Chapter 227: Returning to the Capital

"That's true, huh."

"How has your training been these past few years?" Zhang Ping'an had taught him some simple martial arts eight years ago.

"Ahem, well, you know, haha," Dong Jianguo laughed awkwardly.

He had only been diligent for the two months Zhang Ping'an was there at the time; afterwards, with no one to supervise him, he grew lazy, and later on, even managing to practice twice a week was considered good.

Zhang Ping'an shook his head; seeing him like this, he knew he hadn't been practicing properly.

"Cousin, where is there a Pharmacy around here? I'll go get some medicine, and you can give it to Wasta tomorrow."

"Oh, okay, I'll take you there."

The two arrived at a Pharmacy, and Zhang Ping'an grabbed some Blood-Activating and Stasis-Dissipating Medicine at random and had them help grind it into powder before leaving; after all, this was just for show.

"Let's go, cousin, we still have to roll them into pills when we get back."

"Ping'an, you even know how to refine alchemy?"

"..." Zhang Ping'an had black lines on his forehead.

"What alchemy? I'm just mixing them in a certain proportion and rolling them into a Pill."

"Oh, oh."

Dong Jianguo scratched his head awkwardly; he had thought Zhang Ping'an could refine alchemy like Taishang Laojun in the *Journey to the West* picture books.

On the way back, Zhang Ping'an had already swapped the medicine powder. Upon arriving at his eldest uncle's kitchen, he used an iron pot to refine a little Honey, poured it into a bowl, and once the temperature was right, he poured in the medicine powder and stirred.

Then came the manual rolling, and one by one, pills similar to the Large Honey Pill from his past life took shape.

"This, this is done?" Dong Jianguo had witnessed the whole process; he hadn't expected refining medicine to be so simple.

"Mm, Blood-Activating and Stasis-Dissipating Medicine is simple; the important part is the ratio of the ingredients. One pill a day is enough." Zhang Ping'an handed the pills, wrapped in kraft paper, to Dong Jianguo.

Normally, they would be rolled into small pills to be taken three times a day, but Zhang Ping'an found that troublesome and simply concentrated them into Large Honey Pills; in any case, Wasta's physical constitution could handle it.

"Oh, oh, okay."

At seven in the evening, the group returned to their grandmother's house.

"Ping'an, I heard from Jianguo that you set Wasta's bone?"

"Yes, Grandpa. The bone setting Uncle Watuo did for him had a gap, which is why Wasta was in so much pain he couldn't get out of bed."

"So that's it. When your grandmother and I went to see them, his lower leg was as swollen as a thigh. That Watuo, and to think he's a martial artist."

"Uncle Watuo must have been careless. He even said he wanted to send you a sheep to thank me."

"If he dares to send it, I dare to take it. You saved the rest of Wasta's life, so asking for a sheep means he's still coming out ahead."

"Hahaha, that's true."

However, thinking about the medical conditions here, if his grandparents were to have any bumps, bruises, colds, or fevers, it wouldn't be good. He should refine some targeted pills to leave behind before he left.

The children had returned home in high spirits, clearly having made new friends and still sharing stories with each other.

Now that the holiday was more than half over, Zhang Ping'an picked and chose in his space, selected the herbs, and began grinding them into powder, then made the pills that night under the watchful eyes of his grandparents.

"Ping'an, what is this?"

"Oh, I saw that the conditions at the town Hospital are really not great, so I'm making some small pills for you to keep on hand."

"Mm, my good grandson is so thoughtful."

Over the next two days, he finished making all the pills, including those for colds and fevers, traumatic injuries, Golden Sore Medicine, and various life-saving medicines for internal injuries; he even made Dog Skin Plaster. He arranged for everything, both for internal and external use.

Finally, Zhang Ping'an handed ten porcelain bottles of various sizes and some external plasters to his grandfather.

"Grandpa, there are labels on the porcelain bottles with the corresponding instructions for use. Keep them safe."

"Will do," his grandfather nodded with satisfaction.

In his spare time, Zhang Ping'an also watered all the fruits and vegetables at his grandmother's house with Space Water. His grandparents were both in their seventies this year; eating more ingredients containing spiritual energy would at least help them live to a hundred.

The wheat and potatoes in the cellar were all replaced with Space Ingredients, and he left some pumpkin seeds. Zhang Ping'an also took cuttings from the Space Tea Tree and planted them in the Back Courtyard of his grandmother's house, watering them with Space Water for the past two days.

The lambs in the sheep pen in the Back Courtyard were also replaced with space species, one male and one female, so that they could provide meat in the future.

Zhang Ping'an also paid special attention to the grass in front of his grandmother's house, constantly sprinkling it with diluted Space Water, as it was where his grandfather grazed the horses and sheep.

Finally, the day of departure arrived. Zhang Ping'an, who had been up since five, filled all the water buckets and vats at his grandmother's house and specifically left a large bucket of Space Water for the Tea Tree in the Back Courtyard.

"Ping'an, is that you up?"

"It's me, Grandma, Grandpa. Didn't we agree last night that you didn't need to get up?"

His eldest uncle and eldest cousin had already arrived by car last night, but Zhang Ping'an had ridden a horse to Wushi, so he had to leave early.

"It's fine, Grandma doesn't need much sleep. Here is some dry food for you to take; go slowly on the road."

"That's right, Ping'an, it's still dark, be careful on the road."

"Okay, Grandma, Grandpa, don't worry. I have my gear with me, it'll be fine. Also, Grandpa, remember to water the Tea Tree in the Back Courtyard every few days. Just use the water in the wooden bucket next to it; that's good stuff."

"Will do. It's not like I have much to do here every day anyway. I'll learn how to grow tea and pan-fry tea; consider it a way to cultivate my character, hahaha."

This was one of Zhang Ping'an's goals. People need to keep busy. The ridges in his grandparents' courtyard had been trodden smooth, showing they spent most of their time there, but there was only about an acre of land—no need to tend to it every single day.

Once his grandfather learned to grow and pan-fry tea, once the Tea Tree grew, he might even be able to develop further cuttings and expand the operation.

"Alright, Grandma, Grandpa, you go back in. I'm heading out."

"Okay."

"Giddy-up!" Zhang Ping'an galloped away on his horse and soon disappeared into the night.

"Let's go back."

"Mm."

Along the way, Zhang Ping'an was traveling at full speed. Now that he didn't have Dahu as a mount, he had to keep changing horses to continue.

At eight o'clock, Zhang Ping'an's parents had also packed up and were ready to leave.

"Dad, Mom, we're heading back."

"Mm, go slowly on the road, and stay safe."

"Mm, alright."

"Big sister, take the children and sit tight; let's travel with all our might. I estimate we'll be able to catch up to Ping'an very soon."

"That's right, Uncle-in-law, I can't wait to see Cousin galloping on horseback, hahaha."

In the blink of an eye, it was noon, and the eldest uncle and the others had already stopped the car to rest.

"That's not right, can Ping'an really ride that fast? Even a Sweat-Blood Horse shouldn't be like this." Both father and son wore expressions of confusion.

"Yeah, I was still looking forward to seeing Ping'an catch up to us."

"……"

At this moment, in order to maintain full speed, Zhang Ping'an had already changed horses six times in a row; since he didn't feel tired or hungry, he just hadn't stopped.

By past seven in the evening, Zhang Ping'an had almost arrived at Wushi.

"Whew~ finally here." Having not stopped for twelve hours along the way, his backside was numb from the jolting; Zhang Ping'an lay prone on the horse to rest for a while, just waiting slowly for the eldest uncle and the others.

"Beep, beep, beep."

"Ping'an, how are you so fast?" the eldest uncle asked.

"I didn't stop the whole way, Uncle; my backside is numb from the jolting."

"Hahaha, slow down, there's plenty of time; we'll head over first."

"Mm, alright."

At eight o'clock, Zhang Ping'an finally reunited with his family at the Rolling Mill's office, and the sky had just turned dark.

"Ping'an, are you alright?"

"I'm okay. Uncle, there should be empty rooms here, you guys..."

"No need, Ping'an, we have a place to stay; you hurry back and get some rest."