The Legend of the Medical Concubine

Chapter 423: First meeting with the old man and asking

In front of the dilapidated hut next to the ancient temple in the mountains. The hut looked like it had been there for many years. The thatch on the roof was sparse and had several holes, as if telling the vicissitudes of time. The fences around it were crooked, barely enclosing a small courtyard. There was a dilapidated wooden bench in the yard, and the old man was sitting on it, leaning against the wall of the hut, squinting his eyes, enjoying the rare sunshine. The sunlight shone through the mottled leaves, casting dots of light and shadow, falling on the old man's wrinkled face and his washed-out coarse cloth clothes. Not far away was the old and slightly dilapidated temple. The door of the temple was closed, revealing a mysterious and tranquil atmosphere.

She was wearing a plain and elegant long skirt, the hem of which fluttered gently in the breeze, like an orchid blooming in the mountains. She was graceful, and her steps were light but firm. Her face was fair, her eyebrows were as black as distant black, and her eyes were clear but with a hint of eagerness and anxiety. Those eyes seemed to hide endless thoughts, and at this moment, she was staring at the old man in front of her, hoping to get the key clues about her life from him. Her hair was simply tied up, and a few strands of hair hung beside her cheeks, adding a bit of gentleness and weakness. But under this weakness, there was a stubbornness that should not be underestimated, which could be seen from her tightly pursed lips and slightly raised chest.

Lin Ruoxue walked into the yard very lightly, fearing to disturb the old man who was basking in the sun. When she was a few steps away from the old man, she stopped and respectfully bowed to him. She said, "Old senior, I am Lin Ruoxue. I have come here to ask you about something that happened 20 years ago. I heard that you may know some of the secrets of that time. I hope you can enlighten me." After that, she raised her head slightly and looked at the old man with expectation.

His hair was gray, like a bunch of reed catkins in winter, casually scattered on his shoulders. The wrinkles on his face were as deep as ravines, and each wrinkle seemed to be engraved with the story of years. His eyes were slightly sunken, but they revealed a deep and vicissitudes of life, as if he could see through all the vanity in the world. He was wearing a tattered coarse cloth robe, the color had long been blurred by the years, and the patches were stacked on top of each other, but it also looked simple and real. His hands were rough and covered with calluses, casually placed on his knees, with a little dirt on his fingers, it seemed that he had just been fiddling with flowers and plants in the yard.

The old man seemed to be startled by the sudden sound. He opened his eyes slightly and looked at Lin Ruoxue slowly. His eyes seemed to be scrutinizing her from head to toe. After a long while, he slowly said, "What happened 20 years ago? Humph, those are all old things. Why are you suddenly interested in what happened back then?" His voice was a little hoarse, but it also revealed an unquestionable majesty, as if he didn't care much about Lin Ruoxue's intention.

Lin Ruoxue's heart tightened. She knew it would not be easy to get information from the old man, but at this moment she had no other choice but to continue. She took a deep breath, a trace of determination flashed in her eyes, and said: "Old senior, to be honest, I have recently discovered that my life experience seems to hide many mysteries, and these mysteries seem to point to some things that happened twenty years ago. I am really desperate, so I came to ask you for advice. I hope you can help me." Her tone was sincere and anxious, and her hands unconsciously clenched the corners of her clothes, showing her inner tension and anxiety.

The old man frowned slightly after hearing her words, with that faint sense of alienation still on his face, and said: "Huh, the mystery of your life experience? Who in this world doesn't have a few mysteries about his life experience? Why do you think that I know about what happened to you twenty years ago?" He shook his head gently as he spoke, as if he disagreed with Lin Ruoxue's idea.

Lin Ruoxue became more and more anxious. She hurriedly took a small step forward, bowed again, and said, "Old senior, I have heard some clues and know that you have been living in seclusion in this ancient temple in the mountains for many years. You must have experienced a lot of worldly things, so I came to disturb you without permission. If you really don't know, I dare not force you, but I really have no other choice." Her voice trembled slightly, and tears were already flashing in her eyes. She was really afraid that the old man would refuse her, and then she would be in despair.

The old man looked at Lin Ruoxue's appearance, and his heart moved slightly, and his originally cold eyes softened a little. He was silent for a while, slowly raised his head, and said: "Okay, since you are so sincere, I will listen to you, but I may not be able to help you." Although his tone was still a little reluctant, it at least gave Lin Ruoxue a chance.

Lin Ruoxue was overjoyed and she quickly said, "Thank you, old senior. I am very grateful." As she spoke, she hurriedly took out the jade pendant that she had always carried with her from her arms, held it in both hands, handed it to the old man, and said, "Old senior, this jade pendant may be related to my life experience. I have recently heard some rumors that I may be related to the Khitans. I guess all this may be inextricably linked to a tragedy that happened twenty years ago. I hope you can tell me something." She stared at the old man, hoping to see some clues from his expression.

The moment the old man saw the jade pendant, a hint of subtle surprise flashed across his eyes. He subconsciously wanted to reach out to take it, but seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally slowly reached out his hand and took the jade pendant. He looked at it carefully, his fingers gently stroking the patterns on the jade pendant, and his expression seemed to be immersed in deep memories.

After a long time, the old man slowly put down the jade pendant, looked up at Lin Ruoxue, and said, "Girl, this jade pendant is not simple. Tell me, where did you get it from?" His tone became a little more serious, and there was a little more inquiry in his eyes.

Lin Ruoxue hurriedly said, "Old senior, I have been wearing this jade pendant since I was a child. The old prime minister once said that this was something I carried with me. I was young at that time and did not think much about it. But now, as the mystery of my life emerges, I feel more and more that this jade pendant may contain key clues, so I would like to ask you, old senior, to help me take a look." She spoke quickly like a machine gun, fearing that the old man would change his mind again.

The old man nodded slightly, took another look at the jade pendant, and said, "Well, don't be anxious for now. I know a thing or two about the origin of this jade pendant, but when it comes to its connection with your life experience, I have to think carefully about it." Although his words did not give a clear answer, they at least gave Lin Ruoxue a glimmer of hope, and her heart was slightly relieved.

Lin Ruoyue was about to ask again, but the old man waved his hand and said, "Girl, don't rush to ask. What happened twenty years ago involves a lot of things, and it can't be explained in a few words. You sit here first, and I will sort out my thoughts and tell you in detail." As he said that, he pointed to a stone next to him and motioned Lin Ruoxue to sit down.

Although Lin Ruoxue was extremely anxious, she knew that she couldn't rush the old man at this moment, so she sat down on the stone as he said, her eyes still fixed on the old man, waiting for his next narration. She knew that at this moment, the mystery of her life experience might be about to be revealed, and all of this depended on the mysterious old man in front of her.