The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 262- 264

Chapter 262: The Delivery of Dowries & A Pair of Wild Geese

Yao Yi broke off in the middle of a sentence. Yuwen Tong looked at him. “Anything you feel it inconvenient to talk about?”

Yao Yi hurriedly replied, “Not inconvenient. It’s just that I don’t dare say for sure. This morning, Xie Shi had a message delivered here, which said that Wang Dashan and some others had been assigned by Childe Ling to perform some kind of task and their whereabouts were unknown.”Update by ReadNovelFull.com

Yuwen Tong briefly paused, coming to understand what Yao Yi was implying. “Since when have Wang Dashan and his men learned how to slip away from under your noses without any of you noticing?”

“The ones who tailed them said that those men in black adopted some kind of weird method, that they unmistakably caught sight of them but the next moment they suddenly vanished.” Yao Yi was also very confused and had been wondering all along what had happened.

Something occurred to Yuwen Tong and he raised his eyebrows and said, “It seems that they’re quite quick learners.”

Yao Yi didn’t understand. “What was it that they learned?”

“Mr. Ji has been personally instructing them. As for what he is teaching them exactly, I have no idea either.”

Mouth hanging open, Yao Yi recalled the miraculous skill Ji Yin had displayed in the mansion that day, and began to worry. If all those security guards became so difficult to shadow, would they still be able to keep them under control with kung fu skills?

“Don’t you make me lose face,” added Yuwen Tong.

Yao Yi had no choice but to hurriedly answer, “I don’t dare, Marshal.”

Yuwen Tong flicked a glance at him and said, “Given that it was Wang Dashan and his men who did that, there’s no doubt they were following Brother Zhang’s orders. Stay out of this. Pretend you’re still investigating. Distract those performing the search when necessary.”

Yao Yi was totally unsurprised at Yuwen Tong’s decision. “Yes, Marshal.”

“Have you found anything out about what my uncle is up to?” Yuwen Tong started to ask about something else.

Yao Yi answered cautiously, “I noticed that every seven days Second Master’s old personal servant goes to a small teahouse located in the North Alley beside the second street in the east of the city to drink tea, and every time when the storyteller in the teahouse reaches the best part of his story and all customers’ attention is focused on the storyteller, he rises to his feet and goes to the privy without fail. At first I had a suspicion that he goes there to meet someone, which afterwards turned out to be untrue. Yesterday that old servant went to the teahouse as usual and when he was heading for the privy, someone bumped into him and a bamboo tube slid out of his sleeve, which looked similar to the bamboo tube Second Young Master had carried with him in Tanyang.

Zhao Fugui once said that Second Young Master’s venomous snake was capable of delivering messages, so I immediately became vigilant. Pity I was unprepared. Even if that old servant sent out a venomous snake, for the moment there’s no way to find out where it went. We can only wait for him to do that again.”

A frown creased Yuwen Tong’s face. If that was the case, Yuwen Zhi must have been corresponding with someone in this way for a very long time.

Recollecting the layout of the surroundings of the North Alley beside the second street in the east of the city, pondering who this person that Yuwen Zhi had been corresponding with might be, Yuwen Tong eventually found that several of the residences closest to the teahouse belonged to courtiers. Another fact that rendered Yuwen Tong cautious was that this place was near the imperial palace.

That alley was only two north-south streets away from the wall of the imperial palace. At the foot of the palace wall was a broad thoroughfare paved with blue flagstones, which palace guards patrolled in shifts day and night. In order to prevent the air from getting dusty, grass seeds had been sowed in the soil in the gaps between blue flagstones of all main streets in the capital city. Though horses and pedestrians walked along them day and night, there was still green grass growing in those gaps, which made it very easy for a small snake to get cross the streets. Of course there might be other ways. After all, all they needed was a passage wide enough for a small snake to go through…

He remembered that the place behind that palace wall seemed to be a utility room.

Faintly cold-faced, Yuwen Tong contemplated, hoping that he was merely overthinking it by making this speculation. It would take more time and patience to ascertain whom Yuwen Zhi had been contacting.

“Be cautious about this. Tell Xie Shi to come back in a few days. I want him to personally go there and keep a close watch on that old servant.”

Yao Yi nodded. Xie Shi excelled at detoxification and was more acquainted with that kind of venomous snakes.

“Have you found the merchant that provided these venomous snakes for my uncle’s branch of the family?” inquired Yuwen Tong.

“We’ve got a shrewd idea who he is. Pity people of south Xinjiang are very wary of outsiders and unwilling to disclose more details. Also, that merchant enters the capital city every three years. To find him, we have to either wait or go to south Xinjiang. I’ve already had a message delivered to our scouts there, telling them to keep their eyes peeled for him. Currently I’m waiting for their report.”

If the situation went urgent, Yao Yi would personally pay a visit to south Xinjiang, but he was Yuwen Tong’s right-hand man, and Yuwen Tong merely wanted to know who had provided his uncle’s branch of the family with that kind of venomous snakes, and had no intention to do anything to that merchant, so there was no hurry.

“Our first priority right now is finding out what that old servant has been doing exactly in that teahouse. Make sure he’s under constant watch.”

“Yes, Marshal.”

…

“Young Master, the dowry-delivering team of the Yuwen family has departed for Tanyang. They exited the city this morning. It was Yuwen Chi, Yuwen Han and Yuwen Jin who were heading the team.”

This day, Ling Zhang had just returned from checking the artisans’ progress in building the drill ground when Wang Dashan hastily entered and gave him a report with a delighted face.

Ling Zhang was surprised. Yuwen Jin was in the team as well? That guy definitely had gone along for the ride.

Wang Dashan was very happy, for the dowry-delivering team of the Yuwen family was huge. It was so long that he couldn’t see the end of it, and the dowries were unimaginably lavish. When the team had been going through the city gate, residents had crowded the two sides of street looking on. The dowries had been prepared according to the highest ceremonial standard that the Yuwen family was currently allowed to adopt, and Yuwen Chi, Yuwen Tong’s uncle, was personally leading the team. Though Yuwen You’s branch of the Yuwen family had separated from the other two branches many years ago, Yuwen Chi was Yuwen Tong’s father’s peer, and Yuwen Tong respected him very much, so everybody knew how much weight Yuwen Chi carried. On top of that, apart from Yuwen Chi, Yuwen Han who was Yuwen Tong’s peer, and Yuwen Jin were in the team as well, so the level of formality was very high.

“It is rumored that the North-western Army had a pair of wild geese delivered here with a fast horse to send their congratulations. All those who saw them said that the wild geese were very imposing.”

It was not the wild geese but the gesture of the North-western Army that was of significance. By doing this, they were unmistakably telling everybody that they’d accepted Ling Zhang as their Marshal’s wife.

“I heard that the North-western Army also sent word out that on the wedding day of the Marshal and Childe Ling, Jiang Xi, one of the two assistant commanders, along with several hundred crack troops, would accompany the Marshal to Childe Ling’s home to escort him back to the wedding.”

Though Ling Zhang wanted to keep up his pretence of composure, the corners of his mouth curled up in spite of himself.

A soft cough was heard.

Ling Zhang turned and called in a somewhat embarrassed tone, “Grandfather.”

Walking over, Ji Yin remarked, “That Yuwen boy knows what’s good for him. I’ll give him that.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be instructing Yang Liuzi and the others? Why did you come here?” Fairly awkward, Ling Zhang steered the conversation away.

Ji Yin lightly snorted, “I’m neither deaf nor blind enough to let the uproariousness on the main road to escape my notice. I came here to inform you of it, but this guard of yours anticipated me.”

Wang Dashan repeatedly apologized to the old man. Ji Yin had given him and other security guards a lot of directions, and their kung fu had improved considerably in a short amount of time. Though aware that it was impossible for them to have Ji Yin apprentice them, they still respected Ji Yin very much, inwardly regarding him as their master shifu.

Ling Zhang was astonished to learn that Ji Yin had heard it. There was a very long distance between the manor and the main road, but he had still heard the noises?

“Don’t worry. Now that the Yuwen family prepared dowry of this standard, Grandfather will make sure your trousseau is of much greater value than that. The Ling family just has to do their best; I’ll handle the rest of it. There’s no need for you to feel too embarrassed to accept it. Just take it as a compensation Grandfather makes on behalf of your mother.”

Now that Ji Yin had put it this way, Ling Zhang had nothing else to say.

But, speaking of the trousseau…

Subconsciously, Ling Zhang suddenly realized that something was not quite right. Why hadn’t he sent a dowry-delivering team to the Yuwen family instead of allowing Yuwen Tong to send one to the Ling family? His embarrassment instantly disappeared at this thought. Ling Zhang, wringing his wrist in regret, let out a sigh. Now it was too late. The team of the Yuwen family had already departed. It was impossible for him to tell them to return. He was such a fool!

“What’s the matter? You’re unhappy that Grandfather wants to chip in money to buy you trousseau?” Seeing the odd expression on Ling Zhang’s face which seemed to be regret or something, Ji Yin mistakenly believed that Ling Zhang was unhappy to hear that he wanted to get involved in the preparation of his trousseau. The old man appeared aggrieved.

Ling Zhang jerked out of his trance and hurriedly said, “Of course not. I couldn’t be happier about it. I’ve never worried about that matter, because I know you got my back, Grandfather.”

Ji Yin’s spirits rose to normal at these words, but he still asked, “Then what were you thinking about just now? You looked rather regretful.”

Ling Zhang didn’t dare tell Ji Yin the truth. Having been staying with the old man for all these days, he had come to know that his grandfather was fairly overprotective of him. If he told Ji Yin, the old man would definitely go and stop the team of the Yuwen family straight away.

“I was just thinking that I’m not in Tanyang and cannot see with my own eyes how my paternal grandfather and uncle would react when they see the team.”

“That’s very easy to fix. Let’s go back to Tanyang right now,” observed Ji Yin unhesitatingly, as expected.

Ling Zhang hastily said, “The revamp of the manor isn’t finished yet, Grandfather. We may go to Tanyang after returning from the Millennium Pavilion. At any rate, I need to see my… my father first.”

Ji Yin thought for a moment and acceded, “You’re right. The two of you haven’t seen each other for so many years. It’s about time you went to meet him. It’d be best if he recovers before your wedding day.”

Ling Zhang, who had never given this any thought, was slightly surprised. After all, the existence of his father had been strange to him for too long.

Although unable to depart for Tanyang immediately, Ji Yin set out to prepare Ling Zhang’s trousseau without further ado. He still instructed the security guards as scheduled, but had delegated everything else in the manor to Ling Zhang, who had pulled a wry face when accepting the assignments.

The revamp of the manor was being carried out according to the diagram of a formation. Ji Yin had fully briefed Ling Zhang on it, and over the past couple of days, it was Ling Zhang who had been supervising the craftsmen working, so naturally he could take over the whole project with no problem. Artisans were doing the revamp according to the owners’ instructions. Some renovations confused them, and none of them could understand. Firstly, such an ingenious formation was beyond their grasp; secondly, Ji Yin personally handled the revamp of the crucial parts. Therefore, though the artisans had been doing the revamp, why the owners wanted they to do it that way was a mystery to them.

“Are there any messages from the city?” Ling Zhang inquired of Wang Dashan after taking charge of the revamp of the manor. He wanted to know when Yuwen Tong would finish the business in hand.

Chapter 263: A Letter

“Childe Ling.”

Before Wang Dashan could give an answer, Xie Shi showed up, accompanied by Miao Shiba who was supposed to be in the city.

“I need to go back to the city to attend to something. Shiba is here to stand in for me.”

“Has anything happened?” Ling Zhang appeared apprehensive.

“Don’t worry, Childe Ling. Nothing happened. It’s just that Brother Shi is more experienced in handling some particular matters, so the Marshal wants Brother Shi to return. The Marshal will be occupied for another couple of days. He instructed me to tell you that everything is going as planned, that there’s nothing to concern yourself about,” said Miao Shiba.

Xie Shi’s strong point was detoxification skills, and Yuwen Tong’s recalling him definitely had something to do with this, but judging from Miao Shiba’s facial expression, he wasn’t lying. If Yuwen Tong was okay, then it must be someone else who was not okay.

“What is it about?” Ling Zhang still asked.

To his surprise, Miao Shiba replied very crisply, “It’s about people of the second branch. The Marshal is looking into some of Second Master’s deeds. He encountered a small problem and needs Brother Shi to come back to deal with it. The inquiry into this matter is the very reason why the marshal cannot come back right away.”

After hearing Miao Shiba give a sketchy account of what was going on, Ling Zhang came to understand the situation and was no longer worried.

Qiu Bing, who was the happiest to see Xie Shi leave, specially hurried over and said, “Young Master, I’ve been counting down the days. The poison inside Yuwen Qi will show its effect in three days. We can expect some entertainment.”

Ling Zhang, however, was alarmed at his words. Wouldn’t people of Yuwen Zhi’s branch of the family become suspicious of Xie Shi if he returned to the city on this occasion?

Miao Shiba was quite collected. “Don’t worry, Childe Ling. They don’t know that Xie Shi is a poison master.”

…

In Zheng shi’s chambers.

A gasp was heard.

The handmaid, doing Zheng shi’s hair, unintentionally gave the hair at Zheng shi’s temple a faintly painful pull, reducing Zheng shi to gasping with a grimace. The movement of the muscles of her recovering cheek exacerbated the pain, and she instantly flied into a temper and roughly pushed the handmaid away with a sweep of her arm. “Are you trying to kill me?! Drag her out!”

“Mistress! Mercy, Mistress! That was not intentional. Please have mercy on me. Don’t send me away. I’m begging you, Mistress!” pleaded the handmaid, slumping to her knees, panic-stricken.

Zheng shi remained indifferent. Soon two guards entered and dragged the handmaid out of the room. What lay in store for her was known to everybody.

Handmaids and servants, in and outside the room, hung their heads, not daring make the faintest sound. These days Zheng shi’s temper was growing increasingly violent, and she used them as her punching bags every time she lost it. This was not the worst, however. Their Second Young Master’s servants had been replaced again and again. Anyone of them who did or said anything not quite to his liking, no matter how insignificant it was in the sight of normal people, they would get a harsh scolding from their Second Young Master and then be evicted by the Mistress.

Zheng shi, after having her hair combed and her clothes changed, asked, “Where’s Master?”

“Master went to attend the court meeting and isn’t back yet.”

Zheng shi slightly furrowed her brows and went to see Yuwen Qi, followed by a handmaid.

Yuwen Qi, after being bagged and beaten up that day, was covered in bruises. He refused to let his handmaids apply ointment to them, and even the best physician was unable to convince him to be cooperative, so naturally he was making a recovery much slower than normal.

When Zheng shi arrived, Yuwen Qi had just chucked a handmaid off and was menacingly staring at somewhere. There was no telling what he was thinking.

“Qi’er, Mother came to see you. Are you feeling better?” said Zheng shi on entry.

Yuwen Qi looked at her. “Where’s Yaoyao?”

Zheng shi briefly paused in surprise and then said, “I think she’s in her own chambers. Why do you ask?”

“Tell her to come here to redress my wounds.”

Zheng shi, who had actually some time ago discerned that her son had a thing for Su Yaoyao, was not at all surprised by this sudden request and, heedless of whether or not Su Yaoyao would feel awkward, agreed, had a servant go to get Su Yaoyao, and then said to him, “Qi’er, were your uncle still alive, I wouldn’t really be against you marrying her, but your uncle has passed away, and no matter how good a girl Su Yaoyao is, it doesn’t change the fact that she’s now fatherless and depends on our family. If you marry her, she wouldn’t be of much help to you in the future. I suggest you take her as your concubine if you really like her so much. Mother will find you someone more suitable to be your legal wife.”

Yuwen Qi made no reply. It was hard to tell whether he was for or against his mother’s opinion.

When Su Yaoyao arrived and caught sight of Yuwen Qi, there was manifest fear on her face. Fully aware of how sulkily and violently Yuwen Qi had been conducting himself recently, she was very afraid that Yuwen Qi was going to vent his anger on her. “Aunt, Cousin.”

“Oh, Yaoyao. Come here. Help apply some ointment to your cousin’s bruises. Your cousin likes your very much. He misses you after not seeing your for merely a few moments,” said Zheng shi.

Su Yaoyao forced a smile. She was unmarried, and redressing Yuwen Qi’s wounds meant that she had to take off his robes, which would terribly compromise her reputation if word got out. “Aunt, I–I’m afraid it’s not very convenient for me to do that.”

“Oh, don’t be silly. There’s nothing inconvenient about it. This is your cousin, not an outsider. Besides, you two have always been on very good terms, haven’t you? It’s just administration of ointment. Sooner or later you’ll marry into our family,” observed Zheng shi.

Biting her lower lip, Su Yaoyao looked in the direction of Yuwen Qi but the coldness in his eyes gave her quite a start. Subconsciously, she relented. “Okay.”

While Su Yaoyao was applying ointment to Yuwen Qi’s bruises, Zheng shi was watching on the side. After Su Yaoyao finished redressing Yuwen Qi’s wounds and helped him get dressed, Yuwen Qi grabbed her wrist. After an unsuccessful attempt to free her hand, Su Yaoyao didn’t dare move. “Cou–Cousin?”

“You quite like that private bank, don’t you? It’ll be yours as well if you marry me. Does this cheer you up?” Yuwen Qi suddenly said in a gentle voice.

Su Yaoyao was sent into a brief trance of astonishment, and then a hint of joy appeared on her face. “Really?”

“Of course,” smiled Yuwen Qi, eyes on her. Su Yaoyao was fleetingly stupefied by his smile and forgot what he looked like when he was in one of his moods, bowing her head in timidity.

Zheng shi’s brow corrugated in a frown. What did he mean by saying it’d be hers? That was–

“Mother, Elder Brother still hasn’t ascertained who sent those men in black to intercept us that day?” Yuwen Qi’s question interrupted Zhen shi’s thinking.

Zheng shi’s was immediately shifted by her son’s words. With a displeased face, she replied, “I don’t know what he’s been doing. As Assistant Minister of Rites, he hasn’t found out anything about who assaulted his mother and brother after such a long time. Previously I thought he was pretty capable, but now it seems that he’s been getting more and more useless.”

“Has father found anything?” Yuwen Qi’s eyes had gone flinty.

Zheng shi said, “Your father stays in his study all the time except when his presence is requested in the imperial court. I asked him about it but he gave me a scolding instead of an answer. I have no idea what’s got into him.”

Zheng shi’s anger increased as she spoke, but no matter how angry she was, she didn’t dare confront her husband. Complaining in private was the only thing she could do.

“What about Yuwen Tong? Surely he has enough resources to track them down?” said Yuwen Qi through gritted teeth.

Zheng shi frowned, “He said that those men in black had disappeared into thin air, that the inquiry reached a dead end. His Majesty instructed the yamen and the garrison patrol to investigate, but nobody has reported any progress so far.”

Yuwen Qi fumed, “How’s that possible? Those men weren’t really kung fu experts. There’s no way they literally vanished without a trace. They’re just unwilling to look into it! Yuwen Tong is doing this on purpose. It must be him who’s at work!”

After hearing Yuwen Qi’s words, Zheng shi seemed to feel that he’d got a point and instantly started to curse. “That ungrateful bastard. No, I have to ask him and find out whether he’s been deliberately hampering the investigation, trying to make laughing stocks of us.”

Zheng shi’s furious talking placed too much strain on her recovering cheek and there was another spasm of pained gasp, which infuriated her even further. Accompanied by her handmaids, she stormed out of the room towards the residential area of the first branch of the family.

Yuwen Tong, after hearing that Zheng shi arrived with some handmaids, kept silent for quite a while and then said, “Let her in.”

Zheng shi, who had waited for quite some time before being allowed to enter, was consumed with fury. As she saw the uproarious atmosphere in this place with numerous servants who were going in and out of every house making preparations for the wedding, her insides ached for ire, but when her eyes fell on Yuwen Tong who was emanating an alarmingly powerful air, she was intimidated and didn’t dare take it out on him. In a bitter voice heavy with sarcasm, she said, “It’s not that Aunt wants to criticize you, but your servants are really uncouth. They saw me coming, but instead of giving me a proper welcome, they stopped me from entering. They’re so unruly. You might as well break their legs and arms and throw them out of this place. Such ignorant pariahs are no nothing but a bunch of eyesores if you let them stay here as servants.”

Yuwen Tong disregarded her insinuation. “What is it you want to see me about, Aunt? I think we’re not on speaking terms any more, are we?”

Zheng shi was briefly rendered speechless by this blunt remark of his. Secretly twisting her handkerchief, she said, “I’m here to ask why after such a long time you still haven’t ascertained the identities of those goddamn thugs that assaulted me and your cousin. You’re a marshal of the Great Yue. How could you not have had it properly handled already? It’d be an absolute disgrace to the Yuwen family if word gets out.”

“How about you give me a more detailed account of what happened that day, Aunt? How those people showed up, what they said, how they struck you, how hard their blows were, which parts of you they hit, etc. So I may follow these clues and conduct another search.”

“You–”

Zheng shi was nearly enraged to death by Yuwen Tong’s words. “Why are you doing this? I’m asking you to hunt those sons of bitches down, and you chose to humiliate me?”

“Which part of my words do you find humiliating, Aunt? I told you the investigation hit a dead end, but you insisted I continue, so I had no choice but to ask you for more details and see if I could find any possible leads. You came to me for help. Don’t you think you should be more cooperative? If you feel I’m humiliating you, you might as well go back right away. As for the inquiry, there’s nothing else I can do, and nothing you say will make a difference.”

“You! How dare you behave like this, Yuwen Tong? You think just because we’ve broken up the family to live apart, you get to treat me like dirt? You wait and see! I’ll have your true colors come to the knowledge of everybody in this country! You have no respect for your elders, nor brotherly love for your cousin. How do you have the nerve to call yourself a marshal?!”

Insides burning with indignation, Zheng shi stormed off, followed by her handmaids.

“Am I to do anything about this, Marshal?” Yao Yi was worried.

“Just keep a close watch on her. If she wants to do anything, report to me immediately,” said Yuwen Tong.

“Yes, Marshal,” answered Yao Yi.

Zheng shi and her handmaids returned to the residential area of the second branch of the Yuwen family. She had no sooner crossed the boundary than a servant walked over and said, “Here’s a letter for you, Mistress.”

Zheng shi, who had just had a very unpleasant talk and was filled with wrath, was only too anxious to find a punching bag and immediately spat, “Are you blind? Why on earth should I waste my time reading some nobody’s letter? If you can’t find better use for your eyes, I’ll take them. Guards, gouge his eyes out!”

“Mercy, Mistress.” The servant hastily sank to his knees. “The one who delivered this letter here said that he came here to help you out, that he could not only heal Second Young Master’s broken legs but also ascertain the identities of those men in black, that all you have to do is read the letter. I risked bringing this letter to you for your and Second Young Master’s sake. Please take this into consideration, Mistress.”

Zheng shi gave him a searching look. “He really said that?”

“Yes. I don’t dare lie to you, Mistress.” The servant hurriedly gave her a guarantee.

Zheng shi motioned to the handmaid beside her, who took the letter and then guided Zheng shi to a quiet spot to sit down.

Chapter 264: Yuwen Qi’s Poisoning & a Pill from a Miracle-Working Physician

Taking in ten lines at each glance, Zheng shi finished reading the letter rapidly, the surprise on her face deepening. There was also a mixture of ecstasy and excitement in her countenance. As if afraid that she had misread it, she cast an eye over the letter from start to finish for a second time. After confirming the contents of it, she abruptly sprang to her feet, turned around and walked towards the outside in great haste.

“Mistress?” The handmaid gave a start and hurriedly followed in her wake.

Halfway to her chambers, Zheng shi suddenly paused, a tic going in her cheeks, tightly gripping her handkerchief, the look in her eyes somewhat frightening.

Seeing Zheng shi acting as though she’d lost her sanity, the handmaid asked in horror, “What’s the matter, Mistress. You’re scaring me.”

It was quite a while before Zheng shi collected herself and slid her handmaid a cold glance. “What’s the fuss about?”

The handmaid paled slightly and hastily apologized, “I beg your pardon, Mistress.”

“Go and make some preparations. In the afternoon I’m going to the temple to pray to the Bodhisattva for my son,” instructed Zheng shi.

“Yes, Mistress. I’ll do it right away.” The handmaid left without more ado.

The others cautiously supported Zheng shi back to her chambers, where she started preparing for the trip to the temple in the afternoon, temporarily forgetting about Yuwen Qi.

This time, Zheng shi took over twenty guards with her on her trip, and took only broad, busy thoroughfares, not daring to cut through any alleys.

After arriving at the temple, Zheng shi got out of the carriage, went to pray to the Bodhisattva first and then proceeded to a quiet room beside the back yard on the pretext of needing to spend some time alone.

Zheng shi entered the room, accompanied by only an old nanny, all others waiting in the doorway of the back yard which was a fairly long distance away. Visit website our ReadNovelFull.com .Sure enough she was not here to quietly sit praying inwardly. It was because the one who’d sent her a letter asked her to come to this room for a meeting with him this afternoon. The letter said that there was a way to heal her son’s legs, so although the identity of the culprit who’d sent those men in black to attack her was still unknown, she’d chosen to come anyway.

At first Zheng shi had been sitting in silence patiently, but after waiting for a while, she went anxious.

“Don’t worry, Mistress. I’ll go outside and take a look.”

“Then go.”

It was quite some time before this Nanny Zhong, an old handmaid of Zheng shi’s, returned. Zheng shi was running out of patience owing to the long wait. Following in Nanny Zhong’s wake were a Buddhist monk and a mysterious, hooded man who seemed to have no intention of removing his hood which covered half of his face. This person was keeping his head down slightly, revealing merely his chin and part of his neck. Zheng shi could only tell that this person was male.

The anxiety on Zheng shi’s face disappeared at the sight of them. She sized up this Buddhist monk and the mysterious man beside him, having an intuition that this hooded man was the one who had asked her to come here. “Who are you?”

“Someone capable of healing your son’s broken legs, of course. Isn’t this the very reason why you came here to meet me, Madam Yuwen?” replied the hooded person in a voice that was male, as expected.

“I did come, but why should I believe you?” said Zheng shi.

“I brought you a pill, Madam Yuwen. Take it back and administer it to your son. It will not only alleviate the pain in his legs but also have his bruises heal quickly,” said the hooded man, taking out a little porcelain phial and putting it down onto the table.

“Why should I believe someone who doesn’t even dare show me his face?” Zheng shi stared at him.

“Because I’m the only one who can heal your son’s broken legs, and because you need my help. Believe it or not, I’ll be here waiting for your corporeal presence in three days, and you’ll naturally be willing to trust me by that time and know who I am,” observed the mysterious man.

This man sounded very confident. After pondering for quite a while, Zheng shi picked up the porcelain phial.

…

On her return to the residential compound of Yuwen family, Zheng shi immediately went to see Yuwen Qi, but suddenly paused in the doorway of Yuwen Qi’s chambers, fished out the porcelain phial, hesitated for a long time and then, instead of entering, retired to her own chambers.

Nanny Zhong had other handmaids leave and said, “Are you worried that this pill might be fake, Mistress?”

Zheng shi said, “It’s okay if this pill is fake. I fear that it might do my son harm if he takes it.”

“How about testing it on someone else first?” suggested Nanny Zhong.

Zheng shi’s eyes lit up and she immediately said, “Then go and break a servant’s leg. See if this pill is really that effective.”

Nanny Zhong answered “Yes, Mistress.” and was just about to leave when Zheng shi suddenly snapped, “Wait.”

“Mistress?” Nanny Zhong turned to look at her in confusion.

Zheng shi opened the porcelain phial, took a look inside and a scowl appeared on her face. “There’s only one pill.”

“What?” Nanny Zhong was astonished. Thinking back to the meeting with the hooded man, she said, “That man said he brought you a pill, and it turns out there’s literally only one pill in this phial.”

Zheng shi’s temper began to fray. With only one pill in hand, she was unable to test it, though she wanted to. Clearly that man was trying to force her into administer this pill to her son.

“Mistress! Mistress! Something bad happened!” a servant suddenly yelled in the doorway, sounding panic-stricken.

Face going even sulkier, Zheng shi looked in the direction of the door with piercing eyes. “What is it?”

Nanny Zhong hurried outside and reprimanded at the sight of the servant, “You want to meet your end? Mistress is trying to get some rest. If you keep talking so loudly disturbing Mistress, you’ll lose your tongue!”

The servant gave a start and explained in a tremulous voice, “It’s not that I want to disturb Mistress. Second Young Master’s legs suddenly started aching terribly. He’s fainted from the pain!”

“What?!” Nanny Zhong was also taken aback, turned around and was just about to enter to report it when Zheng shi hurried out of the room, looking flurried.

“What happened? My son’s legs haven’t ached for a long time. How did he come to suddenly pass out from pain?!” bellowed Zheng shi.

“I have no idea, Mistress. Second Young Master suddenly blacked out for pain. Both Master and First Young Master are not at home, so I immediately came here to report it to you, Mistress.”

“You good-for-nothing. Go and send for a physician!” Zheng shi flared and was just about to storm off when she suddenly paused, turned around and went back into her chambers. Nanny Zhong flicked a glance inside and saw Zheng shi pick up the porcelain phial on the table.

The group of people trotted to Yuwen Qi’s chambers in haste. Kneeling on the ground here and there in the bedroom were a lot of handmaids. Yuwen Qi was lying in bed, ashen-faced, sweaty all over, eyes closed, groaning in pain constantly. Zheng shi walked up to the bedside and started at the sight of Yuwen Qi’s legs. His pant legs had been rolled up to his thighs, and a horrifying bluish black was spreading outward from his knees, looking hideous and spooky. Zheng shi failed to catch her next breath and nearly swooned.

“Ho–How did this happen?!” exclaimed Nanny Zhong in alarm.

“Qi’er, how do you feel, Qi’er?!” Zheng shi bent over Yuwen Qi’s bed, almost sitting on her heels. She wanted to touch Yuwen Qi’s legs but didn’t dare.

“They’re hurting, Mother. They’re hurting so badly.” Yuwen Qi in bed feebly opened his eyes, his voice so weak that it was barely audible.

Zheng shi felt a stab of heartache at Yuwen Qi’s words.

After the physician arrived and caught sight of Yuwen Qi’s legs, his face instantly went awkward. “Second Childe Yuwen’s legs… This symptom is so strange. It seems like poisoning.”

Poisoning? Zheng shi had a brief blackout. Her son had been staying at home all along. How had he come to be poisoned?!

“Given the severity of it, I can but do my best. There’s no guarantee that it would work,” sighed the physician.

Zheng shi’s mood was a mixture of anxiety, alarm and rage. When the physician started the treatment and Yuwen Qi’s whole body convulsed, she hurriedly yelled, “Stop! Stop it!”

The physician said resignedly, “Mistress, pain is a normal reaction. It’s only temporary. He’ll feel better soon. I have to drain the poison from his legs first before administering drug to them.”

“AAAAAARGH! It hurts so much! Quack! You’re a quack!” Yuwen Qi shouted in anguish.

Seeing Yuwen Qi was in such unbearable pain, Zheng shi clenched her teeth and fished the pill out of the porcelain phial. “Physician, do you think this pill will help?”

The physician scrutinized it, sniffed at it and then said in amazement, “This pill is miraculously effective in healing wounds. Where did you get it, Mistress? Though not an antidote to the poison, it can temporarily deaden the poison and spare Second Young Master much pain. As long as I–”

Before the physician could finish his sentence, Zheng shi snatched the pill from his hand and forced it into Yuwen Qi’s mouth. “Qi’er, swallow the pill and Mother will take you to see a miracle-working physician!”

Yuwen Qi ingested the pill and, strangely enough, the pain really eased considerably, and even the dull pain in his bruises disappeared, though his knees had gone numb.

Seeing that Yuwen Qi was no longer feeling that much pain, Zheng shi heaved a sigh of relief, now having no doubt that that mysterious man had been telling the truth.

Zheng shi chucked the physician out and didn’t even pay him. The old physician was almost reduced to hurling abuse with anger. Previously Zheng shi had respectfully hired him to treat Yuwen Qi, but now he’d been driven out of the house. How could he not be angry? If he were unable to treat Yuwen Qi’s legs, he wouldn’t have felt wronged at all, but given that he had obviously offered treatment for his wounded legs and might find an antidote to the poison, what Zheng shi had done was way beyond the pale!

Naturally, news of what was happening in the second branch of the Yuwen family reached Yuwen Tong’s ears.

“Second Mistress actually chucked off the physician? She doesn’t want to treat Childe Qi’s legs any more?” Yao Yi, totally bewildered, went to ask Zhao Fugui on his own account.

Zhao Fugui was startled by his sudden appearance. Woebegone, he said, “Sir, my dear sir, would you please not show up so suddenly again? If by any chance anybody finds out, I’ll be executed.”

“Rest assured, I won’t let you die, for your life is still of some value to me. Nobody saw me come here. Now tell me why Second Mistress drove out the physician. She doesn’t want to cure Childe Qi any more?”

Harassed-looking, Zhao Fugui said in an undertone, “It’s said that Second Mistress came by a pill from some miracle-working physician, which not only healed Second Young Master’s bruises but also inhibited the poison in him.”

“Poison? What poison?” Yao Yi noticed the key point. “And what do you mean by a pill from some miracle-working physician?”

Sweating buckets at the succession of questions, Zhao Fugui answered under his breath, “For some unknown reason, a poison suddenly took effect in Second Young Master’s legs. All the parts around his knees were completely bluish black. Second Young Master fainted from pain. Nobody knows who administered the poison. Second Mistress is consumed with rage. I have to go there as soon as possible. As regards that pill, I don’t know where Second Mistress got it either. She suddenly took it out and also said that she’d take Second Young Master to a miracle-working physician who’d cure his legs.”

Zhao Fugui was very anxious, afraid that Zheng shi might notice his absence and punish him. Yao Yi asked another couple of questions and then had no choice but to let him go.

After returning, Yao Yi recounted his conversation with Zhao Fugui to Yuwen Tong. “Marshal, it was probably Qiu Bing who administered the poison to Childe Qi’s legs, but the so-called ‘miracle-working physician’ that Second Mistress mentioned is very strange. We never saw her go to meet any miracle-working physicians.”

“Now that she has said she’d take Yuwen Qi to see a miracle-working physician, they would definitely set off soon. Have someone keep watch on them,” said Yuwen Tong.

“Yes, Marshal.”