Chapter 859: Chapter 732: A Great Favor from Years Past

"You silly boy, why didn’t you let me inside earlier? I’m freezing."

As soon as the grumpy old man walked into the living room, he fired at Zhang Guoqing: "If there’s anything good to eat at home, bring it out quickly. I’m starving."

"Just wait a moment, I’ll prepare it right away."

Carrying out the breakfast of meat buns and corn porridge, Zhang Guoqing lifted the curtain and saw the scene—a shabby old man having taken off his worn jacket and was wearing "twill fabric," with a sweater draped over the armrest beside him.

He complained, "How is it that despite your age, you always come looking for a laugh with me? With your circumstances, you shouldn’t be coming to me to freeload."

"I’m seeking you out because I think highly of you. So many people want to invite me to their homes, but I’m not interested. Quickly, call your wife over; she’s still with child."

"You could tell?"

"Nonsense!" The old man cast a disdainful glance at him, stretching his neck and staring eagerly out the window.

Seeing this, Zhang Guoqing’s heart stirred. The old man clearly wasn’t really interested in the meal; he wanted to reach Zhou Jiao through him.

"Old man, are you an old acquaintance of the Huang Family? My wife has only learned a few basics, so it’s no use seeking her out. All of the Huang Family’s medical books and ancestral prescriptions were left with the Northeast Zhou Family."

The old man gave a knowing look: "Would I treasure anything from the Huang Family? That old fellow, once he’s gone, what even is left of the so-called Imperial Physician Huang Family, who remembers them?"

"Then why are you seeking out my wife?" Zhang Guoqing handed him a bowl of corn porridge. "Drink some first; my wife and son will come in soon."

The old man didn’t stand on ceremony, picking it up to drink. He had long ago noticed that this corn porridge was different from others, its aroma making his mouth water. One sip confirmed his suspicions—many good ingredients had been added.

"You have a lot of red dates at home. Give me some as well as some brown sugar."

Zhang Guoqing looked at him amusedly, "I thought you said you wouldn’t leave? Why do you want to take them back?"

The old man feigned a bitter expression, "If your wife isn’t truly willing, adding some bitters would be enough to suffer. I might as well leave. Who’s making my life miserable, without even an apprentice."

Zhang Guoqing’s eyes lit up at this: "No wonder you were asking my wife if she has a photographic memory. You want to take her as an apprentice? No way! Who knows what kind of person you really are."

"You wretched boy!"

"Getting angry, huh? Useless. My wife doesn’t want to learn medicine. If she did, she would have already enrolled in medical school back when she applied to college. You’ve wasted your time."

The old man slammed the table in anger: "If not a good minister, then a good doctor—what’s wrong with learning medicine? What do you know! Many people begged to be my disciple, how is this a waste of time?"

"Even if you get excited, it’s no use."

Zhang Guoqing threw out that sentence before running to the door to call Zhou Jiao and their son in for breakfast. This girl would always be engrossed in ancient medical texts when she had some free time. Now that she finally had a seemingly skilled and convenient teacher, they had to at least get him to stay first.

As the saying goes, people eat grains and it’s inevitable to get sick! It’s safer to trust one’s own life to oneself compared to believing in those quack doctors. Didn’t see that the head of the Gu Family lost his life due to a dose of medicine?

Zhou Jiao entered carrying a plate of colorful pickles, leading her son inside, and placed it on the table: "Old man, try and see how it tastes?"

"Quite thoughtful." The old man tasted a bit, "If only some medicinal herbs were added..."

Zhang Guoqing quickly interrupted, "Let’s eat breakfast first; it’ll get cold."

The old man grumped a dissatisfied "humph": "This little boy shouldn’t eat these."

Ping’an smiled and thanked him politely. He smartly kept silent, simultaneously eating and observing everyone. His mom had advised him earlier to stay quiet until they understood the old man’s intentions.

Breakfast ended amidst the bantering between Zhang Guoqing and the old man. Zhou Jiao pretty much figured it out. It seemed the old man wanted to take her as a disciple, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

She remained cautious about unsolicited favors. A talent capable of advising her son—such a person she’s willing to support, even if the cost is for nothing; perhaps she’d need him someday.

However, if they came to take her on as a disciple, that was truly absurd! Why would someone suspected of being a high-skilled individual take a liking to her, Zhou Jiao, whom they haven’t met?

After the meal, the old man contentedly patted his belly, letting out a loud burp, proudly claiming his internal organs were healthy—making Zhou Jiao nearby twitch her eyelids.

Now she was seriously questioning whether this unrefined old man was truly skilled? If she weren’t so bored, she’d be planning to return to her room to do some knitting.

"I owe Mr. Yu a great debt." The old man suddenly fell into reminiscence after that one sentence, "As a young man being praised, I used to think I was the best, disregarding everyone else. One year, a eunuch came with an oral decree summoning me to the palace; my master then warned me that matters among the nobility were not to meddle with, saying to see more and speak less, definitely not to take the lead."

Zhou Jiao realized he was launching into tales of the past.

"Back then, an eight-month pregnant consort had fallen into the water and was unconscious; many Imperial Physicians suggested first preserving the royal fetus, planning to perform a Caesarean if needed at the last stage."

Zhou Jiao looked at Zhang Guoqing, and the two exchanged glances.

"I was quite angry at the time; such a beautiful lady, though unmoving, held her belly tight even in her condition. A child is a life, but isn’t an adult’s life equally valuable? I got so worked up that I proactively volunteered."

Zhou Jiao understood something went wrong afterward, otherwise her grandfather wouldn’t have been involved.

"Many experienced Imperial Physicians came out to stop me. Watching as time passed, the adult’s life was truly at risk. We quarreled, and without knowing when one of the Imperial Physicians left, it was already too late when discovered; an imperial decree had been received. That’s the Empress Dowager—who dared defy her."

"Medicinal herbs were administered, and before long, the Emperor came, insisting we ensure the consort’s survival. I was moved at the time, thinking heaven had eyes, so I volunteered myself. The result was a pile of absurd regulations; by the time the midwives heard my explanation, the person had died, and the newborn boy didn’t survive either."

Zhou Jiao took a breath. With sovereignty held above all, that indeed meant burial.

"At the time, the Emperor hadn’t yet placed the blame; an Imperial Physician inside pointed at me, saying it was my fault. The entire Imperial Hospital rallied against me, and it was then that I finally understood my master’s words."

After speaking, the old man looked at Zhou Jiao, his eyes seemingly trying to search through her for a certain shadow.

"Seeing my life in imminent danger. The Empress Dowager got the news and hurried over; it was my fate not to die. That day Mr. Zhou also got summoned into the palace; following the Empress Dowager, several people stood within the grand hall. After hearing the physicians’ words, he spoke on how fortune favors life. Just one sentence saved my life."

Zhou Jiao shook her head: "That doesn’t count as much of a favor."

The old man glared at her: "What would a child know? Those accompanying Mr. Yu at the time included brothers, but none pleaded on my behalf. We people appeared as dogs in their eyes; dead was just dead.

Had another person spoken, the Empress Dowager wouldn’t have listened. You know Mr. Yu, right? Once he spoke, several brothers chimed in with kind words."

Zhou Jiao rubbed her nose. Did it require such emotion?

Nearby, Zhang Guoqing quickly changed the topic: "Old man, you’ve talked about Emperor and Empress—and your age today, could you share it?"

"Hmm." The old man turned away proudly, "Not telling you! You calculate it yourself—I was only fifteen back then, five years older than Mr. Yu."

Zhou Jiao couldn’t help but laugh aloud. No wonder they say young and spirited—turned out just a young lad!

Nearby, Zhang Guoqing raised his thumb in praise: "Old man, impressive! So you’re eighty-six, very young indeed—truly vigorous with age!"

The old man shook his head, sighed: "Old and useless now."