Chapter 653

Second Uncle, Tuan Tuan stroked the drowsy little fox, "Xiao Feifei is exhausted today; can we not go tomorrow? Let it sleep well for two days."

Chu Yuan nodded: "It's fine, no need to worry too much."

"If Cheng Jing comes again, with Xiao Feifei here, he won't be able to find you."

He paused: "Actually, the commotion at the armory this time is not as great as last time."

"They must be worried that after polishing they'll rust again, so they just took their time."

Xiao Ningyuan didn't mind: "With so many weapons, how could they give up? They must be polishing them."

Xiao Er said: "Exactly, such severe rust would ruin ordinary weapons after three polishings; they have no choice."

Chu Yuan stood: "Everyone rest; tomorrow we don't know if Cheng Jing will come again."

But over the next few days, everything was calm, and Xiao Feifei no longer begged to go out.

Xiao Ningyuan wondered: "Why isn't Cheng Jing looking for us?"

Xiao Er laughed: "With his constitution, after running that day, he probably can't get up."

Lu Qi laughed loudly: "Hahaha, if he really died from exhaustion, Xiao Feifei would have earned great merit!"

Tuan Tuan tore a piece of meat from the roasted chicken and fed it: "Good girl! Have another piece."

Xiao Feifei opened her mouth and ate it.

Feng Zhou watched it eat with relish: "But its mouth is too picky now; besides the Suijin Pavilion's roasted chicken, it hardly eats anything else."

Tuan Tuan didn't care at all, tore another piece and held it to Xiao Feifei's mouth: "Because it's delicious!"

Eunuch Cheng laughed: "No wonder it's the Little Princess's fox—smart as anything, knows what's best to eat."

Xiao Feifei, full, nuzzled in Tuan Tuan's arms.

Tuan Tuan giggled: "Xiao Feifei, can you take me to find that worm?"

Xiao Feifei blinked, jumped to the ground, and ran outside.

"Come back! Not now!" Tuan Tuan laughed as she gave chase; Xiao Feifei stopped, tilting her head to look at her.

"Good girl!" Tuan Tuan stroked its fluffy big tail, "Big brother, when are we going?"

Xiao Ningyuan replied: "This should be done sooner rather than later; let's go tonight."

At the same moment.

Cheng Jing slowly opened his eyes on the bed.

Liu Guiyan, sitting at the bedside, hastily wiped tears from her face: "Cheng Lang? You're awake?"

She rose, leaned in, and asked: "Can you see me?"

Cheng Jing reached out a hand, gently touched her cheek, and nodded slightly.

"Thank heavens!" Liu Guiyan's legs gave way, she sat back on the bedside: "You've finally woken up; I was dying of worry."

"Someone! Quick! Bring the ginseng soup!"

"Yes!"

Liu Guiyan helped Cheng Jing sit up, leaning against the headboard, and spoon-fed him a bowl of strong old ginseng soup.

Soon after Cheng Jing finished drinking, a faint flush rose on his face.

Liu Guiyan's heart settled: "He's pulled through; it's fine now."

After thinking, she spoke carefully: "Cheng Lang, if we really can't find it, let it be… you like this… my heart is almost breaking."

Cheng Jing shook his head: "These years, without you I wouldn't have lived to today, but I absolutely cannot live on in such a feeble way."

"Lu Wu is also unreliable, refusing to give up the true formula of the secret medicine no matter what."

"If one day he returns to Dongying, the secret medicine will be gone; then would I have to let myself be tortured to death?"

Liu Guiyan darkened.

Suddenly her eyes lit up: "Cheng Lang, perhaps I can poison Lu Wu?"

"Then, use the antidote to force him to hand over the true formula and preparation method of the secret medicine?"

Cheng Jing's eyes flickered: "Are you sure? If he finds out, it'll be troublesome later."

Liu Guiyan smiled faintly: "My Black Medicine Sect's poisoning techniques, you know them, Cheng Lang."

"He can use the secret medicine to threaten you; why can't I use the antidote to threaten him?"

Cheng Jing nodded: "Alright, then we wait until he brings the secret medicine from Dongying before we act."

"But I must find that Gu worm! Only by completely severing their bond can the mother Gu leave me."

"All right, all right," Liu Guiyan helped him lie down, covered him with a blanket, "Rest a few more days, then we'll go look."

"Since the Northwestern army is already on its way, Princess Jiayou won't leave Jingcheng, so don't rush."

Cheng Jing nodded and closed his eyes.

That night.

A few people on watch at the door were lazily standing across the street, leaning against the wall chatting.

Xiao Er gathered his inner strength and threw a handful of silver coins over.

While they were bending over, Xiao Er hoisted Tuan Tuan onto his back, Lu Qi lifted Xiao Ningyuan, and they leapt onto the wall of the Guoshi Residence.

Xiao Feifei stood on the ground, looked up at Tuan Tuan on the wall, shook her fur, spread her four little short legs, and ran along the shadow at the base of the wall.

"Keep up!" Xiao Er whispered.

Several people leapt across the rooftops, closely chasing that white rolling little figure on the ground.

Xiao Feifei ran not fast, but twisted and turned.

After about the time it takes to burn two incense sticks, it stopped, crouched in a corner of a wall, looked up at the roof, and chirped a few times.

Everyone carefully examined this residence.

A ordinary wooden door, its paint peeled off more than half.

There was no plaque on the gate lintel, and the courtyard wall joined with those of the neighboring houses, utterly unremarkable.

"Is this the place?" Xiao Er whispered.

Xiao Feifei lifted a tiny paw and lightly scratched the wall.

Tuan Tuan whispered, "Xiao Feifei says it is!"

Several people crouched low and moved cautiously across the roof.

The courtyard was small, with two large jars in the corner—utterly ordinary; it didn't look at all like the place where the dreadful Netherworld Peak should be.

Faint yellow candlelight seeped from the windows of the main house, and muffled voices could be heard.

Two servants stood outside the gate.

Tuan Tuan looked down; Xiao Feifei, having seen something, darted off in a flash.

Xiao Ningyuan patted her and shook his head.

Tuan Tuan pouted, "Xiao Feifei, you went off to play by yourself, without waiting for me!"

Lu Qi carefully pried open a tile, and the four of them peered down.

Inside, a man lay on the couch, while a woman seated beside the bed held a large medicine bottle: "Mister Cheng, your medicine has just been delivered."

"Cheng Jing?" Several people instantly realized—these two were Cheng Jing and Liu Guiyan!

"Great, just in time." Cheng Jing glanced at the medicine bottle, his voice low, "With these, when my headache flares up again, I won't have to worry about running out of medicine."

Liu Guiyan let out a soft sigh: "Yes, that should keep you going for a long while."

Cheng Jing said, "Since we've got the medicine, we can move."

Liu Guiyan nodded: "Someone come!"

The servant outside entered and said, "Here."

Liu Guiyan took out a paper packet from her sleeve: "Pour it into Lu Wu's drinking water, keep watch, and make sure he drinks it."

"Yes." The servant took the packet and turned to leave.

Xiao Ningyuan gave Lu Qi a look; Lu Qi understood and followed the servant.

Liu Guiyan pulled up the blanket on Cheng Jing's body: "That old dog from the Eastern Ocean, I've tolerated him long enough."

"If I didn't need his secret medicine to treat your headache, I would have killed him long ago."

She chuckled: "The poison he's been given also causes splitting headaches; only my secret antidote can suppress it."

"I really want to see what he'll look like when his headache acts up tomorrow."

Cheng Jing placed his hand over hers: "With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

Xiao Ningyuan frowned in thought.

The person captured by the Patrol Scout had once confessed that Cheng Jing's headache could barely be kept at bay by that monk's secret medicine.

It turned out that monk came from the Eastern Ocean and was called Lu Wu.

Fortunately, we let Lu Qi follow him.

But it seems they're not of one mind—Cheng Jing, after getting the medicine, intends to poison Lu Wu; truly a case of dogs biting dogs.

Cheng Jing's headache medicine?

His eyes shifted, the corner of his mouth curling up; he looked up and saw Xiao Er already holding the sleeve dart he had specially brought, waiting for his order to take Cheng Jing's life.

Kill him? That would be too lenient.

Since we already know the place, we can take his dog's life anytime.

Why not stir up some chaos first? With the big battle imminent, the more disorder they cause, the better for our army.

He broke into a grin.

Tuan Tuan looked at her older brother, tilted her head, and wondered, "Big brother, why do you smile just like Xiao Feifei?"

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head at Xiao Er and made a gesture.

Xiao Er put away his hidden weapon and gave a slight nod.