"So it's you, you stinking brat," Bai Qi snorted, not having a good impression of Su Yunmo, and waved his hand dismissively.
"If you have this time, hurry up and study, don't get kicked out of the academy, or you'll lose face."
Su Yunmo stepped inside, tiptoed onto a chair to stand, meeting his gaze, snatched the medicinal pill from his hand, and threw it on the ground.
Bai Qi immediately bristled, "You little brat! This is a pill I've just researched to treat incurable diseases, it's my life's work!"
"The proportions of licorice and Polygonum multiflorum are incorrect, and the variety of nourishing herbs is too large, causing their medicinal effects to cancel each other out," Su Yunmo snorted, with immense disdain. "Your life's work isn't that great either."
Bai Qi's hand paused as he picked up the medicine, looking somewhat surprised.
This stinking brat could tell so much just by touch?
Could she really be a genius?
"You said you wanted to compete with me just now?"
Su Yunmo crossed her arms. "I heard you've always been interested in treating illnesses and saving people, but your medical skills haven't improved."
Bai Qi's eyelids twitched. "I am a renowned divine physician!"
This girl, does she know how to speak!
"It doesn't matter, it's all flattery anyway," Su Yunmo stated her condition. "Let's have a competition. If I win, I get into the East Courtyard. If I lose, I apologize."
Bai Qi was choked with anger. What did she mean by flattery!
However, this girl did have some skill, but last time it might have been a fluke, perhaps she got the pill from somewhere.
It was a good opportunity to curb her arrogance, let her know how high the sky and how thick the earth are, and I could also save face!
"Alright, I agree. How do you want to compete?"
"It's very simple, treating illnesses and saving people. Whoever can cure the patient wins, with no time limit."
The patient's condition varied based on their physique, the medicinal effects differed, and the improvement situation was also different. This time limit was quite fair.
Bai Qi: "Agreed."
Su Yunmo looked at him suspiciously. "I don't trust you. You're petty. You have to swear that if I win, you won't bother me again, or your whole family will die."
Bai Qi stared, "What kind of talk is that? Would I, an old man, deceive a little girl like you? Fine! I'll swear!"
He raised three fingers and uttered words about his whole family dying, choking to death while eating, being hit by a car when going out, and his medical skills never improving, even more ruthlessly than Su Yunmo.
After swearing, he picked up the herbs impatiently. "When do we start?"
Su Yunmo smacked her lips, satisfied, and jumped down from the chair. "You lost. Don't forget to let me into the East Courtyard tomorrow as agreed."
Bai Qi watched her walk out, stunned. "When did I lose? We haven't even competed yet!"
Su Yunmo stopped, turned around, spread her hands, shrugged, with an innocent face. "Isn't Chen Mingmo already better?"
Bai Qi: "??"
She curved her lips into a smile, looking pure and adorable. "The Dean can't go back on his word, or his whole family will die."
Bai Qi: "!!"
You little brat! That's what "no time limit" meant! She was tricked!
"You get back here!!"
Su Yunmo could still hear Bai Qi's enraged growl as she walked out of the courtyard gate.
She dug at her ear, feeling pleased as she walked back.
It's good not having to study.
With the matter settled, Su Yunmo was too lazy to go to the academy and simply took leave to go home.
Ziyuan drove to the school gate to pick her up. Su Yunmo had asked her to investigate something, and there was already a result.
"Most of Zhao Fengchen's businesses were acquired through forced sales. When trouble arose, he would use money to bribe the officials. Just three days ago, he forced a family of five to their deaths, including an infant in swaddling clothes."
Ziyuan was indignant when she spoke of this. She had personally investigated the scene; the child was used as a threat and drowned alive in a well.
Su Yunmo sneered.
Five lives, such a big matter could be settled with money. It seemed Zhao Fengchen was indeed very wealthy.
Ziyuan was worried. "Mistress, no one dares to get involved in this matter. Even with evidence, it cannot be released. But if it's not blown up, it won't affect Zhao Fengchen at all."
"Who says no one dares to get involved."
She remembered that after General Father returned to the capital for his report, the Emperor had bestowed upon him the title of Censor of the Left.
The Censor of the Left was responsible for overseeing various officials in the Six Departments and Fifteen Censorates, and could impeach the unlawful behavior of all princes and ministers.
Tsk tsk, this official post was good.
Su Yunmo stretched. "Get in the carriage, let's go home."
Ziyuan drove the carriage all the way to the Zhou residence.
Su Yunmo got out of the carriage at the main entrance, but did not enter directly. Instead, she asked Ziyuan to drive the carriage away first.
After Ziyuan left, Su Yunmo looked around. No one was nearby. "Daddy? Are you here?"
A strong gust of wind flashed, and Su Yunmo was pulled by her collar, momentarily disoriented, and found herself in a corner.
Su Qingtian hid by the wall, his eyes bloodshot, his hair messy, completely devoid of the grand general's demeanor he had when they first met.
Su Yunmo couldn't help but exclaim, "Yo."
She really didn't know what he had gone through these past few days; he looked truly miserable.
Su Qingtian glared at her, enduring it, his voice hoarse as he spoke.
"I told you to stay, and I told you to be entered into the family tree! Now go tell You'er to come home!"
He had been at the border for three years without returning. Finally back in the capital, he could experience the wonderful life of his wife, children, and a warm hearth, but instead, he was scavenging for food outside the Zhou residence every day.
What the heck was this!
Su Yunmo tilted her head, her voice milky and soft. "Okay, Momo can help Daddy persuade Mommy to come back, but Daddy has to help me with something too."
The events of the past two days made Su Qingtian know that the help she spoke of was by no means simple.
Su Yunmo opened her bright, innocent eyes. "It's very easy, Daddy just needs to take people to confiscate Zhao Fengchen's businesses."
"Just?" She actually said "just"!
Su Qingtian's scalp tingled. "I have no quarrel with that Zhao fellow. Why would I court trouble for no reason? No!"
Su Yunmo looked at him calmly, then pouted, her eyes reddening, and she burst into tears, wailing loudly.
"Mommy, Mommy save me! Daddy is going to hit me, woo woo woo, Mommy, Daddy is bullying me..."
Su Qingtian's hair stood on end!
He grabbed her, pulled her into his arms, and covered her mouth with his large hand.
Then, like a rabbit, he darted out, only stopping when he reached another corner.
After stopping, he didn't dare to breathe and cautiously peeked out. When he saw no one coming, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Yunmo leaned against his chest, clearly hearing his heartbeat.
Thump-thump, very loud.
"You little brat, don't you dare shout!" Su Qingtian looked down and saw Su Yunmo struggling to breathe, slowly loosening his grip, but still staring intently.
"Who taught you to tattle-tale!"
At such a young age, she's learned such crooked ways!
Su Yunmo wriggled out of his embrace and stood aside, smacking her lips. "Are you going to help or not?"
Su Qingtian gritted his teeth fiercely. "There's no room for negotiation on this matter. If you dare to say anything inexplicable again, watch out or I'll beat you!"
She was talking about confiscating property, not playing house!
Su Yunmo quickly curled up, her eyes teary and her whole body trembling. "Daddy, don't hit me, Momo will cry~"
Her voice trailing off, it was clearly a threat.