MM Racing Chapter 126 Murong of Gusu: Never Give Up Despite Repeated Defeats
Chapter 126 Murong of Gusu: Never Give Up Despite Repeated Defeats
Chapter 126 Murong of Gusu: Never Give Up Despite Repeated Defeats
"Greetings, Your Majesty—"
Hua Ruling subconsciously wanted to bow to Liu Qingci.
"I am now the heroine Xue Qianxun!"
Liu Qingci coughed twice. In theory, she was under house arrest and had to wear a vest when she went out.
"Greetings to Snow Maiden and Master Xu!"
Hua Ruling reacted very quickly and immediately changed her tune.
"Uncle Hua, you're too kind. Hua Manlou and I are sworn brothers, and I've shared hardships with Hua Baifeng. Please treat me like a nephew; there's no need for such formalities!"
Xu Qingya had a close relationship with Hua Ruling.
Hua Ruling, being a businesswoman, was adept at taking advantage of situations and immediately said, "Nephew, I do indeed have something I need your help with—this matter has occurred—"
Xu Qingya laughed, "The Iron-Shoeed Bandit? Hua Manlou told us about him. Just now, we analyzed the Iron-Shoeed Bandit's modus operandi and even discovered that he's not dead; he just appeared!"
"What? Is that so? Nephew, I personally chopped off his head and ground his bones to ashes. Dozens of people witnessed it. How did he survive?"
"There are two master thieves in the world. You killed one of them, but the other is still alive. He's been lurking around the Hua family, trying to control Hua Manlou!"
"Control the building? How do you control it?"
"Iron Shoes wants to drive Hua Manlou insane! He often appears by Hua Manlou's side to let Hua Manlou know that Iron Shoes is still alive, but everyone thinks that Iron Shoes has been reduced to ashes. Who would believe Hua Manlou?"
Hua Manlou already harbored psychological trauma. The distrust of those around him and the constant provocation from Tie Xie were bound to cause him mental illness sooner or later. All it took was a trigger for this illness to erupt completely, driving him insane!
"So that's how it is—Lou'er kept telling me that Tiexie was still alive, around the Hua family's place. I thought he was just talking nonsense because he had suffered a severe shock, and I wanted to find someone to help him get treatment. I didn't expect it to be true."
Hua Ruling was so angry that she pounded her chest and stamped her feet!
Hua Ruling's idea was to find a martial arts master to impersonate the Iron Shoe Thief, have Hua Manlou personally capture him, hand him over to the Six Doors, and then create a file stating that Iron Shoe had been beheaded, thus closing the case.
The first half was given to Lu Xiaofeng.
In the latter part, I originally wanted to ask Jin Jiuling for help, but since Xu Qingya is here, I might as well ask Xu Qingya for help instead.
Xu Qingya recounted everyone's previous analysis in its entirety, describing in detail how Liu Qingci sensed two malicious forces and fired arrows to test them. One of them was an exceptionally skilled swimmer, and he was most likely the Iron Shoe Bandit.
After listening to Xu Qingya's story, Hua Ruling let out a long sigh, her face showing a hint of gloom.
"Iron Shoes, what ruthless methods!"
"Creak!"
Cheng Lingsu pushed open the carriage door.
Hua Ruling's sleeping gas can intoxicate Lu Xiaofeng, but it cannot intoxicate Cheng Lingsu. If Cheng Lingsu is defeated by someone using sleeping gas, the Poison Hand Medicine King will be so angry that he will come back to life!
Xu Qingya quickly walked over and helped Cheng Lingsu down from the carriage. Cheng Lingsu bowed and looked up at Hua Ruling, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Uncle Hua, I can tell from your voice that you are injured, mainly in your heart meridian, and the injury has become a chronic condition. You need to receive treatment!"
"I suffered from overwork—when Lou'er was injured by Tie Xie, I was simultaneously seeking medical treatment, chasing after Tie Xie, counseling Lou'er, and managing the family business. My energy and spirit were severely depleted!"
"It's not fatigue, it's injury! It looks like fatigue, but it's actually a long-standing injury!"
Cheng Lingsu concluded unequivocally that, betting on the reputation of the Poisonous Medicine King, Hua Ruling's injuries were definitely not due to overwork, but rather because she had been framed.
Xu Qingya said, "Uncle Hua, Ling Su is the personal disciple of the Poison Hand Medicine King. She has recently been studying medicine under the Medical Master Jin Gui. Why don't you let her take a look?"
Hua Ruling stretched out her arm: "Back then, the Iron Shoe Bandit broke into the Hua family and stole treasures. I fought with him. Just as we were fighting fiercely, Lou'er accidentally ran over. Iron Shoe took the opportunity to threaten me with Lou'er and slapped me hard, injuring my lung meridian."
Afterwards, Song Wencao treated me, healing the damage to my lung meridians and clearing away the hidden yin energy. However, I was too busy at the time and couldn't rest properly, which caused damage to my heart meridians, which has dragged on until now and has become a chronic condition.
I have at most one or two years left to live.
I, Hua, consider myself upright and have a clear conscience. My only regret is Lou'er's eyes. Now that Tiexie is still alive, I must catch him with my own hands this time. Tiexie is Lou'er's heartache, and also mine!
"If Iron Shoes doesn't die, I will die with my eyes wide open!"
Cheng Lingsu asked, "Uncle Hua, do you still have a record of the prescription and treatment process that Doctor Song gave you? I feel like something's not quite right!"
Hua Ruling nodded: "Yes! The Hua family is in business, and they keep accounts for everything!"
Cheng Lingsu chuckled and said, "You don't need to worry. Your injury is very strange. It is an old injury that has formed a root cause in your heart meridian. It has been suppressed by someone. Unless it is stimulated by external force, it will not erupt. I can use acupuncture to guide it and gradually resolve the hidden force."
As she spoke, Cheng Lingsu took out a medicine bottle.
"This is the Life-Creating Pill, crafted by my master from three hundred kinds of spiritual herbs. No matter the injury, taking just one pill can extend one's life by three years, and a maximum of three pills can extend one's life by nine years!"
"Such a precious elixir, I—"
"The elixir is for healing and saving lives. Keeping it will not only prevent you from having children, but it will also lose its medicinal properties. Uncle Hua, please don't be so polite. I have a rough idea of what tricks the Iron-Shoe Bandit would use if he wanted to attack Hua Manlou!"
Cheng Lingsu's expression was somewhat gloomy: "The Iron-Shoe Bandit will use some kind of drug to trigger the hidden injuries in your body at your birthday banquet, and then tell Hua Manlou that these injuries were caused when he saved Hua Manlou years ago, and that if it weren't for Hua Manlou, you wouldn't be plagued by illness!"
Xu Qingya added, "Hua Manlou won't be defeated by external forces. To defeat him, we must use psychological tactics to make him feel guilty, to make him watch helplessly as you become emaciated and on the verge of death within a month or two, so that his guilt grows stronger and stronger!"
Hua Ruling angrily said, "What a vicious person! But I have a question. How did the Iron-Shoe Bandit know I had a hidden injury, and how did he know how to trigger it?"
Liu Qingci said coldly, "Because the person who treated you back then was the Iron-Shoe Bandit! He was orchestrating everything from beginning to end, using ingenious disguises to toy with you and your son, satisfying his perverted desires!"
Hua Ruling said, "Snow Maiden, the one who treated my illness was the divine physician Song Wencao. Could it be that he is—"
Xu Qingya said, "Only a divine physician can freely enter and leave the Hua family under the guise of treating illnesses. Even if you hire five hundred Arhats to guard the gate, he can still come and go as he pleases, which would make it easier for him to poison or steal treasures."
Hua Ruling sighed, "Nephew, it's not that I don't trust you, but Song Wencao and I already knew each other before the Iron-Shoe Bandit appeared."
Xu Qingya held up two fingers: "We can do an experiment to get him to jump out on his own!"
"How do I do it?"
"First, please ask Lu Xiaofeng for help!"
Will Lu Xiaofeng help?
"Of course!"
"Will Lou'er believe it?"
"Ling Su, go and wake Lu Xiaofeng. We'll prepare a story together to temporarily fool Hua Manlou!"
As the largest real estate developer in Jiangnan, the Hua family's ancestral home is not very large. It is mainly characterized by its exquisite elegance, with each part perfectly matching the charm of Jiangnan gardens. Staying there for a day seems to allow one to absorb some of its charm.
Hua Ruling was wealthy, powerful, and had many friends. Countless guests came to celebrate his birthday, and those from humble backgrounds could only stay outside. Only masters from major sects like Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei could stay at the Hua residence.
This isn't about flattering the powerful and belittling the weak; it's just that there were so many people coming to offer birthday wishes that it was impossible for anyone to be impartial.
People in the martial arts world are used to this. No matter what they think, they don't dare to provoke the Shaolin monks or Wudang masters. After giving gifts, they immediately socialize according to their status and befriend martial arts experts.
This is a rare social opportunity.
The most important social activity is blind dating!
Whenever a major event occurs in the martial arts world, especially one involving hundreds or thousands of people, it eventually turns into a matchmaking event. Elders bring their younger relatives along, partly to make a good impression, partly to have them do chores, and partly to select marriage partners.
Not to mention ordinary martial arts practitioners, even the Shaolin monk Kuzhi brought several lay disciples. Even if they couldn't find a suitable partner, at least they could make more friends!
These prestigious sects did not put on airs or make a surprise visit; instead, they arrived two or three days early.
Master Kuzhi of Shaolin, Master Shique of Wudang, Master Shenxi of Emei, Master Qiudingfeng of Bashan Sect, and Li Yuhan, the young master of Yongcui Villa, all came to offer their birthday wishes. Xu Qingya also saw an old acquaintance—Murong Fu!
The Hua family's ancestral home is in Suzhou. The Murong family is the oldest local power in Suzhou, and in terms of the length of their lineage, the Murong family has been around for many more years than the Hua family.
However, the world of martial arts is full of ups and downs, and the Murong family was so obsessed with the "glory of the Xianbei" that they couldn't extricate themselves. Each generation was more wasteful than the last, and by the time of Murong Fu, they had basically squandered all their wealth.
At the previous Huaman Pawnshop auction, Murong Fu wanted to make a name for himself, but was crushed by Yin Susu's wealth. Afterwards, he led a group to ambush Gu Jianhun, but Gu Jianhun easily defeated him single-handedly. Of the four retainers, only two remained.
For an ordinary person to suffer such a crushing defeat, it would take at least a year or two of rest and recuperation to recover.
In just over a month, Murong Fu emerged from the shadow of his crushing defeat. Accompanied by two retainers, he displayed the demeanor of a noble young master, exuding a certain majesty in his glances, though his eyes held a hint of weariness.
How did Murong Fu overcome the shadow of defeat?
The answer is—fight fire with fire!
From a young age, Murong Fu was instilled with the idea of restoring the Xianbei and rebuilding the Xianbei royal court. He underwent the most rigorous and mechanical "tiger parenting" education, spending four hours a day reading, four hours practicing martial arts, and the remaining four hours eating and sleeping, with no leisure time whatsoever.
The mad idea instilled in him from childhood, deeply ingrained and forever unchangeable, suppressed the psychological shadow of his crushing defeat to Gu Jianhun, and he stood up again.
In some ways, Murong Fu seems like a clown, constantly getting thwarted, but his strength lies in his resilience; he fights again and again despite repeated defeats.
In the original story, Murong Fu suffered defeat after defeat, from Leigu Mountain to Lingjiu Palace, from Lingjiu Palace to Shaolin, from Shaolin to Xixia, and from Xixia to Dali. Each time he suffered a crushing defeat, but each time he was able to emerge from the shadows and, with his last bit of strength, engage in a new and crazy gamble.
—Until reason is completely crushed!
Murong Fu had no elders to teach him and had to learn martial arts on his own, which resulted in his martial arts being a mixed bag and not very proficient. However, Murong Fu's ability to withstand pressure was absolutely top-notch in the martial arts world.
From age six to over twenty, for at least seventeen or eighteen years, I experienced "senior year of high school" every day.
How could its resilience not be strong?
After their crushing defeat, Bao Butong and Feng Bo'e realized that there are always people more powerful than them, so they dared not speak recklessly at the birthday banquet, much less draw their swords and provoke others. Feng Bo'e sealed Bao Butong's speech acupoint, while Bao Butong held Feng Bo'e's pulse point, and handed over his weapon to the gatekeeper early on.
Upon seeing Xu Qingya, Yang Yan, and Yin Susu, instead of provoking them, they took the initiative to greet them.
Murong Fu bowed and said, "Greetings, Brother Xu. Thank you for helping my two good brothers avenge their deaths. I, Murong of Gusu, will never forget your great kindness. If you ever encounter trouble in the future, you can send a message to Yanziwu."
Xu Qingya waved his hand: "To be honest, my skills are not good enough. I could only defeat Gu Jianhun, but I could neither save his life nor keep the Dragon Slayer Saber."
Upon hearing this, Bao Butong wanted to argue, "Your skills are lacking. Shouldn't we just commit suicide?"
Feng Bo'e sensed Bao Butong's thoughts and forcefully pulled him back, the two quickly stepping aside to give Murong Fu space. Murong Fu kept telling himself: Xu Qingya is a master—I must befriend a master—
On the other side, in the Hua family study.
Hua Ruling pulled out a stack of ledgers, which recorded the process of Song Wencao treating Hua Ruling's illness. They included not only detailed prescriptions but also records of her physical sensations.
Hua Ruling flipped through the pages, reminiscing as she read.
————Memory Divider————
Song Wencao examined Hua Ruling's pulse: "Brother Hua, your lung meridians have been eroded by the Yin energy of the Bone-Melting Palm, causing them to become congested like cotton. To dispel this hidden energy, you need to use the method of 'metal and water generating each other' to slowly clear it. If you forcefully attack the blockage, it may damage your heart fire. I will prescribe some medicine for you to temporarily suppress the injury!"
The prescription is as follows:
Chief ingredient: Korean ginseng, 3 qian;
The following are the ingredients: Fritillaria cirrhosa and Ophiopogon japonicus, 5 qian each;
Assistant herb: Coptis chinensis 1.5 qian;
Acupuncture: Select acupoints such as Feishu and Zhongfu, and use gentle finger techniques to unblock the lung meridians and resolve the bone-dissolving palm.
After taking the medicine for about seven days, along with Song Wencao's acupuncture and massage, Hua Ruling felt much better and was extremely grateful to Song Wencao: "Dr. Song is truly a miracle worker! Now I can breathe easily and sleep soundly at night."
Song Wencao said, "Brother Hua, this is a sign of a final burst of energy before death! The lung qi is just beginning to flow, but the heart meridian is under too much pressure. We need to increase the strength of the medicine to prevent the hidden injuries from recurring."
The prescription has been revised as follows:
Chief ingredient: Korean ginseng, 5 qian;
Add Angelica dahurica and Saposhnikovia divaricata to the prescription;
Add two qian of Trichosanthes kirilowii root;
Two months later, Hua Ruling suddenly experienced chest pain.
Song Wencao exclaimed with "heartache and indignation": "This is lung toxins attacking the pericardium! A strong medicine is needed to break this deadlock!"
Three revisions to the prescription:
Chief ingredient: one ounce of raw gypsum;
Formula: Aconite root, 3 qian;
Acupuncture: Acupuncture at the Tanzhong point to "protect the heart";
Hua Ruling's internal injuries gradually improved, her cough and wheezing stopped quickly, but her energy and spirit gradually declined. She would break out in a cold sweat, feel suffocated, and suffer from insomnia and nightmares if she was slightly tired.
Hua Ruling assumed it was due to overwork, and Song Wencao repeatedly advised him to rest. During the last time she tried to persuade him, the two argued and parted on bad terms.
"Brother Hua, I understand your thoughts, but you must also take care of your health! Your illness has penetrated your blood vessels, and coupled with excessive thinking, you are now at a critical juncture of life and death."
I advised you to rest more, but you wouldn't listen;
I advised you to get acupuncture regularly, but you didn't listen.
I advised you to accept Bian stone therapy and not to concern yourself with important matters for the time being, but you wouldn't listen to a word I said;
A doctor should be benevolent and uphold medical ethics, but even Bian Que had six conditions he could not cure. What was a mere Song Wencao to those who did not cherish life, disobey medical advice, and act recklessly? Bian Que was helpless!
Brother Hua, the herbal medicine I prescribed for you can only provide temporary relief. When your throat becomes unbearable and you start coughing up blood, you'll only have one or two years left before your time comes.
That's all I have to say. The rest is up to you!
Having said that, Song Wencao turned and left.
————End of flashback————
After Hua Ruling finished recounting what happened back then, Cheng Lingsu deduced the truth based on the treatment records.
"Uncle Hua, I'm sure that Song Wencao is colluding with the Iron Shoe Bandit. Every step he took to treat your injuries was correct, but he went too far. He seemed to be treating your illness, but in reality, he was damaging your heart meridian with hidden force."
The initial medication had a problem.
Coptis chinensis is used to treat lung diseases and can indeed clear the latent heat in the lungs, but it can also damage the heart vessels.
The lungs belong to the metal element, the heart belongs to the fire element, and fire controls metal!
It is called clearing the lungs and reducing internal heat, but in reality it depletes the heart's yang energy.
Acupuncture is nominally used to resolve hidden energy, but in reality it transfers the hidden energy from the lung meridian to the heart meridian.
You feel comfortable because this treatment method can indeed resolve hidden ailments and heal the lung meridians, making you feel increasingly comfortable and gradually healing your internal injuries.
Fangfeng can expel residual pathogens from the lungs, but its pungent and drying nature secretly damages the heart's yin. Tianhuafen generates fluids and moistens the lungs, but in reality, it forms a bitter and cold entanglement with Huanglian, damaging the heart vessels.
The prescription given by Song Wencao, ostensibly a remedy for lung disease based on the principle of the metal and water elements mutually reinforcing each other, actually uses Coptis chinensis (Huanglian) which is bitter and cold, damaging the heart's yang energy; gypsum (Shigao) which is yin and cold, freezing the heart's vessels; and Trichosanthes kirilowii (Tianhuafen) which further numbs the heart's orifices. Over time, this will lead to the
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