In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 388 The Angry Dragon Gang, Waves Overturn Clouds

The next day, early morning.

After having a simple breakfast at the inn, Gu Shaoan left alone and headed east towards Baoding City.

The "Qin Residence" mentioned by Sun Baifa is located deep in a relatively quiet alley in the east of the city.

Ancient trees tower on both sides of the alley, and the bluestone pavement is smoothed by the years. Occasionally, fallen leaves drift down, adding to the tranquility, making it seem like a different world from the hustle and bustle of the nearby city.

The mansion's entrance was not ostentatious, and even somewhat old. The copper rings on the black lacquered wooden door were mottled, and the plaque hanging above the door was not particularly decorated, with only the two characters "Qin Residence" written in simple clerical script, exuding a sense of restraint and composure after weathering the storms.

Gu Shaoan paused at the door, slightly straightened his robes which were fluttering in the morning breeze, raised his hand to grasp the door knocker, and knocked three times, neither too hard nor too softly.

"Tuk, Tuk, Tuk."

The sound carried clearly through the quiet alley.

A moment later, a small door on the side creaked open, and a servant dressed in neat cloth, who appeared to be about forty years old, stood in the doorway.

His gaze swept quickly over Gu Shaoan, and seeing Gu Shaoan, who was dressed in a gold and white robe and had an outstanding appearance and temperament, the servant did not dare to be negligent and asked carefully, "Young master, may I ask what brings you to the Qin residence?"

Gu Shaoan cupped his hands and said, "I am Gu Shaoan from the Emei Sect. I have come to pay my respects to the owner of this house today. Please inform him of my presence."

Seeing that Gu Shaoan was humble and polite, and did not seem like someone who would cause trouble, the servant said, "Young Master Gu, please wait a moment, I will go and inform him."

After saying that, he carefully closed the small door and hurried into the house.

Gu Shao stood quietly outside the door, calmly surveying the exterior walls of the mansion and its surroundings.

Several clumps of green vines hung down from the wall, damp with morning dew. A faint, refreshing scent of grass and trees seemed to emanate from the courtyard, not the gaudy flowers favored by ordinary wealthy families, but rather medicinal herbs or ancient trees. The whole house gave off a sense of understated practicality, even a touch of otherworldly seclusion.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the black lacquered door was slowly pulled open from the inside, and the servant who had spoken earlier stepped aside to lead the way: "Young Master Gu, my master invites you. Please follow me."

Gu Shaoan nodded slightly and stepped over the threshold.

Upon entering, there is a screen wall; after passing it, the view suddenly opens up. The interior of the house is much more spacious than it appears from the outside, with a simple yet open layout.

The path is paved with bluestone, and the sides are lined with well-trimmed evergreen plants, with several old trees casting large patches of shade.

The air was filled with a faint blend of medicinal and scholarly scents, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

The servants led Gu Shaoan through the front yard to the porch in front of the main hall.

The hall door was open, and an old man was already standing on the steps in front of the hall, waiting for him.

The old man was about seventy years old, with white hair and beard, but he combed it meticulously. His face was thin and his wrinkles were deeply etched, but his eyes were not cloudy; on the contrary, they were clear and bright.

He was wearing a slightly worn, dark gray scholar's robe, and although he was somewhat thin, his back was ramrod straight.

Beside him stood a woman in her early forties.

Upon seeing Gu Shaoan approach, the old man revealed a gentle yet polite smile, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Qin Wangchuan, greetings to the young master of the Emei Sect."

Gu Shaoan was not surprised by the old man's way of addressing him.

Even before he arrived, Gu Shaoan had already inquired about some information about the Qin family.

This also made Gu Shaoan realize that the Qin family could be considered a martial arts family.

Furthermore, the Qin family also controlled part of the shipping business in Baoding Prefecture.

He was quite famous in Baoding Prefecture.

It's perfectly normal for them to know about the Emei Sect and its reputation.

Gu Shaoan returned the greeting, saying, "Gu Shaoan from Emei, I apologize for disturbing you, but Mr. Qin is too kind."

After exchanging a few polite words, Qin Wangchuan stepped aside and led Gu Shaoan into the main hall.

After we were seated, servants served us tea.

After taking a small sip, Gu Shaoan nodded and said, "The tea soup is clear and bright, with a delicate aroma. It's a top-quality pre-rain Longjing tea."

Qin Wangchuan laughed and said, "I didn't expect that Young Master Gu is also an expert in the art of tea."

Gu Shaoan shook his head: "The elders in the sect usually enjoy tea. Over time, I have also come to know a little about it through my own observation."

As he spoke, he put down his teacup, glanced at the woman beside him who had a smile on her lips but a hint of sorrow in her eyes, and then looked away.

"It seems that Old Master Qin already knew that I, Gu, would be coming!"

Gu Shaoan had no prior dealings with Qin Wangchuan. It was only natural for Qin Wangchuan to receive him on his first visit. However, it was simply unreasonable for him to bring his female relatives along to receive a complete stranger.

Qin Wangchuan paused in his teacup, then shook his head and said, "Young Master Gu is indeed as Brother Sun said, quick-witted and sharp-witted."

After setting the teacup aside, Qin Wangchuan said, "To be honest, Young Master Gu, three years ago, my grandson Qin Siyuan would become inexplicably excited every night, unable to sleep all night, and also unable to fall asleep during the day."

"It just so happened that a special plant came into our home at that time. Its flowers had a unique smell, like daffodils. With the help of this unusual flower, my grandson has been able to fall asleep successfully for the past few years."

At this point, Qin Wangchuan sighed again and said, "But for some reason, the effects of this exotic flower seem to have been weakening since last year. A year ago, my grandson was only able to sleep for two hours each night."

"The strangest thing is that even pressing the acupoints to put us to sleep was completely useless. That year, we searched for doctors all over the area and consulted renowned physicians in the martial arts world, but all were helpless."

"Just then, Brother Sun sent someone over, saying that Young Master Gu might have a way to cure my grandson's strange illness, but after the matter was done, he would need that pot of exotic flowers as payment."

Gu Shaoan had a rough idea when the Emei Sect learned about the Acacia Flower: the owner of the Acacia Flower must have encountered some special illness.

Otherwise, Sun Baifa wouldn't have said that "as long as I come here in person, I can get the Acacia Flower."

After Qin Wangchuan finished speaking, the woman beside him couldn't help but say, "In the past six months, Yuan'er has become increasingly thin and has changed completely. We hope that Young Master Gu can lend a helping hand. As long as Yuan'er can be cured, my Qin family is willing to pay any price."

Gu Shaoan didn't waste any words and said directly, "Please lead the way so I can make a diagnosis first!"

Qin Wangchuan and the woman did not delay. They quickly got up and led Gu Shaoan towards the inner courtyard.

Before long, the group arrived at a courtyard with excellent natural light.

Inside the room, six servants were gathered around the bed. A maid was reading a book word by word, while the others were acting out the story along with her.

The moment Gu Shaoan entered the room, a peculiar musky scent filled his nostrils.

The moment the aroma enters your nose, it evokes the feeling of basking lazily in the sunlight on a cold winter day.

Upon seeing Qin Wangchuan and the woman, the servants gathered around the bed quickly bowed. They were then casually gestured to retreat to either side by Qin Wangchuan.

Upon reaching the bedside, Gu Shaoan immediately noticed a plant shaped like a datura, covered in poisonous thorns, with exceptionally bright red flowers.

Combined with the exotic fragrance that filled his nostrils, Gu Shaoan was certain that this plant was the Acacia 'Linglong' flower he needed.

After lingering briefly on the acacia flower, Gu Shaoan's gaze shifted to the bed.

A boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old sat on the bed, thin and bony.

The brocade quilt covering him looked empty, revealing a neck and wrists so slender they seemed as if they would break with the slightest touch. His complexion was an unhealthy sallow, his cheekbones were high, his eye sockets were deep-set, there were dark circles under his eyes, his lips were dry and bloodless, and his eyes were lifeless.

Even when Qin Wangchuan and the others arrived, Qin Siyuan remained expressionless.

Looking at Qin Siyuan on the bed, the woman's eyes instantly reddened.

Qin Wangchuan, who was standing to the side, also had a somber expression.

Gu Shaoan composed himself, stepped forward, and sat down on the round stool beside the bed. He said softly, "I need to take your grandson's pulse. Please show the young master's wrist, Madam."

The woman quickly stepped forward and gently moved Qin Siyuan's thin, bony arm out of the quilt, carefully placing a pulse pillow under it.

Gu Shaoan extended three fingers and gently placed them on Qin Siyuan's three cun, guan, and chi points.

Ten breaths later, Gu Shaoan carefully observed Qin Siyuan's complexion and tongue coating. His tongue was red and crimson with almost no coating, or only a few peeling areas resembling a map on his tongue. This was a typical sign of extreme depletion of Yin fluids.

Then, Gu Shaoan lightly raised his fingertip and pressed several acupoints on Qin Siyuan's body before finally pressing his finger on Qin Siyuan's brow.

Immediately afterward, to the astonishment of Qin Wangchuan and the woman, Qin Siyuan, who had just been sitting with his head resting on the pillow, suddenly slumped down.

The woman was startled at first, but the next second, Gu Shaoan's voice rang out.

"It's alright, it's just that he needs to take a nap for now."

Upon hearing this, the woman was taken aback for a moment, then carefully placed her finger on Qin Siyuan's philtrum. After feeling his breathing become more steady, the woman's face lit up with joy, and she nodded to Qin Wangchuan with tears in her eyes.

After confirming that his grandson was indeed just asleep, Qin Wangchuan's face flushed slightly with joy.

"Young Master Gu's medical skills are indeed superb. No wonder Brother Sun speaks highly of Young Master Gu."

Gu Shaoan smiled politely, then changed the subject, saying, "Your grandson's illness is not an ordinary strange disease, but rather a combination of 'infantile malnutrition' and 'yin deficiency with yang excess.' If I'm not mistaken, your grandson must have suffered a serious illness before the onset of this disease, which damaged his health."

Qin Wangchuan nodded and said, "Young Master Gu is right. Before the onset of his illness, Yuan'er did indeed have a persistent high fever due to a cold."

Gu Shaoan nodded and said, "Your grandson is not very old. A few years ago, his internal organs were delicate and his physical condition was not yet fully developed. He was in a state of 'immature yin and yang'. However, the serious illness three years ago caused high fever that depleted his body fluids and yin blood. This is called 'febrile disease damaging yin.' With a severe deficiency of yin blood, he could not control yang, leading to yin deficiency and yang excess."

"The Yin and Yang in the human body should be in balance and harmony."

Yin governs stillness, sinking, and nurturing the mind and spirit. Yang governs movement, rising, and warming the body. During the day, Yang energy flows outward, and people are awake and active; at night, Yang energy enters Yin, and people sleep and rest peacefully.

"This caused Sun to suffer from severe deficiency of Yin blood, resulting in Yin failing to control Yang. Consequently, the deficient Yang floated upwards and could not properly penetrate into the Yin aspect. Therefore, at night, when Yang energy should be drawn inwards, the deficient Yang in his body became excited on the outside, disturbing his mind and making him restless at night and unable to fall asleep."

At this point, Gu Shaoan looked at the beautiful acacia flowers by the bedside: "Logically speaking, your grandson's problem a few years ago wasn't that troublesome. As long as the doctor wasn't incompetent, a few doses of medicine would have been enough to cure it."

"But of all people, you brought this Acacia Flower."

Qin Wangchuan reacted quickly, pointing at the Acacia Flower and asking, "Does Young Master Gu mean that the problem lies with this flower?"

Gu Shaoan nodded. "The Acacia Flower is not the one that corresponds to your grandson's symptoms. Rather, it is because the fragrance of this flower contains a bewitching toxin. The reason your grandson has been able to sleep normally every day for the past few years is because of the toxin. Now, the toxin has entered his internal organs, causing excessive internal heat, disharmony between the heart and kidneys, and the combination of the toxin and the disease. It is no longer something that ordinary doctors can cure."

"I see, I see."

Hearing what Gu Shaoan said, Qin Wangchuan couldn't help but shake his head.

The woman next to him was also pounding her chest and stamping her feet in frustration.

Now, the two of them understand that the main reason for all of this is not Qin Siyuan himself, but them.

If they hadn't been so ignorant, not knowing that the Acacia 'Linglong' flower was poisonous, Qin Siyuan wouldn't have suffered so much.

After a short while, Qin Wangchuan looked at Gu Shaoan and said, "Since Young Master Gu can see the problem, what about Yuan'er's problem?"

Gu Shaoan said, "When I was pressing the acupoints just now, I also took the opportunity to detoxify his body. He will be able to sleep normally every night from now on. I will write a prescription later. You can give him a few doses of the medicine according to the prescription and he will recover completely."

Upon learning that Gu Shaoan had actually cured his grandson of the poison, Qin Wangchuan was even more astonished.

He then bowed to Gu Shaoan and said, "This old man thanks Young Master Gu for his great kindness."

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan waved his hand and said, "Mr. Qin, there's no need for that. It's just a matter of mutual benefit."

Gu Shaoan spoke lightly, but Qin Wangchuan would never have thought that way.

The Qin family has had only one son for three generations, and Qin Wangchuan's son passed away many years ago, leaving Qin Siyuan as the only heir in the family.

If it weren't for Gu Shaoan's rescue today, the Qin family's future bloodline would probably have ended.

For someone like Qin Wangchuan who values ​​the continuation of bloodlines, gratitude is greater than anything else.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached from outside the hall.

Immediately afterward, a man who looked like the Qin family's steward appeared at the door, almost staggering, and said urgently, "Master! Something bad has happened! Long Xiaoyun, the master of Xingyun Manor, has arrived."

The atmosphere in the room changed abruptly upon hearing this.

Qin Wangchuan's expression, which had eased slightly due to the improvement in his grandson's condition, instantly darkened. His brows furrowed, and a clear hint of displeasure and irritation flashed in his eyes.

"That Long Xiaoyun! I have clearly rejected him several times already, how can he be so ungrateful?"

He seemed to remember that Gu Shaoan was still present, and turned to look at Gu Shaoan, explaining, "Young Master Gu, please don't be offended. This Long Xiaoyun, I don't know where he learned that my Qin family has this exotic flower, and he has sent people here time and time again. I just didn't expect him to be so persistent." In his words, his impression of Long Xiaoyun was obviously not good, and even contained a hint of wariness.

Seeing that Gu Shaoan's reaction was indifferent, Qin Wangchuan felt a little relieved. He then said to the steward in a deep voice, "Go and tell Long Xiaoyun that I have already given this flower to a close friend, and asked him not to bother anymore. I have distinguished guests here today and it is inconvenient for me to receive guests. Please ask him to make himself at home."

His words were crisp and direct, a refusal that he refused outright, showing his firm stance and utter impatience with Long Xiaoyun's persistent pestering.

"Yes, sir," the butler replied, turning to leave hastily to deliver the message.

However, just as the butler turned around and had not yet left, a clear voice resounded distinctly in the sky above the inner courtyard.

"The Angry Dragon Gang, Lang Fanyun, requests an audience with Master Qin."

(End of this chapter)