Chapter 111

Wan Boping actually also had thought about this; at this moment his heart couldn't help but shudder, he forced calm and said: "Actually my Wan family has always been prosperous in population…"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your youngest son just died, and your second son suffered this misfortune; if it weren't for meeting me, he'd probably already be dead—is this what you call a thriving population?"

"Ah, this…" Wan Boping was momentarily lost for words; although he disliked Hu Xiaotian's ominous words, he couldn't deny that everything he said was true.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I just saw that the pond's killing energy shoots up to the heavens; there must be a vengeful spirit here."

Wan Boping said: "No one has ever died in my pond; how could there be a vengeful spirit?"

At that moment, from afar two servants suddenly shouted: "Found it, found it… Black Coal drowned in the pond!" Things in the world often happen so coincidentally; the mastiff that Hu Xiaotian had drowned yesterday was only just discovered now, which happened to confirm what he had just said.

Wan Boping watched as the two servants dragged the mastiff's corpse ashore; for a moment he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his limbs numb and his steps weak. How could this young physician be so formidable? How could he know that my pond harbored a vengeful spirit? Could it be that the feng shui of my residence is truly unfavorable?

Hu Xiaotian sighed and said: "Since Wan Yuanwai doesn't believe me, there's no point in me staying here."

Wan Boping grabbed his arm and said: "Mr. Hu, you must help me; name your price in silver, whatever you need!"

Hu Xiaotian thought, "That old fox actually downgraded me—turning gold into silver. In fact he's wronging me; 'silver' is just a generic term, Wan Boping has no intention of haggling."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Nothing should be rushed; as for feng shui, we'll discuss it later. The urgent matter is to recall the second young master's soul. Once he recovers, we'll talk about payment." Hu Xiaotian's cunning is evident; he employs a step‑by‑step strategy, making this old fox Wan Boping sink deeper. Even if we now ask Wan Boping for money, this old fellow will pay reluctantly; once his second son awakens, that will be the best proof of my medical skill, and then the whole Wan family will surely revere me as a deity. Then, when we discuss feng shui to help him ward off disaster, he probably won't care how much it costs. As the saying goes, "lure to capture": throw out bait, I'm not in a hurry to reel in the hook. I'm just waiting for this big fish to leap up on its own.

At dusk, Wan Ting Sheng still hadn't awakened, though his breathing and heartbeat remained and he hadn't died; the Wan family gradually lost patience. Among them, the eldest son Wan Ting Chang shouted the loudest, repeatedly declaring Hu Xiaotian a martial-world swindler and proposing to hand him over to the authorities.

That day the Wan family arranged for Hu Xiaotian to rest in the Qingzhu Garden he had designated; this garden had previously been where Wan Boping played chess and drank tea, and if Hu Xiaotian hadn't specified it, he would not have arranged for guests to stay there.

Because they feared the Wan family might act against Hu Xiaotian, Murong Feiyan and Liang Da Zhuang both dared not leave, staying close at his side; Murong Feiyan had already prepared to cover him should he need to fight his way out at any moment.

Despite being at the eye of the storm, Hu Xiaotian remained calm and composed, ordering a table of mountain delicacies and seafood, plus two jugs of fine wine, which were served beside the waterside pavilion in the Back Garden, where he ate and drank heartily. Even Liang Da Zhuang, the glutton, found it hard to eat at this moment. Although everything before him was tempting food, he glanced around cautiously and asked: "Young Master, with such a huge hole in this person's head, can he still survive?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Don't believe me? Then let me try opening a hole in your head!"

Liang Da Zhuang shrank back in fright: "Young Master, you might as well just chop off my head."

Murong Feiyan sat far off to the side watching the pond, having no interest in the feast before her; having followed Hu Xiaotian throughout his brain surgery today, her appetite over the past few days has been completely ruined, she feels no desire to eat, and the thought of that bloody scene makes her want to vomit.

Hu Xiaotian carried a plate of hibiscus cake over to her side and lightly touched her shoulder with his hand. Murong Feiyan's long black eyelashes fluttered once, then she shook her head: "I don't want to eat!"

Hu Xiaotian knew Murong Feiyan was surely nauseated by the surgical process, and he laughed: "People are iron, rice is steel; miss a meal and you'll feel hungry, and while alive you must learn to cherish."

Murong Feiyan finally fixed her gaze on his face: "Tell me, what exactly are you scheming?" She always felt Hu Xiaotian wouldn't just show up out of the blue to treat Wan Ting Sheng; this certainly isn't that simple—there must be some hidden motive.

Hu Xiaotian looked around and said: "What other plans could we have? What are we lacking most right now?"

Murong Feiyan shook her head; she didn't think we were lacking anything.

Liang Da Zhuang came over and said: "Silver!"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "Quite right. Although I've come to Qingyun Xian to serve as an official, my salary is pitifully low; in this world, having no money is absolutely impossible, especially since Da Zhuang still owes the Ring-Color Pavilion one thousand taels."

Liang Da Zhuang immediately drooped his head, admitting that this matter was indeed his fault, but the IOU bears Hu Xiaotian's name, so now the debt is the Young Master's to pay.

Hu Xiaotian said: "This debt won't just be forgotten; think about it—if one day the Ring-Color Pavilion comes calling with the IOU to collect, and I can't come up with the silver to repay, wouldn't that be a huge joke?"

Murong Feiyan couldn't help but smile wryly; if a brothel came after him for the debt, Hu Xiaotian's cheek probably wouldn't hold up. The reason sounded plausible, yet seeing Hu Xiaotian's sly expression, she suddenly felt something was still off. She whispered: "If you cure Wan Ting Sheng and smoothly obtain the gold, wouldn't that solve everything?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "One life for two hundred taels of gold—do they really think I'm a beggar?"

Murong Feiyan said: "You can't put it that way—saving a life outweighs building a seven‑story pagoda, and two hundred taels of gold is no small sum." She wasn't as greedy as Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian said: "To others it's not little, but to the Wan family it's merely a drop in the bucket. Feiyan, I have a matter to discuss with you—tonight you'll have to work hard."

Murong Feiyan said: "Speak."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I always feel the Wan family's atmosphere is a bit strange—how exactly Wan Ting Sheng was injured, why it's so severe, they never mention it, the whole family avoids the subject like a taboo. I've already successfully removed the blood clot in his brain; waking up is just a matter of time. My only worry is that someone doesn't want him to wake up."

Murong Feiyan understood Hu Xiaotian's meaning, nodded and said: "Tell me your idea."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Da Zhuang, you'll be in charge of bedside care tonight; report any change in his condition to me immediately. You'll stay hidden to protect him; if anyone dares to harm Wan Ting Sheng, you can seize that person right away."

Murong Feiyan said: "What are you doing?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I'm responsible for staying here to summon the soul!"

Murong Feiyan looked at him half‑believing, half‑doubting; having known Hu Xiaotian for so long, how could she not have known he also had the ability to summon souls?

Hu Xiaotian said: "If Wan Ting Sheng doesn't wake up for a day, we won't get paid for a day, so everyone should eat well, keep up their spirits, and prepare for the work ahead."

Wan Boping came out of his son's room; although the son still hadn't awakened, he was sleeping soundly and peacefully, his expression much more relaxed. Just as he stepped outside, his eldest son Wan Ting Chang came up to him and whispered: "Father, how is Ting Sheng?"

Wan Boping said: "He's asleep!"

Wan Ting Chang said: "I heard that tonight their people will be taking care of Ting Sheng; we family members aren't allowed to get close?"

Wan Boping nodded and said: "Yes!"

Wan Ting Chang said: "Father, are you really just going to let this Hu surname fellow do as he pleases?" The phrase "act wantonly" really fits Hu Xiaotian, since his surname is Hu anyway.

Wan Boping said: "At least Ting Sheng is still alive." This one sentence already reveals his mindset; in fact, before Hu Xiaotian arrived, Wan Boping had already been preparing funeral arrangements for his second son. All the doctors, big and small, in Qingyun Xian had declared his son beyond saving. Hu Xiaotian's medical methods, though strange, had even smashed his son's skull, opening a cup‑sized hole in it, but since his son is still alive, according to Hu Xiaotian's words, once he awakens there should be no serious problem. This afternoon, finding the mastiff's corpse in the pond further proved Hu Xiaotian's correctness. This man, though young, is far from ordinary. If one says that initially Wan Boping was half‑believing, half‑doubting about Hu Xiaotian, now he believes him eighty percent, and he is utterly convinced by the so‑called soul‑summoning claim.

Wan Ting Chang said: "Father, if we keep tossing him like this, Ting Sheng will surely meet more misfortune than fortune!"

Wan Boping glared at him angrily: "Nonsense! What nonsense are you spouting? Your brother's life or death is unknown, yet you dare to blather about praying for his blessing—talking out of turn!"

Wan Ting Chang lowered his head in fright: "Father, I absolutely don't mean that; Ting Sheng is my full brother, and the heavens can see how much I care for him."

Wan Boping heard him say that, his expression eased a little, and he nodded: "This is our home, this is Qingyun; I'm sure he wouldn't dare overstep—unless he no longer wishes to live!"

Wan Ting Chang sighed, knowing his father had already believed Hu Xiaotian, and that he himself would find it hard to change that decision.

Wan Boping said: "Last night, a servant and a maid went missing from our household. I suspect this is related to your second brother's injury. Send people to find them at once—you must bring those two slaves back to me!"

"Yes!"

Night fell, and Hu Xiaotian's soul‑summoning operation officially began. Under the pretense of summoning souls, he acted as if wielding the Imperial Sword, first checking Wan Ting Sheng's condition, then wandering throughout the Wan manor, starting from Wan Boping's residence and going room to room. Wan Boping also gave his full cooperation, with steward Wan Chang Chun accompanying him to provide Hu Xiaotian with every convenience.

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