Chapter 9, Illness

Lin Ye's body began to lower, with her shoulders swaying slightly from side to side. The stone blade was not cold and forbidding, yet it exuded a sense of determination

His arm drooped down, the stone blade fell, and Lin Ye felt a tingling soreness spread throughout his body, leaving him completely devoid of strength

The voice of the doctor came from behind, still repeating the same words; he seemed to doubt that this prescription could be a family heirloom of Lin Ye.

She curls up in pain every night, but grits her teeth and endures in silence, only afraid of waking me up

That can barely be considered a laugh, it comes quickly and goes just as fast

However, when his mother-in-law becomes affectionate, he can only talk more, learning from the other mothers-in-law in the village, breaking down and elaborating on the trivial matters of family life.

Lin Ye shook his head: "No one."

After taking it, grind everything into powder according to the dosage specified by Lin Ye, mix them together, and then package them.

In the yard, there is a stone table and four stone stools, which are almost identical to the stone table and stools in my grandmother's yard

He looked at Lin Ye and said: "The old lady also wants to drive me away. She said you cannot cure me, so why not go and treat more people? She said there are many injured and disabled in Yunzhou City. The armored men fight internal traitors today and external enemies tomorrow. If you can save the life of one man, it is an immeasurable merit"

Lin Ye asked him: "Were you also driven away by your mother-in-law?"

Lin Ye took a deep breath, and after regaining two or three parts of his strength, he suddenly thrust his chest forward, using his heart to collide with the stone blade. The hand of the young man immediately recoiled back.

When Lin Ye turned to look at him, she found that the doctor was unexpectedly not at the counter, as if he had suddenly vanished

Have you ever thought about killing your mother-in-law

Lin Ye did not respond; he has always had this kind of personality, not wanting to say a single word more to those he is not familiar with

The physician lowered his head, gazing at the teacup in his hand, the steam wafting up to his eyes and eyelashes, which soon condensed into tears.

The physician took a deep breath and, after applying medicine to Lin Ye's wounds, said: "So, who is it?"

Close people, where they truly dislike him, actually adore his talkative nature, for that is the essence of youth

The physician inquired

Then Lin Ye heard the sound of the clinic door closing. When he turned back, he saw the doctor had already secured the door, looking at him with a smile that was not quite a smile.

But a young tiger is merely a young tiger, its innate fangs have never tasted blood, nor have they broken bones, thus it is still not a divine weapon.

Lin Ye approached the counter and said, "Please give me some paper and a pen, I will write a prescription myself, and you can help me get the medicine."

Physician: "What did you guess wrong? Being too clever for your own good!"

She ... ...

The physician approached, and the stone blade of the leaf pierced towards the physician's chest, but his hand stopped halfway.

Not long after, the two individuals sat quietly facing each other once again, yet the steam from the cup of tea had already dissipated, and neither of them had taken a sip.

But he no longer has anyone close to him

The physician suddenly asked a question

Lin Ye said seriously: "No one regards their mother-in-law as an enemy"

The physician lifted the teacup, which had already grown cold

The physician handed the remaining medicine to Lin Ye: "Starting from tomorrow, come to me every night."

Lin Ye did not say much more, quickly listing over ten types of medicinal herbs. Upon hearing this, the doctor turned around to fetch them, ensuring that not a single item was missing.

Langzhongdao: "You may simply speak, there is no need to write it down."

Lin Ye replied to him as before: "Inherited."

Lin Ye replied: "I have thought about it for three years"

The physician walked towards Lin Ye step by step: "I have seen this prescription before; it belongs to my mortal enemy. Since it is in your possession, it must be related to my enemy."

I ... ...

Lin Ye bent down to pay his respects, but the doctor supported him with one hand: "There is no need for that. Never forget, you are your grandmother's youngest son, the smallest. However, no matter who bows to you, you must accept it. If you bow to us, we cannot accept it."

Lin Ye remained silent

When the physician, who had seen him once before, saw him again, something fleeting flashed in his eyes

The physician asked again: "Are you practicing martial arts according to the medical books I left at your mother-in-law's house? Are you training in acupoint recognition?"

With a soft sound, the physician caught the stone blade and then pressed it against Lin Ye's heart.

The physician muttered to himself: "It can be cured"

Even the teapot and teacups placed on the stone table at this moment are exactly the same as those in my grandmother's home

He spoke with his head lowered, as if he were talking to himself

After the doctor hummed in acknowledgment, he pulled up Lin Ye's arm and tugged at the sleeve. Upon seeing the scars on Lin Ye's arm, he frowned slightly

There seems to be a hint of disappointment in the tone of the physician

Lin Ye looked at him, and the doctor said: "The last time you came here to fetch medicine, I already knew who you were. That prescription was originally left for the old lady."

The physician paused for a moment, lowered his head while applying the medicine, and said: "My mother-in-law wrote to me, saying that you all should remember, if in the future Xiao Yezi seeks any of you, whether intentionally or by chance, you should give whatever you can, give everything."

The mother-in-law has enemies

The doctor was clearly taken aback for a moment, then lowered his head to look at the stone blade in his hand. After a brief pause, he handed it to Lin Ye and said: "There are no enemies for the old lady"

Lin Ye stood there watching the doctor for a long time, then smiled and turned to leave

With a single gesture from the physician, Lin Ye's right arm seemed to become instantly incapacitated at the shoulder area.

His words seem somewhat contradictory

Where did you obtain this prescription

As he spoke, he glanced at Lin Ye's neck. He was clearly a very refined man, even somewhat delicate, but when his gaze swept across Lin Ye's neck, it transformed into a blade as sharp as a cicada's wing, as if with just a gentle sweep, a red line would appear on Lin Ye's neck.

A moment later, in the backyard of the medical clinic

He drew out the stone blade that he had been hiding at his waist, as he had no other weapons; the regulation of arms in Yunzhou City is extremely strict

Lin Ye still hasn't answered

He dissolved the prepared powder into a paste using medicinal alcohol, while applying the medicine to Lin Ye and asking, "Who is it?"

Langzhongdao: "I ask you who did it, and you refuse to say. Then let me ask you another question... Are you sure you want to practice martial arts?"

Moreover, the mother-in-law has adopted hundreds of people, among whom are not few wandering knights; he does not necessarily need to rely on those medical books to practice martial arts

After a moment, Lin Ye felt relieved: "Indeed... Grandma cares so much about her husband, even though he has been gone for many years, she still thinks of him"

He glared at Lin Ye: "Are you crazy!"

The physician's expression changed slightly as he lowered his head again and said, "Well... you are truly suffering."

The physician seemed to see through what he was thinking and explained, "Your grandmother probably does not allow you to practice martial arts, so the only thing you can use to practice is likely those few medical books of mine. The only method in the medical books that can help you is probably the technique of acupoint recognition."

Lin Ye also lowered his head, looking at the cup in the water

Lin Ye fell silent for a moment after hearing this, then began to retreat, gradually backing up to the counter, leaning against it.

The courtyard is paved with blue bricks, which appear to be somewhat aged, yet not a single weed can be seen in the cracks between the bricks

Lin Ye let out a sigh: "It seems I was not mistaken."

With those close to him, his words can become so excessive that even he feels it is too much, and his mother-in-law always complains about him, saying that he talks too much

After Lin Ye made a sound of acknowledgment, he prepared to leave. The physician then asked him again, "Why do you speak so little?"

Lin Ye nodded

A moment ago, he was a lush and soft willow, and in the next moment, he transformed into a vividly poisonous snake

The physician said softly: "When I was at my mother-in-law's house, she knew that I couldn't sleep well all night long"

If you tell me where the person who gave you the prescription is, you can go out safely. If you do not speak, you will likely suffer greatly, experiencing a pain worse than death in every way.

He took another step forward

The physician inquired again: "Is Yan Xiniu?"

How is it when leaving

Having taken the medicine and settled the payment, Lin Ye turned and walked outside

The physician smiled and said, "Is it useful?"

Lin Ye left the martial arts school all alone, enduring the pain as he walked to the clinic where he had previously bought medicine

This courtyard is not large, but it is kept extremely clean and tidy, which clearly indicates that it belongs to someone from the mother-in-law's family

The physician, upon seeing the young man adopt a defensive posture, felt as if he were gazing upon a young tiger; although it had yet to possess the strength to dominate the mountains and forests, it was inherently capable of displaying its fangs

I will administer the medication to you

He replied: "Walking in sleep, it appears calm, but you also know... only after she truly departs in peace can there be such calmness."

Lin Ye quickly got up, but the doctor shook his head at him: "In the last three years, you have fulfilled all the filial duties that we failed to perform while being by your mother-in-law's side; you have borne this burden yourself."

What happened

But she cannot drive me away, I am... I escaped on my own, I am a coward, I only accompanied my grandmother for less than a year, and I could not endure the daily heartache.

The physician inquired

Everything, once used, will be returned to its original place, even items that are used frequently, such as brooms and dustpans

The physician shook his head: "Most of the children of the old lady have been driven away by her. Either they have reached adulthood and can seek fame, or they have recovered and can pursue their paths. The old lady said, 'If you stay with me for too long, you will lose your ambition and fighting spirit. You are all so young; the farther you go and the higher you climb, the more people you can help. You have all seen it; I can only help this much, and isn't it because my abilities are limited?"

How unexpectedly weak.

The physician gazed at Lin Ye, merely observing him.

The physician let out a sound of acknowledgment and then fell silent. After a long while, he stood up, took two steps back, and then with a thud, knelt down on both knees.

This person is... ... reserved in speech, smiles infrequently, and is unwell... ...

I advise you to speak the truth

This stone blade was crafted by him, barely resembling a dagger, and he has also managed to grind a blood groove into the stone blade

Lin Ye said: "But when you were at your mother-in-law's house, her husband had been dead for a long time. She told me that this remedy for hangover was one she sought for her husband."

Lang Zhongdao: "Throughout my life, I have had little luck; if I were to count, I have only experienced good fortune twice, and meeting you is the second time."

I also endure and pretend not to know... My mother-in-law is such a strong-willed person, so fond of cleanliness, and so concerned about her appearance; she does not want others to see her in a disheveled state

Where did you obtain this prescription

After a long time, the physician finally mustered the courage to ask that question

Let me bow to you, you know the hardships of my mother-in-law, and you accompanied her on her journey until the end

Eleven

Lin Ye nodded: "Yes"

Everything is in its designated place, and it is never the case that one cannot find this or that in someone else's home today or tomorrow

It seems that you are indeed close to my enemy, unwilling to speak even at the cost of your life

The physician raised his head to look at Lin Ye: "Have you memorized the massage techniques and the prescriptions I left behind?"

You were only ten years old when you went to your mother-in-law's side, yet you accompanied her for three years

From time to time, one or two tears pass through the steam of the tea, falling into the cup, and the gentle sound of water speaks of longing

Lin Ye nodded again, feeling somewhat curious about how the doctor had guessed this, after all, there were quite a few books in his mother-in-law's house

The physician, however, felt that with this smile, his entire state of mind seemed to open up, as if he had instantly arrived at the vast pastures beyond the realm, witnessing endless green plains and boundless skies.