Chapter 10, Uniform

This young man was more formidable than they could have imagined. They were merely a group of brave yet unwise farmers, none of whom had ever seriously studied martial arts, possessing only brute strength. Cao Jueming appeared slender, yet he easily subdued them using skills they had never encountered before, which was enough to instill fear in their hearts. They were not foolish; when faced with a strong opponent, they would only submit.

Cao Jueming sneered: "What great power! It turns out that as long as one can fight and bully the elderly and children with loud shouts, one is considered a man. Today, I truly have my eyes opened!"

Cao Jueming's eyes flashed, and he hurriedly smiled, saying: "I also heard that he fled south with the refugees escaping the disaster. The news broke off before reaching Qinghe, and I only know that the people who were traveling with him at that time might be Manager Wang and Aunt Ma from the Tongfu Inn in the west of the city. After some twists and turns, I finally found out the news in Qinghe. I originally thought that Uncle Jiang was also in Qinghe, but I didn't expect..."

The person, enraged and embarrassed, exclaimed: "What did you say?!"

Dr. Qian was still excited: "Qianzhou is quite far from here, located in the southeast, with high mountains and deep waters, yet it is rich in medicinal herbs, which is why there are many renowned doctors. Many physicians from other regions hope to spend a few years there; even if they cannot study under a famous master, they can still gain considerable experience! I also wanted to go there when I was young, but I was financially constrained and could not afford the travel expenses. If it were not for this, I would not have reached such an old age with mediocre medical skills. It was only during this escape southward that I treated countless patients along the way and made some progress." Reflecting on the past, he sighed softly, "If only I had been able to make up my mind to stay in Qianzhou for a few years back then..."

That person, somewhat awkwardly, glared at the crowd opposite and said: "It’s not like we intentionally got into a fight; they were the ones who provoked us first"

Qingyun chuckled twice, thinking that even the most affluent families could not raise someone like her; only the common folk of the twenty-first century could.

Cao Jueming was busy with both hands, and she looked up to give Qingyun a smile. Qingyun suddenly felt very happy, as if she had done something undeniably right

By the time she regained her senses, the clinic was already filled with people lying on the ground. The few remaining individuals were startled by the scene and hurriedly retreated to the wall, exchanging glances with one another, unsure of what to do.

Observing Cao Jueming's movements, one cannot say he possesses exceptional martial skills, but his agility is evident. Whether dodging or thrusting, he acts swiftly and decisively, which at least indicates that he often engages in physical training and is not a frail scholar. Qingyun, while stealing glances, recalls the sensation of colliding with his chest the first time they met, thinking to herself that had she not been in a hurry to leave, she might have cried on the spot, as it truly hurt. She secretly marvels, "He might be a practitioner of martial arts; no wonder his physique is so solid, it is truly not apparent from his appearance."

The two young attendants began to tidy up the tables and miscellaneous items in the medical hall that had been disturbed by the group of men. Qingyun helped the old doctor Qian to sit down at the desk and suddenly remembered something, turning back to ask Cao Jueming: "Brother Cao, Qianzhou is so far from here, did you really come all this way? How far is Heyang from here? How long do we have to wait for the Jiang family to respond?"

The fear on the faces of the crowd grew even more intense. Even after Cao Jueming had administered needles to restore their freedom, they still shrank back in fear, obediently following his instructions. After he prescribed several remedies and carefully advised them on the precautions for each, they could hardly wait for the attendant behind the counter to prepare the medicine. They picked up their injured companions, grabbed the prescriptions, and turned to flee. The clinic quickly returned to a state of calm, so quiet that the sound of the wind outside could be heard.

Old Doctor Qian's eyes sparkled: "That's truly wonderful!" He joyfully rushed to the counter, picked up the mortar and pestle, and sniffed the herbal scent lingering on it. "Brilliant... this is indeed a great prescription! Qing Jie, you have really helped me a lot this time!"

Dr. Qian rushed forward, grasped his hand, and excitedly examined him up and down without pause: "Good child, what is your name? How old are you? How many years have you studied medicine? Who is your master?"

Before Cao Jueming could respond, Dr. Qian spoke first: "Heyang? Heyang is less than a thousand miles from here, but what do you mean by the Jiang family? Could it be..." Suddenly, he came to his senses, his eyes wide open, "Qing Jie'er, are you referring to the Jiang family in Heyang?!"

Nonsense! Those people across from us are unhappy. Clearly, you are deliberately causing us trouble, and now the evildoers are the first to complain? I tell you, this matter is not over!

Dr. Qian's eyes became moist as he patted Cao Jueming's hand while nodding with a choked voice

Sparks flew between the two parties as they pushed and shoved each other, and it seemed they were about to start fighting again. Qingyun, watching from the side, was filled with fear and trepidation, quickly grabbing hold of the elderly doctor Qian and pulling him into a corner to hide. However, as she had to take care of the elderly man who was not very agile, her movements were not quick enough, and she nearly got hit by a man's outstretched arm. In a hurry, she shrank her neck, closed her eyes, crouched down, and almost lay flat on the ground.

Qingyun looked left and right, feeling an indescribable joy in his heart: "Grandpa Qian, Brother Cao just promised me outside the clinic that during his stay in Qinghe, he will be consulting here!"

Dr. Qian suddenly showed a look of doubt: "Although the Cao family of Qianzhou is a renowned family in the field of medicine, I have never heard of any connection between them and the Jiang family of Heyang. Do such prominent families also wish to form alliances with people like us from the medical community?" He looked at Cao Jueming.

He hesitated for a long time, unable to articulate the rest of his thoughts, but Cao Jueming was quite perceptive: "You are being too modest, esteemed elder. In the practice of medicine, what secrets could there possibly be? You have been practicing medicine for many years and possess rich experience. If I could engage in discussions about medical techniques with you regularly, I am sure I would benefit greatly. I kindly ask you to share your wisdom with me."

Everyone was taken aback, feeling somewhat uneasy in front of the young doctor who had just saved their companion. One person, feeling indignant, said: "What do you think you are, you little brat? Don't think that just because you bandaged our brother a bit, we have to listen to you!"

What am I saying?" Cao Jueming scoffed lightly, "I say that apart from fighting and causing trouble, all you do is make your parents and wives worry. You are nothing but cowards who only bully the weak and engage in petty squabbles. Do you even deserve to be called men?!

He simply used a silver needle to gently prick a large man lying on the ground a few times, and the blood flowing from the latter's face and feet immediately stopped. The same thing happened to two other large men. Once Old Doctor Qian finished bandaging the injured man in front of him, all the injuries had ceased to bleed. Then, Cao Jueming leisurely selected a few medicinal ingredients from the counter, ground them in a mortar for a while, and began to apply the medicine to them

Qingyun saw him dejected and hurried to comfort him: "Grandpa Qian, do not be sad, it is not too late now, is it? Brother Cao is from that place; if you wish to go, you can ask him for help. As long as you are willing to put in the effort, what is there that cannot be accomplished?"

Cao Jueming nimbly dodged his attack, swiftly thrusting a needle into the back of his neck with his right hand, causing the man to collapse limply to the ground. At that moment, several other burly men also lunged forward, only to be similarly pricked by a needle. Qingyun could only feel dazzled, as it seemed that in an instant, four or five burly men had been subdued by a single silver needle from Cao Jueming, almost as if it were a magic trick.

The few people standing shook their heads in unison, while Cao Jueming looked down at the ones lying on the ground: "What about you?" Those who could shake their heads did so, while those who could not let out painful groans, vaguely uttering the words "dare not".

The onlookers around seemed to have reacted, all joyfully gathering around the injured individuals they were concerned about. One of them even looked up and asked Dr. Qian, "Is my brother alright now?"

Qingyun stared in astonishment as Cao Jueming showcased his skills

Cao Jueming's hand paused, and his expression immediately became uncomfortable. Qingyun blinked, straightened his back, and stared at him, her expression filled with uncertainty.

Old Doctor Qian was immediately excited: "That's great!" Then he became somewhat hesitant: "Well... Doctor Cao, I know that your medical skills are inherited from your family, but if it is not... not a secret that cannot be passed down, could you... could you..."

Qingyun got up, staring blankly at the door outside, then turned to look at the composed Cao Jueming, his voice sounding as if he were in a dream: "Brother Cao, you truly are... really... too amazing..." The two young attendants also walked out from behind the counter, their four eyes sparkling with admiration, as if they were gazing upon a celestial being; Old Doctor Qian stared intently at Cao Jueming, as if he had encountered some precious treasure.

Are you all done? Cao Jueming suddenly stood up and shouted, his still youthful face tightly set. "If you want to fight, take it elsewhere! This is a medical clinic! Your brothers and friends are still on the ground! They are all seriously injured, yet you are only concerned with your pride and disputes, have you not considered what would happen if they were affected and their injuries worsened?" They are all seriously injured, yet you are only concerned with your pride and disputes, have you not considered what would happen if they were affected and their injuries worsened?

Cao Jueming, upon hearing these words, felt a momentary stiffness in his face for some unknown reason, and then smiled as he said: "It is never too late to act with intention. If you truly wish to go, my humble abode, though modest, can still accommodate you."

Dr. Qian was so overjoyed that he was rendered speechless

What do you want? That person stood up fiercely and pushed one of the others by the shoulder, "Haven't you had enough of a lesson yet? Come on! If I don't beat you to the ground looking for your teeth, then I'm not a man!"

All the Han people were enraged, especially the one who had just spoken, whose face turned completely red. He swung his fist and charged forward: "Shut your mouth, you little brat!"

Qingyun was aware of his temperament and was truly afraid that he might become overly agitated, which would be detrimental to his health. Therefore, she brought up another topic to divert his attention: "Grandpa Qian, is the Cao family very powerful? I have no idea. Is the Cao family in Qianzhou? Where is Qianzhou? Is it far from here?"

Old Doctor Qian smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I am old, how can I endure it? Qianzhou is nearly 2,000 miles away from here!"

Old Doctor Qian was somewhat confused: "How could that be? Your father hasn't arrived in Qinghe, has he? He passed away on the way."

So it is..." Dr. Qian sighed, "When I first met Master Jiang, I felt he was not from an ordinary family. His manner of speaking and acting exuded the elegance of a prominent family. I never expected he was actually from the Jiang family of Heyang! That is indeed an extraordinary family!" He then turned to Qingyun, "I should have realized that although you, my girl, have forgotten your past, this cleverness and quick-wittedness could only come from a family of high standing. Only a top-tier family could raise a girl like you!"

Faced with the gaze of four people, Cao Jueming's cold expression suddenly showed a hint of a crack. He reached up to scratch his head, feeling somewhat embarrassed as he stood up: "I apologize for the laughter; I was just... trying to scare you." A flush appeared on his face, and he somewhat flusteredly put the silver needles back into the silk cloth bag. Qingyun squinted again, wondering whether he was truly shy or just an outstanding actor.

This remark instead made Dr. Qian even more impressed: "At such a young age, possessing such medical skills and yet being so humble, truly worthy of being a descendant of a renowned family"

Cao Jueming's blush deepened: "I am indeed a descendant of the Cao family. Although the Cao family's inherited acupuncture techniques have their unique aspects, I cannot claim that they possess the ability to bring the dead back to life; such rumors are truly exaggerated."

Dr. Qian was greatly impressed: "Your family must be a renowned family of traditional Chinese medicine, right? Your acupuncture technique is truly remarkable! Although I have practiced medicine for many years, I lack talent in acupuncture and only understand the basics. I have always admired doctors with excellent acupuncture skills!" He pondered for a moment, "Your surname is Cao... Ah, yes! I remember that there is a famous family of doctors in Qianzhou, also surnamed Cao, known for their acupuncture skills in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. It is said that with just one silver needle, they can bring the dead back to life and restore flesh to bones. Although there are many exaggerations in such tales, it is enough to prove the exceptional skills of the Cao family! You must be a descendant of the Cao family, right?

Cao Jueming, calm and unhurried, stretched out his long legs, righted a long bench that had fallen to the ground, lifted the hem of his garment with his left hand, mounted the bench with a sword across his lap, and casually twirled a silver needle with his right hand, asking, "Who else is unconvinced?"

Cao Jueming's face stiffened again, and Qingyun noticed something unusual. He hurriedly said to Old Doctor Qian: "Brother Cao said that my father is from the Jiang family in Heyang, but he has been away from home for many years. The clan has been searching for him for a long time. They heard that he appeared in Qinghe, so they entrusted Brother Cao to come and look for him."

Cao Jueming smiled shyly and said: "I am a junior, my surname is Cao, Cao Jueming, with 'Jue' from 'Yujue' and 'Ming' from 'Mingri'. I just turned 15 today and have been studying medicine for 12 years. I have not apprenticed under a master; it is... it is a family tradition of medical skills."

Dr. Qian took a look at his brother: "Although it looks terrible, his injuries are not too severe. Take the medicine back and take good care of him for a month or so, and don't cause any more trouble. If he gets into another fight, the injuries will worsen, and I cannot guarantee that I will be able to treat him successfully."

He performed so cleanly and neatly that even Old Doctor Qian was taken aback, unable to help but glance at Qingyun, silently inquiring with his eyes about the identity of the newcomer. Qingyun introduced dryly: "This is my relative who has come to see me... Brother Cao, he has been studying medicine since elementary school and has been learning for a long time. I think... perhaps he could come here to consult for a few months and assist you..."

Cao Jueming coldly snorted, "If you dare to act wild in front of me again, I will make it so you can never stand up for the rest of your lives, reduced to nothing more than a pile of mud, easily crushed even by a three-year-old child!" As he spoke, his expression was as if covered in frost, and his voice was eerie, sending chills down the spine of anyone who heard it