Sun Simiao quickly rose to greet them. The moment he saw Li Shimin, his aged face creased into a frown.
How could he be so unrecognizable!
Quickly, quickly, help him onto the bed inside. This humble Taoist will take his pulse properly.
With that, he led Li Ji and the others inside. A few soldiers supported Li Shimin, following behind. Li Xiaogong was in an even worse state, being carried in on a door panel.
Fang Er was startled when he first saw Li Shimin's condition.
Damn it, they hadn't seen each other for just a day, and he had become this spectral figure?
His pale face was tinged with a greenish hue, and coupled with those dark circles under his eyes, he would hardly need makeup to play a zombie from a later dynasty!
And Li Xiaogong, was this fellow paralyzed?
So, disregarding Chai Shao and Yuan Tiangang who were already brawling, Fang Er also followed them into the room.
Inside, Li Shimin was helped onto the bed. His eyes were vacant, even showing signs of drooling.
Old Sun took his hands and began to feel his pulse. The moment he touched the pulse, Old Sun's brows knitted into a tight frown.
After a long while, he released Li Shimin's wrist.
Old Sun got up, found a set of silver needles, returned to the bedside, and looked at everyone.
Please, all of you, remove the Emperor's clothes. This humble Taoist needs to perform acupuncture!
"True Man Sun, is the Emperor gravely ill?"
Li Ji, while helping Li Shimin out of his clothes, asked Old Sun over his shoulder.
"It is a condition of Yin deficiency, with malevolent Yin entering the body.
This humble Taoist will first use the 'Burning Mountain Fire' technique to ignite the Emperor's Yang essence, and then treat him with medication."
After speaking, Sun Simiao fetched an alcohol lamp to sterilize the silver needles. Once Li Shimin's upper body was bare, he leaned close to his ear and shouted:
"Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth!"
Li Shimin's vacant gaze showed a flicker of reaction, and he instinctively followed the breathing technique he demanded.
Seeing this, Sun Simiao nodded slightly and then, holding a silver needle, inserted it into various crucial acupoints on his body.
The speed at which he inserted the needles dazzled Fang Er.
Each needle move precisely matched Li Shimin's breathing rhythm.
After all the needles were inserted into different acupoints, he began to apply different manipulation techniques to them.
Sometimes twisting, sometimes rotating, sometimes lifting.
Within moments, sweat began to bead on Li Shimin's forehead, and his complexion shifted from pale to rosy.
Sun Simiao shouted again: "Inhale once, exhale five times!"
Li Shimin's eyes now held a hint of clarity, and he completely followed the required breathing adjustments.
As his breathing changed, Sun Simiao also altered his needle manipulation techniques.
Fang Er and Li Ji beside them dared not breathe loudly. These techniques were simply too incredible.
An outsider could only watch the spectacle, but judging by the changes in Li Shimin's face, the acupuncture was extraordinary.
Once, twice, thrice.
After Sun Simiao performed the needle techniques three times, wisps of white mist began to rise from Li Shimin's head.
This was beyond merely "incredible."
Fang Er's mouth hung agape, staring at the scene in disbelief, muttering, "Three flowers gathering at the crown, five qi returning to the origin?"
Damn, isn't this a plot from novels in my past life?
Although his voice was low, Old Sun still heard him and shook his head slightly, explaining.
"What 'three flowers gathering at the crown, five qi returning to the origin' are you talking about?
Where did you hear such nonsense?
It is merely the resurgence of Yang energy, steaming the Yin evil out of the body."
With that, he reached out and removed Li Shimin's shoes. He placed his hand on the sole of his foot, then nodded with satisfaction.
"Yang energy has returned to its proper place. The rest is gentle tonification."
He then began to withdraw the silver needles from Li Shimin's body, one by one.
As the last needle left his body, Li Shimin exhaled a stale breath and looked at everyone dazedly.
"What happened to me?"
"Holy cow!"
This guy didn't even know how he got back?
His Yang deficiency was too severe!
Li Ji looked at Fang Er beside him and quickly leaned close to Li Shimin's ear to whisper.
"Your Majesty, please do not speak much. Lie down and rest for a few days. Once your body recovers, I will explain the cause and effect."
Li Shimin felt his head was still muddled. Hearing Li Ji's words, he asked no further questions, lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Sun Simiao walked to the writing desk, picked up a brush and paper, and with bold strokes, wrote out a prescription. He then handed it to a soldier at the door.
"Hurry to the city and fetch the medicine!"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
The soldier took the prescription and sprinted outside.
Old Sun glanced back at Li Shimin before walking directly to Li Xiaogong's side.
Lord Li Jiu lay on the door panel, not daring to move, looking expectantly at Sun Simiao: "True Man, save me quickly~~~"
Fang Er finally couldn't hold back and asked Li Ji: "Duke Li, what happened to His Majesty and the Prince of Hejian?"
Li Ji looked embarrassed and waved his hands repeatedly: "Cough~cough~ It's nothing, just an accident, yes, an accident!"
He couldn't possibly say that they tried to trap Fang Er but failed, and instead trapped themselves, could he?
This made Fang Er even more confused. Li Ji was clearly not telling the truth.
But if he didn't say it, Fang Er couldn't press further. Whatever, as long as they were alive, that was fine!
While they were talking, Sun Simiao's hand had already reached Li Xiaogong's lower back.
After a brief examination, a smile appeared on his lips, and then he suddenly exerted force.
"Crack~~"
"Aiyyah~ Aiyyah~ Aiyyyahhh~~"
Li Xiaogong first cried out in pain, and then his eyes lit up.
His old back was healed!
Hahaha, thank you, True Man, for your miraculous hands!
Saying this, he climbed off the door panel, tested his waist with a twist, and bowed to Sun Simiao.
"Prince of Hejian is too kind. It was but a small effort.
In the future, pay more attention to strengthening your waist. Your friend Fang's sheep farm will have lambs castrated every few days. Prince of Hejian can fetch some to accompany his wine.
As for medicinal soup, I won't prescribe any for you. Dietary supplementation is best."
Sun Simiao's words drew Li Xiaogong's gaze to Fang Er, and he walked over to him with a smile.
"Brother, you see about this~~"
How could Fang Er not understand his meaning? He readily agreed.
"Of course, of course. I'll have someone fetch some later."
It was just some sheep testicles. The sheep farm now had six thousand ewes, with large numbers of lambs born almost every month, and also a large number of young rams reaching the age for castration.
Thinking of Li Shimin's current condition, Fang Er asked Sun Simiao again: "Old Sun, should I have someone find some wild ginseng to strengthen His Majesty?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Simiao immediately rolled his eyes at him: "Haven't you heard of 'the body cannot accept tonification'? Are you trying to hasten the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne?"
Fang Er: ........
It seemed there was such a saying, wasn't there?
Seeing that Fang Er wasn't leaving the room, Li Ji, fearing he might ask more about what happened the previous night, grabbed him and pulled him outside.
"Let's go, let's go. Take this old brother to see how you made those fire arrows."
As he spoke, he winked at Li Xiaogong.
Li Xiaogong immediately understood the message in his eyes and leaned closer to Fang Er from the other side: "Yes, yes, yes, that thing was quite thrilling. Let's go, let's go together!"