Ms. Diviner: The Prodigal Daughter's Return

Chapter 785: 785 the circle is really messy

”Mu Chengyang lost six months’ worth of benefits this time and even got slapped in the face for nothing. I wonder how infuriated he must be?” Mu Zeran said with a mischievous smile.

”Is half a year’s benefits a lot of money?” Mu Hanyan asked. He had noticed the family head and the Fourth and Fifth Elders winking at him just now, so he knew that the Zong Family’s benefits were no small matter, but it was not appropriate to ask too many questions with so many people around.

”It’s not really about the amount of money; the important part is the elixirs. Mu Chengyang’s monthly benefits include a Five-Transformation Refining Qi Pill and a Heart Clearing True Essence Pill. Altogether, that’s twelve top-grade pills in six months,” Mu Zeran said enviously.

”The Zong Family’s benefits are so generous!” Mu Hanyan exclaimed. Although the Five-Transformation Refining Qi Pill was not as good as the Seven-Transformation Refining Qi Pill that Pang Dezong used to silence others, it was still a rare top-grade pill. The Heart Clearing True Essence Pill was slightly lesser in grade but still quite valuable. The half-year benefits of Mu Chengyang could even be exchanged for a Seven-Transformation Refining Qi Pill, which was worth hundreds of thousands of taels of top-grade elixirs.

Mu Hanyan knew the Zong Family was wealthy, but he hadn’t realized they were this rich. Just the third generation already had such generous benefits, let alone the elders and the tributor elders.

”Actually, not everyone gets so much in benefits. Each year, the Zong Family assigns some tasks, and the benefits for the next year are determined based on how well those tasks are completed. Mu Chengyang is quite strong, and with the help of his elder brother Mu Chengxuan, he always does well, which is why he gets such high benefits.

For a few of us who aren’t valued much by the family, we don’t get significant tasks, and even if we do, we can’t complete them, so our monthly benefits are just a single Great Transformation Qi Pill,” Mu Zexian said, looking dejected.

Mu Hanyan sympathetically glanced at them. A Great Transformation Qi Pill was considered a very decent cultivation resource for an average swordsman, but compared to Mu Chengyang’s Five-Transformation Refining Qi Pill and Heart Clearing True Essence Pill, it seemed quite meager.

”So, have you been assigned your tasks yet?” Mu Hanyan asked.

”They assigned them a while ago, looking for the Purple Heart Ganlu Grass. We can either buy it or go and pick it ourselves,” Mu Zexian said.

”Did you find any?”

”No, we went to Longyan Mountain several times and didn’t even see a shadow,” Mu Zexian said with a frown.

This answer was within Mu Hanyan’s expectations. Compared to the strange flowers and herbs he had seen before, Purple Heart Ganlu Grass was even rarer. Even in his previous life, Mu Hanyan had only seen it a few times deep within Longyan Mountain, usually guarded by exotic beasts. Although not very powerful, they were not something ordinary people could handle.

Given that Mu Zexian’s group’s strength was sufficient to deal with those Exotic Beasts, it was not unthinkable. However, being the Zong Family’s disciples, how could they easily venture deep into Longyan Mountain to take risks unless they actually found the grass?

If they couldn’t find it, they had to buy it. However, given the rarity of Purple Heart Ganlu Grass, it would be incredibly expensive, and he doubted they could afford it.

”Ah, if we don’t find the Purple Heart Ganlu Grass and fail the task, next year we might not even be able to keep the Great Transformation Qi Pill,” said a young man next to Mu Zeran with a worried look.

”Let me try to figure something out for you,” Mu Hanyan said after thinking for a moment. He did feel quite sympathetic towards them, being disregarded by their family and saddled with such a difficult task. He was beginning to suspect that the Third Elder’s side was deliberately making things difficult for them.

”Brother Hanyan, do you have a way?” Upon hearing Mu Hanyan’s words, Mu Zeran and the others showed faces full of surprise.

”Let me try; there shouldn’t be any problems,” Mu Hanyan nodded. The Nanyan Commerce was doing well currently, so he could ask Mu Nan to find some ways to procure a few stalks of Purple Heart Ganlu Grass. Buying directly through Nanyan Commerce would also be much cheaper than the market price.

”Thank you, Brother Han Yan. I knew you were capable. we’re relying on you this time,” Mu Zexian said gratefully.

”Don’t thank me just yet, I need you to help me with something as well,” Mu Hanyan remembered the Fang Family’s issue and spoke to Mu Zexian.

”Between brothers, just speak your mind,” Mu Zexian patted his chest.

”Yesterday, you came to trouble me under the influence of the Rong Family, right? I have a friend with old ties to the Fang Family, and his enmity with the Rong Family stems from the Fangs. Could you please plead with the Fifth Elder on behalf of the Fang Family, to give them a chance to survive?” Mu Hanyan said.

At first, he had also wanted to help the Fang Family reclaim their clan property, but knowing that the Rong Family had the backing of the faction of the Fifth Elder—who was in good terms with his grandfather and had even spoken on his behalf just earlier—he didn’t feel it right to push too hard.

”You’re talking about the Rong Family? They don’t have much connection with my grandfather. I’ve helped them a few times, and people began to mistakenly think it was my grandfather backing them up, giving them their status today. As for Rong Tianhai offending Brother Hanyan, I already dealt with him yesterday; he definitely won’t dare to mess with the Fang Family again,” Mu Zexian said.

”Since Rong Tianhai is just a steward, does it help to deal with him?” Mu Hanyan frowned.

”You might not know this, Brother Han Yan, but although Rong Tianhai is called a steward, he’s actually the illegitimate son of the Rong Family Head. It’s said that when the Rong Family Patriarch was young, he was quite the ladies’ man and got one of the maids pregnant. His wife’s family was very influential, and he owed his position as head to his wife’s family’s support, so he’s always been henpecked and afraid of upsetting his wife. That’s why he sent the maid to a distant cousin as a concubine.

Later on, though Madam Rong only gave birth to daughters and no sons, the family patriarch called his distant cousin back to the City Guard Mansion and gave his own son—a steward’s position—and dotes on him even more than his own daughters. He handles all major and minor affairs of the Rong family, and even a blind man could see their relationship,” Mu Zexian said with a gossipy tone and a mysterious face.

What a mess... Mu Hanyan watched Mu Zexian speechless and thought to himself: What a messy circle.

Since Rong Tianhai is the illegitimate child of the Rong Family Head and handles all major and minor affairs, Mu Hanyan no longer worried about the Fang Family.

Just as he took a few steps, Ye Lanfeng came out. He was dressed in a silver-gray robe today, his pitch-black hair pinned up with a white jade hairpin, making his already peerless face stand out even more. Mu Zeran and the others were stunned for a moment. To see such a handsome man in this world. Hey, there’s quite some pressure going out with someone like him today; they are merely the leaves that set off the flower.

”Have you had breakfast yet?” Mu Hanyan went up and asked with a smile.

”Yes, I have. You?” Ye Lanfeng also returned the smile, asking softly.

”I have indeed. But I didn’t expect our Young Master Ye to be a late-riser,” Mu Hanyan teased, seeing that she had already had her breakfast and even performed a whole drama at the doorstep before Ye Lanfeng appeared.