In the main hall, Zhou Xiaozheng waved to his wife and started introducing the white-haired old man: "Uncle Dong, this is my wife, you know her, so I won’t say more."
Zhou Xiaozheng glanced at Zhang Guoqing and Zhou Jiao, a hint of amusent flashing in his eyes: "These are my nephew’s two unruly children. Xiao Wu, Jiao Jiao, this is Elder Dong Cheng whom your Grandma Song ntioned last ti."
Zhang Guoqing imdiately stepped forward and bowed: "Grandpa Dong, it’s a pleasure to see you. I’m Zhang Guoqing, you can just call Xiao Wu."
"Grandpa Dong, I’m Zhou Jiao. I’ve never had the honor of eting you before, please forgive my earlier rudeness."
The white-haired old man, Elder Dong Cheng, looked at the young couple in front of him and waved his hand with a smile, "There’s no talk of rudeness. It’s , this old man, who’s been drinking a lot of your good tea and eating your good food without returning the favor, that’s true rudeness."
Hearing this, Zhou Jiao smiled lightly at him: "You’re too kind, those are just so small tokens of the younger generation’s respect for you."
"Good child, if your grandfather saw you, he’d be over the moon..." After speaking, Elder Dong quickly shook off the lancholy in his tone and smiled, "Child, study dicine well, the old man will tell you a secret. Your grandfather knows everything, except he’s got one weakness."
Zhou Jiao understood in her heart, her face showing a keen interest as she awaited more.
"Brother Jinyu, haha...when it cos to dicine, he can intimidate the doctors, but except for ginseng with its obvious features, he can’t tell a single herb from another. And that’s not all."
"One year, I was eight, he was ten. A group of us friends went on a spring outing. At that ti, none of us noble children knew a thing about farming..."
Beside him, Doctor Hu fainted upon hearing this; if his granddaughter took after her grandfather, his apprentice would have been for nothing. He quickly regained consciousness, thinking if he hadn’t investigated wrongly, this child had collected quite a few herbs for that remote village.
Doctor Hu waited for Elder Dong to finish reminiscing before rolling his eyes secretly, clearing his throat and reminding them this was about accepting an apprentice, not catching up on old tis.
Elder Dong laughed: "Alright, I know you’re anxious. Your apprentice won’t escape."
As he finished, Doctor Hu regained his composure, changed his deanor, and solemnly addressed the three disciples below: "Begin."
As soon as he spoke, the three middle-aged n who had been silent stood up quickly.
One middle-aged man took out an incense burner and other items from a wicker box he carried, placing them on the incense table. Another imdiately followed by taking an embroidered portrait from a wooden box on the incense table, hanging it up north with the help of the remaining middle-aged man.
After washing his hands, Doctor Hu lit three sticks of incense, placed them in the incense burner, bowed, and began to quietly announce to the ancestral master, accepting disciples to ensure continuity.
When Mr. Ma entered, he saw Master Hu sitting solemnly on a specially set main seat. He signaled the child he was holding to keep quiet before putting Ping’an down.
Regarding ancient rituals, even though Zhou Jiao had never been through one, she understood the procedure. Soon she took a few steps forward, knelt in front of Doctor Hu, and listened to Elder Dong, acting as the host, introducing herself.
At this point, Zhou Jiao understood why Elder Dong was acting as the host. This elder was too familiar with her family’s situation. According to her father, it was this elder who helped her grandfather greatly when the Zhou family was in decline.
The relationship between these two was like that of Zhang Guoqing and Yi Jiefang now. Unfortunately, when Elder Dong’s father passed away, due to disagreents among several brothers, he was soon expelled from the ancestral residence.
Back then, Elder Dong, still a rebellious youth, mismanaged and almost ended up penniless. If a biological brother could speak harshly for family wealth, let alone clan mbers.
In a fit of anger, Elder Dong sold the last small courtyard and resolutely went to the South to find his good brother, Zhou Jinyu. Unfortunately, by then her grandfather had already suffered misfortunes, and her grandmother also hid traces for her father’s sake.
By a twist of fate, Elder Dong eventually ended up with our army, now becoming a major general. He logically shouldn’t be in Beijing now.
As Zhou Jiao thought about this, she listened to Elder Dong’s introduction ending, quickly composed herself, and took the two gift boxes Zhang Guoqing handed over with both hands.
At this mont, Doctor Hu couldn’t contain his joy any longer, quickly took them and placed them aside, staring at the apprenticeship red envelope Zhang Guoqing handed to Zhou Jiao.
Zhou Jiao smiled gently, accepting it before raising the apprenticeship card above her head and presenting it to Doctor Hu, kneeling to perform the kowtow bow.
Doctor Hu glanced proudly at Elder Dong and Mr. Ma, "Good disciple, don’t be too formal, just a token gesture. Quickly, quickly, get up."
After kowtowing, Zhou Jiao stood up, took a bowl of tea handed over by a middle-aged man beside her, and offered it with both hands to Doctor Hu: "Master, please accept this cup of tea from your disciple."
Doctor Hu smiled as he lifted the lid, sipped a big mouthful before putting it down, and dragged out a big package from behind the chair. Judging by his posture, there were not only many items but also very heavy inside.
"Good disciple, this is sothing I specially prepared for you as a teacher, check it out when you get ho." Doctor Hu forcefully pushed the items to Zhang Guoqing.
"Co, let’s perform the three-bow ritual to the ancestral master."
A middle-aged man next to them gently reminded: "Uncle Master, the sect rules."
Doctor Hu paused his steps, shook his head quickly, and pointed at Zhang Guoqing’s direction: "I’ve already written everything for your junior sister. Since she’s now heavy with child, let’s finish quickly."
After the ceremony, Doctor Hu called over the three middle-aged n, introducing them to Zhou Jiao: "This is the first senior disciple of your Grand Master, Zhu Ling, he’s at the Military General Hospital now."
"This is the first senior disciple of your Second Master, Bai Cangzhu, he works in the health departnt now."
"This is the third disciple of your Grand Master, Dong Zhichao, he’s the young one of Old Dong’s family. He’s at the municipal hospital now."
Following her master’s introduction order, Zhou Jiao addressed each of them: "Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, hello. Please take care of in the future."
Master Hu proudly praised: "See, isn’t my apprentice smart? She figures out your ranks without saying."
The third disciple, Dong Zhichao, was torn between laughter and tears: "Your introduction was already in order, wasn’t it? This Uncle Master is like an old mischief, I can only agree: ’You have good judgnt, Uncle Master.’ Earlier this year, I inford the other brothers, they were thrilled to hear there’s a little junior sister."
"You all need to look after your little junior sister and don’t let anyone bully her."
"Uncle Master, don’t worry."
"Uncle Master, our little junior sister is even younger than my Xiao Xia, I will definitely keep an eye on her."
At the Military General Hospital, Zhu Ling listened to his Uncle Master chatting with his younger brothers, wiping sweat from his palms. These people didn’t realize who was sitting above them, still daring to make empty promises.
The little junior sister is Zhou Family’s precious treasure, rumored to be a registered major case, who would dare blindfully bully her? That Demon Lord of Mayhem next to her once tore down several doors of the General Hospital, who doesn’t rember?
"Eldest?"
Zhu Ling imdiately stood straight: "Uncle Master, rest assured, if the little junior sister needs anything, I’ll surely get it done."
Doctor Hu nodded satisfied, "Now quickly give your little junior sister a gift."
Mr. Ma couldn’t suppress his laughter anymore, pointed a finger at him, "Alright, you’re sothing."
"Whether I am or not, I have to be. Over the years, how many gifts have I given to you old fellas’ apprentices and grand-apprentices? Just this, I’m still at a loss, I only have this one apprentice."
Everyone knew it was a joke among old comrades, and imdiately burst into laughter.
Suppressing his laughter, Mr. Ma was the first to take out a wooden box and handed it to Zhou Jiao: "Take it quickly, or your master will start collecting debts."
"Senior Ma, I’ve already received a gift."
Mr. Ma firmly placed it on the parcel in front of Zhang Guoqing, smiling: "It’s different, that’s the eting gift."
Soon, Elder Dong also took out a square box, carefully handing it to Zhou Jiao: "Little girl, this is to return to its rightful owner."
Zhou Jiao looked at him in surprise, then glanced at her dad.
"This is the inkstone your grandfather gave back then, it was lost earlier, and later returned to , albeit damaged. When I heard Old Hu say he was taking you as his disciple, I thought there’s no better gift."
Zhou Jiao gratefully looked at him, accepted it with both hands. She didn’t refuse; in occasions like today, there’s a saying that goes, ’A gift from an elder cannot be declined.’
Thereafter, one after another, the senior brothers representing the two masters gave gifts, and gifts they offered. Throughout the process, Zhou Jiao didn’t open the boxes, planning to find an opportunity to return the favor later.
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