29 Wake Up

Lan's eyelids slowly flared at his little brother's coarse voice, creating a strange sight that erased any word off his lips. 

His little brother lose honour for the first time. Where is the arrogant Quan? Seeing his brother act like a beggar pained more than bewildered him. 

"Please help my brother, please." Quan hammered his head on the floor repeatedly, begging the old man. 

"Aya, you truly have a thick head, aren't you?" The girl tried her best to pull Quan away from the stone floor. "I said enough! You could die if you continue like this!"

Quan pushed her away. "You don't understand. I can't allow my brother to die! Kun needs him, to protect our people!" He faced the old man, brow hammering the floor. "Please, you must help him! Help! I beg you!"

With closed eyes, the old man shook his head. "I said, no. I have my principles, Kid." 

Lan knew his younger brother rivalled Bian for the throne. Now, he begged for Bian's life? Could the last ambush change him?

A good thing, indeed. But Lan can't let his little brother hurt himself more than this. It broke his heart. He went after him, but Quan passed out before he got there. "Brother Quan, brother, please answer me. Please wake up!"

The girl checked Quan's heartbeat on his wrist, then his breath. "Aya, don't worry, this Meerkat is… I mean, your little brother is okay. He just passed out. It's cold outside. Come, help me get him inside."

They put Quan next to Bian inside the rugged building. Lan greeted his helper with the utmost respect. "Thank you for your help. I'm Lan, Quan's older brother and Bian's younger brother."

"Yeah yeah, I know who you are." the girl casually answered. "Shu Shu, my name. Call me Shu for short." She studied him while crossing her hands. "Well, you are more polite than him. But, unstead worriedly Meerkat–I mean your little brother, you should be worried about the older one."

"Bian?" Lan checked on his brother's coldly sweating body and his weak voice delirious. Lan exhaled while asking, "My God, what happened?"

"Deadly poison." Shu said. "I don't know what poison it is, but if he keeps acting like this, it must be effective. Physician said he would die tomorrow morning. A good physician never lied, you know."

"What happened? Why didn't he help? It's his job to help others who need it, right?"

"Well, don't raise your voice on me. It shame that he swore not to helping any murderer."

"Murderer? Who? Bian?"

Shu nodded. 

Lan panicked, grabbing her upper arms. "Did he know, Bian is Kun Crown Prince? He is not a murder!"

"Aya, don't yell at me." Shu shoved Lan's hand. "It was not me who judged your Big Brother, but him." She gazed at the old man.

"Who is he?"

"Some dude named Huo Tuo or something. Meerkat said I mean your little brother said he is a great physician that wrote a medicine book or something."

Lan studied a cross-legged man with white hair. Even though he lives in hell city, he dresses neatly and keeps his hair and faces clean. "Huo Tuo, the best physician in the Ahn Empire." He mumbled.

"What? Him great what?"

Lan explained, "He was a Royal Physician that quit his job. He used the blood of the Dragon Celestia to create a  pill of youth and long life for the empire."

"Huo Tuo? Created a pil of what?" 

Lan kept mumbling. "Didn't he die in the great fire in Luo Yang?"

"I'm not sure what to say, but he was able to reanimate a dead cow."

It's a powerful skill that only the best physician can use. He can help Bian for sure. Lan was about to ask him for help, but Shu pulled him with a word that nailed his feet. 

"Your little brother did his best to ask for help from him. You want to worship him like he did and hurt your head?"

There's blood on Quan's forehead, proof that begging was futile. 

"You shouldn't give up before you try." That's what Lan believes in.

"I warned you already, didn't I. Don't blame me if you end up like this Meerkat." Shu Shu's words landed on deaf ears, which made her laugh in irritation. "Why were Kun men so stubborn?"

"My respects to the number one great healer." Lan bowed to Huo Tuo. "It was an honour to meet the legend of the Ahn Empire, Physician Huo Tuo. The Emperor and his family trusted you as their doctor, that means you must the best of the best--"

"Shut it." Huo Tuo slammed his thigh and turned his face to the other side. "If you want to lick me, be gone. I know what you want. My answer hasn't changed."

Not a good start. 

Huo Tuo did not like to be praised. Lan should know it early from his simple clothes. Now, how does he get Huo Tuo to help Bian before the sun comes up?

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