Tang Dynasty: Saving Lives and Helping Others, Li Lizhi Falls for Him

In a secluded alley in Chang'an.

Shen Chang'an was squatting in front of a family's bed, administering acupuncture to an elderly woman who was bedridden.

As the silver needles were inserted into the acupoints, the true qi of the green wood was slowly injected, and the old woman's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

"Dr. Shen, my mother..." the woman beside him asked cautiously.

"It's alright, your pulse has stabilized," Shen Chang'an said gently. "Take the medicine for another three days, and you'll be able to get out of bed and walk around."

The woman thanked him profusely and took out a few coins from the cabinet, insisting on giving them to Shen Chang'an.

Shen Chang'an could not refuse, so he accepted two coins, packed his medicine box, and got up to take his leave.

He had just stepped out of the courtyard when he suddenly stopped.

The array plate in his arms, with the jade tablet embedded in the eye of the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Array, was slightly warming up and emitting a tremor that only he could perceive.

Shen Chang'an remained expressionless as he probed the array plate with his divine sense.

The scenery surrounding the courtyard unfolded in my mind like a painting.

Several horse-drawn carriages were parked outside the courtyard gate.

On the stone steps beside the courtyard gate sat several familiar figures: Li Shimin, Empress Zhangsun, Li Lizhi, and two unfamiliar middle-aged men.

In the fields and bushes surrounding the courtyard, there were more than a dozen figures, all of them agile and skilled, clearly Li Shimin's personal guards.

Shen Chang'an withdrew his divine sense, his brows furrowing slightly.

Why did Li Shimin come?

And it came so suddenly.

He wasn't afraid. The courtyard had the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Formation, which was enough to deal with all kinds of emergencies. He himself was also at the sixth level of Qi Refining, which was more than enough to protect himself.

But it's never a good thing to have an emperor waiting outside the door.

If you get impatient and develop unnecessary suspicions, it will only cause trouble.

He had put a lot of effort into that little courtyard, and if Li Shimin were to send troops in a fit of rage, he would be the one who would suffer.

We need to get back quickly.

Thinking of this, Shen Chang'an quickened his pace, almost running through the alley, out of the city gate, and headed towards Shaolingyuan.

He secretly made plans along the way.

It is not surprising that Li Shimin was able to find his residence.

He spent many days providing free medical consultations outside the city and also treated Li Chengqian and Empress Zhangsun. His whereabouts were already semi-public, and with Li Shimin's methods, finding out where he lived was just a matter of lifting a finger.

What truly surprised him were the two unfamiliar faces.

Under the array's perception, the two individuals possessed a unique aura, different from the spiritual energy of cultivators, but rather a mysterious and profound power. It resembled both later Taoist magic and folk divination.

"A cultivator?"

Shen Chang'an's heart stirred.

He was capable of cultivating immortality, and naturally, he had met many cultivators.

Occasionally, one might encounter one or two hermits in the Taoist temples outside Chang'an or in the Zhongnan Mountains.

They do not cultivate spiritual energy or practice true qi, but instead communicate with heaven and earth and seek good fortune and avoid misfortune through talismans, divination, feng shui, physiognomy, and other means.

Although they follow different paths from cultivators, they ultimately converge on the same goal: to pursue the Dao.

"It seems these two are Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang." Shen Chang'an already had some guesses in his mind.

He kept walking, his figure moving swiftly along the official road.

……

Half an incense stick later, Shen Chang'an finally appeared at the entrance of the alley where the courtyard was located.

He carried a medicine box on his back, his forehead was slightly sweaty, and he walked hurriedly. From a distance, he could see a group of people sitting outside the courtyard gate.

He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and strode forward, a look of surprise on his face.

"We were unaware of your presence today and apologize for not being able to greet you properly!"

Shen Chang'an put down his medicine box, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and spoke sincerely.

Li Shimin stood up, smiled and stepped forward, returning the greeting with a cupped hand: "Dr. Shen, you are too kind. We apologize for our intrusion and any disturbance we may cause."

"Master Li, you flatter me."

Shen Chang'an cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, his gaze naturally shifting to the two unfamiliar middle-aged men behind Li Shimin. "May I ask who these two distinguished guests are?"

His gaze swept over the two of them.

The man was around thirty years old, with a thin face, bright eyes, wearing a green robe and a headscarf, and had a rather otherworldly and ethereal appearance.

The other man was about forty years old, with a burly build, a square face, large ears, and a beard like a halberd. Standing there, he exuded an aura of authority without being angry.

But Shen Chang'an could tell at a glance that the two men's faces were slightly pale and their breathing was somewhat unsteady, as if they had suffered internal injuries.

Shen Chang'an was very puzzled by the injuries sustained by the two men.

These two are not only Taoist practitioners, but also hold important positions in the imperial court. Who could possibly harm them?

Standing in front of Shen Chang'an, Li Shimin, seeing Shen Chang'an ask about it, smiled and stepped aside to introduce him:

"These two are my staff members from the Li family. They were injured due to special circumstances, so I brought them here today to ask Doctor Shen to treat them."

He paused, then added, "This is Yuan Tiangang, and this is Li Chunfeng."

Li Shimin spoke casually. In his mind, the names of Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang were not known to outsiders. Even if he did mention them, Shen Chang'an, a country doctor, would not know who these two people were.

However, Shen Chang'an was suddenly jolted.

It really is Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang.

These two names have left an indelible mark on history—the Tui Bei Tu (a Chinese prophecy book), the bone-weight fortune-telling method, and the art of feng shui… Their names are renowned throughout history.

I never expected to see the real person right at my own doorstep.

Shen Chang'an remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he had become more vigilant.

He wasn't afraid of them. With his Qi Refining Level 6 cultivation and the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Formation, he could easily handle even if the two had some strange or unusual techniques.

But historical records about these two are too mysterious; who knows what methods they used? Better safe than sorry.

"Greetings, Doctor Shen." Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang bowed respectfully in unison.

"You're too kind, gentlemen." Shen Chang'an returned the greeting, his tone gentle. "Since you're injured, I'll take a good look at you later."

His gaze lingered on the two women for a moment before turning back to Empress Zhangsun and Li Lizhi, bowing and saying, "Madam Li, Miss Li."

Empress Zhangsun nodded slightly, and Li Lizhi also curtsied. Her gaze swept over Shen Chang'an's face, her ears turned slightly red, and she remained silent.

At the same time, Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang were no less shocked than Shen Chang'an.

From the moment Shen Chang'an appeared, they felt an overwhelming sense of oppression.

The feeling wasn't one of imposing presence or pressure, but rather a kind of intuition: the young man before me was unfathomable.

Li Chunfeng secretly made a finger-counting deduction, but as soon as he started the hand seals, he felt a vast force blocking his way. He quickly stopped and dared not try again.

Fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.

Yuan Tiangang was also secretly observing Shen Chang'an's face.

He was an expert in physiognomy and never made a mistake in judging people's appearances.

But at this moment, looking at Shen Chang'an's face, he only felt a blur, as if a layer of mist shrouded Shen Chang'an's destiny, which he could not see through or understand.

The only certainty was the intense aura of merit emanating from Shen Chang'an, so strong it was almost tangible.

A golden glow slowly flowed in Yuan Tiangang's eyes.

That is the blessing accumulated from doing good deeds, healing the sick and saving lives. A person with such merits is definitely not an evil person.

Yuan Tiangang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Grand Historian, how is it?" Yuan Tiangang asked in a low voice.

"His merits are like pillars, and his fortunes are like rainbows." Li Chunfeng replied in a low voice, "This person is no ordinary person. Your Majesty's contact with him is likely to bring blessings rather than misfortunes."

Yuan Tiangang nodded and said no more.

After exchanging pleasantries with everyone, Shen Chang'an glanced at the sky, then at the courtyard gate, and gestured for them to enter.

"Please come in, distinguished guests. My humble abode is simple and I hope you will not mind any shortcomings in our hospitality."

"Dr. Shen, you're too kind. We've been troubling you." Li Shimin smiled and waved his hand, then walked towards the courtyard gate first.

Empress Zhangsun and Li Lizhi followed closely behind, while Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang exchanged a glance and also stepped forward.

Shen Chang'an walked last, pushed open the courtyard gate, and stepped aside to let the guest pass.

The stone vat, water lilies, koi, and green bamboo in the courtyard came into view. Li Shimin couldn't help but stop and look around, praising, "Although Doctor Shen's courtyard is not large, it is decorated in a quiet and elegant manner, a hidden paradise."

"You flatter me, sir," Shen Chang'an said modestly. "It's just a small country courtyard, nothing like a mansion in the city."

His gaze swept over every corner of the courtyard, confirming that the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Formation was functioning normally, before he confidently led everyone toward the main hall.

The spring sunshine streamed into the courtyard, the green bamboo rustled, and the water lilies were budding.

The group filed in, their footsteps echoing softly on the blue brick floor.

What Shen Chang'an didn't know was that the moment he turned to close the door, Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang looked up at the same time, their gazes sweeping across the courtyard before finally settling on the stone vat and the clump of green bamboo in the center of the courtyard.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

Every plant and tree in this courtyard seems to conform to some mysterious law.

But they couldn't see through or explain what the pattern was.

"Dr. Shen..."

Li Chunfeng opened his mouth as if to ask something, but Yuan Tiangang gently tugged at his sleeve.

"Grand Historian, there's plenty of time ahead," Yuan Tiangang said in a low voice.

Li Chunfeng realized what was happening, said no more, and followed the others into the main hall.

The courtyard gate slowly closed behind me, shutting out the hustle and bustle of the world.

I highly recommend "The Great Tang Dynasty: Saving Lives and Helping Others, Li Lizhi Falls for It!" Go straight to the exciting parts.