Ling Yushu's expression shifted between dark and light. Qin Mu had hit upon his concern.
Gu Linuan had been the Crown Prince's tutor in his youth. The Crown Prince was older than him and occupied the position of heir apparent. If the treatment of a prince and a commoner was as different as heaven and earth, one in the sky and one beneath the ground, then the treatment of the Crown Prince and an ordinary prince was likewise as different as heaven and earth.
Gu Linuan would not give him this much face. Not only would he refuse him face, he would also make things difficult for him in underhanded ways.
He could already be certain of that.
“I won’t interfere in the matter between you and Gu Linuan.”
Ling Yushu made up his mind and said, “But you must be careful. Gu Linuan is not like the previous Grand Libationer. He does not possess a heart that transforms people like a spring breeze and rain.”
Qin Mu nodded. “Don’t worry. At most, Gu Linuan will make things difficult for me in small ways. He won’t dare go too far.”
Ling Yushu’s expression turned strange. Qin Mu’s tone was a little too confident. Where did he get that confidence?
“Could he and Seventh Sister have already...”
An ominous association arose in his mind. If Qin Mu had become the son-in-law of the imperial family, then he indeed would not need to fear Gu Linuan.
Ling Yushu was silent for a moment before saying, “I plan to submit a memorial to Father and leave the Imperial Academy to lead troops at the frontier. I am a roaming cavalry general, with an official post already, and I have reached the age to go out and command troops. I’m only worried about Seventh Sister...”
Qin Mu consoled him. “Second Prince, don’t worry. You have me.”
The corner of Ling Yushu’s eye twitched. He thought, “It is precisely because I have you that I’m worried.”
Qin Mu chatted with the siblings for a while, then rose to take his leave. “I’ve just returned from elsewhere, and I haven’t even put down my luggage. I need to return to the Scholars’ Residence first.”
Ling Yushu saw him out of the Imperial Princes’ Garden. After a moment of silence, he said to Ling Yuxiu, “Scholar Qin’s state of mind is not that of a young man. He sees things very clearly and will certainly become a great man in the future. What he said just now struck the deepest chord in my heart.”
Ling Yuxiu burst out laughing. “Who says he’s an adult? He doesn’t understand anything. He’s always calling people fat, and he doesn’t even know how to say anything romantic.”
Ling Yushu shook his head. “I’ll submit a memorial to Father soon to leave the Imperial Academy and stop being a scholar. Now that Gu Linuan has become Grand Libationer, he probably won’t treat you kindly either. If you can’t stay in the Imperial Academy, you should come with me to the frontier.”
Ling Yuxiu nodded. “Second Brother, don’t worry. If I can’t stay there, I’ll definitely go to the frontier to find you. But I still want to cultivate under Libationer Bashan.”
Ling Yushu gave her a look. He knew exactly what she was thinking, but it was not convenient to say much, so he could only shake his head.
Qin Mu returned to the Scholars’ Residence with the enormous dragon qilin following behind him. Along the way, many scholars in the Scholars’ Residence watched them, filled with envy.
Yun Que came forward with a fawning smile. “Sister Fox, I’ve earned the ransom money. Could you redeem that outfit of mine for me?”
Hu Ling’er took the money pouch, weighed it in her hand, and nodded. “Wait a moment. I’ll fetch it for you.”
Yun Que thanked her profusely.
Hu Ling’er returned to her room and brought out his clothes. Raising her voice, she called, “Everyone who owes me money, hurry up and bring it out to redeem your debt notes!”
After a while, several scholars came over with dejected expressions and redeemed their debt notes. Hu Ling’er was very pleased. “Next time you’re defeated by Young Master again, I can give you a twenty-percent discount.”
A scholar shook his head. “A Grand Academician is an official of the sixth rank. Who would dare make a move against him?”
Hu Ling’er stared blankly for a moment, then turned to Qin Mu. “Young Master, our source of income has been cut off. We’ll have to live off our savings, and we won’t be able to support this big fellow!”
The dragon qilin lowered his head and said awkwardly, “One sheng of Red Fire Spirit Pills a day is fine too. Just give me something to eat...”
Qin Mu consoled him. “Don’t worry. I can afford to support you. By the way, do you have any saliva? Fill a bottle for me. I’ll take it to see whether it can be exchanged for money.”
Hu Ling’er brought over a jade bottle and filled it with dragon saliva. Qin Mu put the bottle away and instructed them to stay home while he went to the Medical Palace. Several old imperial physicians were studying pill formulas inside the hall. When they saw him, they were all delighted and laughed. “The little miracle doctor has finally returned! What kind of spirit pill are you planning to refine this time? If it’s an anesthetic or poison, you must warn us in advance!”
Qin Mu saluted the physicians. “This time I’ve come to ask you gentlemen to test a medicine.” As he spoke, he took out the small jade bottle.
When the physicians saw the small jade bottle, their expressions changed drastically. Imperial Physician Yu said with a trembling voice, “I recognize this bottle. Could it be another anesthetic?”
“No, it’s a sacred medicine for healing injuries.”
Qin Mu had barely finished speaking when Imperial Physician You took out a small knife. After hesitating for a moment, he cut Imperial Physician Ding’s arm, and blood flowed freely.
Imperial Physician Ding was furious and was about to explode, but Qin Mu hurried forward, opened the jade bottle, took a little dragon saliva, and smeared it over the wound. The wound immediately began to heal. After a few breaths, it had returned to its original state without leaving a scar.
The physicians were astonished and hurried over. Imperial Physician Yu asked, “What degree of injury can this sacred medicine heal? Can it reattach a severed limb?”
Qin Mu nodded. “It can. Someone’s waist had been severed, and I used this medicine to reconnect it, restoring it completely. However, the medicine is only an aid. The muscles and nerves still need to be connected, which places extraordinary demands on the technique.”
Imperial Physician Ding caught sight of Imperial Physician You raising his knife again and hurriedly shouted, “If you dare cut me, I’ll poison your entire family, old and young!”
Imperial Physician You could not bring himself to do it. He walked outside the hall and returned after a while with a scholar. The physicians hurriedly shook their heads. Imperial Physician Yu stamped his foot. “Old You, have you gone mad? Even if you want to test the medicine, you can’t cut off his hands and feet!”
The scholar heard this and nearly lost his soul in fright. He immediately turned and ran. Imperial Physician You tried to catch him, but the other physicians hurriedly blocked him. “No, absolutely not. Scholars are all officials of the eighth rank. If you cut off his hands and feet, you’ll face a lawsuit. Go and bring over that immortal crane of Daoist Lingyun’s. A few days ago, it fought Libationer Bashan’s azure ox and had its leg broken by the ox. Cut off its leg and reattach it!”
Imperial Physician You went out. After a while, he returned with the immortal crane. Imperial Physician Qu held the crane’s beak shut. The crane was terrified and could not struggle free, and Imperial Physician You cut off its injured leg along the break.
The physicians cleaned the shattered bone fragments and waited for Qin Mu to treat it.
After a while, just then, Daoist Lingyun burst in. He was about to lose his temper, but saw Qin Mu reconnecting the immortal crane’s broken bones, attaching the muscles and nerves, and opening the pathways through the marrow.
Daoist Lingyun did not dare say a word. Once Qin Mu had finished reconnecting the injured leg, the physicians finally let go.
The immortal crane hurriedly stood up and moved its leg around. Astonished, it bowed gracefully to Qin Mu to express its thanks. Its voice was crisp and clear, but it was the voice of a little girl.
Qin Mu wrote down another pill formula and handed it to Daoist Lingyun. “Use this formula to decoct medicine, then soak her injured leg in it. It will unblock the meridians and move the qi and blood, leaving no hidden complications.”
When Daoist Lingyun saw that the immortal crane had recovered completely, he was both surprised and delighted. He quickly accepted the formula and thanked Qin Mu repeatedly. With a smile, he said, “You made me lose face before the Emperor. I originally held a grudge against you, but now I’m somewhat grateful.”
Qin Mu smiled. “Fighting is how strangers become acquainted.”
Daoist Lingyun felt that the phrase sounded somewhat odd and seemed inappropriate here, but he had no time to think about it carefully. He hurriedly called the immortal crane away and went to the Treasury Office to obtain the medicine.
Qin Mu smiled. “Gentlemen, how much is this bottle of healing medicine worth? I’m a little short of money lately.”
The physicians were both surprised and delighted. Imperial Physician Yu said, “The little miracle doctor wants to sell it? Then it’s worth quite a lot. For soldiers who go to war, this kind of healing medicine is more precious than any heavenly treasure! I estimate it would fetch at least ten thousand Great Abundance coins!”
Qin Mu was surprised. “Even faster money than what Fan Yunxiao made by robbing people?”
“What?” The physicians had not heard him clearly.
“Nothing.”
Qin Mu smiled. “I can refine one bottle every day. I’ll charge ten thousand gold for each and sell them to the Medical Palace. How about it?”
The physicians’ eyes lit up, and they exchanged glances. Imperial Physician Yu smiled. “That would naturally be excellent.”
Qin Mu was thoroughly satisfied and took his leave. The physicians’ gleaming bald heads gathered together. Imperial Physician Qu said, “We’re going to make a fortune!”
The physicians nodded repeatedly, extremely excited. “Old Yu is still the cleverest. This little bottle of healing medicine is worth far more than ten thousand gold! Once we resell it, we can make another fifty percent!”
Qin Mu walked out of the Medical Palace and returned to the Scholars’ Residence. Suddenly, a voice came from behind him. “Little bald donkey, where is your Khakkhara staff?”
Qin Mu stopped and turned around. Looking at the purple-robed old man behind him with a smile, he bowed and said, “This student greets Grand Libationer Gu.”
The purple-robed old man was none other than Gu Linuan. The nine emblems were no longer visible on his purple robe, clearly indicating that he had removed his first-rank official robes and changed into a third-rank official’s robes.
Gu Linuan smiled faintly and walked up before him. In an unhurried voice, he said, “You tricked my Shao Bao Sword away. Did you know then that this day would come, that one day you would fall into my hands?”
Qin Mu shook his head. “Grand Libationer, what makes you say that?”
Gu Linuan gave an arrogant smile and held out his hand. “Hand it over!”
Qin Mu shook his head again. “I never return things I’ve tricked away.”
A fierce glint appeared in Gu Linuan’s eyes, but Qin Mu was not afraid in the slightest. “I’m an official of the sixth rank now, a Grand Academician personally appointed by the Emperor. I was also the one who cured the Empress Dowager’s illness. If you lay a finger on me, the Emperor will wipe out your entire family.”
Boom!
Demonic qi surged around Gu Linuan and transformed behind him into a hundred-zhang demon god. Its murderous aura caused the surrounding air to solidify, and even space seemed to twist. The hundred-zhang demon god looked distorted, like ground scorched beneath the afternoon sun, and glared viciously at him.
Qin Mu smiled faintly. “Grand Libationer, is there anything else?”
Gu Linuan said coldly, “If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t need to do it myself.”
“You wouldn’t dare, either.”
Before Qin Mu could say anything else, a voice came from behind Gu Linuan. “If you touch my junior brother, the Emperor won’t need to wipe out your entire family. I’ll wipe out your entire family myself.”
Gu Linuan’s body stiffened. He felt as if an indestructible blade had been placed against his neck. He chuckled. “Libationer Bashan? You want to stand up for this little bald donkey?”
Libationer Bashan stood behind him with his robe open at the chest. The two blades on his back jingled constantly inside their sheaths. His face expressionless, he said, “Old Gu, you haven’t appeared for two hundred years. Your Dao techniques and divine arts are already outdated. Shall I give you a few pointers?”
Gu Linuan suddenly burst into laughter. His body transformed into a stream of demonic qi and vanished, his voice carrying into the distance. “Give me pointers? It would take Heaven Blade to make that worthwhile!”
Qin Mu turned around, only to see a blade aura tear through the air and chase after that stream of demonic qi.
“Libationer Bashan has always loved fighting. He must have become excited at the sight of a worthy opponent and plans to battle Gu Linuan. What a pity I can’t keep up.”
Qin Mu sighed and returned to the Scholars’ Residence. He had just entered the door when Hu Ling’er’s voice came from inside. “Young Master, we have a visitor.”
Qin Mu entered and saw a middle-aged man standing in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, waiting. He could not help being slightly startled.
The State Preceptor of Yankang.
The State Preceptor of Yankang turned around, his gaze falling on him. “The Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult is actually the first Grand Academician of my Imperial Academy. What an amusing coincidence.”
et★