceived into practicing Zen. He'd even been told to practice for a hundred years or some such nonsense.
That was how Qingran had been tricked. Looking back, she shouldn't have come to Tianling Temple with him. She regretted it bitterly.
She had no idea what kind of spell had been cast on Qingran. He was utterly devoted to his Zen practice.
"Could you get off my back first?" the young monk Qingran said timidly.
Jiang Keyin had plopped herself down on his back and stayed there for ages, with no one doing anything about it.
"I'll let you go if you marry me." Jiang Keyin paid no attention to Qingran's plaintive protests, looking positively cheerful.
"Little sister, let's go. Stop fooling around." Seeing Jiang Keyin sitting on Qingran, Jiang Yuyu was at a loss for words. She was a young woman—and a commandery princess at that. She really ought to pay more attention to her image.
"We're leaving already?"
Jiang Keyin was terribly disappointed. They were leaving already? She wanted to stay a little longer, but she knew Father would scold her if she didn't go.
She got to her feet listlessly, and reluctantly left with Jiang Yuyu.
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