Chapter 81 : Failure to Become a Disciple

Li Yanyan searched for what she needed every day while cleaning, not missing a single corner. She even snuck into Mr. Shu’s study to look, but still couldn’t find it, which left her feeling somewhat frustrated.

—

Yun Siying gazed at the sunset in the sky. She was simply idle, she had already learned nearly all the medical techniques available in the space, and what remained was practice. If she couldn’t practice there, she’d have to go out and look for a teacher.

She made her way to a spot not far from the cowshed, climbed into a dense tree, released her mental power, and began observing the people inside the cowshed.

Sure enough, she spotted a middle-aged man in his forties. From the conversation within, she learned that his name was Lu Huaren. He was skilled in traditional Chinese medicine and had excellent medical knowledge. Besides him, there were two elderly men. Though they were thin and gaunt, their eyes were sharp and determined, the aura around them suggested they were once military heroes.

Now they were suffering in this remote mountain village. It pained Yun Siying to see them like this but she understood, this was a necessary phase in the course of history. It just had to be endured.

Determined to become someone’s disciple, Yun Siying jumped down from the tree and headed toward the Youth Courtyard, withdrawing her spiritual power as she went. She had already prepared a disciple’s gift from within the space. After much deliberation, she finally settled on what to bring.

“Ming, did you sense it too?” Elder Hua opened his sharp eyes.

“Yes,” Elder Ming replied with a sigh, a trace of weariness on his face. “I don’t know who they’ve sent this time. Should I warn Nangong to be cautious tonight?”

After dark, Yun Siying quietly made her way to the cowshed, carrying ten kilograms of rice, ten kilograms of flour, and ten kilograms of bacon. With her spiritual power guiding her, she had no fear of being discovered.

‘Knock knock knock.’ Yun Siying knocked precisely on the door of the room where the three men stayed.

“Who is it?” the three men inside stood up alertly, the knock wasn’t the usual signal.

“I’m Yun Siying, a new youth assigned this year. Please open the door, I have something to ask,” Yun Siying whispered while leaning close to the door.

When the three of them heard the name, they remembered that Nangong and the boys seemed to have a good relationship with this girl. Elder Ming got up and opened the door, curious to see what she was up to. Did she perhaps know about the connection between the Nangong boys and themselves?

Standing at the door was a very beautiful young woman. Her face looked familiar, but he couldn’t place where he’d seen her before.

“Come in and talk.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you.” Yun Siying stepped inside, carrying two large sacks and a piece of bacon clearly visible in her arms.

“Now tell us, what brings you here?” Elder Ming asked.

“I came here specifically to become a disciple. I brought these gifts for the occasion, ten kilograms each, symbolizing perfection and completeness.” Yun Siying emphasized sincerity. These were men who once held high positions, she knew better than to play games with them.

“Whose disciple do you want to become?” Elder Ming continued, finding her surprisingly straightforward and honest, which left them at a bit of a loss.

Seeing that no one was chasing her away and that their attitudes were welcoming, Yun Siying felt hopeful. She walked over to Lu Huaren and said, “I’m very quick to learn. Will you take me as your apprentice?”

“Why do you think I’d accept you as an apprentice?” Lu Huaren didn’t show it on his face, but he was surprised inside. Most young people these days preferred Western medicine, why was she different?

“I’m not certain, but I have to try.” Yun Siying’s eyes were bright, her gaze steady and resolute.

“You brought a disciple’s gift, didn’t you consider the possibility I might refuse?” Lu Huaren looked at the bacon, unable to help feeling a bit tempted, even though the three boys occasionally brought them meat and other food.

“If I fail once, I will come twice. If I fail twice, I will come three times,” Yun Siying expressed her determination.

“I don’t plan to accept any more disciples. You should take your things and leave!” Lu Huaren refused. He wanted to see what she would do next.

“Then I won’t disturb your rest. I’ll leave now and come again tomorrow.” Holding the gift she had prepared for becoming a disciple, she opened the door and left.

The three of them were stunned. This child was too honest, even when rejected, she didn’t leave the gift. As the saying goes, “If you eat someone’s food, you’ll be soft-hearted; if you take someone’s things, your hands will be tied.” Maybe he would eventually agree?

Listening to the sound of footsteps fading away, the three looked at each other. They had never seen anyone try to become a disciple like this. Elder Hua sighed, “What a pity about that big piece of bacon. It looked like it really weighed ten kilograms enough to last us a while.”

“During the busy autumn harvest, those lazy boys didn’t have time to hunt for us. I was so exhausted I felt like I shed a layer of skin, I really need to nourish my body. Who knows how long this kind of life will go on,” Elder Ming said, swallowing his saliva. The three of them had been exiled for three years. They used to eat well, but now they lived on coarse grains and never felt full.

“Luckily, those old comrades still care about us. Otherwise, we might not have lasted even a year,” Elder Hua said with his eyes closed.

“It’s not easy for them now either. Political enemies are watching closely. They’ve already done their best by sending those three people to look after us,” Elder Ming added, worried about their old allies.

Politics during this time were highly sensitive, any misstep could be fatal.

Lu Huaren remained silent, head lowered. He was fortunate to live with these two veterans and receive their care. He had never imagined that his own disciples would turn against him. When he was in trouble, his wife immediately divorced him, and his children publicly disowned him in the newspaper.

At first, he thought they did it to protect themselves, so he helped them willingly. But after more than a year of exile, they never reached out, no letters, no supplies, no caretakers.

Elder Ming turned to Elder Hua and asked, “Old Hua, don’t you think that young woman looked familiar?”

Elder Hua didn’t hesitate, “Yes, she looks like Li Yuemei, the wife of Chen Fuling, who used to be the richest man.”

“Yes, she really does look like Li Yuemei. You’ve got a good memory. It’s a pity, money can sway hearts. That couple died, and no one knows what happened to their only daughter,” Elder Ming sighed. That couple had once donated a lot of supplies to the army they served in.

“I didn’t expect to see someone who looks so much like her. There really are all kinds of people in this world.”

Two hours later, Nangong Ruochen arrived at the cowshed. When Elder Ming saw him, he said, “Finally, you’re here.”

Seeing the two elders and Uncle Lu, Nangong Ruochen handed them three bowls of noodles he had taken from his backpack.

“Old chief, who made you so angry? Tell me, I’ll go teach them a lesson. If not, Uncle Ming is going to train me hard again when I get back,” Nangong Ruochen said, feeling helpless.

A while later, the noodles were completely gone not even a drop of soup remained. Then Elder Hua asked, “Have there been any strangers in the village recently?”

“No.” Nangong Ruochen thought carefully and shook his head.

“Let’s go to the village tomorrow. Today, we felt someone watching us closely from here. The sensation lasted for about half an hour and then disappeared,” Elder Hua warned.

“Alright, I’ll ask Chen Banghua to keep a close watch on the villagers’ movements tomorrow,” Nangong Ruochen said, his eyes dimming.