People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 343, Meeting Lü Buwei (Seeking monthly votes!)

The next day, at the Marquis of Wenxin's residence.

Xu Qing arrived at the gate of the Marquis of Wenxin's residence early in the morning, and after being announced by the guards at the gate, Lü Yi came to greet Xu Qing personally.

"I have met the Grand Master."

Lu Yi looked at the overly young Xu Qing, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Although he already knew Xu Qing's age, after actually seeing the other person's true appearance, it was hard for him to associate him with a divine doctor who could create a completely new school of medicine.

"Young Master Lü, I have been ordered by the King to examine the pulse of Marquis Wenxin. Please take me to see Marquis Wenxin."

Xu Qing spoke calmly and in a flat tone.

"Please come with me."

Lu Yi gestured for Xu Qing to enter and led him into the Marquis of Wenxin's residence. After passing through several courtyards and corridors, Xu Qing followed Lu Yi to the entrance of a courtyard.

"This is where my father usually airs his books. He's waiting for you in the yard. Please make yourself at home, Mr. Da Liang."

Lu Yi stood at the entrance of the courtyard and spoke to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing glanced at Lü Yi, who hadn't accompanied him inside, and couldn't help but feel puzzled.

He came to see a doctor, but Lü Yi, as a family member, did not accompany him, which was quite unusual.

Although he suspected that Lü Buwei might not actually be sick and was just using a medical appointment as an excuse to see him, he was still Ying Zheng's man, so he had to at least put on a show.

But Lü Buwei did the opposite, which made Xu Qing wary.

However, having come this far, there was no way to leave, so Xu Qing nodded slightly to Lü Yi and said.

"Thank you for leading the way, young master."

"I dare not. My father's illness still needs your help, Your Excellency. I'm afraid there is no one else in this world who can cure my father's illness but you."

Lu Yi gave a friendly smile and stepped aside.

Xu Qing carried the medicine box and walked into the courtyard. As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw bamboo slips laid out to dry. Rolls of bamboo slips were placed on tables and shelves, and the smell of bamboo slips mixed with ink hit her right in the air.

In the center of the courtyard, Lü Buwei, dressed in a magnificent black robe, was fiddling with bamboo slips. His sleeves were rolled up, and the hem of his robe was also rolled up. A few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He did not look like the dignified prime minister of Qin, but rather like a farmer tilling the land.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Lü Buwei turned around from the bamboo slips to look at Xu Qing. His gaze was calm, and his face was rosy, showing no signs of illness.

"Your subject, Imperial Physician Xu Qing, greets the Prime Minister."

Xu Qing put down the medicine box and bowed to Lü Buwei.

"His Majesty has sent you to treat this old man; there is no need for such formalities between doctor and patient."

Lu Buwei revealed a peaceful smile and gestured to Xu Qing to sit down and talk.

Lu Buwei always treated talented people with courtesy, especially since he had his eye on Xu Qing's surgical skills this time. His attitude was naturally much better than it had been towards Li Si.

"Thank you, Your Excellency. In that case, let me take your pulse first."

After thanking Lü Buwei, Xu Qing took his medicine box and sat down at the table. Lü Buwei also lowered his sleeves, straightened his clothes, and sat down opposite Xu Qing.

"My lord, please allow me to take your pulse first."

Xu Qing took the pulse-taking pad out of the medicine box and said to Lü Buwei.

Seeing Xu Qing present the pulse-taking pad to him, Lü Buwei maintained his smile, but did not extend his hand. Instead, he said...
"I don't need to take your pulse. The Grand Master is a divine physician acknowledged by even Physician Nian Duan. You should know whether I am sick or not."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing glanced at Lü Buwei, who was stroking his beard and smiling. The other party's enthusiastic attitude towards him must mean he had some ulterior motive.

He understood the principle that if you want someone, you must first get someone else.

However, since Lü Buwei had gotten straight to the point, he naturally didn't need to hide it anymore, so he smiled and said...
"Your Excellency flatters me. How could I possibly compare to the ancestor Bian Que? You came to see me under the pretext of treating a patient, surely you want to include the three volumes of medical books that I presented at the court meeting at Zhangtai Palace yesterday into your magnificent masterpiece?"

A glint of light flashed in Lü Buwei's eyes, and he looked at Xu Qing with a hint of satisfaction before speaking.

"The rumors are true. It is said that the Grand General is a man of great ambition, wisdom and courage, and has a brilliant mind. Now that I have seen him, it is indeed so."

"How did you guess that I wanted to include your medical book?"

"When I was still in Xinzheng, Han, the Qin envoy Li Si met with me privately. During the meeting, he mentioned that you wanted to invite me to Qin so that I could help you complete that great work that incorporates the essence of a hundred schools of thought."

"Moreover, just now at the courtyard gate, Lu Shaojun said that only I in this world can cure your illness, and you specially had someone bring me to this courtyard where bamboo slips and books are drying. I think that the Marquis's illness is not a physical ailment, but a mental one."

“Yesterday I presented three volumes of surgical medical books at the court meeting, and the Marquis immediately sent someone to the palace to invite me to examine him.” “If I couldn’t even see what the Marquis was trying to do, then he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to send me to Qin.”

Xu Qing looked at Lü Buwei and slowly revealed his guess, feeling slightly relieved at the same time.

If Lü Buwei's goal is the Great Compendium of Surgery, he wouldn't mind giving Lü Buwei a copy, since including the Great Compendium of Surgery in the Lüshi Chunqiu would also be beneficial to him.

"Not bad, not bad. Da Liangzao is indeed worthy of being the disciple of Master He Guanzi, the former head of the Daoist Tianzong sect and a sage from Chu."

Lu Buwei looked at Xu Qing meaningfully and directly exposed the one that Xu Qing had hidden the most among his many disguises.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's expression turned serious, and his gaze towards Lü Buwei sharpened. Apart from a very few people, no one else knew that his teacher was He Guanzi.

Among these very few people, Zi Nu and Nong Yu were in Korea, and neither of them had any connection with Lü Buwei.

As for Ying Zheng and Gai Nie, they naturally wouldn't tell Lü Buwei his identity.

After a moment's thought, Xu Qing had an answer in his mind: eliminating all impossibilities, the remaining truth, no matter how impossible, was still the truth.

"Is it Mount Taiyi?" Xu Qing asked in a deep voice.

Lü Buwei smiled without saying a word, clapped his hands, and two maids carrying trays quickly walked in from the courtyard gate, placing a teapot and two cups of warm tea in front of Xu Qing and Lü Buwei.

Xu Qing frowned slightly, looking at Lü Buwei with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

He had initially thought that Lü Buwei had sought him out for the sake of surgical mastery, but since the other party knew his identity, his purpose was certainly not so simple.

Lu Buwei looked at the puzzled Xu Qing and said with a light laugh.

"Grand Chancellor, there's no need to worry. I have no ill intentions towards you. You are a rare talent, proficient in the teachings of all schools of thought, and a top disciple of the Daoist Heavenly Sect. If I truly wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have had the Luo Net invite you to Qin in the first place."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing dared not be careless in the slightest. Lu Buwei, an old fox who held immense power in the court and had killed one opponent after another, was already quite capable if there was even a sliver of truth in his words.

"Try this tea, Snow Mountain Rime, it used to be someone's favorite tea. I didn't like it much at first, but I've liked it since the year before last."

Lü Buwei picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

Xu Qing looked at the tea on the table. Snow Mountain Rime was the favorite tea of ​​the deceased Lord Chang'an, Cheng Jiao, and the time when Lü Buwei began to like this tea was also the day Lord Chang'an, Cheng Jiao, was defeated and killed by Hei Bai Xuan Jian.

This put Xu Qing on high alert, and he was ready to take action at any moment.

Seeing Xu Qing remain motionless, Lü Buwei maintained his smile and said with a light laugh.
"Taiyi Mountain once sent a letter to Your Majesty. Although their whereabouts were kept secret, the messenger underestimated me if he thought he could keep it from me in Xianyang Palace."

"Although I do not know the contents of the letter, Your Majesty, not long after receiving the letter, secretly took Gai Nie to Xinzheng in Han, and then brought you back."

"Therefore, I suspect that you must have a close relationship with the Taoist Tianzong sect, otherwise the king would not have risked going to Korea for you."

Hearing Lü Buwei's speculation, a glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. He hadn't expected that Lü Buwei could deduce that he was a member of the Daoist Tianzong sect from such a clue.

"Your Excellency's insightful observation is truly admirable, but how did you know my teacher's identity?" Xu Qing asked in a deep voice.

"Since you rose to fame, I have had the Net closely monitor everything about you. I have a lot of information about you on my desk, most of which is about your mastery of the knowledge of a hundred schools of thought."

“It’s not that I look down on the current Tianzong Sect, but among the two generations of Tianzong Sect, only Master He Guanzi has been able to teach someone as outstanding as you,” Lü Buwei said, putting down his teacup.

Seeing that his identity had been exposed, Xu Qing decided to stop hiding it and asked directly.
"My lord, you have mentioned my medical books, the late Lady Chang'an Chengjiao, and the Taoist Tianzong sect. May I ask what your purpose is in coming to see me this time?"

With his positions as Grand Master of Ceremonies, Imperial Physician, and Palace Attendant, Xu Qing dared not stand on equal footing with Lü Buwei. However, as a disciple of He Guanzi and the junior brother of the Tianzong Sect Leader, Xu Qing was not afraid that Lü Buwei would dare to attack him.

“I invited you here naturally to treat my illness. As you said, I have a heart ailment that I have never been able to cure,” Lü Buwei said.

"Please explain further, Your Excellency," Xu Qing asked, puzzled.

Lü Buwei glanced at Xu Qing, his expression turning wistful, and he sighed softly.

"I have three worries. The first is my book. It was completed and was just waiting to be published, but the Grand Master suddenly produced three volumes of medical books, which forced me to postpone its publication."

Old fox, if you want the book, just say so. Don't keep saying you have to postpone it.

Xu Qing mentally complained for a moment before speaking.

"The Marquis has already told me about this matter. Since I have decided to give this medical book to the King, the Qin Kingdom, and the Qin army, I will naturally not keep it to myself. If the Marquis wants it, I can certainly give it to you."

"Tell me your conditions," Lü Buwei said, his smile fading and his expression turning serious.

He came from a merchant family and had spent half his life in the imperial court, so he naturally understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch, especially not something as valuable as books.

(End of this chapter)