"What is the matter? Why did you ask?"
Dong Fang Tang took a sip of his tea and there was a smile on his gentle face. He saw him seriously counting the number of days on his fingers and asked curiously.
"Because......"
Suddenly, there was a strange sound in the air. There were three long sounds and two short sounds, abruptly the sound pitches went up and down. Just as Dong Fang Tang was wondering what was happening with the intention of going out to take a look when there was a sudden pain in his abdomen and he felt as if something was crawling in his stomach. Following the sound levels going up and down, the pain in his stomach intensified relatively with the sound pitches.
Dong Fang Tang's face turned pale and changed dramatically.
"Third Brother, what is the matter with you? Why did your complexion suddenly change so badly? Don't scare me!"
Zhang Sheng was shocked by this sudden strange sound and Dong Fang Tang's reaction.
What is that sound? Why is Third Brother's face getting whiter and whiter and also why is he breaking out in cold sweat? He is cradling his stomach in pain, what is actually happening?
Just as Zhang Sheng was feeling helpless and did not know what to do, a cool clear sound of a flute could be heard in the distance. As the sound of the flute floated in the air, the strange sound gradually disappeared and the pain in Dong Fang Tang's stomach also gradually lessen, bringing him relief.
"Why is there sounds of a flute?"
Zhang Sheng's small body nervously circled around Dong Fang Tang. Thanks to the sound of the flute, it seems that Third Brother's pain had lessened a lot.
Following the sounds of the flute that floated nearer and nearer, an elegant woman dressed in a creamy white skirt, holding a green jade flute appeared in front of Dong Fang Tang with an indifferent expression on her face.
"Dong Fang Tang, we meet again."
"It's you......"
Before he could finish speaking, Dong Fang Tang's slender figure suddenly went soft and fell to the ground with a loud thud. He fainted on the ground and just before he lost consciousness, the last thing he heard was Zhang Sheng shouting in panic.
"Third Brother!"
***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***
"Lady, what had happened to my Third Young Master? Why did he suddenly faint?"
Wang Qin anxiously asked the girl sitting on the wooden stool beside the bed. He had wondered where this girl had suddenly appeared from.
This girl was completely enveloped in an air of coldness and had an aura that drives people away. It was difficult to get close to her and looking at the expert way she was checking the pulse of Third Young Master, could it be she is also a famous doctor?
"Sister, is Third Brother alright?" Zhang Sheng looked worriedly at Dong Fang Tang who was lying on the bed in an unconscious state.
Originally, Third Brother was alright, laughing and talking with him but as soon as the strange sound was heard, Third Brother had totally changed and then immediately after, this Sister had appeared. When Third Brother saw this Sister, he seemed to be a little surprised before he fell into unconsciousness. Do the both of them know each other?
"Oh yes! Lady, who are you? Why did you suddenly appear in our Long Feng Restaurant?"
After Zhang Zhen heard what his younger brother said, he could not help but be on guard against her.
"For the time being, Dong Fang Tang will be alright."
When she finished speaking, she took a green jade bottle from her chest and place it under Dong Fang Tang's nose for him to breathe in. Instantly, Dong Fang Tang who was lying unconscious on the bed opened his eyes.
"Third Young Master, how do you feel?"
"Third Brother, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
"Third Brother, are you alright?"
The three of them quickly moved to the bed, their faces showing anxiety.
Dong Fang Tang smiled to appease the three people and his eyes rested on the woman behind them.
"Miss Ruan, after I left in a hurry four years ago, I never expected to see you again."
Dong Fang Tang like her, had also recognized her at first glance as she had recognized him. This girl looked elegant but she exuded an air of indifference which left a deep impression and in addition, in her hand was the jade flute which made it difficult not to recognize her.
Compared to his kindness and easy-going nature, Ruan Xiang Yin was very much colder. Her bright eyes looked at him and she said. "Do you know what had happened to your body?"
Dong Fang Tang smiled bitterly. "If I did not guess wrong, I'm afraid I have been bewitched by Gudu*
(Gudu is a type of witchcraft practiced by ancient Miao Tribes, using poisonous insects introduced into the body of the victims. The victim will suffer extreme pain when the person who cast the Gu, chants to control the poisonous insects.)
Listening in to the conversation between the both of them, the three people at the side blew out cool breaths and flew into a panic, wondering what they should do.
"You have fallen under the Half-Month Gudu. Within half a month, if you can't undo this Gu, you will eventually die a miserable death due to rotting internal organs."
The stone-faced Ruang Xiang Yin said without any expression and with indifference. She acted as if Dong Fang Tang had only caught a normal cold instead of the terrifying Gu.
"How come Miss Ruan is so knowledgeable about this Gu?"
Dong Fang Tang raised his eyebrows and remembered he had heard the sounds of her flute before he fell unconscious and soon after that strange sound faded. So he could not help but be suspicious of her.
"Dong Fang Tang, I'm sorry. The Gu that poisoned you was cast by my father."
Ruan Xiang Yin took a deep breath and her clear bright limpid eyes looked into the magnanimous depths of his eyes. For the first time, she felt she was indebted to other people. The blame for all these must be put on her father and his irresponsible behavior.
"Why did Ruan Elder cast this Gu?"
It was difficult for Dong Fang Tang's gentle face to hide his surprise.
'Weird Doctor' Ruan Da Jiu is a moody man and his work cannot be deduced in the normal way. But he is not even part of the Miao Tribes, how did he have the knowledge to cast this Gu?
"My mother is a Miao and my father secretly spied on my mother to learn this Half-Month Gu witchcraft from my mother without her knowledge. My father had heard a lot about you as the famous Divine Doctor, Dong Fang Tang in Jianghu* and felt unhappy about this. So taking the opportunity when my mother had returned to Miao Jiang, he cast the Gu on you. The purpose is to see how you as the Divine Doctor will save yourself from this Gu poison."
(In ancient times, Jianghu means the world of martial artists who were skilled in martial arts, poison, weaponry and with different levels of internal forces. Among this group of skilled martial artists, information would be shared on other existing or upcoming martial artists, development of clans and news of battles, killings, competitions, accomplishments, etc.
In modern times, Jianghu means the underworld.
To understand this better, it is like the business world where everyone knows the important people on the who's who list and share news of business ventures, take-overs, etc.)
It was only after she had found out about her father's intentions towards Dong Fang Tang that she decided to leave home. Fortunately, she was in time to stop his Gu from working.
When Zhang Zhen thought of his respected Third Brother being secretly plotted against and his Third Brother's body being poisoned by the terrifying Gu, it made him very angry
"This is too much! How can your father harm Third Brother? Third Brother did not even offend him! Because the name, Divine Doctor is well-known and it irritates him, he can come to look for Third Brother and have a discussion with him face to face. I'm afraid he can't even match a finger on Third Brother's finger!" Zhang Zhen said indignantly.
"Zhang Zhen, don't talk nonsense. 'Weird Doctor' Ruan Elder is someone well known throughout Jianghu twenty years ago. Even my late Teacher had also praised this Ruan Elder's abilities. One of his medical skills that he successfully mastered, 'The Four Soul-Oppression Tunes' that he personally created had saved many people.
It was rare that Dong Fang Tang put on a taut face. This title of 'Weird Doctor' did not just fall out of the sky. Although this Ruan Elder had a unique style and did not like to practice medicine to save the people, it could not be denied that he really did have the ability.
"Ha, ha, ha! Dong Fang Tang, you're indeed tactful. At least you did not trample on me behind my back. Daughter, if you want to save him then you have to rely on your own ability!"
A burst of heavy, forceful, smooth laughter floated in from outside. That deep internal force from the voice gave rise to Dong Fang Tang's admiration.
"Father! You're so irresponsible and willful! When Mother comes back from Miao Jiang, I will tell her!"
Ruan Xiang Yin's elegant face displayed her anger and knowing that her father was nearby, she used her internal force to shout out loudly.
Only silence answered her.
Hateful! Just wait until her mother comes back, this lawless father of hers will be suppressed by Mother and Daughter and she will absolutely not let him get off scot-free! Ruan Xiang Yin was so angry that she cursed secretly in her heart.
"It seems Ruan Elder has left."
Dong Fang Tang stared at her indifferent face with interest. After encountering her father, her face had undergone so many changes.
The anger on her beautiful face made him unable to take his eyes off her. At least at this moment, she did not seem icy or cold with an aura that alienates people thousands of miles away from her.
"Dong Fang Tang, since you are already poisoned with Gu. Why are you not worried about it?"
"Life and death are fated, why should there be fear? And since Miss Ruan is here, why do I need to worry so much?" Dong Fang Tang replied calmly.
"Are you so sure I'm able to save you?"
Ruan Xiang Yin really could not stand to look at him with that perpetual smile on his handsome face. Even if his medical skills were brilliant, it should also be understood that Gu poison was not easy to undo and most victims, unless they were able to find the person who cast the Gu or else it was impossible for them to undo the Gu themselves.
Today, if it was not for her, this problem would not be settled so easily. Even though with the name Divine Doctor, it was afraid in half a month's time, he would still die of rotting internal organs.
Dong Fang Tang sighed. This girl had a cold appearance and he did not expect that even her personality was so cold as well.
"If Miss Ruan does not have the heart to save me, you would not have extended help in a timely manner."
"Miss Ruan, I beg you to save our Third Young Master." Wang Qin was afraid that she would not help to save his Master and hurriedly said.
"You don't have to beg me. As Dong Fang Tang had said, if I don't want to save him, I won't be here. Everyone leave the bedchamber."
Ruan Xiang Yin told the three people and prepared to help Dong Fang Tang solve his problem.
Since it was her father who cast this Gu and as his daughter, she had to be benevolent.