As Hu Xiaotian gave the old man emergency treatment, the rain grew heavier and heavier. The cold rain soaked his clothes through, but he remained oblivious, wholly absorbed in treating the injury.
At first, Xu Zhengying and the servants thought Hu Xiaotian was merely meddling on a whim. Yet when they saw his concentrated expression and unwavering gaze, they almost imagined that a golden halo enveloped him as he stood amid the wind and rain-the radiance of humanity.
Nine parts flattery and one part genuine feeling, Xu Zhengying held an oiled-paper umbrella over Hu Xiaotian's head. Watching him apply the bandages with practiced skill, he could not help feeling curious. The fellow looked like a real expert. Could he actually know medicine? On reflection, that seemed unlikely. Hadn't he been an utterly witless fool until six months ago, only recently regaining his reason and awareness? How could he have learned to compose poetry and matching couplets within those six months? And where had he picked up this convincing skill at setting broken bones? The more Xu Zhengying thought about it, the more bewildered he became. Was this boy a genius or an idiot?
After stabilizing the old man's fractured left leg, Hu Xiaotian suddenly realized how long it had been since he had felt this heartfelt desire to save someone. The instant he saw the old man pinned beneath the carriage, he had even forgotten his present identity. Only one thought had filled his mind: save him. Not until he finished the emergency treatment did he remember that he was supposed to be a wastrel who committed every imaginable evil. This sudden display of kindness and concern should never have come from him. Though he desperately wanted to escape his former life and free this life from the influence of his previous one, some actions sprang straight from the heart-just as he had jumped into Emerald Cloud Lake without hesitation to save Tang Qingxuan. A healer's heart was compassionate; respect for life had long since become part of his very blood.
The old man looked at Hu Xiaotian with gratitude. "Thank you, young master..."
Hu Xiaotian smiled. A patient's thanks was already the finest gift he could receive. He stood up, and in the servants' eyes, this wicked young master seemed more imposing than ever before. Still, they certainly did not believe he had suddenly acquired a bodhisattva's compassionate heart. Remembering that he had been an idiot for sixteen years, they reckoned some wire in his head must have gone wrong again, making him play the good man. He had to be ill-and seriously ill at that!
Just then, a carriage arrived. Xu Zhengying had sent one of his men to fetch a physician from the nearby Easy Origin Hall. It was one of the Kang Capital's three great medical halls, with many renowned physicians practicing under its name. The three were Heavenly Mystery Hall, Azure Ox Hall, and Easy Origin Hall, each of which had physicians selected to serve in the Imperial Medical Academy. Heavenly Mystery Hall wielded the greatest influence. Over the past fifty years, it had produced one national master physician after another, but its threshold was high: it treated only high officials and the powerful elite. Compared with Heavenly Mystery Hall, Azure Ox Hall and Easy Origin Hall were much more accessible to ordinary people. Both maintained numerous branch clinics throughout the capital, and Easy Origin Hall had one in nearby Willow Camp.
Summoned by the Vice Minister of Revenue, Easy Origin Hall naturally dared not delay. Even its second-in-command, Yuan Shiqing, came personally. When they reached the scene, they discovered that the old man had already been rescued from beneath the wheel and properly treated.
Yuan Shiqing first greeted Xu Zhengying, then approached the old man and felt his pulse, checking whether it was steady.
"The injury is to the femur in his left leg," Hu Xiaotian said. "There are no other internal or external injuries. The fracture is incomplete, with no displacement. I've given him some basic immobilization."
Yuan Shiqing examined the old man's left leg. The treatment of the fracture and the way the splints had been secured were enough to tell him that a professional had done this. He nodded and instructed the two disciples who had accompanied him to carry the injured old man into the carriage, intending to take him to Easy Origin Hall for further treatment.
Yuan Shiqing cupped his hands toward Hu Xiaotian. "May I ask your name, young master?"
Hu Xiaotian smiled. "Hu Xiaotian!"
Yuan Shiqing racked his brains but could not recall a physician named Hu Xiaotian in the capital. There were only a handful of famous medical halls in the Kang Capital, and outstanding physicians of the younger generation could be counted on one's fingers. He asked again, "Young Master Hu, which medical hall do you usually practice at? Under whom did you study?"
"I'm not a physician!" Hu Xiaotian replied with a smile. He told Yuan Shiqing, "Take good care of that old man. Don't worry about the fees. Whatever you need, just come to my residence and collect it!" With that, he gave Liang Dazhuang and the other servants a meaningful look and climbed into his carriage amid their escort. Before leaving, he waved goodbye to Xu Zhengying, leaving the remaining loose ends for him to handle.
After all that commotion, Xu Zhengying was also soaked through. Inwardly, he blamed Hu Xiaotian for being meddlesome. The old fellow was a complete stranger-why stick his nose into someone else's affairs? But now that he had intervened, it seemed he could only see the matter through. That was why Xu Zhengying had summoned the people from Easy Origin Hall.
Yuan Shiqing approached Xu Zhengying and said respectfully, "Rest assured, Lord Xu. We'll take good care of the elderly gentleman." His words clearly suggested that he was doing Xu Zhengying a favor.
"As for the medical fees..." Xu Zhengying began.
"Please don't worry, Lord Xu," Yuan Shiqing said with a smile. "Your affairs are Easy Origin Hall's affairs." In other words, they would not charge a penny. A powerful financial official like Xu Zhengying was someone they could rarely find an opportunity to curry favor with. Now that an opportunity had presented itself, how could they possibly ask him for money?
At least you know how to behave, Xu Zhengying thought. Just as he was about to leave, Yuan Shiqing asked, "Lord Xu, who was that Young Master Hu? He seems to have considerable knowledge of bone injuries." An expert's skill revealed itself the moment he acted. From Hu Xiaotian's treatment alone, Yuan Shiqing could deduce that the young man must be a practitioner of medicine.
Xu Zhengying frowned. He truly was puzzled. Until now, he had regarded Hu Xiaotian as nothing more than a pampered, ignorant wastrel. Yet the intelligence and learning Hu Xiaotian had displayed at Misty Waters Pavilion today had forced him to see the young man in a new light. Calling it a shock would hardly be an exaggeration. Still, Hu Xiaotian's behavior defied understanding. While beating the Qiu brothers at Misty Waters Pavilion, he had been utterly unreasonable, bullying them with his powerful connections. Even Xu Zhengying had thought he went too far. Yet a moment later, he had transformed into a benevolent savior with skilled hands and a compassionate heart, willing to brave the rain to rescue an old man he did not even know. Anyone unaware of the circumstances might have assumed the man was his relative. The boy's temperament was so complex and changeable that he was impossible to grasp. Perhaps even his own father had no idea his son was like this.
Xu Zhengying smiled wryly. "He's the son of Lord Hu, the Minister of Revenue. What would he know about medicine?"
Yuan Shiqing looked incredulous at Xu Zhengying's words. First his mouth fell open in astonishment, then he shook his head. "How is that possible?" No matter what, he could not believe that Hu Xiaotian knew nothing about medicine. Someone ignorant of medicine could never have administered emergency treatment for a fracture with such precision. It was simply inconceivable.
Good deeds never left the doorstep, while evil deeds traveled a thousand miles. Hu Xiaotian had barely returned to the Minister's Residence when he saw Hu An rushing out with a group of men. News of his fight at Misty Waters Pavilion had already reached home. Afraid that he might come off worse, Hu An had gathered more than a dozen servants and was preparing to hurry to the pavilion to help.
Only when he saw Hu Xiaotian return safely did Hu An relax. Naturally, there was no longer any need to go to his aid.
Hu Xiaotian returned to his room, took a hot bath, and changed his clothes. Then a maid entered carrying freshly brewed ginger soup, with the steward, Hu An, following behind her.
Hu An smiled broadly. "Young master, have some ginger soup. You were caught in the rain-you mustn't catch a chill."
Hu Xiaotian nodded, picked up the ginger soup, and drank it. Looking up at the maid, he found her appearance unremarkable. He had noticed something very strange. There must have been dozens of maids and older serving women in the Minister's Residence, yet not one had looks memorable enough to leave an impression on him. In fact, none could even be called average; their appearances generally fell below the passing mark. That should not have been the case. He remembered the films and television dramas he used to watch-what wealthy household wasn't filled with beauties like clouds? Yet the collective looks of the Hu Family's maids were downright miserable. They did not have to be beauties like Qiuxiang, capable of bringing nations and their people to ruin, but surely there ought to be at least a pretty maid like Xiren or Qingwen? Then again, he was no amorous Second Master Bao, so he could hardly demand too much of his maids.
Though Hu Xiaotian had merely looked directly at her, the maid's heart was already racing. She had been assigned to serve him for six months, yet this young master had never so much as given her a proper glance. Today, he had actually studied her face several times. Had her beauty finally moved him? Few maids in wealthy households were content to remain in their station. Every one of them dreamed of flying up to a high branch one day, living out an inspiring tale of rising from maid to mistress. But to realize that dream, she first had to win her master's favor. If she did not seduce the older master, she would have to seduce the young one. The maid was clever enough to offer a timely, bashful response, her eyes shimmering with what she believed to be an alluring light.
Seeing the maid's affected manner, Hu Xiaotian could not help laughing. His laughter made her blush.
Hu An told the maid, "Xiang Ning, there's nothing more for you to do here!"
The maid murmured her assent and reluctantly withdrew. Before leaving, she secretly cast Hu Xiaotian another flirtatious glance. Opportunities were rare, and even a little maid could possess great wisdom. Unfortunately, Hu Xiaotian showed no response whatsoever to her alluring look.
Once the maid had left, Hu Xiaotian asked, "Steward Hu, I haven't offended you, have I?"
Hu An had gained some understanding of this young master's temper. He hurried a step forward and bowed even lower. "Young master, what makes you say that?"
"Why are the servants around me each uglier than the last?" Hu Xiaotian asked. "I'm not demanding beauty so delicious I could feast on it, but surely they should at least be pleasing to the eye? Just look at the quality of these maids, these specimens... Is there something wrong with my sense of beauty, or yours?"
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