Chapter 159

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Enduring the unfamiliar sting of tears, the manservant asked in a hoarse voice, "Compromising and taking the medicine — what consideration drove it?"

After long coexistence, the manservant now deeply understood which manner of questioning would least provoke her defiance.

Little did he know, based on the tears in his eyes alone, even if his words were unconstrained, Shaowei had no possibility of rebelling wildly; at this moment she answered him seriously: "Speaking of considerations, I have three layers."

"So many?" The manservet played along exceptionally, yet not falsely.

Shaowei gave an "Mm" and nodded; her emotions had already calmed by more than half, only her voice remained muffled: "At the time I also thought of finding a way to muddle through and delay."

Including but not limited to, falsely claiming she possessed a body capable of spirit-descent with a special constitution, internally frail, that taking medicine rashly risked sudden death; if the other party disbelieved, she would drink the medicine on the spot, immediately mobilize internal force to drive qi and blood, vomit two taels of blood, feign a dying appearance that would expire before Madam Huang — Rui Ze, even if only to avoid her dying in his house, would inevitably immediately send someone for the antidote, and no longer dare force her to eat random things — this was an extreme evil method.

She could also calmly decline, falsely claiming she needed a few days to consider; Rui Ze could never possibly detain her — just as Liu Qi said before leaving the city, if encountering an unresolvable matter, do not face it head-on, find a way to delay, then send word to him to discuss countermeasures.

Seeking help from Liu Qi, he would certainly not refuse, but no matter what method, even if deceiving Rui Ze, after this incident, as long as she remained in an uncontrolled state, the Rui Family's suspicion toward her would inevitably double; even if they could not rashly eliminate her for the moment, they would surely watch her strictly and guard her to death.

This matter has no perfect strategy; only she herself knows most clearly what she must do; she does not want to increase Liu Qi's burden in the name of seeking help, and at such a critical juncture she also cannot accept any potential trouble sprouting new branches.

"The Crown Prince's faction are no ordinary officials; once they guard against and target us, we cannot move an inch." Shaowei said to the manservant: "Just treat it as losing wealth to avert disaster."

The manservant's eyes swelled with sourness; yet this wealth was too precious, more precious than any treasure he had ever stolen.

After all the twisting, turning deep deliberation, it was still her unique animal thinking — allow no trouble to appear, sever every possibility of mishap.

Only because this animal had awakened spirituality; like walking through mountain forest thorn thickets hunting, avenging, saving her mother, midway a monster blocking the path towering unknown multiples larger than her — she would rather lower her unwilling-to-submit skull, violate her nature, let the other bite off a piece of flesh as false surrender, than delay her forward steps.

The habitually cold manservant felt he had probably been raised by this child into humanity; at this moment he was terrifyingly sentimental, those tears absolutely could not be reclaimed, he actually felt the urge to hug his head and weep bitterly, but could not let down that face, could only endure.

Seeing him like this, Shaowei instead became flustered, hurriedly explaining the second layer of consideration to him: "Don't be afraid, you know, don't you, my constitution has always differed from ordinary people by many times; not to say a hundred poisons cannot invade, but whatever poison enters my body must be beaten crippled by at least three-tenths of its toxicity!"

Concern breeds chaos, moreover with such sentimentality; reminded by her, the manservant only then recalled her special constitution — she had suffered pill poison torment since childhood, five senses keen, a body of strange strength, later also receiving Jiang Fu's meticulous repair and conditioning, the pill poison remaining very little, qi and blood circulation increasingly abundant, metabolism speed far surpassing ordinary people, therefore injury recovery has always been very fast.

The manservant then recalled: "She said, if you, me, and her were all bitten by a five-pace snake, she couldn't take one step, I could walk five steps, you could walk ten steps."

Shaowei slightly lifted her chin: "She said it like that?"

"Mm, said three steps by physique, two steps by resentment."

Even badmouthing her temper behind her back; Shaowei snorted inwardly, thinking that would still need who knows how many more steps; before her last breath she would crawl even if crawling to tear that snake apart and shred it, unlike those who stretch their necks for slaughter, bitten by a snake yet waiting to die in place.

That person not before her eyes, unable to argue face-to-face, Shaowei could only comfort the manservant: "In short, rest assured, I have a measure in my heart; even without antidote, when this poison acts it will not easily take my life."

This body shell was originally repaired well by Jiang Fu; using it for the matter of finding Jiang Fu, how could it not be fitting and reasonable; she is not that petty and stingy.

Jiang Fu said, people are like spiders, life like a spider web, each weaving and suspending their own; whether this web is woven well or worth anything is defined by oneself.

The manservant reluctantly set his mind at ease; though this child's actions are frightening, she at least has some reliance; reluctantly admitting her skill is high and courage great; this trip's loss is more of dignity.

But ultimately it is poison not sugar water; the manservant pressed: "Even if it cannot endanger life for the moment, it is still no good thing; your cold ailment has not yet thoroughly healed; after taking this poison do you feel any discomfort anywhere?"

"To speak of it, this medicine is indeed somewhat strange; when swallowing I felt no burning in the throat; after swallowing the spleen and stomach also felt no discomfort." Shaowei said: "I examined that medicine soup, also did not find too many clues."

The manservant couldn't help asking: "Where did the medicine soup come from?" If there is medicine soup, perhaps the formula can be investigated, an antidote produced.

"... It was what I vomited out." Shaowei's expression held several parts disgust: "Perhaps because it had already deteriorated, could not be used, that was why nothing could be examined."

Her carriage carried medical supplies; after vomiting she examined it once.

The manservant fell silent a moment, said: "This time your conduct was reasoned and evidenced, had beginning and end. These months entering the capital, you've learned more than I have in my whole life, and even tamed your innate nature."

This world's fire burns her, burns away the outer fur, then calcines the inner heart.

Yet Shaowei lay back, four limbs spread, gazing at the night sky, said: "Even if I have tamed this ability, I want even more to have the capability of never needing to use this ability again."

Learned endurance yet do not want to endure again; tried being threatened and never want to be threatened again.

The manservant thought a moment, nodded in support: "This is very right."

Tonight being sentimental already, might as well be sentimental to the end; he actually voluntarily spoke grand words suspected of drawing cakes to satisfy hunger: "When someday we find her, I will certainly tell her of your progress along this whole way."

Shaowei started, sat up: "Not allowed to say!"

Acting cowardly all along — wouldn't that be humiliating; she did these things not to make Jiang Fu grateful; moreover even if Jiang Fu were grateful she would mock her in a hundred ways; at that time it would be annoying to death.

Just thinking of that annoying mood, she actually felt a longing; hate that it cannot arrive sooner to bother her.

Collecting the emotions of self-respect being plundered, Shaowei said seriously: "Zhao Shu, cannot wait any longer; the timing is about right; it is time to first catch a Wang Hun for interrogation."

"Acting in the city is inconvenient; the Imperial Guard has recently been on guard against refugees causing chaos, city patrols are especially strict."

"I know." Shaowei said seriously: "If there is no opportunity, create one."

The manservant then asked: "Still haven't said what the third layer of consideration is?"

At this moment, Xiao Yu had prepared warm water, standing in the corridor calling for the Young Master to bathe.

Shaowei finished washing, came out in a thin shirt with hair loose, instructed Xiao Yu who had been squatting guarding outside the door: from tomorrow onward when preparing water, change the bathing water amount to wiping-wash amount.

Xiao Yu stood ramrod straight: "Understood, Young Master!"

Seeing her exceptionally obedient like a little rabbit, Shaowei with wet hair slightly wrinkled her damp eyebrows: "Why aren't you fierce like before? Be fierce once for me to see."

Xiao Yu didn't ask the reason, immediately knitted brows and glared.

Shaowei set hands on hips: "Even fiercer!"

Xiao Yu stomped foot, exerted force fiercely, wrinkled nose, mouth emitting humph-humph threats, like a ceramic jar of rice porridge boiled open.

"Must be fierce, especially toward outsiders, otherwise everyone will think you're easy to bully; remember?" Shaowei, currently forced to play the auspicious role outside, instructed solemnly.

Xiao Yu nodded heavily, ran to the stove house to help Mo Li as assistant, boil a pot of truly humph-humph gurgling rice porridge.

After the late meal, everyone rested; the manservant yet could not sleep the whole night, finally pushed open the door, a set of night-walking clothes already on his body.

Cautiously avoiding city patrols, like a ghost shadow infiltrating a grand and spacious mansion.

This mansion extremely large, also has guards guarding and patrolling, dense as a fishing net, yet still cannot net the First Swordsman who knows the route familiarly.

This was not Zhao Qie'an's first visit; he had traversed every notable household in the Capital, and besides extraordinary skill, he possessed rich experience — at this moment, he was already lying prone on a rooftop, emitting not the slightest noise.

Through the roof tiles, he could hear considerable commotion inside — a verbal dispute and scolding was taking place, but he had arrived late; the dispute was already at its end, the middle-aged man seeming to have compromised: "... Once the drought ends and the situation stabilizes, I will give you the antidote!"

"Cheng Er, your maternal uncle has already relented; cease being willful and pestering..."

The youth apologized in a low voice; the middle-aged man spoke earnestly: "Cheng Er, you need not deny it — your uncle can see you harbor unusual feelings for this Wu Nu."

These words entering their ears, the household slaves were surprised, suddenly feeling their household had been offended.

That middle-aged man's voice sounded again: "But the great matter is undecided — how can you indulge in romantic feelings? First secure her in your grasp; when the time comes... what could possibly be beyond your reach?"

The household slaves' faces were numb; they wanted to curse but found no suitable words. They wanted to kill but could not yet ruin the child's affair.

"It is not that your uncle is ruthless — this Wu Nu Huali possesses strange abilities, yet her origins are unknown, her stance also blurred; if she cannot be made useful to us, she is a tremendous threat..."

"She differs from Chiyang — first, that Taoist Chiyang single-mindedly cultivates the Dao, avoids politics, eyes higher than the summit, his heart holding only the Heavenly Dao... second, her abilities are tangibly evident, and her years are few; if not tightly controlled, how can one be at ease?"

"Speaking of Chiyang... fortunately we never grew close; otherwise, at this moment we would likely also be implicated by him."

Several people spoke in low voices of Chiyang's matter.

On the second day of the second month, when Shaowei prophesied Changling's collapse, she was confined in the Shen Ci; the household slave then visited various mansions to listen at walls, and gained a general grasp of the Capital's network of connections.

Chiyang never associated with others; his lofty image was deeply rooted in hearts — perhaps for this reason, this time many people spoke in his defense.

Below, Rui Ze said in a low voice: "... Guo Shi sent word, saying His Majesty today just summoned Yan Xiang and several others to discuss Chiyang's matter; to quell public anger, the plan is likely to send Chiyang to the Lingxing Si to pray for rain."

The Lingxing Si sits atop a high mountain outside the City; it was built by the Grand Ancestor specifically for agricultural rain-praying. Once an official, having failed to bring rain, self-immolated outside the Lingxing Si; not long after, heavy rain fell from heaven, and the Grand Ancestor shed tears and ordered a temple built for that official beside the Lingxing Si.

Thinking of this old affair, Rui Huanghou could not help but say: "If the Immortal Master goes there, and rain still fails to come for a long time..."

Rui Ze: "Then it's hard to say."

At this moment, urgent, chaotic footsteps hurriedly approached.

"Empress, Your Highness, Head of Household!" The Maidservant came in a panic: "The Old Madam, the Old Madam..."

All around fell into brief panic; everyone hurried away; after the panic completely vanished, the Ju Yuan was already empty of people — only guards still stood watch outside the Courtyard Gate.

Silently infiltrating the house, the household slave searched through the bedroom and study and everywhere, yet found nothing resembling medicine.

To avoid being noticed by the other party and leaving traces, he had specially prepared three colors of antidote pills and medicinal powder, intending to use them as substitutes, to pull off a theft of medicine unknown to gods and ghosts — yet he searched everywhere and could not find where Rui Ze had hidden the medicine.

As for theft, randomly stealing money, treasures, or books is not difficult; what is difficult is a clearly targeted, tiny object — troublesome to find, and time must also be considered.

Footsteps returned to the courtyard; the household slave immediately withdrew, pushing a box back to its original place — this trip was in vain; fortunately the child had no life-threatening obstruction; he could only wait until the matter succeeded later, with no more scruples, then infiltrate this mansion again, place a blade across that Rui thief's neck — presumably nothing would be unextractable.

But not leaving empty-handed, the household slave took out a cloth bag and scattered its contents onto the bed, then flashed away from this place.

That night, Lady Huang passed away; Rui Ze, with wife and children, managed all affairs until dawn.

By afternoon, he finally returned to his room to rest, but knew not whether bitten by fleas or something — his face and body itched unbearably; bathing, changing clothes, applying medicine, the pain and itch still would not dissipate.

The same day, an imperial edict arrived at the Xian Tai Gong, requesting Immortal Master Chiyang to go to the Lingxing Si to pray for rain for the people.

Chiyang accepted the edict and gave his assent: within half a month, if he could not pray for heavy rain, he was willing to self-immolate in apology.

This act further moved the people of the Xian Tai Gong, yet also made them indignant.

Also accompanying them was a contingent of Imperial Guards; after requesting Chiyang, they immediately escorted him to the Lingxing Si.

Shunzhen, however, needed to return to the Immortal Master's Mansion to prepare necessary items and medicines; besides that, there were other matters requiring his arrangement.

Once everything was ready, the sky had already darkened; Shunzhen drove the carriage, and with two mansion guards on horseback, left the City.

They did not stop along the way, nor did any incident occur; the three arrived at Lingxing Shan, ascending the mountain path.

The world believes the higher the place, the closer to the divine; Taishan as the Fengshan site exists for this reason as well.

Lingxing Shan is not as towering as Taishan, yet it is also the tallest mountain in the vicinity; the Lingxing Si sits atop the summit; the higher one goes, the more winding the mountain path; the sky was already black; the two guards rode ahead opening the way, torches in hand; along the route they occasionally saw disaster victims, all come to pray for rain, some even performing three kneelings and nine kowtows all the way.

Shunzhen drove the carriage with eyes fixed forward; suddenly a stone flew at them; a disaster victim shouted loudly: "That's the Chibi Ghost's disciple! I've seen him following Chiyang lecturing scriptures!"

From the mountain forest thickets behind this victim burst out over a dozen more disaster victims, all hurling stones — some jamming the wheels, some smashing through the carriage walls; the horses were startled and frenzied, nearly dragging the carriage compartment off the cliff.

Shunzhen on the shaft urgently controlled the horses, drew his horsewhip, faced the inner side of the mountain path, just about to drive back the approaching victims — but his exposed back was suddenly locked into by a claw-like weapon sinking into shoulder flesh and bone; an unimaginable force violently yanked him toward the cliff!

Night pitch-black, mountain vegetation dense; as Shunzhen's body soared and fell, following that iron whip, he suddenly saw, between a large tree on the cliff wall, a pair of gleaming dark eyes hiding — a fierce beast that had lain dormant, only awaiting the chance to seize him.

So those disaster victims...

The disaster victims were still clamoring and screaming, completely drowning out his voice.

The Lingxing Si was right before his eyes, yet the upheaval occurred in this instant — such courage and skill and strength only an extraordinary person could achieve; he was locked and dragged by the Mo Family's Ying Gou Tie Zhua, instantly disappearing into the cliff vegetation; he had just let out a cry of alarm when another lurking black shadow swiftly darted out, severing his cry for help, grabbing him and clamping him under the arm, treading the cliff trees, following that dark shadow which had already retracted its iron whip, climbing a narrow mountain path, rapidly fleeing away.

"... He, his horse was startled, he fell himself, it has nothing to do with us!"

The two guards ahead turned back, only to see the disaster victims scattering in fright, the horses dragging the carriage compartment fleeing wildly, charging toward them!

"Thud!"

Shunzhen was thrown to the ground; the eagle hook claw was wrenched out, tearing flesh and blood — he instantly woke from pain; before he could even climb up, a foot stomped on his shoulder wound; that dark-clothed girl lowered her stance in the dimness, interrogating him bluntly: "Speak! Where exactly did you hide her!"

?? Good night, everyone.