(Thirty years ago)
In the warm late morning, Wang Changming, a strikingly handsome young man with long black hair, very fair skin, and refined features, walked along the roadside. Dressed in a light green and white outfit, he carried a medicine box, walking side by side with an older man. It was nearly noon, and they spotted a small group resting in a roadside pavilion not far ahead.
Wang Bo, the older man, walked slowly behind Wang Changming. "Gongzi, there are already too many people in that pavilion. Would you like to choose a different place to rest?"
Wang Changming smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure they are just ordinary citizens fleeing the war." He stopped and waited for Wang Bo. "As long as we don't disturb anyone, we should be fine. Lao Wang, if you truly don't like being close to them, we can sit by those trees." He pointed to a spot already occupied by a dirty beggar.
Wang Changming and Wang Bo settled down not far from the young beggar. Wang Changming opened his travel bag, pulled out a plain bun, and handed it to Wang Bo. Just as he was about to bite into his own bun, he saw a little girl in the pavilion staring at him. He stood up, walked over, and offered the plain bun to her.
Wang Changming smiled. "Xiao meimei, here..."
The little girl reached out and took the bun. Wang Changming smiled and was about to walk away, but the girl grabbed the hem of his robe. She pleaded, "Gege, can you give some for my parents too?"
Wang Changming immediately reached back into the bag, pulled out two more buns, and handed them to the girl. Immediately, the other ten people in the pavilion stepped forward, stretching out their hands to beg. Wang Changming handed every single one of them a bun.
He walked back and sat down, checking his bag. Only one bun was left. He picked it up and handed the last one to the young beggar sitting nearby.
The beggar took the bun, looked up at Wang Changming, offered his thanks, and began to eat.
Wang Bo glanced at Wang Changming. "Gongzi, where's your bun?" Wang Changming just smiled and folded the empty bag. Wang Bo sighed. "Did you give them all the buns? You always do that. Take mine." He offered his own bun to Wang Changming.
Wang Changming smiled and gently pushed the bun back. "Lao Wang, they need it more than me. You need it more than me." He handed Wang Bo a leather bota. "Eat quickly."
Wang Bo frowned. "Why do you always treat people you don't know so well?"
Wang Changming's expression was gentle. "You never know when the person you've helped before will come back to help you. Being kind to others makes me happy."
Wang Bo, worried about their mission, changed the subject. "Gongzi, should we give up and go home?"
Wang Changming sighed. "There is still one Mu family left."
Wang Bo looked at him sadly. "Gongzi, they are all retired imperial doctors. Do you think they will help us?"
Wang Changming's gaze turned resolute. "If we don't walk into the tiger's den, how are we going to catch their cubs?"
Wang Bo's voice dropped with concern. "I just don't want to see them... I just don't want them to look down on you and treat you badly..."
Wang Changming assured him. "If they treat me badly but accept me, I don't mind."
Having rested, Wang Changming and Wang Bo got up and picked up their bags. The beggar, finished with his bun, suddenly spoke up. "Take this. It's going to rain." He handed Wang Changming an umbrella.
Wang Bo looked up at the perfectly clear sky. "Are you sure it's going to rain, little beggar? The weather is really good today."
The beggar insisted. "It will rain before the sunset."
Wang Changming took the umbrella. "Thank you, xiongtai."
When they finally located the last Mu Manor, a cold rain was already falling. Wang Changming and Wang Bo stood in front of the gate, shielded by the umbrella the beggar had given them. After a long wait in the downpour, the door slowly opened.
Mu He, a housekeeper, emerged. "Wang gongzi, please go back. Mu gongzi is not home. Lao Furen is unable to accept your request. Please go back."
Wang Changming insisted politely, "Please let me meet with Mu Furen."
Mu He shook his head. "Even if you meet with Lao Furen, she can't make any decisions. All decisions are made by da gongzi."
Wang Bo quickly asked, "When will da gongzi return?"
Mu He spread his hands. "No one knows. He went on an adventure. The return date is unknown."
Wang Bo tried the alternative. "Then let us meet with Mu er gongzi"
"Er gongzi is not home at the moment," Mu He said.
"When will he come back?"
"Seven to thirty days. I don't know."
Wang Bo turned to Wang Changming. "Gongzi, are you waiting for one of them to come back?"
Wang Changming asked Mu He, ignoring Wang Bo. "If they come back, will you tell us?"
"I'm sorry, according to Mu family's rules, we are not allowed to do this," Mu He replied.
Suddenly, a loud, rough voice called out, "Lao He..."
Wang Changming and Wang Bo spun around to see the same wet beggar they had met at the roadside pavilion earlier that day.
Wang Bo exclaimed, "It's him."
Mu He quickly moved aside for the beggar, looking worried. "What's wrong with you?"
The beggar laughed, as if enjoying his own pain. He asked, "Ah Lan, where is he?"
"Er gongzi left about five days ago. You go in first, and I will find a yisheng," Mu He said, distraught.
The beggar grabbed Mu He's hand. "What are you doing? Having a yisheng come over and treat my wounds will be a slap on our face. Forget it. I'll wait for Ah Lan." He started walking toward the door.
Mu He hurried after him. "Gongzi... but..."
Wang Changming quickly gave way to Mu He and said, seizing the opportunity, "I can treat his wounds."
The beggar sneered and looked rudely at Wang Changming. "Who the hell are you anyway?" He walked through the door. "Lao He, kick them out."
Wang Changming was taken aback by the rudeness, but he knew this was his last chance. He pushed past Mu He and said politely, "Wang Changming... my name is Wang Changming."
Wang Bo quickly backed him up. "Don't pretend to forget us. Today we met in a pavilion on the side of the road. You gave us this umbrella."
Wang Changming added, "You are…"
The beggar laughed, his voice rough and loud, drowning out the rain. "I'm sorry. My fault. I was too focused on my last opponent, I really didn't pay attention to anyone." He walked further into the manor. "Lao He, let them in."
"Yes, gongzi," Mu He said, turning to Wang Changming and Wang Bo. "This way, please." Mu He slowly led them to a small guesthouse and opened the door.
Wang Bo asked, observing the simple surroundings, "Housekeeper Mu, why is this Mu family different from the other Mu households we previously visited?"
"Is there a difference?" Mu He asked.
"The other houses we visited were very luxurious."
Mu He sighed. "There is no such thing in this house."
"Why is that?"
"Because er gongzi is not a lavish individual, and er gongzi doesn't care much about fame," Mu He explained. "You have seen it with your own eyes... Da gongzi, the master of our Mu family, loves martial arts, not medicine."
Wang Bo asked about the strange guest. "What about the beggar, what is his title in this house?"
A maid suddenly ran in, panicking. "Lao He, hurry up! Master Yu can't stop the bleeding. We need a yisheng now!"
Mu He immediately stood up. "You stay here to serve these two guests." He rushed out.
Wang Changming jumped on the chance. "Is someone hurt?"
The maid answered breathlessly, "Yes."
"Is the person who came just now the one who needs help?"
"Yes... are you a yisheng?"
Wang Bo chimed in, "Yes, he is."
The maid looked relieved. "Please help our gongzi!"
Wang Changming grabbed his medicine box. "I can help."
The maid quickly brought Wang Changming and Wang Bo to a large room. A servant was already attempting to clean a wound on the beggar's leg; Mu He was nowhere in sight.
Wang Changming immediately took charge, removing the blood-soaked towel from the injured right thigh. "I need hot water and a lot of clean towels." He looked directly at the beggar. "Please take off your pants."
The beggar exclaimed, "Why?!"
Wang Changming's tone was professional. "Da ge, if you don't take off your pants, how can I stitch up the wound for you?"
Wang Bo stepped in to clear the room. "Everyone, go out and close the door for this young man's privacy." The servant and maid left, leaving Wang Bo and Wang Changming alone. "Please take off your pants and let my gongzi see your wound."
The beggar laughed, complied, and sat back on the chair. He looked at Wang Changming, who had already begun cleaning the wound. "Hey, what's your name?"
Wang Changming reminded him, "I told you just now, have you forgotten it?"
The beggar smiled. "I'm sorry... I didn't pay attention before, but now you've got all my attention."
Wang Changming continued cleaning the wound. "Wang Changming. And you?"
The beggar chuckled. "Mu Jiao Long."
Wang Changming looked up, surprised. "Mu Jiao Long, the master of this household?"
Mu Jiao Long smiled at Wang Changming. "Yes." His eyes remained fixed on the doctor.
Wang Changming smiled. "I'm sorry."
Mu Jiao Long was confused. "What?" Then, he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his thigh. "Ah..."