Chapter 38 Blood Hibiscus: Xie Xingming

From childhood to adulthood, Ah Liang has always been the smartest and most outstanding.

Wang Shanyue led Tang Yu to the Xie residence, listening to her recount what had happened in the palace along the way. He then curiously took the strange iron box and examined it from all angles.

Apart from the uneven patterns on the iron box, there was no keyhole or any other opening, as if it were a single piece of metal formed naturally and there was no way to open it.

"So, His Majesty ordered you and your senior brother to go to the Tang Clan in Sichuan?" He handed back the iron box, still puzzled. "Although the Tang Clan is good at making hidden weapons, shouldn't the Tianji Pavilion in Hongdu be the best in terms of ingenuity?"

Tang Yu was taken aback. Her identity had already been exposed in the eyes of many people, which made her almost forget that there was also this simple-minded Wang Shanyue, who not only did not know that she was a woman, but also firmly believed that he was just a wandering doctor.

However, she didn't know how to explain it for the time being, so she could only vaguely say, "I have some connection with the Tang Clan, and I will tell you about it in detail later. As for my trip to Sichuan, one reason is to unpack the box, and the other is to cure Xie Xingzheng of the poison."

Of course, there is a third reason: people from southern Xinjiang once appeared in Sichuan, and perhaps by following the clues there can we complete some of the puzzle.

“In that case, let me accompany you.” Wang Shanyue stopped and said solemnly, “Now that my senior brother is poisoned and his meridians are sealed, and you are carrying this Southern Frontier Secret Box, this journey will surely be fraught with danger. We need more people who can help protect us.”

Tang Yu did not refuse. After all, Iron Box, Blood Hibiscus, and even Xie Xingzheng were all now targets of Southern Xinjiang, and having more helpers along the way would ultimately be a good thing. However, she then thought of another person who had come with her along the way.

"And what about Xiao Fangliang? I haven't seen him at all today."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shanyue's shoulders slumped instantly, his expression somber: "You don't know, the rules of the A Liang family are extremely strict. Back then, it was only because my senior brother intervened that Master Xiao reluctantly agreed to let me go to Xia Nan with the caravan. This time, in order to find your whereabouts, we broke into Yaohua Pavilion, making a scene known throughout the city. That old-fashioned Master Xiao probably wishes he could whip a few vines off, so how could he possibly allow me to go to Shu with us again?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Yu frowned, a look of worry creeping into her brow: "How is he? This whole thing started because of me, I can't just stand by and watch him get beaten up."

“A-Liang is alright.” Wang Shanyue quickly waved his hand to comfort him, “I secretly sneaked into the Xiao residence last night to check on him. His father only punished him by making him kneel in the ancestral hall. I specially brought food and a soft cushion and kept watch for him all night, so that he wouldn’t go hungry or sleepy.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand and patted his strong arms: "If we were still using vines like when we were kids, I would definitely be the first to protect you."

Tang Yu was somewhat surprised. She had originally thought that Xiao Fangliang, as the son of a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet and a prodigy since childhood, would be a source of pride for his family, given his arrogant and aloof demeanor. She never imagined that he too would be subject to etiquette and strict rules.

She voiced her doubts, and Wang Shanyue immediately curled his lip, also extremely dissatisfied: "I don't know where the Academy got its standards from. You should know that A Liang has been the smartest in our school since he was a child. He was only five or six years old then, and while we were all playing all day, he was the youngest, yet he could sit at his desk in a serious manner, head held high, and study for a whole day."

When he spoke of the past, his eyes shone brightly, and the memories came to him as easily as if they were yesterday.

On A-Liang's first day of school, Wang Shanyue noticed him.

Because he was different from everyone else, even though his small body seemed like it could be blown away by the wind, he insisted on keeping his back straighter than a ruler, holding a book bigger than his face, turning a page slowly and deliberately, reading with composure and elegance.

Thanks to the guidance and supervision of the Academy, even compared to students several years older, Fang Liang was more composed and precocious, not at all like a five-year-old child.

Today, Xiao Fangliang is elegant and handsome, but in his childhood, he resembled a porcelain doll carved from white jade.

Wang Shanyue was stunned. Curious, he went over to look at the book in the pretty doll's hand. At that time, he didn't know many words. He just felt that the densely packed words on the book looked like earthworms, which made him dizzy.

He tried to strike up a conversation, but was given a cold glance and the other person turned their attention back to the pages of the book.

But Wang Shanyue was naturally oblivious to others' feelings and couldn't see that they didn't want to talk to him, so he thought that Wang Shanyue was not good at talking. So he still stayed by Wang Shanyue's side every day, talking enthusiastically about catching fish yesterday, catching snakes today, and the insects caught in the forest.

Until one day, he placed a large longhorn beetle in front of Xiao Fangliang. The once calm and serene pink and white face immediately turned ashen with fright, and the book in his hand was slammed into Xiao Fangliang's face.

"That's too much!" Little Fang Liang was furious, but having been bound by etiquette since childhood, she couldn't find the right words to curse and could only scold in a childish voice, which made her look extremely cute.

Looking at the mountain, he exclaimed with delight, as if he had found a treasure: "You can talk!"

At school, Xiao Fangliang, being young yet acting too maturely, was aloof and had no friends. But from that moment on, Wang Shanyue became an unshakeable and unyielding presence behind him.

After all, Wang Shanyue, who grew up in a security escort agency, had never seen such a beautiful little baby, so precious that she would break if touched.

And he only talks to himself!

Thanks to his dim-wittedness, Wang Shanyue not only didn't feel that Xiao Fangliang disliked him, but also felt that since Xiao Fangliang only spoke to him in the entire school, he must only consider him a friend.

He firmly believed in Confucius's saying, "A drop of water in need should be repaid with a spring of water." So he treated Shan Yue even better. As time went on, they gradually got used to it. When Xiao Fangliang was studying, Wang Shan Yue would doze off and fool around beside him. Even though he was often ordered around to turn the pages and hand him a pen, he was happy to do it.

The first time Wang Shanyue discovered that Xiao Gong was hitting A Liang was when he noticed the little child wasn't holding a book, but had it placed on the table. Although she was slowly turning the pages as usual, her palms were clenched inwards, and her movements were a bit strange. The usually simple-minded man immediately sensed something was wrong and forcefully pulled the little hand away.

Upon opening his palm, he saw a network of red, swollen bruises, some seemingly from being hit or pulled, and some even appeared to be bleeding.

Wang Shanyue immediately roared, "Who hit this?! I'll hit them back for you!"

Xiao Fangliang turned his face away, trying his best to maintain a slight aloofness, but he was still too young, and his voice revealed a hint of grievance that he could not suppress: "My father."

Wang Shanyue immediately wilted and asked, "Why did your father hit you?"

"Because I didn't memorize the 'Collection of Famous Sayings' properly."

Wang Shanyue paused, looking completely bewildered: "What is that? So what if I can't memorize it..."

Xiao Fangliang glared at him coldly and then ignored him. Even when Wang Shanyue later sneaked home to get medicine to apply to him, he remained proud and unyielding, not uttering a sound.

Later, when Xiao Shanyue returned home and asked his family, he learned that the book "Collection of Famous Sayings" actually contained several thousand characters. For a five-year-old child, recognizing all the characters was already difficult enough, but to have to memorize the entire book was even more challenging.

How absurd and unreasonable such a request must be.

But in the days that followed, he gradually realized that there were things even more absurd than that.

Within a few short years, Xiao Fangliang had memorized the entire classics, including "Meng Qiu," "The Book of Poetry," and even "The Analects." However, whenever he failed to please his father at home, he would be punished with a ruler and a cane.

If Xiao Fangliang hadn't been frail since childhood, even more lashes would likely have fallen on his thin body.

When it comes to other people's affairs, Wang Shanyue is powerless to help. All he can do is apply medicine to him with a pained expression, muttering curses under his breath. Then he'll carry his books and obediently turn the pages according to his commands.

He was treated like a servant, ordered around and bossed around, but it was precisely because of his companionship that the loneliness and repression did not completely engulf the young Xiao Fangliang.

These difficult days only came to a temporary end after Xiao Fangliang was admitted to the Imperial Academy and astonished everyone at a grand gathering, earning the title of child prodigy.

“Even now, Lord Xiao’s discipline of him has not diminished in the slightest. He wants him to bear the honor and burden of the family, to be careful with his words and deeds, to cherish his reputation and honor, so as to pave the way for his official career.” Wang Shanyue said, but felt aggrieved for A Liang.

He didn't know how outstanding one had to be to earn a few words of praise from Master Xiao. But in his eyes, A Liang had always been the smartest and most outstanding person since childhood.

Tang Yu was somewhat stunned. Her parents must have suffered a lot, which is why they were so lenient. Although she and her younger brother were sent to study at Tangmen when they were of school age, they were never criticized for their studies.

At this moment, the gate of the Xie residence was almost in front of them. Just before stepping inside, Tang Yu suddenly turned around and said, "Ask A Liang. If he wants to come with us, then pick him up."

The Xie residence was quite different from what she had imagined. The courtyard, paved with blue bricks and stones, was empty and desolate, with almost no flowers or trees to adorn it, which instead gave it a solemn and imposing atmosphere befitting a military family.

From the corridor not far away, the soft creaking of a wheelchair came, followed by a gentle yet slightly hoarse voice: "Little A-Yue is here?"

Tang Yu looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man sitting in a wheelchair with a straight back and an air of elegance like ink bamboo. Although he was slightly thin due to his disability in both legs and had a scar on his left cheek that extended from the corner of his mouth, one could still see a resemblance to Xie Xingzheng in his gentle eyes and brows.

He must have been a handsome and dashing general back then.

Behind her, a woman in plain clothes pushed the wheelchair. Her eyes were cold and icy. After pushing it close, she coldly looked Tang Yu up and down before lowering her eyelashes and saying nothing more.

Xie Xingming's gaze also fell on Tang Yu, and he smiled faintly: "This must be Doctor Su, you've finally arrived." His kind smile was ultimately somewhat jarring because of the scar.

“After A-Zheng came back yesterday, he hasn’t left his room all day. I’m really worried.” He sighed and looked worriedly at the door not far away.

"Brother Xie, don't worry," Wang Shanyue quickly reassured him. "Last night, my sister found out what ingredients were used in the Blood Pool. Brother Su just returned from the palace this morning and improved the formula. Today, we can neutralize some of the poison. As for the Gu poison from the Southern Frontier..."

He paused, glancing at Tang Yu out of the corner of his eye, and continued, "I will go with Brother Su to obey the imperial decree and take my senior brother to Sichuan for treatment."

Xie Xingming nodded slightly upon hearing this, his smile fading slightly, but he was not surprised, as if he already knew.

Seeing the somewhat somber atmosphere, Tang Yu smiled and spoke up to ease the tension: "Since I'm new to your residence, would you mind having someone take me to General Xie's room? The medicinal herbs that Shan Yue has prepared should be brewed soon."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xingming quickly composed himself, turned around and instructed the woman in plain clothes behind him to arrange for someone to take them to their respective places.

*

At this moment, Xie Xingzheng was sitting upright on the couch in the room, his posture showing no sign of relaxation.

With everything pitch black before his eyes and his meridians sealed, he was unable to circulate his internal energy, making him no different from an ordinary blind person.

Even with his keen hearing still intact, he could still catch the clear birdsong outside the window and the faint sounds of footsteps. But without internal energy to regulate his breathing, the old injuries that had been lurking within him began to rage again.

The pain was faint but hard to ignore, spreading along his veins and making his breathing somewhat disordered, forcing him to focus his mind and control himself.

Now, he doesn't know what he can rely on to unravel the mystery of the southern border, or how to protect those around him.

Just as exhaustion weighed heavily on my heart, a gentle knock came from outside the door, interrupting these chaotic thoughts.

Before he could speak or get up, the door was pushed open from the outside, and a laughing voice entered his ears.

"Let me see which patient is it that won't even come out of the door."