Chapter 137

After Su Ruo had met the three senior brothers, Yan Jiu brought her to an old-fashioned medicine shop. Su Ruo lifted her gaze to the signboard, and upon seeing the three large characters 'Jishi Hall', her heart suddenly tightened.

It seemed as if some unseen force was guiding her; she and this medicine shop shared an inseparable affinity.

After they entered, they saw many assistants busy inside, and many patients waiting for consultation.

Upon seeing Yan Jiu, the assistants in the shop all nodded at him, then each went back to their own work.

Yan Jiu said: 'This Jishi Hall has been passed down to me, already in its ninth generation after three hundred years.'

Initially, even people from the palace would ask my master to treat them, and the medicine shop had branches all over the streets and alleys; but due to my inadequacy up to now, aside from the main store, Jishi Hall has only ten branch stores left.

Yan Jiu's eyes were full of guilt, but Su Ruo knew that in these tumultuous ten years, how difficult it was for the master to keep these shops.

Su Ruo comforted: 'Master, don't be sad; times are different now, the country has relaxed economic controls, and someday we will be able to revive traditional Chinese medicine and bring glory to Jishi Hall.'

Yan Jiu looked at Su Ruo with eyes full of satisfaction: 'Hmm, as your master, I believe in you.'

Although there was clearly nothing wrong with those words, Su Ruo inexplicably felt a chill down her back, as if she had boarded a thief's ship.

Moreover, Ji Linye has a restless nature, is unrestrained and free-spirited, dislikes being restrained, enjoys wandering mountains and waters; although he studied medicine, his aspirations lie elsewhere.

Making him inherit Jishi Hall would be harder on him than killing him.

Yan Jiu made up his mind that no matter what, he would bring Su Ruo back as his disciple.

Yan Jiu looked at Su Ruo's shocked face, smiling narrowly, and said: 'Ru'er, don't be surprised; from now on this place is yours. As I grow old, I lack the vigor you young people have, so the task of revitalizing Jishi Hall will be entrusted to you.'

Even if I added up my entire courtyard, it probably wouldn't match even a single step of my master's medicinal garden.

Just when Yan Jiu was about to give up, perseverance paid off and he met Su Ruo.

Even if I can't solve it, there's still the eldest senior brother and the second senior brother! We will all fully assist you and revitalize Jishi Hall together.

Su Ruo walked through the archway, and before her eyes lay a vast medicinal field; many precious herbs that are hard to obtain for a thousand gold outside are almost ubiquitous here, and many jade stones and mineral essences worth a thousand gold are casually discarded to the side as ornaments.

After all, if someone lives amidst a gold mountain, how could they be surprised by another's gold bars?

Su Ruo recalled a saying she had heard before: true wealth is often hidden where ordinary people cannot see.

Su Ruo hesitated and said: 'Master, I am still young and inexperienced; if you pass Jishi Hall to me, I fear I cannot fulfill the duty; please think it over carefully, then...'

Yan Jiu also knew that this second disciple of his, though scheming, deep, and courageous, bore the rise and fall of the entire Song Family on his shoulders, making it impossible for him to inherit the medicine shop.

Yan Jiu saw that his three disciples were all unreliable, which is why he went to Jingda Teaching to see if he could uncover a promising apprentice in medicine.

But Wen Xiuyuan simply cannot stay put; he loves wandering the world, treating and saving people everywhere, and sometimes, to find a single herb, he can remain in the deep mountains for months without emerging.

The eldest disciple, Wen Xiuyuan, is steady and introverted, kind-hearted, and devoted to studying medicine, making him quite suitable to inherit Jishi Hall.

Su Ruo hadn't finished speaking when Ji Linye interrupted her.

If the master cannot find a suitable heir, he will surely force him back to inherit Jishi Hall.

Anyone who offends him ends up badly, which is why Ji Linye once told Su Ruo that the second senior brother is a smiling tiger.

Ji Linye feared Su Ruo would refuse, so he poured out pleasant words as if they were free, after all he is the youngest and has the least say.

It's no wonder the master and the others were not at all shocked when they saw the third senior brother give her a night-bright pearl the size of a fist.

But what surprised Su Ruo was that the three senior brothers' eyes held no jealousy, resentment, or unwillingness; instead, they felt a sense of relief, as if they had finally tossed away this hot potato.

Don't be afraid; with the senior brothers around, if you have any problems, you can come directly to them, and they will surely help you resolve them.

Third Senior Brother Ji Linye and Second Senior Brother Song Zhizhou are both scions of great clans; although the era is special and major families have restrained their edges, hiding among the populace, the clans' foundations remain, so they are hardly lacking in money.

Yan Jiu would have liked to pass Jishi Hall to him, but he fears that with the eldest disciple's temperament, he might not even know when Jishi Hall changes hands.

What Su Ruo does not know is that the value of Jishi Hall and this medicinal garden, if placed outside, would certainly be something people would scramble to seize; but for her three senior brothers, it is not so.

But when Yan Jiu opened the back courtyard with his key, what Su Ruo saw was a scene of a hidden paradise.

But reality didn't give her time to think further; Yan Jiu then led her to the back courtyard, which is where herbs are dried and medicines boiled, not much different from the clinic Su Ruo had imagined.

But his criteria for accepting disciples are overly strict: they must have talent, wisdom roots, a kind heart, and upright conduct, so for many years he has found none suitable.

Su Ruo stood there stunned; after realizing what the master had said, she instinctively looked toward the three senior brothers.

Second Senior Brother Song Zhizhou has a steady disposition; to outsiders he appears a gentle, jade-like handsome young man, but only those who truly know him realize how ruthless this second senior brother is.

Whether following the drama of wealthy families fighting over property or the martial arts setting of vying for the sect leadership, at this point these three senior brothers should all hate her intensely.

Ji Linye put an arm around Su Ruo's shoulders and said: 'Junior Sister, you are intelligent and talented, beautiful and graceful, upright and kind; I, as your senior brother, believe you will surely inherit the master's mantle and bring glory to Jishi Hall.'

But Song Zhizhou, although aloof toward outsiders, is famously protective of his own; his relatives, the master, and his fellow disciples are his absolute soft spots that he cannot tolerate being touched.

Su Ruo originally thought her purchased courtyard was already large enough, but compared to the master's medicinal garden, it is merely a petty witch before a great witch.

Just thinking about the endless accounts he would have to keep and the endless patients he would have to treat makes Ji Linye feel life is not worth living.

Now that it's finally easy to get rid of this burden, how could he let Su Ruo refuse? He immediately spared no effort in persuading Su Ruo, not forgetting to also urge the Senior Brother and Second Senior Brother.

Song Zhizhou said with a smile: 'Junior Sister, don't worry; just go ahead and do it, and any trouble, the senior brothers will help you resolve.'

Wen Xiuyuan also said: 'If you encounter problems, you can also come to me, if I am in Kyoto.'