Chapter 56: Miao Frontier Youth

In order to detoxify the Grand Empress Dowager as soon as possible, Mu Yuanzhi rushed nonstop to Xuanwu Street in the capital, where many foreigners live.

This street not only has many foreigners in its shops, but also many street vendors; however, vendors from the Miao Frontier are hardly seen.

She is skilled at detoxifying, but has hardly studied gu poison.

Mu Yuanzhi crouched before a stall of a certain southern frontier person, bought a few things at random, and asked him some questions.

On the second floor of the opposite teahouse, Pei Shangling sat by the window, looking down, observing Mu Yuanzhi's every move.

This is a great opportunity; if he can help his younger sister detoxify the great-grandmother's gu poison, he could ease the strained relationship between the great-grandmother and his sister, which had worsened due to Mu Yuanzhi's meddling.

But he knows nothing about gu poison; the only way is to tail Mu Yuanzhi, intercept her, or seize her information, and if necessary, take her research results.

Pei Shangling thought, after all, these are what Mu Yuanzhi owes his younger sister; she should repay them!

Besides, as long as the great-grandmother's gu poison is cured, it's something everyone would welcome—whoever does it, it's still a cure.

Thinking this way, Pei Shangling felt justified in continuing his spying.

Of course, he wasn't just sitting idle waiting for Mu Yuanzhi's method; he always prepares two approaches, so he also sent people nonstop everywhere to seek experts, even dispatching them to the Miao Frontier.

However, he also knew the Miao Frontier wasn't that accessible; ordinary outsiders couldn't reach it.

It would be great if a Miao Frontier person fell from the sky.

Pei Shangling sighed and took a sip of tea.

Just then, he inadvertently caught sight of a person dressed very much like someone from the Miao Frontier in his peripheral vision.

Pei Shangling set down his teacup, his gaze passing through the coming and going guests, and saw a boy about fifteen or sixteen, his head hung with bells, wearing layers of red Miao embroidery, with a gourd and a cloth doll hanging above, his youthful face curiously looking around.

He looked easy to deceive.

Heaven helps me too!

However, because Pei Shanghua had once been schemed against by a Miao Frontier woman, Pei Shangling still kept a wary eye, not judging by appearance.

The Miao Frontier boy was like a hyperactive child; he leapt onto the second-floor balcony in an instant and looked down, exclaiming, 'The capital is so big and prosperous! I don't know where my senior sister is!'

Pei Shangling rose, smoothed the wrinkles in his clothes, then approached: 'Young sir, hello.'

The boy turned his head, his round eyes glancing at Pei Shangling, and said, 'Good.'

After that, he ignored him, continuing to peek over the edge with curiosity, occasionally letting out a 'wow'.

Looking utterly naive, Pei Shangling smirked inwardly.

'Are you from the Miao Frontier, young sir?' Pei Shangling continued the conversation, his smile as gentle as spring breeze, trying to appear very approachable.

The boy then turned his head to look at him again, nodding: 'Yes, that's right. Do you have business?'

'Meeting is fate; are you looking for someone, young sir?' Pei Shangling asked again.

'You're so smart—how did you know I'm looking for someone?!' the boy exclaimed, eyes wide.

Pei Shangling's smile unchanged: 'I can tell from your appearance; would you like me to help you find them?'

'Thank you, you're really kind!'

The principle that unsolicited flattery means either treachery or theft—this fool probably never learned it, Pei Shangling thought.

'What's the name of the person you're looking for? What do they look like? Perhaps I know them.'

'My senior sister, named Pei Yuanzhi, she lives in the imperial palace and is a princess!' The boy spoke of his senior sister, his eyes lighting up with excitement, but soon dimmed somewhat: 'I haven't seen her in a long time; I don't know what she looks like now…'

He scratched his face in puzzlement.

Mu Yuanzhi?!

Pei Shangling narrowed his eyes, reassessing the silly-looking boy before him.

Could this guy be Mu Yuanzhi's junior disciple?!

He recalled that Mu Yuanzhi had indeed taken a master; that person was acquainted with the National Teacher, had wandered the world and come to the capital, and, on the National Teacher's recommendation, had served as a doctoral scholar at the Imperial Academy for several months; Mu Yuanzhi learned medical poison arts from him.

In that case, this fool must have some real skill!

Pei Shangling smirked slyly, glanced down without a trace, saw that Mu Yuanzhi had already left, and his heart steadied.

He could not let them meet for the time being.

'Are you Ah Zhi's junior disciple?!' Pei Shangling shouted deliberately, sounding familiar.

'Ah Zhi? You know my senior sister?!' The boy excitedly grabbed Pei Shangling's hand, 'Quickly take me to find her!'

'I'm her fourth older brother.' Pei Shangling said.

'Fourth older brother? Are you a prince?'

The boy circled around Pei Shangling.

'Doesn't he look like one?' This is the first time someone has doubted he doesn't look like a prince…

The boy furrowed his brows, 'My master said when going out, one shouldn't easily trust others; you look like you're trying to deceive me.'

…

He doesn't seem overly stupid after all.

Pei Shangling felt relieved instead; otherwise he'd think this brat was pretending to be foolish.

He took out his own waist token and showed it to the boy: 'On the back is the imperial character; only members of the royal family have it.'

The boy took Pei Shangling's waist token and examined it for a while.

Pei Shangling didn't know whether this country bumpkin recognized it, and waited patiently.

'Mm, I've seen this kind of token on my senior sister!' Although it's been at least ten years, he still recognized it.

'Now you should believe me, right?' Pei Shangling raised his smile again.

'Mm-hmm!' The boy nodded: 'My name is Qilin, you're Pei Shangling, right? My senior sister said she constantly tells me she has the five best brothers in the world!'

He extended a hand and said with a smile.

Pei Shangling could imagine the expression of little Mu Yuanzhi when she said that: a tiny, cute rice-ball, sweet, opening her mouth to boast about how many good brothers she had and how much they doted on her.

But what about now?

Now she has changed, becoming completely unlike before.

Pei Shangling thought of this, and his eyes grew dim and obscure.

"I'm hungry, I need to eat first before I go find my senior sister." Qilin said, casually picking a seat and sitting down, then started calling the waiter to order food.

Pei Shangling had no choice but to sit down as well; he couldn't let this little brat see Mu Yuanzhi.

"Qilin, what's inside the gourd you're carrying?"

"This one." Qilin pulled out the gourd on his body that was as big as his face, smiling, "It's all poison inside."

Miao Jiang people are indeed not to be underestimated.

Pei Shangling's eyes darkened. 'That dangerous?'

"Not dangerous; as long as no troublemaker seeks trouble, this gourd poses no danger." Qilin put the gourd back.

Pei Shangling subtly scrutinized Qilin again.

He wondered whether this little brat was truly as stupid as he seemed, or if he was pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger.

Don't look back; he and that idiot Old Three could be given gu poison and not even know it.

At this moment, the waiter served the dishes; recognizing Pei Shangling, he served them quickly and respectfully.

"Qilin, can you use gu?" Pei Shangling asked offhandedly.

"That's my forte."