Secrets

The cell of Shen Congan was opened by a guard and Huang Taiwu stepped in. He scanned the surroundings to make sure that the cell was not beyond the need of repair. Then he looked towards Shen Congan, looking for even the slightest sign of mistreatment from the guards.

"You have three hours." A guard that had accompanied Huang Taiwu to the cell reminded him. It would be more or less three hours when their shift would change. He then left the cell to give them privacy.

After all, when someone came to a place like this alone at night hour, they most likely did not want to be seen by anyone.

Huang Taiwu chose to not say anything, he knew that the guards on duty tonight would not breathe a word of this to anyone.

Imperial doctors would most likely be granted favors, after all, no one could guarantee that they would not fall ill. If they ever need a doctor to keep a secret, then imperial doctors would be the best candidates.

Shen Congan was as calm as ever, his old eyes serene as if the impending calamity would not affect him the slightest.

"What happened?" Huang Taiwu quietly asked.

"I'm sure you already knew the answer when you came." Shen Congan said with a smile. His voice had a calmness to it.

"I want to hear it from you." Huang Taiwu said firmly.

"What does it matter? His majesty's beloved consort died under my care. It was my mistake. I will not be able to escape this calamity." Shen Congan serenely said.

They all knew that the emperor's mindset was something they could not change. Once he decided something, it was set in stone. There had never been a time when he reversed an order given.

Huang Taiwu remained silent. Whoever was responsible for consort Ning's death would die sooner or later, if found out, but as for now, it was the head imperial physician who was present that would suffer from the wrath of the emperor.

"Let me tell you about something of mine old friend, something that I have never told anyone, not even the most loyal of my servants know. Will you listen?" Shen Congan looked at the friend he had for decades, his eyes were filled with great expectations.

"Do go ahead." Looking at that man's gaze, he could not bring himself to refuse.

"How joyful it is to have you in my life." Shen Congan said that like it was his last words, it may very well be the last thing he will say to his old friend.

"Yes, we have known and worked together for a long time. What do you wish to tell me?" Huang Taiwu returned to the previous topic.

"It started long ago when I wanted to find a way to allow humans to be free from pain and death. I was on one of my travels when I came across a little child, she couldn't have been more than an infant, presumably abandoned. So I took her in."

Shen Congan paused for a while, seemingly deep in thought.

"I wanted to make an elixir that could eradicate all disease and allow a person to live on, for a long time. There were already so many concoctions and experimental medicines I had brewed up for this subject and she became my test subject."

Before he could narrate any further, Huang Taiwu stopped him, saying: "You know that such a medicine is impossible, what you are talking about can only ever exist in the legends and myths."

Although Shen Congan stayed quiet to give him respect, he was thoroughly ignored. The narration continued "At first, it was unbelievably unbearable for her, but as time went on, I found some things fascinating about her. Her intelligence was far beyond that of any child her age and she is an incredibly fast learner. I have taught her my life's work in medicine and she continues to add on with her new discoveries."

Shen Congan spoke with a smile on his face, like an artist that was proud of his creation that he had poured his heart and soul into making.

Huang Taiwu could only narrowly stop himself from shuddering after hearing the narration, but he still remained silent.

"There was a time when I drew her blood for testing. I gave it to a little bird. It died miserably, with its body contorting and turning purple."

"Everlasting life is only something us mortals dream of to make ourselves feel better." Huang Taiwu said to comfort his old friend.

"Oh is it? One time, when she was sleeping, I plunged a foot long needle coated with a poison lethal upon immediate contact to the blood, through her heart. It is what the northern barbarian tribes use on their arrows in warfare, it is so fast acting that even grown men would not last more than a few breaths after it travels to the heart. It could have killed anything that had a heart, veins and blood pumping throughout its body, but she woke up the next day only complaining that her chest ached."

Shen Congan paused before he continued "She can easily heal from any life-threatening injury. She is a highly intelligent and mature child, but the only thing lacking is her emotions, I have never seen her display any."

"I have tried so hard to better the advancement of medicine in this world, but all my efforts have been seen as outrageous." Shen Congan said hatefully.

Shen Congan glanced at his old friend and continued: "Alas when I die, I will no longer be bound to this world." There was a true smile on his face, coming from the bottom of his soul, one that had never been shown in a long time.

"What do you mean?" Huang Taiwu was puzzled at why his friend would say such strange things.

"I don't belong in this world, but I will die in this world."