Chapter 124: Trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice

It was Divine Doctor Mo Zhanggeng.

He took just two or three steps to stand before Tuan Tuan, his back to the mother‑daughter pair from the Hou mansion, and made a series of funny faces at the little child, the wrinkles on his face almost twisting into cramps.

Tuan Tuan looked at his strange appearance and tilted her little head.

Is Divine Doctor Grandfather feeling unwell?

Her eyes rolled and she suddenly understood.

Oh! Divine Doctor Grandfather doesn't want to take that bad older sister as a disciple, so he's using me as a shield!

She rolled her eyes at Mo Zhanggeng, pursed her little lips, and didn't speak to deny it.

Seeing that she understood his meaning, Mo Zhanggeng was overjoyed; this little girl was truly astonishingly perceptive!

He immediately turned, cleared his throat, and announced to all the guests in a firm tone:

"Please listen carefully, everyone!"

"Princess Jiayou is my only closed‑door disciple! I will never accept another student!"

The hall instantly erupted in an uproar.

"When did the Princess become the Divine Doctor's disciple?"

"The Princess can actually be the Divine Doctor's disciple?"

"This is truly a strange tale from the capital!"

Zhou Yuwei's hope in her eyes vanished instantly; jealousy and hatred nearly boiled over: "How is it this damned girl again!"

Han Xueling was so angry she clenched her teeth silently.

They spared no expense in presenting the supreme treasure, just to place the title of 'Divine Doctor's disciple' on Zhou Yuwei before all the noble ladies and officials' wives in the capital.

Who doesn't know that the Divine Doctor's whereabouts are elusive and he never stays long in one place?

With the Divine Doctor absent, one can easily imagine how little weight Zhou Yuwei's claim of being his disciple carries.

In the capital, wealthy families are many, and what they fear most is falling ill and being plagued by sickness.

By then, the Jinghai Marquis's mansion's status among the capital's elite will be as stable as Mount Tai!

Han Xueling's face darkened: "The Myriad Filth‑Repelling Pearl is a rare treasure of the world; the Divine Doctor's glance just now clearly showed he was moved!"

"Please think it over, Divine Doctor!" Han Xueling forced down her anger, "Could it be that you truly feel no temptation toward this Myriad Filth‑Repelling Pearl?"

Hearing this, Mo Zhanggeng instinctively glanced at the brocade box; a flash of pain crossed his eyes—he wanted it! But I, old man, hate most being threatened!

He stuck out his neck, lifted his chin, and wore an arrogant look: "Even if this pearl is fine, how could it compare to the importance of my disciple?"

Tuan Tuan looked at his appearance and snorted: "Divine Doctor Grandfather is lying!"

You obviously want it!

It's because you don't like them that you refuse.

I don't like them either!

But as for that pearl…

Tuan Tuan's eyes rolled, she stretched out her little finger and pointed at the brocade box in Han Xueling's hand: "Your pearl is fake! It's useless—what's there to show off about?"

Cheng Ru'an looked at his daughter, his face full of astonishment.

The crowd instantly exploded into an uproar.

"What? Fake?"

"The Jinghai Marquis's mansion actually used a fake treasure to deceive the Divine Doctor?"

"No way!"

Everyone's gaze turned to that pearl, and doubts rose.

Zhou Yuwei's face flushed red all at once, and she shouted in protest: "You're talking nonsense!"

Han Xueling also shouted loudly: "Princess! You can't just spout nonsense! Such a treasure—how could you dare slander it?"

Tuan Tuan showed no fear: "Whether it's fake or not, we'll know if we test it!"

She lifted her little head and said to Mo Zhanggeng: "Divine Doctor Grandfather, do you have anything poisonous on you? Take it out and let's test it!"

Mo Zhanggeng was also a bit dazed; hearing this, he untied a wine gourd from his waist.

The gourd was his own special make, with openings at both ends, stoppered, and a divider inside.

One end held liquor, the other stored the various poisonous insects he had casually collected.

He pulled out the stopper on one end and carefully poured out several teeth‑baring centipedes and colorful little spiders onto the clean tabletop.

These little creatures were ones he had casually caught in the mountains and fields on his way to the capital; their poison is mild, and he uses them to steep his "Hundred Insects Wine".

Seeing this, the guests exclaimed and stepped back a few paces.

"Hmph, what are these common poisons? Do they even deserve to test my treasure? What a waste!"

Han Xueling took the Myriad Filth‑Repelling Pearl out of the brocade box and placed it in the center of the table.

The crowd gathered again, staring intently at those poisonous creatures.

Only to see that the centipedes and spiders, which had been crawling wildly on the table, as soon as the pearl was placed down, all hurried to the edge of the table, far away, not daring to come near at all.

Cheng Ru'an looked worriedly at his daughter, but saw Tuan Tuan's little hand hidden under the table loosen; a peanut shell she had just finished eating and hadn't yet thrown away dropped lightly to the floor and vanished instantly.

Tuan Tuan muttered quickly under her breath: "Guard them!"

The sound was extremely faint; only the person sitting nearest her could hear it.

Cheng Ru'an's heart jumped.

Han Xueling and Zhou Yuwei's faces were full of smug satisfaction.

"See? I'd like to see who dares to say anything else…"

Before the words had even finished, the poisonous creatures that had originally been shrinking back paused for a moment, then crawled straight toward the pearl!

One spider even climbed right onto the pearl's surface and strolled leisurely across it!

"No! This is impossible!" Han Xueling screamed.

Zhou Yuwei's face was as pale as paper.

Suddenly, countless jeers and discussions erupted all around.

"Hahaha, still claiming it wards off myriad impurities? It can't even repel a few little bugs!"

"The Marquis Jinghai actually brought a fake item to fool the Divine Doctor? Hehe."

"What an embarrassment!"

"The Marquis's mansion's birthday banquet today is really lively!"

"Yeah! Who wouldn't see through this little trick? You didn't expect it, did you? Trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead! Hehehe."

The piercing ridicule and laughter kept pouring into Han Xueling's ears.

She looked at the bead on the table that had been "defiled" by the poisonous insects, her face burning with pain, as if her clothes had been stripped off in public.

She lunged forward, grabbed the bead that had made her lose face, and hurled it hard out of the hall.

"Let's go!" she gritted out those three words, pulling the dazed Zhou Yuwei away in a flustered hurry.

The excitement over, the crowd no longer gathered around the table, dispersing in twos and threes.

They continued to discuss with relish what had just happened.

Tuan Tuan went "pat-pat-pat" over to the discarded bead, bent down, picked it up, wiped it on her sleeve, and said: "This is perfect for me to play with as a marble!"

A few people nearby saw it but didn't think much of it—it was a worthless fake bead, something kids like to play with, so if they wanted to pick it up, they could.

Cheng Ru'an, not wanting to linger, handed over the prepared birthday gift to the Marquis's mansion's servants, took his daughter, and invited the Divine Doctor to return together to their residence.

In the carriage, Tuan Tuan pulled out the "Myriad Impurities Repelling Pearl" from her pocket and handed it to Mo Zhanggeng: "Here, Divine Doctor Grandfather, for you."

Mo Zhanggeng startled, instinctively took it, and asked doubtfully: "Isn't this fake?"

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes at him, her face full of a little disdain that said, "How can you be so stupid?"

"It was fake just now, but it's real now!"

"Something this good obviously shouldn't be left in the hands of bad people!"

Mo Zhanggeng shuddered, lowered his gaze to the treasure pearl in his hand, shocked beyond belief.

He then looked up at the child before him, smiling like a little fox.

Indeed! This child must have used some means beyond his comprehension to temporarily "veil" the pearl's spirituality, deceiving the poisonous insects and everyone else!

Mo Zhanggeng's gaze fixed on Tuan Tuan instantly became fervent.

Cheng Ru'an helplessly shook his head, saying, "Looks like this Divine Doctor Mo won't be getting away anytime soon!"

A few days later, Feng Zhou arrived excitedly at the Prince's Mansion: "Leader! The Private Objects Workshop is completed—shall we go take a look?"