CHAPTER 324: CHAPTER 324: CHOOSE ONE PERSON, GUARD ONE CITY, FOR A LIFETIME

Upon hearing this, Lady Duanmu felt even more strongly that Si Mingjing was just an inexperienced doctor with little insight. She promptly threw the prescription Si Mingjing had written directly into the trash can.

Butler Yang secretly retrieved the prescription from the trash can and instructed someone to have the medicine prepared.

Since Mengcheng had no traditional Chinese medicine stores, Butler Yang sent someone to a mainland country to buy the herbs. This caused a two-day delay.

During those two days, Lady Duanmu took the medication prescribed by Western doctors.

Regrettably, it didn’t have much effect.

Her dizziness had become a severe impediment to her daily life, making it unbearably difficult.

At that moment, her dizziness was particularly severe, and she was so irritable that she lashed out verbally.

"All quacks! None of them can cure a simple case of syncope! In the past, on the mainland, there was a Poison Doctor named Ban Chugang. He never claimed to be a famous doctor, yet his treatments almost always worked wonders. What a pity! Such great medical skills, yet no successor. Heaven intends to ruin me!"

After consulting numerous doctors, they all warned that if her dizziness progressed, it could lead to a stroke!

She was only in her fifties; if she had a stroke, how would she endure the days to come?

Moreover, she had not yet met the true City Lord!

Lady Duanmu closed her eyes, the City Lord’s final words before his death echoing in her mind: "This city was built for her. No matter how many years pass, as soon as she appears, she will be the new City Lord."

But would the ’her’ the City Lord spoke of truly appear?

Lady Duanmu felt a profound sense of melancholy, suspecting she would not live to see that day.

She needed to choose a new acting City Lord, lest she have a stroke and Huo City fall into the hands of Gendaya or Atlantis!

Choose one person, guard one city, for a lifetime.

Such a beautiful sentiment, yet for Lady Duanmu, it was an utter tragedy.

She loved the City Lord, but he did not love her. In his heart, there was only that elusive ’her’—a baby whose very existence was uncertain!

But Lady Duanmu had no regrets.

She was willing to guard Huo City for the City Lord, waiting for ’her’ to appear. She would hand over the city to ’her’ and deliver the City Lord’s love for ’her’ into ’her’ hands. If ’she’ never came, then Lady Duanmu would choose a successor, passing on the legacy from one generation to the next until ’she’ finally appeared!

The City Lord was obstinate, and so was she. Each had drawn their own prison, trapping themselves within, willing to endure any amount of suffering.

Just then, Butler Yang entered with a bowl of soup. Offering it respectfully, he said in a low voice, "My Lady, please drink some soup to soothe your throat."

Lady Duanmu did indeed drink some. She was thirsty, yearning for a sweet spring.

She opened her eyes, held the bowl, and took a couple of sips. Slightly furrowing her brow, she asked, "What soup is this? I don’t believe I’ve had it before."

Butler Yang dared not reveal that it was the Kudzu Dragon Jujube Kernel Soup prescribed by Si Mingjing.

He chose his words carefully. "This is a new soup concocted by the kitchen staff. Knowing your appetite has been poor, they specially prepared it for you. Is it difficult to drink?"

"Not at all. The taste is quite good."

Lady Duanmu finished the entire bowl of Kudzu Dragon Jujube Kernel Soup, lay back in her rocking chair, and continued to ponder the selection of a successor.

About half an hour later, Lady Duanmu suddenly realized her dizziness had subsided. She got up and walked around the room, her face wreathed in smiles.

Butler Yang entered and, seeing Lady Duanmu walking around the room, quickly went to assist her. "My Lady, please be careful not to fall."

"There’s no need. I’m not dizzy anymore. Usually, when I feel dizzy, it lasts for at least two or three hours. But this time, it passed in less than half an hour. Perhaps the Western medicine I took earlier was effective, and I misjudged the doctors."

Butler Yang was surprised. "My Lady, do you truly feel much better?"

"Yes, much better. Prepare the carriage; I need to go to the City Hall for a meeting."

Butler Yang hesitated, clearly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

"What is it you want to say? Are you worried I’ll become dizzy again? So what if I do? I must make the most of the times when I’m lucid and comfortable to handle my affairs."

"No, My Lady."

Butler Yang said, "Half an hour ago, I took the liberty of bringing you the soup that Miss Si prescribed. I recall Miss Si mentioning that it should take effect about half an hour after drinking it, and it has now been exactly half an hour..."

Butler Yang was not entirely certain, so he spoke haltingly, even more afraid of Lady Duanmu’s rebuke.

"What did you say? Is that so?"

Lady Duanmu was skeptical. "Can one bowl of soup truly alleviate my dizziness so quickly?"

"I do not know, My Lady."

Lady Duanmu hesitated for a long moment. "Never mind. I’ll go to the City Hall meeting first. The next time I feel dizzy, prepare that medicinal soup again, and I’ll try it."

Butler Yang nodded and withdrew to prepare the carriage.

「 」

Meanwhile, Si Mingjing had not been idle. She could not pin all her hopes on Lady Duanmu and had spent the past few days contemplating other ways to enter the tomb.

The tomb was heavily guarded. Even when Fengjue personally reconnoitered, he returned shaking his head. "It’s heavily guarded. Forcing our way in would be very difficult."

Si Mingjing frowned. "Have you found Dragon Algae anywhere else in Mengcheng?"

Fengjue replied, "No. And I have made inquiries: the tomb is indeed a place of no return—extremely dangerous, with only a slim chance of survival. Crown Princess Consort, are you certain you wish to risk entering it? Perhaps there are other ways to treat diabetes."

"Perhaps, but how many years of research would it take to see results? Since a viable method exists now, we should give it our all."

Si Mingjing refused to give up. There must be people who have gone in and come out, she thought, otherwise, how would anyone know that Dragon Algae grows in the tomb?

Just then, Butler Yang called, asking for the remaining one hundred thousand yuan.

A faint smile touched Si Mingjing’s lips. "Did Her Ladyship drink the soup?"

On the phone, Butler Yang boasted at length about how diligently he had worked to persuade Lady Duanmu to drink the soup, clearly hoping Si Mingjing would remember his contribution.

Si Mingjing understood his implications and played along. "Thank you, Butler Yang. I will transfer the remaining one hundred thousand yuan to you right away."

Butler Yang added, "Miss Si, Lady Duanmu would like to see you tomorrow morning. Please come and attend to her again."

"Very well. Thank you for your help, Butler Yang."

"No need for thanks. I didn’t expect someone so young to possess such genuine skill. I underestimated you before."

「The next morning, Si Mingjing went to Lady Duanmu’s residence.」

To Si Mingjing’s surprise, Lady Duanmu was tearful. She grasped Si Mingjing’s hand and said, "Young girl, do you know, ever since my dizziness worsened, I could barely stand or sleep most days. But after drinking the Kudzu Dragon Jujube Kernel Soup yesterday, not only could I walk normally, but I also slept for a full eight hours last night! To be able to sleep well... it was truly wonderful. I never expected a single bowl of soup to have such miraculous effects. You are truly a Little Divine Doctor!"

The arrogance in Lady Duanmu’s eyes had vanished; she now regarded Si Mingjing as a healer possessing true knowledge and skill.

She reflected on her previous behavior and even offered a sincere apology.