Three days later ...It was time for Qin Feng to be reexamined by the Ducal Physician, and both Li Changhai and Lin Liushui were present with the younger man as the elderly, grey-bearded man in the physician"s robes took his pulse.
It could not be said that they were uncomfortable. They were seated in a small pavilion that adjoined several of the guest houses, and there was a soft breeze that washed over them that early Spring morning.
However, there was no hiding the anxiety that was evident on the Second Ducal Prince"s face and he knew it. Then again, he had made it rather clear to everyone in the Ducal Palace that this young Qin Feng was one of those who had rescued him from an a.s.sa.s.sin, and had taken his injuries because of the attempt made on his life. So it should not come as a surprise to anyone looking on that he felt his honor was at stake.
Lin Liushui was his usual cool and collected, beautiful self. His jade-like countenance seemed unblemished as he gently fanned himself and watched the process. As if he was simply watching a chess game. And perhaps with less intensity at that.
As for Qin Feng, if one did not know any better, no one would even guess that he was the one who was being checked. His face was completely placid. And if not for the fact that his hand was sitting in the physician"s grasp, one could easily mistake him for a bystander.
The one with the darkest complexion, however, was the old man who was taking the young man"s pulse. The physician did not look at all pleased with what he had found, if one were to take his expression into account. But he continued to check on Qin Feng"s pulse, and it looked as though he intended to hold his tongue until he was done.
Qin Feng looked a little annoyed at that, since he had tried to speak twice already. But he had been waved to silence by the old man both times. Which was enough to irritate him, the Ducal Prince was certain.
The scowl on the physician"s brow tightened as he went on, but still, he did not say a word. Which bothered the Second Ducal Prince more than a little as well. If there was something amiss, shouldn"t he give voice to his concerns? Otherwise, what was the point of inviting him, to look over the young man? Did he really believe that he could get away with just a cursory check?
But the man had been recommended by Butler Jin, and Li Changhai was not about to make trouble. At least, not just yet. He would have to have a word with his father"s most trusted servant after this though. Did all these people really think that he wouldn"t kick up a fuss, just because he had remained quiet all this time? He was half-tempted to throw a tantrum, just to prove all of them wrong!
But the old man in the physician"s grey-green outer robe gave out a sigh then, as he finally pulled his hand away from Qin Feng"s wrist. And shook his head at the young man.
"You have not been resting - at least, not resting properly! Why is it that you young people always have to make the lives of us physicians difficult? Don"t you understand that you need time to heal up, before you go rushing back to your training and such? Your body is only going to suffer if you keep tormenting yourself like this!"
The Second Ducal Prince frowned when he heard that. But it did match with what he had seen of Qin Feng"s complexion. The younger man had been looking pale, as if he was lacking blood, for the last three, four days. Ever since he was brought back from that encounter with Zhou Jinhu, to tell the truth.
Was he suffering from some troublesome internal injury? Or was he just too anxious to get back to his training, and had so aggravated his condition?
"And what is that medicine that you have been taking? I certainly did not pa.s.s it to you. Nor did any of my fellow physicians. There is a mild pain-killer in the same, that keeps you from feeling discomfort. But taking that has only made you ignore the warning signals that your body is giving you! And now, you have overexerted yourself!
"Don"t you know that you are only delaying your recovery?"
The Second Ducal Prince looked from Qin Feng to the physician and back again, aghast. Was that the reason why the young man was still looking so pale? And what would Du Yan think, if he knew that his potion had been responsible to hampering Qin Feng"s recovery? How fortunate that he was not present, and did not hear it directly from the grey-haired physician"s mouth.
"Who gave you that medicine that contains the pain-killing agent? It was that idiot Du Yan, wasn"t it? Doesn"t he know that he is only making things worse, by playing at being an alchemist?"
The old man looked furious then, and Li Changhai had to step in, before he really lost his temper. It was the least that he could do for Du Yan, after all.
It took him a bit of effort too, to convince the old man that the brawny fellow didn"t mean any harm, and was only hoping to ease Qin Feng"s discomfort. Fortunately, the physician didn"t appear too eager to argue, and simply prescribed his patient with a new herbal concoction that would help his meridians to recover from the overexertion.
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Then the trio found themselves stepping outside the guesthouse, to bid farewell to the still scowling physician in the small patch of garden outside. Qin Feng took the opportunity to ask Lin Liushui a question then. One that the Second Ducal Prince did not catch, since he was sending off the physician, and slipping a rather heavy purse into the old man"s hands. One that he did not refuse.
But by the time that Li Changhai got back to his friends, it did not take him too much effort to realize that the topic that they were discussing was the presently absent Du Yan.
Lin Liushui was sighing l.u.s.tily, as he gestured towards the gate that led outside of the guest courtyard that Qin Feng was staying in. Which should be enough to indicate that Du Yan was still about, somewhere within the Ducal Palace grounds.
The Ducal Prince, of course, knew the more precise spot where his large friend could be found, but Li Changhai was strangely reluctant to give voice to that.
But it appeared that Qin Feng had asked Lin Liushui a more relevant question earlier. One that Li Changhai did not catch, since he was busy with the grey-haired physician:
"What are you talking about? Why does he have to leave?"
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