Chapter 21: Losing Both the Lady and the Army

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Ming stood frozen to the spot, his expression rigid with disbelief. He saw clearly that his master, Xue Huaisu, had walked up to Ye Tianci and bowed deeply. The gesture was exactly as he himself had once done when he first became Xue Huaisu’s disciple, respectful and solemn.

“What?!” Yang Ming’s eyes widened, as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Divine Doctor Ye, I didn’t expect we’d meet again so soon—fate truly brings us together!” Xue Huaisu spoke with utmost respect, like a sincere schoolboy. “Since fate is so kind, would you consider taking me as your disciple? I am genuinely eager to learn from you.”

Hearing his master’s words, Yang Ming’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. His own master was desperately asking Ye Tianci to accept him as a disciple—and in such a pleading tone! If that were to happen, wouldn’t he have to call Ye Tianci grandmaster?

At that moment, his mind went blank, unable to process anything. He simply blurted out what he’d previously intended: “Master, why are you bowing to this brat? He just claimed we’re all quacks! You should make him apologize!”

“Slap!” The only answer was a ruthless slap from Xue Huaisu.

With a stern face, Xue Huaisu rebuked, “Divine Doctor Ye is right. I am a quack—and you’re an even bigger one! I got a call on my way here; didn’t you nearly make a fatal mistake?”

Yang Ming, clutching his face, protested stubbornly, “Doctors treat illnesses; accidents are inevitable! You can’t deny all my past efforts because of a single mishap!”

“Still arguing? I think you’re nothing but a quack!” Xue Huaisu roared angrily, then turned to Ye Tianci and bowed again. “Divine Doctor Ye, you were right—my disciple and I are both quacks. Please, accept me as your disciple!”

Ye Tianci replied coolly, “Compared to your disciple, you at least have some self-awareness.”

“Don’t bring up becoming my disciple again. But if the opportunity arises, I can teach you a few medical techniques.”

Xue Huaisu’s brows shot up in excitement, barely able to contain his joy. Since Divine Doctor Ye mentioned ‘opportunity,’ he was determined to create one—he had to learn Ye Tianci’s legendary ‘Nine Miraculous Needles’!

With that thought, Xue Huaisu turned and barked, “Yang Ming, apologize to Divine Doctor Ye at once!”

A commotion erupted among the crowd. No one expected Xue Huaisu to behave exactly as Ye Tianci had described—rather than defending his own disciple, he was currying favor with Ye Tianci.

It was truly astonishing!

Yang Ming stood stupefied, utterly bewildered.

“Doctor Yang, why are you standing there? Your master said you should apologize to me,” Ye Tianci remarked. “But I think we can skip the apology—just fulfill your promise.”

As he spoke, Ye Tianci produced the receipt for the medicinal ingredients he’d just purchased. “I spent ten thousand and eight hundred earlier. As you promised, you owe me ten times the refund—one hundred and eight thousand.”

“I’ll waive the small amount. Just refund one hundred thousand.”

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“And I’m allowed to take one valuable medicinal herb from your Huairen Hall for free, right?”

“I’ll take the redwood box at the top of Cabinet No. 1. It should contain a high-aged ginseng.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Ming glared fiercely and retorted angrily, “Refund you a hundred thousand? And you want to take my redwood box for free?”

“Do you have any idea? That box contains a two-hundred-year-old wild ginseng! It’s the treasure of my shop, worth at least two million!”

“Are you daydreaming?”

Ye Tianci’s lips curled into a smirk. “Oh? You want to renege?”

“So what if I do? What can you do about it?” Yang Ming sneered arrogantly.

“Hiss—” The crowd hissed in disapproval.

“The famous manager of Huairen Hall, Yang Ming, is reneging?”

“He was the one who asked us to be witnesses, saying no one could break the agreement.”

“Brothers, if Yang Ming breaks his promise, none of us should ever come here again—tell all our friends and family!”

“Why bother coming at all? Just smash the place!”

...

The customers erupted in righteous indignation.

Yang Ming panicked, realizing he had stirred up public anger.

Xue Huaisu’s expression darkened. “Yang Ming, did you just make a wager and promise?”

Yang Ming nodded miserably.

“If you wagered, you must keep your word. Do as you promised—or you’re no longer my disciple, and I’ll reclaim the management rights of Huairen Hall!” Xue Huaisu said coldly.

Yang Ming’s face changed drastically; he gritted his teeth and shot Ye Tianci a resentful look, then waved his hand in frustration. “Give him the hundred thousand refund!”

“As for the two-hundred-year-old wild ginseng… let him take it.”

The words stung as he spoke them. This bet not only failed to embarrass Ye Tianci, it cost him all his pride, a hundred thousand yuan, and a priceless wild ginseng!

A total loss!

Soon, Akang wrapped the wild ginseng and the cash together, placing them before Ye Tianci.

“Thank you for your generosity, Doctor Yang!” Ye Tianci smiled mildly, took the package, and strode away.

Xue Huaisu departed as well.

Yang Ming immediately called Akang to his side, gritting his teeth. “Akang, call Lei Hong and have him deal with that Ye kid!”

“Get both the money and the wild ginseng back!”

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Akang asked nervously, “Master, but Divine Doctor Xue…”

“Knock!” Yang Ming rapped Akang’s forehead and snorted coldly, “Remember, I am the son-in-law of the Qi family. My father-in-law is Qi Changling!”

“Even if things go sour with Xue Huaisu, the Qi family will still protect me. What are you afraid of?”

Akang nodded repeatedly and hurried out to find help.

Yang Ming’s lips curled into a sinister smile. He muttered to himself, “Cripple, my things aren’t so easily taken. However you got them, you’ll spit them back out!”

At that moment—

Ye Tianci had just stepped out onto Mingshui Avenue when three cars sped up and boxed him in.

A dozen men got out, approaching with menacing vigor.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a stubbly beard, a broad round face full of fat, and fierce eyes—he looked like Dong-seok, the tough guy from Korean action films.

Beside him stood a young man in a red shirt, holding his head high, looking down at Ye Tianci with arrogance. “So, you’re the one who robbed my uncle’s pharmacy of a hundred thousand yuan and a wild ginseng?”

Ye Tianci’s lips twitched slightly. “That’s me. Who are you?”

“Qi Qingming!” the red-shirted youth declared haughtily, his chin raised, nostrils flared.

“Never heard of you,” Ye Tianci replied coolly.

Qi Qingming was used to being flattered everywhere he went, never ignored like this. He snorted coldly, “You don’t know me, but surely you’ve heard of my grandfather, Qi Changling?”

Ye Tianci’s eyes narrowed sharply as he gazed at Qi Qingming with meaningful intent. “So, you’re Qi Changling’s grandson. You’ve stopped me for a reason?”

“Are you playing dumb?” Qi Qingming sneered. “Hand over the hundred thousand yuan and the wild ginseng you took from my uncle’s pharmacy!”

He threatened fiercely, his manner domineering.

Ye Tianci’s expression cooled. “You won’t get them back, and you shouldn’t be stepping up for Yang Ming. Today, I’m afraid you’ll only be leaving here lying down.”

“Ha!” Qi Qingming seemed to hear the most absurd joke, rolling his eyes in contempt.

“You dare threaten me? Kid, you really have nerve!”

“Here—my face is right here. Try and touch me!”

With that, Qi Qingming thrust his face toward Ye Tianci, pointing at it and provoking him.

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