Father and Son

Lin Yao swaggered through the courtyard behind Spring Return Hall's main hall. Everyone he passed bowed to him with utmost respect, yet there was a strange meaning in every pair of eyes. They were all careful to bury that strange look deep within their gaze, but Lin Yao's expression still grew uglier and uglier.

After taking a few more steps, he reached the black-lacquered gate at the end of the courtyard leading to the rear compound. Unable to endure the secretive looks cast his way any longer, Lin Yao angrily turned around, snapped his folding fan shut with a vicious crack, and pointed it toward the pharmacy, ready to curse someone out.

Just then, one of the guest-room doors along the southern side of Spring Return Hall's vast courtyard opened. A towering old man over nine feet tall, his face covered in a great beard and dressed in an incomparably luxurious embroidered robe, strode out slowly. Turning sideways to salute the withered old man beside him, he said with a smile, "Since Elder Lin has said so, then this old man may rest easy."

The withered old man, Elder Lin, came only to the burly elder's armpit. Yet his lean, refined face carried a natural air of confidence and composure. He did not seem shorter at all; rather, one had the illusion that the two stood shoulder to shoulder. Stroking his beard, Elder Lin smiled faintly. "The old madam's illness will be fine. There is no danger this spring. And with this joyous wedding driving away misfortune, her spirits have lifted, scattering some of the root of her ailment as well. With careful treatment for a few more months, perhaps it may even be cured at the root."

The burly old man's smile widened further. He laughed repeatedly. "May your auspicious words come true. May your auspicious words come true. Hahaha!"

The old man clasped his fists deeply toward Elder Lin and said with a laugh, "My son is getting married today. If Elder Lin has the leisure, please come drink a few cups of humble wine."

Elder Lin hurriedly shook his head and laughed. "Old Patriarch Wang is too courteous, too courteous. This little old man is tied up every day and truly cannot get away, so, hehe!"

The old man sighed and smiled with great respect. "This old man understands, understands! Hahaha, Elder Lin's grace shelters the townsfolk. This is a deed of boundless merit."

The two old men smiled at one another. Elder Lin's smile was light as drifting clouds and gentle winds, while the burly old man laughed until he bent forward and backward. His mighty true qi shook the courtyard walls until they buzzed and hummed. With a loud clang, three of the six-foot water vats along the north side of the courtyard burst apart, and water instantly flooded half the courtyard.

With a smack, Old Patriarch Wang slapped his own mouth. He awkwardly clasped his fists toward Elder Lin and gave a dry laugh. "Hahaha, well, put that on the account too. Put it on the account." Having said that, he turned to leave, only to spot Lin Yao standing there blankly, fan still pointed toward the pharmacy, mouth open as if about to curse, his eyes fixed upon Old Patriarch Wang and Elder Lin.

Old Patriarch Wang slammed his right fist hard into his left palm and laughed at Lin Yao. "Worthy nephew, you are back? Mm, your Second Brother Wang Er is celebrating a happy occasion today. Would you like to join this old man for a drink?"

Elder Lin saw Lin Yao as well. His eyes widened enormously, and his right hand trembled as he raised it, pointing at Lin Yao again and again. Lin Yao, who had been about to follow Old Patriarch Wang away, felt a chill run through his back and obediently stopped his feet, which had already begun to move forward.

Old Patriarch Wang's eyes flickered over Elder Lin's face, then he glanced at Lin Yao, who stood trembling in place like a rabbit. He immediately grinned soundlessly, patted his backside, and turned to leave.

Watching Old Patriarch Wang's retreating back, Elder Lin said in a sinister voice, "Accountant~ Accountant~ Write it down. Three water vats, three hundred taels of silver! The Wang Family is rich, so there is no need to save them money!"

Old Patriarch Wang, whose profound true qi and Mountain Crushing Palm had made everyone within five hundred li of Guihua City afraid to provoke him, stepped into empty air on the stairs and nearly fell flat on his face. He barely managed to twist around, bared his teeth at Elder Lin in a show of ferocity, then shook his head, clasped his hands behind his back, and strode away with his head high. As he walked, he muttered, "This old man is rich!"

"Where did you go? I have not seen you for two days, have I?" Elder Lin was already standing before Lin Yao, glaring viciously at his eldest son, who was half a head taller than him.

"Drinking!" Lin Yao shrank his neck and cautiously retreated one step.

"Driiinking!" Elder Lin gave a sinister smile, lightly patting his thigh with his right hand as he asked in a strange voice, "There are many kinds of wine: grain wine, fruit wine, and wine dyed with flower petals. Did you drink grain wine, fruit wine, or flower wine? Hmm?"

"Well..." Lin Yao had somehow become half a foot shorter than Elder Lin. With a miserable expression, he muttered, "Flower... flower... flower wine."

The moment the words left his mouth, Lin Yao began coughing violently. He coughed until he pitched forward and backward, then suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a lump of phlegm streaked with blood.

Elder Lin stared fixedly at the phlegm Lin Yao had spat out, his small white teeth biting hard into his lip. "Very well. Pulmonary consumption!"

His right hand shot out like the wind. Before Lin Yao could dodge, Elder Lin accurately clasped his wrist pulse between two fingers and began taking his pulse.

Hu Zhutie, with a small goatee, hurried over. In his hand were three thumb-sized pills sealed in wax. While taking Lin Yao's pulse, Elder Lin turned to look at Hu Zhutie and shouted with a frown, "What are you holding? Hmm? What are they? Purple Plum Harmony Pills! Purple Plum Harmony Pills! Who told you to take these from the medicine vault? Hah?!"

That final furious shout was like a crane's cry piercing the heavens. Four more water vats in the courtyard shattered with a crackle and crash.

Hu Zhutie stood rooted to the spot, his face alternating between green and white. Lowering his head, he tremblingly spread open his palms, revealing the three pills resting within them.

Elder Lin immediately shouted, "Accountant~ Accountant~ Write it down. The water vats Old Patriarch Wang shattered were not three, but seven! Go settle the account at his house by month's end, and do not forget!"

With a sweep of his wide sleeve, Elder Lin drew the three Purple Plum Harmony Pills from Hu Zhutie's hands two zhang away into his own palm. He gave Hu Zhutie a cold look and said frigidly, "Prescribe two months' worth of Gathering Yang Qi Soup for the eldest young master. If he dares take even one step outside Spring Return Hall within those two months, break his legs!"

"You old bastard, whose legs are you trying to break?" No sooner had Elder Lin finished speaking than an angry curse came from the rear compound.

With a bang, the black-lacquered gate to the rear compound was shoved open. A middle-aged woman draped from head to toe in silk and satin, glittering with jewels and wearing twelve large gemstone rings across her ten fingers, stormed out like a gale. Her figure was still fairly slender and her features quite lovely, but the lavish fabrics wrapped around her made her waist resemble that of a pregnant sow. Her face was covered in a layer of white powder nearly two centimeters thick, utterly concealing her originally beautiful features. Whenever she shouted, powder slowly slid from her cheeks with a soft rustling sound.

Four maids followed closely behind her, each dressed in similarly extravagant splendor. Unfortunately, their faces were truly too horrible to behold. Even the prettiest among them looked about the same as Lao San, the coachman who drove Lin Yao's carriage.

The woman rushed to Lin Yao's side like a mother tiger protecting her cub and pulled him into her arms. Tenderly stroking his cheek, she shrieked, "My dear Yao'er, do not worry. With Mother here, no one can touch a single hair on your head! Hmph! Your cold-hearted, short-lived father wants to break your legs because he wants you dead! Once you are dead, that wild bastard from outside can take over Spring Return Hall!"

Elder Lin's face twitched. Lowering his voice, he said angrily, "Wuniang! You—"

The woman gave a cold laugh, casting a sideways glance at Elder Lin. "Me? What about me? Lin Shan, do not forget that Spring Return Hall is the ancestral property of my Hua Wuniang's family! You are merely my father's disciple. Do not even think of laying your hands on the slightest bit of Spring Return Hall! I am leaving Spring Return Hall to Yao'er!"

"I did not!" Elder Lin, Lin Shan, shouted loudly. "When have I ever had such intentions?" Both his hands clenched tightly into fists, trembling within his sleeves. Waves of supple true qi spread out from his fists, making his broad sleeves flap loudly.

"Whether you have or not, you know in your own heart!" Hua Wuniang sneered as she twisted her waist, glaring viciously at Elder Lin. "I have endured that wild bastard out front for all these years! Hmph! Lin Shan, do not go too far! I know you have superb martial arts. After all, my father passed all his ultimate arts down to you! But this old lady is not someone to be bullied either!"

She stamped hard upon the ground, and the foot-thick slabs of hempstone beneath her feet instantly crumbled into powder.

Proudly raising her head, Hua Wuniang grabbed Lin Yao as though lifting a chick and carried him into the rear compound. She smiled gently. "My dear Yao'er, do not be afraid. Mother will stand up for you. Within five hundred li of Guihua City, who would dare touch a single hair on your head?"

Even as he coughed, Lin Yao loudly flattered Hua Wuniang.

Elder Lin stared blankly at the retreating backs of Hua Wuniang and her son, then listlessly tossed the three Purple Plum Harmony Pills in his hand to Hu Zhutie.

Closing his eyes, Elder Lin let hot tears roll down his face as he muttered softly, "Master, Father-in-law... with Wuniang like this, Yao'er is ruined."

Spring Return Hall bustled from early morning until the bright moon hung high in the sky, only then returning to peace.

After laboring in the pharmacy all day, Lin Xiao carefully extinguished the charcoal fire in the final stove. He picked up several mortar covers and pestles that Spring Return Hall's apprentices had casually tossed onto the floor, wiped them clean, put out the pharmacy lamps, and became the last person to leave the pharmacy.

In the main hall, Hu Zhutie and several senior physicians were gathered together, chatting and laughing. Upon seeing Lin Xiao, they all nodded to him. Their eyes were filled with friendliness, appreciation, and an indescribable helplessness.

Lin Xiao smiled faintly. After respectfully saluting the senior physicians as a disciple, he hurried toward the rear compound.

In a corner of the main hall, a black cloth curtain was suddenly lifted. An accountant with two whiskers like rat tails and a pair of triangular eyes blinking furiously emerged from the accounts room, holding a small teapot. Seeing Lin Xiao's back, the rat-like whiskers on his upper lip twitched slightly, and he let out a soft sigh.

As though sighs were contagious, Hu Zhutie and the other senior physicians all sighed heavily as well.

The accountant shook his head and waved a hand. "Enough, gentlemen. Let us drink, let us drink. Mm, Old Patriarch Wang sent the old master a jar of tribute wine today. We may as well enjoy it."

The senior physicians exchanged glances, sighed deeply once more, called for the nearby apprentices to close the main hall doors, then rose one after another and followed the accountant into the rear compound.

The rear compound of Spring Return Hall was a large courtyard with five successive sections. The first four belonged to Spring Return Hall's senior physicians, consulting physicians, medicine makers, apprentices, servants, and others. The final section housed Lin Shan's family: Lin Shan, Hua Wuniang, Lin Yao, Lin Xiao, and several relatives connected to them.

Dressed in a blue cloth robe, Lin Xiao walked quietly along the somewhat gloomy paths winding through the flowering grove. The lamps all around were dim, and only the brilliant lights from the main residence in the distant rear compound illuminated the path before him enough for it to be vaguely visible. Yet dim light posed no great problem for him. Having cultivated the internal art Evergreen Art taught by Lin Shan since childhood, ten years of bitter practice had yielded this result: so long as there was the slightest glimmer of light, it was no different from broad daylight to Lin Xiao.

What was dim was Lin Xiao's mood.

Lively clamor drifted from the distant main residence. Hua Wuniang was holding another grand banquet for guests, something she loved doing most.

Lin Yao was surely there as well, moving among the guests with ease and accepting their endless flattery. As the future heir to the largest apothecary and medical hall across several northwestern prefectures, Lin Yao naturally had the right to be fawned over.

And what about himself? He was nothing more than the wild child born to a concubine Lin Shan had secretly kept.

Lin Xiao stood beneath a large plum tree, his hands tucked into his sleeves as he quietly watched the brightly lit main residence and several nearby buildings.

He would never be permitted to approach that place. After his mother had inexplicably died of a sudden illness, Lin Xiao had been brought back to Spring Return Hall by Lin Shan, only for Hua Wuniang to place him in a storage room in the rear compound. He had no qualifications to approach the main residence, where only the direct descendants of the Hua Family could live. Even Lin Shan, the current master of Spring Return Hall, had no power to change that. Spring Return Hall was, after all, the Hua Family's property.

After blankly watching those lights for a while, Lin Xiao shook his head. A few traces of determination appeared upon his youthful face.

In a low voice, he said, "I will rely on no one. I have a head, and I have two hands. I will become a divine physician even greater than Father. On my own, I can survive."

"Mother, Xiao'er will definitely live well! You must not worry." Lin Xiao clenched his teeth tightly, slowly turned around, and headed toward the storage room where he lived.

He recalled once more the horrifying sight from eight years ago, when his mother had suddenly spat black blood and died. Most especially, he remembered her shrieking at him herself hoarse before she died: "Xiao'er, promise Mother that you will live well no matter what."

His hands had already clenched tightly into fists within his sleeves. Of course he had to survive.

Over these years, he had gradually found some clues about how his mother had died. If even his father Lin Shan, who bore the name of divine physician, could not identify the cause of her illness, then the culprit could only be Hua Wuniang.

The Hua Family's Hundred Diseases Hundred Herbs Scripture was said to contain a chapter absolutely forbidden for outsiders to study. Lin Shan was undoubtedly an outsider.

Lin Xiao's small but incomparably straight figure slowly reached the storage room. He gently pushed open the door. At once, a lamp flashed inside as someone lit the table lamp upon the square table.

Lin Shan, dressed in plain white, sat by the table, quietly watching Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao looked at Lin Shan in surprise, then hurriedly dropped to the floor in a kowtow. "Xiao'er greets Father."

Lin Shan lightly waved his right hand, and an extremely gentle current of force slowly lifted Lin Xiao up. He said faintly, "Good son, there is no need for such ceremony. Sit and speak."

Lin Xiao sat beside the square table, casually picked up the teapot on it, poured Lin Shan a cup of tea, then hugged the pot and drank deeply with several loud gulps.

Water stains soaked the front of Lin Xiao's robe. Lin Shan looked at him lovingly and said gently, "You should know about the old madam of the Wang Family's illness, since you accompanied me on the house call last time. It should not have relapsed. But three days ago, the old madam's condition suddenly worsened. Old Patriarch Wang was so anxious that he could only arrange a marriage for the Wang Family's second young master within three days and marry him to a young lady from the Zhang Family of Guishun City. This was to drive away misfortune through a joyous wedding."

Lin Xiao set down the teapot, wiped the water from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and frowned in surprise. "The old madam's illness should not have relapsed. Was there a cause?"

Lin Shan nodded lightly and said calmly, "Three days ago, grievous news arrived. Guishun City, three hundred and seventy li to the north, was breached by the Black Blade Bandits. Of the more than ninety thousand old and young residents within the city, not one survived."

Lin Xiao sucked in a sharp breath and cried out in alarm, "The Black Blade Bandits? Half a month ago, they were still two thousand li farther north!"

Lin Shan lightly tapped the table with his finger and said leisurely, "When all under heaven is in chaos, what strange thing cannot happen? Keep these two items safe."

A blue cloth bundle lay on the table before Lin Shan. He opened it, revealing a thick genealogy book and a palm-sized green wooden token inside.

"The genealogy is our Lin Family genealogy. It must not be lost. The spirits of our ancestors in heaven cannot be left without descendants to offer sacrifices and support them." Lin Shan lightly tapped the genealogy, then said coldly, "Remember this. You are the final branch of the Lin Family line."

"Elder Brother, he—" Lin Xiao looked at Lin Shan hesitantly.

"Hmph, do not mention him." Lin Shan cut Lin Xiao off without ceremony. He casually picked up the green wooden token and solemnly placed it in Lin Xiao's palm. "Good son, take this Pill Token. If anything changes in the future, hold this Pill Token. Should you encounter the person who issued it, you will at least be able to preserve your safety."

Lin Xiao's hands trembled. He had only vaguely heard of such a thing as a Pill Token.

The Pill Token represented the identity of Spring Return Hall's master!

But the future master of Spring Return Hall should have been Lin Yao!

Lin Shan narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly at Lin Xiao. "It is fine. Just keep it. This Guihua City... tsk tsk!"

Lin Shan rose to his feet and said nothing more. With a soft sigh, he drifted away.