132: Chapter 0132 Leaf-washing Orchid

Lin Xiao certainly wouldn't expose them right away; after all, they had disguised themselves and clearly thought they were pulling the wool over everyone's eyes.

"Old Madam, if there is anything you need my help with, just say the word!"

Lin Xiao finally understood why Zhu Ming had suddenly invited him to dinner.

It must have been for the sake of this pair of "mother and daughter."

Ding Cuihua sighed, "General Lin, to tell you the truth, there really is a matter I would like to ask for your help with."

"Oh? What is it?"

"General, please come with me."

Ding Cuihua beckoned to the two of them.

Lin Xiao and Su Wansha followed her into the room, where a woman with a pale, weathered complexion was lying on a floor mat.

Judging by her appearance, she really did bear a slight resemblance to Ding Cuihua.

As soon as Lin Xiao looked at her, his previous guess was confirmed...

[Shu Yelan, 55 years old, Yanyu Pavilion Master, Aptitude: Earth Grade (Sealed)]

[Technique 1: Heaven Severing Sword Formation (75 years of cultivation), a top-tier secret art of the Sword Forest, converting sword qi into lethal killing intent, capable of forming a sword formation alone. Grade: Heaven Grade]

[Technique 2: One Person, Thousand Faces (39 years of cultivation), a secret Jianghu technique that allows one to change their appearance. Grade: Earth Grade]

[Traits: Sword Master (Special), Disguise Master (Special), Great Zheng Dynasty Survivor (Special)]

Damn!

As expected of the leader of the number one assassin organization in the Jianghu, she had actually learned a Heaven Grade technique!?

Fortunately, her aptitude was stuck at Earth Grade; if she had Heaven Grade aptitude, she might have even had a chance to become a Great Grandmaster!

And it was a secret art of the Sword Forest, too. No wonder Ding Cuihua was sheltering them; they must have had some deep history.

However, what the hell is this "Great Zheng Dynasty Survivor" trait?

If he remembered correctly, the Great Zheng Dynasty was destroyed by the Great Gan Dynasty one hundred and fifty years ago, right?

That would be most of the territory of the current Eastern Region, Southern Region, and Baiyue.

Come to think of it, the Great Zheng Dynasty had a history of over four hundred years; it was a dynasty with a longer history than the Great Gan Dynasty.

But in its later years, because it favored civil officials over military generals, its military power gradually weakened, and under the pressure of internal troubles and external aggression, it was destroyed by the Great Gan Dynasty.

According to history, the Western Shu Kingdom of Xiao Qingxuan's family was once a vassal state of the Great Zheng Dynasty, and only became completely independent after the Great Zheng Dynasty fell.

The Prince of Nanling destroying Western Shu might, to a certain extent, have been out of fear that the Great Zheng Dynasty would make a comeback in Western Shu.

After all, a dynasty that lasted for over four hundred years would certainly have no shortage of loyal supporters.

"General Lin, this is my cousin, Alan. When she was fleeing, she was shot by a mountain bandit."

"After arriving here, although we hired a doctor to treat her wound, it never improved, and the wound has festered."

Ding Cuihua said with a worried look, "Starting from the day before yesterday, she has been running a fever, and from time to time she falls into a coma and becomes delirious."

Shot by a mountain bandit?

This "mountain bandit" wouldn't happen to be named "Archery Master Lou Suifeng," would he?

So she was seriously injured; no wonder she was in a "Sealed" state.

Yanyu Pavilion, that's what you get for letting that Faceless Boy try to kill me!

Infighting, right? Got injured, right?

Heh heh, serves you right!!

Lin Xiao scoffed inwardly, but his face wore an expression of surprise.

"There is such a thing? Old Madam, you should have sent someone to tell me sooner so I could have had the military doctor come and take a look."

"We didn't expect it to turn out like this, either."

Ding Cuihua sighed, "General Lin, you are incredibly intelligent and talented. Could you think of a way to help my poor sister?"

Lin Xiao gave a wry smile, "Old Madam, I am not a professional physician after all. This matter can only be handled by a doctor."

"We have already hired the best doctor in the city and he has prescribed medicine, but the doctor said that the arrow tip might have been poisoned, so the wound cannot heal, and ordinary medicine cannot cure it completely."

As Ding Cuihua was speaking, "Xiao Liuer" walked in from outside.

"Cousin Aunt, let me take Mother to the Heavenly Palace, okay?"

Ding Cuihua turned back and frowned, "Silly girl, do you even know where the Heavenly Palace is? Stop messing around."

"Heavenly Palace? What does that mean?" Lin Xiao asked.

Ding Cuihua said helplessly, "It was what the doctor said. He said there is a place called the 'Heavenly Palace' at the border of the Northern Barbarians and the Khitan."

"As long as you can find the mountain gate, there will be immortals from the Heavenly Palace who can help cure all kinds of difficult and miscellaneous illnesses."

Su Wansha remembered something, "I heard my father mention that Alimu Mountain is the sacred mountain of the Khitan and the Northern Barbarians. They don't even dare to go near it; only the royal family dares to go to the foot of the mountain to worship the mountain god."

"And that place can only be entered in spring and summer. It is too cold in autumn and winter; if you go in, you will easily encounter an avalanche and leave no bones behind."

Ding Cuihua nodded, "That's right, the doctor said the same thing. It is about to snow in the north, and we would have to go deep into the heart of the Northern Barbarians. Isn't that just asking for death?"

"But... but my mother..." Xiao Liuer's eyes were watery, and she was about to cry.

Lin Xiao thought to himself that she was truly a professional. With acting skills like that, if he had an Oscar in his hand, he would definitely give it to her!

"Alimu Mountain is too far away. Even if I sent people to take you there, I'm afraid it would be too late."

Lin Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Our Zhenbei Army Workshop has a health clinic, and there is a talent there who is skilled in medicine; perhaps he can solve this problem."

"Health clinic? What kind of place is that?" Ding Cuihua asked, finding it curious.

"Master's wife, it is a workshop where my... husband develops medicine. There are all kinds of strange things inside that we outsiders cannot understand."

Su Wansha boasted proudly, but she was puzzled in her heart. Who is this talent in the health clinic? She had no impression of him.

However, she hadn't been there more than twice, so maybe she just happened to miss him.

Ding Cuihua and "Xiao Liuer" exchanged a glance, trading a look without changing their expressions.

"Since it is a talent recognized by General Lin, he must have extraordinary abilities. May I ask what that person's name is?"

"His name is Yu Zecheng. He has a very eccentric personality, but when it comes to medical research, he certainly knows his stuff!"

Lin Xiao said it right off the cuff.

You don't like telling the truth and like to put on an act for me, right?

Come on, let's see who can out-act whom!

"Yu... Ze... cheng? I haven't heard of such a famous doctor."

Ding Cuihua looked at Zhu Ming at the door, and the old man also shook his head.

"General Lin, can you let this Doctor Yu come and take a look?" Liu Hanyi asked.

"Him? He generally doesn't make house calls. As long as someone describes the symptoms to him, he can basically prescribe medicine."

Lin Xiao said, "If it is convenient, may I take a look at your mother's wound?"

Liu Hanyi frowned, but at this point, she had no choice and had to agree.

She pulled open Shu Yelan's collar, revealing a penetrating arrow wound on her chest.

It was clearly a poison arrow. Fortunately, it had missed her heart, and coupled with her deep internal energy, she had managed to hold on until now without dying!

But the wound was festering, and if this continued, she would likely die from complications caused by the infection.

"General Lin, is there any way?"

"I will go back and find Yu Zecheng to see what he says," Lin Xiao said.

"Then, I will have to trouble you, General Lin." A trace of worry and suspicion flashed in Liu Hanyi's eyes.

Zhu Ming interrupted at the right moment, "Let's eat quickly. We can't have General Lin starving while he is doing favors for you, right?"

"Right, right, right. Xiao Liuer, let's go cook!" Ding Cuihua urged.

After the simple meal, Ding Cuihua and Liu Hanyi thanked him repeatedly and saw Lin Xiao and Su Wansha off.

Once the carriage had gone far away, Liu Hanyi's expression immediately returned to a cold state.

"Junior Uncle, I think Lin Xiao is lying."