Chapter 183: 【Encounter in the Valley】(Part 2)

Liu Danggui and Zhou Wenju simultaneously showed astonished looks; Xuantian Guan is one of Dakang's three major medical clinics, the leader of Dakang's medical community, revered by physicians worldwide. If Meng Zizai truly came from Xuantian Guan, his medical skill would certainly be extraordinary.

Zhou Wenju secretly felt ashamed; for a long time people had given him the title of Southwest Divine Doctor, honoring him as Xichuan's First Divine Doctor. He began to dismiss it, but as more people called him that, he gradually accepted it in his subconscious. Speaking from the heart, in his view few in Xichuan could match his level. Yet after seeing Hu Xiaotian, the confidence he had built over decades of experience suffered a severe blow, even causing him to doubt his own medical skill. Now hearing that a top-tier medical expert who once sat in consultation at Xuantian Guan is hidden in a Miao village near the small town, he feels ever more ashamed.

Actually he could have left long ago; he only decided to stay a few more days simply to find an opportunity to discuss medicine with Hu Xiaotian, who showed him a completely new field never seen before.

In front of Liu Danggui, Zhou Wenju had some things he couldn't ask in detail; after Liu Danggui and his son left, he then lowered his voice: "Sir Hu, may I ask how you were injured? Could it still be those bandits from last night?" Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "It's not clear yet; we caught two alive and have locked them up in the Government Office. We'll see if we can get anything out of them." He changed the subject: "Mr. Zhou, after you went back yesterday, did you see Wan Yuanwai?"

Zhou Wenju replied: "I have seen him; he did ask about my whereabouts last night, but I followed Sir's instructions and revealed nothing."

Hu Xiaotian nodded; if Zhou Wenju hadn't spoken, this matter would surely have been leaked by Zhou Xing. It seems Zhou Wenju's little medicine attendant really has a loose tongue.

Zhou Wenju sensed something odd from Hu Xiaotian's questioning. He lowered his voice: "Sir Hu, is there some trouble?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "Nothing, by the way, why haven't I seen Zhou Xing?"

Zhou Wenju immediately understood his meaning; he suspected Zhou Xing had leaked the news. Zhou Wenju said: "Zhou Xing was sent back to Xiezhou early this morning by me. He had no chance to meet Wan Yuanwai."

Hu Xiaotian, hearing this, felt doubtful. If everything Zhou Wenju said were true, then Wan Boping would have received no information from them at all, so how could he know what happened last night? Who is lying?

Hu Xiaotian did not continue questioning, changing the topic: "How is the Second Young Master?" Zhou Wenju replied: "Much better; his body is recovering quickly, but he still can't recall anything about the past."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Not remembering might not be a bad thing; he wasn't a good person before, and if this incident could renew him, it would count as a merit." The merit, of course, is his own.

Zhou Wenju dared not disagree with Hu Xiaotian's view; if a person lost all memory, not even recognizing parents or spouse, what meaning would there be in living? But he wouldn't say these things in front of Hu Xiaotian, and softly said: "I plan to leave Qingyun tomorrow."

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Leaving is fine; lately there have been too many affairs in Qingyun, and Mr. Zhou has offended those bandits, so staying here still carries some risk."

Zhou Wenju said: "It's a pity there isn't much time left to discuss medicine with Sir Hu."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "There will be plenty of opportunities later. I will definitely go to Xiezhou, and Mr. Zhou, if you have time, you can come back to Qingyun. Qingyun won't stay chaotic forever; before long everything will calm down."

Zhou Wenju smiled and nodded; for some reason he felt full of confidence in this young man before him, feeling that nothing in the world could stump him.

After sending the two assassins to the prison cell, Murong Feiyan returned. Seeing Hu Xiaotian just coming out of the room, holding a crutch he somehow procured, walking with a limp, it seemed the arrow wound on his buttocks was not serious. Recalling Hu Xiaotian's naked buttocks, Murong Feiyan's pretty face flushed involuntarily; she deliberately lowered her gaze to her feet so Hu Xiaotian wouldn't see her embarrassed look.

Fortunately Hu Xiaotian didn't notice her expression, and he whispered: "How is it? Have the people been sent over?"

Murong Feiyan nodded: "They've been locked up. As you said, they're in the same place as Zhou Batian. Go rest; I'll keep watch."

Hu Xiaotian pointed to the woodshed: "I'm going to check on that relative of mine."

Murong Feiyan asked: "What for?"

Hu Xiaotian whispered mysteriously into Murong Feiyan's ear: "Getting ready to release him."

Murong Feiyan said: "Release him? You really are soft-hearted toward this relative of yours."

Hu Xiaotian said: "It's a case of luring the prey out to catch them all; I'll have Liu Kuohai follow him to see where he goes, and if he contacts his accomplices we can net them all at once."

Murong Feiyan knew Hu Xiaotian wouldn't easily release Hu Jinniu, and nodded: "Just your usual tricks."

Hu Xiaotian also said: "We still need someone to watch the Heishizhai area, paying attention to those bandits' movements; as soon as they dare leave Heishizhai, we'll move in to capture them, making sure to net them all."

Murong Feiyan furrowed her brows: "This might not be easy to pull off; since Meng Zizai intervened to save Yan Boguang, he won't let us just take him away."

Hu Xiaotian sneered: "As long as they stay put in Heishizhai we won't move against them; I don't believe they can remain there forever, so the moment they leave will be our time to strike."

Murong Feiyan said: "But we seem to lack enough usable people nearby." Hu Xiaotian, newly arrived in Qingyun, found that the local officials who opposed him at every turn left hardly any trustworthy personnel among the three ranks of constables.

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Don't worry, I have my own arrangements!" He already had suitable candidates in mind; the talented retainers of Xiao Tianmu at Hongliuzhuang were just right to handle this.

For now, even imprisoning Hu Jinniu would serve no purpose; from this incident Hu Xiaotian could already determine that this fellow's status on Tianlang Mountain is extremely ordinary, the kind of unloved nobody cares about—even his sworn brothers have no thought of rescuing him.

Holding Hu Jinniu in the woodshed wasn't a grievance; Hu Xiaotian instructed Liang Da Zhuang to treat him well with food and drink. Since this fellow could reveal the matter of the Vermilion Script Iron Charter, he must have some connection to the Hu family.

After a day of rest, Hu Jinniu's spirits had also recovered considerably; seeing Hu Xiaotian return, he showed considerable concern: "How is our young master?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "You've gone through enough yourself, yet you still worry about that rascal's safety."

Hu Jinniu wasn't actually concerned about Yan Boguang; the real reason is that if Yan Boguang died, those responsible for protecting his safety would all have to die with him.

Hu Xiaotian said: "He's still alive, so that life is spared; it's just that your Fourth Lady went back on her word, failing to keep her promise and hand over Wan Tingchang to me."

Hu Jinniu anxiously asked: "Did they mention anything about me?"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head.

Hu Jinniu's face fell in disappointment, and he said gloomily: "Relative, what do you intend to do with me?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Of course sending you to the Government Office; given your crimes, there's no need for trial—you'll surely be executed first and reported later."

This time Hu Jinniu didn't beg for mercy; he sighed sadly: "It's fine, your action is understandable, but it's pitiful that my mother and child have no one to look after them." Hu Jinniu realized that once sent to the Government Office he was as good as dead, and tears welled up.

Seeing Hu Jinniu like this, Hu Xiaotian also believed he wasn't acting, and said softly: "Had I known this would happen, why bother in the first place?"

Hu Jinniu said: "Relative, although you're an official and I'm a bandit, since we've met we share a fate; may I ask you for a favor?"

Hu Xiaotian thought, "This Hu Jinniu is really interesting; does he want to entrust his old mother and child to me? Though we're relatives, we don't have that closeness—this guy is indeed reckless."

Hu Jinniu choked with tears: "West City Yang Family Slope has a paupers' gravefield; when you get there you'll see a Wind and Rain Pavilion; to its right is a small path. Walk along the pavilion inward, and the thirteenth grave is my father's."

Hu Xiaotian found himself both laughing and crying; it seemed he was truly being treated as a relative, and this was the rhythm of settling posthumous affairs.

Hu Jinniu said: "My father is called Hu Bu Cheng…… When we buried him five years ago, I couldn't afford a coffin, nor money for a stele…… I just found a stone and carved two characters into it with a chisel, but halfway through…… the chisel broke in my hands…… so the stone only has those two characters…… Hu Bu……" Saying this, Hu Jinniu couldn't hold back his sorrow, and tears the size of soybeans fell one after another.

Hu Xiaotian struggled not to laugh; this guy is actually simple-hearted, and his intentions aren't too bad.

Hu Jinniu said: "I'm truly unfilial; thinking I can't even afford a stele, I'm a seven-foot man—what's the point of living…… but I can't die, for who would care for my mother if I did? That's why I took to banditry……"

Hu Xiaotian said: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Hu Jinniu wiped his tears and said: "Relative, go dig under that stone; I'm not lying to you—the Vermilion Script Iron Charter passed down in my family is buried there."

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted; to him this was an unexpected windfall. He never thought the lost Vermilion Script Iron Charter from his home would be found here, but on second thought it seemed impossible—the charter Hu Jinniu spoke of was handed down from his ancestors, his father Hu Bu Cheng died five years ago, whereas his own family's charter had only been missing for less than three months; could there be two copies? Even more unlikely, one of them must be a replica, a fake.

But regardless of whether this Vermilion Script Iron Charter is genuine, one thing is certain: Hu Jinniu is definitely closely related to the old Hu family; sharing the same breath and branch leaves no doubt—he is a true-blood relative.