284: Chapter 282 Seeking a Doctor

It was already dark. Linan City was not like Tianyuan City; it had no spirit lamps that stayed lit all night.

After dark, the streets became deserted, with only a few scattered lanterns hanging in front of shops, swaying gently in the night wind.

Yun Ming and Ah Yuan were sitting in a small tavern in the south of the city.

The tavern wasn't large, with four or five tables and a faded landscape painting on the wall depicting a panoramic view of Linan City. The proprietor was a plump old man in his fifties, wearing an apron and clicking an abacus behind the counter. A pot of bone broth was stewing on the stove, bubbling with steam, and the aroma filled the entire room.

The dishes had all been served. A plate of braised pork, a steamed fish, a bowl of egg drop soup, two small plates of stir-fried vegetables, and a basin of white rice.

Ah Yuan held her bowl, picked up some vegetables with her chopsticks, chewed a couple of times, swallowed, then picked up another piece, chewed again, and swallowed again.

Her expression was calm, but her chopsticks didn't move quickly.

Yun Ming picked up a piece of braised pork, took a bite, chewed, and swallowed.

Then he picked up another piece, chewed again, and swallowed again.

His expression was also calm, but when he put down his chopsticks, more than half of that piece of meat remained uneaten.

Ah Yuan glanced at him. "Master, is it not good?"

Yun Ming picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"One can only say the taste is mediocre."

He picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks, put it in his bowl, poked at it, but didn't eat it.

Ah Yuan picked up a piece of meat herself, took a bite, chewed a few times, and her brow twitched slightly. She didn't say it was bad, nor did she say it was good. She swallowed the meat and lowered her head to take a mouthful of rice.

Yun Ming looked at her and suddenly smiled.

"Our palates have been spoiled in Tianyuan City."

Ah Yuan thought about it and nodded.

The spirit cuisine they ate in Tianyuan City had fancy names and indeed tasted excellent.

The chefs in those spirit cuisine restaurants could create the most amazing flavors using the most ordinary ingredients, let alone when using top-tier ones.

No matter how skilled a Mortal chef was, they couldn't produce dishes cooked with spirit fire, spirit springs, and spirit ingredients.

It wasn't that it didn't taste good; it was just that they were used to being pampered, and their palates had become picky.

Yun Ming picked up another piece of vegetable, ate two bites, and put down his chopsticks. He picked up his teacup, leaned against the back of the chair, and drank slowly. Ah Yuan also put down her chopsticks, took a sip of soup, and pushed her bowl aside. Neither of them was hungry; they had ordered a table full of food but barely ate a few bites.

The proprietor glanced at them and shook his head, saying nothing.

The other customers in the tavern had mostly left. An old man still sat in the corner, drinking yellow wine alone with only a plate of peanuts in front of him. He drank very slowly, occasionally looking up at the night scene outside the window as if waiting for someone.

Just then, a hurried sound of footsteps came from outside.

It wasn't just one person, but several. The footsteps were urgent and heavy, thumping loudly on the bluestone slabs.

The tavern door was suddenly pushed open, and several people crowded in.

Leading them was the Old Steward of the Ning Mansion, followed by four or five servants.

They wore short blue cloth tunics with cloth belts around their waists, all panting heavily and covered in sweat. The Old Steward's hair was disheveled, and his collar was open, as if he had run through several streets.

The proprietor was startled, almost dropping the abacus in his hand.

The old man in the corner also looked up, squinting at the group.

The few diners who hadn't left yet also looked over, whispering among themselves.

"Isn't that the steward of the Ning Mansion? Why did he run here?"

"Looking at him, I'm afraid something has happened."

"What could happen? The Old Madam is seriously ill, but didn't their Young Master bring an Imperial Physician back from the capital?"

"An Imperial Physician? If the Imperial Physician were useful, why would the steward come running here?"

The murmurs were quiet, but the tavern wasn't large, so everything could be heard.

The Old Steward's gaze swept around the tavern and immediately spotted Yun Ming sitting by the window. He hurried over in a few steps and fell to his knees with a thud.

"Mr. Yun, I beg you to come back and save the Old Madam!" His voice was hoarse and carried a sob.

Several servants also knelt down, clamoring, "Mr. Yun, we beg you!"

"The Old Madam... she's coughing up blood!"

"Imperial Physician Zhao has fled, and we don't know what to do!"

Ah Yuan was startled by this commotion and leaned closer to Yun Ming. Yun Ming didn't move; he held his teacup and took a slow sip.

"Didn't your Eldest Young Master trust that Imperial Physician?" Yun Ming's tone was flat. "What, the Imperial Physician's medicine didn't work?"

The Old Steward's forehead struck the ground.

"Mr. Yun, we were blind and looked down on people. After the Old Madam took Imperial Physician Zhao's medicine... she woke up for a while, but it wasn't long before she started coughing up blood and is now unconscious. The Eldest Young Master sent me to invite you. I beg you, for the sake of the Young Miss's Face, save the Old Madam."

He looked up, his eyes red. "Mr. Yun, you can vent your anger however you like—beat me or scold me—I only beg you to make this trip. The Old Madam's life depends on you."

Yun Ming didn't answer immediately. He placed his teacup on the table, looked at the night scene outside the window, then at the Old Steward kneeling on the ground.

"Your Eldest Young Master sent you? What did he say?"

The Old Steward hurriedly said, "The Eldest Young Master said to invite you back with the utmost courtesy. He also said that what happened before was his fault, and he apologizes to you." He pulled a silver ingot from his robe and held it above his head with both hands. "This is the consultation fee the Eldest Young Master told me to bring first. If you say it's not enough, I will go back and get more."

Yun Ming glanced at the silver ingot but didn't take it. "Stand up. I'm not used to talking to people while they're kneeling."

The Old Steward hurriedly stood up, and the servants followed suit, standing aside with their hands down.

Yun Ming stood up and straightened his robes. "Let's go."

The Old Steward was stunned for a moment, not expecting Yun Ming to agree so readily. He hurriedly stepped aside and made an inviting gesture. "Mr. Yun, this way, please. I have prepared a sedan chair—"

"No need," Yun Ming interrupted him. "We'll walk. Oh, right, remember to pay for this meal."

He stepped toward the door. Ah Yuan hurriedly followed.

The Old Steward left one servant to pay and led the others behind them. The group left the tavern in a grand manner.

The proprietor watched their departing figures and shook his head. The old man in the corner also stood up, placed the money for the wine on the table, and walked out slowly.

The night wind blew, carrying the chill of early autumn. There weren't many lanterns on the street, and the light was dim. Yun Ming walked neither fast nor slow, with Ah Yuan by his side.

"Master, are you really going to save that Old Madam?" Ah Yuan asked in a low voice.

Yun Ming gave an "Mm."

"But didn't you say before that you'd make them beg you and then charge a high price?" Ah Yuan asked again. "You didn't even bargain."

Yun Ming glanced at her. "Mustn't I show my skill first to better raise the price?"

Ah Yuan didn't ask further.

She followed behind Yun Ming, passing through one dim alleyway after another.

The Old Steward and the servants followed behind, none of them daring to speak.

They looked at Yun Ming's back, all wondering in their hearts—could this person really save the Old Madam? No one knew the answer, but at this moment, they could only place their hopes on this young man.