Jin Shanyao her eyes; she knew this kid wasn't very bright.
She beckoned to the servant to bring in the walnuts from the oxcart, and patted the cloth bag, saying to Lu Chi, "Have the kitchen cook them. Eat a few every day to nourish your brain."
Lu Chi's lips twitched, and he said aggrievedly, "Boss, that Xuanjizi is really cunning. Every time we get the news and rush over, we find nothing."
Jin Shanyao suddenly curled her lips into a smile, "I heard the imperial court is offering a reward of five thousand taels for his capture. Let me cast a divination for you; how about I take the reward money?"
Lu Chi looked accusing. "Boss, did you come to the capital for me or for Xuanjizi?"
Jin Shanyao her tongue and said frankly, "Naturally, it's for you; Xuanjizi is just a side effect."
Oh, and I'd also like to ask you for a favor. See if there are any mountains for sale in the suburbs of Beijing. I'd like to buy one and grow some medicinal herbs.
Lu Chi took a deep breath, feeling utterly helpless. As expected, he was completely unimportant to his master.
"Boss, don't even think about buying the mountain. The mountains near the capital are all royal gardens and hunting grounds, and buying and selling them is prohibited. However, catching Xuanjizi could make you a fortune."
Xuanjizi is the most crucial witness for the Crown Prince to overthrow the Third Prince. As long as he is captured, the situation in the court will undergo a dramatic change.
Jin Shanyao a moment of disappointment; she still wanted to make a name for herself in the capital. Damn this system of royal power...
No, when she got back, she bought up all the mountains near Qingzhou Prefecture and established her own medicinal herb kingdom.
The Jin Shanyao, and the little figure inside laughed heartily, hands on hips, looking up at the sky, "Hahahaha..." (End of text)
Jin Shanyao, her face stern, asked in a deep voice, "Where did you capture Xuanjizi last time?"
Lu Chi summoned his men, took out a map of the capital, pointed to his own residence, and then pointed to the place where Xuanjizi had disappeared.
Jin Shanyao head knowingly, pretending to count on his fingers, but in reality, his Spiritual Power had already reached the place where Xuanjizi had last appeared.
Using Spiritual Power to connect with the surrounding plants, and following their guidance, the Jin Shanyao quickly located Xuanjizi's footsteps.
Inside the ancient tomb at Mount Fengxi, Fifth Master Dong laid out the food he had brought. "Brother... we can eat now."
Xuanjizi was meditating on the futon, slowly opened his eyes. "Is there any movement in the capital?"
"Those idiots are still checking at the city gate, little did they know that Big Brother had already escaped," he said, tearing off a roasted chicken leg and handing it to Xuanjizi, then immediately refilling his glass with wine.
"Brother... you've already left the city, why not go somewhere further away? It's so stifling to stay cooped up in this ancient tomb!"
Xuanjizi took a bite of the chicken leg, picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. Fifth Master Dong hurriedly picked up the wine pot and filled the cup.
"Where can I run to? The whole country is plastered with wanted posters... I'd rather stay here obediently; this is where the darkness is under the lamp..."
Fifth Master Dong nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes, yes... Brother Dong is indeed very thoughtful." After saying that, he subconsciously turned the jade thumb ring in his hand.
Xuanjizi's gaze fell on the jade thumb ring. "You've been wearing this all this time?"
Fifth Master Dong fawned, "Did my elder brother say that it needs to be worn for 49 days to 'nourish' this jade thumb ring? Today is the last day."
Xuanjizi stretched out his hand, "Let me see it!"
Fifth Master Dong hurriedly took off his jade thumb ring and handed it over. Xuanjizi's gaze fell on the runes, and a smile appeared on his lips.
"Good, you're taking good care of it... Remember, you can't take it off even when bathing."
"Don't worry, brother. As long as it brings good luck, I'm willing to wear it for a lifetime, let alone for a while."
A lifetime... A hint of mockery flashed in Xuanjizi's eyes.
He took out a bronze mirror from behind his back and handed it to him, "Here... you can sell it for a lot of money..."
Fifth Master Dong accepted it with delight, shining the light of the oil lamp on it. "A diamond-patterned mirror from the previous dynasty! Brother, this is quite valuable. Where did you get it? Could this ancient tomb be from the previous dynasty?"
Xuanjizi's face darkened. "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. Just do your job well, and I won't treat you unfairly..." He then gestured for Fifth Master Dong to leave.
Having just received a benefit, Fifth Master Dong dared not offend him and slunk away.
Not long after he left, Xuanjizi felt a domineering Spiritual Power sweeping in... exactly the same as the one that overturned the sinkhole formation.
He didn't have time to think and got up to run away, but as soon as he reached the tomb entrance, he saw a Dahuang standing outside. The dog was about half a person's height.
He turned around and tried to climb out through the abandoned tunnel.
Unexpectedly, his path was blocked by a mountain weasel. It stood there silently, its eyes staring at him emotionlessly, making his scalp tingle...
Xuanjizi swallowed hard and called out to the void, "May I ask who you are? We have no past grudges or recent enmity. I hope you can be merciful and spare me."
Xuanjizi took out all his silver coins and placed them on the ground. He knelt down with a thud, clasped his hands together, and kowtowed in all directions.
He muttered, "Please, Master, spare my life. I am willing to follow you for the rest of my life and follow your lead without question..." As soon as he finished speaking, noisy footsteps came from outside the tomb.
He yelled "Oh no!" and flung a talisman at Dahuang... smack... the talisman exploded in mid-air.
A mocking glint flashed in Dahuang's eyes. Back when their master was practicing drawing talismans, they had seen all sorts of things.
This talisman isn't even as powerful as the one the master ruined...
Xuanjizi stared in disbelief as the life-saving talisman burned to ashes, muttering, "Impossible... impossible??"
Just as he was about to Hand Seals, he noticed the chicken leg lying on the ground. On a sudden inspiration, he picked up the chicken leg, made two smacking noises at Dahuang, and then threw it away.
"Go on... eat..."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the squeak of a mountain cat behind him. Turning around, he saw the mountain cat stretching out its paw at Dahuang, laughing so hard it rolled around on the ground.
The mocking laughter echoed through the tomb, extremely piercing, making Xuanjizi's scalp tingle and his spine go cold.
He turned his head stiffly, only to see a murderous intent surging in Dahuang's eyes, his fierce aura overwhelming. Xuanjizi's heart tightened, and he suddenly realized that he had done something foolish.
Aww...
A wild, furious roar suddenly erupted, the powerful sound wave sending Xuanjizi flying.
When Lu Chi arrived with his men, they saw Dahuang lifting its hind legs and urinating on Xuanjizi's face... Then it shook itself and slowly walked down the mountain.
Xiaoli followed Dahuang around cheekily, mimicking Xuanjizi's tone, "Tsk tsk tsk... Go... Hahahaha."
"Tsk tsk tsk... Go... Hahahaha..."
" Dahuang, oh Dahuang... You've gone from a perfectly good mountain dog to a domestic dog! Do you like the chicken leg? Why don't you go eat it? Hahahaha..."
"Shut up... you Xiaohua..."
The laughter stopped abruptly... followed by the Xiaoli's roar, "Mountain raccoon... I'm a mountain raccoon, not Xiaohua..."
A smile crept onto Dahuang's lips. After the cat and dog returned to the Lu Household and explained the whole story, Xiaoli specifically emphasized the chicken leg incident, which made Dahuang's teeth chatter with anger.
Jin Shanyao took out two handfuls of ginkgo nuts and fed them, saying, "You've worked hard... Go and rest."
The cats and dogs left one after another, and the wind in the yard gradually subsided.
Before long, a maidservant quietly entered to report that Lord Lu had other business to attend to that night and would not be returning to the manor for dinner. She then bowed and asked them what they would like to eat that evening.
Upon hearing Jin Shanyao's eyebrows curved into a smile, and she said, "Then we won't eat at the manor. Go and tell the stables to prepare my oxcart, and we'll go out for a walk."
The maidservant was ordered to leave.
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci curiously, "Auntie... where are we going?"
"Go to the Fu Household..."
Upon hearing this, Meng Anci silently put the jade abacus and account book into his satchel, and after thinking for a moment, he added a stack of papers.
Meng Anzhi then put the pulse pillow into her handbag.
Jin Shanyao stared at the two children, both amused and exasperated, "We're going to deliver a gift..."
"I understand..." Meng Anzhi took out the cloth banner, rolled it up, and carried it on her shoulder. Seeing the Jin Shanyao but not moving, she asked in confusion, "Aren't you leaving..."
Jin Shanyao took the banner and stood it in the corner. "This time, we're not going to make money off the Fu Household; we're just here to visit..."
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci exchanged a glance and understood... The Fu Household and Lu Chi were going to get married, and Anci was Su Wenqian's student.
They're practically family to us, so we can't use the word "earn" to describe their money; we have to say we're helping them out.
After thinking for a moment, Meng Anzhi stuffed a few more bottles of calming pills into her handbag.