Chapter 545

Boom—

The granary's big door was finally forced open a large gap.

Inside, it was overstuffed; a few sacks, knocked by this, rolled out clattering.

"This, this isn't the sack from the Wang Ji grain shop at our street corner, is it?"

The person beside came over: "Which Wang Ji?"

"It's that shop right by my gate! I buy grain there every day—look, the sack still bears their sign!"

The crowd quickly gathered around, dragging more sacks into the sunlight.

"This is the Li Ji from our place!"

"This is from the shop next door to my mother's family!"

"Huh, look, there's writing on this sack!"

Everyone looked over together.

On the sack, beside the original grain shop sign, several large characters had appeared at some point.

A literate scholar read it out: "Chen Wang… private grain?"

Another voice from the side rang out: "This sack has it too! It reads "Qing Wang private grain!""

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted.

"Chen Wang's private grain? How did the grain in our shop become Chen Wang's private grain?"

"And there's Qing Wang's share too!"

"No wonder there's no grain on the market! It turns out the two princes split it all!"

"They make us buy grain day after day, while the officials just hand our grain over to them!"

The people were furious, surging forward nonstop, encircling the prefect and soldiers so tightly not even water could leak through.

The prefect's face at this moment was extremely grim.

How could such writing appear on the sack? Who wrote it?

They even put out the news, drawing all the city's folk to come look!

The Regent King's decree was only to stockpile the market grain, not to haul it away!

But now who can explain this clearly? It's over—what are we to do?

He raised his arms and shouted: "These characters were deliberately placed! Folks, don't believe them lightly!"

The two Regent Kings never ordered us to hand over Xibei's grain!

Daoba bellowed at the top of his lungs: "We don't care who wrote those characters!"

Lu Qi followed with a shout: "Exactly! What does it matter who wrote it? The grain is what you've stockpiled, right?"

The Horse Gang brothers chimed in: "Exactly! If you're requisitioning grain, why not post a notice so everyone knows?"

Prefect: "…"

Upon hearing this, the people also began to question:

"Why sneakily pose as a merchant convoy and buy up all the grain?"

"Isn't this just a scheme to give our grain to the two Regent Kings?"

The prefect was speechless.

Really, it's not that—just stockpiling the grain so you can't buy it,

Daoba shouted: "If you don't return the grain, we won't leave!"

Lu Qi echoed: "Exactly! If you don't return the grain, we won't leave!"

The Horse Gang brothers led the chant: "Return the grain! Return the grain!"

Soon, the people's cries rose in waves:

"Return the grain! Return the grain! Return the grain!"

The prefect and soldiers were squeezed by the angry crowd against the wall, with nowhere to retreat.

The public's anger is hard to offend!

The prefect finally backed down: "Fine! All the grain, return it the way it came!"

Everyone go home first! Starting today, you may buy as much as you want; grain shops are strictly forbidden to limit grain!

The crowd roared with cheers.

Daoba and Lu Qi exchanged a glance with the Horse Gang brothers, then slipped out of the crowd to meet Xiao Er and Tuan Tuan waiting at the edge.

Tuan Tuan clapped her little hands: "Uncle Daoba, Uncle Qi, you're so awesome!"

The Horse Gang men's faces fell: "Little ancestor, what about us?"

Tuan Tuan quickly reassured: "You're all awesome!"

The men then broke into smiles.

Everyone returned to the Horse Gang, chattering all about what had happened today.

Everyone laughed heartily.

Serves them right! Let them hoard grain and not let us buy it!

Little ancestor, your idea is absolutely brilliant!

Tuan Tuan quickly shook her head: "The idea came from Uncle Qi and Uncle Er!"

The deed was done by Uncle Daoba leading the Horse Gang and the Tianji Pavilion uncles; they're the truly impressive ones!

Xiao Er and Lu Qi grinned, "Our young lady is just great!"

The Horse Gang brothers also laughed, "Little ancestor is too adorable!"

Xie Guzhou and Xuan Fu Weng, Xue Tong also smiled and nodded: "Well done!"

That evening, Tuan Tuan, having eaten and played to his heart's content, lay down and fell asleep.

Jingcheng.

After resting and recuperating for a few days, Lu Wu's spirits improved somewhat.

Over these days, his mind was filled with all the unbelievable actions Tuan Tuan had displayed in his own barrier that day.

Why? How could she be so different from everyone else?

His head ached from thinking so much.

What should I do to get your blood?

He carefully recalled, constantly pondering.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his mind.

That child is pure-hearted; since I cannot take it by force, I can coax her!

Exactly! After all, she's just a little child.

Lu Wu looked at the mottled bloodstains on the white cloth, then tried again!

He roused his spirit, raised both hands, formed a hand seal, waited for the shadow to fade, then spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the white cloth: "Success!"

Amid layers of mist, Tuan Tuan appeared before his eyes, asleep with her mouth slightly open.

Lu Wu sat beside the bed, reached out and gently patted her: "Child? Wake up!"

Tuan Tuan blearily opened her eyes.

She rubbed her eyes and exclaimed, "Grandpa? It's you again?"

Lu Wu forced out a kind smile: "It's me."

Tuan Tuan sat up from the blankets: "It's still dark outside, Grandpa—did you go to the outhouse again and then couldn't find your bed?"

Lu Wu: "……"

Why do I always end up going to the outhouse!

He coughed twice, his voice weak: "I'm old and plagued by a serious illness, so I always end up like this at night."

Upon hearing that, Tuan Tuan's little face showed worry: "Then why did you come to my place?"

"You should go find my Master!"

"His medical skills are superb! But he's asleep now; come see me tomorrow morning and I'll have him treat you!"

Lu Wu startled, quickly waved his hands: "No need, no need, no trouble for your Master."

He clutched his chest, feigning difficulty breathing: "This ailment of mine can't be cured by ordinary doctors."

Tuan Tuan tilted her head at him: "What kind of illness?"

Lu Wu stared at her, earnestly pleading: "It's a strange ailment; only your blood can cure it."

Tuan Tuan blinked: "My blood?"

Lu Wu nodded: "Yes, just a few drops. I'll take it and my illness will be cured."

Tuan Tuan grew even more puzzled: "My blood can't cure illness, Grandpa."

Lu Wu hurriedly said: "It can!"

"Look, that Gu Worm didn't it become white and plump after eating your blood?"

Tuan Tuan thought, then shook her head: "But, Grandpa, you're not a Gu Worm."

Lu Wu choked.

Tuan Tuan suddenly remembered: "By the way, Grandpa, how do you know about Xiao Feifei? I didn't bring it out."

Lu Wu's heart jumped; indeed, that fat worm isn't here right now.

No matter, just coax the child—finding any excuse to get past it will do.

He smiled gently: "Of course I know, child—because that Gu Worm was originally mine."