Ning Chen watched the two of them put on the salve, but his head was full of nothing but Zisu.
This girl was very strange.
She had come out of nowhere to treat his wounds, and then, while she was at it, soothed Ning’s Old Second.
And when it was over, without a word, she turned around and left.
What was more, he was certain of this much: Zisu was not a loose or wanton woman.
Her hands were clumsy at what she did. Clumsier than Yudie’s.
So why do it?
Was this really nothing but simple admiration?
Ning Chen did not think his charms ran that deep — deep enough that the loveliest thing under heaven would kneel between his legs the first time she laid eyes on him.
Ning Chen was at a loss. He could think it over a hundred ways and never get to the bottom of her.
And what left him even more at a loss was still to come.
The next day, Zisu came again.
The same as the day before: she dressed Ning Chen’s wounds, gave another demonstration of her unpracticed mouthwork, and left.
The third day, the same!
Ning Chen asked her why she was doing it.
She only gave him that lovely smile and said it was what she wanted.
Ning Chen could not sit still any longer.
He went and found Pan Yucheng.
“Old Pan, look into something for me — find out where this Miss Zisu is staying. She’s put in several hard days; the least we can do is go and thank her.”
Pan Yucheng nodded and sent men to find out.
Before long they had traced her.
She saw patients at the Relieve the World Apothecary.
Ning Chen, Pan Yucheng and Feng Qizheng went to the Relieve the World Apothecary.
The street outside the shop was packed with people.
Ning Chen stood in the doorway and looked in.
Zisu was seeing a patient.
Her expression was calm and serious, her smile gentle; in every movement, in every frown and every smile, she was a well-born young lady through and through — a different person entirely from the one who had treated his wounds.
This woman had two faces.
Ning Chen cupped his fists to the middle-aged man beside him. “Friend, are you here to see Miss Zisu about an illness too?”
“That’s right! Miss Zisu is as kind as she is lovely — she treats poor folk like us and won’t take a fee for it. A regular bodhisattva come to deliver us from our suffering.”
Ning Chen asked with a smile, “How long has Miss Zisu been practicing here?”
The middle-aged man thought about it. “A month and more, I’d say?”
Ning Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly. Zisu had reached Mangzhou before he had. So she had not come here on his account after all.
The three of them went inside.
Zisu saw them and gave that lovely smile.
Her eyes came to rest on Ning Chen. “I was just planning to come find you once I’d finished with these patients.”
Ning Chen could not help the flush of heat that went through him.
But this Miss Zisu was very strange. Every time, she was the only one allowed to touch him, and he was not allowed to touch her — she would not even let him put a hand on her.
Ning Chen said with a smile, “Thank you for looking after me these past few days, Miss Zisu. We came here just to thank you.”
“Is your master in, by any chance? We would like to pay our respects to him.”
Zisu said with a smile, “My master is in the back courtyard. I can’t get away from here — go and find him yourselves.”
Ning Chen and the others nodded.
Then they made their way to the back courtyard.
The moment they came through the gate they saw an old man in coarse hemp cloth, his hair and beard streaked with gray, sitting at the stone table in the yard and grinding medicine.
Pan Yucheng strode forward and bowed low. “Physician Immortal, do you still remember me?”
Shang Lu stopped what he was doing, looked at Pan Yucheng, and suddenly smiled. “Pan the Gold Coat?”
Pan Yucheng smiled. “I didn’t think the Physician Immortal would still remember me.”
Shang Lu laughed. “I’m not so old and muddled yet. Some years apart, and Pan the Gold Coat is as fine a figure as ever.”
“The Physician Immortal flatters me. When I learned you were here, I came here just to call on you. If it hadn’t been for you back then, I doubt I would have lived to see this day.”
The Physician Immortal laughed out loud, full-throated and strong.
“Heaven looks after a good man. Even if Pan the Gold Coat had never run into me, he’d have run into someone else. It’s long past — Pan the Gold Coat doesn’t need to hold on to it.”
As he spoke, his gaze came to rest on Ning Chen, and he smiled. “And this, I’d guess, would be the famous young hero of our Great Xuan — Ning Chen, Ning the Silver Coat?”
Ning Chen stepped forward and cupped his fists. “Ning Chen greets you, Elder.”
“Up, up, Ning the Silver Coat — you’ll be the death of an old man.”
Ning Chen asked with a smile, “How did you know it was me, Elder?”
Shang Lu said with a chuckle, “The immortal of poetry of Great Xuan, the boy general — Ning the Silver Coat’s name comes into my ears like thunder.”
“And when you came in just now, Pan the Gold Coat and this other gentleman were half a step behind you. Ning the Silver Coat’s identity all but spoke itself — it wasn’t hard to guess.”
Ning Chen bowed. “Your eye is keen, Elder.”
Shang Lu laughed. “Keen eye, nothing. I’ve only eaten a few more years of idle rice than the rest of you.”
“You three come from the capital. How has my younger brother in the craft, Lin Wen, been getting on lately?”
Ning Chen said with a smile, “Physician Lin is perfectly well.”
“Elder, were you in Liangzhou some time back?”
Shang Lu was surprised. “How did you know that? I was indeed in Liangzhou for several months. I only came to Mangzhou a month ago.”
Ning Chen said, “Physician Lin told me.”
Shang Lu nodded. “So that’s how. I had meant to go up to the capital and see him, but then I thought of his position in the government — better not to intrude on him too much — and so I didn’t go.”
“Come to think of it, it’s been a good many years since I was last in the capital. When I have the time, I’ll make the trip back and look in on that younger brother of mine.”
“Ah, yes. That mischievous pupil of mine has been running over to Ning the Silver Coat’s residence a great deal lately. She hasn’t been a nuisance to you, has she?”
Ning Chen shook his head. “It’s thanks to Miss Zisu that the three of us have healed as fast as we have. That’s why we came — to thank her, and to call on you while we were at it.”
“Elder, where is Miss Zisu from?”
Shang Lu thought for a moment. “Xiuzhou, it should be.”
“Should be?”
Ning Chen had never been to Xiuzhou, but he had heard of it. Xiuzhou brocade was the most famous there was; the clothes of high officials and great families, the imperial house included, were all made of Xiuzhou brocade.
Shang Lu sighed. “Zisu was a child I picked up in Xiuzhou. Even the name is one I gave her afterward.”
“She was an orphan. When I found her she was only six or seven. I could see she had a gift, so I took her on as my pupil, and she has traveled with me practicing medicine ever since.”
Then Shang Lu gave Ning Chen a strange look.
“Ning the Silver Coat asks a great deal about my pupil. Might it be that you have some intention toward her?”
“Ah…” Ning Chen’s face froze; he was thoroughly embarrassed, and said quickly, “Don’t misunderstand me, Elder. I only asked out of curiosity.”
Shang Lu laughed out loud. “No need to be so flustered, Ning the Silver Coat, so quick to explain. A man and a woman taking pleasure in one another is a natural thing.”
“Ning the Silver Coat is a young man of talent with a name known everywhere, and there’s nothing to be said against his character. If you did have an intention toward Zisu, I’d have no objection to it.”
“I’m as old as I am — who knows how many days I have left? Zisu is still young, and I don’t want her drifting through her whole life the way I have.”
“If she could find a good place to settle, I’d rest easier.”
Ning Chen’s face stiffened. For a moment he had no idea what to say.
Shang Lu said with a smile, “Don’t trouble yourself over it, Ning the Silver Coat. I only mentioned it in passing, and I won’t force you. In matters like this, both parties have to be willing.”
“Ah — Ning the Silver Coat, there’s one more thing I’d ask of you.”
Ning Chen said, “Speak, Elder.”
“I’ve stayed in Mangzhou long enough, but the fighting has been pressing lately and the gates are sealed. I’d ask Ning the Silver Coat to permit master and pupil to leave the city.”
Ning Chen frowned slightly. “You mean to go, Elder?”
“By the sound of it, Ning the Silver Coat is sorry to see us go? And is it this old man you can’t bear to part with, or that pupil of mine?”
Ning Chen, thoroughly embarrassed, could only laugh drily. “Very well! I’ll pass the word later. You may leave the city whenever you like, Elder.”
(End of Chapter 263)