Chapter 7.1

Perhaps before today, Doctor Zhou’s understanding of the word “desperado” was only in the literal sense.

But today, he finally understood profoundly what “desperado” meant.

The man on the bed was clearly wounded all over. He was half dead, and his pulse was weak, yet he was still able to ignore it. Huo Wujiu calmly allowed him to remove his rotting flesh and sprinkle a powder on him, and had time to remind him not to try to play tricks and to resist stealing the antidote from him in advance.　　

The Doctor did not dare to tremble as he administered the medicine to him.

When he removed his upper robe, the whiplash marks on his tightly muscular body crashed into his eyes. He was tortured so heavily that his flesh was torn to shreds, with new injuries overlapping old ones. Perhaps because the torture devices were dipped in salt water, those wounds almost had no scabs and had the tendency to fester.

After over a month of imprisonment, it was obvious from the sight of his body that a day must have crawled by like a year.

If these injuries were on someone else, even if they weren’t in immense pain, they must have long been immobilized. Yet just by looking at his face, this man would appear uninjured if he had a robe on. 

In all of Doctor Zhou’s years of medical practice, he had never seen such a ruthless man.

It was said that people who were cruel to themselves would never be soft on others. Therefore, the doctor did not doubt the authenticity of his poisoning and had to resign himself to his fate. From now on, in all likelihood, he would have to follow Huo Wujiu’ orders.

The process of applying medicine was quite tedious. Only when Huo Wujiu’s upper body was almost wrapped in gauze did it come to an end.

“Your injuries are too severe, and you have already lost qi and blood. Afterward, while your wounds heal, you might develop inflammation or fever, which can be life-threatening in serious cases. I will prescribe a few oral medicines for you. You–“

Huo Wujiu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke and interrupted him.

“Take a look at my legs,” he ordered.

Manor Doctor Zhou froze at the interruption before realizing what he was talking about.

However, before he could react, Huo Wujiu had quietly leaned down, tugging his robe up with one hand and pulling his trouser legs up with the other.

It was a pair of long, straight legs that looked full of strength.

However, under the scars and blood stains, the horrific wounds on them were bone deep and vividly clear.

Those were wounds that cut through flesh and blood and severed the meridians.

Doctor Zhou only took a glance, and then averted his eyes in panic—— His medical skills might be good, but he wasn’t a peerless genius doctor. With just one look, he knew that there was no cure or remedy for such an injury.

He looked towards Huo Wujiu, just to see those deep black eyes quietly looking at the wound that exposed his bloody flesh.

Huo Wujiu was so calm that he scared Doctor Zhou.

“Can I still stand up?” He heard Huo Wujiu ask.

Doctor Zhou trembled and deliberated for a moment before carefully replying, “I’d better bandage your legs as well. If the wounds fester, they’ll be difficult to deal with.”

He carefully avoided Huo Wujiu’s question, which was another way of telling him that it was hopeless.

Huo Wujiu fell silent.

After a moment, he grunted, let go of the fabric clutched in his hand, sat up, and leaned back into the backrest of his wheelchair.

Huo Wujiu was extremely quiet.

Doctor Zhou did not dare to look at Huo Wujiu’s face again, but as he bowed forward to apply medicine to the latter’s leg, Doctor Zhou saw his hand resting on his knee.

The veins in the back of his hand bulged, and his five fingers were tightened, clenching the old wounds on his hand.

——

After Jiang Suizhou uttered those words, he distinctly felt the Hou Zhu’s satisfaction.

Or rather, what the Hou Zhu was satisfied with wasn’t the words he uttered, but the displeasure that showed on Jiang Suizhou’s face when he replied.

His Majesty seemed to be particularly malicious toward Jiang Suizhou, and liked to base his pleasure on the latter’s pain.

With Jiang Suizhou’s agreement, the matter naturally came to an end. His Majesty seemed to no longer be interested in the court. Several officials presented memorials, but he listened to them with a lack of interest, then waved his hand and said to let the Grand Minister of the Masses decide.

The courtroom seemingly turned into Pang Shao’s turf.

Hence, the morning court session did not last long and ended with a yawn of His Majesty.

Jiang Suizhou followed the officials out of the Guangyuan Hall and pursed his lips.

He really didn’t expect that the purpose of the Hou Zhu’s trip to the court was to taunt and jeer at him.

But so far, the Hou Zhu hated Huo Wujiu and, at the same time, didn’t treat Jiang Suizhou any better. Currently, Jiang Suizhou and Huo Wujiu were tethered to a rope, so it could count as saving trouble by letting the Hou Zhu vent his anger.

Jiang Suizhou cast his eyes down and descended the stairs step by step.

He initially thought he would breathe his last breath, but to his surprise, he was able to walk arduously up till now.

Just then, someone passed by him.

“I’m really bitterly disappointed with Your Highness’s move!” The voice was old and gloomy.

Jiang Suizhou raised his eyes, and saw an old minister with white hair two or three feet away, walking toward him .

As soon as he turned around, Jiang Suizhou froze.

…He’s practically identical to the portraits in history materials!

This man was, without a doubt, the only remaining good minister at the end of the Jing Dynasty, the Minister of Ceremonies, Qi Min.

This man served as a minister for three generations of the Jing Dynasty. He was honest and upright. He held to his principles and never yielded to pressure. He was a rare courtier who dared to stand up to Pang Shao in court in the late Jing Dynasty.

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