The Slender Waist-Chapter 196 - 138: The Divine Physician’s Dilemma

Pei Jue didn’t speak.

His dark eyes, devoid of emotion, glanced over, and Puyang Jiu’s anger subsided.

He remembered the first time he had treated Pei Jue, back when his father, the Imperial Physician, was still by his side.

His father had said, "Wangzhi is destined to achieve great things."

At that time, Puyang Jiu was more curious about how to cure the illness and didn’t think much beyond that. It wasn’t until he had taken concubines and fully grasped the matters between men and women that he understood the profound meaning behind his father’s words.

To restrain desire is to fight against human nature, and few in this world can achieve such control. It’s easy to be harsh to others, but much harder to be strict with oneself. With such self-discipline, how could he not succeed greatly?

Unfortunately, the heavens played tricks on him. Having such a pure and austere nature, he was ironically afflicted with such a body.

"Enough is enough. To be brothers is to go through thick and thin together. If I let my brother stab me twice, it wouldn’t be too much to ask... Today I’m going all out."

Puyang Jiu had long lost his shame in front of Pei Jue, turning his back with a pretense of submission, ready to loosen his clothes.

"Get lost." Pei Jue kicked him squarely in the buttocks.

Puyang Jiu rubbed his backside and awkwardly chuckled before becoming serious and sitting down beside him, signaling him to stretch out his hand for a pulse diagnosis.

Pei Jue, "How is it?"

Puyang Jiu’s brow furrowed just like that.

"What should I say to you?" He glanced at him and sighed, "Kidney Qi opens the orifices to where the Yang Qi tremendously flares. The energy you’ve accumulated is all Kidney Qi and Yang Qi. It’s strong and unyielding, and when the Yang Qi doesn’t release over time, it exhausts and harms the body..."

In the end, it was all the same old talk.

What could have been resolved with a woman, and if one wasn’t enough then two, or even more if two weren’t enough, Puyang Jiu had said countless times before; he couldn’t stand seeing Pei Jue torture himself.

"Not even the King of Hell can keep a ghost that wants to die. If this continues, not even immortals will be able to save you..." Puyang Jiu cut himself off mid-sentence, sensing it inauspicious to talk of life and death with a formidable enemy at hand.

He stopped talking, then tilted his chin up, indicating with his eyes that Pei Jue should undress.

"Let me have a look at the situation before we discuss treatment."

Pei Jue was not very willing, a fact Puyang Jiu knew all too well.

If he could choose, he would not want to look either. Who would willingly inflict upon himself the pain of seeing something so much larger than their own and suffer from feelings of inferiority? But he was a physician; since childhood, his father had instilled in him the principle of the benevolent heart of a doctor. He considered his eyes offered up to the cause.

Puyang Jiu braced himself mentally, but he had not anticipated it would be so severe. Frighteningly rigid, the blood vessels were swollen to an extreme that could only be described as ferocious and terrifying, without the slightest sign of softening.

He could not imagine how a normal man could control himself and sit calmly like this.

"You must have a grudge against Feng Ji," he said.

Pei Jue’s expression hardened, and he looked coldly at him.

"If there’s no grudge, why do you vehemently refuse?" Puyang Jiu joked offhandedly, then asked, "Is this the first time this symptom has appeared?"

Pei Jue, "Hmm."

Puyang Jiu smiled strangely.

"I’m very curious, just what did Feng Ji do to provoke you to this extent?"

Over the years, Pei Jue had been taking medicine to control his condition very successfully and never had an outbreak to such an extent, nor had he ever experienced such persistently unyielding states. If ever his emotions stirred, a little medicine would suppress them, leaving him as serene as the calmest winds and the lightest clouds, with almost no one aware of his struggle with passion and desire.

Puyang Jiu also firmly believed that if Pei Jue were to take a wife and concubines and had a way to vent, he would naturally heal. This was not really a serious illness and could even be seen as a blessing for him and his consorts – each would be overjoyed, so why need medicine?

But then Feng Shi Er Niang came along.

She was like his nemesis.

Since her arrival in the camp, Pei Jue’s episodes had increased both in frequency and in severity.

Puyang Jiu gave him a thumbs-up.

Then he bowed deeply.

"Oh, great sage, please have mercy, don’t torment me anymore. The best medicine now is nothing compared to the Feng Ji in your quarters. It’s better to relieve than to block, you must unblock...!"

Puyang Jiu’s face contorted.

But Pei Jue called him here, clearly not wanting to hear this.

"Once you’ve said enough, just start with the consultation."

Puyang Jiu took a deep breath, trying not to die of anger.

"Wangzhi," he stared at Pei Jue, "tell me the truth, do you dislike Feng Ji, or are there other concerns? Without the correct diagnosis, how can I prescribe the right treatment?"

After a moment of silence, Pei Jue said, "Wait a little longer..."

"What are you waiting for?"

Pei Jue’s throat bobbed. Under Puyang Jiu’s probing gaze, the image of the childlike and delicate Feng Yun rose to his mind. Unintentionally yet inevitably, he conjured some licentious thoughts, causing a slight disturbance in his heart and a rush of heat in his abdomen, which he immediately suppressed by clenching his fist.

"Let’s wait and see, she’s still young."

"I, I, damn it. Brother Wangzhi, I am utterly convinced. Women of seventeen have children, are you afraid she can’t handle it?"

Puyang Jiu cursed with great emotion.

Although he felt that this was not the real reason Pei Jue had for not touching Feng Yun, there was some rationale to this concern. God gave blessings to enjoy, and extraordinary gifts are a good thing, but for those delicate, inexperienced girls, it was going to be hugely challenging, especially since his good brother might not understand the subtleties of lovemaking. Any more recklessness could lead to tragedy.

Puyang Jiu was both angry and exasperated.

"In my medical career, I’ve spent all my time worrying about what’s in your pants."

Although the words were crude, the frustration was real. He had even dreamt the previous night about whether Pei Jue and Feng Shi Er Niang had settled matters, feeling so anxious in the dream that he nearly pushed Pei Jue along.

Puyang Jiu fervently rubbed his temples, pondering whether it was time to resort to drastic measures.

"This time I can help you. But there should be a limit to everything. Within ten days, it would be best for you to find a concubine to solve this issue, whether it be Feng Ji, Wang Ji, Xie Ji, in the end, such an incident as today must not happen again. Otherwise, if you become impotent, then someone else will benefit from Feng Ji..."

He had made up his mind to urge Pei Jue to take definitive action, speaking harshly and acting decisively—

He stepped outside and called for Zuo Zhong.

"Prepare the bathwater for the Great General; prepare several buckets as your master needs a large amount."

Zuo Zhong glanced at the sternly seated General, somewhat puzzled.

The General didn’t have the habit of bathing during the daytime, much less during wartime.

But since the Puyang Medical Officer had given the order, they knew it was sanctioned by the General. It wasn’t appropriate to ask too many questions, so they went to instruct the servants accordingly.

Once Puyang returned, he immediately started looking for the boiled silver needles in his medicine chest.

Pei Jue watched him, "Acupuncture?"

Puyang Jiu glanced back at him, his eyes slightly mischievous.

"At the moment, this is the only method. Of course, just acupuncture won’t cut it..."

Pei Jue frowned, watching him.

Puyang Jiu’s gaze fell on his well-defined hands and he sighed. Hands that could decide life and death, accustomed to battle, how come they couldn’t undress a young lady? Unable to undress her, he’d have to rely on himself.

"You don’t need me to tell you how to resolve this, do you?"

-

Several buckets of water were brought into the yard; Daman ran to check the fire in the stove and specifically inquired about it.

"Is the General the one asking for water?"

There were two soldiers managing the fire on the stove.

On hearing the question, they replied, "It was ordered by the Left Guard."

Daman uttered an "Oh" without further comment and went back, casting worried glances at the tightly shut room in the courtyard.

"Xiaoman, have you ever heard the lady mention the General feeling unwell?"

Xiaoman shook her head. Seeing her as unsettled as if she had lost her soul and constantly looking around, she quickly pulled her aside.

"There’s no need to worry with the Puyang Medical Officer inside," she reassured.

After speaking, she glanced back, hesitating to speak further.

"Big sister, have you forgotten what the lady said last time?"

Daman looked at her, "The lady says so many things, which one are you referring to?"

Xiaoman said, "The lady said, she wants the General."

Daman pressed her lips together and slightly bowed her head, "I remember."

Xiaoman said, "Big sister, you mustn’t get confused."

That was a warning not to get too close to the General.

The life of a servant girl was just like that, their dignity entirely in their master’s hands; they were always by their master’s side, appearing very close, yet they couldn’t have the slightest say in the master’s decisions, with a difference between them as vast as between heaven and earth.

Many female servants of mistresses, if they were good-looking, would eventually be taken into the master’s room; masters would rather keep the benefits within their own household, and mistresses would tacitly consent...

If it were before, Daman would have thought that she and Xiaoman might have such a day; they were both good-looking, more so than most people, and though the General didn’t notice them right now, time was on their side. She had never heard of a rich and powerful man who was satisfied with just one wife.

No matter how beautiful and dazzling a mistress might be, there would come a day when he would grow tired of her...

That would be her and Xiaoman’s opportunity.

But since the lady had uttered such words, it meant she would not elevate them further. Harbouring further aspirations might even result in them being sent away...

Daman’s body shuddered, and her heart, which had been in disarray because of the General, suddenly became clear.

"I wouldn’t dare. I have no improper thoughts towards the General..."

Xiaoman was finally satisfied, calling her a good big sister and cheerfully suggested:

"We just need to serve the lady well, and we’ll have a good future of our own. It’s getting late; I’ll also prepare some hot water for the lady. She’ll probably want to bathe when she wakes up."

-

Feng Yun woke up in the afternoon.

The sky had become overcast, as if it were about to rain.

A charcoal fire had been added to the room; Xiaoman sat by the stove, resting her cheek on her hand, dozing off.

Daman was the first to notice Feng Yun waking up.

She ran over, "Are you awake, my lady? Would you like something to eat?"

Feng Yun lay weakly in bed, her body lazy as if it were about to fall apart.

"When did the General leave?"

Daman pursed her lips and glanced back at Xiaoman.

Xiaoman was rubbing her eyes and still yawning.

"The General hasn’t left. In the morning, he called for the Puyang Medical Officer, it seemed like he was unwell. After the Medical Officer left, he called several Generals to the main hall for a meeting. It didn’t look like he was unwell..."

Xiaoman’s report was always straightforward, saying exactly what she saw.

But what Daman saw was different.

"My lady, the General was very unusual today..."

The lady lazily sat up, took the water Xiaoman brought, rinsed her mouth, and spat it into the basin.

"Unusual in what way?"

Daman said, "The General asked for water; it looked like he wanted to bathe."

Feng Yun looked up at her.

Ordinarily, bathing wasn’t strange.

But she had just refused to take off her armor no matter how much she was coaxed, and now she had turned around and gone to bathe?

Daman continued, "What’s stranger is that the Puyang Medical Officer was also in the same room with the General. They called for water, then closed the room door, and the guards outside wouldn’t let anyone near. They stayed inside for a full hour before coming out, and then, then I saw..."

Feng Yun narrowed her eyes, "Saw what?"

Daman bit her lower lip, "When the Puyang Medical Officer came out, his face was flushed, his steps wobbly, sweat on his forehead, and his hair was... all wet."