Chapter 784: Please return my innocence (2/2)

As a hush settled over the scene, tension mounted between Medical City, Han Yunxi, and Gu Qishao. Seeing that no one spoke, Han Yunxi asked, “Ladies and gentlemen, now that the truth’s been revealed, are you going to destroy the Poison Sect or Medical City?”

Her words stirred the waves. Department Head Ouyang’s eyes widened before he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and fainted away. So this is the medical academy I’ve been protecting with all my heart? How can I accept this?

Since the academy head was in trouble, it was up to the Vice Council to oversee matters. Department Head Lin dreaded Gu Qishao too much to try anything. He seized this chance to help hold up Department Head Ouyang instead of speaking out. Since there were only three department heads in the academy, that only left the ever-silent Department Head Huo.

For someone in a high position to remain silent all this time meant that he wasn’t a simple character. Department Head Huo’s full name was Huo Qiujun,[2] whose medical arts was evenly matched with Department Head Ouyang. However, his backing and support far surpassed the other man as he hailed from the Huo Clan, the second largest family in Medical City after the Gu.

Members of the Huo Clan held important posts all throughout the academy and had plenty of their own pupils and followers. More importantly, Department Head Huo had direct jurisdiction over the examination to test doctors for appropriate ranks. If anyone wanted to leave Medical City and practice medicine on their own, they had to pass Department Head Huo’s exams.

When he finally stepped out of the crowd, he had none of Department Head Lin’s snobbishness nor Department Head Ouyang’s aggression. He was more like a doctor, refined and gentle while filled with courtesy. Even as countless stares shifted his way, he still bowed with hands clasped towards Han Yunxi. “Yes, the medical academy must return the Poison Sect’s innocence.”

Is the medical academy going to compromise just like that? Many in the crowd were bewildered.

Before Han Yunxi could ask, Department Head Huo spoke again. “However, before that happens, this old man hopes that Gu Yuntian can give the academy an explanation! This way, we can give an account to the tens of thousands of doctors and people in Cloud Realm Continent!”

What...did he mean by that?

Han Yunxi began to grow uneasy while Gu Qishao narrowed his eyes.

“The Poison Sect was a faction of poisons doctors that branched off from the medical academy. Later on, they established their own independent schools of thought and matched the academy in strength. I expect everyone already knows this point,” Department Head Huo said. “It’s been centuries since the medical academy destroyed the Poison Sect. Just then, Gu Qishao told us that it was the academy head of the past who slandered and framed the Poison Sect in order to get rid of dissidents to his views. All these years, the secret has been passed on to generation after generation of academy heads, including the existence of these poison manuals. Aside from the academy head, no one else in the medical academy ever knew of such a thing, much less the poison arts.”

Department Head Huo looked towards Han Yunxi next. “Han Yunxi, this old man can support you if you want to seek justice for the Poison Sect and regain its innocence. The medical academy will support you as well! We too, want to seek Gu Yuntian and the previous academy heads for justice!”

At his words, the Northern Li imperial physician broke into immediate applause. “Department Head Huo is truly the fair and impartial one!”

“I was just saying, how could everyone be as low and hypocritical as Gu Yuntian?” Duanmu Baiye silently exhaled. Neither of them wanted Medical City to topple just like that.

Han Yunxi was rather taken aback. This Department Head Huo was too formidable! He not only pushed all the blame to the academy head to absolve the academy of its crimes, but even placed the medical academy on the same tier as the Poison Sect---innocent. She hesitated over whether to refute the man and demand the academy take responsibility. But the man’s words weren’t wrong--this wasn’t wholly their fault. To claim justice for the Poison Sect without knocking down Medical City was, in some ways, a defeat for their side.

Unless they broke Medical City’s monopoly and its rules, they’d still be controlled by it one day!

What now?

Gu Qishao clenched his fists and prepared to speak when Gu Beiyue abruptly pulled him by the hand.

“Little Qi, there’s no rush,” he said in a low voice. “Leave the rest to me.”

Long Feiye had already left Celestial Mountain, so Cloud Realm Continent was about to get busy very soon. He couldn’t lose for their side at Medical City…

1. Ye Lǜzheng (耶律铮) - Ye is a transliteration of a similar sound in a foreign language, also used for more ethnic names, Lǜ is “law/statute, pitch-pipes” and a style of poetry, Zheng is the metallic sound of “clang” or “clank.”

2. Huo Qiujun (霍秋君) - Huo is a surname that means “suddenly, quickly,” Qiu is “autumn,” Jun is “sir, monarch, sovereign.”