Chapter 14

Chapter 14
## Chapter 14: Heavenly Yin Divine Meridian (2)

“Older brother! Older brother!”

The shout of Sima Ho echoed through the market, loud enough to rattle the stalls.

The commotion was so great that Sima Geon, who was busy butchering a cut of meat for a patron, froze mid-motion. Even Cheol Woo, who had been deep inside the slaughterhouse hanging carcasses, came running out to see what the noise was about.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

Sima Geon asked, his brow furrowing as he watched his customer depart.

“She’s here! She finally arrived!”

Sima Geon’s frustration grew along with the lines on his forehead at the vague announcement. At that moment, Cheol Woo reached them and immediately snatched Sima Ho by the ear, hoisting it upward.

“Ow, ow! That’s painful! Let go!”

As Sima Ho stood on his tiptoes to ease the pressure, Cheol Woo glared at him.

“Then quit talking in riddles and speak clearly. Why are you making such a scene?”

“Release me first!”

Sima Ho managed to pull himself free and began rubbing his bright red ear aggressively, shouting back.

“Damn it! Why do you always have to be so rough?”

“It’s how I show I care. You clearly haven’t experienced true violence yet. Want a demonstration?”

Cheol Woo began cracking his knuckles with a smirk, causing Sima Ho to turn pale and shake his head frantically.

“I’ll pass. You said the same thing last time, and then…”

Sima Ho started to mutter a long string of complaints before his face suddenly went blank. He slapped his own forehead in realization.

“What am I doing? This is your fault, brother.”

He threw a resentful look at Cheol Woo before grabbing the arm of Sima Geon, who was watching the exchange with a look of pity.

“While I was heading to the shop, I bumped into a messenger from the doctor at Clear Heart Clinic.”

The mention of Clear Heart Clinic caused Sima Geon’s demeanor to shift instantly.

“He told me the doctor who traveled to Hangzhou has returned. The message said to bring our youngest to the clinic right away.”

Sima Geon didn’t wait to hear more. He spun around toward the back of the building, but Sima Ho shouted after him.

“When are we leaving?”

Sima Geon ripped off his stained apron, cleaned himself up in a flash, and pulled the shop door shut as he gave his answer.

“This very moment.”

—

The group that met Sima Geon and his brothers at Clear Heart Clinic was headed by Oh Hwan. Having been briefed on the family’s plight, Oh Hwan smiled warmly at the breathless brothers.

“Please, come in. The physician is expecting you.”

As they followed him inside, Cheol Woo nudged Sima Geon’s ribs. Sima Geon looked over, and Cheol Woo gestured with his chin toward a group of men walking toward the left wing of the clinic.

“Is that them?”

Sima Geon stared at the men in shock, nodding slowly.

“Yes, it is.”

“I never would have guessed we’d cross paths with them in a place like this.”

Sima Ho, unable to stay out of it, whispered, “Why? Do you recognize them?”

“Yeah. On the road back from Hangzhou…”

“Stop the gossiping and get inside.”

Sima Geon cut Cheol Woo off sharply, fearing that Sima Jin might hear and start worrying. He then took Sima Jin’s trembling hand in a firm grip and guided her through the door.

Inside the ward, they were met by the Smiling Hemp Robe Physician Hwang Jeong, who was finishing a conversation with another patient. He greeted them with a kind face.

“Welcome. I knew you would arrive quickly.”

“We left the second we got the word. I hope our haste isn’t a problem.”

“Not at all. The doctor from the main estate is just as anxious to see the patient.”

Hwang Jeong looked toward his guest, Hwang Yeong. As he prepared to introduce her, Hwang Yeong—who had looked startled when she first saw Sima Geon and Cheol Woo—broke into a smile and spoke up first.

“What a strange twist of fate, wouldn’t you say?”

At that moment, Yu Sa Ha and Gok Ja Yu entered the room. Upon seeing Cheol Woo, they let out boisterous laughs and nodded in agreement.

“It certainly is.”

“Now I understand why those thugs from the Thousand Kill Room were so persistent. They were after the Celestial Pure Jade Milk.”

Hwang Jeong looked confused by the exchange, so Sima Geon offered a brief explanation.

“When we were transporting the Celestial Pure Jade Milk back from Hangzhou, we were ambushed. These people were the ones who stepped in to help us. I had no idea they were members of the Living Immortal Medical House.”

“Ah! I see. Haha! Truly, the world is a small place.”

Hwang Jeong laughed with genuine joy.

“I’ve felt terrible about leaving so abruptly without thanking you properly. Please, allow me to express my gratitude once more,” Sima Geon said, bowing deeply to Hwang Yeong.

“There is no need for that. Given your sister’s condition, your desperation for the Celestial Pure Jade Milk makes perfect sense. As a doctor, how could I not sympathize?”

Hwang Yeong gave a soft smile that seemed to fill the room with light.

“Jin-ah, this is the doctor who will be treating you. Greet her.”

Sima Geon gently encouraged the shy Sima Jin forward.

“I… I am Sima Jin. I hope for your kind help.”

Sima Jin performed a polite bow.

“My word! You are as lovely as a spirit, little Sima.”

Sima Jin turned beet red and lowered her head at the compliment. Hwang Yeong chuckled softly and took the girl’s hand with care.

“I should be saying that to you. A doctor cannot cure a disease alone. It requires the patient and the physician to fight as one. Do you understand?”

Sima Jin nodded, her voice barely a whisper. “I do.”

Pleased, Hwang Yeong turned to the room. “Everyone else, please step outside for a while.”

Following her request, the room emptied quickly. Even Hwang Jeong, who had permission to stay, stepped out to ensure she had total focus for her examination.

Hwang Yeong smiled at Sima Jin, who looked terrified on the exam bed, and took her wrist.

“Now, I am going to find out exactly what is bothering your body. Just try to relax. There is nothing to fear. We are in this fight together, remember?”

Sima Jin closed her eyes tight and nodded. Hwang Yeong closed her own eyes and began the pulse diagnosis.

It took a full half-shichen before Hwang Yeong completed her check and called Sima Geon and the others back into the room.

“What is the verdict?”

Sima Geon’s face was dark. The examination had taken far longer than he expected, and he feared that meant the case was too difficult—perhaps even Hwang Yeong couldn’t figure it out.

“We believe we have found the cause,” Hwang Yeong said, though her expression was somber.

Sima Geon held his breath. “What is it?”

“The young lady was born with the Heavenly Yin Divine Meridian.”

“The Heavenly Yin Divine Meridian? You don’t mean the Nine Yin Severed Meridians?”

Hwang Jeong, who had suspected the latter but couldn’t be certain, was stunned by the unfamiliar term.

“It is only natural that you suspected that, brother. The signs are nearly identical.”

“So the symptoms are the same, but the underlying condition is different?” Hwang Jeong asked.

“Yes. It is distinct. Right before I departed the main estate, a patient arrived with this exact ailment. I treated her as if she had the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, but the results were off. There were tiny discrepancies, and the treatment did nothing. If I hadn’t dug through the ancient archives of the Living Immortal Medical House, I never would have identified it.”

“And what happened to that patient?”

Hwang Yeong hesitated, looking down before answering Sima Geon.

“We were unsuccessful.”

“I see…”

Sima Geon clenched his fist tight.

“But why?” Hwang Jeong asked, unable to believe the Living Immortal Medical House could fail once they knew the diagnosis.

“Brother, you expect too much from the estate sometimes. We are not gods; we cannot save everyone.”

Hwang Yeong gave a weary smile.

“The Nine Yin Severed Meridians is rare, but we have a cure. If this is so similar, I don’t see why it failed.”

“There are three factors.”

“Three?” Hwang Jeong leaned in.

“First, the timing. She was twenty-one when she arrived. The cold energy had already reached her marrow. No medicine could touch it. Acupuncture only bought her a little more time.”

“Twenty-one…” Hwang Jeong muttered. No one with the Nine Yin condition survived past eighteen without help. To reach twenty with a similar condition was a miracle.

“Second, while the symptoms are similar, the cold energy of the Heavenly Yin Divine Meridian is far more intense. It is a much more violent affliction.”

“But she lived past twenty, whereas Nine Yin kills by eighteen.”

“That is because…” Hwang Yeong glanced at the Sima siblings and sighed. “There was a specific reason.”

“A reason?”

“She was also using the Celestial Pure Jade Milk. That is the only reason she reached that age.”

The room went cold. Everyone realized that a patient with the same illness as Sima Jin had died, even with the medicine they thought was a guaranteed cure.

“If we had combined our secret acupuncture with the milk earlier, the result might have been different. But we didn’t. That is the third reason,” Hwang Yeong added quickly, trying to soften the blow.

“So, is there a cure or not?” Cheol Woo demanded, his voice rough.

The attendants, Yu Sa Ha and Gok Ja Yu, narrowed their eyes at his lack of manners.

“Watch your mouth!” Sima Geon hissed, but Cheol Woo pounded his fist against his chest.

“Everyone is acting like she’s already gone. I don’t care about past failures. Can she be saved?”

“Be quiet!” Sima Geon glared at him before turning back to bow to Hwang Yeong. “I am sorry. Please forgive his rudeness.”

“It is alright. I understand his passion.” Hwang Yeong remained calm. She looked at Cheol Woo.

“To be honest, I cannot give you a certain ‘yes.’ The previous case was too far gone. However, our records suggest our acupuncture is the correct treatment for the Heavenly Yin Divine Meridian. So…”

“But,” Cheol Woo cut in again. “The patient in those records—did they live?”

Hwang Yeong remained silent, unable to provide an answer.

—

“So that’s what happened today.”

Sima Hyeon’s expression was frozen as he listened to the recap after returning from his guard duties. He was particularly shaken by the news that the Celestial Pure Jade Milk might not be enough.

“Try not to worry. Jin-ah’s situation is much better than those other cases. We have a clear diagnosis, the medicine is ready, and we have a master physician. She is going to get better.”

Sima Geon placed a comforting hand on Sima Hyeon’s shoulder.

“Has she started the process yet?” Sima Hyeon asked, his voice thick with emotion.

“Yes. But she is incredibly fragile. She could faint at any moment, so they are proceeding with extreme caution.”

Sima Hyeon’s eyes went wide. “That can’t be right. She seemed fine.”

“She was hiding her pain for our sake. We were just too blind to see it,” Sima Geon said with a bitter tone. “The plan is to use the milk and the secret arts of the medical house as soon as she’s stable enough.”

Sima Hyeon’s face clouded over again. “Why?”

“I have an escort mission tomorrow.”

“Already? You just got back.”

“The Sanghwa Escort Agency has been having a hard time lately, so the workload has increased.”

“I see…”

Sima Geon, knowing the full story of what had happened at the agency, gave a forced nod and a small smile.

“Don’t worry about it, just focus on your work. When you get back from this run, Jin-ah will be standing there healthy and strong.”

“Do you really think so?” Sima Hyeon asked, his voice trembling.

“I know so. It will happen.”

Sima Geon nodded with forced confidence, though the fear in his own eyes was just as deep as his brother’s.