Chapter 20 Bathing [New] Is she not coming?

Hemostasis, moxibustion, applying medicine, bandaging...

After a flurry of activity, by the time everyone in the courtyard had settled down comfortably, it was nearly evening. The wind finally dared to approach the ground, and the parched earth drank deeply of the moisture carried by the wind.

Half of the courtyard wall had collapsed, and You Mingjiang sat there alone, enjoying the cool air. A palm-leaf fan rustled as she fanned herself.

Although we were trying to cool off, the evening breeze was still hot.

You Mingjiang's forehead was constantly covered in sweat, and his undergarment was soaked with sweat and smelled sour and sticky to his body.

The most uncomfortable spot was her neck, which was chafed and red, and when she was sweaty, it was both itchy and irritating. She could bear the itch normally, but once she thought about taking a bath, it felt like the itch went from her skin all the way to her heart, and she couldn't sit still any longer.

Yu Mingjiang couldn't hold back any longer. She turned around and called out to the people in the courtyard, "I'm going to take a bath in the river. I'll be right back!"

She wasn't worried about the safety of Hai Si's group.

The one who should be truly worried isn't her, but Tong Baixiong. If he's willing to use the entire compound of the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled as bargaining chips, then so be it.

Dongfang Bai's condition hasn't fully recovered, and she's the only one here who understands pharmacology and can stabilize his condition. Not to mention, there's the [Same Qi Branch Gu] hanging over his head. No matter how anxious Tong Baixiong is, he wouldn't dare gamble with his own and his brother's lives.

In truth, Tong Baixiong himself knew perfectly well that all the people in the ward were people Dr. You had picked up along the way, with no blood relation whatsoever. Whether his so-called "bargaining chips" could truly blackmail her was an open question. How could he dare to actually do anything to her?

As for the owner of that tripwire, if all he does is hide, he might as well be a coward for life!

You Mingjiang slung the bamboo medicine basket over his shoulder and headed towards the river without looking back. The basket contained clean clothes, a soap pod, and a small jar of hair dye, just enough for a good wash.

The footsteps faded into the distance.

All was quiet. After a while, a figure slowly emerged from under the shadow of the old locust tree.

Ding Xi followed at a leisurely pace, watching her walk and stop, sometimes bending down to pluck a few leaves, sometimes squatting down to dig up grass roots. He slowed his pace as well, always keeping a distance of about a bit, neither too far nor too close.

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Ding Xi deliberately followed her to the riverbank.

His goal was very clear.

Naturally, it was You Mingjiang's bamboo medicine basket.

The only time she might not be near her was when she went to bathe in the river.

However, what he really wanted was not that bamboo medicine basket.

Even the most miraculous treasure is still an inanimate object; how can it compare to a living doctor who can cure diseases and save lives?

He knew perfectly well that he had offended her with the tripwire incident. Since he needed her help, he couldn't let things remain at an impasse. He didn't want to end up like Tong Baixiong, constantly testing each other's intentions.

He would borrow that bamboo medicine basket for now; he had his own way of getting You Mingjiang to sit down and listen to him properly.

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The sunset glow was orange-red, and the river water was warm gold.

The water murmured, and the weeping willows on the bank, having been exposed to the sun all day, drooped listlessly, their branches softly reaching towards the water's surface.

Ding Xi crouched down and hid in the bushes.

My sweat-dampened clothes clung to my back, and a gentle breeze brought a refreshing coolness that dissipated much of the day's heat.

He held his breath, staring intently at the shallow beach in the middle of the river, half-hidden by reeds.

A neat stack of clean clothes lay on the beach, and a small bamboo medicine basket sat quietly under the willow tree.

Ripples spread across the river. Ding Xi looked up and saw You Mingjiang with her back to him, slowly wringing her wet hair with both hands, her firm waist faintly visible in the water.

Ding Xi felt a "boom" and a surge of heat rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, making his face turn as red as a monkey's bottom.

He muttered a curse under his breath, only daring to twist his body abruptly, his back to them, completely frozen. He cursed himself inwardly: This is truly... I can't explain myself even if I had a hundred mouths!

.

Ding Xi's face burned, and his earlobes were scalding hot. He subconsciously raised his hand to press them, but then quickly pulled it back.

His gaze had nowhere to fall, but it inadvertently landed on the bamboo medicine basket placed under the willow tree.

Just then, the sound of water came from behind, as if You Mingjiang was about to turn around...

His mind went blank, and before he could think further, the tripwire he carried in his sleeve slid out on its own, the loop whistling through the air and catching the medicine basket perfectly.

With a quick flick of the wrist, the bamboo medicine basket floated lightly into the palm of the hand, as obedient as a tamed sparrow.

He dared not linger any longer, turned around and plunged into the bushes, staggering as he ran.

Ding Xi didn't care whether anyone was chasing him. He crashed into the dilapidated temple and was grabbed tightly by Ma Zhen, who bombarded him with questions about why he was in such a panic. Only then did he snap out of it, as if he had just escaped from a chaotic dream.

Ma Zhen's voice buzzed in his ears, but Ding Xi didn't take a word to heart, only giving a few vague and incoherent replies.

Only then did I belatedly realize that I had absolutely no recollection of how I had run back.

All I remember is the shimmering riverbank at dusk, the chorus of frogs, the incessant chirping of cicadas, and the muffled panting of his own.

A moment later, a rumble of thunder rolled across the horizon, followed by the sound of rain coming from afar, eventually merging into a continuous drizzle that enveloped the world in a white mist.

The raindrops pounded heavily on the temple roof, hurried and chaotic, just like his heart pounding like a drum.

Ding Xi lowered his head and murmured to the gradually accumulating puddle, "Stealing is dishonorable..."

The rain intensified, pouring down as if trying to wash something away from him, or as if repeatedly asking: What are you panicking about?

He preferred to believe that he had only stolen the bamboo medicine basket.

After all, the charge of theft is always more reassuring than the vague and inexplicable panic in one's heart.

The sound of raindrops pattering against his heart, urging him to keep that burning secret safe and remember it well.

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The rain never stopped.

It just kept raining, tirelessly.

The sky remained overcast and rainy until dusk the following day.

The temple walls, with their peeling lime, exposed the blackened blue bricks underneath. Moss grew wildly at the base of the walls, a sickeningly green. The roof of the dilapidated temple leaked in several places, but it could still keep out the rain, except for the central section, where the leak was most severe, and rainwater poured onto the face of the broken statue of a god on the altar.

The ground was fairly dry, probably because the craftsmen had deliberately raised the foundation to prevent water from accumulating.

Ding Xi lowered his eyes, his fingertips tracing the bamboo medicine basket over and over again. This treasure, once in his hands, showed no extraordinary power whatsoever. It looked dark and dull, though the bamboo strips had been polished smooth by handling; in the end, it was just an ordinary old object.

What's most intriguing is You Mingjiang's attitude.

This precious item has been missing all night, yet she doesn't seem worried at all.

"It's been raining all night, and it just won't stop," Ma Zhen said hoarsely, moving weakly towards the fire.

The high fever and profuse sweating just now had almost drained him of his strength. Although the fever had subsided, he felt only a chill running through his body from the inside out.

This is precisely the most grueling part of the malaria remission period.

He collapsed from hunger by the fire, rubbing his empty stomach and grinning at the deserted, dilapidated temple: "I miscalculated. If I had known this wretched weather would leak, I would have left Xinghua Village!"

"This damn weather! There's not a single rabbit, not even a bird feather. I can barely move my legs; I'm probably going to die here..."

Sensing the resentment in Xiao Ma's words, Ding Xi was not annoyed at all. Instead, he reached out and patted the bamboo medicine basket, smiling as he said, "Xiao Ma, do you know what kind of treasure this is?"

"Treasure? I think it's more like junk."

Ma Zhen, half-asleep, gripped the branch and poked at the fire intermittently, sparks flying wildly in his blurred vision.

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Ding Xi was a man who didn't care much about material possessions.

When it comes to food, he eats fish when there is fish, and shrimp when there is no fish.

He never aspired to high office or official rank, so he became a bandit.

But even as a robber, he wasn't very good at it.

He had neither fine clothes, nor could he wear a brocade robe all year round; he had no pomp or circumstance, unlike those powerful figures in the greenwood; and he had no reputation, unlike Chu Liuxiang, "the Grand Marshal among bandits and the handsome young master among hooligans".

He's a complete spendthrift; he spends money without even knowing where it goes.

He was always smiling, as if nothing in the world was worth frowning over. But despite his smile, he was more insightful than anyone else. Occasionally, he would come up with an idea that would even surprise the seasoned veterans, who would slap their thighs and laugh, exclaiming, "You, Ding Xi, you're a damn genius!"

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Ma Zhen's temperament was completely different from Ding Xi's. He was born without the ability to speak softly, his fists were hard, and his temper was even harder. There weren't many people in the martial arts world who could make him bow down; Ding Xi was one of them, and only Ding Xi could tame his stubborn temper that flared up at the slightest provocation.

Ma Zhen was also a bandit, but he had his own set of rules: First, he would not associate with those who oppress the good; second, he would not stand idly by while the innocent suffered.

These two rules were his ironclad principles. It would be better to take his life than to teach him to break them.

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Ding Xi couldn't help but chuckle at Ma Zhenxin's restless and agitated state. His tone was light and casual, yet his words were like a feather tickling the heart: "Then guess why I insisted on bringing you out?"

Ma Zhen tossed the branch into the fire, sending up a flurry of sparks. Forcing himself to stay alert, he said irritably, "Just say it, why are you keeping me in suspense?"

A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he instinctively closed his eyes.

He wasn't without resentment. His elder brother had clearly agreed to rob the valuable goods being transported by those lackeys from the escort agency so that the renowned physician Zhang Jianzhai could treat him and Hongxinghua's illnesses. Who knew that after all that trouble, he would only bring back a small, inconspicuous, dark medicine basket.

Even a bag of dry rations, a piece of beef, or a pot of liquor would have saved them from starving in this dilapidated temple.

But Ma Zhen ultimately listened to Ding Xi the most.

His elder brother was far more astute than him. Otherwise, why would everyone in the martial arts world call him "the clever Ding Xi"?

The eldest brother is the eldest brother; whatever the eldest brother tells him to do, Ma Zhen will do. Despite his complaints, he still obediently followed Ding Xi without hesitation.

"If you want to treat an illness, you have to let the doctor see the patient first, right?" Ding Xi continued to tease him.

Ma Zhen's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Brother, you really managed to invite Zhang Jianzhai?"

Ding Xi shook his head: "It wasn't him."

Ma Zhen's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly recovered and nodded, saying, "Yes... Zhang Jianzhai isn't someone you can just ask for help from. A doctor will do. What kind of doctor is he?" If it were an elderly doctor who couldn't walk, they would have to find a way to visit him in person.

Unexpectedly, Ding Xi smiled slightly and said, "The doctor I invited for you is the personal physician of Elder Heimu Cliff Hall."

Ma Zhen, who had been sitting casually, trembled upon hearing this, dropping the branch he was holding into the fire. His eyes widened suddenly, his voice trembling with excitement: "Ping...Ping Yizhi?"

Who in the martial arts world doesn't know Ping Yizhi, the "murderous doctor"?

I've heard that he has unparalleled medical skills, but a strange personality. He follows the rule of "healing one person, killing one person," and has close ties with the Sun Moon Cult.

Thinking of this, Ma Zhen suddenly felt uneasy: "Then... how are you going to pay his consultation fee?"

"This precious medicine basket is the consultation fee." Ding Xi didn't correct Ma Zhen's misunderstanding, but just smiled and shook the bamboo medicine basket, which contained the herbs that You Mingjiang had picked earlier, making a rustling sound as it was shaken.

“Brother,” Ma Zhen looked up, his face full of worry, “did you hurt your head outside? Or did I catch malaria from you? Why are you talking nonsense…”

Ding Xi gave him a tap on the head and sighed, "You're just spouting nonsense! I'm perfectly fine, but you should use your brain more often." Although Ma Zhen was Ding Xi's sworn brother, he never bothered to think things through, observe, or listen.

Ma Zhen rubbed his head, looking miserable: "I know, I know, it's not that I don't want to move, it's just that it's working against me. It can't get around when it encounters those twists and turns!"

Ding Xi was amused and smiled, then said seriously, "There's still medicine in this basket. Whatever medicine you and Hong Xinghua want, we have it here. Your malaria will be cured soon."

Ma Zhen was moved by the certainty in his words, her nose tingled, and she nodded emphatically: "Brother, I believe you."

After saying that, he craned his neck, looked around, and asked in confusion, "But when exactly will Doctor Ping arrive?"

"Soon, just wait a little longer." Ding Xi said confidently, his face showing a sure look, but he was unsure in his heart.

It's been a whole night, and she hasn't made any move yet. Could it be that he's misunderstood something?

Or is this bamboo medicine basket really just an ordinary medicine basket?

Ding Xi stared blankly at the rain curtain, wondering to himself, "Could she... not be coming?"

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Outside the dilapidated temple, the rain was fine and dense, and the grass was lush and green.

The newcomer carried an oil-paper umbrella, wearing an apricot-white thin shirt underneath a pea-green half-sleeved garment, and lotus-root-colored cloth trousers, with a ginger-yellow sash tied around her waist. Her hair was styled in double buns, with a few stray strands of hair dampened by the rain, gently clinging to her cheeks.

This person was none other than You Mingjiang himself.

Of course she knew that her bamboo medicine basket had been stolen.

Yu Mingjiang discovered this as soon as she finished showering yesterday evening. However, she still had dye on her hair at the time, so she didn't rush to chase after them.

Each application of this hair dye lasts for a year and a half, so she has to touch it up regularly, otherwise her original deep burgundy gradient hair color will gradually become visible. This deep burgundy hair color is nothing special in Cloud Mist Valley, but here, at best she'll be mistaken for a foreigner from overseas, and at worst she'll be regarded as an ominous monster.

Later, when she returned to the courtyard, she was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open. Seeing that Tong Baixiong, a skilled fighter, was guarding the courtyard, she decided to take a good nap.

Who knew that the rain would fall for an entire night?

As a result, when You Mingjiang woke up early in the morning, she saw a yellowish-brown, muddy soup gushing in from the gap in the collapsed wall. She gave Tong Baixiong a sarcastic scolding, then woke everyone up one by one and led them to drain the water in the yard. Then they chopped firewood, boiled water, cooked rice, fed the mule, and then gave Dongfang Bai a follow-up examination and brewed his medicine...

She was busy until dusk when it suddenly dawned on her—oh, she had almost forgotten that her bamboo medicine basket had been stolen.

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No wonder You Mingjiang was so calm and composed.

She naturally has her reasons for being confident.

The bamboo medicine basket produced by this system, when it falls into the hands of others, is nothing more than an ordinary old basket.

Whoever picked it up and searched it thoroughly found nothing of value except some herbs gathered along the way.

Over the years, it's not that no one has had ulterior motives, but they've all been deterred by the properties of the bamboo medicine basket:

【Item Name: Bamboo Woven Medicine Basket】

[Description: Legend has it that this medicine basket once belonged to Sun Simiao, the "King of Medicine." It has a volume of 8 cubic meters (4 meters long * 1 meter wide * 2 meters high), a constant weight of two jin (approximately 1 kg), and its contents are automatically categorized and stored, never decaying.]

[Note 1: This basket must not be used to place living creatures or human corpses.]

[Note 2: Once bound, users cannot be unbound or traded. The page will refresh automatically if lost.]

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Therefore, You Mingjiang was not in a hurry to find a bamboo medicine basket.

It'll be back in three to five days anyway. It's a little inconvenient right now, but it's not a big deal.

Moreover, ever since she got this opportunity, she has always been prepared to lose it.

This bamboo-woven medicine basket has a total system space of only 8 cubic meters. The world is so vast, and there are so many wonderful things in it; how could it possibly contain everything?

She has never been greedy or hoarded anything.

Lao Tzu said, "Excessive love will inevitably lead to great expense, and excessive hoarding will inevitably lead to great loss."

You Mingjiang deeply agreed.

Therefore, she never puts all her eggs in one basket, nor does she neglect her medical skills just because she has a system, and she never places all her hopes on others.

The same principle applies to how we treat others.

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Unfortunately, the emperor wasn't worried, but the eunuch was.

She wasn't in a hurry, but the system, as the producer, was, with electronic voices constantly beeping in her mind.

You Mingjiang raised her hand and gently tilted the oil-paper umbrella backward. Her gaze swept over the dilapidated temple, and sure enough, she saw the red arrow used by the system for navigation, pointing steadily in that direction.

It seems that the bamboo medicine basket is hidden in this dilapidated temple.

She raised an eyebrow and walked inside with an air of nonchalance.

.

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Author's Note: [Good Luck Lotus] Zhang Jianzhai: A renowned physician and chivalrous hero from Jiangnan in "The New Legend of Chu Xinxin", known as "one finger to judge life and death", who appeared in the section on ghost love and chivalry.