Chapter 385

Wan Boping had actually considered this as well; at this moment his heart couldn't help but shudder, and he forced himself to stay calm, saying: "Actually, my Wan family has always been prosperous in population."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your youngest son just died, your second son just 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 speechless; although he disliked Hu Xiaotian's words as too inauspicious, he couldn't help but admit 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 in it."

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

At this moment, from afar two servants suddenly shouted: "Found it, found it…… Black Charcoal 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 went numb, and he could barely move his steps. How could this young physician be so formidable? How could he know that my pond hides a vengeful spirit? Could it be that the feng shui of my residence is truly unfavorable?

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

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

Hu Xiaotian thought, "The old fox actually downgraded me—turning gold into silver." Actually he was wronging him. Silver is just a generic term; Wan Boping had no intention of haggling.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Nothing should be rushed; as for feng shui, we can discuss it later. The urgent matter is to recall the second young master's soul; once he recovers, we can talk about payment." Hu Xiaotian's cunning is evident: he employs a step‑by‑step strategy, making Old Fox Wan Boping sink deeper; even if we now ask Wan Boping for money, this old fellow will pay reluctantly. When his second son awakens, that will be the best proof of my medical skill; then the whole Wan family will surely revere me as a deity, and we can discuss feng shui. Helping him avert disaster, this fellow probably won't care how much money it costs. As the saying goes, "to catch, first let go"—throw out the bait, I won't hurry to reel in the hook; I'll wait for this big fish to leap at it of its own accord.

At dusk, Wan Ting Sheng still hadn't awakened, though his breathing and heartbeat remained; he hadn't died. The Wan family gradually lost patience, especially the eldest son, Wan Ting Chang, who shouted the loudest, repeatedly calling Hu Xiaotian a swindler of the martial world and suggesting they drag him 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 wouldn't 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 glued to his side. Murong Feiyan had already prepared to cover him should he need to fight his way out at any moment.

Amidst the turmoil, 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 himself unable to eat much at this moment; despite the tempting spread before him, he glanced around cautiously and asked, "Young master, with such a huge hole in a 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 his head in fright: "Young master, you might as well just chop off my head."

Murong Feiyan sat far off to one side, gazing at the pond; she had no interest in the feast before her. Having followed Hu Xiaotian throughout his brain surgery these past days, her appetite had been utterly ruined, she felt no desire to eat at all, and recalling the bloody scene made her want to vomit.

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

Hu Xiaotian knew Murong Feiyan was surely nauseated by the surgery, and he laughed: "People are iron, rice is steel; miss a meal and you'll feel famished—while alive, one 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 wasn't simple, there must be some hidden agenda.

Hu Xiaotian looked around and said: "What other plans could there be? What we lack most right now is what?"

Murong Feiyan shook her head; she didn't think they lacked anything.

Liang Da Zhuang chimed in: "Silver!"

Hu Xiaotian nodded: "Quite right. Although I came to Qingyun to serve as an official, my salary is pitifully meager; in this world, lacking money is absolutely impossible, especially since Da Zhuang still owes the Huan Cai Ge a 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 belongs to the young master.

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

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

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

Murong Feiyan replied: "You can't put it that way; saving a life outweighs building a seven‑story pagoda, and two hundred taels of gold is not a 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 want to discuss something with you—tonight you'll have to work hard."

Murong Feiyan said: "Go ahead."

Hu Xiaotian said: "I always sense something odd about the Wan household—how exactly Wan Ting Sheng was injured, why so severely, they never mention it, the whole family avoids the topic like a taboo. I've already successfully removed the hematoma from his brain; waking up is just a matter of time. My only worry is that someone doesn't want him to live."

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

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

Murong Feiyan said: "What are you going to do?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I'll stay here and summon the soul!"

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

Hu Xiaotian said: "As long as Wan Ting Sheng doesn't wake up for a day, we won't get paid for that day, so everyone should still eat well, keep spirits up, 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 forward and whispered: "Father, how is Ting Sheng?"

Wan Boping said: "He's asleep!"

Wan Ting Chang said: "I heard tonight they'll have their people attend to Ting Sheng; we family members can't get close?"

Wan Boping nodded: "Yes!"

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

Wan Boping said: "At least Ting Sheng is still alive." That one sentence already revealed his mindset; in fact, before Hu Xiaotian arrived, Wan Boping had already been preparing funeral arrangements for his second son, and all the physicians big and small in Qingyun County had declared the boy beyond saving. Hu Xiaotian's medical methods, though strange, had even smashed his son's skull and opened a cup‑sized window in it; yet since his son is still alive, according to Hu Xiaotian, once he awakens there should be no serious hindrance. This afternoon, finding the mastiff's corpse in the pond further proved Hu Xiaotian's correctness. Though young, this man is far from ordinary. If initially Wan Boping was half‑believing, half‑doubting about Hu Xiaotian, now he believes him eighty percent, and he is utterly convinced by the talk of soul‑summoning.

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

Wan Boping glared at him angrily: "Nonsense, what nonsense are you spouting? Your brother's life or death is uncertain, yet you don't pray for his blessing but instead talk rubbish and speak recklessly!"

Wan Ting Chang shrank his head in fear: "Father, I absolutely don't mean that; Ting Sheng is my blood brother, and heaven can see how much I care for him."

Wan Boping, hearing this, eased his expression slightly and 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 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. You must immediately send people to find their whereabouts and be sure to bring those two slaves back to me!"

"Yes!"

As night fell, Hu Xiaotian's soul‑summoning operation officially began; under the pretense of summoning souls, this fellow, as if wielding the Imperial Sword, first checked Wan Ting Sheng's condition, then started wandering throughout the Wan mansion, going door to door beginning from the residence where Wan Boping lived. Wan Boping also gave his fullest cooperation, with housekeeper Wan Changchun accompanying him to provide Hu Xiaotian with maximum convenience.

Two updates delivered, please guarantee the monthly ticket! (To be continued~^~)