Chapter 84: Love and Love, New and Old

One cup of wine in a peach blossom spring breeze, a ten-year lamp in a night rain in the rivers and lakes.
One pot of wine, one cup of tea, one chessboard, one person, one grave.
Yizhan sat in front of Mr. Lu's tombstone, drinking the wine in his hand sip by sip.
Until sunlight turns into moonlight, until the wine jar empties one after another.
Without that person babbling beside me, it turns out to be so lonely.
"Mr. Lu," his hand, strokes the cold tombstone, heavy alcohol breath, emits from his mouth, "I was wrong." Yi Zhan trembles his lips, filled with regret.
He has also wondered why Mr. Lu insisted on using death to solve the problem, but now he understands. It's because Mr. Lu understands himself too well. He knows that only by using this method can he firmly remember his weakness - revenge like snow.
Only in this way can he prevent himself from being blinded by hatred and forgetting the people or things that he should cherish.
He understands, really understands.
A cool breeze blows gently, and Yizhan coughs lightly. He stares at the wine in his hand and sneers, hm, can wine warm the body? It seems like it can't... otherwise, why would he feel so cold...
"Cough cough..." Another light cough, Yizhan suddenly felt like there was something blocking his chest making him uncomfortable.
In the bushes behind him, there were hurried footsteps. Yizhan supported himself on the tombstone and slightly turned his head, "Shadow Pharmacist?" Even without seeing the face of the approaching person, he could tell who it was.
"I've been looking for you all day! So you're here!" A gust of wind blew, and Shadow Pharmacist couldn't help but shiver. It was really cold in this mountain valley at night. He looked at Yizhan, who was leaning against the tombstone, and quickly took off his own coat to put on him. "You, oh you, just escaped death and then drank so much alcohol. Do you really not want to live? It doesn't matter if you don't want to live, wait until I get the planting site for the miraculous herb and then you can die."
"Hahaha...cough cough..." Yi Zhan chuckled lightly, causing a fit of coughing, "Cough...I knew it...it must be that girl's doing." Under the moonlight, amidst the gentle breeze, his eyes flickered and he realized that he had already grown so many white hairs. Ah, thinking about Zhao Xingheng and Su Yushui, he truly was no longer young."
"That girl really has genuine feelings for you," Shadow Pharmacist said with hidden meaning, "but unfortunately, she is going to marry Han Yu, the second young master of Fei Gongge."
"She won't marry him," Yi Zhan said as he allowed Shadow Pharmacist to support him and walked down the mountain.
"How can you be so sure?" Shadow Pharmacist squinted at him, wondering what was so special about this guy that could captivate women like that. The heiress of Fei Gong Ge died for him, and Xiao Yang's daughter even revealed her sect's secret just for him. If we're talking about looks, Han Yu definitely surpasses him! And in terms of reputation, Han Yu is also better. He may not even lose in martial arts against this Yi Zhan. Perhaps after Xiao Yao'er meets Han Yu, she will change her mind?"
That's what Shadow Pharmacist thinks, he didn't pay any attention to what Kuan Yi-Zhan said.
"...So, she won't get married." Yi-Zhan's last sentence summed it up like this.
"It's up to you guys. I'm not interested in lovey-dovey stuff. I just want to quickly get the Rare Herb Book and the cultivation map." said Shadow Pharmacist.
Yi Zhan raised his lips and smiled meaningfully. He turned his face and said with a smile, "Actually, we also have rare herbs and ancient prescriptions in this world."
"What, what?" The Shadow Pharmacist's eyes widened. "Ancient prescriptions? Are you saying they are ancient prescriptions that have already been lost? Yes, I noticed that too when I was reading Mr. Lu's medical records. Many of his prescriptions are very peculiar. I wanted to ask..."
"Ahem." Yizhan cleared his throat to interrupt the conversation. "Unfortunately, Mr. Lu said that those things can only be passed down to those who go through the front hall." After saying that, he gave him a meaningful look and shifted the topic, saying as he walked away, "Is Qingxu still crying? Just because he was touched a little, he's been crying all this time. He really has no backbone."
"Huh?" Shadow Pharmacist stared blankly at his slowly retreating figure and suddenly felt like he had fallen into an invisible trap... "What does this mean? So I have to join the Yuen Front too? Heh... you're quite cunning, huh... Hey, hey, wait a minute, don't go..."
However, Yizhan obviously did not listen to the pharmacist, and went back to his room.
Xiao Yaoer has been gone for two days, but there is still her fragrance in the room. "How can a disciple of Thousand Poison Sect be so proficient in making incense?" He took off his cloak and was about to undress when he suddenly saw the Yaoqin on the table, and there seemed to be something pressed underneath.
Yi Zhan walked over, lifted the Yaoqin, and under it was a letter left by Xiao Yao'er:
If the officials come again, give them this qin and tell them that all that happened before was the intention of the Four Princesses.
The rest is left for me to handle.
- En Gong Xiao Yao Er
"Haha." Yizhan looked at the note and couldn't help but laugh. She was still so irrelevant but always thinking of him in every matter.
What can a woman do? What is her relationship with the four palace concubines?
As he played the zither, he felt a warmth in his heart, but also some worries. If he gets involved with the four palace concubines, it will surely be related to the four princes. Once she becomes entangled with the court, it is likely that she will never be able to live peacefully again.
Does he really want her to be like this? Get involved in the war of fame and fortune? Just like... like snow.
In his ears, the pleading voice of Snow seemed to ring again... Can we stay away from these disputes and live in seclusion?... You must become the best in the world, but even if you do, what difference will it make?... You know, no matter what decision you make, I will accompany you.
"Dang-" He accidentally plucked the strings, producing a dull sound that brought him back to reality.
No! He couldn't do this! He had to stop Xiao Yao'er! That's right, he had already lost once and couldn't afford to lose a second time, nor could he make another mistake!
With this thought in mind, Yizhan forcefully pushed open the door, but standing outside was Qingxu, kneeling down and begging for punishment.
Qingxu's eyes were red, his upper body naked, and he held a vine whip on his back. "Your Highness, please punish me!"
"I...I punish you...cough cough cough, what are you doing?" Yizhan coughed harder. The sudden gust of wind made his head feel a little dizzy, whether it was the alcohol or catching a cold.
"I... I was..." Qingxu raised his head with a look of grievance. "I know you don't have the heart to punish Xiaoyao, so why not just beat me up to vent your anger!"
"You..." Yizhan shook his head, "You've already explained, it's just a misunderstanding. Come on, step aside, I have something important to do..." "Bang!" The next second, Yizhan fell flat on the ground.
"Respectful Lord?! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Shadow Apothecary! Shadow Apothecary, please come quickly!!"
"The wind is getting stronger, the leaves in the mountains rustle like sand."
"Yizhan gasped for breath, mouth open, but unable to make a sound."
Is it fate? Is it heaven's arrangement? Or perhaps... like snow, your punishment...