Chapter 186: Chapter 101: Hidden Worries and Determination

Liu Maolin hadn’t mentioned these details directly to Yang Jing.

The last time Liu Maolin had brought Jiang Haoyang to the medical hall for Spirit Fish and some medicinal herbs, the guard in charge of escorting supplies happened to be there. Yang Jing was familiar with the man, and it was only through their conversation that he learned about Liu Maolin’s encounter with the Flying Horse Thieves.

A faint sense of worry grew in Yang Jing’s heart.

The Flying Horse Thieves were growing audacious, a far cry from ordinary bandits.

The group Liu Maolin had fought off was just a small detachment, not their main force.

Although the incident had brought Liu Maolin some fame in Yuhe County and earned him a reputation for valor, the Flying Horse Thieves were known to be ruthless and vengeful over the smallest slight. Now that they had suffered a loss, there was no telling if they would hold a grudge and secretly target Liu Maolin—or even the entire Liu Family Medical Hall.

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. His pace quickened, forcing Jiang Haoyang to break into a jog to keep up.

Before long, the two of them arrived outside the Liu Family Medical Hall.

The main gate of the medical hall was ajar. Two large red lanterns hung at the entrance, illuminating the open area before it.

Two guards in sharp uniforms stood on either side of the gate. They wore short swords at their waists and scanned their surroundings with vigilant eyes. Security had clearly been tightened.

The moment they saw Yang Jing approach, the guards’ vigilance vanished, replaced by a look of respect. One of them stepped forward, clasped his fists in a salute, and said, "Young Hero Yang, you’re here."

Yang Jing was now a Guest Minister for the Liu Family, a position of considerable standing. Three months prior, he had also passed the proving grounds examination to secure an official post. For these reasons, even the Hall Master of the Liu Family Medical Hall—Liu Maolin’s father, Elder Liu—had to address him respectfully as Young Hero Yang.

Yang Jing gave a slight nod, his tone even. "I’m here to see Senior Brother Liu. Is he in?"

"He is, he is," the guard replied hastily, turning to push the gate open. "The Young Hall Master has been here for the past few days. He was just in the back dispensary checking the accounts. Should I go announce you?"

"That won’t be necessary. We’ll go in ourselves." Yang Jing waved his hand dismissively and strode into the medical hall with Jiang Haoyang.

Inside the gate was a spacious front courtyard paved with grey bricks. A few bundles of drying herbs were stacked in a corner. The rich aroma of medicine filled the air, dispelling some of the winter night’s chill.

The lantern light cast a warm glow on the ground, stretching their two shadows long before them as they headed toward the inner courtyard.

Passing through the front courtyard’s Moon Gate, they entered the inner courtyard of the Liu Family Medical Hall.

This area was quieter and more secluded than the front yard. Several side rooms were arranged in a tasteful, scattered layout. A dim, yellow light filtered through the paper window of one room, and the faint silhouette of someone moving about could be seen within.

Yang Jing led Jiang Haoyang to the room. Peeking in through the doorway, he saw it was indeed Liu Maolin.

He was sitting behind a large pearwood desk, on which a thick ledger lay open. Beside it were several stacks of wrapped herbs, their labels covered in the densely packed names and quantities of various medicinal ingredients.

Liu Maolin held a wolf-hair brush, his brow slightly furrowed as he looked down to verify something in the ledger. His fingertips tapped lightly on the pages, and he would occasionally pause to jot down a few numbers on a piece of scratch paper. He was completely absorbed in his work.

"Fourth Senior Brother," Yang Jing called out softly.

Jiang Haoyang followed suit, calling, "Senior Brother Liu!"

Liu Maolin looked up at the sound of their voices. A hint of surprise crossed his face when he saw who it was, and he quickly rose to his feet. "Junior Brother, Haoyang. What brings you here?"

He had faint dark circles under his eyes, a clear sign he had been burning the midnight oil for the past few days.

"I noticed you haven’t been to the Martial Arts Hall lately, so I came to see how you were." Yang Jing smiled, his gaze sweeping over the ledgers on the desk. "Busy, Senior Brother?"

"Yeah, just reconciling this month’s accounts for the medicinal herbs. I’m almost finished." Liu Maolin gestured to two chairs nearby. "You two have a seat. Give me just a moment."

Yang Jing and Jiang Haoyang did as he said and sat down.

Jiang Haoyang curiously took in the room’s decor. Several botanical illustrations of medicinal herbs hung on the walls. In the corner, an apothecary cabinet was filled with small, labeled drawers. The scent of herbs was even more potent in here than it had been outside. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Yang Jing, meanwhile, watched Liu Maolin hunched over the desk, poring over the accounts.

He moved his brush with remarkable speed, the tip gliding across the ledger with a soft rustling sound. Whenever he paused to double-check, his fingertips would tap lightly on the desk, his brow furrowed in a display of rigorous concentration.

After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Liu Maolin finally set down his brush. He let out a long sigh, closed the ledger, and wrote the date on its cover before standing up and taking the chair opposite them.

He picked up the teapot on the table and poured them each a cup of warm herbal tea. His movements were tinged with exhaustion, but he still managed to crack a smile. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

The herbal tea in the cup was a pale brown, giving off a faint aroma of licorice root.

Yang Jing raised the teacup and took a light sip.

Yang Jing set down the teacup, the porcelain making a soft clink against the desk. He looked at the weariness in Liu Maolin’s eyes and got straight to the point. "Fourth Senior Brother, about that time you fought off the Flying Horse Thieves... there haven’t been any repercussions, have there?"

Hearing this, Liu Maolin paused, his teacup halfway to his lips. He then sighed softly, a flash of understanding in his eyes. "Junior Brother, you’re asking if the Flying Horse Thieves have been specifically targeting our Liu Family Medical Hall, aren’t you?"

Yang Jing nodded frankly. "Yes. The Flying Horse Thieves are notorious, after all. They’re ruthless, vengeful, and act without any scruples. I’m worried they’re holding a grudge."

Although he held the title of Guest Minister for the Liu Family Medical Hall and was supposed to carry out several missions a month, things had changed. Ever since he took fourth place in the proving grounds examination and secured an official post, the Liu Family had become even more polite to him. They had also assigned him far fewer tasks, and he now averaged only two or three excursions a month.

As a result, he really wasn’t clear on the specifics of the medical hall’s supply runs over the past few days.

Liu Maolin shook his head, his fingertips gently tracing the warm side of his cup. "Things are fine. After that incident, I had the escort teams change their transport routes to avoid the areas the Flying Horse Thieves are known to frequent. Our last few deliveries to the Prefecture City and the surrounding villages have all gone off without a hitch."