Chapter 2: Father and Son

  Lin Yao walked past the main hall of Hui Chun Tang with an air of superiority, his every step revealing a sense of pride. Everyone he met along the way bowed to him with great respect, but in their eyes, there was a hint of something unusual. Although everyone carefully hid that unusual meaning deep within their eyes, Lin Yao's expression became increasingly unpleasant.

  He walked a few more steps forward, and just arrived at the black lacquer gate leading to the backyard at the end of the sky well. Lin Yao really couldn't bear the mysterious glances from those people along the way. He turned his body in anger, folded the fan in his hand into a bundle, pointed it forcefully towards the pharmacy, and was about to shout some curses.

  At this moment, a door on the south side of the spacious sky well of Hui Chun Tang opened, and a majestic old man with a height of over 9 feet, a big beard all over his face, and wearing an extremely luxurious brocade long gown slowly walked out. He bowed to the thin old man beside him while smiling and said: "Mr. Lin has said so, then I am at ease."

  The thin and frail old man, Mr. Lin, was only as tall as the armpit of this robust old man, but with his refined face, he naturally had an air of confidence and elegance about him, making it seem as if he wasn't shorter than the other old man at all, but rather gave people the illusion that they were standing shoulder to shoulder. Mr. Lin stroked his beard and smiled, saying in a soft voice: "The old lady's illness is nothing to worry about. This spring will be fine, and with this joyful occasion, the old man's mood has lifted, and some of the root of the illness has been dispelled. With careful nursing for a few months, it's possible that the illness will be completely gone."

  The majestic old man's smile on his face grew even more brilliant, and he laughed repeatedly: "Thank you for your auspicious words. Thank you for your auspicious words. Haha haha!"

  The old man made a bow with his fists and smiled: "Today, the young master is getting married. If Mr. Lin has some free time, please come to have a few cups of wine."

  Mr. Lin hastily shook his head and smiled: "Master Wang, you're being too polite, too polite! As for me, I'm always busy every day, so... haha!"

  The old man sighed and smiled respectfully: "I understand, I understand! Haha, Mr. Ze is a blessing to our village, this is a great virtue."

  Two old men looked at each other and smiled, Mr. Lin's smile was gentle and calm, while the robust old man laughed with his head thrown back, his powerful aura shook the four walls of the courtyard, causing a humming noise. Suddenly, there was a loud "crash" sound, three six-foot-tall water tanks on the north side of the courtyard burst open, and the rushing water instantly flooded half of the courtyard.

  The host Wang slapped his mouth with a "slap" and awkwardly saluted Mr. Lin with a fist, dryly laughing: "Haha, this is also on the account, on the account." After finishing speaking, he turned around to leave, but saw Lin Yao staring blankly at him, pointing in the direction of the pharmacy with his fan, opening his mouth as if about to scold, but his eyes were fixed on Wang and Mr. Lin.

  The old master of the Wang family clenched his right fist and slammed it into the palm of his left hand, laughing loudly at Lin Yao: "Xian nephew, you're back? Hmm, today your second brother Wang did a good deed, are you willing to follow me for a drink?"

  Mr. Lin also saw Lin Yao, his eyes wide with fear, his right hand trembling as he pointed at Lin Yao again and again. Just as Lin Yao was about to follow Mr. Wang out, he felt a chill in his heart and stopped dead in his tracks, his feet already having taken a step forward.

  The old master Wang's eyes swept across Mr. Lin's face, then glanced at Lin Yao who was standing still like a rabbit, shivering with fear, and quickly forced a silent smile, patted his buttocks, turned around and left.

  Mr. Lin looked at the back of Old Man Wang and said in a sinister tone: "Account room, account room, take note! Three large water jars, three hundred taels of silver! The Wang family has money, no need to save them money!"

  With a robust aura, the master of the Wang family, who could knock down a mountain with his "Mountain-destroying Palm" and made the surrounding 500 miles of Guihua City uninhabitable for anyone who dared to provoke him, almost fell to the ground when he stepped on empty air on the stairs. He managed to turn his body around, looked back at Mr. Lin with a fierce expression, shook his head, put his hands behind his back, and walked away quickly. As he walked, he muttered to himself: "I'm just rich!"

  "What's going on? Haven't seen you for two days?" Mr. Lin was already standing in front of Lin Yao, glaring fiercely at his eldest son who was half a head taller than him.

  "Cheers!" Lin Yao's neck shrunk back, carefully retreating a step backwards.

  "Cheers!" Mr. Lin smiled slyly, his right hand gently patting his thigh, and asked in a strange tone: "There are many kinds of wine, made from grains, brewed with fruits, and even dyed with flower petals. Are you drinking grain wine, fruit wine, or flower wine? Hmm?"

  "This." Lin Yao had already lowered his voice by half a foot compared to Old Man Lin, and with a scrunched up face, he said in a low tone: "Flower... flower... flower wine."

  As soon as the words fell, Lin Yao suddenly started coughing violently. He was bent forward and backward from the coughing, and suddenly opened his mouth to spit out a block of phlegm with blood threads.

  Mr. Lin stared at the phlegm that Lin Yao had spat out, his small white teeth biting hard on his lips: "Good, internal heat!"

  His right hand shot out like the wind, and before Lin Yao could dodge, Mr. Lin had accurately grasped his wrist pulse with two fingers and began to take his pulse.

  Mr. Hu, sporting a goatee, hurried over with three thumb-sized medicinal pills sealed in wax in his hand. Mr. Lin was taking Lin Yao's pulse while looking back at Mr. Hu and frowned, shouting: "What is that in your hand? Hmm? What is it? Zimei Hesun Dan! Who told you to get this from the pharmacy? Ah?!

  The last angry shout was like a crane's cry piercing the sky, and another four large water jars in the courtyard shattered with a loud crash.

  Hú Zhǔ Tiě's face turned pale and white as he stood still, not daring to move. He lowered his head, his hands trembling as he opened his palms, revealing the three dan medicines he was holding.

  Mr. Lin shouted loudly: "Accountant, accountant, take note! The broken water jar of Old Wang's family is not three mouths, but seven mouths! Go to his house at the end of the month to settle the account, don't forget!"

  With a wave of his large sleeve, Old Man Lin had already sucked the three Purple Plum Harmony Sun Dan pills from Hu Zhute's hand into his palm two zhang away. He gave Hu Zhute a cold glance and said in a chilly tone: "Prescribe two months' worth of 'Gathering Sunshine Harmonizing Qi Decoction' for Young Master, if he dares to step out of the Returning Spring Hall within two months, I'll break his legs!"

  "You're an old codger who won't die, whose leg do you want to break?" Mr. Lin's words had just finished when a furious curse was heard from the backyard.

  The large black lacquer gate leading to the backyard was pushed open, and a middle-aged woman with a slender figure and beautiful features rushed out. She was dressed in luxurious fabrics, her hair adorned with pearls and jewels, and twelve large gemstone rings on her fingers. However, her waist looked like that of a pregnant sow due to the opulent materials she wore. Her face was covered with a thick layer of white powder, about two-tenths of an inch thick, which completely obscured her originally beautiful complexion. As she shouted loudly, the white powder slowly slid down from her cheeks.

  Behind the woman, four maidservants with equally luxurious attire followed closely, but their faces were really a bit pitiful. The most beautiful one among them looked almost like Old Three, the coachman who drove Lin Yao's carriage.

  The woman rushed to Lin Yao's side, like a mother tiger protecting her cub, and wrapped him in her arms. She lovingly stroked Lin Yao's face and shouted in a shrill voice: "Good Lin Yao, don't worry, with your mother here, no one can touch a hair on your head! Hmph! Your ruthless and short-lived father wants to break your legs, he wants to kill you! If he kills you, he can let that wild species from outside take over the Spring Hall!"

  Mr. Lin's face twitched and he lowered his voice in anger: "Wu Nang! You..."

  The woman smiled coldly, her eyes slanted as she looked at Old Man Lin and said with a sneer: "What about me? Lin Shan, don't forget that this Chun Tang is the ancestral property passed down from my mother, Huajie! You're just my father's apprentice, don't think you can make any decisions about Chun Tang! This Chun Tang, I'm going to leave it for Yao'er!"

  "I don't!" Mr. Lin shouted loudly, "How could I have such a mind?" His fists were tightly clenched, and his hands trembled in his sleeves as a stream of soft and flexible true energy emanated from his fists, causing the wide sleeves to flutter with a rustling sound.

  "Is there or isn't there, you know it in your heart!" Hua Wuniang coldly smiled and twisted her waist, glaring viciously at Mr. Lin: "That wild seed in front, I've endured for so many years! Humph! Lin Shan, don't go too far! I know you have great martial arts skills, after all, my father passed on his entire legacy to you! However, I'm not someone to be trifled with either!"

  With a loud thud, Huajunniang stamped her foot on the ground, and the thick stone slab beneath her feet instantly turned to dust.

  With a proud toss of her head, Hua Wuniang picked up Lin Yao like a small chicken and carried him into the backyard. She smiled warmly and said: "Good boy, don't be afraid, I'll take care of you. In the 500-mile radius of Guihua City, who dares to touch your hair?"

  Lin Yao coughed while loudly flattering Hua Wenyin.

  Mr. Lin stared blankly at the backs of Hua Wugong and his daughter, weakly tossing the three Zimei Dans to Hu Zhute.

  Closing his eyes, hot tears rolled down, Mr. Lin muttered: "Master, father-in-law... Yu Nang is like this, Yao Er, it's all over."

  Huichuntang was busy from dawn till the moon was high in the sky before it finally returned to calm.

  After a busy day in the pharmacy, Lin Xiao carefully extinguished the last charcoal fire in the stove, picked up and wiped clean several milk bottle caps and medicine mallets that had been casually discarded on the ground by the apprentices of Hui Chun Tang, turned off the lights in the pharmacy, and was the last to leave.

  In the main hall, Hu Zhute and several other masters were gathered together, chatting and laughing. When they saw Lin Xiao, they all nodded to him with a friendly and admiring gaze, as well as a hint of helplessness that couldn't be put into words.

  Lin Xiao smiled faintly and respectfully paid homage to the several masters with a junior's courtesy, then quickly walked towards the backyard.

  In the corner of the main hall, a black curtain was suddenly lifted, and a tent master with two mouse whiskers and a pair of triangular eyes blinking frantically held a small teapot and walked out of the tent slowly. The tent master saw Lin Xiao's back, and the mouse whiskers on his mouth twitched slightly, then he let out a soft sigh.

  The sighs seemed contagious, and several gentlemen, including Mr. Hu, let out a heavy sigh.

  The accountant shook his head, waved his hand and said: "Alright, gentlemen, let's go drink, let's go drink. Hmm, Old Master Wang sent a jar of tribute wine to the old master today, just in time for us to enjoy it."

  Several masters looked at each other, let out a deep sigh again, and called on several apprentices beside them to close the main hall door. They all stood up and followed the accountant into the backyard.

  The backyard of Huichuntang is a large courtyard with five rows of houses. The first four rows belong to the various masters, apprentices and servants of Huichuntang, while the last row is where Lin Shan's family lives, including Lin Shan, Hua Wenyu, Lin Yao, Lin Xiao, and some relatives.

  Lin Xiao walked quietly in the somewhat gloomy flower-lined path, wearing a cyan robe. The surrounding lanterns were dim, and only the brilliant lights from the rear courtyard's main house shone over from afar, making the path in front of him vaguely visible. However, the dim light was not a big problem for Lin Xiao, who had been practicing the internal skill "Longqing Jue" passed down by Lin Shan since childhood. The result of ten years of hard work was that as long as there was a little bit of faint light, it was no different from broad daylight for Lin Xiao.

  Darkness is Lin Xiao's mood.

  From afar, the sound of lively chatter and laughter was coming from the main house. It was Huajiu Niang hosting a grand feast for her guests, which was something she thoroughly enjoyed doing.

  It seems that Lin Yao is also among them, enjoying the flattery of countless guests. As the future heir to the largest pharmacy and medical clinic in several northwestern counties, Lin Yao naturally has the qualifications to be fawned upon.

  And as for himself? He was nothing but a wild child born out of wedlock by Lin Shan's secretly kept mistress.

  Lin Xiao stood under a large plum tree, his hands tucked into his sleeves, quietly gazing at the brightly lit main house and several nearby buildings.

  He was not allowed to get close to that side. After his own mother died suddenly and inexplicably, Lin Xiao was taken back by Lin Shan to Hui Chun Tang, but was arranged by Hua Wenyang in a miscellaneous goods house in the backyard, he didn't even have the qualifications to approach the main house where only the direct descendants of the Hua family could live. Even now, the master of Hui Chun Tang, Lin Shan, had no power to change this point. Hui Chun Tang, after all, was the property of the Hua family.

  Lin Xiao looked dazedly at the lights on the other side for a while, shook his head, and a few strands of determination appeared on his childish face.

  "He said in a low voice: 'I don't rely on anyone, I have a brain, I have two hands. I want to become a better doctor than my father, I can live by myself.'"

  "Mother, Xiao Er will be fine! You mustn't worry." Lin Xiao clenched his teeth tightly and turned around to head towards the storage room where he lived.

  He recalled again, eight years ago, the scene of his own mother suddenly spitting black blood and dying. Especially before his mother's death, she shouted to him in a hoarse voice: "Xiao Er, promise me, you must live well."

  The hands in his sleeves had already clenched into fists, of course, he must survive.

  His mother's death, he had some clues over the years. The cause of the disease that even his father Lin Shan, who has the reputation of a divine doctor, couldn't find out, could only be from Hua Wuyi.

  The Huas' "Hundred Diseases Hundred Herbs Canon" supposedly has a chapter that is absolutely not allowed to be studied by outsiders. Lin Shan was undoubtedly an outsider.

  Lin Xiao's small but upright figure slowly moved to the front of the storage room, he gently pushed open the door, and suddenly the lights inside flashed, someone turned on the desk lamp on the table.

  Lin Shan Zheng sat quietly at the table in his plain white clothes, staring steadily at Lin Xiao.

  Lin Xiao looked at Lin Shan in surprise, then hastily bowed his head and said: "Xiao'er has seen Father."

  Lin Shan's right hand gently waved, and a very gentle aura slowly lifted Lin Xiao up. He said lightly: "Good child, no need to be too polite. Sit down and talk!"

  Lin Xiao sat down at the square table, casually picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup of tea for Lin Shan, and then hugged the teapot, taking a refreshing drink with a "gulp gulp" sound.

  The water droplets wetted Lin Xiao's collar, and Lin Shan looked at him lovingly, saying in a gentle tone: "As for the illness of the old lady from the Wang family, you should know about it when we went to diagnose together last time. It shouldn't have relapsed. However, three days ago, the old lady suddenly took a turn for the worse, and in her desperation, the old master of the Wang family could only arrange for the second young master of the Wang family to hastily settle the marriage within three days and welcome Miss Guiying from the Zhang family as his bride. This is a rushed wedding."

  Lin Xiao put down the teapot, and with a look of surprise, he wiped the water stain on his mouth with his sleeve. He frowned and said, "The old lady's illness shouldn't be recurring. Is there an underlying reason?"

  He nodded slightly and said calmly, "Three days ago, we received bad news that the city of Gui Shun, 370 miles north, was breached by the 'Black Knife Bandits', and more than 90,000 people in the city were killed, with no survivors."

  "Ha!" Lin Xiao took a deep breath and exclaimed: "Hei Dao bandits? Half a month ago, they were still two thousand miles away in the north!"

  He lightly tapped his fingers on the table and Lin Shang said calmly: "In a world in chaos, what strange things can't happen? You take good care of these two things."

  In front of Lin Shan, on the table, there was a package wrapped in green cloth. He opened it and revealed a thick family genealogy book and a wooden token the size of a palm inside.

  "This is the genealogy of our Lin family. It's not something that can be lost, the souls of our ancestors in heaven cannot do without the worship and sacrifices of their descendants." Lin Shang lightly tapped on the genealogy book and said coldly: "You, remember? You are the last branch of the Lin family's incense fire."

  "Big brother he~~~~" Lin Xiao looked at Lin Shan with some hesitation.

  "Hmm, don't mention him." Lin Shan bluntly interrupted Lin Xiao's words. He then casually picked up the cyan wood token and solemnly placed it in Lin Xiao's palm: "Good son, take this 'Dan Token'. If there's any unexpected event in the future, with this Dan Token, if you can meet the person who issued the Dan Token, you'll be able to ensure a safe outcome."

  Lin Xiao's hands were shaking, Dan Ling, he had only vaguely heard of such a thing.

  Danling, represents the identity of Huichuntang's master!

  However, the future master of Huichuntang should be Lin Yao!

  Lin Shan narrowed his eyes and looked at Lin Xiao with a faint smile: "Don't worry, you take it. This is Gui Hua City... Tsk tsk!"

  He stood up, and Lin Shan said nothing more, he let out a soft sigh and floated away.