The General Who Guards the South-Ning Rulong

"The Ning Prince's Mansion?"

Jiang Tian looked at the woman in mild surprise.

"Come on. Let's go inside."

She ignored Jiang Tian and walked straight into the grand estate.

Uncle Ming seemed to notice Jiang Tian's surprise and chuckled. "Young man, shocked, are you? Don't be afraid. This really was a prince's mansion once, but it isn't anymore."

"The Ning Family descended from Prince Ning's line, but that's all in the past now. The family simply still lives here."

"Of course, once you're inside, you must still follow the rules. Otherwise, you might bring needless trouble upon yourself!"

Uncle Ming delivered his warning in a roundabout way.

Jiang Tian merely smiled dismissively and strode inside.

Forget a mere prince's mansion-even the imperial throne hall wouldn't intimidate him.

The Qing dynasty was long gone, and now you wanted to start wearing a queue?

Led by the woman and Uncle Ming, the two men wound their way through turn after turn, passing down long corridors and over a winding, nine-turn bridge. After more than ten minutes, they finally arrived outside a separate courtyard.

Security around this courtyard was extremely tight. Aside from the caregivers and doctors, everyone there was a bodyguard assigned by the Ning Family.

But seeing that Ning Hongzhuang had brought them, none dared stop them.

"Wait here. I'll go in and take a look first."

The woman turned back and spoke to Jiang Tian and the old charlatan, then entered the courtyard without waiting for their replies.

"This woman really is arrogant."

Watching her retreating figure, Jiang Tian shook his head.

The old charlatan beside him jumped at those words and hurriedly said, "Do you have a death wish? Do you know who that woman is? If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!"

Jiang Tian raised an eyebrow. "Does she have some impressive background?"

Although the old charlatan disliked Jiang Tian, he still lowered his voice. "If I'm not mistaken, that woman is the Ning Family's only granddaughter-the famous head of the Ning Corporation in Yunzhou City! Ning Hongzhuang!"

"Ning Hongzhuang?"

Jiang Tian frowned. He didn't know the woman.

Still, he mentioned the Ning Corporation. That probably meant she was a big fucking deal, right?

"Boy, you don't even know who Ning Hongzhuang is?"

Seeing that Jiang Tian didn't even know her, the old charlatan curled his lip. "And you still fought your way in here? You're just begging for trouble!"

"If I'd known we were coming to treat the Ning Family's old patriarch, I wouldn't have come no matter what!"

He sighed heavily, then snapped viciously, "Boy, this is all your fault! If you hadn't interfered, I'd have happily taken my money and left. Now look what you've done-we might both lose our lives!"

Jiang Tian frowned at his resentful stare. "Didn't you call yourself a miracle doctor? What, are you scared?"

The old charlatan's expression stiffened, and he jutted out his chin. "Who's scared? I just..."

"All right, come inside."

Before he could finish, however, Uncle Ming came out.

Jiang Tian ignored the old charlatan and walked straight in.

The old charlatan hesitated at the entrance for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and following.

The courtyard was elegant throughout, with a quaint, traditional air. All kinds of precious flowers, plants, and trees grew there, each worth a considerable sum.

Jiang Tian crossed the exquisite little courtyard and stopped outside a door.

"My grandfather is still very weak. Please keep your voices down."

As they reached the doorway, Ning Hongzhuang suddenly turned and spoke.

Jiang Tian nodded and went straight inside. The old charlatan followed close behind, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

The room's decor was equally traditional and refined. In an inner chamber, an elderly man lay on a bed, his breathing terribly faint.

He looked to be in his seventies or eighties. Though his body was weak, his aged eyes remained bright and keen.

"You must be the miracle doctors Hongzhuang invited. Please, sit."

The old man struggled to prop himself up as he spoke.

The sight of the old man on the bed made the old charlatan shudder. Trembling, he said, "My respects, Great General Who Guards the South!"

"The Great General Who Guards the South?"

Jiang Tian frowned, already beginning to realize who the man before him was.

Could he really be Ning Rulong, the Great General Who Guards the South, one of Great Xia's four renowned generals?

Ning Rulong was one of Great Xia's four renowned generals of the modern era. During the War of National Defense, he had reportedly led three thousand lightly armored troops in the battle of Huangdao, holding off tens of thousands of elite enemy soldiers for an entire month. He had even captured one of their senior generals alive!

Later, during the counteroffensive against the foreign enemy, he had led a suicide squad in a surprise attack, killing the enemy leader and storming their headquarters in one stroke. He had slain dozens of officers and taken over a thousand prisoners!

Though he had fought in more than a hundred battles, large and small, those two had undoubtedly cemented his legendary status!

From then on, Ning Rulong had become a celebrated god of war in the Southern Theater of Operations, and the nation had bestowed upon him the title of Great General Who Guards the South!

Jiang Tian even remembered accounts of him in his high school history textbook.

Yet such a legendary figure now lay withered in bed. Fate truly could be cruel.

"What Great General Who Guards the South? I'm just an old man with one foot in the grave now. There's no need for formalities."

Ning Rulong chuckled and waved a hand without the slightest air of superiority.

Then he looked at Jiang Tian and asked, "Is this young fellow the miracle doctor's apprentice?"

Jiang Tian came back to his senses and shook his head slightly. "I'm not his apprentice, and he isn't worthy of being my master. I'm my own man."

"Oh?"

Ning Rulong had met countless people throughout his life, including no end of talented young men. But Jiang Tian was the first who dared speak so freely in his presence.

"Are you a miracle doctor as well, young man? May I ask your name?"

Ning Rulong regarded him with interest.

Jiang Tian pulled over a stool and sat down. "My name is Jiang Tian."

"Jiang Tian."

Ning Rulong nodded, looked him up and down, then asked, "Which of you will examine me first?"

The old charlatan's gaze flickered evasively. He didn't dare speak, because he genuinely had no confidence.

His medicine worked well, but only for minor illnesses and aches. With someone in Ning Rulong's condition, he couldn't be sure it would have any effect.

If he could cure him, all the better.

If he couldn't, he might well lose his life!

After all, the man before him was a great general who had rendered distinguished service to the nation!

"Miracle doctor, haven't you been saying you're Hua Tuo's successor? You go first."

Just as the old charlatan was wallowing in misery, Jiang Tian's mocking voice rang out.

The old charlatan's expression changed. "You brat, you-!"

"Hua Tuo's successor?"

Ning Rulong's eyes lit up as he looked at the old charlatan. "Are you really Hua Tuo's successor?"

The old doctor gave an awkward smile, silently cursing eighteen generations of Jiang Tian's ancestors. Aloud, however, he said, "Great General Who Guards the South, to be honest, I have indeed studied some medical techniques passed down from Hua Tuo. However..."

"No need for any 'however.' Just do your best."

Ning Rulong waved a hand, cutting him off.

In truth, treatment no longer mattered to him. He knew his own condition very well. Had Ning Hongzhuang not brought these men, he wouldn't have agreed to see them.

After all, of everyone in the Ning Family, this granddaughter was the one he doted on most...