A life of two souls traveling through time

The eastern suburbs outside Mucheng are remote, deserted and sparsely populated, but there is a medicine shop that is known and respected by the people inside and outside Mucheng.

"Sanxiu Pharmacy." Outside the pharmacy, Si Yao followed Arnold off the horse and looked at the plaque above the door with heavy hearts.

"Sister Yao, the owner of the medicine shop, Mr. Sanxiu, is an old man with a very strange temper. You should try to stay away from him here in the future." Arnold said to Si Yao with a worried look on his face.

He didn't know what His Highness had talked about with Sister Yao last night, nor did he know why His Highness asked Sister Yao to come to Sanxiu Pharmacy. Naturally, he didn't dare to ask His Highness directly. Master Fan didn't know either, and even Sister Yao just responded to his questions in silence.

"Mr. Sanxiu is the owner of the medicine shop. How can I hide here? You go back first, I will go in by myself." Si Yao roughly guessed that Arnold was not very willing to see Mr. Sanxiu, so she didn't want to make things difficult for him.

"No, it's Sister Yao's first time here, so she's bound to feel unfamiliar. I've already asked Master Fan for leave to accompany Sister Yao to familiarize herself with the environment of the medicine shop. There's no need to rush back." After saying that, Arnold winked at Si Yao, then snatched the bag and bow and arrow from her hands, and strode towards the medicine shop.

"squeak"

At this time, the door of the medicine shop happened to be half open, and a young boy who looked like a pharmacist rubbed his eyes and walked out in a daze. Just as he was about to stretch, he was suddenly frightened by two people outside the door.

"Mr. Arnold? Is there something urgent that brings you to the pharmacy so early?" The young pharmacist was startled when he saw Arnold, and then he hurried forward to ask with concern.

"Xiaolu, let's go look for Mr. Sanxiu." Mr. Sanxiu was known for waking up late, so Arnold didn't expect to see him immediately after asking.

"This... the owner of the manor will not get up until 7 o'clock, but the master is in the medicine manor..."

"Then take us to see Mr. Xiu Ming first."

On the way here, Arnold had roughly introduced Sanxiu Medicine Store and the three important figures in it to Si Yao:

Sanxiu Medicine Shop was founded by Mr. Sanxiu. There are a total of ten people in the shop, all of whom are orphans taken in by Mr. Sanxiu over the years. The famous doctor Sanxiu has only two direct disciples, the eldest disciple Xiuming and the second disciple Huifeng, and the rest are just medicine boys who perform their duties in the medicine shop.

Although the eldest disciple Xiu Ming has followed Mr. San Xiu for ten years, unfortunately he has no talent or understanding in medicine, so after ten years his medical skills are only slightly better than those of ordinary doctors. However, he is very good at managing the pharmacy. The second disciple Hui Feng is a medical genius. He has only been studying medicine in the pharmacy for three years. Now, at the age of less than fifteen, he can treat patients on his own and has accumulated quite a lot of fame in the area within a hundred miles.

As Si Yao followed Arnold and the young medicine boy into the pharmacy, the strong smell of various herbs hit their noses.

Passing through the snow-white empty courtyard, the three of them came to the front hall which was specially used for visiting patients to consult. Because the pharmacy was only open between the hours of Si and Wei, there were not many people in the front hall at this time. There was a small room on each side of the east and west of the front hall. Going around the corridor to the back of the front hall was the pharmacy and the medicine decoction room.

There is a secret door in the northwest of the medicine hall. From the secret door, through a small path covered by vines, you will reach the backyard, where the whole village lives. The backyard is well-maintained, secluded and elegant, but not at all ostentatious and spacious, and more of a natural beauty: the double-story red building is surrounded by the lonely pavilion and the green lake is covered with a thick layer of silver by the snow, and the thin smoke rises from the lake. The pines and cypresses standing by the lake are dotted with green in the silver and white...

"Arnold, why are you here?" The three of them had just stepped onto the second-floor corridor when they ran into a handsome and elegant man who was about thirty years old.

"Sir, Master Arnold wants to see the owner of the manor." The young medicine boy Xiaolu hurriedly stepped forward and saluted solemnly to the middle-aged man.

"Arnold should also know that the master has not yet woken up at this hour, so please warm up in the tea room and wait for a while."

Following Xiu Ming into the tea room, Si Yao and Arnold instantly felt the coldness in their bodies being warmed up and they felt much more comfortable.

"It's okay, we have plenty of time today, and I dare not rush Mr. Sanxiu, so Mr. Xiuming doesn't have to be polite to us." Arnold was not shy at all. He sat down at the table, picked up a piece of cake on the table, smiled and put it into his mouth: "Well, this cake is so delicious, Sister Yao, would you like to try it?"

He was so delighted to taste the delicious food that he handed a piece to Si Yao who was standing beside him.

Si Yao shook her head silently, then looked at the simple tea room thoughtfully, and recalled the last few words she had with Yan Zong last night:

"You are not yet qualified to be with me, but I can arrange for you to go to another place."

"Where?"

"Sanxiu Pharmacy."

"Pharmacy?"

"Mr. Sanxiu, the owner of the medicine shop, is a doctor respected by everyone. He has superb medical skills and can bring people back to health. If you can learn his medical skills, you will not have to worry about not being able to find a good job in the future."

"Let me study medicine?"

"This king is also lacking a capable doctor."

"Isn't Mr. Sanxiu the most suitable candidate?"

"Mr. Sanxiu is indifferent to fame and fortune, and is used to being free. He has a strange temperament and is unrestrained. How can he follow me if he doesn't even want to go to Shangjing?"

"Miss Si Yao, there is no need to be so reserved. Since you were recommended by the prince, you are one of us." Xiu Ming's gentle voice brought Si Yao back from her thoughts. Seeing the other party smiling at her gently, Si Yao politely returned the greeting and sat aside.

"Sister Yao, don't be nervous. I'm very familiar with this place. I used to live in the pharmacy with His Highness for half a year." In a short while, Arnold had eaten up all the cakes on the table.

"Why did you stay so long?" Si Yao asked curiously.

She was not a person who liked gossip, but she was indeed curious about Yan Zong's affairs. Only by knowing more about this person could she judge whether he could be trusted. After all, up to now, she still doubted the reason why he arranged for her to come to the medicine store, although she agreed that studying medicine was indeed a good choice at the moment.

"Because His Highness was seriously injured that year..." Arnold burped, his expression suddenly depressed.

"This is the first time I see the prince being so badly injured. Fortunately, our master is here." Xiu Ming, who was making tea nearby, poured two cups of tea and served them to Arnold and Si Yao respectively. His gentle expression became solemn.

"When did it happen?" Si Yao took the hot tea handed to her by Xiu Ming with both hands and continued to ask curiously.

"Your Highness's mother passed away five years ago. Your Highness was very sad when he heard the news before the war. As a result, he was distracted in a subsequent battle and fell into an enemy ambush. His entire army was almost wiped out, and he himself was seriously injured and almost..." Arnold's eyes were slightly red, and he said sadly with his hands supporting his chin.

"It is impossible for anyone to remain calm upon learning that their mother had passed away suddenly, not to mention that the prince was only less than eighteen years old that year."

Si Yao drank a sip of tea in silence. It turned out that Prince Zong had also experienced such pain.