Chapter 40: Apprenticeship, Hidden Truths

Lu Qing's apprenticeship ceremony was not complicated.

Old Doctor Chen was not one to enjoy grand displays; he kept everything simple.

Thus, following the standard procedure and under the witness of the crowd, Lu Qing paid respects to the ancestral master, kowtowed, offered tea, and said, "Master, please have some tea."

Sitting in his chair, Old Doctor Chen accepted the tea, took a sip, and the ceremony was considered complete.

"Alright, you may rise," Old Doctor Chen said to Lu Qing after finishing the tea.

"Yes, Master."

Lu Qing stood up and waited to the side with his hands at his sides.

Old Doctor Chen also stood up and bowed to the villagers in the courtyard.

"Thank you, fellow villagers, for witnessing my apprenticeship ceremony. Today, I have gained a beloved disciple, and I am truly joyful. My small courtyard is cramped and my house is small, so I cannot prepare much food for everyone; I can only offer these small gifts."

With that, he picked up a tray from the table behind him, which held rows of small cloth bundles.

"These are medicinal sachets I made in my spare time. Some have effects for calming the mind and aiding sleep, while others repel mosquitoes and insects."

"If you do not find them beneath you, take one or two home and hang them by your bed. They are guaranteed to keep your home free from insect disturbances for half a month or so."

"That powerful?!" The villagers looked at the medicinal bundles with a wave of pleasant surprise.

It was currently the season when insects were most bothersome. If these sachets were truly as good as the old doctor claimed, they were incredibly tempting.

For a moment, the villagers, who had initially intended to be polite and decline, found it difficult to refuse.

Seeing this, the old doctor smiled and said to Lu Qing, "A-Qing, go and distribute these sachets to the villagers."

"Yes, Master."

Lu Qing took the tray, walked up to the villagers, and distributed the bundles one by one.

"Grandpa Zhang, here you go."

The first person Lu Qing gave one to was Grandpa Zhang.

"Good child, remember to learn your skills well from Old Doctor Chen in the future," Grandpa Zhang said with a look of gratification as he took the sachet.

"I will, Grandpa Zhang," Lu Qing nodded earnestly.

As the other villagers received their sachets, they caught a scent of medicinal fragrance that was refreshing to the soul—rich but not overpowering. It made them feel instantly revitalized, and knowing it was indeed a good item, they hurriedly tucked the bundles away.

These were personally formulated by the old doctor; one likely wouldn't be able to buy them elsewhere, so they had to be well-guarded.

"Everyone, once you return home, remember to hang the sachets in your rooms. Otherwise, after half a month, the medicinal scent will dissipate and the sachets will no longer be useful," Old Doctor Chen reminded them, seeing some villagers tucking their bundles away with great care.

Hearing this, some villagers abandoned their thoughts of hiding the sachets away immediately.

After witnessing the ceremony, Grandpa Zhang and the others began to take their leave one by one.

However, before leaving, Grandpa Zhang pulled Lu Qing aside and urged him to remember to visit the graves of his grandfather and parents when he had time, to tell them this good news.

Only after seeing Lu Qing promise earnestly did he descend the mountain, satisfied.

Once all the villagers had departed, Lu Qing remained standing before the small courtyard, watching their retreating figures walking down the mountain.

"A-Qing, your grandfather formed a bond of kindness many years ago, which is why you have such good neighbors today," Old Doctor Chen said, walking to Lu Qing's side and looking at the crowd at the foot of the mountain with admiration.

"Master, I never knew about these things. My grandfather and parents never spoke of them," Lu Qing said.

"This only proves that your grandfather was a man of high integrity who did not seek repayment for his kindness. It is a pity I arrived here a bit too late; I missed the chance to meet a scholar of such character," Old Doctor Chen said with some regret.

He had a feeling that if he had arrived here earlier, he might have become a soulmate to Lu Qing's grandfather.

"Master, do you know how my parents actually passed away?" Lu Qing suddenly asked.

"Because of what Old Man Zhang said earlier?"

"Yes. I always thought my parents died in an accident, but hearing Grandpa Zhang earlier, it seems there is more to the story." Lu Qing nodded.

In the original host's memory, it was believed they died in an accident, but looking at it now, it likely wasn't that simple.

Old Doctor Chen fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"I do not know of this matter either. During the time your parents passed, I happened to be in the city treating a person of importance. When I returned, I heard they had unfortunately drowned, but I never saw the bodies myself, so I do not know if that is truly the case."

"If you want to know the truth, you will likely have to ask Old Man Zhang and the others."

Lu Qing remained silent.

In fact, the information in the original host's memory was the same.

His parents had unfortunately drowned. When the bodies were carried back, they were swollen and terrifying, which had completely traumatized the original host.

Everything that followed happened while the original host was in a daze.

Selling the fields, collecting the bodies, holding the funeral—there seemed to have even been someone causing trouble in the midst of it all.

By the time the original host came to his senses, his parents had already been laid to rest.

Thinking back now, there were all sorts of suspicious points.

Unfortunately, the original host had suffered such a massive blow during that time that many memories were chaotic, making it impossible for Lu Qing to piece much together.

"However, I do not suggest you go asking Old Man Zhang and the others for the truth right now," Old Doctor Chen said suddenly, noticing Lu Qing's silence.

"Why is that, Master?"

"Since Old Man Zhang and the others kept this from you, they likely did so for your and Xiao Yan's sake. They feared that if you knew the truth, you might act impulsively and make a mistake. Surely, you don't think Old Man Zhang and the others would harm you?"

Lu Qing thought back to the attitude the villagers had shown toward him and Xiao Yan since he woke up, and immediately shook his head.

"Grandpa Zhang and the others are certainly not that kind of people."

Crucially, the information his supernatural perception had gathered had never indicated that anyone in the village possessed such dark intentions.

"Since that is the case, then you should trust Old Man Zhang. The fact that they are not telling you the truth now is clearly because they believe the time is not yet ripe."

"Therefore, what you should do most right now is not to pursue the truth, but to study your craft well. Once you have sufficient capability, I believe Old Man Zhang and the others will tell you the truth themselves."

Lu Qing fell silent again.

In truth, his desire to know the truth was not driven by a desire to do anything impulsive.

After all, although he had inherited the original host's memories, he felt no deep emotional connection to the "parents" he had never met.

What he worried about was whether the truth behind their deaths would bring harm to him or Xiao Yan.

But as his Master said, he was currently too weak.

Even if he knew the truth, it would change nothing.

It would be better to settle his mind and focus on learning skills from his Master first.

"I understand, Master," Lu Qing said after clearing his thoughts.

Seeing that Lu Qing seemed to have understood, Old Doctor Chen smiled.

His disciple was intelligent; he did not want him to become immersed in so-called hatred at such a young age.

That would only warp his mind.

Thus, he quite approved of the approach taken by Grandpa Zhang and the others.

Seeing that a hint of gloom still lingered on Lu Qing's face, the old doctor decided to shift his attention.

"A-Qing, now that you have entered my service, there are certain things you should know."

Lu Qing looked up.

Seeing that it worked, the old doctor smiled.

He continued, "A-Qing, do you know what qualities one must possess to become a good physician?"