Chapter 7: Undercurrents

Mu Hongyu could not ignore her husband’s condition and directly summoned several physicians from the Marquis’s Manor to examine Shen Gong’ao together.

These three physicians, while not legendary healers, were absolutely top-tier doctors, one in a thousand.

After all, the Shen Gong Clan was now a top-tier aristocratic family; any physician kept here was definitely not ordinary.

The three physicians used the four diagnostic methods: observation, listening/smelling, inquiry, and palpation.

They examined him for a full half-hour, then looked troubled.

Mu Hongyu asked, “Is the Marquis’s illness serious? Can you cure it?”

The three famous doctors knelt straight down, shaking their heads in distress.

Mu Hongyu stood up abruptly. “What do you mean?”

The three physicians kowtowed. “We report to the Marquis, to my lady, we… we do not know what illness this is?”

Mu Hongyu snarled, “You can’t even tell what illness it is? Weren’t you usually boasting about curing diseases with a single dose? Our Shen Gong Clan has treated you well for twenty years, and you’re telling me you can’t identify the illness?”

The three physicians trembled. “We have examined the Marquis thoroughly. It’s truly strange, too strange. We completely cannot see any sign that the Marquis is ill. We even feel the Marquis’s body is exceptionally robust and formidable.”

Mu Hongyu raged, “Quacks! Look at him, does this look robust and formidable?”

The three physicians were indeed puzzled. According to their examination, Shen Gong’ao truly had no illness; he could even be described as strong as a tiger. Yet, he lay on the bed, barely able to move.

Shen Gong’ao said word by word, “My entire right leg is completely paralyzed, unable to move.”

The three physicians trembled. “We… we truly do not know why.”

Mu Hongyu felt ice-cold all over. Although she kept calling them quacks, she knew deep down that these three physicians’ medical skills were quite superb. For common ailments in the manor, even very complex illnesses, they were always able to cure them.

But this time, not only could they not cure it, they did not even know what the illness was. Clearly, her husband’s illness this time was no simple, difficult-to-treat malady.

“For the time being, you will not leave this courtyard half a step,” Mu Hongyu said flatly.

“Yes,” the three physicians said, trembling. They knew that unless Shen Gong’ao could be cured, they would never leave this place, and they were very likely to be silenced or even buried with him.

Suddenly, one of the physicians said, “We should invite the Divine Physician Lin Daomiao. He should be practicing medicine and teaching in Tianshui Province.”

Another physician said, “Right. Lin Daomiao is the founding master of the Medicine Department at Tianshui Academy, the number one divine physician in the south. If anyone can cure the Marquis’s illness, it would be him.”

The Scholarium! It could be considered the most transcendent force in the whole world, transcending national borders and ethnicities.

The Scholarium was further divided into Academies and Martial Academies.

Whether it was the Tianqi Empire in the north, the Great Xia Empire in the central plains, or the Great Xiongnu Empire in the west, even the southern Kingdom of Dali, the Great Liaoguo, and other foreign lands, all had Academies and Martial Academies.

Every diviner, mage, physician, scholar, advisor, etc., in the households of the wealthy and noble families came from the Academies.

And every top-tier general, assassin, and military strategist of the wealthy and noble families also came from the Martial Academies.

The highest headquarters of the Scholarium was called Skyhaven Library City, governing all the Academies and Martial Academies under heaven.

Within the Academies, there were over a dozen disciplines, and the Medicine Department was one of them.

All legitimate physicians in the world graduated from the Medicine Department of the Academies.

And this Lin Daomiao, the chief Grandmaster of the Medicine Department at Tianshui Academy, was called the number one divine physician of the south.

Hearing this name, Shen Gong’ao could not help but frown.

One physician said, “The Marquis need not worry overly. A physician’s heart is like that of a parent. Grandmaster Lin is benevolent and most fond of puzzling illnesses. Once he hears of such a strange condition, he will certainly rush over to treat it immediately.”

Another physician said, “Everyone in the Academy of Medicine must remember the ancestral teaching: even if your patient is a devil, you must do your utmost. After the treatment is complete, forget this patient completely. So the Grandmaster will certainly keep it secret; he will not reveal a single word.”

“Grandmaster Lin once taught me. I can write him a letter.”

Having said that, the physician lay on the ground to write the letter, then handed it to Mu Hongyu and Shen Gong’ao for inspection.

After a long silence, Shen Gong’ao said hoarsely, “Attendant!”

Instantly, a figure appeared in the room as if from nowhere.

“Abu, you personally go to Tianshui Academy. When no one is around, deliver this letter to Lin Daomiao,” Shen Gong’ao ordered.

“Yes, Master!” the dark figure said, then vanished in a flash and left.

Shen Gong’ao lightly waved his hand, and the letter shot like lightning into Abu’s pocket.

…

These past few days, rumors spread fiercely. Even Shen Wuque heard people around him discussing it more than once.

“Have you heard? Lord Shen Gong’ao has fallen ill, and it’s an incurable disease.”

“Back on the battlefield, he once collapsed, convulsing violently.”

“This must be from too much killing; tens of thousands of vengeful spirits are haunting him.”

“I heard the Marquis of Zhenhai Mansion has already started preparing for the funeral arrangements.”

“Young Master Shen Wuzhuo and Young Master Shen Wuyu have secretly entered Zhenhai City. Once the Lord Marquis breathes his last, they will immediately fight for the Marquis title.”

The whole of Zhenhai City could be said to be seething with undercurrents.

Although Zhenhai City was nominally Shen Gong’ao’s territory, and he himself was the city lord of Zhenhai.

At least three major powers were currently present here.

The Shen Gong Family, the Mi Clan, and the Great Xia Empire—none could completely control this city.

At this time, with Shen Gong’ao being enfeoffed as a Marquis and the imperial court surveying the new territory he had just conquered, the enfeoffment of the Shen Gong Clan’s new lands was imminent. The news of Shen Gong’ao’s serious illness was rampant, clearly pushed by unseen hands, and not just one.

…

Magicstone City!

This was a brand new city, still under construction, but already revealing its grand structure.

Tall, layered walls, a sturdy, formidable castle, imposing like a crouching tiger or coiled dragon.

The newly built Shen Gong residence here was not a mere manor at all, but an absolute military fortress.

Although the Marquis of Zhenhai Mansion was in Zhenhai City, the foundation of the Shen Gong Clan was in Magicstone City.

The core of the Shen Gong Clan’s rule, over ten thousand square kilometers, was also in Magicstone City.

This was land Shen Gong’ao personally conquered, seized from the Southern Barbarians, a city wholly belonging to the Shen Gong Clan.

According to the original Contract, Zhenhai City was supposed to be returned to the Mi Clan in the future.

Shen Gong’ao was a naturalized foreigner. In the past, he served Lord Mi, possessing a noble title but no fief.

When the Mi Clan destroyed the Ying Clan and seized all of Tianshui Province, Shen Gong’ao contributed the most. Several major victories were won by Shen Gong’ao. So, the Emperor ordered Lord Mi to lend Zhenhai City to Shen Gong’ao.

Now, after so many years, Shen Gong’ao was highly valued by the Emperor, appointed as the Grand Governor of Southern Conquest. With victory in every battle, his momentum was shocking, unparalleled for a time, even surpassing the Mi Clan.

But Shen Gong’ao knew deeply that a family without territory had no root.

All his territories were conquered by himself, seized from foreign hands. According to the Emperor’s decree, for every piece of land conquered, one quarter would belong to his Shen Gong Clan.

Thus, Shen Gong’ao’s territory increased almost every year, now reaching thirteen thousand square kilometers, with a population of several hundred thousand within.

This time, Shen Gong’ao won a great victory, gaining over ten thousand square kilometers of land from the Kingdom of Dali. According to the agreement, one quarter belonged to the Shen Gong Clan, roughly three thousand square kilometers.

Compared to the Shen Gong Clan’s thirteen thousand square kilometers of fief, three thousand wasn’t a huge number. But these three thousand square kilometers contained vast, fertile farmland and a population of three hundred thousand, making it extremely important to the Shen Gong Clan.

One could say that once they obtained these three thousand square kilometers of fief, the Shen Gong Clan’s farmland area would directly double.

Therefore, Shen Gong’ao had kept the news of his serious illness secret until the Imperial Decree regarding the fief arrived, precisely to avoid complications.

At this moment, at the highest point of the newly built Shen Gong fortress castle, an elegant young nobleman was overlooking the entire city.

He was the pride of the Shen Gong Clan, the Second Young Master, Shen Wuyu.

The Eldest Young Master, Shen Wuzhuo, commanded troops at the front line, confronting the Kingdom of Dali, and supervised the imperial court’s land survey for the new fief, even secretly sending troops to occupy it.

The Second Young Master, Shen Wuyu, was fully in charge of building Magicstone City and managing all internal affairs across the more than ten thousand square kilometers of fief.

One was peerless in civil affairs, the other supreme in military affairs.

One managed finances, the other managed troops.

Both sons performed supremely well!

Thus, Shen Gong’ao could confidently hand over the army and the fief entirely to his two sons, while he himself focused fully on dealing with the forces of the imperial court and the Mi Clan in Zhenhai City.

…