“I wonder whose kitten this is. It is remarkably intelligent.”
The female doctor looked at Jiang Lu, who was sitting obediently to the side, and a touch of gentleness appeared in her eyes.
She carefully picked the kitten up and gently set her down on a clean wooden table nearby.
Turning around, she fetched a small bowl, poured half a bowl of warm water, and pushed it in front of Jiang Lu.
Having rushed all this way in a state of anxiety, Jiang Lu had not noticed her thirst. Looking at the clear water in the bowl, her throat suddenly felt dry. She instinctively lowered her head and began to lap up the cool water from the bowl in small sips.
Once she finished drinking, she looked up and saw the female doctor holding a small porcelain bottle.
The female doctor looked down at the spiritually intelligent little creature before her, her eyes soft as she spoke in a gentle voice, “Since we met by chance, I shall gift you this pill. It will surely save your master.”
She originally lived in seclusion from the world, rarely showing her treasured pills to anyone. In the eyes of outsiders, she was merely an ordinary female doctor.
But today, this kitten had traveled a great distance to find her, which she saw as a rare stroke of fate.
Jiang Lu's round eyes fell upon the porcelain bottle. She tentatively raised a paw and gently tapped the cool surface of the bottle.
When she clearly saw the name of the medicine engraved on the bottle, a flash of pleasant surprise instantly crossed her eyes, and she let out a soft, tender cry:
“Meow~”
Amused by her lively demeanor, the female doctor smiled warmly and gently stroked the top of her head.
She then found a soft, sturdy cord, carefully threaded it through the loop on the bottle, tied it gently, and securely hung the tiny medicine bottle around Jiang Lu's neck.
Afterward, she carried her outside and gently patted her head.
“Go on, don't keep your master waiting!”
Jiang Lu took a few leaps and landed steadily outside the door. She looked back at the gentle, serene figure in the courtyard before turning around and quietly vanishing into the night.
In the middle of the night—
The military camp was enveloped in a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.
Inside the central command tent, dim, flickering shadows danced across the walls, and the bitter scent of medicine mixed with a faint smell of blood permeated every inch of the air.
“What should we do! The young lady's high fever won't break. If this drags on any longer, her wounds will surely fester and become infected!” a vice-general said, clenching his fists as his voice trembled.
“Doctor! Think of another way, quickly!” another person urged anxiously, their eyes filled with panic.
Several hours had passed since Bai Rou developed the fever. Bowl after bowl of fever-reducing decoctions had been administered, but there was not the slightest sign of improvement.
On the bed, Bai Rou lay quietly. Her lips were dry, cracked, and bloodless, and her face was a deathly, lifeless pale.
The people guarding her side clenched their fists tightly, their hearts sinking bit by bit to the very bottom.
“Meow~”
A crisp meow suddenly broke the deathly, oppressive silence of the tent, sounding exceptionally distinct amidst the overwhelming anxiety in the room.
Hearing the sound, everyone in the tent turned their heads in unison. They saw Baixue standing by the tent flap, her white fur slightly disheveled and dusted with dirt from the wilderness.
Under their shocked gazes, Jiang Lu padded forward on her short legs, walking step by step to the female doctor and circling her ankles twice.
The porcelain bottle hanging from her neck clinked softly with her movements, making a faint, crisp ringing sound.
The female doctor lowered her head slightly, her gaze instantly falling upon the unfamiliar little medicine bottle around the kitten's neck. A trace of confusion appeared between her brows.
“Meow~”
Jiang Lu stopped, raising her small head high. She deliberately turned her neck to the side, clearly presenting the porcelain bottle before the female doctor's eyes. Her dark eyes stared straight at her as she let out soft, urgent meows, seemingly gesturing in a hurry.
After a moment of hesitation, the female doctor slowly knelt down.
She carefully untied the cord and removed the medicine bottle from Jiang Lu's neck.
As her gaze inadvertently fell upon the characters engraved on the bottle, her pupils suddenly contracted, and her eyes went wide.
She recognized this handwriting!
It was Physician Liang's handwriting!
That was the handwriting of the renowned, secluded divine physician.
Five years ago, Divine Physician Liang had vanished without a trace, never to step foot in the mortal world again. Most rumors claimed she had already passed away, yet here she was, looking at a medicine bottle bearing her hand-carved mark with her own eyes.
The female doctor's breathing grew rapid. Holding the tiny porcelain bottle in both hands, she looked up at the kitten by her feet, her voice filled with urgency:
“Is... is this an elixir refined by Divine Physician Liang?”
Jiang Lu's heart stirred. Since this military female doctor also knew of the divine physician, things would be much easier now.
She nodded her head vigorously and looked at the female doctor, letting out a short meow to give a clear, affirmative answer.
“Meow~”
A brilliant light suddenly erupted in the female doctor's eyes as wild joy surged in her heart.
This was wonderful!
With several inquiring gazes in the tent fixed upon her, she slowly stood up. The heavy boulder that had been weighing on her chest seemed to lift instantly, and her expression relaxed with a rare sense of relief.
She tightly gripped the porcelain bottle and raised it high so everyone in the tent could see.
“This is a Fever-Reducing Pill refined by Divine Physician Liang! The young lady is saved!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the originally heavy, deathly silent tent was instantly illuminated by the light of hope.
“If that is the case, quick, administer it to the young lady at once!” a vice-general rushed forward, his voice filled with uncontrollable urgency.
At this moment, no one cared to look deeply into where this pill had come from, or whether it was real or fake.
With Bai Rou's high fever refusing to break and all the decoctions proving useless, her life was hanging by a thread. Having finally grasped a glimmer of hope, no one wanted to harbor any doubts.
The female doctor uncorked the bottle and poured a round, black pill into her palm.
A rich, crisp fragrance of medicinal herbs immediately wafted through the air.
She carefully supported the unconscious Bai Rou, gently feeding the pill into her mouth, then fetched some warm water to help her wash it down.
Everyone held their breath, waiting anxiously in place. The only sounds left in the tent were Bai Rou's faint breathing and the soft crackling of the candle flame.
Jiang Lu curled up by the entrance of the tent, her fluffy body pressed against the cold ground. Her dark eyes stared intently toward the bed, her heart filled with worry.
In less than half an hour, fine beads of sweat began to break out on Bai Rou's forehead, slowly sliding down her pale cheeks.
The female doctor quickly fetched a clean cotton cloth and carefully wiped away the sweat, then reached out to touch her forehead.
The burning, scorching heat that had met her hand earlier had already mostly receded.
The female doctor trembled. Turning around abruptly, she could not suppress the excitement in her heart as she said in a loud voice, “The fever has broken! The young lady's fever has gone down!”
Hearing this, Jiang Lu finally left the tent with peace of mind.
Over the next few days, people came and went from the main tent. From the initial worried expressions to the later sounds of laughter and conversation, Jiang Lu knew that this matter was drawing to a close.
Of course, her treatment had never changed, with delicious food served to her every day. She raised a paw, wondering why she felt like she had gained a bit of weight recently.
She shook her head vigorously.
It had to be an illusion.
After half a month had passed in this manner, a maid carried her into the main tent.
Bai Rou was already able to stand. When she saw Jiang Lu, her eyes were filled with gentleness.
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