194 – Detoxification

“Greetings, State Defender Grand General,” saluted Qin Wencai and the several military doctors.

“Don’t stand on ceremony.”

Qin Mian took out Emperor Xiaohui’s designated document for his “Special Case Military Inspector” and handed it to Lei Tie with teasing in his eyes: “State Defender Grand General, this is this lowly official’s proof of document.”

Lei Tie looked at the official document and slightly nodded. Standing opposite him, he spoke in a business tone, “Qin-Daren, how are the soldiers?”

Qin Mian talked of his and Qin Wencai’s judgments separately.

Doctor Yu said, “Grand General, the problem now is that both opinions of Qin-Daren and Imperial Doctor Qin are not unified. You see?”

Lei Tie said, “In a few days, this general will launch an all-out attack on Tuluo. If more than 10,000 soldiers can recover, it’ll be the best way to boost others’ morale. Therefore, this general can only give both of you two days at most.”

Qin Mian and Qin Wencai looked at each other.

When all said and done, Qin Wencai had decades of experience. After a little meditation, he came up with a method and said to Qin Mian, “Qin-Daren, what do you of this? This old fellow makes the ‘halving life’ poison. After the poison is made, feed it to the animals. Then, try to detoxify with my prescription to see if it is effective. That way, we don’t have to risk the soldiers’ lives.”

Qin Mian nodded, “Imperial Doctor Qin has a point. Let’s do as you say.”

Several military doctors had no objection. Right now, no one else knew how to detoxify the poison; they could only do it that way.

Lei Tie said to the six military doctors, “You have to work hard for a few more days. When this matter is over, this general will personally present the memorial to the emperor so that everyone will be rewarded for your contributions.”

The military doctors were overjoyed and said in unison, “Yes, thank you, Grand General!”

Lei Tie assigned several soldiers to Qin Wencai to do some errand work. He gave Qin Mian a meaningful glance, and they left the army tent together.

The leader of the escort, who had been waiting outside, saw that Lei Tie had finished his important work. He then came forward to salute and reported on the completion of the task.

“You’ve worked hard. Someone, lead the escorts to have a rest. ”

“Yes.” Lei-Qin Zhong quickly stepped forward.

Qin Mian stopped Lei-Qin Zhong and said, “There are some special local products in the carriage. You give some to the escorts and treat them well.”

“Yes!”

After the leader of the escort cupped his hands in obeisance to Qin Mian and Lei Tie and asked to be excused, he followed Lei-Qin Zhong to leave.

Lei Tie pulled Qin Mian to another smaller tent.

Qin Mian had yet come to a stop when his mouth was sealed by hot lips. He raised his arms wrapped them around the man’s neck and responded with equal fervor.

A good while later, the couple separated, out of breath. A wisp of silver thread attached to their lips, reluctant to part. Qin Mian’s pulse sped up even more and he quickly extended his hand to wipe it off. His ear roots were red like they were on fire.

Lei Tie tightly hugged him and pinched his earlobe with his two fingers. “Wife, was the trip well?”

“It went well. What about you? You’re not hurt, are you?” Qin Mian’s eyes were on him.

Lei Tie shook his head, “Did the emperor say how long you can stay here?”

“He didn’t say. So, I can stay as long as I want, right? If you can get rid of the Tuluo before New Year, we can go back together,” said Qin Mian with an anticipation look.

Lei Tie nodded without hesitation, “En.”

“Is there a final verdict about First Prince?” asked Qin Mian.

Lei Tie said, “Just received the emperor’s secret order the day before yesterday. To prevent the army’s agitation, First Prince is in house arrest for the time being.”

Thinking of First Prince, Qin Mian said with disdain, “You must tell people to watch him closely. Don’t let anything happen at this border station and delay our return.”

“Don’t worry.” Lei Tie touched his stomach. “Have you eaten yet?”

“We came straight to the camp as soon as we enter the city.” Qin Mian leaned on his chest, “Don’t you know? Imperial Doctor Qin and I were in the same carriage all the way; it’s not convenient to sneak eating anything.”

Lei Tie chuckled, “It’s been hard on you. I’ve sent someone to prepare the meal. I’ll accompany you for a bit.”

“You aren’t in a hurry to go out of the city?” asked Qin Mian happily.

Lei Tie stroked his face, “I still have time to accompany you to eat.”

The couple ate a simple hot pot in the tent. Then, Lei Tie rushed out of the city and went back to the camp in the territory of Tuluo.

Qin Mian was also busy. He asked people to prepare all the herbs on the prescription and then helped Doctor Yu and the others to take care of the patients.

In addition to Qin Mian and Qin Wencai, there were only eight doctors in the camp. There would not be enough hands to detoxify more than 10,000 people later. Qin Mian simply paid a sum of money in advance and hired twenty doctors and one hundred medical assistants from every medical shop in Solemn City as soon as possible.

Qin Wencai told people to prepare all the medicinal materials he needed. He ate a hot meal and slept for two hours. After he had enough spirit, he stayed in a small tent to concoct “halving life” poison. No one was allowed to disturb him.

Nearly two hours after dark, he came out of the tent and asked people to call Qin Mian.

After hearing the news, the six military doctors and the chargehand of the camp came over together.

Qin Wencai pointed to a red-brown soup in a white porcelain bowl and said, “This is ‘halving life’. The final ‘halving life’ is a powder, but because it will be fed to the animal later, this old fellow omitted the last procedure. It won’t affect the poisonous attribute.”

“Then let’s try it.” Doctor Yu asked a soldier to grab a living rabbit from the kitchen.

Qin Wencai also brought his cure, which was also like soup.

Everyone in the tent could not help holding their breath.

Qin Wencai motioned to the soldier. The soldier carried the rabbit and opened its mouth.

The medical assistant scooped up a spoonful of poison and poured it carefully into the rabbit’s mouth. After all, the rabbit was much smaller than a human, so it didn’t drink much.

The soldier slowly put the rabbit on the ground.

In a moment, the rabbit limped and fell to the ground.

Qin Wencai immediately ordered, “Detoxification.”

The medical assistant gave the rabbit another mouthful of the cure.

After taking the cure, the rabbit gradually recovered its vitality. Nearly an hour later, its vitality greatly recovered – it jumped happily in the tent. Unexpectedly, about an hour later, it fell on the ground without warning. Its seven orifices bled as it lay motionless!

Dead!

Qin Wencai took a breath of cold air. He gratefully pulled a smile to Qin Mian. It was fortunate to have Qin Mian here, otherwise, the lives of more than ten thousand soldiers would end in his hands!

The six military doctors were stunned. At this time, they were completely convinced of Qin Mian.

“Qin-Daren, I admire you!”

“You all speak highly of me.” Qin Mian seriously said, “I’ve instructed people to prepare the medicines needed for detoxification. This matter shouldn’t be delayed. We’ll immediately have the hired people from outside detoxify all the soldiers.”

“Yes!”

Qin Mian told the chargehand, “Take this news to the State Defender Grand General at once; also, send people to closely monitor the place where the medicine is decocted, in case the villain takes the opportunity to make trouble again.”

“Yes!” The chargehand took the order accordingly and left.

Qin Mian was a little uneasy. Hiding in the dark, he personally monitored the people concocting the medicine in hundreds of large pots, and when people were not paying attention, he dripped a drop of spiritual spring water in each pot to help the soldiers recover their vitality and physical strength faster.

After the medicine was ready, he sent all the doctors and the medical assistants to feed the soldiers the medicinal soup.

When the hustle and bustle were over, it was already midnight.

Early the next morning, Qin Mian was awakened by the excited shouts outside the tent. When he went out to have a look, more than ten thousand soldiers gathered on the drill ground. On the appointing platform, stood a general with a smiling face – he was talking.

Qin Wencai came over and said with a smile, “Just wake up? All the soldiers are recovering very quickly. They can go to the battlefield in two days. The State Defender Grand General sent a message: you, this old fellow, and the other six military doctors are going to have a good rest today and move to the camp outside the city to help tomorrow morning.”

Doctor Yu and the others came over and were very warm to Qin Mian.

“At last we can relax. Qin-Daren and Imperial Doctor Qin, we’d like to treat you to lunch as a welcome ceremony. Wonder if you two can let us have the honor?”

Qin Mian had planned to go to the military camp outside the city after breakfast. Upon seeing that some of them wanted to make friends, it was hard to refuse.

“Alright, [I’ll] let you treat.”

After the six military doctors left, Qin Mian and Qin Wencai wrote a letter on the detoxification together and then had the soldier rush to the Capital.

At noon, Qin Mian had a meal with Qin Wencai and the six military doctors in a winehouse in the city.

Qin Mian simply packed up and asked someone in the camp to send a soldier to lead him to the camp outside the city.

When Qin Wencai learned about it, he offered to come along.

Qin Mian surmised that Qin Wencai was anxious to know whether there was a mole on his shoulder, so he didn’t refuse. He informed the six military doctors that they were going to first.

At the gate of the city wall, once the ruler’s jade seal was uncovered to the guards of the city walls as the official proof, they immediately opened the gate.

The carriage traveled for less than an hour when Qin Mian saw mushroom-like military tents in the distance from the window. A smile rose on his lips.

Qin Wencai knew that he must have remembered Lei Tie. He was quite uncomfortable about his son being with a man. But at present, Qin Mian did not admit that he was his son. He couldn’t say anything about it and could only sigh in his heart.

Closed up, there were more “mushrooms”. In front of the camp, there was a fence made of sharp wooden poles with a gate in the middle. Four soldiers stood on both sides and stopped them with pikes.

“Who’s coming?”

Once again, Qin Mian showed his proof of document and surmised that Lei Tie had briefed them before – one of the soldiers took him to a military tent in the middle of the mushroom cluster with a friendly air. There were four soldiers in front of the military tent.

“Qin-Daren, this is the Grand General’s tent – make yourself at home. Imperial Doctor Qin, your tent is this way, please.”

Qin Mian entered the military tent. There was a long table in the middle with a huge sand table on it and ten high-back chairs beside it. Most probably, this military tent also served as a place for military discussion. On each side of the long table was a charcoal brazier, in which there was no ember. A bed was placed in the tent, which was, to be exact, a makeshift bed – it was covered with soft hides and a quilt but in a somewhat messy manner. It looked like the owner left in a hurry.

Qin Mian asked two soldiers to help move the contents of the carriage into the tent and then gave them some fermented tofu. As soon as the two soldiers went out, he lay down lazily on the makeshift bed and could keenly smell the unique cool odor of Lei Tie on the quilt. At this time, Lei Tie must be on his proper duty. He could only wait for Lei Tie to come back.

When Lei Tie returned to the military tent after he was done with his duty, he saw a man lying sideways in the quilt, sleeping with a pillow in his arms and his lips were slightly open with saliva at the corner of the lips.

He gently walked over, put his hands on both sides of his wife’s body, bent down, and sealed his lips.

“Oh…um?” Qin Mian didn’t have to open his eyes to know who he was. He hugged the man’s shoulders and intently responded.

They both moved with passion.

At this time, the sound of Qin Wencai’s voice asking the guard outside the tent was heard.

“Is State Defender Grand General here?”

Qin Mian quickly pushed Lei Tie away and expressed to him in simple language that Qin Wencai spoke of his guess about his (QM) identity.

Lei Tie frowned and didn’t speak. Qin Wencai said in a loud voice, “Grand General, this old fellow Qin Wencai seeks an audience.”

Qin Mian and Lei Tie stood up and helped each other tidy up.

Qin Mian licked his lips. There should be no suspicious traces on his lips. He nodded to Lei Tie.

Only then Lei Tie said, “Come in.”

They sat down at the long table. Qin Wencai looked at Qin Mian and Lei Tie.

“Grand General, pardon this old fellow for being bold. Regarding this old fellow’s guess about your wife’s identity, your wife must have mentioned it to you?”

Lei Tie dully nodded.

Qin Wencai nervously asked, “Then, venture to ask Grand General, does your wife have a mole behind his right shoulder?”

Lei Tie didn’t respond. After a while, he nodded.

Excited, Qin Wencai abruptly stood up and the chair fell to the ground. He stared at Qin Mian with tears in his eyes. “I knew you must be my son! Mian’er…”

“Don’t get too excited.” Qin Mian helped him sit down and calmly said, “Although we can be sure that I’m your son now, as you are aware, I don’t remember anything before I appeared in Green Mountain Village. So… I hope you can give me some time.”