Shu Ke peut regagner une fortune perdue

Chapitre 38

Outside the window, the rain poured down, and the half-open window panes were blown open by the wind, making the window paper rustle loudly.

Zhang Weiyi's movements were extremely meticulous, with a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead. However, she couldn't maintain her usual faint, half-smiling expression, as if a mask had suddenly shattered into pieces, while her eyes grew even more intense.

Hearing the sudden clap of thunder outside the window, Xu Lianning instinctively hugged him. She heard him chuckle softly in her ear, and he seemed to whisper in a low breath, "Let's pick a date. You should marry me soon..."

Xu Lianning drifted off to sleep, feeling a pair of hands gently stroking her hair. She wanted to open her eyes and say a few words to him, but she was too tired to move. She didn't know how much time had passed when she heard a soft click outside the room. She heard it, but still half-asleep, she didn't pay much attention.

After a moment, she felt Zhang Weiyi shift her body slightly and pull the thin blanket over her before sitting up and getting out of bed. By this time, Xu Lianning was almost fully awake. She opened her eyes and saw him open the door a little bit and slip out.

The rain outside has stopped, and the wind blowing in is damp with moisture, making it exceptionally cool.

Xu Lianning heard a deliberately lowered voice say, "Lord of the Tower." Zhang Weiyi did not respond.

Then came the sound of something falling to the ground. Xu Lianning turned over and looked out the window, where she saw two figures reflected on the window paper, indistinct and vague.

"They came for the sword manual and have been staying in Hangzhou for several days. I don't know what the best course of action is?"

Xu Lianning had felt the man's voice was familiar, and then she realized it was Mo Yunzhi. It seemed the rumor that the Painting Shadow Pavilion was destroyed in the chaos of the capital was rather inaccurate.

Zhang Weiyi casually said, "Release them first, let them leave Hangzhou Prefecture."

Xu Lianning recalled the swordsmanship Zhang Weiyi used to assassinate Liu Junru at the Longteng Post Station villa; it was indeed somewhat unorthodox, and anyone with discerning eyes could tell it was definitely not Wudang swordsmanship. It wasn't surprising that someone had become greedy. And given Zhang Weiyi's ruthless nature, he would never let anyone go so easily. The more he let one person go, the faster news of his presence in Hangzhou would spread. He would release the person now, and then strike once that person left Hangzhou; no one would suspect he was still there.

"By the way, a prefect's son has been causing trouble these past few days. It's not good to mess with government officials, so let's castrate him."

Mo Yunzhi responded softly.

Xu Lianning thought that in the past few days, the son of a prefect had indeed taken advantage of her being a lone woman and often caused trouble. Zhang Weiyi's casual remark was really going to make him suffer.

As she pondered, she began to feel sleepy again and drifted off to sleep peacefully. In her hazy state, she felt the blankets beside her sink slightly, and then she felt someone hug her waist.

It is already autumn, and winter will soon follow.

Winters in Jiangnan are always damp and cold, and the lonely lamp is cold. If there were another person, it would be a little warmer.

Author's Note:

As originally agreed, I'll include half a chapter of the extra chapter.

I've wanted to write the main story of this series for a while now, but I just couldn't figure out how to write it... Sigh, side stories are better...

Side Story: From Now On (Part 2)

The following days were unbearably hot and humid, comparable to the dog days of summer, which is probably what the old folks call the "autumn tiger."

On such a sweltering day, the crisp sound of the pestle and mortar clashing together only added to the oppressive heat. Xu Lianning was forcibly suppressing his irritation as he examined the various herbs remaining in the clinic. Hearing the thumping sounds, he couldn't help but turn around and say, "That's enough for today. No need to grind for tomorrow."

Zhang Weiyi slowly rubbed her wrist, smiled and said, "It's okay, I'm not tired anyway."

Xu Lianning moved her lips, but in the end she didn't say a word. She couldn't stand the noise, so she went to the bookshelf in the corner and pulled out a medical book to calm herself down.

This is understandable, as Lingxuan Palace does not emphasize self-cultivation, unlike the Wudang Sect, which often spends most of the day meditating. The difference in their cultivation levels is evident.

As she turned the page of her book, she heard someone whispering behind her: "Young man, Dr. Xu may be good-looking, but his personality... is really a bit unapproachable. If you keep trying to get close to him, you'll suffer the consequences..."

Xu Lianning gripped the book, and a crease immediately appeared on the page.

Next month, she will definitely fire a few of her employees. She hired help, not gossipy, idle people.

Zhang Weiyi said in a low voice, "I didn't want it to be like this, but it just won't work."

"Look at what you're saying, young man. That's just how relationships are in this world. You've seen through it all, and so have I. In the end, we'll live a peaceful and stable life together. Everyone has their own preferences. Even if we're not close, there will still be times when we're affectionate..." After saying this, he let out a long, melancholic sigh.

Xu Lianning turned around and took a few steps with the medical book in her hands. The few people who were chatting immediately stopped and went off to do their own thing.

Seeing her approach, Zhang Weiyi smiled slightly and said, "You don't seem hot at all." He raised his sleeve to wipe the thin layer of sweat from his cheek and added, "I'll get you a cup of cold tea."

Xu Lianning shook her head: "Go to the courtyard and wipe your face, you're all sweaty..."

Zhang Weiyi looked at her with some surprise, then slowly smiled and said, "Then I'll go rest for a while. Call me if anything else comes up." Xu Lianning watched him walk into the inner room. Not long after, a servant-like man walked into the clinic, looking worried, and said, "Doctor, do you have any good wound medicine? I need the kind that's most effective at stopping bleeding and healing wounds. Price is not a problem."

Xu Lianning looked the man over carefully and asked casually, "Is your master the son of the prefect? Did he get injured while on official business?"

The man stammered a few times, his face becoming increasingly distressed.

Xu Lianning packed a packet of wound powder and handed it over: "This kind of powder is the best to use, but it will inevitably hurt a little the first time you apply it."

The servant paid and hurried away. A shop assistant who was tidying up the medicine cabinet came over and said with an air of importance, "That young master bullied men and women, committed all sorts of evil deeds. Now that Heaven has eyes, it's only right that he's made childless." Another shop assistant who was sweeping the floor also came over and lowered his voice, "I heard it too. This morning, I don't know how, someone broke into that young master's mansion. They didn't even rob him of any money; they just castrated him. And they did it so swiftly, tsk tsk..."

Xu Lianning remained calm: "It's just a rumor, don't take it seriously."

“This is absolutely real, more real than pure gold! Several doctors were called to the door early this morning. If you weren’t a young lady, Miss Xu, we would have called you too.”

Xu Lianning smiled and said, "It's a pity you didn't call me sooner. There might have been another way."

She picked up the medicine powder that Zhang Weiyi had ground most of, ground it a few times, and suddenly thought that if one or two people said she was not easy to get close to, she would not take it seriously at all. But if so many people said she was not easy to get close to, then it was like the wind making a sound and the trees casting shadows.

The evenings are far less sultry than the days.

Xu Lianning came out carrying a roll of things, which she spread out on the table. Rows of silver needles were stuck in it, some as thin as cow hair, and others as thick as hairpins. She patted the chaise longue next to her and said softly, "Weiyi, lie down here."

Zhang Weiyi's expression changed slightly, and she hesitated, saying, "This...it's too late now, we might as well go to sleep early."

Xu Lianning thought to herself to be friendly and smiled gently at him: "What's so late? I remember you have a lot of old injuries. Getting acupuncture a few times now and then will always be good. I'm very accurate at recognizing acupoints, and I will never prick the wrong place."

Zhang Weiyi recalled how she had accidentally pricked the leaky wooden effigy while practicing acupuncture a few days ago, but she still gritted her teeth and slowly lay down on the bed. He had always been resilient, surviving several brushes with death; what was a little acupuncture? Xu Lianning picked up a silver needle, heated it in the candlelight for a while, and suddenly chuckled: "Why are you so nervous? I was just joking. I'm afraid if I accidentally hurt you, where will I find another suitable husband?"

Zhang Weiyi, who was lying on the chaise lounge, chuckled slightly upon hearing this: "So, you're deliberately trying to make fun of me?"

Xu Lianning reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, smiling as she said, "No, I'll massage your shoulder for you. Don't do any heavy work anymore; you need to take good care of your arm."

"Even if my right hand is not as strong as before, it can still be used. Besides, my left arm is perfectly fine, as you have seen. My swordsmanship is still as good as ever."

Xu Lianning raised her hand to massage his shoulder, then suddenly changed the subject: "Let's not talk about your arm for now. Do you remember that young master who came here to cause trouble? He was castrated in his mansion this morning."

Zhang Weiyi turned his head to look at her, a slightly mischievous smile on his face: "Oh? So that's what happened." He paused, then added, as if still not quite sure, "Anyway, whether he's a man or not, nobody cares, right?"

Xu Lianning paused, then continued to knead with varying pressure: "I just suddenly thought, if the other doctors in Hangzhou couldn't cure him this morning, wouldn't this heavy responsibility fall on my shoulders?"

Zhang Weiyi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly sat up and grabbed her wrist: "Lian Ning, if we get together like this, I also want to give you a title. I am no longer a prince, and it is not difficult to marry you properly."

"A proper marriage, hmm, finding a matchmaker isn't hard, but who should we approach to arrange it? You don't mean to ask my own brother to be the matchmaker, do you?"

Zhang Weiyi was taken aback again, and gave a wry smile: "I'm confused too. Our parents are either no longer alive or have given up on us, so there's really no one to talk to."

Xu Lianning leaned forward, resting her chin on his shoulder. "So let's leave it at that. From now on, I'll tell everyone you're my husband, okay?" As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly felt herself lightened; he had lifted her up in his arms. Xu Lianning quickly grabbed his shoulders, exclaiming, "Your arms! Really..."

Zhang Weiyi was very pleased. He walked to the bedside, put her down, gently lifted her chin, and said earnestly, "Lian Ning, I have never cared about a woman like this before. I think you are the only one I can think of."

Xu Lianning was completely unmoved by the sweet words and instead said, "I forgot to mention earlier that Chongxuan wrote to say that he will be coming to Hangzhou to see me in the next couple of days."

The sword light was like water, and the sword energy swept up the leaves of the old locust tree in the courtyard. The man in the green robe fluttered, his sword energy was frosty, and every move he made was smooth and effortless.

Xu Lianning glanced at the courtyard as he passed by and thought to himself, "His swordsmanship is getting better and better."

Seeing her walk by, Zhang Weiyi flicked his sword, sheathed it, and tossed it onto the stone table, expecting praise. But Xu Lianning glanced at him, didn't even pause, and simply walked past. He could only straighten his clothes and go grind the medicine powder himself.

The news that Chongxuan was coming to Hangzhou was not good news for him.

He deliberately went to give her pointers, speculating without any evidence that Chongxuan and Uncle Xu were father and son and that she was his sister. There are many people in this world who look alike, but it just so happened that his offhand remark was accurate. And Chongxuan's impression of his brother-in-law wasn't much better; he'd probably draw his sword on the spot if they met. Therefore, he should practice his swordsmanship, which he'd neglected for too long, so that he could at least put on a show of strength when things turned sour.

As soon as he arrived at the clinic, he saw a carriage parked outside. Chongxuan and a very pale-faced girl got out of the carriage. They were indeed stunned when they saw him, but then pretended not to see him and continued to talk to Xu Lianning in a low voice.

Zhang Weiyi calmly ground the medicinal powder, listening to them talk about what had happened since they parted. He just couldn't understand what was so important about such a trivial matter. Suddenly, he heard the pale-faced girl smile and say to Xu Lianning, "That must be Young Master Yujian, right? It seems my divination for you last time was accurate." This girl was Tang Qin from the Tang Clan.

Xu Lianning smiled slightly: "But you said last time that the person with twins born in the Year of the Sandalwood has a rather incompatible fate with mine. So you were referring to Weiyi?"

Zhang Weiyi's hand slipped, and the pestle and mortar collided with a clear sound.

At this crucial moment, Chongxuan interjected, "Sister Ning, if I stay here for a few days, will it disturb you?"

Zhang Weiyi had just raised her head when she heard Xu Lianning say, "How could that be? Anyway, there are still guest rooms available, so let's just stay here."

He frowned slightly. He had finally managed to gain entry, and now these two were disturbing his peace and quiet. Perhaps because his expression was too strained, Chongxuan could no longer pretend not to see him, so he said politely, "Brother Zhang, we are afraid we will have to trouble you even more."

Zhang Weiyi smiled slightly and said slowly, "How could it be a bother? Just consider these extra rooms as rented out." He thought for a moment, then added with a hint of lingering interest, "The room rate must not be reduced by a single penny."

Chongxuan's face darkened, and with a clang, he drew half of his sword and slammed it onto the cabinet in front of him.

Zhang Weiyi raised his hand and gently touched the blade, slowly pushing the sword into its scabbard bit by bit. The sword was shrouded in a purple aura and azure light, almost shaking the cabinet beneath it apart.

Xu Lianning, unable to bear it any longer, coughed heavily.

Zhang Weiyi let go of her hand, picked up the pestle and continued to slowly grind the medicine.

Chongxuan's lips twitched a few times, and he turned to look at Xu Lianning: "He is not good enough for you at all. I will not acknowledge him as my brother-in-law."

Before Xu Lianning could speak, Zhang Weiyi said slowly, "Since the deed is done, it's better to realize it sooner rather than later."

Side Story: From Now On (Part 2)

Chongxuan immediately turned and left.

Xu Lianning took a sheet of Xuan paper, quickly wrote down a prescription, and placed it in front of him: "Go and get the medicine according to this prescription, and drink the decoction for ten consecutive days."

Zhang Weiyi looked at the prescription and said, "Isn't there too much Coptis chinensis in this prescription?"

Xu Lianning glanced at him: "Good medicine tastes bitter, haven't you heard of that old saying?"

He hesitated for a moment, clutching the prescription, but still obediently went to get the medicine. He could still drink the foul-smelling medicine, but if a cold war broke out, it would seem like it would never end. He considered himself flexible and adaptable, so this was nothing to him.

He took the medicine, turned around and went to the kitchen to brew it. As he walked through the courtyard, he saw a pigeon perched on the wall.

Zhang Weiyi frowned slightly, raised his hand slightly, and the well-trained pigeon flapped its wings and landed on his hand. He removed the bamboo tube tied to the pigeon's leg and casually released the pigeon.

The bamboo tube had three yellow lines on it, which looked quite conspicuous. The yellow ones came from the capital, while the black ones were a secret code used to exchange messages between the painting studios.

Zhang Weiyi leaned against the wooden kitchen door, unsure whether he should open it and take a peek. He wasn't exactly a law-abiding person. If he could choose, he would unhesitatingly choose to rule the world and then part ways with Xu Lianning, if he could choose that.

However, in the end, he lived in seclusion in Jiangnan with Xu Lianning. He felt that things were fine as they were.

He pinched the bamboo tube between two fingers and applied slight force. With a snap, the bamboo tube broke, revealing a thin silk cloth with writing on it inside.

The handwriting on the thin silk was familiar; it was written by the Crown Prince himself. He had been seriously injured in the chaos at Qingshou Temple, and coincidentally, rumors circulated that he had died in the fire. So, he used this opportunity to leave the capital, a place of great turmoil, and came to Jiangnan. During this time, the Crown Prince and Mo Yunzhi knew his whereabouts.

He glanced at the two lines quickly, then the packet of medicine in his hand quietly fell to the ground. After a long while, he bent down to pick up a few pieces of firewood and stuffed them into the stove. As he did this, his hands trembled slightly. After adding the firewood and starting the fire, he forgot to pour the medicine into the purple clay medicine stove.

He paused for a moment, crumpled the thin silk in his hand, and stuffed it into the fire.

Suddenly, Xu Lianning whispered from behind, "Let me do it. You look like this, it's hard for you to even brew medicine."

Zhang Weiyi straightened up abruptly and forced a smile, saying, "I was just thinking that there's too much Coptis chinensis in this, so the taste probably won't be very good."

Xu Lianning pushed him away, bent down to pick up the fire tongs, and poked them into the fire: "You can go out now, I'll watch over things here."