Chapter 8, Wushan Gang

The misty waves stretch endlessly as a fast boat glides down the river

Is that really the case? Madam Min said coldly

At dusk, the boat docked at the Badong Guandu Port, where members of the Wushan Gang were already leading horses and receiving the ship. Following the Shennong Stream for more than ten miles, a grand fir forest concealed a manor, which was the headquarters of the Wushan Gang

The leader of the Miao clan stepped forward and cupped his hands in salute, saying: "Madam Min, Xia Bashan has been brought here."

Haha, the young master is greatly improved, all the cold and dark substances in his abdomen have been expelled, and the yang energy is beginning to emerge. Today, he will take one dose of medicine in the morning and one in the evening, and by tomorrow he will be able to get out of bed

"Master Miao, please rest assured. Back then, I, Xia, had no effective remedy for the illness of the late Master Min, but now I am completely confident. After administering two doses of medicine, the results will be evident by tomorrow" said Xia Bashan with utmost sincerity

"Mr. Xia, it has been many years since we last met. How have you been?" Madam Min's voice was soft and melodious, with a hint of allure.

Well then, Mr. Xia, the young master has now contracted the same illness as his late husband. If you can cure him, not only will the previous debt be wiped clean, but the Wushan Gang will also present an additional one hundred taels of gold. " As she spoke, the lady's expression darkened, "If the treatment is unsuccessful..."

***

Since ancient times, most herbalists who ventured into the mountains have never returned, and even the local villagers dare not go there recklessly; as a child, you certainly cannot go either

At midnight, Mo Can was in the kitchen preparing the medicine for the night.

"Has this child fainted?" It sounds like Madam Min.

This matter must be promptly communicated to Mr. Xia, Mo Can thought to get up, but his whole body felt weak and powerless. It was unclear how much time had passed when he heard the sound of the door opening, and someone approached: "Mo Can, is the medicine ready?" It turned out to be Xia Bashan.

As the leader of the Miao clan mentioned, going to Shennongjia to gather medicinal herbs is indeed an extremely dangerous endeavor, and one could easily lose their life if not careful. ... Alas, since we have already arrived at Shennongjia, wouldn't it be a pity to return empty-handed? ... Perhaps I might be fortunate enough to find genuine herbs without venturing deep into the mountains and forests.

I... feel much... more. The young master is surprisingly able to speak intermittently.

Xia Bashan smiled faintly and cupped his hands, saying: "The Xia family's remedies are not worth mentioning, I hope you all can forgive me."

Mo Canxin remarked that the heavens are indeed extraordinarily effective, which further strengthened the resolve to venture to Shennongjia to gather authentic medicinal herbs

The next morning, a maid came to report that the young master had been continuously vomiting. Xia Bashan and Mo Can hurried to the inner hall, where Madam Min was already present

"Mr. Xia, are you really so confident about the Young Master's illness?" It seems that Master Miao still harbors some doubts.

"Rest assured, the fragrant mist of the Xue family has never missed its mark," this voice sounded very familiar. That's right, it was the man in the beautiful clothes at the banquet, Manager Xue. "I didn't expect that the Xia Bashan really has some skills, able to dissolve the Five Poisons Heart-Devouring Powder. Let me see what kind of remedy he used."

At the banquet table, several hall masters from the branch were present, and Hall Master Miao introduced each of them one by one

Xiabashan sat by the bedside, reaching out to rest his hand on the wrist of the young leader to take his pulse. Indeed, it was the same as the pulse of the late leader Min from years ago, the heartbeat floating just above the skin, faint and elusive, like a fish swimming in water, with a very slow and irregular rhythm

Mo Canmeng suddenly woke up, swaying as he stood up: "It was Madam Min, and that steward Xue, who poisoned the medicine jar..." He recounted the scene that had just occurred to Mr. Xia.

Let's still go together," Mo Can insisted.

Three Yin Coldness reaches its peak, Yang perishes on the outside. The pulse resembles a fish jumping and the heart is in despair. Little Leader, do not be alarmed. Xia will treat you now. Xia Bashan said confidently, with a plan in mind.

※※※。

"Madam, please rest assured. The young leader will recover in no more than three to five days," Xia Bashan assured.

Having traveled downstream from the Chuanjiang River all the way, it was early spring when both sides of the river were full of vitality. The sound of mountain songs mixed with the laughter of children playing in the water and the sight of village girls pounding clothes made one feel intoxicated. However, the Three Gorges of Badong in front of me presented a different scenery, and the beauty of the Central Plains was so magnificent and beautiful that it made Mo Can sigh in admiration.

I heard that your medical skills have greatly improved over the years, and you have cured many incurable diseases in western Yunnan. Is it true?

The hosts are all bold and generous men in the martial arts world. They don't mind if he doesn't want to reveal and they all raise their glasses to toast, chatting freely about everything under the sun.

Xue Zifeng, your trick of substituting one thing for another with the peach and plum ten years ago may have worked, but Xia Ba Mountain is not what it used to be. We underestimated him too much," Mrs. Min complained.

"Thank you, Mr. Xia. I am unwell, so I ask Uncle Miao to take the two of you to the side hall for dinner." Madam Min was assisted by her maid as she entered to rest.

Not bad, this old man is not talented, but there are a few examples where one dose of medicine can cure. Xia Ba Mountain pondered in his heart, if he fails to cure this time, the young leader will undoubtedly die. It's better to just talk big and not let people underestimate him.

In Mo Can's nose, there was a sweet sensation. He yawned and felt drowsy, his body slumping, on the verge of falling asleep...

That kind of situation where no one can escape, don't worry, I will find a way to slip away, just like ten years ago, and see if there is any food to bring along. Xiabashan flipped out more than ten steamed buns from the cage and let Mo Can carry them in a bag behind his back.

Yan'er, this pill will be mixed into the medicine jar. After daybreak, the Deputy Leader will breathe his last breath. By then, Xia Ba Mountain will have no one to plead his case, and killing him will bring everything to an end.

Xiaba Mountain reached out and lifted his head to take a look. Then he scooped up a ladle of cold water and took a big sip, "puff", spraying it onto Mo Can's face.

Upon hearing this, the leaders in the hall began to whisper to each other, seemingly expressing disbelief.

Mr. Xia, I am under the spell of your fragrance. Mo's mouth seemed to have a mind of its own.

"Mr. Xia, this is for you." Mo Can turned around and took out a paper package containing old Tianma from his pocket, handing it to Xia Bashan, and then disappeared into the darkness

In the pantry, Mo Can opened his bundle and took out a package of Tianma soup and a few pieces of old Tianma. He poured them into a medicine pot with water and began to boil them. After about half an hour, the medicine was ready and he carried it into the inner hall in a bowl. A maid served and fed the Tianma soup to the young leader spoon by spoon.

Mo Can was eating on the side while listening to the general idea. The Wushan Gang is the largest gang in the Badong Three Gorges area, mainly controlling water and land trade and transportation of goods along the river. When the former gang leader Min lost his wife, the young deputy leader took a new wife, a young and beautiful woman from a brothel in Yichang, who is now Mrs. Min. Since the young deputy leader fell ill and was bedridden last year, Mrs. Min has taken over the affairs of the gang. Miao, the hall master, is the sworn brother of the former gang leader and together they worked hard to develop and expand the Wushan Gang, hence its current scale. Therefore, Mrs. Min has always referred to him as Uncle Miao.

Mo Can found an opportunity to ask Miao Tangzhu about the way to Shennongjia. He learned that this place is more than a hundred li away from Shennongjia. It is necessary to follow the Shennong River northward along the mountain road, which is rugged and difficult to travel. There are steep cliffs, caves, waterfalls, and dangerous rapids everywhere, which are not accessible to ordinary people.

"Mo Can, go and fry a prescription immediately," Xia Ba Shan pulled Mo Can aside and whispered, "Don't let anyone get close to the medicine pot. The martial world is treacherous, and we must be on guard."

Xiabashan quickly bowed and replied, "I am well, thank you for your concern, Madam."

"I wonder what good medicine Mr. Xia is using; could you please share it so that everyone can broaden their horizons?" A middle-aged man dressed in splendid attire spoke up; he was the steward Xue from the main hall.

And you?

The young woman smiled sweetly and said, "Uncle Miao, you have worked hard all the way here, please take a seat and rest."

With the sound of the door closing, everything returns to silence

Mo Can stood at the bow of the ship, with the cliffs of Kuimen rising a thousand fathoms high. At its narrowest point, the river was merely over ten zhang wide, with turbulent waters and surging waves, creating a deafening roar that sent chills down one's spine

Faintly, I heard the creaking sound of the door, followed by someone speaking near my ear

"Hmph, if you make another mistake, I will not let you off easily," Lady Min scolded.

The hall was brightly lit, and in the center, a woman in a blue dress sat in a grand master's chair. She appeared to be in her early thirties, with a beautiful face. Although she had gained some weight, she still retained her charm. On either side of her, several branch leaders sat in chairs, having rushed over from their respective branches after receiving the message.

Lifting the tent, a gaunt young man lay on a carved redwood bed, his complexion dark and his eyes bloodshot. Saliva dripped from his open mouth, and upon seeing someone enter, he laboriously turned his eyes.

People have been arranged both inside and outside the main hall, so if there are any changes, we can control the situation. This child will wake up in the time it takes to burn an incense stick, so we should hurry and leave

Mr. Xia listened silently and pondered: "Ten years ago, I suspected that the old leader Min was poisoned. Now, the young leader has also fallen victim to poison, and what just happened has confirmed my original suspicion. Aside from Manager Xue, it is unclear who else in the gang is an ally of Madam Min. A storm of blood and violence is inevitable. Mo Can, this place is too dangerous to stay for long; you should leave secretly tonight."

"It is impossible for it not to be cured," Xia Bashan interrupted Madam Min's words and said proudly, "I am currently feeling hungry and thirsty. May I ask Madam to prepare some food and wine first, so that I may dine after treating the Young Master."

Hurry up, or it will be too late. Xia Bashan gently pushed open the back window of the kitchen, listened for a moment, and then lifted Mo Can and flipped him out.

Of course, what Xia mentioned is not a trivial matter. Xia Bashan took the pulse and felt that the rebound was indeed much stronger than last night, and then instructed Mo Can to go and prepare the medicine again.

I cannot escape. Back then, I managed to flee only by taking advantage of the chaos, but now I am already being closely monitored. They are targeting me and will not pay attention to a small child like you. Now, while the internal strife has not yet erupted, tonight is the only opportunity to save your life. Just leave and head south; you can reach Guandu Port before dawn. Take this silver with you first. After returning to Dali, sell the Bashan Medical House and then go home.

Madam Min gazed at Xiabashan with a blank expression, remaining silent.

The room was filled with a sour odor, and the floor was already covered with half a basin of filth, while the satin quilt was in complete disarray

Mo Can scrutinized the bedroom of the wealthy family, and from the corner of his eye, he noticed Madam Min, with a frosty expression, casting a cold and disdainful glance at him, her lips slightly curling in contempt.

Indeed refreshing, the food and drinks have long been arranged. Mr. Xia, I trouble you to come with me now." Madam Min stood up, and Mr. Xia Bashan, Mo Can, and Master Miao followed her into the inner hall

Xiabashan opened the paper bag in surprise. At first, he was taken aback, then he brought it to his nose and sniffed it. His expression changed dramatically, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he immediately understood. He couldn't help but let out a bitter smile, followed by a long sigh from his chest.

The leader of the Miao clan waved his hand, and the attendants led Xiabashan and Mo Can into the hall.

Mo Can was in a daze when he heard Steward Xue unwrapping the paper package of the Tianma soup, muttering to himself: "Ginseng, almonds, ephedra, this is Qianghuo, and also Tianma, Baizhu, and Guixin, and the last ingredient should be Fuzi. How strange, how could such a simple prescription possibly counteract the poison"