Chapter 66 - Zhu Ying's Shadow

◎ His eyes stung as he watched the scene below. What would happen if the master wasn't here when something like this occurred? ◎

The barefoot doctor suddenly slapped his forehead as he recalled, "I remember now. A month ago, this family came to me for help. The condition was better back then. I told them that without this particular herb, there was nothing I could do, and suggested they take her to a more skilled doctor in the county or town. Anyway, I lack the expertise to treat such cases; I can't heal her."

Pausing, he took a deep breath, leaving everyone on edge.

"Come on, tell us, what herb is it, and how does it relate to Hua Tianqu going up the mountain?"

The barefoot doctor replied, "This herb is called Red Yuhua. It grows on steep cliffs in deep mountains and only blooms on sunny days. If it rains after it blooms, it will be ruined. Fresh Red Yuhua, after simple processing, can sell for at least a hundred taels of silver in a pharmacy, comparable to a hundred-year-old ginseng."

"The woman inside has long-standing ailments that require a potent medicine like Red Yuhua to cleanse her meridians. If successful, there's still hope for her recovery."

Sanshu's lips twitched. "Could it be that Hua Tianqu went to the mountain for this reason? How come I've never heard of such a valuable herb? Could it grow on the back mountain?"

The barefoot doctor stroked his beard. "I mentioned it before. I heard that someone once spotted a Red Yuhua growing on the cliffs behind the mountain. I'm not sure if it's true, though. At my age, I can barely manage to gather other herbs on the mountain, let alone climb those steep cliffs. That's why I recommended they take her mother to see a proper doctor in the county or town."

Only now did everyone understand why Hua Tianqu had quietly gone to the back mountain by himself.

Women were most susceptible to emotional appeals, and they couldn't bear to hear such stories. Sanshu's wife wiped her eyes. "How could that child be so foolish... Even adults wouldn't dare to climb up there. How could he? What would have happened if something went wrong?"

" Widow Zhao isn't skilled in raising children either. She only knows how to dote on him, but keeps Hua Tianqu cooped up at home every day, studying and writing. She doesn't let him run around outside or help with household chores. She's raised him to be delicate and weak, without any strength at all. I doubt he's ever even killed a chicken before. It's no wonder something terrible might have happened to him in the mountains at this hour!"

The village chief was reliable when it mattered. He interrupted the villagers and declared loudly, "Enough talk! Now that we know which direction to search, hurry up and find him. All of you, search the mountains, especially the cliffs and steep slopes. Bring Hua Tianqu back as soon as possible!"

That night, after the feast at Yu Lian's house, the villagers of Shangyi Village didn't bother sleeping. Every home lit their lamps, and young men from each family formed a long search party to comb the hills.

Since the mountain was right behind Yu Lian's house, they would have to pass by her place. Yu Lian watched as the villagers walked by, chattering and holding torches.

She stepped out, but before she could ask, Dashu's wife explained the situation.

Yu Lian sighed. She hadn't expected that the boy had come to her kitchen for such a reason. If they had noticed anything strange during the day, they might have been able to prevent this.

Aunt Mei felt guilty upon hearing this. "It's all my fault for not taking it seriously. I thought it wouldn't be a big deal since he's just a child. I was swamped with work then, and it was such an important day. I intended to tell you about it later."

Yu Lian shook her head. "You can't blame yourself. It was already very cautious of you to think of telling me. Most people wouldn't bother with a child, let alone consider all these possibilities."

Sanshu's wife slapped her forehead in regret, remembering what she had said earlier. "Aunt Mei, this isn't your fault. I'm the one who told you to ignore him, fearing trouble. If you hadn't told Lian'er, Uncle Mu wouldn't have gone searching in the middle of the night. Without his search, we wouldn't have known something was wrong with his family. How could we have found that boy?"

"How could nothing happen after leaving him alone in the depths of the forest for a night? Now we can only hope that the child didn't wander too far, and that he's still within reach."

While the men went up the mountain to search, the women remained at the foot, chatting.

After Sanshu's wife finished her account, someone asked, "Yu Lian, how did you know something was amiss, and that you should call your father to look for him?"

Yu Lian glanced at the rear mountain, somewhat worried. Her father-in-law had also gone up, leaving the twins in her care.

"Everyone says that the widow Zhao and her son rarely socialize with others. It's normal that she didn't attend our feast, but it's unusual for her son to run to the back door of the kitchen. That's why I thought it best for my father to check it out."

"You're so kind, Yu Lian."

"Yes, Yu Lian has always been thoughtful. No wonder she's in charge of the household as the eldest miss of the capital's Duke's residence."

Yu Lian replied, "Please, stop talking about me. How is Aunt Zhao doing?"

Dashu's wife sighed. "She's ill. In fact, it's because of her illness that Hua Tianqu went up the mountain. The village doctor mentioned a medicinal herb called something like Red Something Flower. It's incredibly expensive, available only at the major pharmacy in the county. He also said there might be some on the cliffs of this rear mountain. The poor child doesn't even have enough to eat, let alone money to take his mother to see a doctor in the county. So, he decided to go up the mountain by himself."

"How foolish. Why wouldn't he seek help from other adults? Was he trying to prove himself by going to the rear mountain all alone?"

"It's all because of that widow Zhao. Not only is she extreme in her ways, but she's also raised her child to be reclusive. If not for that, any child in our village would know that when they encounter a problem and can't rely on their parents, they should seek advice from other uncles and aunts. But he doesn't; he just broods and goes up the mountain alone!"

The women, preoccupied with worry, decided against returning home and entered Yu Lian's courtyard. A few children fetched chairs, and they sat outside, discussing the widow Zhao in turns. Had it not been for her illness, their criticism would have been even harsher.

When Mrs. Chen first arrived in the village and didn't socialize with the villagers, she was the subject of gossip behind her back. Given that widow Zhao had this disposition for quite some time, many held resentment towards her.

Yu Lian asked, "What kind of medicinal herb is it? Why is it so expensive?"

"The doctor mentioned it's called Red... something like Red Yin Flower. It grows only on steep cliffs, and a single plant fetches over a hundred taels at the pharmacy. It's as precious as a hundred-year-old ginseng. He mentioned that he treated widow Zhao before and hinted that there might be one growing on the rear mountain cliff. Before he could confirm, Hua Tianqu took his words literally and went searching."

"In my opinion, how could such a rare and precious herb grow in our humble, mountainous area? If it did, wouldn't it have been harvested long ago by someone else? That barefoot doctor has no real skills; he just spouts nonsense."

"I think with widow Zhao's critical condition and her family's poverty, this situation is dire. Very dire. If Hua Tianqu, that boy, is fortunate enough to return safely with the herb, his days ahead won't be easy. Being nurtured by widow Zhao, he's weak and not particularly articulate. How will he make a living in the future?"

Aunt Mei boiled water and served it to the people in the courtyard. She noticed Yu Lian standing alone, not speaking much, frequently glancing towards the rear mountain, her eyes filled with concern.

She fetched a cup of water for her to drink while they waited.

"Don't worry too much. Perhaps they'll find him soon. Are you blaming yourself for not noticing earlier? Let me tell you, this is my fault. If I had known about that boy at noon, I would have come to tell you right away."

Yu Lian interrupted her, shaking her head to say it was alright.

"Father has also gone up. He still hasn't fully recovered from his old injuries, and it's so late. I'm a bit worried."

Aunt Mei pursed her lips. She couldn't quite understand why Master would get involved with the stranger. Didn't he know that his whole family, with their elders, women, and children, relied on him for protection? If anything happened to him, no matter how capable Yu Lian was, their family would be vulnerable to bullying?

In reality, Yu Lian could comprehend why her father-in-law instinctively went up the mountain. It wasn't because he was the first to notice something amiss but because he was once a general, a nobleman, with an inherent sense of responsibility. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. He was accustomed to protecting the weak, and thus, wouldn't retreat in such a situation.

Just then, someone rushed down the hill, panting, and shouted outside Yu Lian's door, "Oh no, oh no! There are wild boars on the mountain. We were chased by a pack of them. Uncle Wood went to save us, but now we don't know where he is."

Everyone in the courtyard dashed out, asking, "What happened? Why can't you locate him?"

"The wild boars were too fast, and it's pitch dark. After a short pursuit, we lost sight of everything. Some say Uncle Wood and his companions might have tumbled down the mountain. I can't be sure."

Yu Lian clenched her fists, trying hard to remain calm. She began contemplating what they should do in this situation. Her family consisted of the elderly, the weak, and the young – none capable of venturing up the mountain to rescue anyone.

She took only two seconds to weigh her options before calmly stating, "I'll go with you up the mountain to find my father."

Upon hearing the news, Mrs. Chen had already fainted, leaving Mei Yi to support her. Mei Yi hastily pleaded, "Yu Lian, don't go up the mountain. You're a young lady of high birth, and you have no martial skills. How can you save someone? Don't put yourself in danger too."

The elderly matriarch nearly fainted as well but managed to hold on. Struggling to stay conscious, she tightly grasped Yu Lian's hand, "Yu Lian, don't go. Your father was reckless, leaving the family behind to rush up the mountain for a rescue. He must remember he is no longer the War God Marquis of old. Now that something has happened to him, we cannot afford another mishap with you. Think of your grandmother, your mother, Yan'er, Xing'er, Guo'er, and your parents in the capital. Didn't you say you would write them a letter in a couple of days? If something happens, how will you explain it to your grandmother or to them?"

Tears welled up in Yu Lian's eyes, her sleeves tattered from her agitated movements. Her voice was barely audible, "Then what should we do? Grandmother, what should we do?"

Sobbing, the elderly woman covered her face with a handkerchief, "Don't panic, don't panic. Let the village's young men continue searching. We'll wait here at home. Although your father's health isn't what it used to be, his martial arts skills remain. He should be fine, he should be fine..."

"When daylight comes and they still haven't found him, grandmother will accompany you up the mountain to search for your father. We'll bring him back, alive or dead."

Other villagers also offered their advice, all equally shocked by this unforeseen turn of events.

Dashu's wife and Sanshu's wife were stunned into silence, for their husbands had also accompanied Uncle Wood, seemingly caught up in the same incident.

Zhu Ying lay atop the roof, ignoring the mosquitoes biting him. His eyes stung as he watched the unfolding scene. What should be done now that such a calamity had occurred without his master?

Even the capable Young Lady, with her sharp mind, had tears in her eyes, while Master's mother had fainted, and the elderly matriarch was weeping. What was the way forward?

During the day, he was still rejoicing over his master's family acquiring a new home and had planned to write a letter to inform his master of this delightful news. Now, however, he was faced with such an incident.

Fixing his eyes intently on the ground below, he suddenly clenched his teeth, leaped into action, and dashed towards the rear mountain.

With the master in trouble, the young lady, unusually disoriented, found herself at a loss. With the family consisting of the elderly, the weak, and the young, he could only seize the moment and prioritize rescuing the master first.

Yu Lian's thoughts were weighed down, but she still sensed a fleeting gust of wind across her rooftop. Raising her gaze, she saw nothing out of the ordinary except for a few falling leaves that she caught in her hand, letting out a sigh.

Living in this era, she understood how arduous it would be for her family to survive if her father-in-law were to meet with misfortune. The twins were still young, and it would take at least a decade for them to shoulder the responsibility of the household.

Though the book portrays her father-in-law as a villain, her personal experience has led her to believe him to be an excellent man, broad-minded, responsible, and deeply affectionate. He treats her with the same care and concern as his own daughter.

Raising her gaze to check the sky, she decides that she will ascend the mountain at the break of dawn.