Arc 4 Chapter 9 Part 2
The penalty law was strict. If they were delayed in delivering the medicinal herbs, all of the guards would be sent to their deaths when they return!
For a moment, these guards looked at Su Yun with faint hatred.
After taking the pulse of the guards one by one, Fan Yin said, “There’s no harm to the body. It was just taking too much tonic. Rest for one or two days to get rid of the toxins in the body.”
“In that case, Benefactor Su Yun will stay here to look after them while this poor monk and Su Yichen will deliver the medicinal herbs over there.” Fan Yin immediately made the decision. Even if they could wait, Yu Chiyan might not last long in Mo City alone. In addition, the people in Mo City couldn’t afford to wait.
Su Yun was naturally not pacified. If the medicinal herbs were delivered, the contribution would be great and the impression on the common people’s hearts would be good. Naturally, he was unwilling to give up such an opportunity, “Fan Yin-Guoshi, these medicinal herbs are very important. I can’t feel at ease handing this to an outsider. How about letting me join you in this journey?”
“Then who will take care of these guards?” Fan Yin rhetorically asked.
Su Yun shifted his gaze towards Shen Jiayan, “Second Younger Brother has always been good at taking care of people. It will be very appropriate to leave him behind.”
Those guards were already very grateful for Fan Yin’s willingness to examine their bodies. They also hated Su Yun for putting them in such a situation, but he was still unwilling to stay behind to take care of them as a way to make amends. At once, he had a good understanding of others and spoke for Fan Yin, “Young Master Su, it would be better if you stay. We can only feel relieved if you stay behind.”
Finally, Su Yun could only unwillingly stay behind. After all, he couldn’t offend all of the Imperial Guards.
Thus, the carriage carrying the medicinal herbs slowly proceeded to Mo City.
Mo City, just like its name, was overgrown with weeds and barren.
The soil was not fertile and crops weren’t able to grow in this place. Countless people had taken root in this place for generations to do manual labor, but it was very difficult to maintain even the most basic need of food and clothing. The taxes had already been reduced here, but it was still very difficult for many people to go on. The Imperial Court had to transport large quantities of food to this place every year.
Now that the plague had suddenly broken out, the place resembled a ghost town as the carriage passed through the streets.
Those people who could escape had already escaped and those who couldn’t escape could only stay, slowly waiting for their deaths. Everybody’s face had a layer of deathly stillness. From the sixty or seventy-year-old elderly woman, down to the four-year old child, they simply numbly slept, silently waiting for the arrival of their death.
Shen Jiayan looked at the scene in front of him without blinking. There was no other kind of despair that could make people feel more immersive than this moment.
Suddenly, he felt something cold on his wrist. Shen Jiayan looked down to look. He only saw that Fan Yin had taken off the Buddhist prayer beads from his wrist and wore it on his own hand. He inevitably looked at him in confusion.
“I had been carrying these Buddhist beads on me since I was a child. It has accompanied me in listening to Buddhist doctrines up to the present. It already has spirituality.” Fan Yin’s gaze possessed a faint concern, “When I’m not present, it can protect you.”
At first, Shen Jiayan froze when he heard this. Soon after, he shallowly smiled after he understood Fan Yin’s concern, “Shifu, I have never believed in Buddhism so I don’t know if it can protect me.”
As Shen Jiayan was speaking, he placed the Buddhist prayer beads back onto Fan Yin’s hand again, “But I believe in you, Shifu. So I don’t need it. Compared to this, I would like it if it was you who wore it instead, Shifu.”
Shen Jiayan touched the red beans on the Buddhist string and softly said, “Because… did you know, a coral red bean inlaid in ivory dice, the wistful yearning for you lies deep in my bones?”
Fan Yin didn’t speak. He directly pulled the person into his arms and inhaled the scent of his body. It seemed to make his heart entirely settle down.
The carriage traveled all the way to the prefecture office. When Yu Chiyan received the news that they were coming, long before their arrival, he eagerly waited at the entrance of the prefecture office.
Several days of busily running around seemed to have made him thinner. The clothes on his body were loose, but his eyes were filled with unswerving determination. It was as if his entirety had grown a backbone.
Seeing that Su Yichen had followed along as well, there was an obvious trace of surprise in Yu Chiyan’s eyes. But soon after, he was relieved and the eyes that looked at the two people were filled with blessings, “The medicinal herbs are to be stored in the warehouse. Come with me to the study, Fan Yin and Young Master Su.”
Shen Jiayan and Fan Yin looked at each other then immediately walked in.
Yu Chiyan closed the windows and doors one after another. Then he sent the guards to watch over the entrance, before he finally took out an old ledger from a hidden compartment in the study, “You two, come and take a look at this.”
Fan Yin opened the ledger and a musty, damp smell wafted out.
Fan Yin turned a few pages before slamming it shut. His expression slightly changed, “Where did you get this ledger?”
“These days, just for this ledger, I had been chased by assassins four different times and was almost poisoned three times.” Yu Chiyan bitterly laughed, “If it wasn’t for someone always rescuing me, I’m afraid that they would have succeeded long ago.”
“Then what are you planning?” Fan Yin placed the ledger back in place and asked, “This matter is bound to affect everything, do you know that?”
“I know. However, I still intend to pull them by the roots.” Yu Chiyan said these words with firm eyes.
Arc 4 Chapter 9 Part 2
The penalty law was strict. If they were delayed in delivering the medicinal herbs, all of the guards would be sent to their deaths when they return!
For a moment, these guards looked at Su Yun with faint hatred.
After taking the pulse of the guards one by one, Fan Yin said, “There’s no harm to the body. It was just taking too much tonic. Rest for one or two days to get rid of the toxins in the body.”
“In that case, Benefactor Su Yun will stay here to look after them while this poor monk and Su Yichen will deliver the medicinal herbs over there.” Fan Yin immediately made the decision. Even if they could wait, Yu Chiyan might not last long in Mo City alone. In addition, the people in Mo City couldn’t afford to wait.
Su Yun was naturally not pacified. If the medicinal herbs were delivered, the contribution would be great and the impression on the common people’s hearts would be good. Naturally, he was unwilling to give up such an opportunity, “Fan Yin-Guoshi, these medicinal herbs are very important. I can’t feel at ease handing this to an outsider. How about letting me join you in this journey?”
“Then who will take care of these guards?” Fan Yin rhetorically asked.
Su Yun shifted his gaze towards Shen Jiayan, “Second Younger Brother has always been good at taking care of people. It will be very appropriate to leave him behind.”
Those guards were already very grateful for Fan Yin’s willingness to examine their bodies. They also hated Su Yun for putting them in such a situation, but he was still unwilling to stay behind to take care of them as a way to make amends. At once, he had a good understanding of others and spoke for Fan Yin, “Young Master Su, it would be better if you stay. We can only feel relieved if you stay behind.”
Finally, Su Yun could only unwillingly stay behind. After all, he couldn’t offend all of the Imperial Guards.
Thus, the carriage carrying the medicinal herbs slowly proceeded to Mo City.
Mo City, just like its name, was overgrown with weeds and barren.
The soil was not fertile and crops weren’t able to grow in this place. Countless people had taken root in this place for generations to do manual labor, but it was very difficult to maintain even the most basic need of food and clothing. The taxes had already been reduced here, but it was still very difficult for many people to go on. The Imperial Court had to transport large quantities of food to this place every year.
Now that the plague had suddenly broken out, the place resembled a ghost town as the carriage passed through the streets.
Those people who could escape had already escaped and those who couldn’t escape could only stay, slowly waiting for their deaths. Everybody’s face had a layer of deathly stillness. From the sixty or seventy-year-old elderly woman, down to the four-year old child, they simply numbly slept, silently waiting for the arrival of their death.
Shen Jiayan looked at the scene in front of him without blinking. There was no other kind of despair that could make people feel more immersive than this moment.
Suddenly, he felt something cold on his wrist. Shen Jiayan looked down to look. He only saw that Fan Yin had taken off the Buddhist prayer beads from his wrist and wore it on his own hand. He inevitably looked at him in confusion.
“I had been carrying these Buddhist beads on me since I was a child. It has accompanied me in listening to Buddhist doctrines up to the present. It already has spirituality.” Fan Yin’s gaze possessed a faint concern, “When I’m not present, it can protect you.”
At first, Shen Jiayan froze when he heard this. Soon after, he shallowly smiled after he understood Fan Yin’s concern, “Shifu, I have never believed in Buddhism so I don’t know if it can protect me.”
As Shen Jiayan was speaking, he placed the Buddhist prayer beads back onto Fan Yin’s hand again, “But I believe in you, Shifu. So I don’t need it. Compared to this, I would like it if it was you who wore it instead, Shifu.”
Shen Jiayan touched the red beans on the Buddhist string and softly said, “Because… did you know, a coral red bean inlaid in ivory dice, the wistful yearning for you lies deep in my bones?”
Fan Yin didn’t speak. He directly pulled the person into his arms and inhaled the scent of his body. It seemed to make his heart entirely settle down.
The carriage traveled all the way to the prefecture office. When Yu Chiyan received the news that they were coming, long before their arrival, he eagerly waited at the entrance of the prefecture office.
Several days of busily running around seemed to have made him thinner. The clothes on his body were loose, but his eyes were filled with unswerving determination. It was as if his entirety had grown a backbone.
Seeing that Su Yichen had followed along as well, there was an obvious trace of surprise in Yu Chiyan’s eyes. But soon after, he was relieved and the eyes that looked at the two people were filled with blessings, “The medicinal herbs are to be stored in the warehouse. Come with me to the study, Fan Yin and Young Master Su.”
Shen Jiayan and Fan Yin looked at each other then immediately walked in.
Yu Chiyan closed the windows and doors one after another. Then he sent the guards to watch over the entrance, before he finally took out an old ledger from a hidden compartment in the study, “You two, come and take a look at this.”
Fan Yin opened the ledger and a musty, damp smell wafted out.
Fan Yin turned a few pages before slamming it shut. His expression slightly changed, “Where did you get this ledger?”
“These days, just for this ledger, I had been chased by assassins four different times and was almost poisoned three times.” Yu Chiyan bitterly laughed, “If it wasn’t for someone always rescuing me, I’m afraid that they would have succeeded long ago.”
“Then what are you planning?” Fan Yin placed the ledger back in place and asked, “This matter is bound to affect everything, do you know that?”
“I know. However, I still intend to pull them by the roots.” Yu Chiyan said these words with firm eyes.
