"Elder Sister-in-law, please…"
Saying this, Sima Boyong followed Yang Jingyi to a side room. He sat down on a chair. Duan Yingying immediately brought them two pots of tea and couldn't help but ask Sima Boyong, "Uncle-Master Boyong, how is my father's condition?"
Sima Boyong placed the tea bowl on the table and sighed, "Elder Sister-in-law, Yingying, I won't hide anything from you. Currently, Senior Brother's condition is indeed not very optimistic!"
These words made Yang Jingyi's heart tighten. She looked directly at Sima Boyong. He said, "Senior Brother's health was already very poor before, and now, due to what just happened, he was angered to the point of spitting blood. This has caused the hidden ailment left by his previous qi deviation to relapse."
"How could this be."
Duan Yingying became anxious and went to hug Sima Boyong's old arm. "Uncle-Master Boyong, do you have a way to cure my father's illness?"
Sima Boyong looked at their worried faces, mother and daughter, and said, "Elder Sister-in-law, Yingying, don't worry. I didn't say Senior Brother's illness cannot be cured. However, his hidden ailment has relapsed this time, and the treatment will be somewhat difficult. It will require long-term treatment. Therefore, it's best not to let Senior Brother exert himself these few days. Let him rest well."
Hearing his words, Yang Jingyi's hanging heart relaxed a little. She nodded and said, "Junior Brother Boyong, your Senior Brother's illness is all up to you."
"Yes, Elder Sister-in-law, please rest assured. I will try my best to cure Senior Brother's illness."
Sima Boyong nodded and continued, "However, regarding the ancestral worship ceremony the day after tomorrow, don't let Senior Brother worry about it. Junior Brother Wuwei and I will handle it."
Yang Jingyi nodded, listening to him. "Then I'll have to trouble you, Junior Brother Boyong."
Sima Boyong shook his head and smiled, "You're too kind, Elder Sister-in-law. We are all family. As long as Senior Brother gets better, everything will be fine."
"Uncle-Master Boyong is right."
Duan Yingying held Sima Boyong's old arm and said to her mother, "Mother, please don't worry. I believe Uncle-Master Boyong will cure my father's illness."
Sima Boyong turned his head and looked at Duan Yingying with affectionate doting. Yang Jingyi, however, remained expressionless, her thoughts unknown.
"It's all that old man's fault. If he hadn't falsely accused Uncle-Master Boyong, my father wouldn't have been angered to spit blood and relapse his hidden ailment."
Immediately, Duan Yingying's eyes widened, her pretty face filled with anger. She stood up and said, "No, I'm going to drive them out of the Daoist temple right now, so they don't anger my father again in the future."
"Yingying, how can you speak like that?"
Sima Boyong stopped Duan Yingying and said, "He is your Senior Uncle after all. It was hard for him to return to the sect this time."
Duan Yingying pouted angrily, "Uncle-Master Boyong, he wronged you so much, why are you still speaking up for him?"
Sima Boyong waved his hand and sighed, "He is my Senior Brother. Even though he has an opinion of me, as a Junior Brother, how can I bicker with him? So, don't make things difficult for him, understand?"
"Alright, I'll listen to you."
Duan Yingying had to sit down again, still huffing, but she was already thinking about how to deal with Chang Wude.
"Elder Sister-in-law, I'll go out and arrange the venue for the ancestral worship ceremony now."
Saying this, Sima Boyong stood up. Yang Jingyi and Duan Yingying also stood up. "Okay, Junior Brother Boyong, thank you for your hard work."
"Uncle-Master Boyong, I'll go with you."
Duan Yingying immediately held his old arm again, wanting to go with him.
Immediately, Yang Jingyi said to her, "Yingying, you just returned. Don't go out. Take good care of your father at home."
Sima Boyong also smiled and said, "You've been back for so long. Now is the time to spend time with your mother and father."
Duan Yingying nodded, pouting, "Alright, Uncle-Master Boyong. I'll come find you later then."
Sima Boyong smiled and nodded. He said a word to Yang Jingyi and turned to leave.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
Duan Yingying turned to look at her mother, whose brows were tightly furrowed and seemed preoccupied. Yang Jingyi pulled her down to sit and said solemnly, "Yingying, try to interact less frequently with your Uncle-Master Boyong from now on, okay?"
Duan Yingying looked confused and asked with wide eyes, "Why? Uncle-Master Boyong is so nice. He took special care of me in the capital. Why are you telling me not to interact with him?"
Yang Jingyi's expression was serious. "You don't need to ask why. Just listen to me. Keep your distance from him in the future."
Duan Yingying felt a bit speechless. She stood up and said, "Mom, you're really inexplicable sometimes. Forget it, I'll go check on Dad…"
"Remember what I said."
Yang Jingyi called out. Duan Yingying, who was leaving, replied, "Oh, I know…"
Yang Jingyi sighed. Seeing her daughter's trust in Sima Boyong made her very worried…
Sima Boyong left the Abbot's residence and walked out of the courtyard gate. Sima Wentang and Zhu Yangyu outside greeted him and asked, "Dad, how is it?"
"Yes, the Abbot is fine, but he needs to rest for a while." Sima Boyong's small eyes revealed a sharp glint as he smiled.
Sima Wentang and Zhu Yangyu nodded and walked out with him. "Dad, Chang Wude and Wan Yunting are both in the Daoist temple now. Why don't we take this opportunity to… get rid of them!"
Sima Boyong turned and glared at him, waving his hand. "No, this is not the right place. Doing so would arouse suspicion."
"But Dad, I'm afraid that with Chang Wude and Wan Yunting in the Daoist temple, they might ruin your plan!" Sima Wentang said worriedly.
Sima Boyong shook his head and smiled. "Don't worry about that. Even Senior Brother trusts me now. Who would care about what Chang Wude says? Later, spread a rumor among the young disciples in the Daoist temple that Chang Wude returned this time intending to seize the position of Abbot!"
Sima Wentang's eyes immediately lit up, and he happily said, "With this, Chang Wude will become a rat that everyone wants to kill here."
Sima Boyong smirked, and then asked, "What about Wan Yunting? Are you sure he is Chang Wude's personal disciple?"
Sima Wentang shook his head. "We have been investigating Wan Yunting's identity. There are many suspicious points. He was framed and imprisoned for seven years, and was released only a few months ago. Yet, he possesses extraordinary traditional Chinese medicine skills and martial arts, and quickly made a name for himself in Hua Du City."
"But logically speaking, before Wan Yunting entered prison, he was just an ordinary university student. His TCM skills and martial arts couldn't have been learned before!"
Zhu Yangyu, who was following them, raised an eyebrow. "Brother Wentang, are you implying that he learned his TCM skills and martial arts in prison?"
"Yes, I suspect this possibility now!" Sima Wentang nodded.
Sima Boyong smiled and said, "So, did he meet Chang Wude after he got out?"
"No."
Sima Wentang shook his head. "Later, according to our investigation, Chang Wude has been working as a security guard at Hua Du University for twelve years. And Wan Yunting, when he was studying at university, happened to be at Hua Du University. So I guess they might have known each other long ago!"
"If that's the case, then he is very likely Chang Wude's personal disciple, otherwise, his martial arts wouldn't be so high!" Zhu Yangyu said.
Earlier, Wei Ping and others had mentioned that Wan Yunting had sparred with Qi Wu in the morning, and his martial arts realm had already reached the Dan Jin stage!
To be at the Dan Jin stage of martial arts at such a young age, either he started learning martial arts from childhood, or he was a martial prodigy.
"Yes, I lean more towards the latter. Wan Yunting and Chang Wude have known each other for a long time and he taught him martial arts. However, his TCM skills remain a mystery. I haven't investigated who he learned medicine from!" Sima Wentang said.
"Yes."
Sima Boyong nodded, and then his small eyes showed a sharp glint. "My only concern is that that kid is Gongsun Xiuliang's personal disciple!"
These words made Sima Wentang and Zhu Yangyu's expressions freeze. They said, "Didn't we say before that Gongsun Xiuliang is already dead?"
Sima Boyong smiled and shook his head. "I searched for him for so many years back then, but I never found him. Although Chang Wude said he was dead, I won't believe it until I see his grave."
Sima Wentang nodded and asked doubtfully, "But Dad, if Wan Yunting really learned medicine from Gongsun Xiuliang and is his disciple, then what?"
Sima Boyong's small eyes flickered with a sharp light. "If that's the case, it will be a bit troublesome!"