"Master, the Princess Consort..."
Ji Jinmo raised a hand to stop Xuan Thirteen's words. He knew what he was about to say, but it was unnecessary. She didn't need to know about this, nor did she need to be involved.
"Oh, right, Master, can I go out now?"
Halfway through, Nan Shiying turned back. She pushed open the door and glanced at Xuan Thirteen, who was standing by the table, then shifted her gaze to Ji Jinmo.
She didn't know if Nan Shiying had heard the conversation between Xuan Thirteen and Ji Jinmo just now, or how much of it she had heard.
"You may!"
Ji Jinmo nodded at her. Those who had inquired about Feng Luan in the Huancai Pavilion were later confirmed to be those who had been executed in Weilang Lane. It was fine for her to travel in the identity of Feng Luan recently.
"Alright!"
Nan Shiying got the answer she wanted, turned, and closed the door, all actions flowing seamlessly.
Xuan Thirteen blinked, wondering what this one wanted to do outside again!
...
The next day, Nan Shiying transformed into Feng Luan and quietly slipped out of the manor.
Sishui Street.
The ancestral hall had been repaired a bit and no longer let the wind blow in. Nan Shiying stood outside the door and heard the furious curses of Old Poison: "Are you a pig? How many times have I told you, why can't you remember? I feel sorry for pigs saying this about you, pigs are smarter than you!!"
"Pfft!"
Well, he must be scolding that dog-like brat!
Nan Shiying pushed open the door of the ancestral hall and casually threw the things in her hands on the ground. Yatdan poked her head out from the kitchen, looked at the large and small packages on the ground, wiped her hands on her clothes, and walked out with an iron spoon.
"Brother Luan, what did you buy again?"
Nan Shiying threw the pastries she had kept in her fur coat to Yatdan and raised her hand to pat Yatdan's head: "Some daily necessities."
As she spoke, the sound of a door opening came from not far away. Gouzi pushed the door open as if he had lost his parents, his face drooping to his heels, listlessly like a walking corpse with only an empty shell.
"Hurry up, why are you blocking the way!"
Old Poison pushed Gouzi away disdainfully. Seeing Nan Shiying, he said with a yin and yang tone, "Oh, isn't this Feng Luan? What, did you come to see if this old man is dead?"
Nan Shiying twitched her lips. This damn old man.
She followed Old Poison's words and nodded, her tone full of regret: "Yes, I didn't expect you to still be alive. If I had known, I would have come back later."
"You little brat!"
Old Poison delivered a flying kick to Gouzi's backside and yelled, pointing at the west to curse the east: "I think you're just asking for a beating!"
Gouzi fell face-first into the dirt with a "crash."
"Pah, pah, pah!"
He scrambled up from the ground, spitting out the dirt he had eaten while falling, and turned to glare at Old Poison, his eyes seeming to spew fire, his face full of unspoken curses: "Old man, if you have the guts, kick him! Why are you pointing at the west to curse the east? I spit, I despise you!"
Exposed, Old Poison felt no embarrassment. His face was as thick as a city wall. He stepped forward, grabbed Gouzi, and automatically provided a voiceover: "Here you go!"
He swung his arm and hurled Gouzi away.
"Old~b~a~s~t~a~r~d~"
Gouzi's cry flew with the wind, carrying a trembling tone as it entered the wind. The lingering sound was a masterpiece.
Nan Shiying gave Old Poison a thumbs-up, expressing her admiration: "You are truly a sharp blade even in old age."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Old Poison glared fiercely at Nan Shiying. He put his hands behind his back, walked to the water缸, scooped a ladle of water, and with a "whoosh," poured it on the flowers planted in the yard. Without looking back, he asked, "Tell me, what's the matter?"
Nan Shiying smiled and walked to Old Poison's side, looking at the flourishing Muyao flowers: "Old Poison, how much do you know about gu?"
Old Poison paused his scooping and looked up at her: "Why are you asking this?"
His voice and attitude instantly became serious.
Nan Shiying said, "A friend of mine has been poisoned."
She explained briefly and then pressed: "Do you know about it or not? Give me a straight answer."
Old Poison threw the water ladle back into the缸, his face darkening with displeasure. Thinking of something, he suddenly let out a cold laugh.
"Let's talk inside!"
He uttered these three words, then turned and walked into the room.
Nan Shiying hurried to follow.
"Close the door!"
After Nan Shiying entered the room, she heard Old Poison's instruction and closed the door as she went.
Old Poison walked to the pile of books stacked in the corner, searched for a long time, and then found the book propping up the table leg under the worn desk leg. He blew off the thick dust from the pages, and the dust that was stirred up almost choked him.
"What bad luck!"
He cursed under his breath, then threw the book at Nan Shiying like garbage.
"Just this one book. Read it and get out."
Old Poison said this and left the room, as if the appearance of this book had polluted the air in the room, making him unable to stay for a moment longer.
Nan Shiying watched Old Poison leave before opening the pages.
"Gu Shu"
The name of the book was concise. It wasn't until Nan Shiying saw the inscription on the title page – the Yin Clan of Miaojiang.
Last night, after returning to her room, she had asked Luyuan about the gu masters of Miaojiang. Although Luyuan didn't know much, she did mention a clan.
That was the Yin Clan of Miaojiang.
The clans of Miaojiang numbered only tens of thousands, but they were not a single family but a tribe composed of several families. The Yin Clan, with their more exquisite and more sinister gu skills, naturally became the leader of this tribe.
How did Old Poison have the Gu Shu written by the Yin Clan of Miaojiang?
A hint of doubt suddenly arose in Nan Shiying's heart, but then she suppressed it.
The more fleas you have, the less you fear itching.
One trouble is a burden, and more trouble is also a burden. It doesn't matter!
Nan Shiying had transitioned from her initial fear of trouble to a state of reckless abandon.
She stopped thinking and began to read attentively.
Time passed quickly. It wasn't until the aroma of food filled the courtyard that Nan Shiying realized it was noon.
Yatdan brought the food into the room and placed it on the table: "Brother Luan, Grandpa said you definitely wouldn't have time to eat, so he asked me to bring the food to you."
"Also, Grandpa said that if you don't finish reading it today, he wants you to take the book and leave."
Yatdan phrased it more tactfully. Old Poison's original intention was definitely for her to take the book and get lost.
Nan Shiying nodded at Yatdan, thanked her with a smile, then picked up the book with one hand and the chopsticks with the other, eating and reading at the same time.