Chapter 46 Tang Clan Ghost: Thief
Just breathing is tempting enough.
Tang Clan.
It was dusk, the sun was about to set, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window lattice, casting a warm yellow light throughout the room as if it were gilded, which inevitably made people feel a little drowsy.
Inside, Si Huo was preparing medicine for Xie Xingzheng's eyes. She poured the ground medicine powder into a bowl, then mixed it with ointment using a jade piece. A faint medicinal fragrance wafted out, bittersweet yet refreshing.
The person preparing the medicine, however, had no time to pay much attention. The dark circles under her eyes had not yet faded, and her face showed signs of exhaustion.
Although it was verified that the blood hibiscus Tang Yu brought back was genuine and showed no signs of tampering, however…
She glanced sideways at Xie Xingzheng, who was sitting quietly beside the bed, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The eyes are one of the most vulnerable organs.
The young general had even come into direct contact with highly poisonous substances, causing him even greater damage. Although the Blood Lotus could neutralize the poison in his body, the eye injury still required several weeks of external and internal treatments to repair and restore his sight.
During this period, she had to prescribe new prescriptions and change the topical medications every few days according to the patient's condition.
For her, who hadn't been sleeping well for days, just thinking about it made her feel dizzy and heavy-headed.
Si Huo mechanically stirred the bowl of medicine, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier until he unconsciously half-closed his eyes. But how could he sleep soundly standing up? Just as he was about to drift off, he swayed, lost his balance, and almost fell to the ground.
Startled awake, she took a deep breath, steadied herself, and calmed her racing heart.
Xie Xingzheng noticed the commotion and asked with concern, "What's wrong, little divine doctor? Are you feeling unwell?"
"It's alright." Si Huo looked down at the medicine bowl, which had already been stirred.
She looked up again, her voice still calm: "The medicine is ready."
Just as she was about to go over and apply the medicine to him, she suddenly heard a concerned female voice coming from outside the door.
"How many sleepless nights has Dr. Si been staying up?"
Si Huo paused slightly and looked back.
Tang Yu leaned lightly against the door, her body bathed in a soft golden glow against the backlight. Coupled with her radiant smile, it inexplicably made Si Huo's heart tighten.
"This is truly a dereliction of duty on our part of the Tang Clan, leaving all the work of treating and saving lives to fall on the shoulders of the young divine physician Si." Tang Yu stepped in gracefully, her voice gentle, and she sighed with a hint of apology, "It's because the young divine physician is so tired that she can fall asleep standing up. I really feel a little guilty about it."
“Miss Tang Yu, you flatter me,” Si Huo replied calmly, his expression unchanged.
"A doctor heals others, but also needs to take care of and heal themselves," Tang Yu said with concern, her gaze naturally falling on the bowl of medicine in the woman's hand. "I wonder... is there anything I can do to help?"
Si Huo paused slightly, then handed over the medicine bowl: "Then please have Miss Tang Yu do it for me. Apply this medicine thickly, and finally seal it with gauze."
Tang Yu took the medicine, walked slowly to the bedside, and gently lifted Xie Xingzheng's chin so that he could tilt his head back to make it easier for her to apply the medicine.
She used a jade piece to pick up a little ointment and gently applied it to his eyes, the fragrance of the medicine spreading from her fingertips.
At this moment, she stood in front of the bed, looking down, while Xie Xingzheng sat on the bed, looking up.
Tang Yu's gaze moved from that cold, stern face to that sharply defined jawline, then to that slender, beautiful neck, and finally to the collarbone that was faintly visible beneath the collar.
Even the most vulnerable blood vessels on the side of the neck of a martial artist do not appear weak; instead, they exude a sense of strength. Yet, at this moment, the other person is quietly and obediently raising their head, waiting for the medicine to be applied, appearing utterly harmless.
It gave her the illusion that the person in front of her could be molded and manipulated at will.
At that moment, Tang Yu felt as if her heart had been gently brushed by a feather, leaving it slightly itchy.
Some people are so alluring that they can be attracted simply by breathing, even if they do nothing.
Unfortunately, Xie Xingzheng couldn't see the offensive scrutiny, nor did he know what she was thinking.
Just then, the faint sound of Si Huo packing up his medicine tools came from behind, pulling Tang Yu back from her inappropriate thoughts.
She spoke casually, "While patrolling the mountain today, I heard Xiao Ge mention that on the night of the martial arts tournament, it was the young divine physician Si who personally came to treat Yangyang?"
Si Huo paused slightly in his movements, but quickly resumed his normal expression: "Yes."
Tang Yu smiled slightly, with a hint of probing: "Thank you so much, Dr. Si. But... I've heard that because so many people in the martial arts world seek your treatment, you always rely heavily on fate and your mood when practicing medicine, and your consultation fees are quite high, with extremely demanding conditions."
Her tone was gentle, as if she were chatting casually, and her eyes were full of harmless, gentle smiles. "It seems that although our Tang family has a bad reputation in the martial arts world, we are still fortunate enough to catch the eye of the little divine doctor."
Si Huo glanced at her for a moment, then lowered his eyes again. "What Miss Tang Yu said is not entirely correct."
"Oh?" Tang Yu raised an eyebrow, asking curiously, "What's wrong?"
Si Huo remained calm and replied indifferently, "Even if the Tang family is not worthy of my attention, I will still lend a helping hand."
Why is that?
“I owe the Tang Clan a great favor.” Si Huo smiled lightly, his tone serious. “To this day, I have only repaid a small part of it. If Miss Tang Yu needs any help in the future, please just ask, and I will certainly not refuse.”
Although the answer was unclear, it did resolve Tang Yu's doubts.
A gentle smile curved her lips: "Then I'll thank you in advance, little miracle doctor."
Si Huo nodded, finished tidying up, and turned to leave.
Tang Yu called her back again and asked one last question: "Since Doctor Si has a long-standing relationship with the Tang Clan, he must have met my mother and aunt before?"
Si Huo paused slightly, but did not turn around. He smiled and replied, "Never."
Immediately, he turned and left.
The sun had completely set, and the last ray of sunlight dissipated at that moment. A breeze swept in from the door, carrying the scent of medicine and the chill of the night, and the room returned to silence.
Tang Yu remained silent for a long time before finally withdrawing her gaze from the doorway.
She realized she had been ignoring Xie Xingzheng for quite some time, and he had just sat there quietly without saying a word, the eye drops almost drying out. She shook her head with a wry smile, quickly picked up some gauze, and sealed the eye drops back onto his eyes.
"Okay." She gently patted his shoulder.
Xie Xingzheng tilted his head slightly, his voice low: "Is it... that you think there's something wrong with this Miss Si?"
Tang Yu's smile faded, and her gaze sharpened: "It's still too early to tell."
Suddenly, she mischievously leaned close to Xie Xingzheng's ear, her voice so soft it seemed to be carried away by the night breeze: "General Xie, wait for me in the house tonight."
"Hmm?" Xie Xingzheng felt inexplicably nervous.
Tang Yu chuckled softly, "I... I'll take you to be a thief."
*
The night was deep and the dew was heavy.
Thick clouds obscured the moon, its cool light appearing and disappearing, giving the night an unreal, dreamlike quality.
The inner gate was now dark, and everyone was fast asleep. The surroundings were pitch black, with only the night breeze and the occasional chirping of insects.
Tang Yu lowered her voice: "The Tang Clan has many traps and mechanisms, and you can't use your internal energy for the time being, so you'd better stick close to me. Come on..."
As she spoke, she took his hand. His hand was large, calloused, and not soft.
She gripped it tighter, and then turned back to remind her, "Don't let go."
Xie Xingzheng hummed in agreement and followed her as she walked through the courtyard in the darkness. Tang Yu appeared extremely nimble and experienced; it seemed that even though this was her home, she had done her fair share of sneaky things.
The night breeze was chilly, but the warmth of our bodies passing between our clasped hands made the night feel anything but cold.
The last time they held hands was under the oppressive pressure of being chased, so naturally they had no time to pay attention. But now, in this night without any tension, his state of mind was quite different, and he even noticed the temperature of her palm, which stirred up some strange emotions within him.
His heart was beating inexplicably fast.
Tang Yu nimbly leaped over the wall and entered the medicine pavilion through the window.
Because the Tang Clan was riddled with traps and mechanisms, the entire inner gate was unguarded. They had always only guarded against outsiders, so how could they have thought about guarding against "internal traitors"? As a result, the entire medicine pavilion was deserted, with only the fragrant aroma of medicine filling the air.
Tang Yu walked straight to the medicine furnace to inspect it, then squatted down to rummage through the dregs bucket, carefully distinguishing the remaining materials.
Most of the medicinal herbs were the same ones that Tang Yang and Xie Xingzheng had used in the past few days, and there was nothing special about them.
Just as she was feeling slightly disappointed, she heard light footsteps outside. Tang Yu's heart tightened, and she pulled Xie Xingzheng into the shadows.
A moment later, the door creaked open.
It turns out to be the one who brings disaster.
She wore an overcoat, her expression weary, and her steps unsteady. In the dim moonlight, Tang Yu could see her slightly furrowed brow, suggesting a sense of urgency.
She walked to the medicine cabinet, and by the light of the oil lamp, she skillfully picked out a few herbs, wrapped them up, and left in a hurry without lingering.
The whole set of movements was so fast it was astonishing.
Once she was sure the footsteps had completely disappeared, Tang Yu let out a soft breath and stepped out of the shadows. Then she went to the counter to examine it carefully, to see what medicinal herbs the woman had taken.
"Polygonum multiflorum, Andrographis paniculata, Poria cocos..." Tang Yu murmured softly, her expression slightly serious as she pondered to herself.
Xie Xingzheng asked, "How is it?"
"What Si Huo took away were all medicines for nourishing the heart and calming the mind, clearing heat and regulating qi." Tang Yu frowned even more deeply.
If she couldn't sleep well, these would indeed be the right medicine. But a feeling ran through her that something was wrong, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"A tranquilizer?" Xie Xingzheng tilted his head slightly, his voice filled with doubt: "She was so sleepy during the day that she almost fell asleep while standing. Does she need a tranquilizer?"
This sentence woke Tang Yu up.
Yes! Her drowsiness was clearly caused by staying up late, not by insomnia.
Besides, if he knew he couldn't sleep at night, he should have prepared the medicine and placed it in his room long ago. Why would he rush to pick it up in the middle of the night?
After a moment of thought, a faint smile suddenly appeared on Tang Yu's lips.
"Let's go." She turned around and whispered, "Come with me to another place."
Xie Xingzheng raised an eyebrow: "Where to?"
"The storage room".
The Tang Clan, as one of the nine major clans in the martial arts world, naturally has a rigorous system of records. Every matter, big or small, is meticulously recorded, and every single one is documented and traceable. The place where these records are kept is the archive room the two of them came from.
Tang Yu took out a luminous pearl from her bosom and placed it in Xie Xingzheng's hand. "Take this. I'm looking for something."
Using the faint light from the luminous pearl, she quickly flipped through the rows of scrolls and books.
Time passed slowly, and Tang Yu finally found what she needed. The sound of her fingertips turning the pages was especially clear in the quiet night.
Xie Xingzheng suddenly spoke up: "I've realized that you don't actually need to bring me with you tonight."
"Who said that?" Tang Yu chuckled lightly, her eyes still fixed on the scroll. "Think about it, if we get caught red-handed tonight, can't I just push you out and say it was all your idea?"
Having said that, she finished reading and put down the book. Looking up at him, she raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Aren't you afraid?"
Xie Xingzheng was taken aback, then slowly uttered two words: "Not afraid."
Just then, a gust of wind outside dispersed the clouds, revealing the moon. Its silvery light streamed into the room, falling on Xie Xingzheng's face, still covered by a white cloth, making him appear exceptionally handsome and otherworldly.
Tang Yu was momentarily distracted, thinking:
Indeed, of all the misfortunes in the world, wine, women, wealth, and anger are the most detrimental. However, ranking "beauty" second is rather inappropriate.
A smile crept into the corner of her eyes. Tang Yu took the luminous pearl from his hand and took his hand again.
Her tone was light and sly: "Aren't you afraid? Then, General Xie, come with me to catch 'ghosts' the night after tomorrow."
[Author's Note]
Xie Xingzheng: (Breathing)
Tang Yu: He seduced me!
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