Hearing this, Nan Yu Jin staggered back a step. He had never expected things to turn out this way. Because he didn't trust Feng Luan, he had stopped his mother's medication without authorization. The people from Medicine King Valley, whom his father had summoned, were as helpless as the imperial physicians regarding his mother's illness. Feng Luan, the only one who could have given his mother another year of life, now claimed that due to his actions, she would only live for another six months.
To Nan Yu Jin, this was like a knife plunged into his heart.
He was consumed by regret.
"Young Master Nan, you must not listen to this liar's nonsense!"
Yuan Yuan supported Nan Yu Jin. Although she disliked his demeanor, she couldn't bear to see him in such grief due to his pure and filial devotion to his mother. She puffed out her chest and glared at Nan Shiying, as if she wanted to devour Nan Shiying alive. "You liar, you are too much. My senior brother was helpless with Madam Nan's illness, and you dare to boast that you can give Madam Nan another six months of life? Hmph, I think you're saying this deliberately. You fooled Young Master Nan earlier, saying you could give Madam Nan another year of life. Now that your deception is exposed, you're trying to scare Young Master Nan, implying it was his fault that he delayed his mother's treatment. You are simply... simply a complete scoundrel!"
Despite being pointed at and berated, Nan Shiying showed no anger. Her expression was as calm as a still pool, unmoving by the wind, undisturbed. A smile lingered on her lips the entire time. Only after Yuan Yuan finished speaking did she casually remark, "Only one part of what you said is correct. Do you know which part?"
Yuan Yuan was taken aback. Her wide eyes were filled with question marks. Caught off guard by Nan Shiying's reaction, she shook her head, her mind a bit fuzzy. "I don't know!"
Only after the three words left her mouth did she realize, and anger flared in her eyes again.
It was unclear whether she was angry at Nan Shiying or at herself for engaging in the conversation!
Nan Shiying's lips curved into a pleased smile. She pointed at Nan Yu Jin and uttered the most piercingly cruel words in the most placid voice: "It was indeed his fault that he delayed Madam Nan's illness."
These words were a second blow to Nan Yu Jin. His eyes instantly reddened, and with extreme effort, he managed to control his near-collapsing emotions.
Yuan Yuan glanced around and grabbed a teacup from the table.
Qing Zhu's quick hand seized Yuan Yuan's wrist, saving her from her impending doom.
Xuan Yi's blade was always faster than Yuan Yuan's actions.
The tip of the sword lightly brushed against Yuan Yuan's neck. It was the first time Yuan Yuan had a blade at her throat, and she could even feel the cold temperature of the edge.
"Senior Brother!"
Yuan Yuan's eyes instantly welled up with tears from fright.
"Young Master Feng?" Qing Zhu looked at Nan Shiying with a stern expression.
Nan Shiying waved a hand at Xuan Yi. Xuan Yi retracted his sword and stood behind Nan Shiying, holding his weapon.
"How dare you treat someone from our Medicine King Valley like this? Do you..."
"Be quiet!"
Nan Shiying was too lazy to listen to the threats of these brats. She raised her eyes, and her gaze fell upon the speaker. Under that stare, the person who had threatened her felt as if their throat had been choked, their face turning red as they were rendered speechless.
Yuan Yuan clung to Qing Zhu's arm, her round eyes brimming with moisture. Nan Shiying felt an urge to pinch her plump little face.
She averted her gaze and frowned at Nan Yu Jin, "Why are you still standing here? Paper and pen!"
Nan Yu Jin snapped back to reality, turned, and instructed someone to bring paper and pen. Nan Shiying wrote the prescription with swift, flowing strokes, not handing it to Nan Yu Jin, but tossing it to Qing Zhu.
Qing Zhu caught the prescription and instinctively looked down.
This...
Qing Zhu's head shot up, and he looked at Nan Shiying. "Is... is this alright? With such potent medicine, how can Madam Nan's body withstand it?"
Nan Shiying did not reply but took out silver needles from her medicine box.
Qing Zhu, watching her movements, was stunned, then asked excitedly, "Is it the Hanging Needle technique?"
Nan Shiying shook her head. "Plucking Needle!"
"Plucking Needle?"
Upon hearing the words "Plucking Needle," Qing Zhu's expression changed dramatically. He questioned, "Who exactly are you? Why do you know the Plucking Needle technique of our Medicine King Valley?"
Plucking Needle was even more profound than Hanging Needle. None of the disciples of his generation had mastered this acupuncture technique. His master knew it but was not proficient. As far as he knew, only a few elders were skilled in its use.
Nan Shiying was too lazy to explain. She casually took out a jade pendant and tossed it to Qing Zhu. Qing Zhu fumbled to catch it, and his eyes widened.
Elder Du's jade pendant?
"Are you Elder Du's personal disciple?" Qing Zhu's voice was almost distorted.
"Who, Elder Du?"
"Then isn't he our Martial Uncle?"
"No way, this..."
Qing Zhu and Yuan Yuan were disciples of the current Valley Master of Medicine King Valley. The other disciples from Medicine King Valley were either grand-disciples of Elder Hui or grand-disciples of other elders. By seniority, they all had to address Nan Shiying as Martial Uncle!
This was like the Dragon King's Temple being flooded by the mighty river—one family not recognizing another!
Yuan Yuan heard Qing Zhu's words, looked at the jade pendant in his hand again, and her tears were held back by shock. So, the person she had been shouting at was their junior Martial Uncle?
Medicine King Valley placed great importance on seniority. If their masters knew they had berated their junior Martial Uncle, they would surely punish them by making them copy all the medical texts in the library.
Qing Zhu straightened his back, walked to Nan Shiying, bowed, and handed the jade pendant back with both hands. He respectfully called out, "Disciple Qing Zhu greets Junior Martial Uncle."
"Disciple Qing Yuan, disciples... greet Junior Martial Uncle!"
There were only five elder jade pendants in Medicine King Valley. Qing Zhu, as a top disciple of his generation, had naturally seen them before. The jade pendant was genuine. Unless he had killed Elder Du and stolen the pendant, his identity as a personal disciple of Medicine King Valley was certain.
Qing Yuan and the others followed Qing Zhu in bowing. Nan Shiying sat on the chair and accepted their salutations.
Afterward, Nan Shiying took back the jade pendant and put it back around her neck. Nan Yu Jin, who had witnessed all this, felt nothing but regret. Who would have thought that the renowned Feng Luan was actually a disciple of Elder Du, who had long left Medicine King Valley to roam the world? The status and position of Qing Zhu and the others were incomparable to hers.
If only... Nan Yu Jin's hand hanging by his side clenched into a fist. The mere thought that his mother had lost half a year of her life because of him made him wish he could go back in time and slap himself hard.
However, time could not be reversed, and what had happened could not be changed. No matter how much Nan Yu Jin regretted it, it was all in vain.