Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 352: Chapter 227: By What Right Do You Summon This Old Man? Chapter 352: Chapter 227: By What Right Do You Summon This Old Man? Upon hearing the first half of Mr. Ban Shan’s words, a tiny flame of hope kindled in Gu Changsheng’s heart, but as soon as she heard the second half, that nascent flame “pffft” extinguished.

Huo Shuixian couldn’t help but gloat as she glanced at Gu Changsheng, striving to maintain an air of dignity. She bowed slightly, her voice soft, “Why trouble yourself, Uncle? Esteemed as a sage of this era, a literary giant, all scholars yearn for your guidance. Gu Changsheng’s gift is as transparent as Sima Zhao’s intentions, which everyone understands. A mere Medicine Lady dares to invite the Uncle out of retirement; it’s simply preposterous. Uncle, you needn’t bother with it.”

Gu Changsheng knew trouble was brewing the moment Huo Shuixian opened her mouth. By the time she finished, Gu Changsheng was so infuriated she nearly kicked her.

Damn it! This girl must be cursed to cross her path! Such negativity isn’t necessary!

“Lady Changsheng, did you hear what the Huo girl said? I too am tempted by these delicacies,” Mr. Ban Shan stroked his beard and said with a smile, “Unfortunately, since I cannot help with what Lady Changsheng seeks, I shall refuse this unwarranted reward.”

At these words, Gu Changsheng’s expression darkened ever so slightly as she regarded the refined Mr. Ban Shan before her, his sleeves fluttering in the breeze, and her mind spun with thoughts.

“Have you given up hope now? Remember the bet you agreed to,” Huo Shuixian said with a smile that truly came from her heart upon hearing Mr. Ban Shan’s refusal, looking triumphantly at Gu Changsheng.

Sitting cross-legged on the ornamental rock, Mr. Ban Shan’s wise eyes glanced down at the two women standing below, his smile serene and detached as if he were a mere spectator, “Miss Huo, I have accepted your gratitude on my behalf. Tell your grandfather for me, high rank and prominence aren’t the most enviable things in this world. I look forward to seeing how the joke unfolds. Scholar Yan Tai, show our guest out!”

“Yes!” Scholar Yan Tai answered, moving beside Huo Shuixian and gesturing her out. “Please.”

Huo Shuixian’s eyes widened slightly at Mr. Ban Shan’s words. Seeing that he had already asked her to leave, she couldn’t well say anything more. She suppressed the resentment rising within her and bowed slightly, albeit with dissatisfaction, “Shuixian will surely relay Uncle’s message to my grandfather. May Uncle enjoy his secluded life among the mountains and rivers.”

“Naturally.” Mr. Ban Shan replied graciously, not minding the discontent in her tone.

Seeing this, Huo Shuixian gave Gu Changsheng, who was still standing quietly, a hard look before huffing indignantly, flipping her sleeve, and walking away.

Gu Changsheng finally breathed a sigh of relief as Huo Shuixian left. She was genuinely concerned she might lose control and start an outright fight with the girl.

The girl seriously deserved a beating!

“Lady Changsheng, why haven’t you left yet?” Mr. Ban Shan looked at Gu Changsheng, his old eyes twinkling with amusement.

“You didn’t ask me to leave, so why would I go?” responded Gu Changsheng blankly, as if it was the most obvious thing.

Hehe… Lady Changsheng is truly a delight!” Mr. Ban Shan laughed heartily, his laughter open and uninhibited.

Seeing this, Gu Changsheng pursed her lips, thinking to herself that this old man’s way of sending people away was too blunt–even if she wanted to overlook it, it was impossible. How did she become the witty one?

Could it be that she wasn’t supposed to say that as well?

Speaking the truth is a laughing matter to you–purely idle!

“Lady Changsheng, considering the favor you did me by curing my stubborn illness, let me ask you, why do you request my presence?” Mr. Ban Shan’s eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at the woman in bright red before him, a smile playing on his lips.

At his words, Gu Changsheng looked up instantly, the flame of hope reigniting within her, her spirit visibly lifting.

“Changsheng wishes to request the master to come out of retirement to educate my son. He is still young and hasn’t begun his studies. Longing for the master’s reputation, I sincerely hope that you will agree,” said Gu Changsheng, bowing respectfully.

Ha ha! You are indeed an intriguing woman!” Mr. Ban Shan laughed once more at her words, but quickly, his smile faded into a penetrating gaze fixed on Gu Changsheng, “When my grandstudent went to take up his post in Liuzhou City, with five thousand soldiers by his side, you besieged the City Lord’s Mansion with merely a thousand men, turning the situation on its head. Those men don’t seem like the ones trained by Zhou Mu. Am I right, Lady Changsheng?”

Gu Changsheng felt her heart hit by a storm at his words. It was Mr. Ban Shan’s few words outside of City Lord’s Mansion that had caught her attention, and she didn’t expect that Du Chenzhi was his grandstudent. That meant Du Chenzhi’s father, the retired Elder Du Mingli, was also his student?

This was too damn explosive! Mr. Ban Shan’s student held such high rank!

And he could see at a glance that her soldiers were different from those of Zhou Mu! How perceptive must one be to see that!

Seeing her react this way, Mr. Ban Shan couldn’t help but smile, “It seems Zhou Mu only told you my name, Mr. Ban Shan, without elaborating further.”

Gu Changsheng dumbly nodded; indeed it was the case.

Zhou Mu had merely egged her on without giving details; how could she have known that Mr. Ban Shan had such a capable student!

“Well, I shall shed light on who you are seeking,” Mr. Ban Shan said, his face still wearing a smile, stroking his beard leisurely.

“Changsheng is all ears,” answered Gu Changsheng respectfully, bowing.

Damn it, she was feeling less and less confident about this fight!

“Just as the Huo girl said, I am indeed a sage of this era, a literary giant. I hail from Southern Chen, and my literary fame has echoed throughout the Four Kingdoms for the past fifty years. In my youth, I was quite arrogant, considering only two men of worth in my eyes. One was Di Wentian from Liaodong, a literary giant. Alas, his name suited him–he was proud and aspired to reach the heavens. Eventually, he devoted himself to military strategies and martial arts, becoming the master of that youngster Zhou Mu; the other, born into a noble family of civil officials from Great Zhou, was extremely talented. However, he was too involved in his family’s deep-rooted connections and the pursuit of fame and power, which I found disdainful. That man is Huo Qing, the girl’s grandfather,” Mr. Ban Shan recounted as if lost in memories.

Gu Changsheng listened intently, her amazement growing. Damn it, this Mr. Ban Shan was actually from Southern Chen! And one of his students once held such high rank in Great Zhou!

And the master of Zhou Mu, the Undefeated War God of Great Zhou, turned out to be from Liaodong! Damn, what chaos!

The thinking of these sages and powerful beings is really not something ordinary people can understand!

“Di Wentian taught a Zhou Mu, Huo Qing ranked as Grand Tutor and also had a granddaughter who seems like a Heavenly Immortal. Only poor me, naturally lazy and unfettered, understanding life, has been mediocre and achieved nothing… Alas!” Mr. Ban Shan said, unable to help but sigh.

The Attendant Student Yan Tai, who was on his way back after seeing off a guest, couldn’t help but glance sideways upon hearing this.

Why was his master telling Lady Changsheng all this? The master has always been a man of few words and rarely talked about his own affairs. Today seemed a bit unusual.

This Lady Changsheng…

Gu Changsheng was now smirking. Mr. Ban Shan calling himself mediocre? That was undoubtedly an excessive display of modesty.

If his “mediocrity” was known throughout the Four Kingdoms, how high must the level of this mediocrity be?

From now on, I can’t call myself mediocre anymore, damn it, I’m not qualified!

“Master is capable. Why be so modest? Changsheng is truly sincere in asking for your help!”

As Mr. Ban Shan reminisced about the past, lamenting his life, Gu Changsheng hadn’t forgotten his purpose in coming. Her goal was clear: to persuade Mr. Ban Shan to come out of retirement. With his thoughts in disarray, it was the opportune moment to act. If not now, when?

“Trying to take advantage of my distraction and strike while the iron is hot, huh? Hehe!” Mr. Ban Shan said with a smile, immediately gathering his thoughts and looking at Gu Changsheng, “Since you want me to come out of retirement, let me ask you, can you promise me high office and generous rewards, promotions and advancements in rank?”

High office and generous rewards? Gu Changsheng shook her head.

“Can you promise me gold, silver and jewels, luxurious carriages and beautiful companions?”

Gu Changsheng grimaced and shook her head again.

“Since you can promise me nothing, why should I come out of retirement?” Mr. Ban Shan blinked, asking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Gu Changsheng scanned the surroundings awkwardly, then spoke with utmost sincerity, “Master, you don’t need those things, do you? If you cared about wealth and luxury, would you have lived secluded in a simple house in the bustling marketplace for ten years?”

Damn, in comparison, my cured meat is far more substantial; at least it can satisfy hunger!

“Hehe! Lady Changsheng, if I insist on remaining reclusive, what will you do?” Mr. Ban Shan chuckled, stroking his beard as he continued to probe.

“Non-violence and non-cooperation, depending on whether the master prefers the soft approach or the hard one!” As a straightforward person, Gu Changsheng did not mince her words.

“Audacious!” Immediately, the Attendant Student Yan Tai uttered a cold shout, breaking into a cold sweat on his forehead.

Godfather, this is serious! Lady Changsheng actually dared to do this!

“Haha…” The Attendant Student Yan Tai was extremely indignant, but Mr. Ban Shan laughed out loud, and soon he was laughing so hard that he lay down on the rockery, “What a Gu Changsheng, aware of my identity, not afraid of the judgments of the world, truly bold as can be! I like it!”

“Err…” Gu Changsheng was speechless.

Does Mr. Ban Shan have a masochistic streak?

“Master, I’m serious, not joking!” Gu Changsheng, looking at the elderly man who was laughing heartily while lying on the rockery stones, reminded him earnestly, “I have thought it through. If you don’t agree, I’m prepared to tie you up and take you back! Xiao Leizi, bring out the rope to show the master!”

Dong Lei obediently pulled out a length of brocade rope from his belt.

Upon seeing that rope, the Attendant Student Yan Tai gaped, while Mr. Ban Shan simply laughed harder.

“Err… Shocked into stupidity, is that it?” Gu Changsheng touched her chin as she looked at the seemingly insane Mr. Ban Shan, her mouth twitching with dismay.

Damn it, with this, does he agree or not?

Do I really need to take action, or not?

I was only here to ask for help; don’t accidentally drive the man crazy!

What the hell is this all about!

“Master, what do you prefer, the civil approach, or the military approach? Please pick one. What does your constant laughing even mean?” Gu Changsheng appeared confused as she looked at the brocade rope in Dong Lei’s hands, unsure of what to do.

After finally regaining composure from laughter, Mr. Ban Shan clarified with a sprightly voice, “There is a saying: ‘True courage cannot be subdued, and true poverty cannot shift one’s core.’ Since you even know the anecdote about sunning books, you surely must have heard of it, haven’t you?”