Chapter 538: Chapter 530: She Really Dares to Say It!
Madam Lin’s pupils gradually focused, and what came into view were a pair of clear, bright eyes, extremely spirited and beautiful.
“You…” Her voice was hoarse and she grunted, her brows furrowed with a headache.
Qin Liuxi said in a gentle voice, “Please don’t speak, there are needles on your face. You’ve suffered a sudden stroke that caused you to faint. I’ve administered acupuncture to you, but you’ll need to recover gradually and avoid extreme joy and sorrow.”
Madam Lin blinked her eyes.
It was now time to remove the needles. Qin Liuxi first took out the needles on her face, then had the medical woman support her upper body while she herself opened up the honeycomb and placed the Angong Pill in her mouth.
The old nanny handed her warm water to help her swallow the pill and asked, “Junior Temple Master, what medicine is this?”
“It’s the Angong Pill,” replied Qin Liuxi.
The old nanny uttered an “Oh,” realizing that it was stored casually in a bottle, probably from other herb shops. After all, expensive places like the Changsheng Hall weren’t the only ones making Angong Pills, but the honeycomb wrapper seemed somewhat familiar.
After taking the pill, Qin Liuxi asked Xiu Gu to lay Madam Lin down again.
Miss Lin, seeing her grandmother’s improved spirit after taking the medicine, showed a face full of surprise and joy, saying, “Grandmother, you scared me to death.”
Madam Lin gave her a comforting look and then turned her gaze to Qin Liuxi with a hint of curiosity.
The old nanny briefly explained Qin Liuxi’s background.
Madam Lin was astonished. A doctor from the Daoist Temple had such incredible medical skills?
Miss Lin asked, “Junior Temple Master, is my grandmother better now?”
Qin Liuxi couldn’t help but laugh. “How could that be possible? She’s had a stroke. If it weren’t treated in time, it could have been fatal. I have only helped her through the most dangerous point of death. Hereafter, we must continue with the treatment. First and foremost, the blood vessels in her skull must remain unobstructed to avoid the recurrence of what just happened; it could be dangerous if it happens again.”
Xiu Gu asked, “What do you mean by ‘brain pressure’?”
“Oh, it means that when the Liver Yang is excessively strong, the blood pressure rises along with it, and one can’t help but feel dizzy and have headaches, eventually fainting,” explained Qin Liuxi. “Therefore, it’s better for older adults to avoid extreme emotional upheavals and maintain a peaceful state of mind. They should also adopt a light diet and avoid overly greasy and rich foods. Moreover, Madam Lin must have overworked in her youth, accumulating many chronic health issues over time. Thankfully, she received treatment from skilled doctors so that her health hasn’t deteriorated too much. Otherwise, it’s unlikely she would have pulled through this episode.”
Xiu Gu looked at Qin Liuxi eagerly, asking, “Can this illness be cured?”
Qin Liuxi fell silent for a moment.
Their hearts hung in suspense.
However, Madam Lin remained calm and gentle, as if the illness under discussion wasn’t her own, apparently prepared for life and death long ago.
Seeing this expression, Qin Liuxi said, “Madam Lin is also not young anymore. Although her body has been maintained, the fundamentals are compromised and can’t be reborn. We can only maintain it to prevent it from deteriorating further. As for whether this illness can be treated, I could say it can, but every aspect must be addressed carefully, and medicines must be taken regularly. At such an age and with this condition, pardon my bluntness, but it’s akin to having your name registered with King Yama. All one can do is to take even more meticulous care of oneself.”
Her voice was crisp, yet unbeknownst to her, Jing Xiaosi outside the carriage wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, looked towards the frowning guard, maid, and steward, wanting to squeeze out a smile, yet unable to muster one no matter how hard he tried.
“How boldly you speak, so directly and without reserve!”
Inside the carriage, Miss Lin’s eyes reddened again, tears swirling, yet she dared not let them fall, fearing they might bring bad luck.
Xiu Gu pursed her lips. She too studied Qi Huang and knew that what Qin Liuxi had said, though harsh, was nothing but the hard truth.
Madam Lin just curled her lips slightly, her voice hoarse, “It’s okay, I have lived long enough.”
“Your mindset is good, but one should never say ‘enough’. After all, you worked so hard in your youth to achieve this distinguished status, having four generations under one roof, and enjoying endless wealth and honors. While not fearing death, one should also take good care of their health and keep a happy mindset, avoiding extreme joys and sorrows. Living another day longer is a gain for you.” Qin Liuxi smiled as she removed the acupuncture needles from the lower limbs, massaged them, and then took Madam Lin’s pulse again.
Madam Lin’s physical foundation was actually not good; her health had deteriorated in her youth. The fact that she had lived to this age was due to years of careful nurturing and the daily attention of an accomplished Imperial Physician from the Imperial Hospital, who prescribed Peace Formulas and ensured a lavish supply of tonics, thereby extending her lifespan.
Without such measures, she would have succumbed to her health issues long ago.
But as it was said, a weak foundation could not be restored to its prime condition through treatment, particularly at such an age. Nurturing care was the only option, and hence, the functions of the internal organs would gradually weaken due to the insufficient foundation.
Qin Liuxi was confident in her medical skills, but she was not so arrogant as to believe she could restore youth, making an elderly lady young again like this girl.
After checking the pulse, Qin Liuxi instructed Xiu Gu to fetch paper and pen, then formulated a prescription and handed it over: “When you return, have the Imperial Physician review this prescription and then follow it to prepare and take four doses of the medicine. It might also be helpful to receive acupuncture from the Imperial Physician, to harmonize yin and yang, and promote the circulation of qi and blood. In the near future, do not let the elderly patient move around too much, she should rest in bed. If the weather is mild, she can soak up some sunlight before the second period of the morning, but don’t do it for too long, or she might feel dizzy.”
These detailed instructions covered all aspects of care.
Seeing Qin Liuxi pack away her Golden Needle with an air of having washed her hands of the matter, Miss Lin glanced at her grandmother and asked, “Junior Temple Master, can’t you continue to treat my grandmother?”
“The most critical moment has passed; I have already helped her through it. For nurturance and conditioning, the doctors of the Imperial Hospital can manage it—they are not known for their reputation alone,” Qin Liuxi said with a smile.
Hearing this, Miss Lin became somewhat anxious. Qin Liuxi was young but had managed to pull her grandmother back from the brink of death with her exceptional medical skills, a testament to her capabilities. Instinctively, Miss Lin felt she should retain Qin Liuxi’s services a while longer.
Qin Liuxi seemed to see through her thoughts and said, “I won’t be staying in Shengjing for long and cannot consistently attend to your grandmother or prescribe her Peace Formulas. You’ll have to rely on the Imperial Physicians of the Imperial Hospital.”
The old nanny asked, “Could you at least come up with a Peace Formula for her physical nourishment?”
Qin Liuxi smiled lightly, “You sure have faith in me. Let’s first see how the Old Lady’s recovery goes, shall we? She hasn’t even taken the medicine yet. What if I were just a figurehead?”
Xiu Gu thought to herself that if Qin Liuxi was just a figurehead, then she herself must be a thoroughly useless doctor.
Indeed, she had felt the Old Lady’s pulse, which was now much stronger than before, and all Qin Liuxi had done was apply acupuncture and administer an Angong Pill. The Angong Pill is a fixed remedy, but performing acupuncture required precision in selecting and needling the right acupoints to match the condition.
But Qin Liuxi had achieved just that.
“It’s inappropriate to trouble you further, and we should leave it to the Junior Temple Master to take good care of our mother.” Suddenly, a cultured and gentle voice rang out from outside the carriage.