Chapter 20: Niu Han’s Death
‘It’s a pity I couldn’t come in person, but since the Yin Water Centipede retreated, it should have succeeded.’
Su Yan and Zheng Penggang were together, escorting Xie Yuzhu to the Mountain Market, when he suddenly had a feeling and knew the Yin Water Centipede had made its move.
Since refining the Yin Water Centipede, he had an unusual connection with it and could sense its state.
However, this connection wasn’t possession or descending onto the Yin Water Centipede’s body; otherwise, dealing with Niu Han and his gang wouldn’t have required such elaborate planning.
‘Perhaps when the Insect Master’s level rises, there will be some different changes.’
The two pushed Xie Yuzhu into the Mountain Market and headed straight to the east side of the Mountain Market.
The so-called Doctor Du was actually just a mountain valley doctor.
Hundred Herbs Hall’s main business was refining various medicines, so their medical skills were naturally exceptional.
But Hundred Herbs Hall’s business was basically all for wealthy families, or at least well-off households.
Poor families couldn’t get in the doors of Hundred Herbs Hall unless they had no other choice.
Moreover, in this Mountain Market, there were only shops that bought medicinal herbs, no shops that sold medicine.
So the mountain villagers from ten miles around who fell ill all came to the marketplace to find this one Doctor Du—the mountain valley doctor.
“Bang bang bang”
Perhaps they had come too early, so Zheng Penggang stepped forward and knocked on the door.
“Coming, coming.”
After a long while, a voice came from inside the room. The door panel was removed from within and set aside, and a skinny old man with white whiskers poked his head out.
“Why so urgent?”
He wasn’t annoyed, just frowned slightly and looked toward Xie Yuzhu on the cart.
He urged: “Help him inside. What’s wrong?”
Su Yan helped Xie Yuzhu up and, together with Zheng Penggang, brought him through the door.
Zheng Penggang said: “He was kicked hard by those local ruffians who came to cause trouble. Take a look, old Du. Brother Zhuzhu’s family is counting on him alone.”
“Sigh.” Doctor Du sighed: “Let me take a look.”
He lifted Xie Yuzhu’s clothing, revealing a large bluish-purple footprint.
“Swollen this badly?”
His brows furrowed tightly. He pressed down with his hand, making Xie Yuzhu grimace in pain.
“No damage to the bone?”
Suddenly, Doctor Du smelled a faint fragrance on his hand: “Wood Red Flower?”
Doctor Du looked at Xie Yuzhu and laughed in exasperation: “You’re a mountain hunter, yet you recklessly used Wood Red Flower. No wonder the bruising is so scattered. Of course it hurts.”
Xie Yuzhu showed an embarrassed expression: “Isn’t Wood Red Flower for reducing swelling and stopping pain?”
“Even so, it has to be used correctly—small amounts, multiple times, and wiped on with intervals of warm water. You can’t use it all at once.”
Doctor Du couldn’t tell if this man was truly foolish or pretending: “I’ll help you wash it clean. In a bit, I’ll use medicinal wine and massage techniques to disperse it. Rest at home for a day or two and you’ll be fine.”
“Good, good. Many thanks, old Du.”
Xie Yuzhu had no serious injury. Doctor Du immediately used medicinal solution to clean it for him, then used massage techniques to disperse the medicinal potency and break up the bruising somewhat.
It didn’t take too long or too short. Su Yan took the chance to buy a few sesame cakes and shared them with Zheng Penggang.
About half an hour later, Xie Yuzhu’s treatment was finally complete.
“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”
“Make way!”
As soon as they came out, the street suddenly erupted in chaos. Six or seven people were carrying a litter with a person sprawled on it, shoving through the crowd straight toward Doctor Du’s clinic.
They came in a rush, so Zheng Penggang and Xie Yuzhu hurriedly dodged, pushing the cart aside.
Those few set down the litter, and Doctor Du rushed forward.
“Doctor Du, save my big brother! He was injured by a poisonous insect that came down from the mountains!”
Niu Dang was crying and wailing, but Su Yan’s brows twitched as he smiled inwardly.
What a coincidence—the man on that bamboo litter was none other than Niu Han.
At this point, Niu Han’s right hand was completely severed, bound with cloth strips, and one eye was a mess of flesh and blood, all burn marks.
His breathing was faint, his face ashen.
‘Quite decisive indeed.’
The severed hand injury definitely wasn’t the Yin Water Centipede’s doing—the cut was neat. It was probably poisoned, and his little brothers had urgently chopped off the hand to save him.
Su Yan took one look and knew there was no saving him.
Sure enough, after Doctor Du examined him, his face darkened, and he shook his head: “No good. Poison gas has reached the heart. No one can save him.”
“Serves him right!”
Zheng Penggang watched from afar and cursed under his breath: “Evil people get their heavenly retribution. Niu Han deserved to die. Brother Zhuzhu’s vengeance is taken.”
The few of them stood in the crowd, their voices low, so Zheng Penggang wasn’t worried about Niu Dang and the others hearing.
But at this moment, Xie Yuzhu had no mind to respond. He was utterly shocked inside and stole glances at Su Yan’s expression.
But Su Yan’s expression was as usual, so he didn’t know if it was his doing.
What kind of method was this?
“Brother Zhuzhu?”
Zheng Penggang noticed something off, and Xie Yuzhu finally snapped back: “Ah, don’t get involved in the excitement.”
Su Yan smiled: “Uncle Gang, let’s head back to the village.”
Niu Han died, without even enough time to be sent back to Niu Xin Village.
The entire Mountain Market was abuzz with the news. Plenty of poor families from ten miles around owed Niu Han money.
His death was simply gratifying. Even in the teahouse, the discussions were filled with delight.
With such a big incident in Niu Xin Village, the constables and yamen runners stationed in the Mountain Market naturally couldn’t ignore it.
They immediately began questioning, first pulling Niu Dang and the others aside for interrogation.
Although Niu Dang and the others had been there last night, they weren’t in the inner room and had no idea what the Yin Water Centipede looked like when it attacked.
They only heard Niu Han shout it was an exotic insect, so they naturally thought the same.
What they told the constables was, of course, that an exotic insect from the mountains had come down, killed and drank blood, injuring several brothers.
They told everything in detail, including their gathering to collect debts and seek revenge the next day.
But this didn’t draw any attention from the constables and yamen runners at all, because they had long seen Su Yan bringing Xie Yuzhu into the marketplace.
In the end, the incident was classified as an exotic insect from the mountains coming down for some reason and harming people.
No one suspected that Su Yan had done anything.
Only Xie Yuzhu guessed a bit of the situation, but even if he died, he absolutely wouldn’t say anything.
“Grown up now. Big Brother Dahe’s vengeance is finally taken.”
“Head of the house, what are you saying?”
At Xie Yuzhu’s home, he looked at the one tael of silver and food left by Su Yan, murmuring to himself.
Li Lian didn’t hear clearly. Xie Yuzhu brushed it off: “Nothing. A Yan has grown up. Big Brother Dahe doesn’t need to worry anymore. He’s capable.”
He grinned. With Niu Han dead, the capable one was his nephew. These were all good things.
Li Lian nodded: “Yan Ge’er is capable and remembers kindness. He’s a good child. I see his age is right—why not arrange a marriage for him and find a girl to help his family.”
“Go, go, what are you worrying about blindly. He’ll surely become a top martial artist, a great figure. What mountain girl could match him? Don’t make decisions for him on your own. A Yan has plenty of his own ability.”
Xie Yuzhu interrupted his wife’s words: “Put the silver away. After I rest a few days, I’ll go into the mountains with Guo Peng and the others for mountain hunting, pay the summer tax and mountain fee, and we’ll save up some silver to see about teaching A Bao a skill. We can’t keep mountain hunting like this—there’s no future.”
