She had no idea her eldest disciple had a habit of studying the dead.
"You mean Medicine King Valley..."
"An Ping! What nonsense are you spouting to guests?"
With a deep voice, a lean middle-aged man with a beard emerged from behind the door, glaring at An Ping.
"Master, these two guests want to buy Yunlin flowers. We don't have any, so I was just asking her to find Doctor Chu."
"Yunlin flowers?"
Zhao Qiancai's gaze fell on Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting, his eyes lingering on Xia Yunting with a hint of suspicion.
"Shopkeeper, we want to get some medicine."
Rong Zhi pushed the prescription on the counter inward, diverting Zhao Qiancai's attention.
Zhao Qiancai picked up the prescription and quickly skimmed through it. The suspicion in his eyes slowly dissipated, and his tone softened.
"My lady, I truly apologize, but we really don't have Yunlin flowers here. It seems you'll have to find Doctor Chu."
Rong Zhi nodded. "Is this Doctor Chu really a disciple of Medicine King Valley?"
"Heh, our junior is ignorant. Please don't listen to his nonsense, my lady. Nowadays, nine out of ten people claiming to be disciples of Medicine King Valley are imposters. As for this Doctor Chu... it's just because his surname is also Chu. Someone started a rumor, saying he was from Medicine King Valley, and it spread like wildfire. Doctor Chu has explained it many times, but it was no use. Later, the doctor felt that healing people was the main thing, so he stopped explaining. Things are different now. The government prohibits mentioning Medicine King Valley. Spreading rumors can lead to beheading. No one dares to mention it anymore, for fear of bringing disaster upon the doctor."
"Oh..."
So that's how it was.
This explanation made sense.
"This young brother said that Yunlin flowers are extinct. How could such a common medicinal herb become extinct?"
Zhao Qiancai's expression changed slightly, and he said with a smile, "This... I'm not sure either. One day, all the Yunlin flowers on the mountain were picked. Now, no pharmacy has Yunlin flowers. Fortunately, it's not a rare medicinal herb, and other herbs can be substituted. But if you absolutely must have Yunlin flowers, you'll have to find Doctor Chu."
"Alright, thank you."
"The mass grave is two miles south of the city. You should go quickly. If it gets dark, that burial ground can be quite eerie."
Rong Zhi put the prescription away and nodded.
"Thank you."
After the two left, Zhao Qiancai's face immediately fell.
He turned and kicked An Ping. "Such a big mouth, don't speak nonsense again!"
"But, Master Chu himself said..."
"Shut up! From now on, not a word about Medicine King Valley!"
"Understood..."
An Ping deflated instantly.
"Doctors nowadays don't properly treat illnesses and save people. They just use the reputation of Medicine King Valley to cheat and deceive. If he truly cares about his patients, fine. But if not, I'll make him pay!"
Xia Yunting watched the person who had been chattering since they arrived, a playful glint in his eyes.
According to her, she had never been to Medicine King Valley, yet she cared so much about its reputation. It couldn't possibly be just for the superficial connection she mentioned.
Interesting...
"I think, since people get sick and go to that doctor, it means he's quite capable."
"What do you know?" Rong Zhi glanced at him, with a look that said, "You're too young."
"I've seen this sort of thing often. Many doctors aren't skilled enough. Instead of diligently studying medicine, they use the name of Medicine King Valley to charge exorbitant prices, asking for an ounce of silver just for a pulse check! The common people trust Medicine King Valley, pay their money, and even if their illness isn't cured in the end, they can't say much. But over time, people will develop resentment. Then, even if the doctor's character isn't bad, people will say Medicine King Valley is deliberately defrauding them. Medicine King Valley has always served humanity since its inception. How can we let those glory-seeking scoundrels tarnish its reputation!"
She spoke indignantly, her delicate eyebrows furrowed.
Xia Yunting inexplicably found this expression quite cute.
"By the way, wife, you mentioned returning to Medicine King Valley. What's your relationship with Medicine King Valley?"
Rong Zhi froze, finding the title "wife" a bit strange.
"You can call me Lin Mo. My mother was a disciple of Medicine King Valley."
She didn't want to tell the same story twice, so she brushed it off lightly.
However, someone was determined to get to the bottom of it.
"Then your mother... what's your esteemed mother-in-law's name?"
"...I don't know."
She hadn't finished fabricating it yet.
Facing Xia Yunting's suspicious gaze, Rong Zhi had to bravely explain, "I've never met my mother. I was raised by a friend of my mother's, and that friend has also passed away." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Oh... Then was it that friend who told you about Medicine King Valley being impersonated so often?"
"Yes."
"That's strange. If he could tell you these things, why wouldn't he tell you your mother's name..."
"..."
She had inadvertently fallen into a trap.
"Cough cough, that friend had some grievances with my mother and didn't want to mention her name."
"If he had a past grievance with your mother, why would he be willing to raise you?"
Rong Zhi's lips twitched. She suddenly stopped, glaring at Xia Yunting with displeasure.
"What's wrong?"
Xia Yunting looked innocent, leaving Rong Zhi with nowhere to direct her dissatisfaction.
Rong Zhi sighed powerlessly. "Don't ask anymore. I don't want to talk about the past."
It proved that once a lie was told, countless lies were needed to cover it up.
Rong Zhi didn't want to tell the same story twice because she was afraid the two versions might differ.
Fortunately, Xia Yunting didn't press further. A flicker of hurt crossed his eyes.
"I just want to understand you better. If you don't want to say, then so be it."
Rong Zhi: "..."
Why did her conscience hurt so much?
"We're already husband and wife, yet you hide things from me. If that's the case, why did you force me to marry you..."
Who forced whom? Did he need to be so invested in this role!
"I must owe you a lot of money."
"...Xia Yunting!"
After Rong Zhi yelled at him, Xia Yunting finally quieted down and stopped teasing her.
They exited the city gates and walked for another two to three miles before finally seeing the mass grave.
What greeted their eyes was a scene of white banners fluttering in the wind. Every few steps on the ground was a grave mound, most without tombstones. Some bodies were even lying exposed on the ground, emitting a decaying smell under the scorching sun.
A hanged ghost with a crooked neck, its eyes bulging, was staring in Rong Zhi's direction, startling her.
"This is the mass grave..."
"There's a house over there."
Xia Yunting pointed ahead. Rong Zhi then noticed a spacious courtyard with a vermilion-painted gate, half-ajar. White shadows occasionally drifted from the gap.
As dusk approached, Rong Zhi inexplicably felt a chill.
"To build a house in the mass grave, this must be Doctor Chu's residence. Let's go inside and see."
Rong Zhi pulled Xia Yunting along, walked up to the door, and knocked. No one responded.
She knocked twice more, still no movement.
Rong Zhi slowly pushed the door open and saw the full scene inside.
It turned out that the swaying white shadows were pieces of white cloth hanging on ropes. The cloths were large, almost dragging on the ground, swaying back and forth with the wind.
In the gaps between the white cloths, a figure seemed to be standing. Because it was dressed in white, Rong Zhi didn't notice it immediately.
"Excuse me, is this Doctor Chu?"
There was no reply.
"Stay right there and don't move."
Rong Zhi instructed, then stepped forward alone and lifted a white cloth.
"Is this Doctor Chu? We've come seeking medicine..."
As she spoke, she patted the person's shoulder, only to feel a hand of bones.
This is!
Rong Zhi grabbed the person's arm and pulled them to turn around.
Beneath the ink-black hair was a stark white skull, with dark holes for eyes and nose, followed by two rows of large white teeth.
As Rong Zhi moved, the skull's head tilted, making a clicking sound.
Rong Zhi's hand trembled.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
A scream echoed through the heavens.
"Xia Yunting, Doctor Chu is dead..."
"Xiao Mo, over here..."
Xia Yunting's voice came from inside the room.
Rong Zhi came to her senses and saw Xia Yunting standing at the doorway, beckoning her.
"Didn't I tell you not to move?"
Rong Zhi calmed herself, returned the skull to its original position, and then entered the room.
Upon entering, she was startled.
The room was filled with white-clad skeletons arranged in various poses, some sitting, some lying down, some with hands on their hips, some supporting their chins, and some in sword-drawing stances, all remarkably lifelike.
To Rong Zhi, the scene was incredibly eerie!
There was a tall shelf in the room, holding various jars and bottles, as well as some paper packets, presumably medicinal ingredients.
"The one outside isn't Doctor Chu's corpse. It's likely one of the deceased he brought back,"
Xia Yunting explained.
"My heavens, such a sin, such a sin."
Rong Zhi couldn't help but murmur, and quickly retreated with Xia Yunting.
They had been there for some time, but no one had come out.
"Could it be that Doctor Chu isn't home?"
Just then, an angry voice suddenly rang out from outside.
"Who's inside?"
As soon as the words fell, a gust of wind blew in. Rong Zhi and Xia Yunting dodged to the sides, and a large pit appeared where they had been standing.
Such powerful internal energy!
A figure descended from the sky, launching a kick directly at Xia Yunting's face.
Xia Yunting raised his hand, caught it, and threw the person back.
The opponent charged forward again as they landed.
Before Rong Zhi could see clearly, the two were already fighting, exchanging dozens of blows in the blink of an eye.
This is bad!
Xia Yunting was poisoned and couldn't engage in combat!
"Stop!"
Rong Zhi leaped forward, kicking at the white-clad figure, separating the two fighters.
Xia Yunting clutched his chest, his face looking unwell.
"How are you?"
Rong Zhi anxiously checked him and then pressed several acupoints on his body. Xia Yunting's complexion improved slightly.
She looked at the culprit, a gentle young man in white, with a calm expression.
It was someone she recognized, the man collecting herbs she had seen on the mountain earlier.
Chu Qing frowned, a look of displeasure on his face.
"Who are you people, and why are you trespassing in my medicinal hut..."
Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly sized up Rong Zhi from head to toe and froze. The displeasure in his eyes turned to shock.
"You... you're a woman!"
Rong Zhi looked down at herself in surprise. Although she was wearing men's clothing, her appearance was so delicate that she could easily be recognized.
"Yes, my name is Lin Mo, and this is my husband. We are here for..."
"Get out!"
Before Rong Zhi could finish, Chu Qing suddenly shouted, then whirled into the room like a gust of wind and slammed the door shut with a bang.
Rong Zhi: "..."
Xia Yunting: "..."