Mysterious Lotus Casebook

Chapter 36: Money Makes The World Go Round

Fang Duobing had been laughing for nearly an entire day. Had he not been so young, only twenty-two or twenty-three years old, he might have lost several teeth from the sheer force of his laughter. Li Lianhua, Gongyang Wumen, and Guan Hemeng—the trio Fang Duobing had long dreamed of meeting—were finally about to convene. After six years of fantasizing, this quack doctor, devoid of any real medical skills, was on the brink of encountering genuine “miracle doctors.” It was an opportunity to witness how Li Lianhua would spin his tales and evade exposure as a fraud.

At twenty-two years old, Fang Duobing, also known as the “Worryful Young Master,” was the eldest son of the illustrious “Fang family” in the Jianghu. He had been friends with Li Lianhua, the miracle doctor of The Auspicious Patterned Lotus House, for six years. Now, seated in the Welcoming Hall of Jin Mantang’s residence, Yuanbao Villa. He gazed at the figure across from him and burst into hearty laughter. “I’ve long admired you, Heroic Physician Guan,” he declared.

Seated opposite Fang Duobing was a young man draped in a long robe, with a strikingly handsome face that contrasted sharply with Fang Duobing’s slender and pallid appearance. Indeed, Guan was a youthful hero, radiant as a pearl.

Upon hearing Fang Duobing’s words, Guan Hemeng rose to his feet, bowing respectfully. “Such praise is unwarranted, Master Fang. Your literary talents are renowned far and wide,” he replied humbly.

Suppressing a chuckle, Fang Duobing turned his attention to the elderly figure resembling a goat and extended his hand. “I’ve long admired Senior Gongyang as well,” he remarked.

Sitting beside him was a diminutive old man, with a goatee and a physique akin to Fang Duobing’s own. He was none other than Gongyang Wumen, the enigmatic figure known for “having medicine but no home”. Despite his advanced age, Gongyang Wumen had been the first to arrive at Jin Mantang’s Mansion. Following his arrival, Hua Ruxue came to investigate the sudden demise of Dong Ling, also known as the “Jinling Sword” from Wenzhou, who had been visiting Yuanbao Villa before his death. Upon learning of Jin Mantang’s illness, Hua Ruxue enlisted the expertise of Guan Hemeng and Li Lianhua. Two days after Guan Hemeng’s arrival, Fang Duobing drug Li Lianhua to Yuanbao Villa. Their arrivals were approximately five days apart.

In contrast to Guan Hemeng’s polite manners, Gongyang Wumen offered only a dismissive grunt, prompting Fang Duobing to grimace unknowingly. Suddenly, Gongyang Wumen spoke, “If you are as weak as you look, you will be riddled with all kinds of diseases after the age of sixty. I suggest you take supplements.”

Despite the man’s old age, his voice thundered, startling Fang Duobing and causing the teacup in his hand to clatter, also startling everyone present. Amidst the commotion, someone coughed, drawing Fang Duobing’s attention.

“Who coughed?” he snapped, only to be met with an apologetic response from a fair-faced, well-mannered man seated to his right—Li Lianhua.

As Fang Duobing prepared to retort, Li Lianhua interjected earnestly, “I assure you, I wasn’t laughing at you.” Nearly bursting into laughter, Guan Hemeng struggled to maintain his composure. Fang Duobing glared for a moment before managing a strained “You’re forgiven” through gritted teeth, to which Li Lianhua nodded gravely.

These individuals were all renowned figures in their own right. Jin Mantang, a martial arts magnate, had fallen prey to a mysterious ailment, prompting the arrival of three esteemed physicians. On behalf of the “Fang family,” Fang Duobing had dispatched thousand-year-old ginseng to Jin Mantang. Rumors circulated that prior to his illness, Dong Ling, the “Jinling Sword” from Wenzhou, had met an untimely demise at Jin Mantang’s Yuanbao Villa. Consequently, the once desolate villa now teemed with prominent visitors.