Chapter Ninety-Nine: I Wish to Seek Guidance from Your Master!

Ye Wushang froze.

From the request to prepare medicinal cuisine, he had guessed that someone in the Luo family must be gravely ill.

They wanted to use the medicinal dish as a pretext to find a physician capable of saving the patient.

But he had never expected the one in serious condition to be the Luo family’s own patriarch.

“Housekeeper Qiao, please explain it a little more clearly,” Ye Wushang said.

As one of the top five families among the great financial clans, the Luo family stood high above others in both power and status, like a mountain impossible to scale.

Even he had to deal with them with care.

After all, this man was now An Lan’s direct superior, and considering all that An Lan had done for him, he wanted to help if he could.

“It’s like this, Mr. Ye,” Qiao Sen said.

“Our patriarch has practiced martial arts for many years, and his health had always been excellent.”

“But some time ago, he was suddenly assassinated, and after that he completely lost his spirit and remained bedridden for a long time.”

“Later, after receiving guidance from an expert, we were told that as long as this missing medicinal recipe ingredient could be completed, he could be cured.”

“So since you were able to fill in the recipe, you must have a way to treat him, right?”

Ye Wushang frowned. “If this expert could point out the marvelous use of the medicinal recipe, then why can’t he save the patient himself?”

“He can’t.”

Qiao Sen did not hide it and sighed. “The patriarch’s illness is too severe, and even that expert is helpless.”

“He did say that whoever could complete the medicinal recipe would probably have a way to solve the problem.”

“He never explained why. It was just a kind of intuition.”

Ye Wushang sighed and asked, “So in that case, the recipe wasn’t actually Luo family property, but something that expert produced?”

“You could say that.”

“The expert has long been an honored guest of the Luo family, but after the patriarch fell ill and he offered the solution, he left the very next day.”

“No one knows where he went or whether he will ever return. But in any case, you are now the patriarch’s greatest hope.”

“Here, on behalf of the Luo family, I humbly beg you to save him.”

As he spoke, he made as if to kneel.

The steward of a great financial clan, a towering figure of immense prestige, was actually about to kneel before an unknown nobody.

If anyone had seen this, they would surely have been astonished.

Although Ye Wushang did not have a deep impression of the man, his feelings toward him were not bad.

Wanting to earn merit for the family and save their patriarch was perfectly understandable.

“Housekeeper Qiao, there’s no need for such courtesy. Healing the sick and saving lives is a physician’s duty,” Ye Wushang said. “If I can truly help with Lord Luo’s condition, I will not refuse.”

For some reason, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

That so-called expert seemed to know that he could do it, and had even deliberately created an opportunity for him.

Though they had never met, that feeling only grew stronger.

“Really, Mr. Ye?” Qiao Sen was overjoyed when he heard Ye Wushang agree. He seized Ye Wushang’s hand and shook it vigorously. “You are truly willing to save him and cure our patriarch?”

“I’m only promising to take a look.”

“But nothing in this world is absolute. Whether I can cure him or not will depend on whether I truly have that ability.”

Ye Wushang did not speak too definitively. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Sometimes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.”

“Housekeeper Qiao, I think it would be better if you keep a calm mind.”

“No matter what, as long as you come, the chances of the patriarch being cured will be much greater.”

“After all, that expert had been in the Luo family for over ten years, and everything he said always came true. In my eyes, he is practically a prophet.”

Qiao Sen smiled. “Then it’s settled. I’ll go back first and report.”

“I’ll announce the results of the An family’s victory in this medicinal recipe contest, and I’ll also report that you will be treating our patriarch.”

“After I’ve arranged everything, I’ll call you, and then I’ll trouble you to come to the Luo family to treat him. Is that all right?”

“No problem.”

They made their agreement.

The two exchanged phone numbers, and then Qiao Sen led his people away and hurried back to the Luo family to report.

When he returned to the hall, An Lan was in high spirits. She rushed over, her face bright with a smile. “Wushang, you’ve done us a great service this time!”

“Even though we lost Xu Zifeng, with you here, a loss has turned into a blessing.”

“This victory in the medicinal recipe contest not only pushed the Pei family out of the way, it also greatly strengthened my An family.”

“Now that our catering business has the support of these medicinal recipes, I believe it will bring enormous benefits to the entire scale of our family enterprise.”

“Thank you, Wushang.”

Ye Wushang gave a light laugh and waved it off. “I’m only the one doing the work. I’m a soldier, while you’re the general. It’s still your leadership that matters.”

“And if you hadn’t trusted me without reservation, I never would have made it this far.”

“Rather than thanking me, you should thank yourself.”

“Heh, it’s all the same, it’s all the same.”

An Lan smiled faintly and said, “I’ve already told my uncle about our victory.”

“Everyone in the An family is very satisfied, and they all think you’re the greatest contributor, so they want to hold a celebration banquet for you.”

“I need to go back and make arrangements now. I’ll call you later, and remember to come to my house.”

“My grandfather said that he has something to announce, and it has to do with you.”

Ye Wushang frowned. “Something to do with me?”

“What exactly is it...”

An Lan’s pretty face reddened for no apparent reason. She bit her lip and said, “I’m not sure either. Anyway, it’s all very mysterious.”

“But don’t worry, it’s definitely good news, not bad. Don’t overthink it.”

“All right, I’ll wait for your call. Then...”

“Oh, there’s something else.”

An Lan suddenly interrupted him, her gaze keen. “What exactly were you and Qiao Sen talking about just now?”

“When I saw him leaving, he looked completely at ease, almost smug, and I think he was even humming a tune.”

“Nothing much, just casual conversation.”

“He thought my medicinal cuisine was good, and he was taken with that old sovereign pill. He asked me to make some for him again another day.”

The Luo patriarch’s illness was a grave matter.

It concerned not only the Luo family’s dignity, but could even affect other industries as well.

When one hair is pulled, the whole body moves; Qiao Sen had repeatedly warned him not to let a word slip.

So even with An Lan, he still had to keep his mouth shut.

It wasn’t that he did not trust her. It was simply that he had promised Qiao Sen, and he had to keep that promise.

“Is that really all?” An Lan still sounded doubtful.

They had not known each other for long, but she believed she understood him fairly well.

His demeanor was unnatural, so he must be hiding something from her.

“If you don’t believe me, you can go and bring Housekeeper Qiao back to ask him yourself...”

Ye Wushang’s eyes flickered away.

An Lan did not press further. Instead, she waved it off with a smile. “All right, I was only teasing you. You took it seriously.”

“Anyway, I have to go back and arrange the celebration banquet now. What about you? Shall I take you back to the villa first?”

“No need. I still have some matters to discuss with Miss Huang.”

“Huang Pianruo?”

An Lan frowned and glanced at Huang Pianruo, who had been standing quietly to the side.

So she had not left all this time because she still had something to discuss with Ye Wushang.

A trace of jealousy rose in her heart.

But she did not let it show. Instead, she nodded. “All right, go ahead and take care of your business. We’ll keep in touch later.”

“Mm, all right.”

After seeing An Lan leave, Ye Wushang said nothing more.

Though she had not said much, he could feel that she was somewhat displeased.

He understood her feelings, but right now he truly did not want to talk about romance. Some things were better left to unfold naturally.

He did not dwell on it. Taking a deep breath and settling his thoughts, he walked straight up to Huang Pianruo.

At that, Huang Yuanxiang smiled and said, “Pianruo, then you can have a talk with Mr. Ye first.”

“I still have some matters to deal with. Later, I’ll bring Mr. Ye home for a meal, and the two of you can have a good chat.”

Hm?

Ye Wushang was baffled.

What did that mean?

Why did it sound a little strange...?

Huang Yuanxiang’s expression was also somewhat unusual, as if he meant something by it. Before Ye Wushang could ask, he laughed and departed.

“Wushang, may I call you that?” Huang Pianruo asked softly, pressing her lips together.

Beside her, Xiaocui could not help but say, “Since you’re friends with An Lan, she calls you that too. And my young lady has also helped you a great deal, so surely you wouldn’t be stingy over a form of address, would you, Mr. Ye?”

With everything already said by them, did he still have any room to refuse?

He had not even dealt with An Lan yet, and he did not want to invite another one in the form of Huang Pianruo.

“It’s not impossible,” he said.

“But let’s keep it to the way you address me. As for anything else, it’s best to avoid it if we can.”

Stopping at that point, he took a breath and said, “Miss Huang...”

“My young lady already calls you Wushang, and you still want to call her Miss Huang?”

“Call her Pianruo,” Xiaocui reminded him.

Ye Wushang nodded awkwardly. “Well then, Pianruo, I wonder if you have time now?”

“For you, I always have time.”

Huang Pianruo’s eyes, bright as stars, fixed on Ye Wushang.

That made him feel somewhat embarrassed, and he deliberately avoided her gaze. “It’s like this. The finest Langya herb seeds you gave me before, I took them back and cultivated them.”

“Though there has been some progress, there are still a few things I don’t understand. I wonder if you could introduce me to your master so I may ask him for guidance?”

“My master really is all-seeing...” Huang Pianruo sighed.

Ye Wushang’s brows drew together. “What, your master knew I would come looking for him?”

“You could say that.”

Huang Pianruo did not deny it. “He said the seeds had defects, and if one wanted to cultivate them properly, anyone who cared would definitely come looking for him.”

“When I saw that you had never mentioned it, I thought you had already sorted everything out. It seems I’ll still need to speak with my master.”

Huang Pianruo smiled. “Come on, I’ll take you to him.”

“You asked me for help, and I will certainly repay this favor later.”

“But your previous suggestion, I still cannot accept. I hope...”

“Yes, I know. I won’t force you.”

Huang Pianruo did not mind. She only smiled and said, “Still, I believe that where there is a will, there is a way. As long as I persist, I will surely gain something in the end.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the hall.

...