Chapter 125: Senior Brother Little Poison King
Qin Mu was slightly startled. This young girl looked somewhat familiar, but in his haste, he couldn't quite place her. The girl was being swept forward by the crowd, waving as she walked: "Cowherd, where do you live? I'll come find you!"
"Imperial Academy!"
Qin Mu waved back at her, and suddenly a flash of insight struck him: "Ah, it's Ling Yuxiu! Why does she look a bit different?"
The Ling Yuxiu of before had been about the same height as him back then, but now she was an inch or two taller than Qin Mu. She had grown into a young woman, blossoming into a striking beauty. When she had waved to him in the crowd just now, he had almost failed to recognize her.
"At least her face is still round and chubby—that hasn't changed," Qin Mu said with relief.
Physician Qu and the others looked at him with strange expressions. The older Physician You, being kind-hearted and soft-spoken, warned him: "Little Divine Healer, saying something like that about a girl—especially a princess—could get you beheaded."
Qin Mu was puzzled: "Why? In the Great Ruins, when we praise a girl for being beautiful, we say she's strong and fertile. Princess Yuxiu may not be what I'd call strong, but she's a bit plump, so I think she should be fertile."
Was that really a way to praise a girl?
The old physicians exchanged knowing glances, all wearing expressions that said this guy was beyond saving. He would surely be beaten to death with a club sooner or later.
Physician Mu said: "Little Divine Healer, let's return to the Imperial Academy. This night's work has really worn out these old bones of ours."
After leaving the palace, Qin Mu parted ways with the physicians, returned to Flower Lane, had breakfast at the Listening Rain Pavilion, bid farewell to Fu Qingyun and the other women, and, carrying his luggage along with Fox Ling'er, headed back to the Imperial Academy.
Imperial Academy, Scholar's Residence.
Qin Mu walked toward his courtyard. Fox Ling'er poked her head out of the backpack behind him, curiously looking around.
From a distance, Qin Mu saw several rows of scholars sitting in front of his courtyard. These scholars sat upright, each with a sword case standing beside them, their left hands resting on the cases, their faces solemn.
The one at the front spoke coldly toward the courtyard: "Outcast, are you awake yet? Or are you afraid of us? If you're scared, then come out and erase the words on your wall!"
Another scholar sneered: "We have plenty of patience. If you've got the guts, stay holed up in that house forever. Let's see how long you can hide!"
"Weren't you pretty arrogant yesterday? You actually went and told everyone about how we ambushed you yesterday, making the whole Imperial Academy know, and making us lose face. Why are you hiding inside now? Are you going to be a turtle?"
"We're keeping your words up there to humiliate you, to make you know shame! To let the whole Imperial Academy know that you're nothing but an outcast from the barbaric lands, while we are the true orthodox!"
...
Qin Mu walked up, passing in front of the crowd, puzzled: "When did I ever tell anyone about this?"
The scholars stared blankly, watching him calmly push open the door and walk inside. They had thought Qin Mu was hiding in his room, afraid to come out, but it turned out he had just returned from outside, leaving them shouting in vain for half the day.
Qin Mu entered the main hall, set down his backpack, and said: "Ling'er, go tidy up the room and make the bed. I'm going out for a bit."
Fox Ling'er acknowledged and asked: "Young master, what are you going out for?"
Without looking back, Qin Mu replied: "These people are too noisy. If I don't give them a beating, I won't be able to sleep."
Fox Ling'er had no choice but to use the wind to tidy the room. Just then, a loud crash rang out. Fox Ling'er quickly looked through the window lattice and saw a scholar shoot into the air, then come crashing down headfirst.
"Next." Qin Mu's voice came from outside.
Thunder rumbled, as if a clear sky bolt had suddenly exploded. Fox Ling'er heard a whistling sound—probably the noise of a body breaking through the air—but she didn't see anyone flying. She only heard the sound of a heavy object colliding in the distance.
"Next." Qin Mu's voice came again.
The sound of surging water, great waves crashing, roaring breakers pounding the shore. Amid the torrent of water, a scream rang out, then fell silent. Only Qin Mu's voice remained: "Next."
Fox Ling'er quickly finished tidying the room, making the bed and laying out the bedding. She then took out the items from the backpack, thinking: "If I finish fast enough, I can still go out and watch the fun!"
The sounds of collisions came from outside, earth-shattering, and screams followed without end. By the time she finished and rushed excitedly out the door, Qin Mu was already walking back inside from the entrance, looking somewhat tired.
"Young master, it's over?" Fox Ling'er was a bit disappointed.
Qin Mu nodded and yawned: "I'm sleepy. I'll rest for a while. Don't run off."
Fox Ling'er nodded and poked her head out the door. She was startled to see the roads of the Scholar's Residence littered with scattered scholars. Some were lying spread-eagled, some were hanging on the neighboring walls, some were dangling head-down from trees, some were embedded in the walls in the distance, some had fallen into the roadside drainage ditches, and others were planted in the ground with only their legs sticking out, twitching occasionally.
Fox Ling'er stuck out her tongue, ran over, and began rummaging through the scholars' belongings. She took their jade pendants, spirit pills, jade bracelets, hairpins, and other items, then carried them into the house.
"Ling'er, what are you doing?" Qin Mu's drowsy voice came from inside.
Fox Ling'er said matter-of-factly: "The Demon Ape said: win, loot, rules."
Qin Mu's snoring came from inside—he probably hadn't heard. Fox Ling'er ran out again to drag away the scholars' sword cases. One scholar woke up and weakly raised a hand to grab his case.
Fox Ling'er blew out a whirlwind, lifted the sword case, and smashed it down on the scholar's head. The scholar's face was covered in blood, but he still didn't pass out. Fox Ling'er hit him a few more times until he finally fell unconscious. Fox Ling'er sighed with relief and carried the case into the courtyard. The scholar secretly opened one eye, and seeing the fox had gone far, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ah, you're awake again!"
Fox Ling'er caught him opening his eyes and shrieked. Then the scholar saw a tornado lift a boulder the size of a small hill, ready to smash him. He quickly fainted again. This time, he was genuinely scared unconscious.
Fox Ling'er put down the rock and hopped along, looting as she went, getting farther and farther away. Just then, a scholar in the distance woke up and, seeing the fox plundering the treasures from the other scholars, struggled to crawl away. But Fox Ling'er spotted him and dragged him back to the Scholar's Residence. The scholar screamed all the way, then fell silent—knocked out by the fox.
State Preceptor's Mansion, Great Xia.
The mansion was grand and ornate, but the place where the Great Xia State Preceptor cultivated was very simple—just a single great hall, empty and bare, with nothing else.
But if one looked up, they would see a truly spectacular sight. Above the hall, there was no ceiling to be seen, only a dome, with countless stars appearing so close they seemed within reach.
This was the marvel of formations.
Ten thousand zhang above the ground, a formation floated there, paved with countless transparent glass tiles. Several of the State Preceptor's disciples were presiding over the formation. This formation covered a thousand mu of area at that height, gathering starlight, which passed through the glass and shone straight down onto the dome of the hall.
The Great Xia State Preceptor cultivated by gathering starlight, which was why his cultivation was so profound.
At this moment, the State Preceptor's aura was weak, and he was recuperating. Beside him stood a man in black, mixing medicines.
Suddenly, a red flying insect flew in from outside the hall and landed by the black-clad man's ear. The man's face was covered in toad-like bumps, making his appearance terrifying. He nodded repeatedly, as if understanding the red insect's words—a very strange sight.
"State Preceptor, my junior brother has arrived."
This black-clad man was the Little Poison King mentioned by the Empress Dowager, named Fu Yuanqing. He said: "He acted and removed the Thousand Mechanisms Poison from the Empress Dowager's body."
The Great Xia State Preceptor opened his eyes, exhaled a strong smell of blood, and asked doubtfully: "How do you know it was your junior brother who removed the Thousand Mechanisms Poison from the Empress Dowager?"
"The Thousand Mechanisms Poison was my master's masterpiece. In all the world, only he and I can cure it."
Fu Yuanqing's fleshy bumps trembled as he spoke unhurriedly: "My little insect tells me that the one who came is a youth. Obviously, it's not my master, so it can only be his newly accepted disciple. I thought he was dead, but it turns out he's still alive and has taught a little junior brother. State Preceptor, since the Empress Dowager's poison has been cured, should we administer another strange poison?"
The Great Xia State Preceptor shook his head: "There's no need anymore."
Fu Yuanqing was puzzled.
"There is no personal grudge between the Empress Dowager and me. Back then, she opposed my reforms for the sake of her son's throne. His Majesty was also somewhat hesitant, which is why I had you administer the poison. It wasn't to kill her, only to prevent her from interfering in state affairs. Without the Empress Dowager's interference, His Majesty could wholeheartedly carry out the reforms. Now, my power is secure. Half of the court and countryside support the reforms."
The Great Xia State Preceptor continued: "And those who oppose me are now seizing the chance to rebel. My momentum is established. Under the tide of circumstances, even the Empress Dowager cannot stop me."
Fu Yuanqing laughed: "You talk about momentum, but I talk about grudges. Your injuries are mostly healed, so there's no use for me here. I want to go out for a stroll. My junior brother has arrived—how could I, as his senior brother, not go see him?"
The Great Xia State Preceptor said: "Be careful. The Empress Dowager may not be able to do anything to me, but she can still have you killed."
Fu Yuanqing hesitated, his fleshy bumps trembling, and said resentfully: "You were the one who told me to administer the poison. Why would she kill me instead of you? How am I not innocent?"
"You sold out your master, have you forgotten? Besides, the Empress Dowager had some ambiguous relationship with your master. She is clever and will surely realize that the one who cured the poison is your junior brother. She will definitely be waiting for you to take the bait, to kill you, both to avenge herself and to avenge your master."
Fu Yuanqing's head ached, and he had no choice but to abandon the idea.