12. The State Clinic

"Siqingerile, let me hold your sword. Carry him on your back and let's take him to the state clinic.", Tang Gaozong instructed his guard.

"Your Highness, I don't think that...", Siqingerile got cut off.

"Quick! Hurry up!", Tang Gaozong shouted in urgency.

Siqingerile threw his sword and swiftly gathered the fainted may. Gaozong whose arms were already open, received the injured may readily from his guard.

Like a coordinated teamwork, Gaozong in turn managed to put the may on the back of his guard who was in a kneeling position to receive the may.

Gaozong took his guard's sword and together they ran to the clinic with the may on Siqingerile's back.

Seeing the urgency of the situation, the clinic staff rushed to collect the wounded person and started treatments.

After the may was safely handed over to the staff, Siqingerile turned to his friend and said with a bow, "We need to leave now before we run into anyone that can recognise you, your highness."

Gaozong understood exactly what he meant. This was a state hospital and so they could run into anyone that knows him here and that will be disastrous for him.

He wanted to wait a while for an update on the patient but he couldn't afford to be seen here. Reluctantly, he and his guard left the clinic.

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Chi Yuan has been very busy with the arrival of his consignments at the port. Luckily his younger brother was on work leave now so he has called him over to come and help with the business.

Chi Muchen, his younger brother is already good when it came to their line of business. So he has left him in charge of the unloading of the consignments to their respective warehouses.

Lately he has been under the weather. The physician has advised him to get enough rest. Today, he wouldn't do much, just supervisory work and dealing with the various merchants of their guild.

His brother could handle the port matters while his moon, Chi Lan will handle most of the paper works. He has a meeting with the merchants in the late afternoon only.

After he is done with that and the other two also finish with their part, he will leave the rest for his wife, Chi Lan to handle while he takes a step back for a while.

Luckily, Muchen, as efficient as he was finished with the port issues and storage matters before evening approached. Chi Lan on his part has also finished with the paperwork for the day.

Now they were both waiting for Yuan in one of their private rooms at the guild. Chi Yuan was still in the middle of a meeting with the merchants. The meeting which was intended for a duration of only two hours was now into its fourth hour.

Both Muchen and Lan ran outside when they heard a commotion coming from the compound to check what it was about.

Chi Muchen has collapsed during the meeting and has being carried into his office. The meeting automatically came to an end.

Chi Lan adamantly wanted to join Muchen on sending his husband to the clinc but Muchen also stubbornly refused.

His reason was that, the guild was very busy and crowded at the moment and someone has to stay behind and watch over the merchants and the workers. It'll be very risky should someone steal their sensitive documents to their competitors.

Between the two, Chi Lan was the better choice to look after the guild. So the cart took only Muchen and his unconscious brother to the clinic.

Mama Chi left for the clinic as soon as she heard what has happened to her son.

It was already evening when they had arrived at the clinic. The nurses on duty rushed to receive the patient from them and started to administer treatments on him.

It was getting late and since visiting was not allowed at that time, a nurse told them to go home and come back the next morning. He told them that the patient was doing well and was now out of danger.

Finally convinced that Yuan was okay, both mother and son left for their house. Muchen went back to the guild to give his wife the update on things and Mama Chi too informed Papa Chi of what had happened.

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Morning came and Chi Lan, Muchen and his mother were already at the clinic. All the activities at the guild were re-scheduled to afternoon time.

When it was the time for visitors into the wards, a nurse ushered Mama Chi, Muchen and Lan into Chi Yuan's room. There were three more beds in Chi Yuan's room with other patients occupying them. She then left them to attend to her other duties.

They all rushed to Chi Muchen side but he was resting so they sat around his bed. Chi Lan put his head on his bed and held one of his hands but made sure to not cause him any discomfort.

Chi Muchen just leaned on the wall by his brother's bedside while Mama Chi also sat beside her son-in-law. Chi Yuan woke up not long after.

"Brother. You're awake.", Chi Lan raised his head to see Yuan was indeed awake. Both him and Mama Chi were all over him checking to see if he was okay, making Muchen chuckle at them.

Later, a loud chuckle caused them all to turn to the source, it was Papa Chi. He had come to see his son after he finished with the morning court assembly at the Royal Palace Court.

"You're now here.", Mama said. Apparently she was not happy that her husband was just joining them now.

As they continued chatting with Yuan, they heard a commotion from the other side of the room.

"Get him to wake up now, otherwise we'll have to throw him out while in his sleep. That or get him to tell us how the bills will be settled. No further treatment on him until his bills have been paid. Now get him up.", said the clinic administrator.

"Sir, he has been unconscious since he was brought here. Please can we wait for a while to see if he'll wake up on his own, in order not to interfere with his progress, please?", the nurse that had ushered them in earlier pleaded.

"I am only doing my job here and so should you. If it bothers you so much, then how about you go and pay for him? Hope you can afford it with your meager salary. I'm leaving for now. Make sure that he has either settled his bills or vacated the bed before I return from my morning rounds.", the administrator said as he walked out of the room.