Leaving the Sun family's main gate, Qian Yuanbao went directly to the Imperial Physician's residence where the Yun family couple had been treated years ago.
The Imperial Physician, surnamed Wang, had since retired.
"My father is at the Hundred Herbs Hall today, attending to patients," said Imperial Physician Wang's son, inviting Qian Yuanbao in.
"Then I won't intrude. I'll go directly to the Hundred Herbs Hall to find him," Qian Yuanbao cupped his hands towards Imperial Physician Wang's son and left in a hurry.
Imperial Physician Wang's son assumed Qian Yuanbao was seeking medical treatment for someone in his family. As he walked Qian Yuanbao to the door, he muttered, if the Qian family needed an imperial physician, why would they seek out his retired father?
The Hundred Herbs Hall was two streets away from the Wang residence. Qian Yuanbao arrived within fifteen minutes.
"Why have you come in person? If you need anything, you could have just sent someone," the shopkeeper greeted him personally.
Qian Yuanbao waved his hand, "Where is Imperial Physician Wang?"
"He's in the back. Are you looking for him?"
"It's urgent."
Seeing Qian Yuanbao's serious expression, the shopkeeper didn't dare to delay and quickly led him to the back.
Imperial Physician Wang had just finished writing a prescription for a patient. He nodded slightly at the shopkeeper, acknowledging his arrival.
"Imperial Physician Wang, this is young master Qian. He has something urgent to discuss with you."
Imperial Physician Wang stroked his goatee and spoke unhurriedly, "Shopkeeper, I am here to attend to patients at the strong invitation of Physician Luo. I have only one purpose here, which is to treat people. If this young master Qian is here for treatment, he should go outside and queue. If it's for anything else, I don't have time."
"Imperial Physician Wang, I just want to ask you about something."
"Call the next person in."
Imperial Physician Wang completely ignored him.
Qian Yuanbao knew his temperament and couldn't confront him, so he could only wait patiently for him to finish his consultations.
The shopkeeper looked apologetically at Qian Yuanbao. Imperial Physician Wang was an excellent physician, but his personality... He usually only spoke a few words with the owner, discussing rare cases.
Qian Yuanbao waved his hand, signaling him to attend to his duties. He then found a place to sit and waited for Imperial Physician Wang to finish.
"Speak, what is it?" Imperial Physician Wang asked Qian Yuanbao at noon, after his consultations concluded.
"I want to inquire about the Yun couple from the Yun Kai Academy," Qian Yuanbao stated his purpose.
"I'm old, I don't remember," Imperial Physician Wang said slowly.
"How can you not remember? They were in prison and died suddenly. You went to see them. But after you saw them, they were gone," Qian Yuanbao said anxiously.
"What do you mean, young man? What do you mean 'after I saw them they were gone'? They were already in a bad state when I arrived," Imperial Physician Wang retorted, his beard bristling.
"Didn't you say you didn't remember?"
Imperial Physician Wang glared at him, "Are you doing this on purpose?"
He paused, then continued on his own, "There was no poison, but the symptoms were like poisoning. The flesh on their bodies was decaying. I couldn't figure it out at the time, only concluding it was an acute illness. Later, several years passed, and I accidentally saw an ancient book that recorded a symptom very similar to the Yun couple."
"What was it?"
"Gu."
Qian Yuanbao was startled. He was no stranger to gu techniques now. He had watched the entire process when Ah Nian was afflicted with gu and was being treated. But at that time, Xu Miaoniang had just been born, or perhaps Xu Miaoniang didn't even exist. That wasn't right; Xu Miaoniang wasn't the only one who knew gu techniques.
It could now be determined that the Yun family's affairs back then involved someone skilled in gu techniques, and it was inseparable from Nanjiang.
Qian Yuanbao had a strong feeling that this matter was related to Qin Lang. Either he was colluding with people from Nanjiang, or he himself originated from Nanjiang.