Chapter 43 – 40: Becoming a Disciple, Hidden Circumstances
Lu Qing’s apprenticeship ceremony was far from complicated.
Old Doctor Chen was not one for extravagance, choosing to keep everything straightforward.
Hence, Lu Qing merely followed the procedure—kowtowing to the ancestors in the presence of onlookers, bowing, offering tea, and saying “Master, please drink the tea.”
Old Doctor Chen, seated on a chair, took the tea, had a sip, and with that, the ceremony of taking on an apprentice was complete.
“Alright, get up now.”
Old Doctor Chen uttered to Lu Qing after finishing the tea.
“Yes, Master.”
Lu Qing stood up and took his place at the side with his arms by his side.
Old Doctor Chen also rose to his feet, addressing the villagers gathered in the courtyard with a bow:
“Thank you all, my fellow villagers, for witnessing the ceremony of accepting my new disciple. Today, having acquired a beloved student brings me immense joy. Our courtyard is humble and our house small, so I could not prepare a feast for you, just little tokens of appreciation for everyone.”
Ending his speech, he picked up a tray from the table behind him laden with rows of small cloth bags.
“These are sachets of medicine I crafted in my spare time. Some help promote peaceful sleep and repel mosquitoes.”
“If you don’t mind, take one or two home with you, hang them by your bed. It should protect your household from mosquitoes for a fortnight if not more.”
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“Really? That powerful?!” The villagers gazed at the medicine bags, surprised and delighted.
Now was the season when mosquitoes were most bothersome; if the sachets worked as well as Old Doctor Chen claimed, it was indeed a tempting proposition.
For a moment, the villagers, who initially intended to be polite, found them hard to refuse.
Seeing their reaction, Old Doctor Chen chortled and directed Lu Qing, “Ah Qing, go and hand these sachets out to our neighbors.”
“Yes, Master.”
Lu Qing took the tray and moved among the villagers, distributing sachets one by one.
“Here, Grandpa Zhang.”
Lu Qing began by handing one to Elder Zhang.
“Good lad, remember to learn well from Old Doctor Chen.”
Elder Zhang, his face brimming with satisfaction, accepted the sachet.
“I will, Grandpa Zhang.” Lu Qing nodded earnestly.
The other villagers, upon smelling the sachets, only felt a pleasant medicinal fragrance that enlivened the spirit—rich yet subtle—and immediately knew they were of excellent quality. Hastily, they tucked away the sachets safely.
These were hand-prepared by the elder doctor himself, not something one could easily purchase elsewhere; they would indeed be well cared for.
“My dear villagers, when you return home, remember to hang the sachets inside your room. After a fortnight, once the scent fades, the sachets will lose their effect.”
Old Doctor Chen couldn’t help but remind them as he saw the villagers tucking the sachets away with great care.
Hearing the old doctor thus, some villagers abandoned their idea of keeping the sachets hidden when they got home.
After witnessing the apprenticeship ceremony, Elder Zhang and the others began to take their leave one by one.
However, before leaving, Elder Zhang pulled Lu Qing aside to remind him to find time to pay respects to his ancestors and parents, to share the good news with them.
Content with Lu Qing’s sincere promise, Elder Zhang departed down the mountain.
When all the villagers had left, Lu Qing remained standing in front of the courtyard, watching the retreating figures heading down the mountain.
“Ah Qing, your grandfather once forged a good bond, which is why you have such good neighbors today.”
Elder Chen stood beside Lu Qing, looking down at the people near the foot of the mountain and speaking with admiration.
“Master, I’ve never known about these things. My grandfather and parents never spoke of them,” said Lu Qing.
“This just shows that your grandfather was a man who did good without expecting anything in return, a person of noble character and integrity. It’s a pity I came here too late to have the fortune of meeting such an esteemed scholar.”
Elder Chen expressed with some regret.
He had a feeling that if he could have arrived here earlier, perhaps he and Lu Qing’s grandfather could have become good friends.
“Master, do you know exactly how my parents died?” Lu Qing suddenly asked.
“Because of Grandpa Zhang’s words earlier?”
“Yes, I had always thought that my parents died in an accident, but from what Grandpa Zhang said, it seems there might be more to it,” Lu Qing nodded.
In the original host’s memories, it was also believed that their parents had died accidentally. Now it seemed that things might not be so simple.
Old Doctor Chen fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.
“I do not know about this either. When your parents died, I was in the city treating a noble, and by the time I returned, I only heard that they had unfortunately drowned, but I never saw the bodies myself. I do not know if that is true.”
“You may have to ask Grandpa Zhang and the others if you want to know the truth.”
Lu Qing remained silent.
Indeed, in the memory of the original host, this was the information received.
The parents had drowned, and when the swollen bodies were carried back, it was a horrific sight, enough to terrify and confuse the original host.
What followed happened while the original host was in a state of shock.
Selling off their fields, collecting the bodies, mourning, and keeping vigil; there seemed also to have been some trouble caused by someone during this time.
By the time the original host came to his senses, his parents were already laid to rest.
Looking back now, there were all sorts of doubts.
Unfortunately, the original host was too traumatized during that time, and many memories were confused, preventing Lu Qing from unravelling much.
“However, I do not recommend you go asking Grandpa Zhang for the truth just yet.”
Old Doctor Chen observed Lu Qing’s silent demeanor, then suddenly spoke.
“Why is that, Master?”
“If Grandpa Zhang and the others have kept this a secret from you, it must be for your and Little Yan’s sake, afraid that learning the truth might lead you to impulsively do something wrong. Surely, you do not believe that Grandpa Zhang would harm you?”
Lu Qing thought back to the attitudes of the village people towards him and Little Yan since he had woken, and then he shook his head.
“Grandpa Zhang and the others would surely not be such people.”
Most crucially, in his superpower-induced insights, there was never any indication that someone in the village harbored such dark intentions.
“If that’s the case, then you should trust Grandpa Zhang. If they have not told you the truth now, it is obviously because they believe the time is not yet right.”
“So what you should be doing now is not seeking the truth, but rather dedicating yourself to learning. Once you have enough ability, I am sure Grandpa Zhang will disclose the truth to you.”
Lu Qing fell silent once more.
In truth, his desire to know the truth was not about acting on impulse.
After all, although he had inherited the original host’s memories, he did not have any deep feelings for the “parents” he had never met.
His concern was whether the true circumstances surrounding his parents’ death could pose a threat to him and Little Yan.
But as Master had said, he was still too weak at present.
Even knowing the truth would serve no purpose.
It would be better to calm himself and focus on learning from Master first.
“I understand, Master.”
Realizing this, Lu Qing finally spoke.
Seeing that Lu Qing seemed to have come to an understanding, Elder Chen smiled.
His disciple was perceptive and clever; he did not want him to fall into so-called hatred at such a young age.
That would only warp his mind.
So he actually approved of what Grandpa Zhang and the others had done.
Noticing that Lu Qing’s face still bore some solemnity, the elder doctor decided to redirect his attention.
“Ah Qing, now that you have become my disciple, there are some things you should be made aware of.”
Lu Qing looked up.
Seeing this was effective, the elder doctor smiled.
He continued, “Ah Qing, do you know what it takes to become a good doctor?”