lava

Chapter 6

"Hmph, just don't let me lose track of you." Although the tone was unpleasant, it was a clear concession. Han Xiao was overjoyed: "Thank you, Master. Don't worry, Master, I will definitely protect you carefully and not let the bad guys take advantage of you."

"With you?" Nie Chengyan scoffed.

Han smiled sheepishly and said, "I don't know much, but I'm completely loyal. I'll do whatever you say, Master."

"Go and get the mirror first."

A mirror? Is there a secret in the mirror? Can it be used to find the murderer? Han Xiao was puzzled, but he still obeyed and quickly found a mirror for him.

As Nie Chengyan took it, he said, "There's always something strange about how you look at me. I want to see if my face has been ruined by poison or what."

Upon hearing this, Han Xiao almost couldn't resist snatching the mirror back. Sure enough, Nie Chengyan stared at the mirror for a long time, looking at it from left to right, before suddenly throwing it away and yelling at her, "What kind of awful hair did you give me?"

Han Xiaoqiang tried to remain calm: "Although I'm not as dashing as before, I'm still quite capable."

Nie Chengyan glared at her. "Calm and efficient? Is having a steamed bun on his head what you call being 'clean and efficient'?"

Han smiled sheepishly and quietly put the mirror away: "Your Highness loves cleanliness and beauty, I know. Really, I know."

Strange Beginnings (Revised Text)

No matter how much Han Xiao knew Nie Chengyan's love of cleanliness and beauty, it was useless, because he was still recovering from serious injuries. He could wipe his body, but he couldn't wash his hair. Nie Chengyan, of course, knew this too. He had barely managed to come back to life after giving up on suicide, and he was still thinking about finding the murderer and uncovering the truth, so naturally he wouldn't joke around with his own body. So he sullenly wore a stern face, his complexion so dark it was almost black. Han Xiao had no choice but to come up with a solution: she combed his long hair, braided it into a long braid, and put it behind his head. This way, it wouldn't affect his lying down, and he wouldn't be able to see his hair. This was the only way he could barely get away with it.

Han Xiao held up a mirror in front of Nie Chengyan and made him look at himself for a long time: "Master, it's not good to be particular about appearance while you're sick. Once you're healed, I will definitely dress you up in a splendid manner."

Nie Chengyan glared at her: "Do you think I care so much about appearances?"

Han Xiao dared not say yes, but nodded vigorously: "Master is right."

"What do you mean, 'right'?" Nie Chengyan gritted his teeth. He was clearly asking a question, but she was turning around and making fun of him. Yet, seeing her smiling so eagerly and frankly, he couldn't bring himself to be angry. This girl was actually quite hardworking and clever, bold but not reckless. Seeing her passion for medicine, it was a pity that being born a woman meant her achievements were destined to be limited.

Han Xiao had no idea what her master was thinking. She quickly hid the mirror and placed it far away. After serving Nie Chengyan breakfast, she prepared the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone as he instructed.

Write down what I said.

"Yes, Master."

“Fennel, Yangqi stone, Cassia seed, Northern Scrophularia, Birds that do not roost, Oregano, Changshan, Eucommia.” Nie Chengyan pondered for a moment and recited a string of medicinal names.

Han Xiao quickly memorized it, studied it carefully for a long time, and said, "Master, this prescription is too strange."

Nie Chengyan asked her to bring the prescription over for a look, and nodded in satisfaction: "Never mind whether it's strange or not, give this prescription to Lu Ying and have him send someone to my residence at the foot of the mountain, saying that it's the medicinal herbs I requested."

Han Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Master, is this prescription important? Should I make a trip to deliver it?"

"No, you're too conspicuous going down the mountain in my current state. Leave it to them." Nie Chengyan felt exhausted just from combing his hair and eating. He closed his eyes, wanting to sleep.

Han Xiao examined the prescription again carefully, but still couldn't figure it out, so she did as instructed. After handing the prescription to Lu Ying, she returned and saw Nie Chengyan with one fist clenched over his chest. Han Xiao knew that he was clutching the earrings in his fist. Such a volatile and eccentric person—she wondered what kind of girl Yun'er, whom he so desperately longed for, really was.

Han Xiao tiptoed inside and brought the writing implements to the outer room. Now that she had brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, she could reorganize and copy everything she had written in her tattered little notebook. Han Xiao ground the ink and then went to the inner room to check on Nie Chengyan. His face was calm, but his fist was still clenched over his heart. Han Xiao suddenly felt a pang of pity. Her master was such a proud and strong-willed person; the pain of losing a loved one must be unforgettable. When she learned of her parents' unexpected death, she felt as if the world had lost its color and all hope had vanished. If it weren't for Han Le, whom she needed to take care of, she probably wouldn't have been able to hold on.

"Little girl," he suddenly called softly.

"Yes, Master." Han Xiao was engrossed in his work when he was startled by the call and quickly stood up straight.

Nie Chengyan remained silent. Han Xiao thought he wouldn't speak, but then she heard him say, "You can go see your brother now." The tone of his voice made her blush, as if it implied, "Go see your brother, stop staring at me." He clearly had his eyes closed; how could he know where she was looking?

"Yes, Master." Han Xiao hurriedly ran outside, feeling ashamed. She gave instructions to Lu Ying and Qin Jiao who were guarding the courtyard, then went around to the small house at the back of the courtyard to find Han Le. Walking along the way, she suddenly remembered that her master would get upset whenever he was exposed to others in a vulnerable and helpless state. When the poison flared up at night, he was always in a bad mood when he woke up, and now, missing his deceased loved ones, he clearly didn't want her to see it. Han Xiao secretly remembered this, thinking that she should be more observant in the future and avoid violating his taboos.

Upon arriving at the cabin, Han Xiao saw Han Le lying on the bed, with Lian Qiao not beside her. Han Xiao didn't mind much. Although they had only known each other for a few days, Lian Qiao was indeed as she had first impression of—diligent and honest, and took good care of Han Le. So, Han Xiao didn't think anything bad about her absence.

When Han Le saw his sister arrive, he happily sat up, opened his arms, and begged for a hug. Han Xiao laughed and obediently went over and hugged him. In just half a day, he seemed to have regained some energy.

"Sister, I want to show you something." Han Le glanced outside the door to make sure no one was there, then pulled a piece of paper out from under the covers.

"What is this?" Han Xiao didn't understand. It looked like a map, but it was drawn quite clearly.

"Sister, this is a topographic map of Yunwu Mountain."

Han Xiaoqi asked, "Where did you get this?"

Han Le chuckled, "I tricked them into revealing the route. Every time someone came, I chatted with them. There was a guy named Su Mu and another named Hong Lian. They were coachmen who always transported patients and medicine to the mountains, so they knew the mountain roads best. They came to Lian Qiao to mend their clothes, and I took the opportunity to get close to them. That's how I managed to trick them into revealing the route. After some back and forth, I checked with other people and managed to draw up a simple map."

Han Xiao folded the map and handed it back to him, affectionately patting his head: "You're not feeling well, why are you doing all this instead of resting?"

“Sister, this place is different from other places. In other houses, we can still escape if we want to, but here the mountains are high and the roads are dangerous. Didn’t you almost get trapped in the woods last time? I was thinking, what if something happens here? We should be prepared. It’s always good to be prepared.” He said, pursing his lips, his little face showing a maturity beyond his years. His voice was low: “What if, what if my illness isn’t cured? I… Sister, please don’t make yourself suffer as a servant anymore. Don’t worry about that contract of indenture. When the time comes, you can leave here and find a good place to live. I’m so capable, I’ll definitely be able to live a good life. It’s all my fault for dragging you down.”

"Silly girl, Lele, you mustn't say that. You're the only family I have left. What would I do if something happened to you? Didn't we already agree? Nothing is impossible for a willing heart. With all our efforts, we're sure we can cure your illness. Now that we're at Cloud Mist Mountain, with the divine doctor here, you mustn't say anything discouraging."

After a period of sadness, the siblings encouraged each other, and Han Xiao finally asked, "Where did Lian Qiao go?"

"Hehe." Han Le revealed a mischievous smile.

Han Xiao's face darkened: "Lele, are you being naughty again?" Her precious little brother always liked to bully honest people. Last time, she caught him pretending to be pitiful and making Lian Qiao carry him all over the mountain. Actually, he just wanted to test whether Lian Qiao was as strong as his sister to carry people. He made little Lian Qiao pant heavily.

"No, no." Han Le waved his hands repeatedly. "I didn't bully her anymore. Sister, you go ahead and get busy. I'll work on the map again, don't worry. Also, a lot of people here are quite shrewd. They keep a lot of things to themselves. They seem unreliable and have many secrets. You need to be careful."

Han Le changed the subject, but it was exactly what Han Xiao was worried about. She had been worried that Han Le would be implicated and wanted to remind him to be careful with his words and actions, but he had been asleep every time she came. She didn't expect that in just a few days, this clever guy had figured out the situation himself.

"Several unrelated people came to see me. What's so interesting about my little servant's brother? I'm afraid they have ulterior motives. Sister, there's a girl named Lin Zhi, about seventeen or eighteen years old. She was asking about you. She was relieved to see that I was really bedridden. They always think I'm a sickly child, but I know everything."

"Yes, Lele is the smartest."

"Sister, be careful anyway. Sister Lianqiao said that Linzhi is the daughter of the master doctor's eldest disciple, and I think there's something strange about her."

Han Xiao also found it strange. Why would a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who didn't know her ask about her? And if there was really something wrong, why didn't she come to Yanzhu to find her, but instead went to Han Le to test her? She wanted to ask her master, but when Nie Chengyan woke up that day, he was about to begin the first time he had to have his needles removed and poison extracted since his night of life and death.

Han Xiao watched as the old man in the clouds and Xue Song joined forces to insert more than ten long needles into Nie Chengyan's head and back, creating a long row. They then used their internal energy to expel the poison. It took a whole hour, and finally Nie Chengyan coughed up a mouthful of black blood before it was considered finished.

Han Xiao carefully examined the length and thickness of the needles, the acupoints where they were inserted, and the technique for expelling the poison, memorizing it all. This poison-removal process left Nie Chengyan extremely weak; he remained in a state of semi-consciousness, his sleep restless and uneasy.

Sometimes he seems to wake up and will call out, "Girl." At this time, Han Xiao will always respond loudly, "Yes, Master, this servant is here." But he will not say anything else, he will just call out.

Two days later, Nie Chengyan was feeling better, and Bai Ying returned with several servants. This time, they brought a new bed without the scent of wood, but the design and structure remained the same as before. Nie Chengyan didn't speak, only loudly berating the servants for their clumsiness as they carried him onto the new bed. Han Xiao watched with bated breath, worried that some servant might be too frightened and let go of his grip. Fortunately, everyone was well-trained and steadily carried Nie Chengyan onto the bed.

After moving everyone, Bai Ying wisely left, no longer wanting to cause trouble, and went out with her servants after bowing. Nie Chengyan lay down for a while and then complained of foot pain again. Han Xiao was in the outer room tidying up the new sheets, clothes, and other supplies that had just been delivered when he heard Nie Chengyan's cries of pain and rushed in. Having served his new master for a few days, Han Xiao had figured out a pattern: usually, when Nie Chengyan's face was ashen and he gritted his teeth without saying a word, it meant he was in real pain; if he was yelling and screaming in pain, it meant he was irritable and looking for trouble.

Han Xiao was mentally prepared and went in to stand in front of Nie Chengyan. Sure enough, she came over, but Nie Chengyan didn't say anything. He looked terrible; the medicine had upset his stomach, and he couldn't eat much for any of his meals. Yet, every time he held those earrings, he forced himself to chew and swallow, which made Han Xiao feel indescribably sad.

Standing before him, meeting his glaring gaze, she suddenly had a thought: when her master glared at people, he seemed more energetic and stopped crying out in pain. She wondered if glaring or yelling to vent his resentment helped with his treatment. It's said that strong qi leads to a strong body, and if this resentment and evil qi were released, could it be considered a way to expel evil and strengthen the body's foundation, as described in medical theory?

Seeing that the girl was starting to daydream again, Nie Chengyan couldn't help but get annoyed: "Han Xiao!"

"Yes, mistress, this servant is here." She replied quickly.

"Have you seen a red-headed eagle outside the yard?"

"This servant was not paying attention."

"Go find it."

"What should we do if we find it?"

"It doesn't matter, we found it, we found it."

Han Xiao couldn't help but wonder if this was a new trick her master used to prank people?

"Master, this servant has a question to ask." Since I've been tricked, surely I can exchange it for a question?

Nie Chengyan glanced at her, and Han Xiao continued, "Who is Lin Zhi?"

Nie Chengyan turned his head to look at her seriously. Han Xiao looked back at him, and he finally said slowly, "She's a beauty."

Linzhi Beauty (Xiuwen)

"A beauty? What kind of answer is that?" Han Xiao couldn't help but wonder if, in the future, someone asked him who Han Xiao was, he would answer: "A girl."

So Han Xiao asked, "What kind of beauty is she?"

Nie Chengyan thought for a moment: "She's a beauty you don't need to pay attention to."

Well, that means that in the future, if someone asks Han Xiao what kind of girl she is, the master will likely answer that she is a girl who can be completely ignored.

"No, I would answer that she's a girl who's always daydreaming, stubborn, and argumentative."

Han Xiao was taken aback. Why did he hear his master's voice? He looked up and saw Nie Chengyan frowning, looking displeased: "When you're thinking, keep your mouth shut."

Han Xiao suddenly realized that sometimes she would actually mutter what she was thinking aloud. This was a habit she had developed while memorizing medical books and herbal formularies. She would remember things better by muttering them as she memorized them, but it was really not a good thing for this habit to show occasionally. Han Xiao blushed and hurriedly said, "This servant will go find the red-headed eagle. There are people guarding outside. Just call out if you need anything, Master."

She ran to the doorway, but finally couldn't help turning back and saying, "My lady, I don't like to talk back, I just like to reason." With that, she hurriedly ran away.

"Hmph, isn't this just being argumentative?" Nie Chengyan snorted in displeasure, but Han Xiao was too fast to hear him. She looked around the courtyard for a long time but didn't see any red-headed eagles. So she ran outside the courtyard and circled around again, but still didn't see one. She thought for a moment and decided to go a little further. If she still couldn't find it, she would go back and report to her master first. She searched for a while longer and was just about to turn back to Yanzhu when she suddenly saw a large bird swoop down in the sky. She wasn't sure if it was an eagle. She took off chasing after the bird in the direction it disappeared, and sure enough, she saw a bird perched on a treetop in a grove of trees.

Han Xiao didn't know much about birds, but fortunately, Nie Chengyan explained that it was a red-headed eagle. Han Xiao saw that the feathers on the bird's head were indeed red, so it must be it.

The eagle turned its head, watching her warily, but didn't fly away, as if it were observing her with a kind of intelligence. Han Xiao looked at the eagle and suddenly thought of the prescription Nie Chengyan had asked her to write. In her spare time these past two days, she had pondered it, feeling that it couldn't be a request for medicine, but rather a message. But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't figure it out. Now, finding the red-headed eagle Nie Chengyan had mentioned, she suddenly had a flash of inspiration. The names of the medicines replayed in her mind.

He's on the verge of death; get to the mountains quickly!

That must be it. Logically speaking, Nie Chengyan should have a mansion and servants in Baiqiao City, but now, despite his serious illness, he has no personal attendants and relies entirely on medical servants from Yunwu Mountain. Although the Yunwu Elder's rule is that relatives of the sick cannot go up the mountain, Nie Chengyan clearly shouldn't be included in that rule. If it's really as she thinks, then she understands: Nie Chengyan truly didn't intend to live. That's why he instructed "Return to Yang" this time, indicating that he still has a chance of survival, but faces many dangers and needs help, hence the urgent summons to the mountain.

Thinking of this, Han Xiao became wary. Could this eagle hold some secret? Was it here to deliver a message, or did it indicate that the person his master was looking for had arrived?

She cautiously took a step closer to the eagle, but before she could speak, a clear female voice suddenly rang out behind her: "What are you doing here, girl?"

Han Xiao was startled and quickly turned around. Upon closer inspection, she saw a stunningly beautiful woman of about eighteen standing about ten steps away from her. She was dressed in a pale yellow dress, with exquisitely beautiful features, and stood gracefully amidst the lush greenery, as if she had stepped out of a painting.

Upon seeing the beautiful woman, Han Xiao immediately thought of a name: Lin Zhi.

She accidentally uttered the name, and although her voice was soft, the beauty still heard it. She raised an eyebrow and took a step closer to Han Xiao: "You know me?"

It really is Lin Zhi; Master was right, she's a beauty. Seeing Han Xiao remain silent, Lin Zhi frowned and asked in a clear voice, "What are you doing here?"

Han Xiao quickly replied, "Miss Lin, my name is Han Xiao, and I am Lord Nie's physician and servant."

"I know who you are. I'm asking you, why aren't you taking good care of the young master? What are you doing here?" Lin Zhi pressed again. Her gaze passed over Han Xiao and landed on the branch where the red-headed eagle was perched. Han Xiao turned around following her gaze, but the eagle was nowhere to be seen. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She turned her head and saw Lin Zhi staring at her. This made Han Xiao's heart pound. Her master had said not to pay attention to this beauty, but now it seemed that ignoring her was not an option. Han Xiao replied, "Your master has been bedridden for a long time and feels bored. She ordered me to find some flowers, trees, or small animals to take back and relieve her boredom."

Lin Zhi was taken aback, clearly surprised by the answer: "He..." Her tone softened, "He doesn't like these things. He's probably just feeling depressed because of his illness, and he's being willful and making you run around. If he's really bored, you can go to the study and get some books for him to read. That might help."

After she finished speaking, Han Xiao was stunned. Why did her words reveal her familiarity and closeness to her master? After saying this, Lin Zhi continued, "The divine physician has given an order that no one can visit the young master without his permission. I inquired and found that he has only allowed you to be the young master's personal physician. The young master has always been a bit temperamental and has high standards for things and people. You are so young, I'm afraid you will not be able to get used to it. If you can't stand it, you can come find me. I am in Su Yi Ge, two courtyards past, up this road."

Han Xiao nodded without speaking. Although she was young, she had a lot of experience, and since Nie Chengyan had given her instructions beforehand, she naturally understood the importance of being cautious in her words and actions. After Lin Zhi inquired about her well-being, the topic turned to Nie Chengyan's injuries. Han Xiao simply said that she was not familiar with medical principles, so she did not know the exact nature of his condition, and that the Divine Physician and Doctor Xue would know best.

Lin Zhi remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly: "He has always been proud and self-important. Now that he has suffered such a calamity, I'm afraid he will never regain his former glory."

Her tone was a mix of resentment and sigh, which made Han Xiao feel very uncomfortable. He felt that Lin Zhi was saying, "Look, you used to be so carefree and unrestrained, but now you've fallen from grace." Lin Zhi, of course, was unaware of Han Xiao's thoughts. She changed the subject for a few more minutes and then said, "Taking care of the young master must be difficult. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."

This time, Han Xiao generously said, "Since Miss Lin is so kind, if you have some free time, you could come and help me wash the sheets and blankets. You know how ill the young master is; he's been bedridden for a long time, and he eats, drinks, and relieves himself all in bed. Just washing and cleaning is enough to keep me busy every day. The young master has high standards and likes to give instructions and instructions, so there's just not enough time to wash those dirty sheets."