"No, Xiao Bei, I need to take him down the mountain now and have Doctor Li treat him," Cheng Mo said after recounting his lengthy story, one involving the prestigious Tian family, Cheng Mo's mother, and himself. Since he kept emphasizing that he came to find his brother, there must be a serious matter at hand, and he needed to treat it immediately.
"A'Mo, I understand your urgency, but the journey down the mountain won't be easy. He needs to remain stable. Even if you're anxious, we should talk to Grandfather first, to understand his condition or give instructions about his whereabouts, right?"
"Yes, Xiao Bei, let's find Grandfather now. Tong Xi, make sure you stay with him and don't let any visitors from the capital see him, understood?"Thinking of the people from the capital who followed the Huo family came into here mountain, Cheng Mo felt a bit worried, so he gave Tong Yue an extra instruction.
"Yes, Your Highness, Tong Xi will ensure it."
"Good, Xiao Bei, let's go. Oh, Xiao Bei, thank you for the gift. I'll have Cheng Dian come over."
Cheng Mo immediately hugged Xiao Bei's waist and headed towards the medicine hut.
The old medicine master calmly listened to Cheng Mo's brief summary of his story. Ever since he left his master and escaped from the palace decades ago, he hadn't descended from the mountain in over twenty years. In his heart, there were only patients and family. Palace intrigue and secrets were left behind in these deep mountains, weren't they?
"I understand, King Cheng. Big Fool is indeed the Rong Prince from the Northern Frontier. His current confusion is likely due to a previous blow to the back of his head, compounded by the shock from falling down the cliff, which caused blood clots in his head, obstructing the flow of blood and Qi. I've been using medicine to help disperse the blockage, and his condition is gradually improving. However, I believe it would be beneficial for King Cheng to have skilled imperial physicians by his side for further treatment. If you're planning to take the Rong Prince down the mountain, please allow me two more days to prepare some medications in case of any emergencies during the journey."
"Grandfather, please continue to call me A'Mo, alright? You've been treating my brother for some time now, and you understand his condition best. I was thinking perhaps we could invite Doctor Li YiZheng, the Royal Physician-in-Chief, to come up the mountain and work together with you. His acupuncture technique is extraordinary; could there be a turning point? But Doctor Li is getting older, so I need to make some arrangements first." Cheng Mo didn't want his brother's arrival to make the medicine master's attitude towards him distant. He still remembered how kindly the old medicine master had addressed him as A'Mo when they first met.
"Wait, Prince Mo! Oh, A'Mo, what did you just say? Say it again!" Tong, the medicine master, suddenly stood up, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Please continue to call me A'Mo?"
"No, not that sentence, the one after."
"Invite Doctor Li YiZheng up the mountain?"
"Yes, and then—"
"Use acupuncture in combination with treatment?"
"Yes, yes, that's it! Doctor Li YiZheng, skilled in acupuncture, and getting older! A'Mo, tell me, is this Doctor Li YiZheng the royal physician-in-chief who has been serving in the palace?"The old herbalist was so nervous and excited that his voice trembled. Xiangbei had never seen him like this before, she stepped forward to gently support him.
"Well, um, actually, Doctor Li YiZheng left the palace and traveled around twenty years ago. He had some connection with my maternal family. He returned to the palace over a decade ago when my mother fell seriously ill, and he remained there until her passing. After that, he left the palace again. But since then, he has occasionally stayed by my side for periods, saying he was entrusted to ensure my well-being. But let's speak privately, I have reason to suspect that he is just a lovely old man who enjoys good food and fine wine. This time, he heard about the new flavors constantly being introduced at Fuhai Tower and wanted to stay in Dongbin for a while. Grandfather, what about Doctor Li YiZheng?"
"It must be him, it must be him, the old man! Xiao Bei, hurry, prepare yourself and come down the mountain with me to meet your master-grandfather. We must bring plenty of gifts. Oh, and go call Tong Li, quickly!" Tong, the medicine master, was so excited that he could hardly stand still, tears streaming down his face as he paced around the small medicine hut.
"Grandfather, please have a seat first. Let's calm down our emotions first, okay? There's no rush. I'll arrange everything and we'll go down the mountain soon." Bei already knew from Tong's memories that the old medicine master hadn't been down the mountain for decades, so this must be deeply related to Li YiZheng. She helped Tong sit down, leaving Cheng Mo to accompany him while she went to inform Tong Li.
The group quickly got ready. Bei instructed Tong Chen to handle the affairs at home, while she and Cheng Mo rode together. The newly dressed medicine master came out and mounted the horse. Tong Li arrived, and they hurried out of the village without alerting anyone else.
The road from Coal Mountain to Water Pavilion had been cleared of rock debris, and it was estimated that it would take another two or three days for the road to be accessible to carts. Upon reaching Water Pavilion, they switched to a carriage. Cheng Mo brought some hot food from the camp, and Bei took out hot milk tea from her backpack. Old medicine master Tong, while eating, began to recount his relationship with Li YiZheng.