Poison Genius Consort

Under countless gazes, the patient slowly emerged from the courtyard. By the time she was standing by the door, dead silence hung over the crowd. It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Everyone was examining her, but all they saw was a girl about twenty. Her fair face had beautiful skin that showed hints of pink in her cheeks; her hands too, were smooth and soft.

Is this really the patient?

Everyone was tense as they hoped for a miracle, but doubted it existed at the same time. Suddenly, Department Head Huo burst out, “Clan Head Ren, is this the patient?”

Clan Head Ren hastily withdrew a painting of the patient’s previous appearance and showed it to the crowd. The similarities were unmistakable. This girl with the perfect skin was none other than the patient who looked like a seventy to eighty year old woman. 

Department Head Huo staggered backwards as he stared at Gu Beiyue striding out the doo. He couldn’t believe this, nor could he accept it.

“Hahaha!” Gu Qishao suddenly broke into wild laughter. “Gu Beiyue, you’re really something! This gentleman likes you!”

His laughter stirred the entire courtyard back to its senses. They filled the air with praise as if the mockery and scorn from before never existed.

Gu Beiyue, ah, Gu Beiyue. He’s simply a marvel!

First he cured an amnesia patient with a few words, then a premature aging patient with a simple prescription formula. If he wasn’t a marvel, then what was he? Forget about the three department heads, there was no one in medical academy history who had ever created such miracles. Nor had any medical group created such records. This man far surpassed any of the previous medical academy heads. He was definitely no fifth rank. 

Amidst the praises and compliments, Tang Li shouted, “Doctor Gu’s medical skills are probably far past seventh rank by now. As I see it, he should be an eighth rank Empyreal Doctor!”

Many others supported his words.

“He has to be eighth rank. Gu Yuntian doesn’t even have skills like Doctor Gu, right?”

“Haha, what kind of difficult cases were these? They’re nothing in our Doctor Gu’s eyes!”

“He was only 16 when they categorized him as a fifth rank Divine Doctor, right? For him to return to Medical City is our honor!”

Gradually, the favorable words turned into flattery. Gu Beiyue was standing within the crowd, but he didn’t seem to hear their words. He was currently conversing with the patient in low tones as if giving her instructions. 

Dressed as the Northern Li imperial doctor, Bai Yanqing sat in the first row while staring at Gu Beiyue. His narrowed eyes were filled with dark and unkindly sentiments.

“Master, what are the origins of that fellow?” Bai Yuqiao asked in a low voice.

Bai Yanqing only gave a cold snort and didn’t reply.

At this moment, Department Head Ouyang spoke up. “Clan Head Ren, is the medical skills competition over?”

Before Clan Head Ren could answer, Department Head Lin mocked, “If it is, then Department Head Ouyang should hurry up and check on your patient in case the medical academy sins by letting him die in the Apricot Woods.”

At his reminder, everyone remembered that there was still one patient awaiting treatment! Gu Beiyue’s medical skills had surprised and intoxicated so many people that they forgot this was a competition. The contest was still ongoing, so this couldn’t count as Gu Beiyue’s win yet! The third patient was the one who had trouble eating or drinking. He was also an elderly man and had been thirsting for water for over four days. Department Head Huo’s skin disease patient had appeared in the past--she wasn’t the first of her kind--but Department Head Ouyang’s case had never been seen before. The medical academy had never seen such an illness before, nor was it recorded in the medical texts. 

This case was much more thorny than the other two. At most, the patient could survive seven days max. Even if Gu Beiyue proposed a treatment plan, he would still die if not cured within a week. Department Head Ouyang had been asking his assistant for the patient’s condition just this morning. After not eating or drinking for four days, the man was already on his last breath. Actually, Department Head Ouyang had never forgotten about his patient while standing attendance here. He too, was concerned about his welfare. It wasn’t just because the man’s life was at stake, but because the outcome of the medical skills competition rested upon him! Gu Beiyue seemed to have forgotten about him entirely, so Department Head Lin had purposely neglected to mention it.

Even if Gu Beiyue saved this female patient, so what? He couldn’t save the last one, so it’d all be for naught. 

“Clan Head Ren, Doctor Gu said before that he’d finish seeing all three patients within the same day.” Department Head Ouyang looked specifically at Gu Beiyue before continuing. “It’s been three days now. I don’t know what Doctor Gu means by ‘finish seeing?’”

The crowd quieted down. Even Gu Qishao had nothing to say. Actually, Gu Beiyue had already proved his medical skills by curing the first two patients. Everyone could confirm that his expertise surpassed that of the three department heads. Even if Gu Beiyue couldn’t cure the last man, neither could Department Head Ouyang, wasn’t that right?

Except, this was a competition of medical skills. No one could change the terms of agreement. Gu Beiyue himself had said that he could diagnose the three patients and give them cures. He also claimed to see them all within a day. Now the situation was against him.

No matter how many people in the medical academy supported him, if he couldn’t completely win over the three department heads and this competition, it’d be no use even if he was made academy head. After all, the medical academy had never relied on the guidance of a single speaker. Otherwise, there’d be no such thing as medical ranks or administration staff. Clan Head Ren felt another wave of regret in his heart. He silently mused, Gu Beiyue, ah Gu Beiyue. You look low-key, but why are your words so wildly arrogant? Now look, you’ve tripped up yourself.

“Clan Head Ren, just what does Doctor Gu mean by ‘finish seeing?’” Department Head Huo chimed in.

Clan Head Ren was biased, but he had no power to stop their words. He could only assume the status of a judging panel head and asked Gu Beiyue, “Doctor Gu, it’s already been three days. Shouldn’t you give everyone an explanation?”

Everyone tensed up for Gu Beiyue’s sake as they began to fret. He, on the other hand, was still conversing in low tones with his female patient, his expression serious and earnest. He didn’t seem to worry about the third patient at all. Han Yunxi was standing right next to him, but rather than anxiety, she felt more anticipation. If it was Gu Qishao in his place, she’d definitely worry, but Gu Beiyue’s words had never made her worry. She began to wonder how he’d managed to save the third patient instead.

In modern times, she had seen a similar case called Type II congenital disorder of glycosylation. Because the patient lacked the ability to swallow, he or she couldn’t eat or drink. There were no cure for infant cases besides using a feeding tube in the stomach to give them high calorie nutrients three or four times a day. Han Yunxi didn’t know specific details about the disease besides these basics, much less its cure. How were they supposed to treat an old man around fifty with the same symptoms?

It’d be a challenge in itself to just keep him alive.

In any case, Han Yunxi couldn’t come up with any of her own solutions under limited circumstances. Thus, she was looking forward to seeing Gu Beiyue’s plan. Meanwhile, Gu Beiyue’s attitude had finally ticked of Department Head Ouyang.

He roared, “Gu Beiyue, there’s not much time left for the patient. You’re wasting his life right now!”

“Heheh, this old man thought that Doctor Gu would choose to treat that patient out of all the others first. I never expected him to put him last. No matter how skilled he is, if he can’t discern between serious and minor cases, then he’s no better than an ordinary doctor,” Bai Yanqing spoke up as well.

“There’s nothing else to say. Gu Beiyue himself promised to see all three patients within the same day. Now he’s gone back on his word. As I see it, the medical academy should chase him out of Medical City this instant!” the Tianning military officer sneered.

Unfortunately, Gu Beiyue just refused to panic. After graciously declining the female patient’s thanks, he slowly walked towards the crowd. Even when faced with the fuming department heads and the restless Bai Yanqing and Tianning military official, he remained self-possessed and kindly. Smiling slightly, he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I can answer your questions now. However, I ask that everyone wait a bit longer.”

“For what?” Department Head Ouyang raged. Those who knew him well had never seen him so explosive. Alas, his mood didn’t affect Gu Beiyue.

“For the patient’s good news.” Gu Beiyue maintained his smile. In fact, there was even a trace of ridicule in it now.

It was unclear what everyone else thought, but Department Head Ouyang only felt like Gu Beiyue was laughing at him with disdain. He couldn’t understand it. The patient’s life was hanging by a thread, so how could he have any good news without treatment? 

Just when he was about to explode again, a happy cry came from the courtyard. “Department Head Ouyang! Department Head Ouyang, the patient’s recovered! He can drink now and he even wants to eat! Hurry and go take a look!”

Everyone turned as one towards the voice, opening a path for the young medical assistant to dash through the crowds. He was jumping and shouting for joy. “Department Head Ouyang, a miracle happened! This is simply a miracle! The patient’s recovered and doesn’t need treatment anymore!” He stopped right in front of Department Head Ouyang and realized something was wrong when he saw the man’s frozen face. Then he glanced carefully around him and saw that everyone else was equally stone-faced.

“I...I…” the little medical assistant grew fearful and burst into tears. “I’m not lying! The patient’s really recovered on his own! If you--if you don’t believe it, then go see for yourselves, sobsob, I’m not lying.”

It was really too quiet this time around, enough to scare the little boy. He had no idea what had just happened, much less what Gu Beiyue had said. In the silence, Gu Beiyue gently stroked the boy’s hair. “I believe you. Since he’s been hungry for so long, he can’t eat too much right now. Here’s the menu I wrote up. Deliver this over there and tell the caretaker to follow it for the next three days. After that, the patient can leave the treatment hall whenever he likes.”

The little medical assistant looked lost, but before he could accept the menu, Department Head Ouyang snatched it away to take a look. To his surprise, it really was nothing more than a list of foods.

“You...you--when did you write this up?” Department Head Ouyang asked.

“Three days ago in my room,” Gu Beiyue replied honestly. He looked towards Clan Head Ren to explain. “Clan Head Ren, I said that I’d finish seeing all three patients within a day and treat them. The first two patients were all diagnosed within a day with treatment plants. The last one didn’t need much diagnosis: either he’d die without care, or recover on his own. As things turned out, it was the latter option.”

Clan Head Ren was still muddle-headed when Department Head Ouyang flared up. “Impossible! This old man refuses to believe it!”

He ran straight towards the third courtyard with everyone following in his wake.