radiothebook Chapter 263 Bloodletting Therapy
Chapter 263 Bloodletting Therapy
Chapter 263 Bloodletting Therapy
"Instructor,"
First Mate David Garcia found Dick in the storeroom of the Hunting Dog's cabin.
Because the captain's cabin was forced to be given to someone else, Dick had no choice but to arrange for the sailors to convert the storeroom into his temporary office.
At this moment, Dick was sitting at the chart table, studying the last leg of the route.
He looked up: "What is it?"
"Miss Pena, she—"
Dick frowned. "What's wrong with her now?"
She didn't touch the food we brought her.
"Then let her go hungry!" Dick was inexplicably annoyed. "We're not here for tourism, and this isn't the Peyton family's castle. Nobody's going to go out of their way to coax her to eat!"
"Well—sir, she is, after all, Duke Pena's sister, and—" David paused, "she hasn't eaten for over a day now, and I'm wondering if there could be other reasons."
A true knight must be able to perfectly control his emotions.
Dick took a deep breath, and his earlier annoyance vanished instantly. Although a slight displeasure remained, Dick still said:
"Understood, I'll find out what's going on with her."
"Yes, sir," David bowed slightly, "There is one more thing, sir. According to the information obtained in Earlobe Harbor..."
The library you're looking for seems to be in Copper Coin Town, and the ship lookout has already spotted the town's docks.
"Very good," Dick nodded upon hearing this, "but we must not let the crew relax; this voyage is also a navigation exercise."
"Yes, sir. How long do you intend to stay there?"
"No more than three days, so we need to start replenishing supplies immediately after entering the port."
"yes,"
David seemed to have nothing else to do; he bowed to Dick and then got up and left.
Dick let out a deep sigh only after the storeroom door closed.
He was troubled by two things.
Firstly, during this voyage, he learned a great deal about navigation and ship command skills.
However, progress has been very slow, and we are still far from becoming excellent naval commanders.
As for the other matter, it naturally concerns Peggy.
He and Peggy have not been getting along well lately.
The two of them had a big fight on the first day of their voyage.
When Dick saw Peggy in the box, his first reaction was surprise, followed by doubt, and then worry.
Dick demanded, "Miss Peggy, what are you doing here?"
"I'm planning to check it out with you. I think you've been completely fooled by that Annie. Her father is definitely no pushover either. I'm afraid you'll be scammed again, so I'm here to help you vet her."
"This is none of your concern, Miss. Besides, this isn't 'following' at all; you hid yourself in the trunk and clearly sneaked out behind Count Pena and Madame Farah's back!"
"It doesn't matter how small this is. I'm hungry, get me something to eat."
"There's no food on the warship for noble ladies, so I'll order it to turn around and send you back. Once you're back at the castle, you can eat whatever you want."
"Don't send me back! I racked my brains over this plan, and it finally succeeded. If you insist on sending me back, all my work will have been for nothing. Just this box alone was difficult to handle!"
"No! Miss, I must consider your safety!"
"You blockhead! I went to all this trouble for your sake, and now you're going to let me down!"
You can call me whatever you like.
With that, Dick turned and walked out of the captain's cabin.
"Ah! Indecent assault!"
Dick was startled by the sound and immediately made a gesture:
"Shh! Miss Peggy! What are you yelling about!"
"If you try to sail back, I'll make everyone on this boat think you assaulted me. And if my brother finds out..."
You're going to get what's coming to you!
Dick sighed. "Whether my reputation is ruined or Lord Pena intends to punish me, it doesn't matter. But Miss, you are an unmarried lady, and such rumors will cause immeasurable damage to your reputation."
"Then don't go back!"
Dick closed his eyes, took a deep breath through his nose, and when he opened his eyes again, his expression was unusually firm.
He walked to the bedside and took a towel:
"I'm sorry, Miss Peggy, I need to shut you up. I will apologize to Count Pena afterwards."
But before he could get close, Peggy burst into tears.
Dick froze, and hesitated to use the towel in his hand to gag Peggy.
Peggy seemed to be crying very sadly.
Should a true knight gag a woman when she cries?
Dick was at a loss for words. He stood there stunned for a long time before finally saying, somewhat bewildered:
"Miss Peggy, please don't cry. As long as you don't say anything that damages your reputation, I won't do anything to you."
"Go ahead and block the way, but please, I beg you, don't send me back. I know you're not going to war, and I promise I won't cause any trouble, please..."
Dick had no idea how to stop a woman from crying, and Peggy only cried harder and harder.
In the end, he compromised.
What angered Dick the most was that the moment he relented, Peggy burst into laughter through her tears, and even slyly said to him:
"You're just like your father, easy to deal with too!"
Only then did Dick dare to be sure that Peggy was faking her tears.
However, once a knight makes a promise, he cannot easily go back on his word.
For now, he could only grit his teeth and leave Peggy on the ship.
Even though Dick knew that a knight should remain calm, he was so angry that he trembled all over and stood on the deck swinging his sword for several hours before he finally calmed down.
He could also imagine that Lord Hubert must have had his share of headaches because of Peggy.
Dick sheathed his sword and turned around, only to see Peggy sitting on the deck watching him wield his sword, giving him a smug smile.
But he had no choice but to ignore it and pretend not to care at all as he went down to the cabin.
He then sent someone to help him set up the storage room.
Looking back now, Dick deeply regrets not being firmer. He should have tied Peggy up and sent her back to the castle, even if it meant taking her away. That way, things wouldn't have come to this.
After that day, Peggy kept her promise for most of the time and did not cause any trouble for the Hunting Yellow Dog.
But sea voyages are no child's play; the hardships here are not something a young girl can handle.
Just one day later, Peggy got seasick.
Dick then realized that although the Peyton family owned a port, they also owned many ships.
However, Peggy had never sailed before, meaning this was Peggy's first time on a ship.
There was no other way, so Dick had to assign someone to take care of her.
However, this girl can sometimes be quite loyal; if she doesn't want to talk, no one can pry her open her mouth, no matter who comes.
Whenever Dick sent someone to ask her how she was feeling, Peggy would always shake her head and say nothing.
Dick could guess the reason; she probably wanted to keep her promise and not cause trouble for the ship.
But Dick heard from David that Peggy would always sneak up to the mast to vomit at night.
This is not good news. If you vomit everything you eat, your body will only become weaker and weaker.
Having no other option, Dick had to go and ask Peggy himself, hoping to find out her true feelings.
"I'm fine!"
Peggy's tone was somewhat weak, but her resolve was firm.
Dick said, "I need to hear the truth about you, otherwise your condition will distract everyone on the ship."
"I'm fine, and you don't need to send anyone to take care of me."
Many people say that Dick is like a loyal dog, but at that time Dick felt that Peggy was more like her father.
Like a mad dog, it will never let go of whatever it has bitten.
Dick never thought he could persuade Lord Hubert, but now he felt he couldn't even persuade Peggy.
He didn't know what to do, so he could only leave the captain's cabin for the time being and instruct the soldier to take better care of Peggy.
For the next few days, Peggy hardly went out.
Peggy would only come out and sit on the deck for some fresh air when Dick practiced his sword every night.
Whenever Dick stopped, Peggy would get up on her own and walk back to her room.
It wasn't until Dick asked the soldiers who were taking care of Peggy that he learned that Peggy's face was becoming increasingly pale and that her food intake was gradually decreasing.
Dick was extremely anxious. If anything happened to Peggy, he would have no face to face Count Pena, and even more so to Lord Hubert.
He had no choice but to discuss it with David, and they ultimately decided to dock at a nearby port and wait for Peggy to recover before setting off again.
Of course, Peggy couldn't know the real reason yet, otherwise she would definitely throw a tantrum and demand that the ship set sail immediately.
That's why the voyage, which should have taken just over half a month, has now been going on for a month, and Dick still hasn't reached his destination.
Fortunately, Peggy's complexion quickly recovered after getting ashore, and Dick also breathed a sigh of relief.
Actually, Peggy was fine by the third day, but just to be on the safe side, Dick waited until the fifth day before setting off.
After resuming navigation, Dick specifically instructed David to keep the ship as stable as possible, even if it meant losing a little speed.
Whether it was because the boat was sailing more smoothly or because Peggy had adapted, Peggy was much more energetic than before.
Although she hasn't completely overcome seasickness, at least she's not in that sick state anymore.
But once people have energy, they can't stand boredom.
With nothing to do on the ship and no entertainment options, Peggy had to find ways to pass the time on her own.
She wandered around the ship, but as long as it didn't interfere with the crew's work, Dick didn't bother her.
But she soon set her sights on the observation deck and planned to climb up the comb pole to play.
Why would you leave Peggy, a frail woman, to climb the mast alone on a swaying ship?
Dick could not allow it under any circumstances and immediately had her stopped.
"Why!" Peggy protested, "I'm not going to cause trouble!"
"You're just trying to cause trouble by climbing up there," Dick retorted without holding back. "The lookout tower is cramped; your presence will only hinder the lookout's operations!"
Peggy was clearly still unwilling, but she didn't press the matter further. After glaring at Dick, she returned to the captain's cabin.
However, this is just the beginning.
From then on, whenever Dick spoke to Peggy, a conflict would inexplicably arise within two or three sentences, and they would start arguing.
However, Peggy was very polite to the other people on the ship and never lost her temper.
Dick immediately realized that he had incurred Peggy's wrath.
但·
Well, let them argue if they want to. At least she didn't affect the sailors' work on the ship afterwards.
Dick also realized that he had been a bit lax lately. Why did he always have to argue with Peggy?
Peggy was a woman, and only fourteen years old. Dick had no need to be emotionally affected by her words and actions.
Dick immediately realized that he must have relied too much on Hubert's supervision in the past, and now that no one was watching, he had forgotten to cultivate his inner self.
Fortunately, he is almost at his destination.
After meeting Anne's father, Dick can return home.
Once they returned to the harbor and escorted Peggy back to the castle, Dick's responsibilities would be over, and he would no longer have to put up with Peggy.
Yes, at that time, he probably had no reason to have any further contact with Peggy.
Thinking of this, Dick breathed a sigh of relief.
He then got up and prepared to go to Peggy's room.
According to David, Peggy refused to eat after the Hunting Dog left Earlobe Harbor yesterday.
Dick knew perfectly well that Peggy was just being stubborn.
He couldn't help but sigh; this young lady really had a temper.
As for the reason for her sulking, it was simply that Dick had another argument with her in Earlobe Harbor yesterday.
Earlobe Harbour is the largest city in O'Brien Bay, and its prosperity rivals that of Trough Harbour.
Peggy told Dick that she had never left the Montero Hills before.
Going to Kew Gardens with Mrs. Farah was the farthest place Peggy had ever been before.
But with Wen Chou in chaos in Kew Gardens, Peggy didn't want to stay a moment longer.
But Earlobe Harbor is different; its liveliness and energy are something new and exciting for Peggy.
Peggy pleaded with Dick to stay another day in Earlobe Harbor, as she wanted to explore the area.
But Dick understood that the more crowded the place, the more likely things were to go wrong, and no one could guarantee that Peggy wouldn't encounter danger.
Therefore, Dick used this as a reason to refuse her, but Peggy said that Dick could come along.
She said that if someone can't even protect a woman, they don't deserve to be called a loyal servant.
This is a provocation tactic; Dick won't fall for it.
The two then began to argue, which gradually escalated into a quarrel.
The ultimate victor is Dick!
snort!
A true knight will defend every victory!
Of course, judging from Peggy's expression, you could tell she was furious.
Yesterday, Dick was even a little smug, even though he knew in his heart that as a knight he shouldn't have such thoughts.
But Dick never expected that Peggy would go on a hunger strike because of this.
In his mind, Peggy shouldn't be so willful.
Dick had already reached the captain's room and knocked on the door.
no respond.
He tried to open the door, only to find it locked from the inside.
Dick knocked on the door again: "Open the door, Miss Peggy, you should eat something."
It remained quiet inside.
Dick had no choice but to play his trump card: "You said you wouldn't cause trouble, but now you're making the people on the ship uneasy, and that is causing trouble."
But after waiting a while, Peggy still did not respond.
Dick sighed; he actually knew what Peggy wanted to hear:
"What happened yesterday was my mistake; I didn't tell you the real reason. We've already wasted a lot of time on this trip."
You can no longer linger.
Dick thought that Peggy would open the door after hearing those words.
However, not only did the door not open, there wasn't even the slightest sound from inside.
It was only then that he realized something was wrong.
He found the sailor who was in charge of looking after Peggy: "How was Miss Peggy yesterday when you brought her her meal?"
"I don't know, she's kept the door locked since yesterday."
"Did she say anything?"
"I haven't heard her voice for a whole day."
Dick immediately realized that the problem was more serious than he had imagined.
He hurried toward the captain's cabin, where he encountered David.
David said, "Sir, Copper Coin Town is just ahead!"
"Enter the port!"
Dick gave a brief order, but his mind was entirely on Peggy.
When he arrived at the captain's cabin, he knocked and called out again, but as before, no one answered.
Without further hesitation, Dick drew his sword and pierced the lock through the door.
Then, with a forceful pull—the door opened.
Peggy was lying in bed.
Dick walked to the bedside and couldn't help but widen his eyes.
Peggy's face was unusually red, and she was breathing rapidly; she was clearly ill.
Dick tried to wake Peggy, but it was no use.
Just then, Dick felt the ship shake, indicating that it had entered port and anchored.
Without any hesitation, Dick immediately picked up Peggy and rushed out of the captain's cabin.
The sailors are setting up the gangplank.
But Dick couldn't wait and immediately leaped off the fender.
Then he quickly ran across the harbor towards Sizi, so that he could take Peggy to the clinic.
Dike Jiaoheng was not satisfied.
If anything were to happen to Peggy, he would have no choice but to atone with his death.
Even if he dies, he will be of no value to his lord.
Finally, Dick found the clinic and roared at them to rush over and treat Peggy.
Perhaps frightened, the doctor didn't dare ask any more questions and immediately began the examination.
"It's probably a fever," the doctor said.
"Should?" Dick frowned.
"Old Chi, many diseases have very similar symptoms, and even doctors can only make judgments based on experience."
Dick had only learned some treatment methods at school and knew nothing about the theory of traditional Chinese medicine.
At this moment, he had no choice but to trust the doctor in front of him.
"Do you need a razor blade?"
"The best treatment currently available is bloodletting."
"You mean, you want me to leave wounds on her!"
Dick roared, his right hand unconsciously reaching for the accessory.
A knight must control his emotions, but Dick had no time to worry about chivalry at that moment.
"Old man! Don't be impulsive," the doctor hurriedly shook his hands. "Fever is caused by an excess of fire element in the body. Bloodletting can help the excess fire element flow out of the body. Moreover, it usually involves making a cut on the sole of the patient's foot, so even if a scar is left, outsiders won't be able to tell."
Dick stared wide-eyed, speechless.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally compromised:
"Let's get started—"
Dick carried Peggy to the hospital bed and then let the doctor take off one of Peggy's shoes.
Peggy's small, white feet rested on a pillow, while the doctor took out several sharp knives and a lamp.
The doctor used a flame from below to heat the knife in order to sterilize it.
Dick clenched his fists tightly, his heart filled with anxiety.
He wished he could take that blow for Peggy.
Just as the doctor reached out to Peggy, intending to make a cut on her foot, Dick finally spoke up:
"Wait a minute!"
"Is there anything else you need, Old Chi?"
"Is there really no other way?"
"I've heard that some people have mastered the power of divine intervention, and they have other ways to cure ugly and difficult diseases, but I'm just an ordinary village doctor."
"Ugh—..—"
Dick let out a deep sigh.
He truly regrets it.
He regretted not sending Peggy back to the castle, regretted arguing with Peggy yesterday, and felt guilty for not paying more attention to Peggy's condition sooner.
He realized that he was inextricably linked to Peggy's current situation.
Are we just supposed to stand by and watch Peggy bleed?
"What happened?"
Suddenly, Dick heard a woman's voice.
Dick looked in the direction of the sound and saw two people.
They were one tall and one short, one male and one female.
The two were holding hands and looked like a mother and son, but the woman didn't seem like a mother.
Siblings? Perhaps their relationship is even closer?
The man asked, "Do you need any help?"