Medicines 2

The one-armed old man sniffed and his lips curled downwards as if he just been greeted by the sight of something that he despised. Then he simply stamped off, as though he could not bear to remain in the younger man's presence.

Leaving Huangfu Yun a little confused over the whole matter. Hadn't he behaved in a most proper manner? And given way to the old man as courtesy demanded? Why did the old fellow look at him as though he was a dog blocking his path?

For some reason, Huangfu Yun had the impression that this old fellow had been the one behind the rejection that he had been receiving from the Sima Family. Could it be that he was pouring poison into his son's ear? To turn him against the marriage? What did Huangfu Yun ever do to get him to go that far?

In any case, it was well after the people from the Sima Family had left the Huang Family Medicine Hall that he finally turned to the Shop Manager. Who was waiting on him somewhat anxiously. Perhaps the grey-bearded man was worried that Huang Fuyun would collapse from exhaustion, as a result of his 'long' walk from the front entrance of his home to the store?

As it turned out, it was his meeting with the old general that had drawn the Shop Manager's attention. And he had been quick enough to spot Huangfu Yun's puzzled frown at the back of the one-armed old gentleman's back.

And so he stepped up to drop a word in his ear:

"Young Master. That was Old General Sima. It is not known why but he has had some issue with you and your father since his granddaughter ... It may not be my place to comment on this, but you should just avoid the old fellow. If it was not for his wife's illness, he would not have troubled himself to visit our Huang Family Medicine Shop."

Huangfu Yun understood immediately. He remembered what he had been told by Huang Fuyun's mother though, and simply smiled back at the Shop Manager. So that was the grandfather of the one who had rejected his proposal three times, although it was stated in the betrothal contract that they should be joined in matrimony at the age of sixteen.

Which meant that he was already two years past the age when they should wed. And the Huang Family had already broached the subject several times, at that. Clearly, the Sima Family was putting on airs, as if the Huang Family could not match up to its grandeur. As if a general of a thousand could compare to the wealth of that an alchemist brought in!

That had been enough to piss off Huang Fuyun's mother, it seemed. She was a daughter from a family of fighting men too, and she didn't think that her blood-line was any weaker than the Sima Family's.

Little wonder that Lady Yu Baixi had instructed him not to let the cat out of the bag, with regards to his situation with Yang Xiaoli. No doubt, she had her reasons for wanting to keep his taking a concubine quiet for a while, and warn him not to spoil it for her. So he held himself back, and even gave the departing Old Former General a bow with a smile on his lips, when the latter glanced his way again, as he was turning a corner.

That had gotten him another cold stare. And a haughty dismissal by the guards at the old man's side. Not that Huangfu Yun cared. He would have his chance to make trouble for the Sima Family later, he promised himself.

And not only for their continued refusal to wed their daughter to him!

But that was something for another time, Huangfu Yun told himself, as he turned to face the middle-aged Shop Manager who had been sending off the old, one-armed man earlier. Since he recognised Huangfu Yun, or Huang Fuyun, he must be someone who had seen him before. A quick search of the memories held in his head told him what he wanted to know:

This Shop Manager had been in charge of the operations of the Huang Family Medicine Shop, and had been installed by Huang Tiancheng himself. And Huang Fuyun could remember his father telling him that he owed Huang Tiancheng a favour that he would never be able to repay in three lifetimes. Which is why he is loyal to the Master Alchemist.

Huang Fuyun had never been too impressed by that. Then again, he had never been too bothered with the lessons that his father had drilled into him, since he was very young. Something that only made Huangfu Yun grit his teeth together, and utter silent curses at Huang Fuyun.

Did he not know the value of having a father? Then again, how could he? Only someone who had lost everyone, who had lost everything, would value a strict but caring father like Huang Tiancheng!

Indeed, if Master Alchemist Huang Tiancheng was still about in Tangling City, Huang Fuyun would not have received the cold reception that he had earlier, from that Old General Sima. At least, that was what his instincts told him.

But just what was the issue that lay between him and the old, one-armed man? Perhaps he did not care for the fact that his granddaughter was marrying such an overweight fellow? That it would harm his good name as a former General in the Kingdom's armies?

Or was it something to do with his own granddaughter's preferences? Huang Fuyun had heard plenty of rumours regarding the same, about how she was infatuated with the tough-looking, strapping army officers-in-training. Well, they would prove a bit of challenge, to someone as unfit, and as unfit-looking, as Huang Fuyun!

In any case, Huangfu Yun decided to simply ignore the whole matter, and focused his attention on his original intention, when he took the trouble to walk all the way there. The Shop Manager - Manager Ma, he remembered, after digging through Huang Fuyun's memories again. Shop Manager Ma stuck close to him as he strode into the place. So it made it simple for Huangfu Yun, to hand over a slip of paper, written with a very casual scrawl upon it.

To all eyes, the words on the same seemed to be written in an impatient hand, and the handwriting was not clearly recognisable. As if he had written the same while he was half-drunk.

That was one of the precautions that he had taken, just in case there were any records that Huang Fuyun had left behind. It was an easy thing to wear the fellow's fat body, but far harder if one had to follow his mannerisms and pretend to use habits attributed to the same. Handwriting was one of the first things that people might notice, so he would have to be particularly careful there.

"This ... this is for your alchemical studies, Young Master?"

Huangfu Yun looked up when he heard that question, and scowled when he saw how the store manager was staring at the script in his hands, rather than gathering the medicinal herbs at once. Was this the sort of behaviour that was rampant in this Tangling City? Wasn't that a little ridiculous? He was the Young Master of this blooding Medicine Hall! Did they really dare to make things difficult for him now? To pull something like this?

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