Master Xiao Wu had left the Capital for so long and did not know that Xiao Zhenting had already moved to Lotus Flower Village. After he returned to the Capital, he immediately went to the Xiao Manor. He was in a hurry and was in a sorry state. The butler asked him to rest for a while and he entered the village to report this news to Xiao Zhenting and Shangguan Yan.

Shangguan Yan instantly felt that her waist no longer hurt. After rummaging the fields for two days, she was almost unable to get off the bed.

“Where’s the doctor? Take me to him!” She said anxiously.

“I’ve settled him in the manor,” the butler said. “Should we bring Young Master back now?”

Although Yan Jiuchao did not acknowledge Xiao Zhenting as his stepfather, Xiao Zhenting did, so everyone in the manor called him Young Master.

Xiao Zhenting pondered for a moment and said, “There’s no hurry. I’ll see the Gu Master first.”

All these years, he had found countless famous doctors to treat Yan Jiuchao’s illness, and there was no lack of undeserved reputation among them. If that Gu Master was only a dabbler, why would he let his child suffer for nothing?

Xiao Zhenting said to Shangguan Yan, “Stay here and take care of the children. I’ll be back soon.”

It was not that he really wanted her to take care of Yan Jiuchao, but Xiao Zhenting was worried that the Gu Master would say something that she could not bear.

“Follow me,” Xiao Zhenting said to Yu Wan.

Yu Wan nodded and set off with Xiao Zhenting.

The butler did not know Yu Wan and was secretly puzzled as to who this girl was. Why was she brought along by his Grand Marshal? And from the looks of it, Madam did not seem to object. The butler did not dare to ask and sat in the outer carriage with the coachman.

The village was left far behind, and the carriage drove into Lotus Flower Town. It was late at night, and the town was silent, leaving only the rapid sound of horse hooves and the sound of wheels turning.

Yu Wan sat quietly in the carriage with this burly man beside her.

Xiao Zhenting’s facial features were not bad, and he was even very resolute and handsome. However, he had an aura that unknowingly crushed thousands of troops.

The butler shook his head. She must have fainted from fear, right?

“Can you ask Master Xiao Wu how he found the Gu Master?”

Yu Wan’s voice suddenly sounded. The butler’s body trembled and he almost fell off the carriage! This girl was not panting or trembling. She did not look like she was frightened by his Marshal at all. It was too strange!

“She’s asking you a question,” Xiao Zhenting said in a deep voice.

Look, his Marshal was so fierce. The butler patted his chest and told them everything he had learned from Master Xiao Wu.

It turned out that Master Xiao Wu had infiltrated Southern Xinjiang.

The relationship between the Southern Xinjiang and the Great Zhou was not in a deadlock. However, Master Xiao Wu was an official and was not allowed to leave the Great Zhou at will. He was worried about leaving this matter to others, so he could only take the risk of being beheaded.

That Gu Master was from Southern Xinjiang and was quite famous locally. Master Xiao Wu had spent a lot of money to invite him over from Southern Xinjiang. This was just a consultation fee. To treat Yan Jiuchao, he had to pay another reward.

The remuneration was a small matter. The Xiao family did not lack money. It was just that the Gu Master was aloof and proud and not easy to get along with. Master Xiao Wu asked them to serve him carefully.

Xiao Zhenting nodded. As long as he could treat Yan Jiuchao’s illness, everything could be discussed.

In the middle of the night, the carriage arrived at the Xiao Manor. The butler knew that her surname was Yu and called out, “Miss Yu, please.”

Yu Wan followed the master and servant into the manor.

The Xiao Manor in the night was like a sleeping beast.

This was the first time Yu Wan entered the Xiao Manor. Her first feeling was that it was bigger than the Young Master Manor. She heard from the butler that half of it was expanded after Shangguan Yan was married into the family. There was nothing wrong with Shangguan Yan loving to show off.

“The Gu Master and his two disciples live in the Tingtao Pavilion.” The butler led the way with a lantern.

When they passed through a corridor in the garden, a master and servant walked towards them. There was a maidservant in green armor holding a lantern. Behind her was a slender young girl. The young girl was dressed in pink and looked to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. The two of them were in a hurry and bumped into Yu Wan and the others.

The butler bowed in surprise. “Second Miss?”

The girl called Second Miss clearly did not expect to meet the butler and Xiao Zhenting here. She was shocked. “Second… Second Uncle?”

She called Xiao Zhenting “Second Uncle”. In that case, she was the daughter of the eldest branch.

Yu Wan had always known that Xiao Zhenting had an older brother. He was Xiao Yan’s biological father. This girl must be Xiao Yan’s biological sister.

“Where are you going so late at night?” Xiao Zhenting asked.

The girl was as quiet as a cicada. “Mother’s headache is acting up again. I’m going to see her.”

Xiao Zhenting nodded. “Go.”

The girl left, trembling.

When she brushed past Yu Wan, Yu Wan glanced at her. For some reason, Yu Wan felt that this girl was a little familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before. However, on careful thought, the other party was a girl from the Xiao Manor. How could she have met her before? She followed Xiao Zhenting and the butler out of the corridor.

On the other side, the girl turned around to look in Yu Wan’s direction.

The maidservant said, “Second Miss, what’s wrong?”

The girl murmured, “Nothing.”

—-

The Tingtao Pavilion was built on an artificial lake. It was one of the courtyards with the best scenery in the manor. When they walked across the wooden bridge and arrived at the Tingtao Pavilion, the Gu Master was throwing a tantrum at the servants in the manor.

“It tastes so bad! Is it for pigs?”

“Your master invited me all the way here just to eat this pig food?!”

So it was because the food didn’t suit his taste. This couldn’t be blamed on the chefs in the manor. They were all born and raised in the Capital and had never been to Southern Xinjiang. They didn’t know the taste of the Southern Xinjiang people, so they asked him about his taste. However, he didn’t say anything and only asked the chef to make it. In the end, he was dissatisfied when the chef made it.

The butler broke out in cold sweat. Master Xiao Wu was not lying. This Gu Master was really difficult to serve!

Xiao Zhenting entered the courtyard.

The servants went forward and bowed. “Master!”

Xiao Zhenting said indifferently, “You guys can leave first.”

“Yes.” The servants left the courtyard in relief.

“You can leave too,” the Gu Master said to the butler.

“Yes,” the butler agreed.

Xiao Zhenting brought Yu Wan to the Gu Master’s room. The Gu Master sat on a chair angrily. He was a thin middle-aged man with slightly high cheekbones, cold eyes, and a slightly mean face. Behind him stood a handsome young man and a beautiful young girl. They must be the Gu Master’s disciples. There was actually a woman. Yu Wan was slightly surprised.

“Gu Master.” Xiao Zhenting greeted him politely.

The Gu Master looked at Xiao Zhenting with a trace of shock in his eyes. He did not expect Xiao Zhenting to be such a burly and powerful man. However, he was a knowledgeable Gu Master after all. In an instant, he restrained his shock and snorted. “You’re Xiao Zhenting? You’re the one who invited me to treat your son?”

“Yes.” Xiao Zhenting sat down in a chair. “You sit too.” These words were directed at Yu Wan.

Yu Wan sat down beside him.

The Gu Master sized up Yu Wan strangely, but he did not ask who she was. In his opinion, Yu Wan was not important. Xiao Zhenting was the one who made a deal with him. On the other hand, the two disciples behind him could not help but take a few more glances at Yu Wan.

“I heard about your son’s illness from Master Xiao Wu,” the Gu Master said.

“Can you treat it?” Xiao Zhenting asked.

The Gu Master sneered and said arrogantly, “Why am I here if I can’t treat it? Am I here to cheat you of your food and drinks? The food in your manor is so disgusting!” He was still holding a grudge for the food.

Yu Wan had read many medical books during this period of time, but she had never found a way to remove the poison curse. She really wanted to see how capable this Gu Master was.

The Gu Master took a sip of tea and said, “Let’s make it clear first. I can’t treat your son for nothing.”

Xiao Zhenting nodded. “Of course. You can name your reward.”

The Gu Master snorted and dusted his sleeves. “Grand Marshal, you’re so arrogant. Aren’t you afraid that I’ll make you do something outrageous?”

Xiao Zhenting frowned.

The Gu Master waved his hand and said, “Don’t worry, I’m just scaring you. However, the curse on your son is not an ordinary poison. The price of undoing the curse is a little high. I can’t charge you less. 100,000 taels, not a single cent less.”

Yu Wan gasped! A hundred thousand taels of silver was too much!

“Gold,” the Gu Master said.

Yu Wan’s eyes widened. Did this guy know what he was talking about? A hundred thousand taels of gold? Was he going to empty the treasury?

The Gu Master smiled faintly and said, “Surely Young Master Yan’s life is worth even this price?”