Chapter 194: Treatment Complete, Job Done
So that was it. Chang Yang finally understood why the medicinal fields had suddenly been destroyed—the entire field had collapsed into the ground, burying the herbs that had taken years to cultivate. At first, he thought it was caused by a subterranean tremor, but what puzzled him was that only the area of the fields was affected. The village and surrounding forests showed no signs of movement at all, which he couldn’t make sense of.
He never expected the real reason to be the villagers’ greed. They had hollowed out the riverbed digging for gold. The medicinal fields were right beside the riverbank, and after days of heavy rain, the soil eroded, leading to the collapse. When they went to save what remained of the herbs, the water hadn’t yet receded, so they hadn’t discovered what had really happened beneath the river.
Then he remembered the villagers’ reaction when they’d arrived the night before—their guilty looks, the unnatural way they avoided his eyes. He’d assumed they were ashamed for ganging up on a child, but now it was clear—they were hiding the truth!
“Master…” Chang Ping hesitated for a moment before adding, “I suspect the one who first found the gold was that child they called the disaster star.” That would explain why they blamed him for everything—and of course, the gold itself had long since been taken away by others.
Chang Yang’s anger surged instantly. Just how black could these villagers’ hearts be? They had caused the collapse themselves out of greed, yet not only did they conceal the truth, they even had the audacity to pin the blame on a child barely a few years old.
His face darkened. So be it. If the heavens are so cold, then the Medical Valley will simply plant fewer fields this year!
The child woke up the next day. He was still dazed and quiet, but his eyes would light up slightly whenever Yun Jiao appeared. It seemed he understood that the people of the Medical Valley were helping him. Although he still instinctively shrank into the corner like a frightened little animal, he obediently took the medicine and food brought to him. The way he devoured his meals so hungrily was heartbreaking to watch.
Old as he was, Chang Yang couldn’t stand seeing a child suffer. Though he was wary of the demonic energy within the boy, he couldn’t stop himself from checking on him frequently. Remembering how the child had clutched Yun Jiao’s candy so dearly, he sent his disciples to the market to buy piles of sweets, nearly filling the boy’s small hut to the brim.
It was clear Chang Yang had become completely attached. He was constantly coming up with excuses like, “I remember there’s a stall at the market that sells good glutinous rice cakes. The weather’s nice today—Chang Ping, go buy some, will you?”