Time Travel: The Best Doctor in Ancient Times

Chapter 124: Chapter 68: Both Covert and Overt Schemes are Still Schemes_2

Yhan Ting’s words, intermingled with the murderous aura that enveloped the room, left no doubt in anyone’s mind, Mu Wanxuan was doomed!

His departure undoubtedly eased everyone’s tension. Although they too had experienced the battlefield’s brutal slaughters and had grown accustomed to seeing bodies wrapped in horsehide, Yhan Ting was, without question, a unique figure. His killings were always cruel and brutal to the point of inciting the outrage of gods and men alike. He took pleasure in slicing people into pieces until their innards scattered across the ground and brains spilled over before stopping…

Just thinking of such scenes, they all shivered collectively and couldn’t help but feel nauseated!

“Yuan Bao, what should we do now?” Diao Chan was the most direct among them and quickly posed the question.

Yuan Bao shook his head, his face etched with worry, “I don’t know, my lord took Jiang Wu and a few others, leaving only a few of us behind. We are typically not military genius material, plenty brave but lacking in cunning, which makes this matter difficult to handle!”

“Don’t we have Lady Changsheng? The Military Token is in her hands, we just need to quietly wait for her instructions.”

...

“Jiang Liu, you brainless fool, if Lady Changsheng were willing to intervene, would I be in such a quandary?” Yuan Bao raised his hand and slapped him, as without Yhan Ting, the ruthless killer, people weren’t as cautious.

Jiang Liu rubbed his head and looked pleadingly at his brother beside him.

“Lady Changsheng is a fierce one, even Prince Mu she dares to overpower…it’s best for us to steer clear of her,” General Qi rubbed his nose.

At his words, everyone was involuntarily reminded of that night, Lady Changsheng on top, Prince Mu beneath her… No, they mustn’t think of it! Such thoughts were a sin!

“General Qi, you’ve finally had a moment of cleverness!” Yuan Bao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, giving General Qi an approving glance.

“Let’s discuss what to do then. ‘Three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang,’ and here we have six, albeit not sophisticated enough to match two Zhuge Liangs, surely we can match one?” Eunuch Yuan Bao hummed gloomily, not out of self-deprecation, but because they were indeed lacking. The true military talents had all been taken by their lord, leaving behind only the brutish cobblers!

The group expressed their opinions, discussed back and forth for a while, and finally came to a decision on what to do.

First, vigorously investigate and find the grain merchants hoarding food with malicious intent, and upon discovery, hack them to pieces to vent their anger.

Second, track down where the collected grain had gone. As long as the bountiful waters weren’t flowing into someone else’s field, it was still their own.

Such a large amount of grain couldn’t have left the Liuzhou Region in just a few days!

The group’s ideas were beautiful, but as orders were relayed, with such simplicity and directness lacking focus at the top, naturally there would be confusion and ineffectiveness at the bottom.

City Lord’s Mansion.

“Brother-in-Law, Eunuch Yuan Bao has paid a visit to Mountain-Foot Village and has already begun to take the grain matter seriously,” Mo Wu stood at the lower end, his sleazy face showing reverence.

“Mountain-Foot Village? Isn’t he busy playing contractor? Why bother going to Mountain-Foot Village?” Xiao Chengwen, puzzled, set down the documents in his hands and looked at his brother-in-law.

“Gu Changsheng, that shrew, is currently in hiding at Mountain-Foot Village,” Mo Wu took a small step forward and whispered in explanation.

“Gu Changsheng?”

“The Gu Changsheng from Gu Family Medical Hall, it’s for her Eunuch Yuan Bao is building a house. Prince Mu also issued the first king’s decree for him, stirring up a storm throughout the city,” Mo Wu bitterly added in his heart.

“Oh, that Gu Changsheng…” Xiao Chengwen suddenly understood, contemptuously glancing at his brother-in-law whom he’d always looked down upon, “The Gu Changsheng who made you lose face…”

“Brother-in-law…” Caught in his personal affairs, Mo Wu felt embarrassed for a moment and quickly started to explain as if it was a matter of importance, “Brother-in-law, I really am not out for personal vengeance, Yuan Bao had gone to Mountain-Foot Village, and after returning, he started a thorough investigation into the grain prices, it definitely wasn’t a coincidence.”

Indeed, Mo Wu had grasped the truth!

“Just a widow who sought refuge with the County Prince’s Mansion, there are plenty of ways to deal with her, no need to rush,” Xiao Chengwen impatiently waved his hand, well aware of his brother-in-law’s pettiness and vindictiveness, “Right now, the grain issue is crucial. The Prince’s spy came to report, Zhou Mu took away his group of advisers, leaving a bunch of good-for-nothings. If we can just drag it out until Liuzhou City runs out of food, the Prince’s goal will be achieved!”

Indeed, Xiao Chengwen’s cleverness led to his own mistake!

“Brother-in-law, I still feel this matter is too dangerous, one misstep, and we could be charged with a serious crime of causing the annihilation of our families…” Mo Wu hesitated then voiced his inner fears.

Xiao Chengwen stood up, snorted coldly, his disdain unmistakable, “They say fortune comes to those who brave danger, without entering the tiger’s den, how can one catch the tiger’s cub? I’ve been an official in Liuzhou for over a decade, diligent and cautious in my duties, never daring to make a mistake, and what good has it done me?”

“Aren’t we just living on Zhou Mu’s breaths, struggling to survive? Do you remember the humiliation you suffered at the hands of that widow, all because you feared the County Prince’s Mansion?”

Mo Wu understood the key point and nodded bitterly, his brother-in-law was right.

“Prince Liang holds a high position and wields great power, and he’s set on eliminating Zhou Mu. The struggle for succession is the perfect chance for an official like me to turn my fortunes around, the wealth and glory of the Xiao Family are just around the corner!”

Xiao Chengwen spread his arms wide, as if the scene of being granted a royal title and appointment was right before his eyes.

Mo Wu, too, was swept up by surging emotions. He and Xiao Chengwen were grasshoppers on the same string, their fates entwined for better or worse!

“Brother-in-law, those few good-for-nothings left in the County Prince’s Mansion, not one of them is easy to handle, every one of them is a ruthless killer!” Mo Wu had to point out, concerned about their success or failure.

“Heh heh…” Xiao Chengwen laughed proudly, “Since Prince Liang is set on taking down Zhou Mu’s base, he would’ve weighed their strengths and weaknesses clearly. Those brutes, he naturally gave me ways to deal with them, ensuring they won’t end well!”

“Heh heh…” Mo Wu sneered twice, his face filled with excitement.

“The ones actually collecting the grain are our people, they can only arrest who we want them to arrest in the open,” Xiao Chengwen stroked his beard with one hand, his face inscrutable, “Nowadays, we control seventy percent of the grain in Liuzhou, as long as the hiding places for the grain remain a secret, our great undertaking will succeed!”

“Unchecked wealth and boundless gold and silver treasures…” Mo Wu’s eyes shone brightly, his face full of greed.