Chapter 202: Chapter 117: Pre-Game Turbulence Chapter 202: Chapter 117: Pre-Game Turbulence The matter of high-stakes gambling swept through the streets and alleys of Liuzhou like a storm, and before the people had a chance to sigh in relief, an even greater storm struck.
It was nothing else but that the Taizhou Medical Guild had finally announced the participants’ names, and coincidentally, this person was well-known in Liuzhou — none other than Hu Yihai’s uncle, Hu Bingzhi, who had been on par with Gu Chengyi, Gu Changsheng’s grandfather!
Instantly, the people of Liuzhou were enraged!
Though Hu Bingzhi had moved from Liuzhou to join the Imperial Medical Bureau, he was, after all, a native of Liuzhou! The people suddenly felt a sense of betrayal and abandonment, and the impact of this betrayal was immense; Hu Bingzhi had also been famous throughout the Liuzhou Region, his medical skills undeniably profound. Yet, he was representing Taizhou in the competition!
And he was going up against Liuzhou’s rising star, Gu Changsheng, which left the locals angry and worried about the outcome of the Medical Debate Conference.
Lady Changsheng, though possessing astonishing medical skills, opening up bodies with ease, and being the heir to the Divine Acupuncture Skills, the old saying goes, “the older the ginger, the spicier it is.” Hu Bingzhi had many years of practicing medicine; he might have touched more medicinal herbs than Lady Changsheng had vegetables. In such a competition, it was really hard to predict the winner!
“This is truly a disgrace from our own Liuzhou! A traitor! A forgetful scoundrel of his own roots — if he wins, we people of Liuzhou will truly have no face to show.” A group of small shopkeepers, gathered to discuss the matter, were filled with righteous indignation, almost ready to fight Hu Bingzhi.
“Exactly, that Hu Bingzhi must have received some great benefit from the Taizhou Medical Guild, to actually help them bully our Liuzhou!”
“What angers me the most is that now all the major betting houses are favoring Hu Bingzhi, given his years of reputation and his status as an imperial physician. From what I see, we might struggle to afford medicine for the next five years!” Another shopkeeper said, shaking his head with a sorrowful expression.
“Those blind idiots! Just because Hu Bingzhi is a traitor from our Liuzhou, I won’t bet on him. Even if it costs me my whole dowry, I’ll bet on Lady Changsheng’s victory!”
For a moment, the gambling houses were bustling, and the matter buzzed through every street and alley!
“Ah, I originally wanted to go to the casino to place a personal bet to scoop some silver, but this Hu Bingzhi’s appearance is such untimely, stirring up public outrage, awesome!” Gu Changsheng expressed great frustration, indifferent to his grandfather’s old rival participating.
But it was different for Hu Yihai; when he heard that his own uncle was participating, he felt as if struck by lightning, completely upset!
He rushed to the residence of the Taizhou Medical Guild to inquire about the matter, but did not see his uncle; he was dismissed with just one sentence and chased out, disheveled.
That sentence was, “Devoted to the task entrusted by others!”
Hu Yihai was furious! As a member of the Hu Family, he barely dared to leave the house. Hu Bingzhi had committed what was unmistakably betrayal; even though their Liuzhou Medical Guild had invited him and he had cruelly refused, he had accepted the invitation from the Taizhou Medical Guild — what kind of thing was that?
Now, the people of Liuzhou were only shy of throwing rotten eggs at their Hu Family’s door. Hu Bingzhi was alright, having already ascended to the Imperial Medical Bureau and moved to the capital city; no matter the result, he could just dust off his buttocks and leave. But what about his family, including Hu Yihai, remaining in Liuzhou? How could he face people after that? What face did he have to see people again?
Hu Yihai, lamenting and cursing his uncle through clenched teeth, was on one side, while Gu Changsheng had just received a letter from Southern Fujian on the other.
The letter contained nothing special, only a powerful and vigorous good word.
“Do not mind the people from the Imperial Medical Bureau—just deal with it calmly.” Gu Changsheng looked over the letter repeatedly, unable to discern any deeper meaning, and finally set it aside.
Wasn’t it just Hu Bingzhi from the Imperial Medical Bureau? Weren’t the people from inside there supposed to attend to the medical needs of the Imperial family and royals? As an imperial physician, instead of staying in the Imperial Medical Bureau to treat the Imperial relatives and nobles, Concubines, why participate in the Jiangnan Medical Debate Conference?
This was clearly directed by someone!
Gu Changsheng, chin propped up, nibbling an apple, thought over it — excluding Prince Liang, who was too busy to bother with arranging for rice during the wall-facing period, there was only one person who could so brazenly direct an imperial physician to leave his post.
It was none other than the current Emperor, Evildoer Zhou’s Imperial Grandfather!
Damn it, sending an imperial physician to participate in the Jiangnan Medical Debate Conference was clearly targeting her, Gu Changsheng! Not good at all!