"I'm fine!" Song Hao said weakly.
"I'm relieved that you're alright!" Tang Yu felt a little relieved.
"Oh, by the way, your father came by," Tang Yu said.
"What is he here for?" Song Hao said coldly.
"He came to apologize to Grandpa. Kneeling before Grandpa, he recounted the entire plan from fifteen years ago: the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect used their son as bait to infiltrate the Song family and steal their skills," Tang Yu said softly.
"What? He confessed everything to Grandpa!" Song Hao exclaimed in surprise. This matter greatly surprised him.
"Yes, and you said your mother was so upset by you that she fell ill, otherwise you would have come with her to apologize. What happened? How did you upset Aunt Du so much that she fell ill?" Tang Yu asked.
"She's fallen ill!" Song Hao's eyes dimmed, and he lowered his head in guilt. Then his gaze sharpened, and he said, "They did everything. They deserved it! Did that Qi Yannian admit to Grandpa what he did to Uncle Song Gang?"
Tang Yu turned around and glanced into the courtyard, then whispered, "Keep your voice down. He hasn't admitted to it, nor has he said anything about it."
Song Hao snorted coldly and said, "I doubt he would dare to admit to this. What's the use of just admitting to stealing the technique?"
When Song Hao entered the house, he saw his grandfather reading a newspaper with a calm expression.
“Grandpa!” Song Hao stepped forward, knelt down, and bowed his head without saying a word.
"Song Hao, what are you doing? Get up quickly." Song Zihe tried to help him up.
"Grandpa, please let me kneel before you," Song Hao said, his voice choked with emotion.
“You silly child, your father came at noon and explained everything to me. The Qi family had good intentions, and I have already forgiven them. Besides, this matter had nothing to do with you at first; you were just a child then, what could you know? Tang Yu, help him up, I have something to say to you,” Song Zihe said.
Tang Yu helped Song Hao sit on the sofa, and Song Hao said guiltily, "Grandpa, I'm really sorry."
“Sigh! My child, as I’ve said before, I’ve already forgiven your parents. Sending disciples from our sect to sneak into other people’s homes to steal their skills is an old-fashioned custom, and it’s not entirely wrong. You don’t need to feel guilty about this. I heard that the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect was forced to do this to fulfill the last wish of an ancestor,” Song Zihe said, putting down his newspaper.
"But Grandpa..." Song Hao was about to say something in his excitement. Tang Yu secretly nudged him with her finger. Song Hao then lowered his head and remained silent.
“Song Hao!” Song Zihe sighed and said, “Actually, when you came back last time and told me that you met Qi Yannian from the Tianyi Sect, who is also your father, I basically knew the reason for this. The Qi family of the Tianyi Sect has really gone to great lengths. So many years have passed and they still haven’t given up on the Nine Needles of Rejuvenation. They are quite persistent.”
"What! Grandpa already knew back then?" Song Hao asked in surprise.
“Indeed! I understood as soon as the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect appeared. Your great-grandfather mentioned this to me when he was alive, and also told me to keep an eye on the Qi family. I never expected them to carry out such a far-sighted plan. It’s truly remarkable! It’s both lamentable and laughable that the descendants of the Qi family would have their own offspring disguised as orphans to fulfill the last wish of their ancestor, your great-grandfather Qi Liang. The price is far too high. It’s just that you’ve suffered.” Song Zihe shook his head.
Volume Two: The World of Traditional Chinese Medicine - Tianyi Hall, Chapter Fourteen: Grudges and Enmities
"Song Hao! Your father has already come to explain to me and admitted his mistake. He disregarded his status as the head of the Tianyi Sect and the chairman of the Tianyi Group to apologize to me, which is enough to prove his sincerity. It's nothing serious, so don't overthink it. As I've said before, some things may seem man-made, but they are actually ordained by fate. Although this matter has resolved the Qi family's issue, it has also benefited my Song family. So, in a way, it's a win-win situation. I heard from your father that you and your mother had a fight, which made her sick. This is really not right. Even Grandpa doesn't care, so why are you making a fuss? This is also a bad habit of self-importance in the medical field. As long as you encounter someone who can use this skill to help the world, you should pass it on to them."
“However, there’s a story behind why your great-grandfather didn’t pass on the Nine Needles of Rejuvenation to the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect when they asked him to. It’s a story that’s little known to most people. Let me tell you about it,” Song Zihe said.
Song Hao felt grateful for his grandfather Song Zihe's magnanimity and exchanged a smile with Tang Yu.
Tang Yu asked curiously, "Grandpa, I've heard some of Song Hao's great-grandfather's stories before. How come he had a connection with the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect? What's the story behind that?"
"It's a long story, but it's related to this matter, so I'll tell you both. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the chance, and I wouldn't want to tell you either." Song Zihe took a sip of tea and continued, "Back then, my father, Song Hao's great-grandfather Song Jingchun, was already a highly skilled physician in his youth. He traveled the world as a healer, saving lives and doing good deeds, earning him the title of 'Medical Knight.' At that time, Qi Liang, the head of the Tianyi Sect, had a daughter named Qi Yun. Although she was a girl, she had mastered the art of medicine, especially gynecology. Moreover, she was stunningly beautiful. There was a saying in the martial arts world: 'Marry a daughter of the Qi family of the medical sect, and your family will be safe and sound for generations.' Even wealthy and noble men fell ill and died without heirs. This beautiful Qi Yun of the medical sect captivated countless young masters and nobles."
"Once, Qi Yun was invited by a wealthy family in Hangzhou to treat the lady of the house. The woman was suffering from metrorrhagia, with continuous bleeding that threatened her life. Although Qi Yun prescribed medicine, it could only temporarily prolong her life, but could not completely stop the bleeding. At that time, I heard that my father, Song Jingchun, was passing through Hangzhou, so I went to the inn where he was staying to seek his advice. After hearing what he said and examining the prescription, my father exclaimed in amazement, 'This disease cannot be cured without this prescription, and this prescription cannot be used for any other disease!'"
"Qi Yun then said that although the prescription was effective, its therapeutic effect was not obvious. My father then laughed and said, 'Fry all the herbs in the prescription until they are charcoal. The bleeding will stop when it comes into contact with charcoal, and one dose will be effective.' Qi Yun went back and tried it, and it worked. She was filled with respect. The blood was red, which belongs to the fire element in the Five Elements theory, and the herbs were charred and black, which belongs to the water element. Water overcomes fire, and thus the woman's continuous menstrual bleeding was miraculously stopped. After this incident, Qi Yun not only admired my father Song Jingchun's medical skills, but also developed feelings of love for him. However, at that time, Qi Yun had already been betrothed by her father Qi Liang to the son of a long-time friend of the Qi family."
"After dating for a while, the two developed feelings for each other and exchanged medical knowledge without reservation. My father had already taught Qi Yun the Song family's secret technique, the Nine Needles of Rejuvenation, at that time. The Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect already possessed this technique. However, due to the circumstances at the time, the two were still dating in secret. Although Qi Yun had acquired this technique, it was not known to anyone, nor did she dare to let anyone know."
"Later, Qi Yun bluntly told her father, Qi Liang, that she wanted to break off their previous engagement and marry my father, Song Jingchun. Qi Liang was shocked and furious upon hearing this and refused, confining Qi Yun to the house. My father, upon hearing this, went to confront him, only to be humiliated by Qi Liang, who accused him of seducing a respectable woman, a married woman, and disgracing his reputation as a renowned doctor. My father left in anger. Later, before her marriage, Qi Yun died of grief. My father, Song Jingchun, upon learning this, grieved and vowed never to associate with anyone from the Qi family of the Heavenly Doctor Sect. Later, Qi Liang was imprisoned in a wealthy family. After his release, he sought the Song family's Nine Needles of Resurrection technique, which could be used for emergency escape, but my father coldly refused. Unexpectedly, Qi Liang was still scheming and left a will for his descendants to inherit the technique, which led to the scene fifteen years ago and the current outcome."
"This is truly a touching love story!" Tang Yu exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.
Song Zihe sighed, “The Song and Qi families had this connection seventy or eighty years ago. I never imagined that so many years later, I would raise a descendant of the Qi family as my own grandson and pass on the Song family’s medical skills. Song Hao! You have put an end to the worries of both the Song and Qi families and continued that past connection. This is fate! Your parents’ actions are understandable, and you should acknowledge them. The grudges between the Song and Qi families have been settled, and starting with you, there will be no more distinction between us.”
"Song Hao, Grandpa is right. It's better not to dwell on some things anymore. Time is the best medicine; it can heal everything. Let bygones be bygones," Tang Yu advised.
Song Hao lowered his head and remained silent. After hearing the story of his great-grandfather Song Jingchun and Qi Yun, he could forgive his parents' actions, but they couldn't use that as an excuse to plot a car accident that killed his grandfather's only son, Song Gang, so that he could have the opportunity to inherit the Song family's medical skills. And he couldn't tell his grandfather about this, otherwise, who knew what might happen.
"Grandpa, please give me some time!" Song Hao sighed.
“That’s natural, and there should be a time for you to accept it,” Song Zihe said with relief.
When Song Hao and Tang Yu arrived at the inner courtyard, Song Hao sat there in silence.
Tang Yu said, "Song Hao, your parents are willing to do anything to get you back. I was really surprised when your father knelt before your grandfather. For you, they were willing to reveal the plan they carried out fifteen years ago to beg for your grandfather's forgiveness. It's so unexpected that he would do this. He probably won't commit murder again, because there's no need to take such a big risk. Did Aunt Du personally admit to what happened to Uncle Song Gang?"
Song Hao shook his head.
Upon seeing this, Tang Yu felt relieved and said, "Since it wasn't Aunt Du who said it herself, this matter probably really has nothing to do with them."
“It must have been them. I could tell from her eyes. She knew what was going on,” Song Hao said coldly.
Tang Yu's heart sank again upon hearing this. She said, "Even so, for the sake of Grandpa, you must forget about this matter. The dead cannot be brought back to life, so doing anything more is meaningless. Recognize your parents, for Grandpa's sake and for your own."
"No!" Song Hao shook his head and said, "I can forgive them for other things, but not this. I can't acknowledge murderers as my parents. Otherwise, Grandpa would have raised me for nothing, and would I still be a human being?"
Tang Yu sighed and said, "When Grandpa and I were home during the day, we intentionally asked about Uncle Song Gang. Uncle Song Gang had been married for less than a year when he was involved in a car accident and died on the spot. The driver fled the scene, and the case remains unsolved. Less than a year later, you were abandoned by your parents and left with Grandpa. The timing seems somewhat coincidental. How about this, since you're so determined about this, we'll go back to Baihe Town in a few days, right? We can go to the traffic department to check the old case records. If those records are still there, they should be able to determine whether it's a normal or abnormal traffic accident. Perhaps we can find some other clues."
"You mean we should investigate the real cause of Uncle Song Gang's death!" Song Hao's eyes lit up. Then he shook his head and said, "So many years have passed, what can we possibly find out?"
Tang Yu said, "Why don't you give it a try? Also, you might as well find another opportunity to get in touch with Qi Yanfeng. Regardless of his intentions, he should know something about what happened back then. There's another thing you need to be careful about. Fifteen years ago, before the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect implemented this plan, they must have known about your grandfather's family situation. If the car accident was truly an accident and had nothing to do with your parents, but Qi Yanfeng is using it to make trouble, then he must have his own agenda. Judging from this incident, there is also infighting within the Qi family of the Heavenly Medicine Sect. Don't let anyone use you. Do you know what your return to the Heavenly Medicine Sect means now? You might become the future sect leader of the Heavenly Medicine Sect. Those who oppose your parents will naturally not be willing to accept this. They will try to make things difficult for you and your parents so that you can't return to the Heavenly Medicine Sect. In that case, wouldn't another conspiracy within the Heavenly Medicine Sect succeed?"
Song Hao listened and thought it made sense. He said admiringly, "Tang Yu, I didn't expect you to analyze things so thoroughly. I do need to be careful that someone isn't using me in this matter. However, based on my intuition, my parents are probably involved in Uncle Song Gang's car accident. Especially... my mother's reaction. When I mentioned it, it really frightened her. If she has nothing to hide, why is she so afraid?"
Tang Yu was delighted to see that Song Hao no longer addressed her mother as "Auntie," and said, "He's probably afraid you'll misunderstand her, so he's been acting more strongly. After all, you were sent to the Song family after Uncle Song Gang died. People with multiple thoughts will naturally connect the two events."
Song Hao said, "You don't need to persuade me. In short, I won't acknowledge them until things are clear. So what if the Qi family is powerful and influential? The family members are still scheming against each other. Starting with Qi Liang, they've been unreasonable people, ruining the marriage between my great-grandfather and Qi Yun. And now there's Qi Yanfeng, who seems like a treacherous person on the surface. I don't think there's a single good person in the Qi family..." Suddenly remembering that he was also a descendant of the Qi family, Song Hao stopped speaking.