Chapter 912: Chapter 785: Master and Disciple

As for the Miao Family, the father-in-law and son-in-law exchanged a few thoughts and then dropped the topic. Just from the cardboard box you could tell the other party was clever—raking up that history would do no one any good.

Plenty of second-generation warlords, once they lost the protection of their factions, were blackmailed abroad and threatened into becoming enemy agents. What does it mean to have a brother-in-law in such a high and powerful position? You can pretty much guess what choices they’d make.

By the time Zhang Guoqing returned to the room, it was deep into the night and everything was quiet. On the kang in the outer study, Ping’an was sound asleep. After checking the ice tray and mosquito net, he slipped quietly into the bedroom.

—The twins were placed on the kang, with Zhou Jiao in the middle reading a book.

Seeing this, he didn’t try to persuade Zhou Jiao to stop reading. Her confinement was almost two months in already; some taboos could be relaxed. But with them lying like this, where was he supposed to sleep?

"Brother, isn’t it really hot tonight?"

Zhang Guoqing felt his sons’ necks—sure enough, there was sweat. He cursed with a smile, "These little brats! They’re running me ragged. First thing this morning, Ping’an woke up and asked if I slept in the study again last night."

Zhou Jiao watched him carefully pick up his son and even bend down to kiss him. She couldn’t help but smile—this man wasn’t just a good husband, he was a model father for the whole nation.

"We don’t have much time to keep him company usually, so of course the child clings a bit. Now with these two added in, it’s inevitable we neglect him sometimes. Tomorrow we should make up another bed. My confinement’s basically done; after this we can put more ice trays in here."

Zhang Guoqing studied her complexion and nodded. He took the ancient text from her hands. "You really like studying medicine? Are you seriously planning to follow that old man to clinic every weekend from now on?"

"For something that can save your life, ’like’ or ’don’t like’ doesn’t really apply. It’s rare to have a good teacher; better to learn more while I’m still young. Besides, maybe I’ll actually need it one day."

"..." Zhang Guoqing decided he couldn’t discuss this topic with a photographic-memory study maniac; it was too bruising to his ego.

After washing up and getting on the kang, he brought up Xiao Zhou. At the wedding banquet this time, he’d heard the other man was planning to apply to go to the Southwest. That was a bit sudden.

Zhou Jiao gave him a strange look.

"What?"

"If Dad weren’t here, even I would want to leave. What’s so great about Beijing?"

"No. It’s that the place he’s applying for isn’t right." Zhang Guoqing shook his head. "Our eldest cousin-uncle is going to the Southwest, and he also wants to go to the Southwest. Could there be some kind of treasure hidden there?"

"You didn’t ask Dad?"

"No. I need to think things through on my own first; I can’t run to him about everything."

"That’s a whole big military region; it’s not like they’ll definitely all be assigned to the same spot. What treasure could there be? They’re making a fuss about going down there just to get promotions. Count it out—who’s sitting in command in each of the big military regions?"

Zhang Guoqing stared thoughtfully at the top of the mosquito net. After a while, he slapped his thigh. "Jiao Jiao, you should first go work at the grassroots level, then plan to transfer to the Planning Commission."

Zhou Jiao was startled and snapped coquettishly, "You scared me. My situation is different from others. My dad told me some time ago that the higher-ups have already named me."

Zhang Guoqing looked at her with grievance. Could they still play fair? Something this important, and father and daughter hadn’t breathed a word to him.

"You looked really busy some time ago, didn’t you?" Zhou Jiao collapsed into his arms with a laugh. "Let them play however they like. As long as I’m with you, anywhere is fine, short of scrubbing toilets."

"Right, that’s the main point."

Zhou Jiao nodded with a smile, but felt a bit uneasy inside. She hoped this move would draw the schemers’ attention onto herself and to some extent ease the malice aimed at Zhang Guoqing.

The game had already begun, and there were things she couldn’t spell out to Zhang Guoqing. Cheng Sijin’s transfer out of town was also a way of starting to guard against certain people.

Zhou Jiao buried herself in his arms and took a deep breath of that familiar scent. This man was the one she was determined to protect—best if no one ever got any ideas about him. If they did, she wouldn’t mind getting blood on her hands.

Zhang Guoqing didn’t know what she was thinking, but he could feel her unease. He narrowed his eyes slightly and unconsciously patted her gently with both hands. One day, he would be able to rely on himself to shield his wife so she could live exactly as she pleased.

...

No matter how worried you are, the future is always unknown; days still pass one by one, and time will never stop for anyone’s will.

After a torrential rain, the blazing sun came out again. Zhou Jiao slung her beloved big shoulder bag over her back, hugged two books to her chest, and hurried out of the Big Courtyard. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

In the little courtyard in the alley, Master Hu watched his beloved apprentice and beamed, waving her over. "Finished them already? You can take the copper man home today."

The "copper man" he mentioned was a genuine copper figure—supposedly his most treasured possession, set aside specially for his apprentice to inherit. Of course, when Zhou Jiao heard that sort of talk, she just smiled.

"Master, have you eaten?"

"I’ve eaten, I’ve eaten. Where’s that brat Xiao Wu, why didn’t he come with you?"

Zhou Jiao had known his second sentence would be about Zhang Guoqing. Who knew what was with these two? Out of their mouths it was always "stinky old man" and "damn brat," yet their relationship was as close as real grandfather and grandson.

"He’s tied up with something today and couldn’t get away."

"Hmph. That damn brat is busy with nonsense." Doctor Hu lifted his chin and scolded proudly, then immediately turned and smiled as he pointed toward the study. "Good disciple, come."

Zhou Jiao was long used to his capriciousness. She signed a greeting to Aunt, who was doing crafts at the stone table, and sighed inwardly when she saw the finished paper boxes.

Once inside the study, Zhou Jiao asked softly, "Master, is Uncle Hu’s nephew really reliable? They’ve hardly seen each other for years. People’s hearts are hard to read."

Old Hu chuckled at her words. The child had finally brought it up. It wasn’t easy for him to comment either. Strictly speaking, with Hu’s demobilization pay and the fact that they were living off him, Aunt really didn’t need to be making those little boxes.

"Master..."

"Enough. Hu only has that little bit of bloodline left in his family. If he wants to help, let him. I’ve met those people; they’re fairly honest and simple. Hu knows what he’s doing."

Zhou Jiao frowned slightly and didn’t bother with them anymore. One was willing to hit and one was willing to be hit; as an outsider, she’d better keep her mouth shut.

Over there Doctor Hu had already turned around, pulled open a drawer, and taken out a long wooden box to hand to her.

Zhou Jiao looked at him in puzzlement.

"This is a set of Golden Needles I specially prepared for you as your master."

Hearing this, Zhou Jiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Why so anxious? She gave a wry smile. "Master, I haven’t even gotten familiar with the silver needles yet. Leave this with you for now."

Doctor Hu didn’t want to waste words with her. He directly shoved it into her hand. "It’s fine, first practice the feel. Only with comparison can you sense the differences."

Zhou Jiao hesitated for a moment, then didn’t open it and directly stuffed it into her bag. She took out a packet of silver needles and followed him over to the desk. Sure enough, the old man had specially set up the copper man in front of the desk.

At this moment Doctor Hu was completely different from usual, his expression stern as he instructed, "Come, let me see how you’ve been learning. I’ll name the condition, you insert the needles."

"Vertigo."

As soon as he spoke, Zhou Jiao had already opened four points an inch around the Hundred Meeting Point, front, back, left and right, inserting the needles slanting outward.

"Lung heat."

"Damp obstruction."

"Xiaoke with yin deficiency and dryness."

"Epigastric pain."

"Phlegm-induced asthma."

As Zhou Jiao raised and inserted the needles, Doctor Hu’s mouth started firing off a rapid string of conditions. Watching his disciple remain fully focused, acting cool-headedly, he finally relaxed his expression in satisfaction.

"Looks like you really did go over the notes carefully. These basic techniques you still have to keep practicing when you go back."

Zhou Jiao nodded seriously.

"Besides these, starting tomorrow you also have to feel river water every day. And when I say river water, I don’t mean water in a washbasin, but flowing river water."

Zhou Jiao pressed her lips into a smile. "Master is going to start teaching me pulse diagnosis?"

"Trust you to be quick on the uptake!" Doctor Hu shot her a glance, hesitated for a moment. "Stop once the river surface freezes. When the time comes I’ll find something else for you to practice on."

Zhou Jiao didn’t want to waste her embroidery skills either, so she nodded happily.

"Our sect’s mental method you still have to keep practicing. In terms of physique, women are after all not as good as men, so you have to train diligently." As he spoke, Doctor Hu thought of the time issue and sighed.

"Master, my physical strength is pretty good now."

Doctor Hu shook his head. "That’s not what I’m worried about as your master."

At that, Zhou Jiao lowered her eyes in guilt. However much time there was, she really couldn’t manage it. To put it vulgarly, she’d spent five years just to get a university diploma.

"To study Chinese medicine, beyond rote memorization, knowing the meridians and acupoints, diagnostics, medicinal materials and prescriptions—these bookish things aren’t enough. You also have to learn from people with hands-on experience. There are plenty of famous folk doctors in the countryside, each with their own unique skill. Once you’ve reached a certain level, you’ll still have to travel around."

"I understand what you mean, Master."

"All right, we’ll talk about that later. Don’t feel pressured. Once the children are older, you’ll naturally have time. For now I’ll start explaining these conditions to you..."

Master and disciple, one teaching earnestly, the other listening carefully. Time flew by, and it wasn’t until dinnertime when Aunt came in that they snapped out of it.

"That’s enough for today. Take two more books home. If you run into any problems, come find me."

While signing to Aunt, Zhou Jiao said, "Master, the children are still little, so I won’t stay to eat here."

"All right, then go back early."

Zhou Jiao took the books he handed over, then pulled out a sheet of paper from her bag and passed it to him. "Master, please take a look and see if this is workable?"

Class over, Doctor Hu once again shed his stern-teacher demeanor. After reading it he chuckled. "Who offended you? Does your father know you’re compounding medicine?"

Zhou Jiao stuck out her tongue. "I didn’t dare let him find out."

Doctor Hu flicked the paper with interest. He’d discovered that his little disciple was actually most enthusiastic about making medicines—especially sedatives and poisons and such.

Fortunately this child was walking the straight path; otherwise he really would worry he’d be training up a scourge.

"Master, help me check it over. I don’t actually want to harm anyone. It’s just that there are some things I don’t want thieves to get away with. If I smear a little medicine on them, at least let those people know some things are not to be touched."

Hearing this, Doctor Hu didn’t say much more. He’d compounded plenty of this sort of thing when he was young, and smeared quite a lot on his own luggage. Mm, worthy of being his own personal disciple!

"All right, I’ll test the effect later. Since you’re not eating here, go back early and keep the children company."

She knew he would agree, but Zhou Jiao was still very happy. She could already foresee how many people would suffer a lesson in a few years once this formula was refined by her master.

She couldn’t interfere with the Gu Family ancestral graves, but as for the main branch of the Gu Family’s legitimate line, she would not let them be disturbed. This could count as her doing a bit of filial duty for her grandmother.

But did it really have to be a few years from now?