Maestro de la ambigüedad

Capítulo 18

"Let's start again from the beginning." Nie Chengyan seemed determined to keep her reciting the "family precepts" until she finished. Han Xiao pouted and continued reciting, her mind filled with curiosity. Her master dared to be so arrogant towards the princess; this must be more than the first time they'd dealt with each other. The princess she'd seen today was elegant and beautiful, around eighteen years old, and had traveled a long way to see her master, using all sorts of excuses to meet him. She didn't need to think twice; she knew it was most likely related to love.

Han Xiao secretly glanced at Nie Chengyan. In her opinion, her master's appearance had only improved with age; before his injury and poisoning, he must have been extremely handsome and dashing. As for Princess Ruyi, in terms of looks and temperament alone, she and her master were a match made in heaven. However, the man was mean-spirited, and the woman proud; if they were together every day, wouldn't they be causing a ruckus?

As she pondered, she muttered incantations to herself, her eyes fixed on Nie Chengyan, until she finally irritated him. "Come here," he beckoned to her.

Han Xiao pursed his lips, looked at his knees, and asked, "Will you walk or kneel to get there?"

Nie Chengyan's face hardened: "Fly over."

Han Xiao stood up and walked over: "This servant doesn't have wings, so I'll have to walk." Standing in front of him, she asked respectfully, "What are your orders, Master?"

Nie Chengyan stared at her for a long time before finally saying, "Do you know you were wrong?"

Han Xiao bit her lip. Although she was unwilling, it really hurt a lot from kneeling, especially since she had been too impulsive and stubborn when she knelt down so hard. Now her knees were probably bruised. As the saying goes, a wise person knows when to yield, so she decided to accept it.

"This servant knows she was wrong."

Where did we go wrong?

"From now on, I will prioritize avoiding trouble and protecting myself," Han Xiao replied fluently.

Nie Chengyan really didn't believe her words, but he couldn't do anything about it, so he could only ask again, "Did you remember it?"

"I remember, I remember." She nodded vigorously.

"Hmph." Her attitude in admitting her mistake was so good that he had nothing more to say. But he still pressed on: "What on earth were you thinking about just now?"

"I think Princess Ruyi must have taken a fancy to Master."

“You’re not stupid, it’s definitely true.” Nie Chengyan admitted honestly and without any embarrassment. Han Xiao lowered her head. Nie Chengyan glanced at her and continued, “There’s nothing between me and her. Back when Baiqiao City was first established, I needed the court’s power to stabilize and defend the city, so I went to the palace to make connections with some powerful people. That’s when I met her. I only saw her once more afterward, and we didn’t have a deep relationship. But she often sent messages through intermediaries, bringing gifts and words. It was hard not to know her feelings, but I always refused. Later, when I fell in love with Yun’er, she wisely stopped bothering me.” After he finished speaking, he stared at her intently. Han Xiao felt awkward from his explanation, as if she were the one asking the question. She twisted the hem of her clothes and softly said, “Oh.”

"She probably came here because she heard about Yun'er's death and my injury, right?"

"That princess has traveled a long way to visit, and her master won't see her. Aren't you afraid of being blamed? I think that princess has quite a temper." Whether it's romantic or not doesn't matter, but we mustn't offend the court over this.

Nie Chengyan laughed: "Big temper? Is she still yelling about chopping off people's heads all the time?" Han Xiao nodded, and Nie Chengyan tapped her nose: "She won't chop off my head. But do you understand the danger you're in today? Let alone members of the royal family, even those who look ordinary but whose origins are unknown might be somewhat dangerous. So, stay out of things that don't concern you. If you want to lend a hand, your sword has to be strong enough, understand?"

Han Xiao thought about it for a while and finally nodded: "Master, although I don't quite agree, if you explain it to me nicely, I'll be able to understand. This is much better than you glaring at me and shouting."

How dare you openly complain about his temper? Nie Chengyan couldn't help but glare at him again: "You're not comfortable unless you make me angry, are you?"

"My lord is so kind to me, I am so grateful, how could I possibly want to upset you?" Han Xiao said softly, holding his hand. Once she understood the source of Nie Chengyan's anger in making her kneel as punishment, her heart warmed and she was deeply moved.

Her sweet and gentle words softened his heart, and he held her hand tightly, earnestly instructing her: "Xiaoxiao, I used to think that someone could protect another person for a lifetime, but I found that I was wrong. It turns out that things are not always like that. When Yun'er was alive, she was delicate and gentle, and I thought I would be her support for life and would definitely not let her have any accidents. But I never expected that she would die in front of me in the end, and I myself ended up with a crippled leg."

Han Xiao looked at him, her heart pounding. Nie Chengyan continued, "When I told you that I would take care of everything, I meant that when you're out there, don't forget that you have me as your master to back you up. If others bully or harm you, as long as you can protect yourself and return home, I, as your master, will take care of the rest. But you must understand that if you can't come back alive, even if I have money and power, I can't do anything for you anymore."

Han Xiao's eyes welled up with tears, sensing a hidden meaning in his words. She knelt down and said, "This servant has no ability and cannot accomplish great things. But whatever Master wants me to do, I will do my best to fulfill it. I have only one request: if anything happens to me, please take care of Lele. I have no other attachments in this life but this precious little brother. Please grant my request."

"No more attachments?" Nie Chengyan frowned, then became angry again: "Are you giving me your will?"

"No, no." Han Xiao waved her hands frantically. "This servant wants to live well. This is just following what Master said. Life is unpredictable. If something happens, this servant will make things clear beforehand so that I can feel at ease."

The master and servant sat and knelt, their eyes meeting for a long time. Nie Chengyan reached out and pulled Han Xiao into his arms. Han Xiao stiffened for a moment, but finally relaxed and let herself rest on his lap. She felt that at this moment, she and he were of one mind.

“I’m not as heartless as you think, Xiaoxiao.” He stroked her hair, his voice soft: “It’s just that certain things happened, certain people appeared, and the situation had to be this way.”

"Mmm," she replied, snuggling closer to him, somewhat craving his tenderness.

Nie Chengyan added, "I will not agree to anything you ask for. I'm just telling you that if anything happens to you and you can't go home, I will not forgive you."

Han Xiao looked up at him, and he gently brushed the stray hairs from her cheek: "Remember this, if you break my heart, I will not let you off easily."

"I..." Han Xiao didn't know what to say. She felt dizzy; this meaning was so hard to understand. She would never betray or hurt her master, even if it meant death. How could she possibly make him sad?

"Master..." She wanted to express her determination, but for a moment she didn't know how to say it.

She wanted to tell him that he was the most admired person in her heart; she wanted to tell him that although he had a bad temper and a loud voice, she wasn't afraid of him; she wanted to tell him that although he couldn't take care of himself, she was happy to serve him; she also wanted to tell him that she liked him, although she wasn't sure yet, but she felt that he liked her in the same way he liked Yun'er; she also wanted to tell him that every bit of kindness he showed her made her very happy... How could she hurt his heart? Of course not, absolutely not, it was impossible!

She opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything. He looked at her, and she really didn't know how to react. Finally, she smiled at him.

Her laughter made him laugh too. He reached out and pinched her cheek: "You silly girl, you always make me angry." But you are also very annoying! He didn't say the second half of the compliment, but just patted her head and then pulled her onto his lap.

“Master,” she called softly.

He remained silent for a long time before finally saying softly, "Xiaoxiao, let's go back to Cloud Mist Mountain tomorrow."

Alternative gentleness

"tomorrow?"

This sudden decision surprised Han Xiao. Tomorrow was the seventh day of the fifth lunar month, her fifteenth birthday. This day last year was the day she carried her younger brother to Baiqiao City. A year had passed in the blink of an eye, and she had reached the age of marriage. Although she hadn't celebrated her birthday for several years, she had originally planned to stay in Baiqiao City to commemorate this first day of her fifteenth year in secret.

Since Nie Chengyan had said so, she naturally couldn't object. But if she just left like that, what would happen to all these things?

But Nie Chengyan proved his unwavering commitment to his word with his actions. He truly abandoned Princess Ruyi, who was eagerly waiting to meet him, ignored the doctors lining up for the Lucky Star to be stationed at the clinic, and tossed aside the stack of files on his desk. He then returned to Cloud Mist Mountain with Han Xiao and her brother as if nothing had happened.

Before leaving, he did something that surprised and touched Han Xiao. He had the kitchen prepare a bowl of longevity noodles and boil a lot of red eggs. Before getting into the carriage, he took Han Le with him to his courtyard to celebrate her birthday in a simple way.

Han Xiao devoured the entire bowl of noodles, not caring whether she could eat any more. She managed to snatch two of the red eggs back from Han Le, carefully wrapped them in a cloth, and hid them away. She couldn't help but keep smiling; she wanted to keep smiling. Her parents had given her such a good name—no matter what happened, she could face it with a smile.

On the seventh day of the fifth month, Han Xiao, along with his younger brother, returned to Yunwu Mountain with their master, Nie Chengyan.

More than three months after I left, the rock-built house on Yunwu Mountain remained unchanged. It was still the same exquisite three-courtyard house, with flowers in full bloom, trees growing lush and green, and steam rising from the hot spring pool in the backyard. The room furnishings were also exactly the same as when I left.

But Han Xiao's feelings about this mountain had changed. She secretly preferred the Nie family mansion in Baiqiao City, where she could work at a clinic and treat patients. There, she was Miss Han, carefree and at ease, with servants being polite and even Han Le playing happily every day. Back on Yunwu Mountain, it felt like they were locked in a battlefield without bloodshed, and she had to be on her guard.

The third day after they went up the mountain was the tenth day, the day when the old man in the clouds and mist would make his routine house call. Just as Nie Chengyan had promised, Han Xiao carried the divine doctor's medicine box on his back again.

This time, Han Xiao wasn't as apprehensive as she was the first time; she understood the procedures and rules. She listened attentively as the doctors described the patients' conditions and discussed the drug reactions. She realized that the three months she had spent down the mountain had been worthwhile. This time, she could understand most of what they said, and she had a clearer understanding of the names of the drugs and the symptoms, unlike last time when she didn't understand and relied solely on rote memorization.

There were four doctors observing the consultations, and the patients were all suffering from chronic and serious illnesses. The pathology and conditions were quite complex, involving concepts like Yin and Yang, meridians, warmth and coolness, toxins, Qi, blockages, unblocking, purging, and moxibustion. The doctors spoke extremely quickly, while the old man in the clouds answered concisely. Add to that the long strings of medicine names that came out with each prescription, and without genuine skill, one would likely be completely bewildered, listening to gibberish. At this pace, rote memorization seemed impossible. Han Xiao diligently learned while inwardly thanking Nie Chengyan. If it weren't for his arrangement, and without his supervision and guidance, she would truly be a laborer carrying a medicine box. But now, she was absorbing wondrous medical skills rarely seen anywhere else in the world.

The third patient seen today was treated by a doctor named Du Gui. He seemed to be in a bad mood all day, and he looked at Han Xiao with disdain. While Elder Yunwu was taking the pulse, Han Xiao was carefully observing the patient when Doctor Du scolded him: "Get out of the way, what do you know?"

Han Xiao lowered her head and stepped back slightly, waiting for Doctor Du and Elder Yunwu to discuss the matter before stepping forward to observe. Doctor Yan Shan, whom she had seen before, was quite amiable and quietly comforted Han Xiao, telling her not to worry. Han Xiao smiled gratefully; she didn't mind. She had seen many doctors' expressions over the years. What she cared about was learning more. As the doctor was about to leave, she quickly took the patient's hand to check his pulse. Yan Shan turned around, saw this, and smiled slightly at her.

Upon returning to Yanzhu that day, Han Xiao reported his learning experience to Nie Chengyan, carefully inquired about the parts he didn't understand, and then asked him about the situation of the Divine Physician's thirty-eight disciples.

Nie Chengyan answered her questions one by one, but did not ask why she was interested in these doctors. He simply stared at Han Xiao for a long time, his gaze following her as she moved around the room.

Han Xiao felt she understood her master very well. She had thought about it carefully, and realized that her master had said what he wanted a long time ago: he wanted to know the truth. Han Xiao felt that Nie Chengyan also understood her thoughts, so there was no need for questions or answers between them; she would definitely help him uncover the truth.

Not long after she arrived at the mountain, she met Shi Er. Shi Er told her that everything was as expected. Everyone on the mountain knew that she had been studying medicine at the foot of the mountain, and that she had used her miraculous healing skills to save a high-ranking official in the suburbs. Everyone guessed that the divine doctor and the young master had reached a consensus to make Han Xiao their concubine, train her in medicine, and help the young master inherit and take over Yunwu Mountain in the future.

"A concubine?" Han Xiao frowned.

"Could it be the main wife?" Shi Er spat out the grass in his mouth. "The divine doctor wanted you to come and bring him good luck, but first he made you sign a contract to become his maid. What was the purpose of that? It's so that you can only be a concubine at most." He glanced at Han Xiao mysteriously. "I'm telling you, girl, you eat and sleep with the young master. I heard he treats you exceptionally well. You should know what's going on."

Han Xiao picked up a small twig and unconsciously poked at the ground: "I know in my heart that the number in my heart is different from the number you think of."

Shi Er laughed heartily: "You're really interesting. Other girls would either be sad, secretly pleased, or even a little scared. Look at you, you're so calm."

"Don't overthink it, don't let your imagination run wild, and you'll naturally feel at ease."

"Don't take it too hard. There's a lot of resentment about you at the Su Medical Clinic. Last time you carried the legendary doctor's medicine chest, and I heard that you only got off after two days because Doctor Xue was there to guide and protect you. Everyone thought you couldn't carry it, and they were just gossiping about you and watching the show. But they didn't expect that when you came down the mountain, it was the young master who took you to study medicine from scratch, and when you came back up the mountain, you were carrying the legendary doctor's medicine chest again. You know how bad the rumors are going on up there. I'm afraid all the women at the Su Medical Clinic are talking behind your back."

Han Xiao lowered her eyes: "Let them poke. Their hands won't get tired, and it won't hurt me."

Shi Er thought for a moment, then shrugged: "That's true."

"Brother Shi, have you found the culprit for the snake bite you got last time?"

"They investigated but couldn't find anything."

What do you mean?

"The one guarding the snake den said he was drunk that day and thought he had locked the door. I secretly checked, and he really was drunk that day. After we had the accident, he was still fast asleep. There was also a medical servant named Chensha, whom I had beaten up twice before. He was the one who locked me in the medicine storehouse that day. But after he was caught, he said he didn't know there were snakes inside and just wanted to get revenge and play a trick on me."

"All these coincidences?"

“It’s too coincidental, unbelievable, but we can’t find any other clues.” Shi Er scratched his head: “These two criminals were severely punished and sent down the mountain, so we can’t find anything else.”

Han smiled but remained silent. Shi Er continued, "In the months you've been down the mountain, apart from a lot of rumors, there hasn't been any other activity. After my accident, everyone seemed to be wary of me, and no one bothered me. Now that you're back, I'm afraid danger is coming."

Is danger approaching? What could it be? Han Xiao prepares herself mentally every day, but apart from cold stares, probing, alienation, and fawning, she hasn't really encountered anything major.

On the other hand, Nie Chengyan seemed to care about her more and more. Whenever she went out, he would always ask where she was going and how long she would be gone. If she came back late, he would be unhappy.

People still secretly came to report various matters to Nie Chengyan every day, and Han Xiao finally realized that it was Huo Qiyang and He Ziming. Unlike in Baiqiao City, where Nie Chengyan didn't let her serve him and listen attentively, every time someone came, he would make her wait outside or send her away. At first, Han Xiao didn't understand, but as time went on, she realized that everyone on the mountain was investigating her movements and status. She understood that Nie Chengyan's actions were just a bluff, keeping everyone guessing about what was really going on in the mountain, and what her relationship was with her master. Thinking this way, she felt much better.

The so-called danger never materialized, and Han Xiao lived an exceptionally fulfilling life. Every two months, Nie Chengyan would take her and Han Le down the mountain for a short stay before returning. Studying medicine, seeing patients, serving her master, and taking care of her younger brother constituted Han Xiao's entire life. Her medical skills improved daily, earning her some reputation down the mountain, but she was met with considerable disdain on the mountain. After all, being a "miracle doctor" was associated with good fortune, and those on the mountain who disliked her could easily be dismissed as a lucky but incompetent fool. Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Han Le's illness has not made any substantial progress. His legs have regained some strength, but he will collapse again after walking only a few steps. Fortunately, his physical condition is getting better and better, and there is no longer any danger to his life, which makes Han Le very happy.

Nie Chengyan was in a similar situation; his health was gradually recovering, but unfortunately, he could no longer walk. Han Xiao grew increasingly close to him, sometimes understanding each other's intentions with just a glance, without even speaking. Han Xiao had heard the rumors Shi Er had spread. People said she had long been a concubine, waiting for the right moment for the divine physician to approve her becoming a mistress. There were also rumors that the divine physician wanted to marry his son a principal wife first, and then make Han Xiao his concubine, and that he had even shown the son a photo album of girls. This was what Shi Er had told her, but Han Xiao had never seen any photo album, nor had she heard Nie Chengyan mention it. Of course, she dared not ask.

One day, Han Xiao went down the mountain. Her acupuncture needles were worn out and she needed to get a new set. Coincidentally, a patient was also going down the mountain that day, so Han Xiao took a carriage into the city to pick up her needles from a craftsman's shop. She also happened to meet a female patient she knew who was suffering from severe menstrual cramps. Han Xiao examined her and prescribed a remedy.

This reminded Han Xiao of how she had overexerted herself a few days ago, resulting in painful and cold periods during her menstrual cycle. She had been so engrossed in studying medicine that she had neglected her own health. That night, she couldn't sleep due to the pain, which angered Nie Chengyan. He berated her and ordered her to come to him. She groaned, clutching her stomach, and bent over to get to his bedside, where he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

He channeled his inner strength, his large, warm palms pressing against her stomach, letting her curl up in his arms. He scolded, "Don't think I'm being kind to you. You're yelling in pain in the middle of the night, keeping me awake too. Try doing that again, and I'll definitely beat you up."

Han Xiao wanted to argue that she had been gritting her teeth and not crying out in pain, but the way he scolded her actually made her feel happy. Plus, she was too weak to do anything, so she simply shut her mouth and closed her eyes, letting him scold her to his heart's content. His embrace was warm, as were his hands. Lying there, enveloped by his breath, her lower abdomen felt warm and the stomach pain subsided. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she was about to fall asleep. She took a break and didn't climb back into her own bed, and surprisingly, he didn't kick her out.

Han Xiao blushed as she thought about that night. The sun was setting in the west. Carrying her medicine box, she hurried towards Yan Zhu. Suddenly, she longed to see him. She had been gone for most of the day; he was probably stern and unhappy again. She couldn't help but laugh. How could her master be so gentle when he was scolding her fiercely?

Just two more turns at the next intersection and you'll see Yanzhu. But then Han Xiao saw Doctor Yan Shan rushing towards the back mountain. He looked anxious and called out to Han Xiao, "Miss Han, hurry! I was just worried about not being able to find anyone else. A medicine servant in the back mountain has fallen and is in critical condition. Come with me to save him!"

Danger at the bottom of the cliff

Upon hearing this, Han Xiao hurriedly followed Yan Shan. The two traveled quickly, circling around to the back mountain, a place lush with vegetation and rarely visited by people. Han Xiao had only heard that some rare medicinal herbs growing on cliffs were harvested here, but they were extremely rare. If someone were injured here, it would be difficult to find them. Therefore, Han Xiao felt very fortunate that Yan Shan had brought people to rescue the injured person.

Yan Shan rushed to the edge of a steep cliff and shouted down, "Hold on a little longer, we'll find a way to get you up right away."

Han Xiao also walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down to see what was going on. What she saw was a steep, deep, and long slope, seemingly bottomless, overgrown with trees and grass, with no sign of anyone. Just as Han Xiao was about to ask, "Where is the injured person?", she suddenly heard a loud shout from afar: "Miss Han, be careful!"

Before Han Xiao could react, a tremendous force suddenly shoved her from the side. Startled, she couldn't dodge and was pushed down the steep slope. In that terrifying instant, she caught a glimpse of Yan Shan's vicious posture out of the corner of her eye; his fierce expression astonished her. But there was no time for her to think. The mountainside spun before her eyes, and she fell headfirst, tumbling down the cliff.

Stumbling and falling, her body aching terribly, Han Xiao instinctively clung to the cliff face, trying to grab onto something. A fleeting image flashed through her mind: Nie Chengyan's stern face, his words telling her to remember to get home safely. A tree branch slowed her fall; in her desperate moment, she clung to it, the medicine box slipping from her arm and tumbling down the cliff face until it disappeared from sight.

Han Xiao took a breath and composed herself. She could faintly hear the sounds of arguing and fighting from the cliff above. The branches beneath her swayed and cracked, as if they couldn't bear her weight and were about to break. Han Xiao dared not move, but quickly surveyed her surroundings. The tree she was clinging to was growing on the cliff face, surrounded by short, tall grasses that couldn't support her weight. Further away were some vines, which looked fairly thick, but if she wanted to climb them, she would have to go further.

Han Xiao hesitated. She could abandon the branch beneath her; the vine might not even support her weight, and she'd have to move to climb again. But if she didn't move, the branch seemed about to break. After much deliberation, Han Xiao's hands trembled with fear. She tried to move forward, and with a snap, the branch beneath her dropped. Han Xiao didn't dare cry out, only silently praying, "Father, Mother, protect your daughter, protect your daughter." She tried to turn her head to look at the branch; it was covered in grass and leaves, showing no sign of breakage. Han Xiao closed her eyes, and heard another snap. This time, she couldn't hesitate any longer. She dared not make any sudden movements and could only stretch out her arm to reach the vine.

The vines swayed incessantly as she touched them with her fingertips, always just a little short of grasping them. Han Xiao moved forward slightly more, the branches beneath her weighing her down heavily. She took a deep breath and murmured, "Master, protect me, protect me, I want to go home, I want to go home." This time, her fingertips just managed to hook onto a vine, but in that instant, a sharp "snap" rang out, and Han Xiao felt a lightness beneath her as she plummeted downwards. She finally screamed, her hands flailing wildly in panic. After falling a short distance, she managed to grab a vine, but before she could even feel relieved, the vine snapped, and she fell again, this time finding herself in a tangled web of several vines.

Han Xiao steadied herself, gripping a vine tightly with both hands. She looked around to make sure the spot was sturdy enough to support her, and just as she felt a little relieved, she turned her head and saw a skeleton facing her, its two large, dark eye sockets seemingly still aware of its presence, staring at her. Han Xiao was still terrified; the shock caused her to scream loudly.

Amid her screams, two agonizing cries came from above, accompanied by boulders and mud as two bodies tumbled down the cliff, brushing past Han Xiao as they rolled down the slope. After a series of loud thuds and crashes, silence finally fell.