Chapter 62: Madman |
Chen Qing left Zhou's courtyard and walked south along the bluestone path to Renhe Medicine Shop.
"Shopkeeper, I'll take three Blood Qi Pills."
He lifted the door curtain as medicinal fragrances mixed with dried tangerine peel scent rushed toward him.
Behind the counter, the shopkeeper was working his abacus. Looking up to see it was him, he put away the counting beads, "Master Chen, were last month's three pills enough?"
"Not enough."
Chen Qing took out his money pouch, "Prepare more for me this month."
Now that he had reached the threshold of transforming strength, he calculated buying more medicinal supplements in hopes of breaking through soon.
Just as Chen Qing was about to pay, the shopkeeper suddenly lowered his voice and tapped the counter with his knuckles, "Master Chen, have you heard of Blood Gathering Pills?"
He pulled out a palm-sized porcelain bottle from his chest, its surface carved with cloud patterns, "Three parts stronger than Blood Qi Pills, but only seventy percent of the price. Recently, disciples from several martial halls in the inner city have been scrambling to buy them. I'm almost out of stock here."
He had never heard of this medicine's name.
The shopkeeper smiled apologetically, "Many regular customers have tried them and all say they're good! Plenty have come back for more. If you take several, I can give you an even better price."
Chen Qing pushed the porcelain bottle back, "Let's talk about it next time."
He remembered how previously a disciple at Zhou's courtyard had desperately tried unknown pills, claiming they could help with breakthroughs, only to end up with blocked meridians for half a month.
Where in this world could there be good medicine for nothing?
Leaving Renhe Medicine Shop, the evening wind carried the fishy smell of the river into his collar.
Chen Qing went around the street corner to buy a piece of sugar cake before heading home.
From the small courtyard with green tiles and white walls, the fragrance of rice mixed with the smell of burning wood drifted out.
"Mother, I'm home."
Chen Qing pushed open the thick wooden door as rice fragrance and faint wood smoke rushed toward him.
In one corner of the small courtyard, Lady Han sat on a low stool, using the unextinguished light from the stove to focus on mending Chen Qing's practice clothes.
"You're back?"
She looked up at the sound, her eyes gentle, smiling, "Tired? There's porridge simmering on the stove, still warm."
Chen Qing walked to the simple earthen stove, lifted the clay pot lid, and hot steam rushed toward him. The porridge was much thicker than before.
He ladled out a full bowl and sat on the small wooden stump beside his mother, drinking in large gulps.
Lady Han watched her son drink the porridge with big mouthfuls, feeling both reassured and with some indescribable feelings in her heart.
She put down the clothes in her hands and spoke with a somewhat cautious probing tone, "This afternoon, your Aunt Zhang next door, the one from Constable Zhao's family, came over to chat and talked for quite a while."
She paused, observing her son's expression, "She's a warm-hearted person. Seeing that you've made something of yourself, with good looks and a sturdy build, a fine young man, she wanted to play matchmaker for you."
Chen Qing's porridge-drinking slowed down as he looked up at his mother.
Lady Han continued, "She mentioned the daughter of Shopkeeper Liu from He Ji shop at the east street corner, called Qiao Lan. Age-wise, she's just turned sixteen, even younger than you. Aunt Zhang praised that girl like a flower, saying she has good looks and a gentle temperament. Most rare of all... she can read and write, has learned calligraphy and painting, and can even use an abacus for bookkeeping. She's the only precious child in the family, and Shopkeeper Liu and his wife want to find a reliable and dependable young man."
Chen Qing spoke up, "Mother, look into this matter first before we discuss it further."
Recently, many matchmakers had come to the door, all politely declined by him.
First, he felt his foundation was still unstable and he had no thoughts of marriage yet. Second, matchmaking in this life was different from his previous one, when both parties took a liking to each other, they often proceeded directly to engagement, with little time for getting to know each other.
After declining so many, Lady Han saw it in her eyes and worried in her heart.
"Good! Mother will go inquire tomorrow!"
Seeing her son seemed to soften, Lady Han immediately beamed with joy.
The next day, early morning.
After Chen Qing finished practicing Toad Fishing Force and completed his training, he stepped into Zhou's courtyard.
Just entering the courtyard gate, Song Yufeng rushed over in panic, "Senior Brother Chen! Something terrible! Senior Brother Qin... Senior Brother Qin has gone mad!"
Gone mad!?
Chen Qing looked in the direction of the sound and saw a figure staggering and howling by the plum blossom stakes. His coarse cloth clothes were tattered like rags, stained with mud and dark brown medicine stains.
His bare feet stepped on the cold ground without any awareness.
It was Qin Lie.
"Do you know who I am? I'm a martial scholar!"
He howled hoarsely, excitement mixed with terrifying madness.
The disciples all kept their distance, not daring to approach.
Chen Qing moved to Sun Shun's side and asked quietly, "Senior Brother Sun, what exactly..."
"I'm not too clear either."
Sun Shun smiled bitterly, "Last night after sending him home, I left. This morning he appeared here again in this state. I'm afraid... unable to bear it, he's gone mad."
"Outrageous!"
Qin Lie seemed to have heard Sun Shun's words and shouted, "I'm a martial scholar, how dare you speak of me like that?"
"Look! My blade technique! Sweeping away thousands of troops! Swoosh swoosh swoosh!"
He suddenly spun around, sweeping with a dead branch as if he had truly struck down countless enemies, his face squeezing out a triumphant smile.
The next second, he suddenly collapsed to the ground, his ten fingers desperately clawing into the cold mud, his body trembling violently as he wailed miserably, "No! My major tendons! Ah! Thief! You ambushed me! The arena... the arena isn't fair!"
He suddenly raised his head, looking fiercely at the sky with deep-seated hatred filling his eyes.
Zhou Yu looked at Qin Lie before her, her feelings extremely complex.
Matters of the heart could never be forced.
She wasn't heartless, and had once sighed with regret over Qin Lie's misfortune, her heart full of pity.
All the disciples in the courtyard were deeply shaken.
Qin Lie had gone mad!?
Just a few months ago, he was still Zhou courtyard's prodigy, shining brilliantly.
"Tsk tsk tsk!"
"Tsk tsk tsk!"
Zheng Ziqiao sneered coldly, his tone extremely harsh, "If he had known this would happen, why was he so arrogant before? This shows that Heaven's way is clear, and retribution never fails."
"He stinks!"
Luo Qian covered her nose and walked away, "Stay away from me."
Qin Lie's current wretched state completely confirmed the correctness of her 'cutting losses in time' decision, making even her last trace of guilt disappear completely, leaving only undisguised disgust.
The disciples in the courtyard all had various expressions.
Chen Qing took in everything and thought to himself: This Qin Lie should have truly gone mad.
If he were pretending to be insane, he couldn't possibly have such high acting skills and scheming.
Acting required talent and experience.
Qin Lie muttered strange words to himself, then suddenly rushed toward Chen Qing.
"My lord, show mercy! My lord, see clearly! I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong."
He cried and wailed hoarsely, forcefully knocking his forehead against the ground with 'thud thud' sounds. His forehead, already covered with mud and dried blood, instantly gained new wounds.
Qin Lie alternated between crying loudly and laughing loudly, quickly alarming Zhou Liang in the back courtyard.
He walked out and, seeing Qin Lie in this state, was slightly stunned. After a long while, he said, "Sun Shun, have his sister come take him away."
"Yes!" Sun Shun responded and left.
Before long, Qin Lie's sister hurried over.
This was Chen Qing's second time seeing her. Although she had changed into a slightly more decent cotton jacket, her complexion was even paler than last time.
"Lie'er... my Lie'er... wuu wuu wuu... how could this happen... how could this happen...!"
Seeing Qin Lie before her, her cries were heart-wrenching.
With parents dead early and the family poor, Qin Lie was her only hope, raised by her own hands.
Everyone in the courtyard shook their heads sadly.
