Chapter 148

Qin Zhanhong now doubts the things Chen Wuji previously said with great confidence.

With about thirty Southwest Barbarians downstairs, each having crawled out from licking blood on the blade, killing people as casually as drinking cold water, can just one and a half person manage?

"What's there to be nervous about? I won't joke with my own life." Chen Wuji said calmly.

Qin Zhanhong's eyes flashed; how could she not be nervous?

With just these few of them, they have to deal with thirty-odd people, and even have to bring back the leader and the accountant bound.

This difficulty is no less than climbing to heaven, right?

If I had known earlier, it would have been better to just go steal!

"Are your manpower and lodging settled?" Chen Wuji asked.

"All set." Qin Zhanhong said faintly, "Otherwise, I think we should still try to steal; no need to make such a big fuss. You handle the outside support, I'll do the work."

Chen Wuji smiled faintly, "I have a little confidence in your man; since I said it can be done, it definitely can."

Qin Zhanhong also wanted to believe...

But Chen Wuji has been gone so long and only brought back one and a half so-called helpers; how can she believe?

Chen Wuji gave Qin Zhanhong a reassuring look, called Yang Tiejiang and Xiaoyu over, and gave them detailed instructions on what they needed to do next.

After settling the upcoming matters, Chen Wuji strode out of the room with a fierce aura, standing in the hallway and shouting at the top of his voice: "Waiter, waiter, call your shopkeeper up! What kind of dump is this? Charging laborers four hundred wen for two rooms, letting laborers live in a bug nest?"

A waiter with a white cloth draped over his shoulder hurried over, bowed and asked: "Sir, what's the matter? Do you have something to tell me?"

"You say it works? Fine, then I'll tell you: if it doesn't work, Laborers will grab your head. Tell me, with so many bugs on the bed and floor, how are we supposed to sleep? How are we supposed to sleep?!" Chen Wuji demanded angrily.

The waiter's face showed bitterness, and he hurried to soothe: "Sir, the summer weather is hot and humid, it's inevitable to have some bugs in the room; shall I have someone clean it again?"

"Is this the solution you found for me?" Chen Wuji's face instantly darkened: "Go, call your shopkeeper up, or I'll burn down this dump of a shop."

"Yes, yes, yes." Seeing Chen Wuji look like he wanted to beat him up, the waiter didn't dare to keep talking and hurried downstairs.

Moments later, a middle-aged man dressed in refined attire, with two large iron balls rolling in his right hand, walked up.

"Sir, what dissatisfies you?" he asked with a hint of arrogance.

"Look for yourself, there are so many bugs, even on the bed; how are we supposed to sleep?" Chen Wuji demanded sternly.

Having bugs in this season is perfectly normal, but Chen Wuji is picking on that very normalcy.

The shopkeeper's eyelids drooped as he glanced at Chen Wuji: "Sir, how would you like to resolve this?"

"However, I must first tell you, this Tavern of the Eight Immortals is the business of the Zhang Family, the biggest Zhang Family in Yunan City and even the entire Nan Jun. We will certainly meet any reasonable request, but if you cause trouble, we're not made of clay."

"Who's causing trouble with you? The problem is, there are bugs, affecting my sleep!" Chen Wuji said angrily, "Give us a different room and bring some mugwort; is that reasonable? I ask you, is it reasonable?"

"Reasonable!" the shopkeeper nodded, "The room wasn't cleaned properly, that's indeed our fault; I'll change your room and we have mugwort, but what do you need it for? Does it have anti-larva effect?"

Chen Wuji was stunned: "You don't know? Then why do you use mugwort to beat every corner of the house during the Dragon Boat Festival, burning mugwort leaves to smoke the room? Is it just for fun?"

The shopkeeper shook his head: "I've never heard of such a practice."

Chen Wuji: ……

Could this guy be someone who transcends worldly affairs?

"Never mind if you haven't heard of it, hurry up and help us prepare; also, it's best to place some more on the first and second floors. If the fifth floor can have this many bugs, one can imagine the first and second floors; these bugs hardly fly, so they must be crawling up from downstairs." Chen Wuji waved his hand and said.

"If your manpower is limited, waive the room fee and I'll go downstairs to light the mugwort; I'll help you get this done. For the keeper of such a large tavern to not even know how to repel bugs!"

The shopkeeper said candidly, "Lighting the mugwort is no trouble for you, sir; we still have plenty of manpower, you needn't worry. The items will be sent later; please wait a moment."

Not long after the shopkeeper left, a waiter came up to change rooms for Chen Wuji and his companions, also providing several mugwort balls rolled into spheres.

This series of actions left Qin Zhanhong and the others somewhat dazed.

There really were bugs in the room, but not to that outrageous extent; it seemed a bit of an overreaction.

"What's your deeper intention in doing this?" Qin Zhanhong asked quietly.

Chen Wuji handed the mugwort balls sent by the shopkeeper to Qin Zhanhong, saying, "Unwrap them, roll them into strips."

"I'm asking you a question!" Qin Zhanhong grew somewhat annoyed.

Chen Wuji took out the Bewildering Fragrance prepared by Zhang Lao for him, saying, "This is called Bewildering Fragrance; when the mugwort outside has burned about the same, we'll use this to replace the mugwort on the first and second floors."

"With this amount of Bewildering Fragrance, it can easily knock down a ring of cattle; those Southwest Barbarians, no matter how strong their builds, should be no match for an ox. Once they're sound asleep, the rest will be easy to handle."

Qin Zhanhong finally understood where Chen Wuji's confidence came from.

She looked at the mugwort that looked almost identical to the mugwort, her expression shifting several times: "This is actually Bewildering Fragrance; I've heard of it before—it's one of the Ten Marvels of the Rivers and Lakes, ranking foremost among the heterodox paths. I didn't expect you to know this; is it a family secret?"

Chen Wuji's heart instantly felt a surge of vigilance; the direction of her question seemed off.

"An old master gave it to me some years ago. My family are hunters, not heterodox practitioners—how would we have this?" Chen Wuji shook his head, venting, then shifted tone and asked, "Is this thing powerful?"

Qin Zhanhong frowned and nodded, "This thing is not only powerful, but also mysterious. The authorities once ordered a search in the Rivers and Lakes for the genuine Bewildering Fragrance, but they never found the real thing, only a few counterfeit recipes."

"Who knows if this is the genuine Bewildering Fragrance? Anyway, its power is still not bad." Chen Wuji said.

Who would have thought that what Zhang Lao knows could be considered a forbidden art?

"With this, our odds have doubled. But how are we to replace the mugwort downstairs? With many people and eyes about, it's easy to be exposed." Qin Zhanhong inevitably felt some worry again.