Xiao Ruobing's men were efficient. In no time, the consultation fee was brought up. Two guards placed the chests down and opened them, revealing a trove of treasures.
There were neatly stacked silver ingots, two fine pieces of leather, two bolts of Kesi silk, and two types of precious medicinal herbs packaged in gift boxes. The chests were packed to the brim, and the items at the bottom were indistinct to Li Man'er, though she presumed they were not cheap.
A guard produced a gift list and respectfully handed it to Li Man'er.
Li Man'er took it and saw that the list also included a set of red coral headdresses, a box of pearls, and a set of superior four treasures of the study.
They were truly willing to spare no expense. While the soldiers in the Mobei military camp lived tough lives, the Xiao family seemed to be living quite well, prosperous to the extreme.
"General Xiao, these gifts are far too valuable. One should not accept rewards without merit. Please have them taken back."
Li Shu also glanced at the gifts, feeling that Xiao Ruobing was quite generous. At the same time, he thought his daughter was quite adept at making money; she hadn't even done anything yet and had already received so many good things.
"Yes, General Xiao, these are indeed too valuable." As the Marquis of Iron Courage, his annual salary was meager.
"Ah, Marquis, your words are misguided. How can one treat an illness without receiving a consultation fee? Your esteemed daughter's medical skills are superb, and she has resolved my years of leg pain. Even these gifts are somewhat meager."
The two physicians watched the gifts with envy. They were physicians too, yet they didn't receive such treatment.
Moreover, what had Miss Li done to deserve such a reward before even starting the treatment?
However, neither dared to speak. They knew they were not qualified to criticize, and more importantly, they were learning acupuncture techniques from this Miss Li.
"General, your words are misplaced. We haven't even begun the treatment yet, and you're already talking about the consultation fee."
Xiao Ruobing smiled gently. "It's fine. I trust you. With Marquis's case as precedent, I believe my minor injury is not a significant matter."
Xiao Ruobing wished to betroth Li Man'er to his son, Xiao Si, hence his exceptional generosity. He aimed to leave a good impression on the Li family, making the future proposal smoother.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Li Man'er felt that Xiao Ruobing was exceptionally amiable and kind today, subtly displaying a paternal demeanor, which left her somewhat perplexed.
Had he taken the wrong medicine?
Miss Xiao the Seventh also knew her father's intentions. While she was reluctant to have Li Man'er as her sister-in-law, she understood the immense power of a divine physician. Li Man'er's medical skills were superb, she was beautiful, and her family background was slightly superior to theirs. She was more than a match for Xiao Si.
If Li Man'er were to marry into the family, it would be a significant boost to the Xiao family.
Once they were family, would she still refuse to contribute to the Xiao family? Including the matter of the Moluo Mountain Range, Li Man'er would undoubtedly dedicate her efforts and not be perfunctory.
Everything was secondary to the greater cause.
With this thought, Xiao the Seventh chimed in, "Miss Man'er, please accept them."
Li Man'er's expression remained placid, but inwardly, she grew more convinced that the Xiao family was hatching some unknown scheme. She had been in Mobei for quite some time, and she and Xiao the Seventh had always maintained a polite distance, addressing each other as "Miss Li" and "Miss Xiao."
Today, Xiao the Seventh's demeanor was so intimate, calling her "Miss Man'er." There had to be something fishy.
With this realization, Li Man'er folded the gift list and handed it to Liu Ya. "If that is the case, then I respectfully accept."
Father and daughter exchanged a subtle look of delight as she accepted the list.
"General Xiao, the gifts have been accepted. Can we begin the treatment now?" It almost sounded as if she were the one who had been injured.
"I trouble you, Miss Li."
Li Man'er had Xiao Ruobing lie flat on the bed and rolled up his trouser legs high. Then, she took the silver needles handed over by Liu Ya.
Xiao the Seventh, worried, gave the two physicians a look, signaling them to come forward and observe.
These two were not only to learn Li Man'er's acupuncture techniques but also to ensure she didn't resort to any tricks that might harm Xiao Ruobing.
The two understood and flanked Li Man'er. Li Shu, uninterested in these matters, sat aside and drank tea.
Li Man'er was well aware of the two physicians' intentions. She did not stop them, slowly sterilizing the needles, allowing them to observe clearly.
The two watched intently and nodded silently to Xiao the Seventh, indicating that the needles were fine.
Li Man'er picked up a silver needle and said to the two behind her, "Both of you are physicians, so I won't delve into the basics. Those are too superficial and a waste of time. The techniques of acupuncture are limited. Please pay close attention to my hand gestures and methods."
The two nodded. Li Man'er then began the acupuncture, alleviating Xiao Ruobing's pain.
While called pain relief, the effect was far greater than mere pain reduction. Her acupuncture technique was somewhat special; with each insertion, her internal Xuan energy slowly flowed out, penetrating the acupoints along with the silver needles, enhancing the treatment's efficacy.
Xiao Ruobing felt a warm current flow into his acupoints. His legs, stiff and cold for years, and numb, experienced a long-forgotten comfort.
He sighed softly, a sound unheard by anyone but Li Man'er.
He hadn't felt such relaxation and warmth for a long time. His leg blood felt as if it had solidified, rendering the limb useless, like a piece of deadwood.
Now, the leg felt alive again.
This Li Man'er truly had extraordinary skills. Even before any medication, just with acupuncture, he felt a profound difference. Such an outstanding young woman, if she could marry Si'er, would be ideal.
The two physicians watched diligently, trying to memorize every step of Li Man'er's acupuncture. They were quite eager learners, holding a notebook and a pen, occasionally jotting down a few characters.
Li Man'er took the opportunity to retrieve the ox-hair needles hidden in her space and placed them with the silver needles, then targeted the Zusanli acupoint.
Ox-hair needles were finer than hair strands, almost transparent, and barely visible if not looked at closely. They were short, extremely sharp, and when inserted into acupoints, caused less pain than ordinary silver needles.
After inserting the ox-hair needles, Xuan energy surged out, submerging the needles entirely into the acupoints, where they quietly resided within Xiao Ruobing's qi and blood.
Xiao Ruobing felt no abnormality, his leg still comfortable, neither stiff nor painful.
The two behind Li Man'er, engrossed in their notes, did not witness this scene.
Li Man'er continued the acupuncture, occasionally offering brief explanations that significantly shifted the two physicians' attitudes.
Factional disputes and sectarian prejudice existed in every profession. In this era, who would selflessly share their means of livelihood with others? And certainly not impart their unique skills without reservation.
Yet, Li Man'er did so, earning genuine admiration.