He wanted Zhong Liang to spread the news that his father’s health had improved and was almost back to normal, ensuring it reached Sanshan Zhenren’s ears.
Of course, the fact that Zhong Liang’s father would die in a month couldn’t be revealed. The villagers of Hongye Village had to keep it a secret, only saying that Zhong Liang’s father recovered by drinking the medicine on time.
Otherwise, the deal would be off.
Qi Buyan could put the life-extending Gu in a person’s body, and he could also take it out.
Zhong Liang was puzzled.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Why?”
Qi Buyan casually brushed off a beetle climbing up the tree trunk. “This is our deal. I extend your father’s life, you do what I ask. I don’t need to explain.”
He Sui’an, who had been lying in the treehouse, sat up upon hearing this.
She leaned out of the treehouse door to look down.
Since Zhong Liang’s father got sick, he had been drinking the medicine prescribed by Sanshan Zhenren, and now Qi Buyan wanted Zhong Liang and the villagers to spread the news that his recovery was due to the medicine.
Would Sanshan Zhenren take some action upon learning about Zhong Liang’s father’s recovery?
Medicine.
Was there something wrong with the medicine?
If the medicine indeed had issues, why would Sanshan Zhenren do such a thing? Was he trying to harm the villagers, or did he have another motive?
He Sui’an seemed to have an idea.
Ten years ago, during a plague, Sanshan Zhenren dedicated himself to developing a medicine that could cure the disease. The people of Qingzhou praised him highly, and the emperor rewarded him.
Xuanmiao Temple was established as a result.
Sanshan Zhenren’s fame soared because of this.
Over the past ten years, not only has Sanshan Zhenren provided the current emperor with pills to strengthen the body, but he has also developed many effective medicines to treat the strange and difficult illnesses that appeared among the common people.
This is the main reason for his growing fame. Relying solely on the plague ten years ago wouldn’t have made him renowned far and wide; over time, he would have gradually been forgotten.
He Sui’an remembered that before Sanshan Zhenren became a monk, he was an obscure doctor.
His medical skills were not bad.
But Great Zhou had many doctors with good medical skills.
So at that time, he was just an ordinary doctor. If not for the plague ten years ago, there would be no Xuanmiao Temple, and there would be no Sanshan Zhenren.
The villagers of Hongye Village have been constantly falling ill over the past ten years. One illness cured, another illness emerged. They were ostracized by the people of Qingzhou, and the only one diagnosing and treating them was him.
No other doctor had seen the villagers.
This was all the information He Sui’an had heard from different people about Sanshan Zhenren since arriving in Qingzhou. After hearing what Qi Buyan asked Zhong Liang to do, she connected the dots.
Could it be…
He Sui’an didn’t dare to think further, but her mind uncontrollably continued.
Could it be that the so-called effective medicines Sanshan Zhenren developed were tested on the villagers of Hongye Village by deliberately infecting them with diseases?
All medicines have some toxicity.
Over the past ten years, the villagers of Hongye Village had been subjected to countless medications, causing their bodies to undergo abnormal mutations.
Ironically, the villagers of Hongye Village had so much faith in Sanshan Zhenren, had worshipped Xuanmiao Temple for years, and wouldn’t allow anyone to slander him.
Sanshan Zhenren had indeed cured many people with the medicines he developed.
But what about all the villagers of Hongye Village?
They unknowingly sacrificed their bodies. After some time, all the people of Hongye Village might die out, and the village would cease to exist.
He Sui’an fell into deep thought.
Below the treehouse, Zhong Liang hesitated.
His father’s health had improved, and Zhong Liang originally wanted to inform Sanshan Zhenren of Xuanmiao Temple, who had cared for Hongye Village for so long. Sanshan Zhenren would be pleased to hear the news.
But judging from Qi Buyan’s tone, it seemed like he intended to harm Sanshan Zhenren.
Zhong Liang was a bit worried.
“Young Master Qi, I know you are not an ordinary person.” He understood that someone who could extend a person’s life was no common individual. “But is there some misunderstanding between you and Sanshan Zhenren?”
Qi Buyan laughed. “Misunderstanding?”
Zhong Liang nervously rubbed his hands together.
“Sanshan Zhenren is a great benefactor. He has been very kind to our Hongye Village. If possible, I want to ask you not to do anything that would harm Sanshan Zhenren.” He looked like he was about to kneel and beg.
Qi Buyan found it even more amusing.
“Beg me?” He absentmindedly played with the butterfly silver chain on his wrist, the bells jingling. “What right do you have to beg me?”
Zhong Liang’s lips moved.
Indeed, he had no such right.
Qi Buyan smiled warmly. “Remember, this is a deal between you and me.”
“What is your relationship with him, how he treats you, how you respect him and worship him as a god. What does that have to do with me? Is this your excuse to restrain and stop me?”
Zhong Liang’s face turned red.
He couldn’t utter a word.
The young man, using the gentlest tone, spoke harsh and piercing words without mercy.
“The kindness and affection you care about mean nothing to others and mean nothing to me. You use your kindness and affection to beg me, don’t you find it ridiculous?”
Qi Buyan let go, and the beetle between his fingers fell to the ground. He raised his boot and crushed the beetle that had been trying to climb up the tree trunk to the treehouse.
His eyes were very bright, like they held the stars.
Dazzling.
Looking at the boy’s bright eyes, Zhong Liang was momentarily confused, wondering if he had misheard. How could someone with such eyes say such cold-blooded and heartless words?
But it seemed he wasn’t wrong either.
Zhong Liang remained silent for a long time.
They had previously agreed that as long as Qi Buyan could extend his father’s life by a month and as long as Qi Buyan’s requests weren’t immoral, Zhong Liang would do his utmost to fulfill them.
Spreading this news was not an immoral act. Qi Buyan had fulfilled his promise, and Zhong Liang should fulfill his own.
He understood this.
But understanding didn’t stop him from hesitating.
At least for now, spreading this news wouldn’t harm Sanshan Zhenren. Instead, it would make outsiders think even more highly of his medical skills, although Zhong Liang could guess that Qi Buyan had other plans.
In the treehouse, He Sui’an knew that going down wouldn’t help and might only embarrass Zhong Liang, so she didn’t climb down and leaned against the tree wall to listen.
Qi Buyan patiently waited.
“Alright.” Zhong Liang took a deep breath. “I will do as you say.”
“If you intend to leak the information that I extended your father’s life to Sanshan Zhenren, our deal is off, and your father will no longer receive life extension,” Qi Buyan reminded him with a gentle smile.
A red snake climbed up the tree trunk, slithered onto his shoulder, and then to his wrist, flicking its crimson tongue.
Zhong Liang said, “I won’t.”
At this point, he didn’t ask Qi Buyan why he wanted him to do this. Asking questions that wouldn’t be answered was a waste of effort. It was better to take things step by step and be more cautious.
After promising Qi Buyan that he would do as asked, Zhong Liang left.
When Zhong Liang was far away, He Sui’an extended a foot, grasped the ropes on either side of the hanging ladder, and carefully descended the wooden planks. Her skirt fluttered like blooming flowers as she moved.
Qi Buyan bent down, and the red snake slithered away quickly.
He Sui’an stood in front of him.
He didn’t stand up, looking up at her.
From this angle, Qi Buyan’s slender neck extended from his indigo collar, his Adam’s apple moving slightly, long hair draped behind him, with a few strands hanging in front.
No matter the time or place, Qi Buyan always looked gentle and friendly. His face resembled his mother’s, a blend of radiance and softness.
“He Sui’an.”
Qi Buyan smiled and called her name.
He knew He Sui’an had overheard their conversation, and he didn’t mind. That’s just how he was; whatever he did, whether deemed good or bad by others, he owned up to it.
He Sui’an crouched down: “Do you think Sanshan Zhenren will come personally to see Brother Zhong’s father’s recovery?”
He countered, “What do you think?”
“I think he will.” He Sui’an rested her chin on her knees.
Every treehouse had a wooden barrel filled with water underneath. Qi Buyan walked over and scooped out some water. He washed his hands clean: “I think so too.”
Before they could say much more, Zhong Liang returned, bringing them food. Despite the tension between him and Qi Buyan over Sanshan Zhenren, he still had to deliver the meals.
Today, Hongye Village held a sacrificial ceremony, and the villagers received an especially large amount of meat.
And chicken.
The villagers were mostly poor and seldom indulged in chicken. Zhong Liang thought it would be good to give the young ones some nourishment. The meat was still warm, and he called them to eat, saying nothing about the earlier conversation.
Qi Buyan seemed to have forgotten Zhong Liang’s plea to not harm Sanshan Zhenren.
He smiled at Zhong Liang.
Zhong Liang felt a bit uncomfortable.
He Sui’an invited Zhong Liang to sit and eat with them, but Zhong Liang politely declined, saying he needed to eat with his mother and father.
Seeing this, He Sui’an didn’t insist. Being with family was more important: “Then, Brother Zhong, take care.”
Leaving the two of them under the treehouse again.
They didn’t bring the food up to the treehouse, finishing it right there under the tree.
As evening fell, Hongye Village grew quiet. He Sui’an used the water from the wooden barrel to wash up before climbing the hanging ladder to the treehouse. Suddenly, she remembered that Qi Buyan’s hair ornament was still with her.
The last time he washed his hair, she had wrapped the hair ornament in a cloth and forgotten to return it.
He Sui’an took out the cloth.
It was full of silver ornaments.
She counted them and realized one was missing. She had memorized the number of ornaments when she put them in the cloth.
How could one be missing? He Sui’an counted again; one was still missing. The day they returned from the river, she had placed the cloth in the treehouse. It might have fallen into a corner.
He Sui’an turned around and began searching.
A single silver ornament was valuable; losing it would mean a loss. Besides, it was such a beautiful ornament.
As she searched, she found a book tossed in a corner, its cover facing down. Could it be Qi Buyan’s Gu book? Why was it thrown here?
He Sui’an picked it up, intending to put it back in Qi Buyan’s collection. Glancing at the cover, her face changed. This wasn’t his Gu book; it was clearly…
Definitely not Qi Buyan’s.
Was it Brother Zhong’s?
Probably. He Sui’an didn’t intend to pry into others’ privacy and was about to put the book back where she found it. Qi Buyan happened to climb up and noticed the book in her hand: “You’re reading?”
He Sui’an’s hand froze.
He approached: “What book is it?”
