2 A new beginning

An Hong was about to talk but the little girl's tired voice sounded, "Daddy, Bing Qing is tired. Bing Qing wants to rest".

He could only swallow his worrywart words and said with care, "Ah, daddy will let you rest. But remember to smear the medicine on your wound and drink the soup when it is sent".

She slightly nodded and said, "Bing Qing knows".

An Hong dismissed the servant girls for her to have a good rest and strode away.

Not long before all the people departed, she sat on the bed as she held her head with both hands; her head ached. She remembered this event but it was worse this time than in the past; she hadn't fainted before and she had asked for medicine herself from Grandpa Wu. That's the time when she took some interest in medicine.

'So strange, what is this all about? That couldn't possibly be a dream and my head hurts so much that this can't be one as well'. She rubbed her temples as she stepped down from bed to apply medicine on her wound.

She was coated in sweat but didn't ask for water to take a bath. The servant girls outside were in deep thought, their miss liked cleanness the most; she liked to be clad in pure white after all. But what they didn't know was that after being married for more than fifteen years such a thing was already something of the past; she had seen so many things and suffered many hardships that she couldn't be bothered by blood and dirt anymore.

She cooled herself by the window until the medicated soup was delivered and she asked for a warm bath to later go to bed.

The next morning and the following days, An Bing Qing had been in a daze and hadn't stepped out from her courtyard.

An Hong had been so worried for her but didn't know how to coax her out. He thought of dragging his eldest son back from secluded cultivation. He only has a pair of twins as children and his eldest son as twin with his beloved little daughter had the best ways to make her happy but that will be too dangerous and he could only wait by the side.

After a full week, at noon, as she was feeding the fish in the little pond in her backyard, she sighed and a light of determination flashed in her dazed dark eyes.

'It has been so many days and I'm sure that this isn't a dream and those memories can't also be one. They are so vivid; the love, the pain and sadness. Those feelings are so acute and deep that make me laugh and cry at the same time. If someone were to tell that they are false, I will make sure to let them pay tenfold'.

'But things can't be as my other life. I can't make him bear such things again, my talent have always been poor and I only was able to further advance thanks to the treasures he gave me in the past'. She shook her head and she bit her rosy lips.

'If I dare to face him in this lifetime, it will be to heal his strange disease that made his cultivation go stagnant during my last five years of life. He did so many things for me but I do nothing to help him. This is a new life and I have plenty of time. I just hope it can be cured with silver needles and medication, and there's no need of refined medicine and pills as I'm not an Alchemist anymore'.

She suddenly jumped to her feet and strode to look for her father.

She had just put a foot outside her courtyard when a shadow came to her. She stopped abruptly and heard, "Qing'er, you are out. That's great, would you want to eat something here, or outside? Daddy will accompany you this time and won't..."

She cut his words and said gently, "Daddy, Bing Qing will go out by herself. Daddy is the Patriarch of An family and can't be wasting his time". An Hong wanted to oppose but she quickly added, "If daddy wants to do something for Bing Qing, daddy can give me some gold coins, a set of ordinary maid robes and a simple black robe, and also help me to fetch this three herbs".

Even though it had only been a week, his beloved daughter finally needs him; he was happy. He didn't ask why, as a father who spoils his daughter like the pearl of his palm, whatever she wanted whatever he gave her without caring about it. And now was more so; though accidents can happen, he felt guilty of not protecting her well.

"It will be ready right away". He said seriously as if afraid she won't believe him and strode away.

She watched his solemn face and vigorous pace. A sweet smile was drawn as she shook her head helplessly and went back to groom herself a little.

Half an hour went by and a maid clad in sky blue robes appeared in her main chamber with a silver tray full of things. "Master, the Patriarch said he will stay at the Little Medicinal Hall and will be back till night. Thus, he sent Hong Shi with the items. Here there are".

She turned around as she dried her hair and looked at the beautiful maid who had a reserved and serious air; whenever she saw her, a happy smile flowed like spring. She was her only personal maidservant, Bing Nan, who had died at a young age in her previous life.

An family divided servants only in two ranks and had a weird custom when it comes to naming servants. They will give them as surname their forename, all the servants were equal treated; the miscellaneous servants had a number as their names and wore pale grey robes but if they were chosen as personal servants they would be given another name.

She beckoned her to place the tray on her bed, "Daddy truly sent a simple black robe, I was still doubtful. I will have a headache if he were to send a pretty one. Bing Nan, I will go out by myself. This day is free for you to enjoy. You can retire".

Bing Nan heard this but she wasn't happy. Her serious face paled and she knelt down as she hastily said, "Master, this little servant was in the wrong. This little servant didn't take care of Master and made her hurt. This..."

An Bing Qing was dumbfounded but quickly interceded as she helped her up, "That was just an accident. I'm not angry. I need to do something by myself; don't tell daddy. And stop with this little servant this and this little servant that or I will truly get angry. We have known each other for a long time. It's all right to be casual".

"But..."

"Tsk, I'm talking casually to you and you must do the same. What about this, if you truly are that reluctant, I give you this for you to be more confident..." She pointed to Bing Nan's forehead and a stream of information flowed. All immortal cultivators could pass information like this as long as they had enough mental fortitude and that they were willing to do it.

Through her previous life she only had such a personal maidservant, all the others who served her where her husband's people. Bing Nan as a maid didn't have the rights to cultivate, even if were to be martial cultivation.

The only servants who cultivated in the An family were the guards and all were men. It wasn't because the An Clan belittled women but because the short resources and harsh training; as an Ancient family, how could their regiment be low and how could they let any outsider cultivate?

As such, with each new generation, they will select one hundred new guards divided in four teams: one was left to protect the main residence within the shadows; two of them were to escort medicinal herbs; and the last team was mean to protect their medical shop and tea restaurant.

Right now there were three hundred of them: a bunch of old fellows that listen to grandfather; a bunch of middle-aged men which were the ones guarding the family now and listened to father's orders; and some youngsters who were training who knows where that were meant to eldest brother. Thus, there was no room for Bing Nan but she knew Bing Nan had outstanding talent in martial cultivation.

When she just had married and Bing Nan was twenty-three, her husband said that she must be nurtured to follow her properly. Bing Nan learnt so fast and quickly surpassed her. Her husband was pleased as Bing Nan could protect her better, but Bing Nan miserly died and she could only watch. Bing Nan will be eighteen this year, she was sure Bing Nan will soar up quickly.

Bing Nan got dizzy and almost fell to the floor but An Bing Qing helped her up and placed her on her bed before dressing herself with the maid's grey cloths on the silver tray. She ground the three herbs and put each one in a pair of jade seashells. Her unbound hair was knotted in a bun and with a black plaster, she hid her exquisite eyebrows and enchanting face, making herself look rather ugly.

She chuckled to herself in front of a bronze mirror. "Tsk, who said I was wasting my time studying medicine in the past?!"

While putting the things on the tray inside a green qiankun bag, she praised, "Daddy is worthy of being daddy, he even sent me a maid's token".