Chapter 712

Mo Zhanggeng's eyes widened, he glared at Lu Wu: "If it weren't for helping my disciple guard her Nüzi Jian, I would have stabbed you dead with a single needle long ago!"

Lu Wu had already experienced his scolding skill; he immediately closed his mouth, not daring to utter a sound.

Mo Zhanggeng swept his gaze over everyone: "How did you end up with this Japanese old man?"

"Who are these black-clad people? What a mess!"

Tuan Tuan hurriedly pulled him to sit beside the table, chattering away as she explained everything: "So, Master, cure his poison and let him flee quickly, okay?"

"Flee? Me?"

Lu Wu gave a low hum, "Forget it, I really do need to flee quickly,"

"You Central Plains people fighting among yourselves—what does it have to do with me?"

Mo Zhanggeng understood, glanced impatiently at Lu Wu: "Sit down, I'll first remove your needles."

Lu Wu blinked: "Aren't we supposed to wait three hours? It's still early."

Mo Zhanggeng shoved him into the chair: "Why so much nonsense!"

"Oh." Lu Wu sat up straight, obediently.

Mo Zhanggeng's hands moved like wind, swiftly pulling all the Silver Needles from his head and laying them on a sheet of paper on the table.

Lu Wu kept twisting and shifting in the chair.

Mo Zhanggeng barked: "Sit still! Do you still want me to give you a proper pulse diagnosis?"

Lu Wu looked embarrassed at Tuan Tuan: "Could you first stop my itching? I can't sit still like this!"

Tuan Tuan turned to Xiao Ningyuan: "Big brother, is it done?"

Xiao Ningyuan pondered: "What about the other shadow blades? I don't know where they are, how to have them smell this secret medicine?"

"You don't need to look for them," Lu Wu pointed to the three black-clad men standing back in the corner, "just send them; they're much faster than you."

Xiao Ningyuan nodded, walked to the black-clad men: "You must set out immediately, inform all shadow blades to leave the capital and head northwest to find the Northwestern army."

He produced a prepared letter from his bosom and handed it to one of them: "When you find them, shout loudly that Princess Jiayou sent you."

"Then hand this letter to Prince Ning."

"From now on, you will all obey his commands—do you understand?"

The three black-clad men replied in unison: "Yes!" They took the letter, tucked it away, said nothing more, leapt out the window, and vanished in an instant.

Xiao Ningyuan turned, walked to his sister, bent down and held her in his arms, then went to the door.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi hurried to stand behind them, shielding the brother and sister tightly.

Tuan Tuan undid her embroidered pouch, pulled out a tiny wooden tooth that had fallen from a comb, and muttered: "Make sure that old man never itches again!"

After speaking, she loosened her grip, and the tiny wooden tooth fell downward.

A faint light flashed, and the tiny wooden tooth vanished.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi stepped back a few paces, and Xiao Ningyuan, holding Tuan Tuan, returned to the table side.

Tuan Tuan blinked: "How are you? Feeling better?"

Lu Wu stopped scratching; his skin felt as if cool water glided over it, and the maddening itch ceased instantly.

"No more itching!" he slumped softly into the chair, "Finally, no itching!"

"Sit up straight!" Mo Zhanggeng shouted, "Stretch out your hand!"

Lu Wu hastily sat upright, obediently placing his hand on the table.

Tuan Tuan giggled: "Master, he listens to you so well!"

"Of course!" Mo Zhanggeng smiled proudly, placing his hand on Lu Wu's wrist.

He closed his eyes, focused, and after a moment said: "The person who poisoned him has decent medical skill."

Lu Wu, thinking of Liu Guiyan and Cheng Jing, gritted his teeth in hatred: "Divine Doctor, that Cheng Jing has schemed against your disciple plenty!"

"His Gu Worm is still in his head, and without my unique pain‑relieving secret medicine, he'll only suffer more and more—you must not treat him properly; just let him stay in pain!"

"Shut up!" Mo Zhanggeng glanced sideways at him: "This is our Central Plains people's affair—why should you interfere?"

Lu Wu dared not speak further, and asked cautiously: "Divine Doctor, can this poison be cured?"

Mo Zhanggeng picked up the Silver Needle on the table and leaned in toward him.

Lu Wu, frightened by his needling, instinctively flinched back: "Another stab?"

Mo Zhanggeng glared at him, pulled his arm toward himself, and swiftly drove the needle into both of his hands.

Then he produced a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, held it up to examine: "What a pity, truly a pity."

Lu Wu's heart sank: "Can't the needling work, Divine Doctor?"

Mo Zhanggeng shook his head: "What a waste of my exclusive antidote—having to use it to cure you."

Lu Wu: "……"

"What's wrong with me? Am I some lowly wretch?"

Mo Zhanggeng tossed the porcelain bottle onto the table: "Take one pill each night before bed; after seven consecutive days, your poison will be gone."

Lu Wu rejoiced: "Thank you, Divine Doctor!"

Immediately he pondered: "Since the Divine Doctor can cure this poison, why must you still painstakingly needle me every day?"

Mo Zhanggeng bluntly: "When you summoned me, you said it was to treat your headaches—you never said I should cure your poison!"

"Besides, if my disciple hadn't spoken up today, I wouldn't have bothered with you at all!"

Lu Wu: "……"

Tuan Tuan could hold back no longer, giggling as she flung herself into Mo Zhanggeng's arms: "Master, you're truly kind!"

Xiao Ningyuan, Xiao Er, and Lu Qi, standing aside, had already endured half a day; they too burst into loud hahaha laughter.

After half an hour, Mo Zhanggeng withdrew the Silver Needle: "All right, just take your medicine on schedule from now on—hurry up and leave."

Lu Wu picked up the porcelain bottle from the table, tucked it away, glanced at his dwelling, and wore a hesitant expression.

"Do you really like Jingcheng that much?" Tuan Tuan looked at his expression and asked, "It's so good here, so you don't want to leave?"

Lu Wu showed a difficult expression, hesitated for a while, then lowered his head: "You…… can you lend me some silver? I, I have no travel money left to go back."

Everyone: "……"

"How can you be so miserable!" Tuan Tuan shook his head, "Didn't that top venerable give you any silver when he invited you here?"

"He gave me nothing!" Lu Wu said resentfully, "All day he talks about possessing ten cities, but I haven't even seen a single tael of silver!"

"Ten cities?" Tuan Tuan widened his eyes in surprise, "Didn't you say just one city?"

Lu Wu: "……"

Oh no, I let it slip.

His old face instantly flushed red: "I, I wasn't afraid you wouldn't treat me, so I didn't dare say that much."

Xiao Ningyuan looked at him, simply not knowing what to say.

He waved at Xiao Er, who, suppressing a smile, took out some loose silver from his bosom and placed it on the table: "That's all we have."

Lu Wu collected the silver, filled with mixed feelings, never expecting that after coming all this way, it would end so miserably.

Even to borrow silver for returning to the Eastern Ocean, he had to borrow from others—indeed, from the very person who wished him harm!

Several people also couldn't be bothered to look at his sorry state, all turning their heads away.

Mo Zhanggeng rubbed Tuan Tuan's little head, then looked at everyone: "Aren't you going back yet?"

Tuan Tuan looked up at him with his small face: "Master, after he leaves, you won't need to come here anymore—where will I find you?"

Mo Zhanggeng spoke the place where Cheng Jing lives: "If you have business, go there to find Master."

Tuan Tuan nodded, opening his little arms toward Xiao Ningyuan: "Big brother, let's go."

Several people said farewell to Mo Zhanggeng and returned to the secret chamber.

Having finally settled the matter of the Eastern Ocean people, everyone felt much more relaxed; that evening, as usual, several people sneaked toward the Imperial Kitchen.

But they saw many eunuchs in the Palace looking panicked, hurrying back and forth with hurried steps.