Little Pink Starfish

Two Completely Oblivious People

When Master Fenglin was poisoned this time, Mo Wen only needed a glance to recognize it—it was the same poison his senior disciple had been afflicted with.

Imperial Preceptor Chengguan spoke earnestly: “Abbot, the poison affecting Master Fenglin is one this humble monk has never encountered before.”

Mo Wen looked at Chengguan and said, “Tian Xingzi has escaped.”

Chengguan nodded. “During the chaos in the temple, Tian Xingzi injured two monks guarding him and fled.”

“Where are those two monks?”

“If the abbot wishes to see them, I’ll summon them immediately.”

Mo Wen seemed to consider this, then waved his hand. “No need. I don’t doubt your words.” Those monks were clearly Chengguan’s trusted subordinates. If that was the case, what could he possibly gain by interrogating them?

“Yes,” Chengguan replied respectfully. “Then what of Master Fenglin?”

“He’ll be fine,” Mo Wen said, turning to look again at Master Fenglin, who was lying curled up on the bed. “You may go now, Chengguan.”

After Chengguan left the meditation room, a young attendant monk quietly asked, “Abbot, who poisoned the master?”

Mo Wen touched the swollen face of Fenglin without replying.

“Hmph,” Yu Xiaoxiao huffed proudly from inside her foolish emperor father’s carriage. “At first I thought, now that I have the antidote, I won’t bother poisoning Wen Fenglin. But then I saw that pretty boy’s face and got annoyed, so while I was hitting him, I forced some of that poison blood I got from Wuhuan down his throat.”

Xiao Wei blinked. “Princess, I didn’t see you poison Wen Fenglin.”

“That’s because I’m fast,” Yu Xiaoxiao said seriously. “Mo Wen was standing right behind me—I couldn’t let that bald bastard find out.”

Xiao Zhuang clapped for the princess. “Hope he dies from it!”

Crack. Yu Xiaoxiao had just finished setting Gu Xingnuo’s dislocated left arm.

Gu Xingnuo was now even paler than before, leaning weakly against the carriage wall and drenched in sweat.

Xiao Wei wiped his brow with a hot towel prepared by the eunuchs. Knowing that Gu Xingnuo also had internal injuries, everyone in the carriage avoided moving him unnecessarily.

Finally, Emperor Xianzong, who had been silent for some time, spoke. “You poisoned Wen Fenglin again?”

Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “You think I shouldn’t have?”

Xianzong shook his head. Poison him then. With Mo Wen around, no matter how poisoned Wen Fenglin was, he probably wouldn’t die.

“What exactly was that monster?” Gu Xinglang asked at that moment.

“You’re asking me?” Xianzong snapped.

Gu Xinglang looked at him, unsure whether to nod or shake his head.

Xianzong vented his anger on his son-in-law, eyes bulging. “I haven’t even seen what this so-called monster looks like, and you’re asking me? Am I a god now? Do I have to know everything? What use are you people then? Useless—worthle—”

Before Xianzong could finish saying “worthless trash,” Yu Xiaoxiao glared at him and snapped, “Why are you yelling at Little Gu? Worry about how you’re going to deal with Mo Wen first!”

“Oh heavens!” Xianzong panicked and immediately covered her mouth. That was something you thought—not said aloud!

Yu Xiaoxiao pushed his hand away. “Those monsters were made by Mo Wen!”

“Come on,” Xianzong said, “You’re all talking about monsters covered in worms—I haven’t seen one. I don’t believe it.”

Yu Xiaoxiao grabbed his collar. “Fine, I’ll take you in and show you the monster’s corpse myself.”

“I’m not going!” Xianzong instantly clung to Gu Xinglang. A monster covered in worms? No thanks—he’d throw up!

Yu Xiaoxiao scowled. “You don’t believe me, I offer to show you proof, and you still refuse. What do you want?”

Xianzong muttered, “Linglong, let’s just escort Mo Wen out of Fengtian with courtesy and be done with it.”

“What?” Yu Xiaoxiao stared at him in disbelief. “Courtesy? Did I hear you right? Mo Wen and Wen Fenglin, those scumbags, and you want to give them a polite send-off?!”

“The monster already showed up,” Xianzong grumbled. “What kind of war do you want me to fight? It’s one thing to lose to people—but monsters? You trying to get us all killed?”

“Princess,” Gu Xingnuo spoke up, recovering a bit. “Let me go with you to check the Ministry.”

“Wouldn’t the monster have been burned to ashes by now?” Gu Xinglang pointed out. “The whole place went up.”

The carriage fell silent. Come to think of it, yeah… the buildings were gone. Would the monster and worms have survived that fire?

Xianzong thought for a moment and then called out through the carriage window, “Someone! Go to the Ministry of War and bring more kerosene.”

Yu Xiaoxiao asked, “Dad, what are you going to burn next—the Temple of National Protection?”

Xianzong turned to glare at her. Burn the temple? Could he afford that? The Ministry of Justice was just a few prison blocks—they could rebuild those. But the Temple? Just the golden Buddha statues alone would cost a fortune to replace! “Burn the Ministry completely,” he ordered Commander Wang. “Leave nothing behind.”

Commander Wang received the imperial order and sent several guards galloping off to the Ministry of War.

“We’re going back to the palace,” Xianzong said, straightening his posture. “The imperial doctors are already waiting.”

“I’m not going,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, shaking her head. “I’m going to the Delighted Immortal Wine Manor.”

“At least let the doctors examine what Mo Wen gave you!” Xianzong snapped.

“If it was poison, would I still be sitting here talking to you?” Yu Xiaoxiao said. “Stop worrying and focus on how to take down Mo Wen.”

“Princess,” Gu Xinglang said, “are you feeling unwell at all?”

Yu Xiaoxiao was utterly exhausted, but she couldn’t say that. The royal princess said breezily, “I’m fine.”

“Let the imperial doctors check you anyway,” Gu Xinglang insisted. Just the thought that she might’ve taken one of Mo Wen’s pills made him feel like he was being roasted alive.

“Your husband says come home, and you’re still resisting?” Xianzong scolded.

Yu Xiaoxiao scratched her head. “Actually… I didn’t eat it.”

“What?!” Xianzong roared.

“I poisoned Wen Fenglin and none of you noticed,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, “so of course I could throw the pill away without you noticing too.”

Xianzong wanted to strangle her. He’d stressed and worried all night, probably turning white-haired in the process—and she was telling him now that she never even swallowed the pill?!

Gu Xinglang, however, let out a long breath of relief. He took her injured hand in his and asked, “How did your hand get this scraped up?”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Oh, it’s just a scratch.”

Gu Xinglang used the hot towel to wipe the dirt from her hand. “Does it hurt?”

Yu Xiaoxiao said, “A little.”

Gu Xinglang gently blew on her raw skin. “We’ll treat it when we get home—it won’t hurt then.”

Xianzong let out a cold snort. These two were at it again—completely oblivious to everything around them!