Ling Zhang had only known by hearsay that it was a convention in the army to throw a celebratory banquet after winning a victory, that all soldiers needed liquor to help them relax after a battle. However, things were different in the army under the command of Yuwen Tong. They had all become accustomed to clearing the battlefield and establishing the numbers of the dead and the injured first before holding a victory banquet. Firstly, this could help stabilize the chaotic situation as soon as possible; secondly, it was a habit they had developed during the many years of war. Although they had won, they still had to stay alert, because if they got drunk and the enemies launched a sneak attack, things would be very tricky. As a result, Yuwen Tong’s soldiers had all made a habit of this, and none of them would raise any objections.
“Young Master, Marshal, we’re here to deliver the food.”
“Come in.”
Wang Dashan and Qiu Bing entered carrying food, accompanied by Xie Shi, who examined Ling Zhang.
“Childe Ling, you’re recuperating quicker than I expected. The medicine Qiu Bing prepared turns out to be quite effective. Take a medicated bath before you sleep tonight and another one tomorrow, and you’ll fully recover,” said Xie Shi.
Ling Zhang cast an appreciative look at Qiu Bing, who scratched his head and said, “Young Master’s strong constitution was the reason why the medicine worked so soon.”
Previously, when Yuwen Tong had been unblocking Ling Zhang’s meridians, he had been intentionally strengthening his meridians, too. Also, the cultivation method that Ling Zhang had adopted afterward suited his constitution perfectly, so although this time his meridians had been damaged, he was recovering much faster than common people would.
There was some color back in Ling Zhang’s cheeks. Although his face still appeared pasty, he looked much better than he had during the day.
After having a meal, Ling Zhang got out of bed and walked around the tent with Yuwen Tong, slowly stretching his muscles.
During the process, Ling Zhang stole several glances at Yuwen Tong and eventually, Yuwen Tong was unable to pretend not to notice even if he wanted to. “Why are you sneaking looks at me? Is there anything you’re not telling me?”
Ling Zhang hurriedly said, “Of course not. It’s just…” He gave a cough and then continued, “I was just observing the look on your face, trying to find out whether or not you’re going to tell me off.”
Yuwen Tong paused, looking at him. “Why would I do that?”
Ling Zhang said, “Because I didn’t stay in the city as you told me to.”
Yuwen Tong gazed deeply at him. “I should indeed be angry, but more with myself than with you.”
Ling Zhang was confused. “Ah?”
Yuwen Tong explained, “You wouldn’t have got hurt if it weren’t for me.”
Ling Zhang caught on and immediately said, “What are you talking about? This injury of mine is nothing. I probably would’ve taken my own life had you died there! You know what? During the day, I originally planned to stay in the city as you’d told me to, but when I was on the gate tower, I suddenly felt very uneasy and I kept having this foreboding feeling that something bad was going to happen. I was worried, so I went to the battlefield, and fortunately it was not too late.”
Yuwen Tong raised his hand to stroke Ling Zhang’s face. “Then why do you think I’d be angry with you?”
Ling Zhang was at a loss for words for a brief moment. “Well, it would seem I asked the wrong question, but you need to wipe that look off your face. It makes me upset.”
Then he took Yuwen Tong’s hand which was caressing his cheek, kissed it and then looked at Yuwen Tong with gleaming eyes. “Now I’ve given you a kiss. Stop overthinking it.”
Yuwen Tong, who was staring at him with burning eyes, abruptly pulled him into his embrace and started kissing him.
…
The two of them kissed for quite some time before parting. Though fully aroused, Ling Zhang knew that he was still weak and not in a fit state to have sex.
“Let’s stop it. This kiss turned me on, but right now we can’t do that,” muttered Ling Zhang under his breath.
Chuckling, Yuwen Tong carried him back to the couch and sat down. In a somewhat hoarse voice, he said, “Just now you seduced me first.”
Ling Zhang slid him a sideward glance. “I just gave you a kiss.”
Yuwen Tong said, “A single kiss from you is more than enough to send me giddy.”
A smile curled the corners of Ling Zhang’s mouth. “Then why are you not giddy? Just now we had more than one kiss.”
Yuwen Tong drew Ling Zhang’s hand to a certain part of his body and, as his hand gently touched it, he gasped lightly and croaked, “What about now? Are you feeling it?”
Ling Zhang, “…”
He quickly tried to withdraw his hand but Yuwen Tong didn’t let him.
“You…You… It’s almost time for the medicated bath. Qiu Bing might come in at any moment. Let go of me!”
Yuwen Tong said, “I believe he knows better than that.”
“Are you not afraid people might hear us?” Ling Zhang glared at him. “I feel weak and I don’t want to move. Get your hands off me.”
Yuwen Tong said, “It’s okay. I’ll help you move.”
Ling Zhang, “…”
He was utterly resigned.
…
Eventually, with Yuwen Tong holding his hands, they did it. Ling Zhang had been somewhat quiet during the process, because what with his physical conditions, there was not much he could do. Yuwen Tong, however, was quite contented.
Holding Ling Zhang in his arms, Yuwen Tong kissed and coaxed him for a few moments and it was only when Qiu Bing asked for permission to come in to prepare the medicated bath that he stopped.
Ling Zhang, who was finally rid of him, lay back onto the couch with his butt to Yuwen Tong, as though telling him he didn’t want to speak with him right now.
With a gentle look in his eyes, Yuwen Tong reached out a hand to feel Ling Zhang’s Dantian. “Does this part feel uncomfortable?”
Ling Zhang was briefly stiff and then replied, “Just a little, but now the discomfort is gone.”
Yuwen Tong disbelieved. A Dantian drained of internal energy usually caused more misery than damaged meridians did, and there was no doubt the misery would deepen when people tried to treat it with medication. Ling Zhang had just been hiding it all along. At first Yuwen Tong hadn’t been unaware of this, and it had been a moment ago that he faintly sensed it. Just now when he’d been doing his thing, Ling Zhang had clearly been aroused, but soon discomfort had appeared on his face. Although Ling Zhang had quickly concealed it, it had still failed to escape Yuwen Tong’s notice.
“I’m going back to the main tent. You may lie here and rest. I’ll be back soon,” Yuwen Tong said before leaving the tent.
Puzzled, Ling Zhang rolled over and watched Yuwen Tong leave. He left just like this? What did he want to do there?
Yuwen Tong came back very soon. He walked to the couch and shoved a pill into Ling Zhang’s mouth. The pill was giving off a faint scent of medicine and quickly melted after being put into his mouth. When he had swallowed it, a stream of something warm flowed straight into his stomach. Eventually, his abdomen warmed up and his injured Dantian seemed to have been enwrapped by some kind of warm force. Ling Zhang felt so comfortable that he could barely keep from letting out a long sigh.
“What was it that you just gave me?” asked Ling Zhang. Considering how effective the pill was, it must be uncommonly rare and precious. Yuwen Tong gave it to him just like this?
“It was a pill that helped heal internal injury. My grandfather bought it at a high price from a miracle-working physician who was very famous in Jianghu. I’ve been saving it all these years,” responded Yuwen Tong.
Ling Zhang was both astonished and anxious. “Then why did you have me swallow it without telling me anything about it?! This pill’s so precious. It’s a life-saving pill your grandfather left to you, and now you’ve used it on me. What if some day you yourself… you yourself… My injury was just momentary and I was already recovering. Why did you make such a rash decision? Are you trying to have me killed by my own anger?!”
However, he had already swallowed the pill and there was no way to get it out of his body. Ling Zhang bitterly regretted it.
Yuwen Tong said, “I won’t be needing it. Besides, it’s very likely that the pill would lose its efficacy if I keep it for too long, which is something neither of us want to see happen, right? What you hurt is your Dantian, not some non-vital part. You have to take it seriously, but instead, you kept it back from me, showing a total disregard for your own health. If it caused some kind of sequela, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. I’m glad that you swallowed it. At least I can now relax safe in the knowledge that you’ll be fine.”
Ling Zhang went berserk. “I told you I was already recovering!”
Yuwen Tong said, “Quickly healing your injured Dantian is not the only thing the pill could do. Given your physical conditions, it’s probably also beneficial to you in some other ways. Try circulating your internal energy when you’re having a medicated bath and see if it has brought any changes.”
Ling Zhang stared at him. It was quite a while before his sulky face returned to normal. He had already ingested the pill, and what was done was done. Yuwen Tong clearly didn’t begrudge it at all and there was no point reasoning with him.
“I see. I’ll try it later, but you must promise me you won’t ever again make such decisions without telling me first!”
Yuwen Tong said, “Okay.”
Ling Zhang, “…”
He was still angry.
Qiu Bing got the medicated bathwater ready, delivered it to the tent and poured it into the bathing barrel. It was only when Ling Zhang had sat into the barrel that his attention was gradually distracted. The numb and itchy sensation in his meridians was still there, but not as intense as it had been during the day. Sitting cross-legged in the bathing barrel, he tried circulating his internal energy as Yuwen Tong had told him to a moment ago.
At first Ling Zhang didn’t feel anything special, all his attention focused on the numbness and pain caused by the medicine which was restoring his meridians. It was not until that warm force in his Dantian, by degrees, started stirring in an unusual fashion that he became aware that the circulation of his internal energy was producing some kind of effect.
The injury in his Dantian was healing rapidly, and at the same time, as the circulation went on, trickles of internal energy were converging in his Dantian, making it burn…
Moments were ticking away. During the process, Yuwen Tong had utilized his internal energy to heat the bathwater in the barrel several times, so Ling Zhang had stayed in the barrel longer than usual. When he had absorbed all the active ingredient of the medicine, Ling Zhang opened his eyes which were sparkling and piercing. Not only were his cheeks ruddy, his every fibre seemed to be filled with energy!
“My Dantian is larger than before, and it also feels more substantial. Even the wounds in my meridians have almost healed completely. I don’t have to take an extra medicated bath tomorrow. Tonight I’ll be performing Qi circulation and I believe I’ll fully recover by tomorrow. In addition, I have this feeling that I’ll be able to make a breakthrough and reach the third layer of the mental cultivation method this time!” said Ling Zhang cheerfully immediately after opening his eyes.
Yuwen Tong gave a heartfelt smile. “It seems that the pill’s pretty effective.”
Then he stretched out a hand and added, “Get out of there. You’ve been in it long enough.”
Ling Zhang placed his hand onto Yuwen Tong’s palm and was drawn out of the bathing barrel. Then he toweled himself dry and dressed.
Qiu Bing was called in to examine Ling Zhang. After feeling his pulse, Qiu Bing gawked at Ling Zhang and asked, “Young Master, how did you… come to recover so soon?”
This was too soon. Qiu Bing didn’t dare believe that this was the result of his consummate medical skills, because he knew that was untrue. He was fully aware that he had only learned a very small part of his master’s medical knowledge, that there was still a lot for him to learn.
But Ling Zhang had recuperated from his internal injury so quick that Qiu Bing could hardly forbear to doubt himself.
“The mental cultivation method of internal energy I’ve been following seems to be tailor-made for me. Just now, when I was having a medicated bath in the bathing barrel, I tried performing Qi circulation and it had some amazing effects,” said Ling Zhang.
He was uncertain as to whether or not he should disclose his swallowing the pill given by Yuwen Tong, so he kept it from Qiu Bing. Yuwen Tong was listening on the side, his countenance remaining unchanged, seeming to have no inclination to tell anybody about it either.
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