Maestro de la ambigüedad

Capítulo 27

"Divine Physician," Han Xiao straightened her back, raised her head, and said loudly, "Although I am an orphan, I am truly dedicated and have a heart for healing and saving lives. If your praise of me was sincere, then you should be grateful to have such a talented physician as your apprentice, ensuring your skills will not be lost. This would be a blessing for you. If your praise was false, then you are worried about your grandson's future happiness and had to lie to set a trap. Your good intentions are truly touching." Her sarcasm made the old man of the Cloud Mist frown, but Han Xiao did not stop. She continued, "However, people are not animals. If there is affection, titles and ceremonies are meaningless. If there is no affection, even after bowing to heaven and earth, there will only be lifelong resentment. Divine Physician, no matter how skilled you are, can you control people's hearts? I may not be fortunate enough to marry a master, but what does that have to do with your medical skills?"

The old man in the clouds remained silent for a long time, finally asking in a deep voice, "So, will you make this vow or not?"

Han Xiao sneered: "Divine Physician, I am but a lowly servant, and I understand that you look down on me. But my master is your own grandson. Why must you insult him like this? If everyone around my master can be at your beck and call, and you can dictate what they can and cannot do for him, then his life would be far too pathetic. Divine Physician, even though I am just a servant and have never considered marrying you, if I have the will, I will remain devoted to you, regardless of status, medical skills, or money. So what if I am just a servant?"

Han Xiao couldn't understand the old man's expression, but at this moment she felt indignant for Nie Chengyan. It wasn't because he wouldn't let her marry Nie Chengyan; she had never dared to think that she could marry her master. But it was this old man's way of trying to control everyone and his attitude of trying to control Nie Chengyan's entire life that made her furious.

"Since you've never intended to marry him, what's so difficult about making a vow?"

"It's not difficult, it's just that Han Xiao is unwilling."

The old man in the clouds narrowed his eyes: "You dare to disobey me? Aren't you afraid I'll send you and your brother down the mountain and stop treating your brother's illness?"

"I'm afraid," Han Xiao answered loudly and clearly. "But I'm even more afraid of losing my conscience. My brother and I went through so much trouble to come to Yunwu Mountain to seek medical treatment, not to learn scheming and betrayal. I never thought of marrying my master, but I absolutely cannot agree to make this absurd vow to my teacher behind his back."

“If you can’t make a vow behind his back, then it’s better to do everything according to his wishes, right?” The old man in the clouds and mist didn’t change his expression, but his tone was meaningful.

Han Xiao felt as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe. After thinking for a moment, she softened her voice and said, "Divine Doctor, Han Xiao has never thought of marrying Master, and Master would never look at a young girl like me. Divine Doctor, you don't need to worry. Han Xiao doesn't have to learn your medical skills, but please be kinder to Master."

The old man in the clouds seemed surprised by her sudden softening. He pursed his lips, as if deep in thought, and finally uttered a barely audible sentence: "Didn't I want to be nicer to him?"

Han Xiao was a little confused and didn't understand what he meant. She came out in a daze and met the concerned eyes of Huo Qiyang and He Ziming. She said, "I'm fine. It's just that the divine doctor had some words for me to pass on to my master."

That night, Nie Chengyan rushed up the mountain in a panic, only to find Han Xiao sitting peacefully in her room, lost in thought. He was relieved. Han Xiao didn't see Han Le; she'd heard that he didn't want to return and had stayed at the Nie residence under the care of Steward Chen. Han Xiao was surprised. Nie Chengyan felt a little guilty under her gaze: "Lele is old enough to be curious about everything. He likes to learn how to manage things from Steward Chen, which isn't a bad thing. His illness isn't serious; I've arranged for the household to take good care of him, so don't worry. He's smart; if he learns some skills, I can give him some tasks to do in the future."

Hearing this, Han Xiao was deeply moved. She had only ever thought about getting her younger brother back to health as soon as possible, but she had never really considered his future livelihood. She had studied medicine herself, but she had neglected her brother. Now that Nie Chengyan was thinking of them like this, how could she not be grateful?

"Tell me, what does that old man want to do?" Nie Chengyan was quite concerned about this. Upon hearing the news, he quickly made arrangements to go up the mountain.

Han Le's illness has greatly improved. Nie Chengyan found a skilled and discreet doctor to remove the tiny needles implanted in his acupoints. These needles had been controlling Han Le's legs, creating the illusion that his illness hadn't improved. Now that they've been removed, he's fine. However, Han Le hasn't walked for a long time and needs time to practice. He insists that when he sees his sister again, he must run to her and hug her. So, he stayed at the Nie residence at the foot of the mountain to practice his legwork, while Nie Chengyan rushed back.

Han Xiao recounted everything the old man in the clouds had said, but omitted the part about making her swear never to marry him. For her, marrying her master was impossible, and she found it difficult to say. If she said she would never make such a vow, she was afraid that Nie Chengyan would misunderstand and think that she had some bad intentions or improper thoughts towards him.

Nie Chengyan breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. He had thought the old man was up to some new trick to punish Xiaoxiao, but it turned out to be just this. But now the old man was repeating the same old tune—was he making arrangements for his funeral?

"Xiaoxiao, you really want to learn his medical skills, don't you?"

"No, no, this servant does not wish to learn."

Nie Chengyan looked at her and smiled: "Lying."

Han Xiao pouted: "This servant does not want to learn like this. This servant does not want my master to do things he does not want to do just to please me."

"Am I unwilling?" Nie Chengyan thought. Perhaps a few years ago, he truly was unwilling; he loathed this mountain and didn't want to stay for even a moment. But now that Xiaoxiao was in the mountain, everything seemed different.

If she could stay with him all the time, he would be willing to stay on this mountain. She wanted to study medicine so much, so he took over this mountain so she could study medicine and use its resources to treat people. She would definitely be happy.

"Master?" Han Xiao saw that he didn't speak, and his expression was ambiguous, so she didn't know what he was planning. In any case, she made up her mind that she would never be an accomplice of Elder Yunwu, and she would never do anything that displeased her master.

"Xiaoxiao, let's test the old man's sincerity first."

"Huh?" Han Xiao was surprised. He watched as Nie Chengyan called Huo Qiyang over and instructed him, "Go to the old man and tell him it was me who said this. See how sincere he is in wanting to take Xiaoxiao as his disciple. He should at least show some appreciation, right?"

Huo Qiyang accepted the order and left. Han Xiao was shocked: "Master, what is this? I don't want to learn his medical skills, really. I've already learned quite a lot, I'm satisfied, I don't want to learn his."

"Xiaoxiao, you're such a silly girl. If he wants me to inherit this mountain, he'll use some other method if not today. Rather than waiting for him to change his tactics, we might as well accept this benefit from him."

"But Master said he didn't want to continue in Cloud Mist Mountain, which is why he built Hundred Bridges City. Master doesn't have to force himself to do things he doesn't want to do."

"Xiaoxiao, people always have experiences and changes. Things are different now. I've come to terms with it. The mountains have changed a lot in the past two years, and I'm willing to take over the mountain."

Han Xiao was surprised that the old man of Yunwu had actually guessed correctly. Nie Chengyan continued, "The old man has grudges in the desert. He said he has been in seclusion for many years, but that's probably a lie. I guess he has something to say about his affairs after his death. Yunwu Mountain is indeed useful. Rather than letting his disciples waste it, it wouldn't be a bad thing for me to take it over and manage it together with Baiqiao City."

"Making arrangements for his funeral?" Han Xiao felt that the divine physician was truly pathetic. In the end, all he cared about was whether his property and relatives would stay, and whether any women of unsuitable status would covet his grandson. He had left nothing good behind in his life. However, since Nie Chengyan had said so, she felt relieved. Her master's decision had nothing to do with her studying medicine, so she didn't need to feel guilty.

Huo Qiyang returned quickly, bringing back two large, thick booklets. Nie Chengyan smiled when he saw them. "Xiaoxiao, these are the old man's own study notes. He never lets anyone see them. I've always felt that he held back a bit when teaching his apprentices; he only taught them other people's medical books, but rarely revealed his own research insights."

"How did the master know about this notebook?"

"He wanted to teach me back then..." Nie Chengyan stroked the booklet, seemingly lost in memories of the past. Han Xiao looked at his expression and felt a little sad.

Nie Chengyan handed her both booklets: "Take a good look at them. He's willing to share these with you because he's willing to teach you his most treasured skills."

"Really?" Han Xiaozhen was somewhat incredulous.

Nie Chengyan was amused by her expectant yet timid expression: "Learn as much as you can. With me here, you won't suffer any losses. Just study with peace of mind."

Han Xiao took the booklet, glanced at a couple of pages, and became engrossed, standing there dumbfounded, flipping through it. She only noticed Nie Chengyan after he coughed several times. Looking up, she heard him say, "I only have one request."

Han Xiao's heart skipped a beat. Remembering the oath the old man in the clouds had made her take, she cautiously asked, "What are the requirements?"

Nie Chengyan stared intently at her for a while, thinking to himself, "You must stay with me for life." But then he realized that was a bit frightening. He hadn't even expressed his love yet, and saying that might scare the young girl. Besides, he had her indenture, a lifelong contract that meant she had to stay with him for life. Then he thought, "I should say, 'If I don't agree, you can't marry anyone else.'" But that was too domineering and harsh, and he was afraid it would disgust her.

After thinking it over and over, he still couldn't figure out how to phrase his request appropriately. After staring at Han Xiao for a long while, his face flushed, he cleared his throat and waved his hand: "I'll tell you when I think of something."

After waiting for several days, Nie Chengyan finally received news from down the mountain, confirming that the Old Man of Cloud Mist had indeed sent people to investigate the desert and intended to go there. This confirmed Nie Chengyan's guess that the old man did indeed intend to leave the mountain. So he took Han Xiao with him to talk to the old man about learning medicine and taking over Cloud Mist Mountain. Since he was determined to leave, he should hurry up and have him teach Xiao Xiao more medical skills.

Of the three, Han Xiao was the most nervous, feeling guilty and flustered about the oath. Nie Chengyan reassured her by squeezing her hand, but Han Xiao glanced at the old man in the clouds and mist. Sure enough, he was staring at their hands, so Han Xiao quickly pulled away and respectfully took a step back.

Nie Chengyan figured she was probably wary of the old man, but he didn't take it seriously. He figured with him there, what could the old man do, no matter how ruthless he was? Their conversation went relatively smoothly, with both grandfather and granddaughter seemingly inclined to compromise. The old man requested that the rules of Yunwu Mountain be preserved, and Nie Chengyan agreed. After all, the poor received treatment at the foot of the mountain, and the rich received treatment on the mountain; Xiaoxiao could go up and down the mountain freely without any unpleasantness.

Nie Chengyan's condition was that Xiaoxiao wouldn't become an apprentice; he didn't want her to end up like the old man's other disciples. However, even without formal apprenticeship, the old man would still diligently impart his skills, and Xiaoxiao could read all of his collected medical books, classics, and notes. The old man in the misty clouds agreed.

The two were very in sync regarding the details of the conversation, and they talked quickly, seemingly nearing the end. Han Xiao felt a little more at ease. But before she could settle down for a moment, the Cloud Mist Elder suddenly said to Nie Chengyan, "Since I might not be able to leave seclusion, should we get your marriage arranged first?"

Nie Chengyan had been severely harmed by this old man in this matter, hence his strong reaction: "I will not marry anyone, you don't need to worry about it."

"You won't marry anyone?" The old man in the clouds frowned slightly, turning the teacup in his hand. "I'm worried about you. I'll make sure this time it suits your taste."

"Don't pretend to be kind. My life will be fine without your interference. I don't need any of your arrangements."

"No, I am still your grandfather, and I shall make the decision about your marriage." The old man Yunwu's attitude was unusually firm.

Nie Chengyan was furious and slammed his hand on the armrest of the chair: "Are you trying to make me lose my temper? You killed Yun'er, and now you want to send some random woman over? Let me tell you, don't even dream about it. I will never marry her."

"You have to marry her whether you want to or not. The arrangements I've made for you are naturally the best for you."

Enraged, Nie Chengyan slammed his hand down on the table in front of him, sending it shattering into pieces. He said sternly, "I swear, if I ever marry the person you've arranged for me, I'll treat this table like this..."

"Master, please don't." Han Xiao was already in tears. She didn't want her master to make a poisonous oath. How could there be such a cruel ending? She didn't want Nie Chengyan to suffer either. If Elder Yunwu insisted on someone making a poisonous oath to satisfy him, then let her do it. "Divine Physician, Han Xiao has said that she has no intention of marrying up to you. Now that you have made it clear that you have no intention of marrying anyone, why do you have to force me? I swear that I will never marry you, otherwise, we'll meet like this. Isn't that enough? Please don't force your master."

Upon hearing this, Nie Chengyan felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. He was jolted awake and realized that he had fallen into a trap.

The room was silent. Nie Chengyan stared at the inscrutable old man with a livid face. Han Xiao wiped away her tears, at a loss for what to do.

After a long pause, Nie Chengyan said in a voice that was barely containing his anger, "Xiaoxiao, let's go back."

Han Xiao had walked the road from the clinic to Yanzhu countless times, but never before had it felt so long and arduous. After finally managing to push Nie Chengyan back to Yanzhu, Huo Qiyang and the others, seeing Nie Chengyan's expression, immediately and astutely retreated far away, leaving Han Xiao alone to await his fate.

Han Xiao was terrified, but she dared not leave or get close to him, remaining frozen in place. Nie Chengyan sat there with a dark expression, and after a long while, suddenly roared, "Come here!"

Han Xiao timidly approached, not knowing why. She had never been so afraid of her master before. Logically speaking, her mistake wasn't that serious, was it? But her master's anger terrified her, and she didn't dare to utter a word.

She went over and stood beside his chair. Nie Chengyan glared at her, then fell silent, just staring at her. Han Xiao finally couldn't hold back any longer and said in a trembling voice, "Master..."

Before she could finish speaking, Nie Chengyan suddenly grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. Han Xiao's vision blurred, and she screamed in fright. She had already fallen into Nie Chengyan's arms and was being held tightly by him. Before she could say anything, she heard Nie Chengyan say, "Let that old bastard and his poisonous oath go to hell." Her head was held in place, his face pressed down, and his lips kissed hers firmly.

Author's Note: Ta-da! Big breakthrough! Are you all satisfied?

Love

Han Xiao's heart pounded. The soft yet fiery touch on her lips was Nie Chengyan's. Han Xiao had never known that intimacy between a man and a woman could feel like this, so intense it felt like she was burning and melting.

She shouldn't have, she absolutely shouldn't have had such contact with her master. Han Xiao understood this, but her body felt weak and her heart was racing. Should she pull away? What should she do?

Nie Chengyan gave her no chance to hesitate or back down. He lingered on her lips, holding the back of her head tightly, quickly deepening the kiss. When his tongue touched hers, it finally startled her. Han Xiao reached out to push Nie Chengyan away, but couldn't move him; instead, he held her even tighter. He no longer probed gently, but began to forcefully tease and entwine her lips and tongue. Han Xiao pushed again, but Nie Chengyan remained unmoved. Han Xiao became a little anxious, clenching her fist and punching his shoulder, only to be given a warning light bite on the lips by Nie Chengyan.

He took advantage of her and then bit her? Han Xiao's initial panic and confusion had subsided. This Nie Chengyan's relentless pursuit of her was truly infuriating.

She bit back, and Nie Chengyan cried out in pain, letting go of her mouth. He stared at her in surprise: "You dare to bite me?"

She glared at him back: "Didn't you bite me too, Master?" As soon as she finished speaking, her face turned red, and she lost her temper, softening under his gaze.

Her posture amused him. He stroked her flushed face with his knuckles and said with a roguish grin, "Then you should bite me harder, preferably leaving a wound or something, so that if anyone asks, I can tell them that it was my Xiaoxiao who bit me."

What nonsense are you spouting? Han Xiao frowned and glared at him, but her flushed face, pink lips, and large, watery eyes that were full of charm, showed no sign of any imposing manner.

Nie Chengyan grew even more smug under her glare. Having broken through this final barrier, he had no more scruples. Whoever or whatever stood in his way, he would simply be swept aside. He had been too hesitant and overthinking things, which had given the old man an opening.

Now, provoked by the old man, he's come to his senses. Nothing else matters. Whether she likes him or not, whether they're the same type of person—all that can be dealt with gradually. He simply loves her and wants her by his side; therefore, she is his. He's always been a strong-willed person; once he's made up his mind and gets going, no one can say no.

She was in his arms, soft and fragrant. He teased, "Aren't you going to bite me? Otherwise, let me bite you. I'll leave a wound. If anyone asks tomorrow, you can tell them it was your master who bit you."

Han Xiao bit her lip, feeling both ashamed and annoyed. Her feelings were completely different from his; she couldn't understand how he could go from a furious outburst to acting like a rogue and unreasonable person in the blink of an eye. Both grandfather and granddaughter were the same—kind one moment and ruthless the next, their thoughts unpredictable. The old man was afraid she'd climb the social ladder, forcing her to swear an oath; was the young one just being defiant and trying to provoke her?

Han Xiao snapped out of the initial embarrassment of being forcibly kissed, and now felt a chill in her heart. Was she, as a servant, destined to be tormented like this?

Nie Chengyan was hoping she would act coquettish and annoyed, and bicker with him, but instead he saw her body gradually stiffen, and her face looked aggrieved and on the verge of tears. He sat up straight nervously and reached out to rub her cheek: "What's wrong? What kind of bullshit oath did you make to that old man? I haven't even cried yet, what are you acting so aggrieved about?"

Han Xiao reached out to push him off his lap again, but he wouldn't let go. Han Xiao bit her lip and pursed her lips, remaining silent. Nie Chengyan grew impatient and pinched her chin, turning her face towards him: "Speak, what are you thinking?"

“Even if you’re arguing with the divine physician, you shouldn’t treat your servant so lightly,” Han Xiao said, straightening her back as she spoke.

"Me, arguing with an old man?" Nie Chengyan's temper flared up again.

Han Xiao gritted her teeth: "This servant may be of lowly status, and this servant admires Master, but this servant has never thought of climbing the social ladder by climbing up to Master. The Divine Physician made this servant swear an oath, just to ensure that Master is not tainted by this servant's status. It is one thing for the Divine Physician to look down on this servant, but why must Master also make fun of this servant? This servant is still a person of flesh and blood, and this servant also... also has dignity."

Nie Chengyan was dumbfounded. He was so infatuated with her that he was completely distracted, but she was talking to him about dignity. What on earth was going on?

He sighed, leaned over and pecked her: "Studying medicine has made you stupid." He kissed her again and said, "That Su Medical Clinic is full of women, and the old man really doesn't want me to get involved with any of them. Wouldn't it be more effective if I provoked them all just to spite him?"

Seeing her dazed and confused reaction, he bit her lip: "The old man has the sharpest eyes. He doesn't force anyone else, but he specifically comes to force you. Don't you understand?"

Her cheeks were flushed, whether from embarrassment or anxiety, making them look rosy and tempting to him. He pinched one cheek and took a bite: "I've been trying so hard to please you these past few days, don't you understand?"

These words made her want to refute them. He wasn't trying to please her in every way; he just had less temper and was more serious in his words and actions. Just as she was about to speak, he pressed his finger to her lips and said again, "There's always been a rumor in these mountains that you're my concubine. Logically, given how close we are and how much I like you, why haven't I taken you into my household? Do you know why?"

She understood what the maidservant meant, so she blushed and shook her head.

He gazed at her for a long time, so long that she almost became lost in his eyes, and then she heard him softly say, "I can't bear to part with you."

She couldn't bear to part with him. Han Xiao had never experienced romantic love before, so she had never heard sweet words before, but the words "couldn't bear to part with him" moved her deeply.

He said he couldn't bear to see her suffer, couldn't bear to see her unhappy, couldn't bear to see her become someone else... He couldn't bear it, and she was actually moved by his reluctance.

"With your temperament, you're hardly fit to be a servant. You speak loudly, talk back, and are stubborn. If you hadn't met a kind master like me, you would have been beaten up and thrown out long ago." What he said made some sense, but all the masters she had met were good ones. If you really compared them, his temper was the worst. But she didn't say anything. She buried her head in his chest and listened to him list the benefits of being with him.

“If you like studying medicine, I will let you study medicine. Whatever herbs you want, I can give you. If you like treating people, I have a whole city of clinics for you to choose from.” He paused, “Although I don’t run a butcher shop, I can still make sure you and your brother have meat to eat every meal…” She laughed when she heard this, which made him pinch her waist.

"Tell me yourself, am I good to you or not?"

"Okay," she replied obediently.