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The inner room of Hui Chuntang.
"Internally, it examines the five viscera and six bowels; externally, it synthesizes the channels, meridians, qi, blood, complexion, and symptoms. It consults Heaven and Earth, verifies matters through people, traces the root of life, exhausts the transformations of the spirit, and thus the art of acupuncture is born. Its principles are wondrous beyond compare..."
With his back to Feng Lan, Wang Anfeng recited the Chinese text of the Taisu Needle Technique with great fluency. Feng Lan gave a slight nod, a trace of approval flashing in her eyes. "That's enough, Feng'er..."
"You've memorized this volume of the Taisu Needle Technique without missing a single word, but in the end, it's only theory on where to place the needles. You might as well stay here a while longer and make a start on the acupuncture methods and acupoints."
Wang Anfeng turned around and smiled. "Aunt, you've treated me so well. I'd like to stay a few more days too, but Uncle Li is the only one at home, after all, and I can't help worrying about him."
Hearing this, Feng Lan found it difficult to ask him to stay any longer. She could only let out a helpless sigh and say, somewhat unwillingly:
"You've had it hard. Are you leaving today? Why not eat lunch before you go?"
Wang Anfeng looked at the sky and shook his head. "No, Aunt."
"The villa isn't far away. If you set out early, perhaps you can still make it back for a meal of Mid-Autumn reunion food."
Feng Lan saw that although his expression was gentle, his resolve was firm. She could only abandon her original plan and say:
"Very well. Be careful on the road. I've packed plenty of food in your bag, and soaked two sticks of licorice in the waterskin. Be careful when you drink it. Once you reach the place where you're delivering the letter, don't get into conflicts with anyone else. But if someone bullies you, you must never endure it. That set of silver needles can conduct internal force. We have no use for them, so I packed them for you as well. Remember..."
Listening to the woman's endless stream of reminders, Wang Anfeng felt not the slightest impatience. Instead, his heart filled with warmth. He waited until she had finished speaking before slinging the bundle over his back, then smiled gently. "Then, Aunt, I'll be on my way."
"Remember, be careful, be careful. Don't stick your neck out when trouble comes."
"Mm, I know."
After leaving Hui Chuntang and reaching the main street, Wang Anfeng realized that nearly ten days had passed since he had treated Zhang Zhengyang's injuries. During those ten days, the city had remained calm and peaceful. Even when Zhang Zhengyang and the others came to Hui Chuntang to collect medicine and receive acupuncture, it was clear from their expressions that their grim tension had gradually eased. They had even chatted and laughed, which clearly meant that the matter of the vicious criminal had been settled.
That was why Wang Anfeng felt relatively at ease leaving the city.
Before leaving Great Liang Village, Uncle Li had explained the villa's exact location to him in painstaking detail. Thus, after leaving the city, he only had to identify the direction before unleashing the Vigorous Step Technique and hastening onward.
After his cultivation of the One Zen Skill broke through, his pace had grown even faster. As his internal force circulated, he was almost like a fine horse charging at a gallop, kicking up waves of dust. In less than an hour, he reached the foot of that mountain. Slowing his steps and looking around, he saw only a five-horse-wide avenue stretching from the official road. After several miles, it plunged straight into that graceful, striking mountain peak.
The roadsides were not lined with pines and cypresses. Instead, they were packed with exceptionally elegant exotic trees, clustered together in dense masses. Wang Anfeng frowned slightly and swept his gaze over the avenue, thinking:
"They built a mountain road almost as wide as an official road. The master of this villa certainly puts on quite a grand show..."
Seeing the trees crowded together, each handsome when viewed alone, he now felt they resembled money piled upon money. They possessed not the slightest trace of elegance; instead, a crude, extravagant air rushed straight at him. He felt somewhat displeased, but Uncle Li's commission still had to be carried out. After hesitating for a moment, he laughed inwardly:
"I'm only delivering something. I won't be staying long. Why am I worrying about all this?"
With that thought, he walked straight up the mountain road. But he had barely gone any distance when a rapid clatter of hooves sounded behind him. Wang Anfeng stepped aside, and a sturdy red horse galloped past him, almost brushing against him, faint tongues of fire seeming to spurt from its nostrils.
A boy of fourteen or fifteen sat astride the horse. His clothes were exceedingly luxurious, and his handsome features were full of arrogant vigor. The broad road could accommodate five horses abreast, yet the horse passed directly beside Wang Anfeng without deviating an inch, clearly on purpose. Its hooves landed in a puddle, splattering Wang Anfeng with mud. The boy glanced back at him, then burst into unconcerned laughter and rode away.
"...So this is what a pampered young master is—fine clothes and a proud horse?"
Wang Anfeng looked at him and merely smiled. He took out a piece of coarse cloth he carried with him, bent down, and wiped the mud from his clothes bit by bit. They were only rough cloth garments, so the marks had faded after a moment of wiping. But just as he straightened up, several more fine horses hurried past. His blue clothes promptly acquired many more muddy stains. The young men and women on them did not even look back, let alone offer an apology, and their carefree laughter soon drifted far away.
Wang Anfeng stood by the roadside, holding the coarse cloth, now splattered with mud as well, and watching those spoiled young men and women. He was not angry; he merely found it somewhat amusing, thinking with a laugh:
"My father always said one must know propriety and righteousness. These scions of great clans were probably spoiled far too much. Only five- or six-year-old children in Great Liang Village would still do such boring things... Though when they got home, they probably wouldn't escape a sound beating." Thinking of the little brats running around in split-crotch trousers, Wang Anfeng felt a touch of longing as well. He raised a hand and touched the letter against his chest. "Once I deliver this letter, I should be able to return tomorrow, more or less."
"Uncle Li's grain jar is nearly empty too..."
With that thought, he simply stopped worrying about clothes that could hardly be cleaned and continued along the mountain road. But after going only a few hundred meters farther, he heard a sound of crying. His expression flickered, and he hurried forward several steps.
Turning around a small bend, he saw a girl in gray short clothes lunging toward a young man riding a sturdy horse. The young man lightly tapped the horse's belly with his right foot. The fine steed was intelligent and naturally moved forward to evade her.
The girl had lunged too fiercely and lost her balance, dropping to her knees. Both hands scraped across the ground, leaving large bloody streaks. The young man, meanwhile, tossed a crude pearl hairpin in his hand and said with a grin:
"What's the matter? You did crash into my mount, but this young master is broad-minded. If you can touch my horse, I'll return it to you."
Hearing this, the girl put force into both hands and tried to push herself up. But the mountain road was rugged, and her hands were too badly injured to bear weight. After struggling twice, she cried out in pain and fell fully back onto her knees. Seeing this, the young man frowned slightly, looking rather bored. Another youth beside him, carrying a sword, shouted:
"Wang Bai, that's enough. This is Willow Catkin Villa, after all. Even when beating a dog, one must look to its master. Don't go too far."
The youth named Wang Bai glanced at him and sneered coldly:
"I didn't want to come here in the first place. What Phoenix Banquet? I'm only here to establish those fellows' prestige... If they drive me back, I'll be delighted."
Though he said that, the young man still stopped. He casually gripped the pearl hairpin, intending to throw it onto the ground, but then he saw the girl's stubborn gaze and Wang Anfeng hurrying out from the side to help her up, half-crouched. A burst of inexplicable anger rose in him, and he sneered:
"This pearl hairpin—this young master will keep it for you. Our agreement still stands. As long as you can touch my horse, I'll return it. You can find someone to help you."
"Giddy-up!"
With that, he tugged the reins. The fiery steed beneath him let out a long neigh and, despite being on a mountain road, moved across it as easily as level ground before vanishing into the distance. The three companions beside him did not spare a glance for the girl kneeling on the ground with blood streaming from her hands, nor for Wang Anfeng helping her up. They merely urged their horses after their companion. Faintly, Wang Anfeng could hear the young men and women speaking helplessly.
"Wang Bai's temper really is something..."
"His father forced him to come here, so of course he's in a foul mood. But that servant just happened to run into bad luck. There's no one to blame."
"Heehee, Young Master Song, isn't that a little harsh..."
"How is it harsh? How could a mere servant compare to that Mad Lion Treading Cloud Steed? Besides, didn't that country bumpkin just now go over to help her?"
"Exactly, exactly. Miss Yu, Brother Song, we'd better hurry and catch up with Brother Wang. The Phoenix Banquet is filled with fine talents and beautiful jade, with young elites gathered together. Why waste time on such trivial matters?"
"That's true... Wan'er was being too indecisive."
"Not at all, not at all. With Young Miss Song's kind heart, those two servants should be grateful beyond measure."
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