Chapter 555: The Reclusive Master
The four men glanced at each other, exchanging confused looks. All of them felt something uncanny in their hearts.
“What are you four doing? Hurry up and grab that quack doctor!” Seeing their strange behavior, Little Dex jumped up and cursed again.
Let's try again!
The four strongmen reached out for Song Yan again—two went for his shoulders, two for his arms.
“Huh? Nothing happened!”
All four were secretly relieved—but in the very next instant, a surge of hidden force shot into their palms.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Instantly, the four strongmen screamed and were sent flying, landing sprawled out in all directions, looking utterly pathetic.
“What the heck just happened?”
Little Dex stared at the scene, his eyes dull with shock.
Gavin Gong, meanwhile, felt a chill in his heart. His gaze toward Song Yan grew more serious. The Gong Clan was a major house, and they spent heavily to hire martial instructors as guards. The leader of these instructors was Hugh Wu.
His father once had someone test Hugh Wu’s skills.
Gavin had been there at the time and saw it himself: a strong servant punched Hugh Wu in the chest, but Hugh Wu was fine, while the servant was knocked back several steps by the rebound.
Now, wasn’t this scene just like when Hugh Wu sent the servant flying?
And he was sure that this Doctor Song was even stronger than Hugh Wu—because Hugh Wu only knocked people back, but Doctor Song sent four men flying at once. The difference was obvious.
“What are you four doing again?” Little Dex snapped back to his senses and scolded the four strongmen once more.
“Dex, you can't blame them. This Doctor Song is a martial arts master!” Gavin Gong quickly stopped Little Dex, afraid he’d say something reckless and offend Doctor Song.
As the saying goes, a wise man doesn’t stand under a dangerous wall. With skills like Doctor Song’s, if they really made him angry, he could kill or cripple them and just walk away. Even with all the power and wealth of the Gong Clan, they probably couldn’t do a thing about it.
“A martial arts master?”
Little Dex shuddered, his swagger instantly deflating. At heart, he was still just a lowly eunuch—he could bluff when things were safe, but when faced with someone truly untouchable, all he could do was play the coward.
Gavin Gong cupped his fists toward Song Yan. “Doctor Song, I was rude just now! Please forgive me.” With that, he placed the two silver ingots on the counter. “A small token of respect. I’ll take my leave now!”
It wasn’t until he’d walked completely out of the clinic that Gavin Gong finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Dex, this Doctor Song is no ordinary person. I’m afraid I can’t help you with this one!”
Back in the carriage, Gavin Gong spoke to Little Dex with a serious expression.
“But this is the man Consort Jade herself asked for!” Little Dex said anxiously. “Brother Gavin, I’m begging you—please help me! Otherwise I’ll have no way to answer to Her Grace!”
“Uh...”
Gavin Gong looked hesitant.
Little Dex pleaded again, “Brother Gavin, please! If you help me this time, I’ll be forever grateful!”
After a long silence, Gavin Gong finally said, “Alright, I’ll help you one more time. But if I ever need something from you, you can’t refuse!”
Hearing this, Little Dex was overjoyed. He patted his chest and said, “Don’t worry, Brother Gavin! As long as you help me this time, whatever you need in the future, just say the word!”
“Alright, let’s head back first. I’ll ask Leader Wu if he has any way to deal with this Doctor Song!”
Half an hour later.
Gong Clan inner courtyard.
A burly, energetic middle-aged man strode over and cupped his fists toward Gavin Gong. “May I ask why the young master has summoned me?”
“Greetings, Leader Wu.” Gavin Gong smiled and stood up to return the salute.
“Please, don’t!” Hugh Wu said loudly, turning slightly aside. “I’m just a rough fellow. If the young master needs anything, just say so!”
“Here’s the situation…”
Gavin Gong briefly described what had happened at the clinic. After listening, Hugh Wu’s expression grew serious.
“Leader Wu, do you think you can take him down?” Gavin Gong asked hopefully.
“Sorry, young master!” Hugh Wu shook his head. “Based on what you described, that doctor didn’t even move and still sent four men flying. His control over force is already at a level I can’t match—there’s no way I could handle someone like that!”
“What if all twelve of our martial instructors attacked together? Could we beat him then?” Gavin Gong pressed.
“I’m afraid not!” Hugh Wu shook his head again.
“No way—we have to capture that Song guy no matter what!” Little Dex interrupted anxiously.
“Leader Wu, why not give it a try? If you succeed, there’ll be a hefty reward!” Gavin Gong said.
“Uh...” Hugh Wu hesitated.
“Servants!”
As soon as he spoke, a maid came forward carrying a tray of silver.
There were ten silver ingots on the tray, each weighing ten taels—a total of a hundred taels.
“Leader Wu, take this silver and divide it up. You get half, and the rest goes to the other instructors. If you succeed, I’ll give you the same amount again—how about it?” Gavin Gong said with a smile.
Hugh Wu glanced at the ten silver ingots on the tray, his expression growing conflicted.
He worked for the Gong Clan, earning eight taels of silver a month; the other instructors got three.
If he completed the young master’s task, he could get a hundred taels of silver—enough to buy a house in Xianyang City.
“Young master, that man’s skills are too high. I’m afraid we can’t handle him. But if you give us twenty strong servants to help, maybe we can give it a try!”
“Alright, Leader Wu—deal!” Gavin Gong agreed readily.
...
Half an hour later, Song Family Clinic.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
One figure after another was sent flying out of the clinic.
Gavin Gong and Little Dex stood not far from the clinic, utterly dumbfounded by the scene. Leader Wu had only just gone in with his men, and in less than ten breaths, they were all thrown out.
Just then—
Song Yan walked out of the clinic, giving Gavin Gong and Little Dex a cold look.
“If you two dare cause trouble at my clinic again, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
Whoosh, whoosh!
Two black streaks flashed past and landed at their feet. Instinctively, they looked down and saw that the stone pavement now had two bamboo chopsticks embedded deep in it. Their pupils contracted and their bodies trembled—if those chopsticks had struck them instead of the stone, what would have happened?
An hour later, Consort Jade’s palace.
Little Dex knelt before Consort Jade, trembling as he recounted everything that had happened.
When he finished, Little Dex didn’t dare lift his head. He’d botched the job and had no idea how Her Grace would punish him.
But he didn’t notice that Consort Jade’s eyes were shining. A true master—absolutely a hidden master. Brilliant medical skills and martial arts. No wonder he dared ignore the imperial summons; he really was someone extraordinary.
No, I have to leave the palace myself and personally invite him to treat His Majesty.