Chapter 498: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
**Chapter 498: Disdain (1)**
The Ghost Doctor cursed furiously for a good while, not even stopping to catch his breath. Xiao Ruiyuan's eye twitched almost imperceptibly. Seeing no sign of the doctor stopping, he finally couldn't bear it and handed over the box he was holding in an attempt to shut him up.
"What's this?"
The Ghost Doctor indeed stopped his cursing, reaching out to take the wooden box as he asked.
The two had known each other for many years and both served the Crown Prince. Despite the generational gap, they had developed an extraordinary level of tacit understanding.
The Ghost Doctor was passionate about medicine, with his greatest interests lying in finding medicinal herbs, refining good medicine, and treating diseases that other doctors couldn't handle.
Xiao Ruiyuan knew the Ghost Doctor's preferences well and often brought him rare herbs, each one extremely precious. Over time, the Ghost Doctor came to expect that anything Xiao Ruiyuan brought would be extraordinary.
"This… this is…"
Despite being prepared, the Ghost Doctor was still rendered incoherent with excitement upon seeingq the contents of the box. His eyes burned with intensity, and his trembling hands held the item as if it were a priceless treasure.
"So, how is it? Is it old enough?"
Seeing the Ghost Doctor's reaction, Xiao Ruiyuan felt slightly relieved, but without knowing the exact age of the ginseng, he couldn't be completely at ease. So, he asked directly.
The Ghost Doctor took a deep breath to calm himself and began examining the ginseng in the box. To avoid damaging the root and affecting its medicinal properties, he took out a pair of soft silk gloves, carefully picked up the ginseng, and examined it closely under a bright candlelight.
After a thorough inspection, still uncertain, he took out a small knife and cut off an inch-long piece of the ginseng root. Without bothering to wash it, he directly put it in his mouth and chewed to test its medicinal properties.
Throughout the Ghost Doctor's series of actions, Xiao Ruiyuan remained silent, though his right hand had already clenched into a fist.
The room was quiet, save for the faint sounds of the Ghost Doctor chewing. Once the inch-long piece of ginseng root had been thoroughly chewed into pulp, the Ghost Doctor opened his eyes, remaining silent for a long while. The wrinkles on his forehead deepened noticeably.
Under Xiao Ruiyuan's tense gaze, the Ghost Doctor finally shook his head and said regretfully, "This ginseng is the best I've ever seen in my life, but… if my estimation is correct, it's about 950 years old! What a pity, what a pity…"
He repeated "what a pity" several times, his face looking quite displeased. It was rare to find such an aged ginseng, and just when it seemed the Crown Prince's poison could be cured, it fell short by fifty years!
Even though fifty years might seem negligible for a 900-year-old ginseng, it wasn't a millennium ginseng without those extra years, and its medicinal properties were still insufficient to make the antidote pill.
Having lived to his age, the only time he had ever seen a millennium ginseng was in his master's possession. That ginseng root had ultimately been made into medicine to save someone's life.
Hearing this, Xiao Ruiyuan's heart sank. Although he had anticipated this possibility, he still found it hard to accept.
At this point, even if they continued searching, there was no guarantee they could find a millennium ginseng! Fifty years could take a person from infancy to old age. Even if they could somehow plant this ginseng back into the ground, he couldn't wait that long. His cousin, who had less than a year to live, certainly couldn't wait that long!
Looking at the thick ginseng lying in the box, Xiao Ruiyuan remained silent for a long time. Finally, he picked up the wooden box and left the Ghost Doctor's courtyard without saying goodbye.
The Ghost Doctor, preoccupied with his own thoughts, also forgot to call out to Xiao Ruiyuan, leaving the rare ginseng behind. He paced back and forth in his room, and as he looked at the deep night outside, a sudden thought flashed through his mind…
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