"Brother, Sister-in-law, I'm back..."
Sima Boyong walked over. Since Chang Wude was seated with his back to him, Sima Boyong didn't see him clearly and greeted Duan Wuyu and Yang Jingyi.
Wan Yunting, sitting next to Chang Wude, had already turned around. His eyes were narrowed as he discreetly sized up Sima Boyong. Following him was a middle-aged man, his eldest son, Sima Wentang.
At the same time, a young man around thirty years old walked alongside them. He was tall and slender, with long hair tied back. His pair of narrow eyes held a hidden depth, suggesting he was no ordinary person.
"Junior Brother Sima, it's good you're back."
Duan Wuyu pointed to Chang Wude, who was sitting in front of them, constantly picking at a plate of peanuts with his chopsticks. Chang Wude's old face was grim. "Look who's back."
As Sima Boyong approached, he turned to look at Chang Wude. His eyes widened in surprise, and after a careful look, he exclaimed, "This, isn't this Senior Brother Chang Wude? When did you return?"
Chang Wude continued eating peanuts, not lifting his head. He coldly snorted, "I am not your Senior Brother Chang."
This statement immediately caused Duan Wuyu, Wu Weizi, and Yang Jingyi to pause and look at Sima Boyong. However, he appeared unconcerned and smiled, "Senior Brother Chang, you're joking. We all have the same master and are brothers of the same sect. I still vividly remember when Master brought me back to the sect, you beat me up. It left a deep impression on me."
*Snap!*
Chang Wude slammed the chopsticks in his hand onto the table, looked directly at Sima Boyong, and said coldly, "Yes, I wish I had beaten you to death back then!"
"Heh heh."
Sima Boyong chuckled and asked, "Senior Brother Chang, after so many years, where have you been since you left the sect? When I descended the mountain, I tried to find you, but I couldn't. Why didn't you contact us?"
Chang Wude snorted and continued to pick at peanuts with his chopsticks, saying, "What, you went looking for me down the mountain because you wanted to kill me?"
"Tsk, Junior Brother Chang."
Duan Wuyu immediately reprimanded Chang Wude. Sima Boyong, however, put on a magnanimous display, waved his hand, and chuckled, "It's alright, Senior Brother. I know Senior Brother Chang is just joking with me. Besides, we haven't seen each other for so long, it's natural for Senior Brother Chang to blame me."
Duan Wuyu sighed helplessly, knowing that Chang Wude and Sima Boyong had always been at odds, so he couldn't do anything about it. "Alright, now that Boyong is back, let's all sit down and eat."
"Okay."
Sima Boyong nodded. The young man beside him immediately pulled out a chair and sat down. Sima Boyong's small eyes then shifted to Wan Yunting, who was sitting next to Chang Wude, and he smiled, "This young man must be Wan Yunting, right?"
This remark surprised Duan Wuyu, Yang Jingyi, and their daughter, Duan Yingying. Wu Weizi also asked in surprise, "Senior Brother Boyong, how do you know Senior Brother Chang's disciple?"
"Oh, you are Senior Brother Chang's disciple?"
Sima Boyong was indeed surprised. His sharp, small eyes looked at Wan Yunting and he smiled, "What a coincidence. I didn't expect you to be Senior Brother Chang's disciple."
Seeing Duan Wuyu and the others' confusion, Sima Boyong explained with a smile, "It's like this, this young man is quite famous outside. He has excellent medical skills, which I greatly admire."
"Oh, Little Wan, you know medicine too?"
Duan Wuyu and Yang Jingyi looked at Wan Yunting, surprised by this revelation.
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled, "I know a little, but it's not worthy of Chairman Sima's attention."
"Heh heh."
Sima Boyong chuckled and said, "Young man, you are too modest. The Lingnan Chinese Medicine Association you and Old Gu founded has given our Beijing Chinese Medicine Association quite a challenge. Oh, right, I've retired. My son, Sima Wentang, is now managing the Chinese Medicine Association. You probably know him."
Wan Yunting glanced at Sima Wentang, who was standing to Sima Boyong's right, and nodded with a polite smile, "Yes, I've had the honor of seeing Chairman Sima Wentang on television. This is our first time meeting in person."
Sima Wentang, dressed in a suit, merely nodded at Wan Yunting, showing no warmth.
"I didn't realize Little Wan and Boyong knew each other."
Duan Wuyu and the others had been on the mountain and were unaware of external affairs.
Sima Boyong nodded, then picked up a cup of wine poured by Wu Weizi. He stood up and smiled at Chang Wude, "Senior Brother Chang, may I toast you first?"
"Toast me?"
Chang Wude glanced at him and coldly snorted, "Then I can't accept your toast."
Sima Boyong held the wine cup with both hands and smiled, "Senior Brother Chang, I know you've always had reservations about me, but it's alright. After all, you are my senior brother. We haven't seen each other for many years. It was my fault, and I'll drink this cup to apologize."
With that, Sima Boyong downed the wine in one gulp, then picked up the bottle, poured another cup, and held it up to Chang Wude, smiling, "Senior Brother Chang, I hope you can understand me. This cup is for you."
*Snap!*
Chang Wude slammed his chopsticks on the table again, looked directly at Sima Boyong, and said coldly, "Sima Boyong, stop pretending in front of me. Don't think I don't know what you've been doing outside. Don't you owe everything you have today to Senior Brother Xiuliang?"
"But what about you?"
Chang Wude angrily slapped the table and stood up, pointing his large hand at Sima Boyong and shouting furiously, "How did you treat Senior Brother Xiuliang!"
"Junior Brother Chang, calm down."
Duan Wuyu also stood up, scolding Chang Wude, "Can't you discuss things properly? Must you argue as soon as you meet? Isn't this making a spectacle for the younger generation?"
At this moment, many young disciples were also eating in the dining hall. Hearing the commotion, they all turned their necks to watch, whispering and discussing amongst themselves, unsure of what was happening.
"Senior Brother, let Senior Brother Chang speak. It's fine."
Sima Boyong waved at Duan Wuyu. He looked at Chang Wude and sighed, "Senior Brother Chang, you're right. I did wrong Senior Brother Xiuliang. I failed to protect him back then, which led to his accident. This is indeed my fault."
"Nonsense."
Chang Wude's old face was contorted with anger, his old eyes glaring at Sima Boyong. He bellowed, "Don't think I don't know. That incident back then was you framing Senior Brother Xiuliang, which ruined his reputation and made him lose everything."
"But now you're back at the sect, acting like a good old boy, which truly disgusts me. Sima Boyong, you are ambitious and heartless, your conscience eaten by dogs. Today, I must kill you..."
"Junior Brother Chang, stop it!"
Seeing Chang Wude about to flip the table and attack Sima Boyong in his anger, Duan Wuyu slammed his hand on the table, his old face grim. He roared at Chang Wude, "After all these years, your temper is still so bad. Are you going to let fellow disciples kill each other?"
Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan also stood up and pulled Chang Wude, trying to calm him down.
"Senior Brother, he killed Senior Brother Xiuliang!"
Chang Wude, losing control of his emotions, pointed at Sima Boyong and shouted at Duan Wuyu.
At these words, Duan Wuyu, Yang Jingyi, and Wu Weizi were shocked, their expressions showing disbelief...
The surrounding disciples were also filled with confusion because their generation had no idea who Gongsun Xiuliang was, and they were very curious.
"If he hadn't framed Senior Brother Xiuliang back then, he wouldn't have died unjustly. Today, I must kill him and seek justice for Senior Brother Xiuliang." Angrily pointing at Sima Boyong, Chang Wude prepared to attack, but Wan Yunting tightly held his old arm, telling him not to act rashly.
Sima Boyong's personal disciple, Zhu Yangyu, immediately moved to protect his master. Sima Wentang's face was also grim, his eyes glaring at Wan Yunting and Chang Wude.
"Senior Brother Chang, you are truly misjudging me."
Then, Sima Boyong pushed Zhu Yangyu aside. He looked directly at Chang Wude and sighed, "Back then, Senior Brother Xiuliang was treating a certain important figure. His prescription had an error, which led to the patient's death, and consequently ruined his reputation."
"At that time, he was promptly notified to flee Beijing and hide from pursuers, otherwise he would have died long ago."
"Bullshit."
Chang Wude pointed at his old nose and cursed, "Don't think I don't know about that incident. You were simply jealous of the reputation Senior Brother Xiuliang had gained in the Beijing Chinese medicine community, which overshadowed you, Sima Boyong."
"Therefore, you narrow-minded scoundrel, you plotted to frame him, ruining his reputation and making him disappear overnight, so no one would compete with you. Otherwise, with your abilities, Sima Boyong, how could you have reached this point!"
These words caused Sima Boyong's old face to straighten. He said sternly, "Senior Brother Chang, I don't know who told you this, but you are truly misjudging me."
"Yes, my abilities are not as good as Senior Brother Xiuliang's, but we are fellow disciples. Senior Brother Xiuliang is like my elder brother. How could I have such a cruel heart to frame him? Therefore, Senior Brother Chang, I implore you not to spout nonsense and wrong me."
"I wrong you?"
Hearing his words, Chang Wude became even more furious. He pointed at Sima Boyong's old nose and huffed, "Sima Boyong, you are truly a master of pretense. Fine, I'll spar with you today and deal with you, you bastard..."
"Enough!"
Duan Wuyu, finally losing patience, his old face grim, rebuked Chang Wude, "Junior Brother Chang, how could Junior Brother Boyong do something like harming a fellow disciple? Can you stop this trouble?"
Chang Wude's old eyes widened, staring directly at Duan Wuyu. He was infuriated that his senior brother didn't believe him and instead trusted Sima Boyong so much. He said, "Senior Brother, don't be blinded by him. Senior Brother Xiuliang was harmed by him..."
"Silence, stop talking."
Seeing Chang Wude still talking back, Duan Wuyu trembled violently with anger and suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood...
"Old Duan..."
"Dad..."
"Senior Brother..."
"Master..."
Seeing Duan Wuyu spit blood, Yang Jingyi, Duan Yingying, and Sima Boyong were all alarmed and rushed to help Duan Wuyu and lay him down...
Chang Wude on the opposite side also cried out and hurried to check on Duan Wuyu. Wan Yunting also didn't expect the Abbot to spit blood and quickly went to help...