How come all the rules of the world seem to not apply to him at all?
Though the woman was elegant and wealthy, adorned with gold and jade, she was clearly not young anymore. Fine wrinkles had appeared around her eyes, and her skin was much rougher compared to the ladies of the capital. According to the customs of the Xia people, girls were married as early as thirteen or fourteen, and even the latest marriages were by their twenties. Otherwise, if they were delayed any longer, they would be called old maids.
However, looking at the age of this lady before him, in some fast-paced households, she would be old enough to be a grandmother.
Yu Jinnian quickly stepped forward. As he approached, he lifted the gauze curtain and squinted to examine the child. But his eyesight was poor, and he could only see the child convulsing, unable to discern any more detailed symptoms. He immediately asked, “Madam, may I take a closer look at this child? I know a little about medicine and might be able to save this child’s life.”
He didn’t think too much about it. When encountering a patient in critical condition on the street, no doctor with a heart could ignore it, especially when a child’s convulsions were a dangerous emergency that couldn’t wait.
The woman, in her panic, instinctively stepped back and eyed the young man in front of her warily. She saw that he was dressed in luxurious embroidered clothing, even more extravagant than a young master from a noble family. But his eyes seemed poor, as he was constantly squinting. Naturally, she was not inclined to trust a random young man who appeared on the street, let alone someone who seemed half-blind.
However, this was Shibao Street, filled with taverns and eateries, and there was no medical clinic nearby. Her greatest regret was sending her servants to the nearby market to buy fabric, leaving no one to drive the carriage, and her husband was nowhere to be found, supposedly off discussing important matters. She hesitated, unsure whether to trust Yu Jinnian—just then, the child in her arms opened and closed his mouth twice before tilting his neck and convulsing again.
The woman was so frightened she lost her composure. Before she could react, Yu Jinnian had already stepped forward, using one hand to support the child who was about to slip from her arms, while his little finger quickly pressed down on the child’s tongue, preventing the child from biting it in the throes of a seizure.
As soon as the child convulsed, his jaws clenched tightly, biting down hard on Yu Jinnian’s little finger. Though the child was small, the force during a seizure was not insignificant. Yu Jinnian frowned slightly from the pain, feeling the unusual heat in the child’s mouth. He then said to the woman, “Lay him down and unwrap his blanket. He can’t stay covered anymore.”
The woman hesitated, unsure whether to follow the young man’s instructions. Her gaze swept across the oval-shaped jade pendant hanging at his waist. The jade was white like mutton fat, smooth and glossy, with a carved rose on its surface. She was momentarily surprised, but she relaxed her guard slightly. Slowly, she laid the child down in the carriage. After a brief hesitation, she gritted her teeth and decided to trust him, unwrapping the child’s blanket.
The child’s back was already damp with sweat. Yu Jinnian quickly undressed the child, rolling up the outer robe and holding onto just the soft cotton underclothes. He gently wiped away the sweat from the child’s head and body, then felt the child’s hands and feet, carefully supporting him to prevent injury from his thrashing during the convulsions.
“How is my son?” the woman asked anxiously.
The child’s face was flushed, his breathing heavy, and his body scorching hot. The repeated convulsions clearly indicated a high fever causing the seizure, a dangerous condition in children. As the saying goes, urgent cases require immediate treatment. At this moment, there was no time to address the root cause; the priority was to calm the convulsions. If the seizures continued, it could damage the child’s brain, leading to what is commonly known as “burning the brain.”
Yu Jinnian had no time to explain in detail to the woman. He called out loudly, “Brother Duan, fetch a basin of cold water!” Then he quickly asked the woman, “Do you have a sewing needle in the carriage?” Seeing the woman turn to fetch one, he immediately called out again, “Ah Hong!”
Ji Hong nodded and returned to the tavern, grabbing a candlestick from the counter, lighting it, and quickly heading back to Yu Jinnian.
The woman returned with the needle and saw a man holding a lit candle, being ordered around by the young man. She was momentarily stunned and was about to speak when Ji Hong shook his head slightly, signaling her to focus on the child. Holding back her words, she handed the needle to the young man, her gaze drifting to Ji Hong standing outside the carriage. Her anxiety eased slightly.
If this young man had been summoned by the Duke of Li’s household, even if he seemed young, he must have some skill. Moreover, anyone who could make the Duke of Li’s heir hold a candle so obediently couldn’t be just “somewhat skilled.”
She had heard that the Duke of Li’s heir, bedridden for over a year, had recently made a miraculous recovery thanks to a divine doctor. She had thought it was just an exaggeration by the people in the capital, but now that she had seen the person herself, she realized it was true—the third young master of the Ji family had indeed recovered.
Yu Jinnian took the needle, sterilized it in the candle flame held by Ji Hong, and then held the child’s small hand. Using his thumb and forefinger, he massaged the child’s fingers, then, with precision and steadiness, he pricked the tip of the child’s tender little fingers—specifically, the area between the nail and the flesh. After piercing the skin, he gently pressed the fingertip to encourage the blood flow, letting out two or three drops before moving on to the next finger.
The child’s mother watched in agony. She had no idea why Yu Jinnian needed the needle and had never expected him to prick her child’s fingers. She knew that in the military, spies were sometimes tortured by having needles stuck into their fingers, a pain that could make them scream across the entire camp. Her heart ached for her child, and she couldn’t bear to see him treated this way. She cried out, “What are you doing? He’s so young!”
Ji Hong was about to speak, but the young man had already responded, his tone calm and unwavering, unaffected by the woman’s questioning or accusations.
“Madam, be patient. Count to thirty. After thirty counts, your son’s convulsions will stop, and his spirit will return.” Yu Jinnian’s mouth moved, but his hands did not stop. After pricking three fingers, the child’s convulsions gradually ceased, though he had not yet regained consciousness. Yu Jinnian then turned the child over, laying him face down on his own body, and pressed his fingers to the highest point of the child’s spine, at the base of the neck, at a point known as the Dazhui. He then inserted the needle there.
The Dazhui point primarily treats stiff neck and back pain, heat-related diseases, rebellious breathing, epilepsy, and convulsions in children. This acupuncture point is the convergence of the three Yang channels and the Du meridian, which allows it to clear the interior of the Yangming channel, open the Taiyang channel, and regulate the flow of energy in the six Yang meridians. Therefore, the Dazhui point can either tonify or reduce, and Yu Jinnian chose the reduction method this time to clear the excess pathogenic heat and relieve the convulsions by regulating the meridians. Since the child was young, with thin skin and fragile bones, and the neck was the most delicate and dangerous area, he only inserted the needle to a depth of less than half an inch. After a brief moment of stopping, he twisted the needle slightly before withdrawing it to let out a few drops of blood.
Although his eyesight was poor, these acupuncture points were already firmly memorized in his heart, so he could accurately locate them without much effort. It was simply a matter of practice.
After this operation, the child in his arms suddenly quieted down, and then, with a sudden wail, burst into loud crying!
The stone hanging in Yu Jinnian’s throat finally dropped back into his stomach. He placed the child back onto the blanket and gently touched his forehead. In no time, he felt the heat slowly receding, though the child still had a fever. However, it was no longer life-threatening. At that moment, Duan Ming, who had been sent to fetch water, returned, handing Yu Jinnian a basin filled with cold well water.
The cold well water, freshly drawn from just a few feet underground, clung to his fingers with a coolness that reminded him of the damp coldness in the Silent Chamber, causing him to momentarily drift into thought. Ji Hong, noticing Yu Jinnian’s sudden stillness, gently placed his hand on his shoulder, massaging it tenderly. Yu Jinnian snapped out of his daze, hurriedly pulled out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve, soaked it in the cold water, wrung it out, and placed it on the child’s forehead. Without asking, he also took Ji Hong’s plain silk cloth from his waist, wet it as well, and used it to wipe down the child’s limbs.
“A child’s high fever is always dangerous and requires careful attention. Today, your son’s face was red, his tongue had a slight yellow and greasy coating, and his pulse was floating and excessive…” Only now did Yu Jinnian have a moment to feel the child’s pulse. A child’s wrist and arm are thin, making it difficult to determine the pulse using an adult’s method of measuring at the inch-mark on the forearm, so he used his thumb to feel the three gates, moving his hand slightly back and forth to assess the three sections of the pulse.
He then looked up at the woman and said, “Your son seems to have been afflicted by wind-heat, which has agitated his spirit. Left untreated for too long, the heat has become extreme, leading to convulsions. While we’ve temporarily calmed the seizures and brought his spirit back, this is only a first-aid measure. Naturally, you’ll need to have a doctor you trust to diagnose the cause, prescribe medicine, and completely clear the heat and expel the root evil, so he can safely get through this.”
After saying this, he bowed and stepped out of the carriage. Thinking that the woman was likely a first-time mother and not very experienced in caring for children, he added a few more tips on child care: “Now that the weather is warming, and since your son’s condition was caused by heat, wrapping him in a blanket is not appropriate. Children have abundant yang energy and don’t need to be bundled up. When the weather gets even warmer in a few days, just cover him with a light blanket over his abdomen and waist.”
The woman was about to wrap the child in the blanket when she heard him say this. She quickly opened the quilt and repeatedly assured him she would remember his advice.
The child had indeed calmed down, and there was no denying it. The woman’s initial doubts had completely vanished. Holding her child, she was now full of gratitude and asked for Yu Jinnian’s name, saying she would visit him to personally express her thanks. Yu Jinnian shook his head and stepped out of the carriage. The sunlight was so bright that he wanted to shield his eyes by standing in Ji Hong’s shadow. Ji Hong, noticing this, took a step forward, naturally using his tall frame to block the glaring light for him, pulling down the black veil over Yu Jinnian’s head.
“Who dares disturb my wife’s carriage!” A furious man emerged from a nearby tavern, and when he looked up to see the commotion and noticed a young man coming out of the carriage, he immediately pointed in their direction and shouted, “How dare you enter my wife’s carriage!”
Yu Jinnian was so frightened that he quickly hid behind Ji Hong. Although he had entered the carriage to save someone, he had indeed climbed into the lady’s carriage without permission, and it was understandable that her husband would be angry.
The woman quickly ran over, calling out, “Husband.”
Ji Hong also turned around and greeted him politely, “General Lu, Lady Lu.”
Yu Jinnian sneakily looked up and, well, it turned out that in his casual effort to treat someone, he had ended up treating a member of the nobility.
The man in front of him was none other than the illustrious General Lu Wei of Suiyuan, who had gained fame in the Xia dynasty for his success in securing the northwest. He was highly regarded by the emperor and enjoyed great prestige in the court. The child’s mother, Lady Fan, was none other than the emperor’s personally titled first-rank madam. In fact, the situation surrounding General Lu’s wife was even more legendary than his military accomplishments.
Back when battles raged in the northwest, General Lu had been thrown from his horse, and the elite squad he commanded had been lured deep into the desert by the enemy, disappearing for days. Search parties from the army had scoured the area for days without finding any trace of him. The desert wasn’t just filled with endless sand but also roving bandits, making it dangerous even for men, let alone a young noblewoman like Lady Lu, who had never done manual labor. Despite everyone’s warnings and the immense risk, she had led a camel into the desert alone to search for her husband.
Half a month later, when everyone assumed the couple had perished in the desert and had begun preparing funeral arrangements, she returned—carrying General Lu on her back. At dawn, covered in blood, she walked into the Xia army’s camp, stunning even General Lu’s most hardened subordinates, who took a moment to realize they needed to assist her.
Later, General Lu returned victorious, but Lady Lu was left unable to conceive again due to an arrow wound she had sustained in her lower abdomen while rescuing him.
General Lu and Lady Fan had originally married due to their parents’ arrangements and matchmakers’ words, but because Lu was called away to the battlefield shortly after their marriage, they had spent most of their time apart and didn’t share a particularly deep bond. However, after this incident, their relationship grew deeply affectionate. Over the years, countless people had urged General Lu to take another wife to continue the family line, but he coldly rejected them all, saying, “How can I betray my wife, who has shown such devotion to me?”
This story reached the capital, and the emperor, moved by their tale, not only rewarded General Lu for his military service but also granted Lady Fan the title of first-rank madam.
It was a touching story, to say the least.
Shibao Street was bustling with people, and many recognized General Lu. Some wondered why he had returned to the capital from the northwest, while others were simply there to watch the spectacle. When they saw the child in Lady Lu’s arms, they were all puzzled, for it was common knowledge that General Lu had no heirs. So where had this little child come from all of a sudden?
General Lu was a straightforward man, hardened by years of military service, and he was the last person to flatter anyone. Upon a closer look, he recognized Ji Hong and immediately furrowed his long brows in displeasure. Reluctantly, he greeted, “The heir to the Duke of Li? Why are you here?” He then glanced at the small figure hiding behind Ji Hong and asked, “May I ask the heir, who is this?”
Before Ji Hong could reply, his wife quickly interjected, explaining, “Husband, it was this young man who saved our Ah Xi’s life. Just now, Ah Xi was convulsing nonstop, and I was terrified, not knowing what to do. Thankfully, this young man has excellent medical skills and acted decisively, stopping Ah Xi’s illness.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Wei looked carefully at Yu Jinnian. Only then did he notice that the fabric of his clothing was made from imperial tribute material, something rarely seen even in the royal palace. The emperor had gifted several bolts of this precious fabric to Lu for his efforts in securing the northwest, and Lu still had it stored away, reluctant to have it cut. It was already surprising to see such luxurious cloth worn by someone other than Ji Hong, but even more astonishing that it was worn by an unknown young man. Not to mention, the boy also had a rose-shaped jade pendant hanging from his waist.
Ji Hong slightly turned his body, half-shielding the young man behind him. Having seen countless people in his life, Lu Wei recognized this instinctive gesture of protection, which showed just how much Ji Hong valued the boy. After hearing the full story and seeing his wife’s anxious expression, Lu Wei gently patted her hand to comfort her. He then respectfully bowed to Ji Hong and Yu Jinnian, saying, “If this is the case, then I, Lu Wei, on behalf of my wife, thank the young heir and this gentleman. I will surely visit the Duke of Li’s estate to express my gratitude another day.”
For Lu Wei to say such words were already giving the Ji family significant face. Everyone knew that General Lu of Suiyuan was a man of great integrity. Though the political landscape was turbulent, and no one dared to openly speak of it, it was clear that there were three major factions in the court: the faction of Prime Minister Min, the eunuch faction led by the Lu Party, and the faction supporting the Prince of Yue. Deciding which side to support was a choice that every official had to approach with great caution.
General Lu, with his tens of thousands of elite cavalry under his command, was a figure whom all factions sought to win over. However, in his ten-plus years as an official, Lu Wei had never aligned with any faction. Although this had left him ostracized from the capital, his life was frugal but carefree. Prime Minister Min had tried multiple times to extend an olive branch, but Lu Wei had always pretended not to see it, let alone promised to visit anyone’s estate. For him to now declare that he would visit the Duke of Li’s estate to thank them for the sake of his wife and child was enough to shock those watching.
Whoever said a tough man had no tender feelings?
Ji Hong raised his brow slightly, casting a sidelong glance at the boy hiding behind him. Even through the thin black veil, he could see the boy’s innocent expression, and Ji Hong couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly: *Some little things truly bring good fortune. This is exactly what they mean by “what you seek, you find effortlessly.”*
Just as this conversation was wrapping up downstairs, a man suddenly stood up from the partially open window above. With a flick of his sleeve, cups and saucers were swept off the table, shattering on the ground. Zhou Feng hurried to catch what he could, but a few small cups still fell, scattering fragments across the floor. The man’s dark red sleeves were stained with tea, and Zhou Feng cautiously stepped forward to wipe it clean, only to be shoved aside as the man angrily spat, “Why is he everywhere?”
General Lu, who had been in this very tea house half an hour earlier, had been completely straightforward with his master, refusing any roundabout discussion. Now, hearing that he had just politely stated his intention to visit the Ji household, Zhou Feng dared not speak and whispered, “It must be just a coincidence…”
“Coincidence, my—” Yan Chang started, then closed his mouth, muttering under his breath, “Get out.”
Zhou Feng knew exactly what he was about to curse and didn’t wait for him to finish. Without a word, he immediately scurried out of the room.
Yan Chang grabbed the last remaining porcelain teapot on the table, ready to smash it, but just as he was about to hurl it, he caught sight of a figure in a black veiled hat passing gracefully under the window. His gaze followed the hat until it disappeared into a tavern across the street, and he stood there for a moment, dazed. Then he heavily set the teapot down, muttering to himself, “I should never have let you go.”
“Zhou Feng,” he called again, “Get back in here.”
Zhou Feng poked his head back into the room. “What are your orders, Master?”
Yan Chang asked, “What shop is that?”
Zhou Feng glanced down and replied, “That’s the shop that sells *Drunken Spring*. It’s a strong wine that was popular in the capital ten years ago and was the favorite drink of the Ji family’s second son before he passed away. Though it’s fallen out of fashion, the shop still gets some business.”
Yan Chang exhaled a long breath, sitting down again. “Go get me a jar of it.”
Zhou Feng hesitated, “That wine… they only sell it by the cup.”
Yan Chang raised his eyes again, only to see the “partners in crime” stepping out of the shop with the young boy skipping ahead, holding a large jar of *Drunken Spring* covered in a red cloth. In his other hand, he clutched a small, delicate wine gourd, eagerly pouring the contents into his mouth. Ji Hong climbed into the carriage, reached out, and pulled the wine-happy boy up with him.
From the window, with the cold tea and chilly wind blowing, Yan Chang watched them disappear into the distance and couldn’t help but sneer. “They only sell *Drunken Spring* by the cup… Why is it that the rules of the world never seem to apply to him?”
Zhou Feng could only respond with a silent, awkward pause.