Jiangshan Fengwuzhi

Chapter 288 Old thing

"Did Father scheme against me just to work for Kaiping Company?"

Pei Nian looked at the incense burner on the table, realized what was going on, and asked with a mocking smile.

"I don't expect you to understand my good intentions," Pei Wugou said without explaining. "I only hope that the Pei family can get through this calamity, then I can rest easy."

He was still reeling from the news he had just learned, and his expression was more dazed than usual. After thinking for a moment, he asked his daughter the question that had been bothering him.

"Gu Jingnian, can you really capture Womin?"

“I don’t know,” Pei Nian said.

“You clearly saw it with your own eyes,” Pei Wugou said. “Li Shuangyun has read your recent memories.”

Pei Nian remained silent, only responding with a domineering gaze.

Therefore, Pei Wugou offered a few earnest words of advice.

“You and Gu Jingnian are not on the same path. Rather than deceiving each other into becoming husband and wife, it’s better to be enemies openly. Come back to Rui with me to remove the strange magic Li Shuangyun has placed on you, and then live honestly. We, father and daughter, must save ourselves.”

After explaining these principles, he added a sentence he had never said to Pei Nian before. His voice was soft, but it was full of the warmth of a father.

"No matter what happens, your father will always be on your side."

Pei Nian knew this wasn't a lie. Given Pei Wugou's past stance, what else could his recent actions be but for her sake?

“I know,” Pei Nian said calmly.

Then, adopting a businesslike attitude, as if she and Pei Wugou were colleagues of the Kaiping Division, she recounted her encounter with Yingyao and Womin in Jusai City.

“I’ve been sleeping in the same bed with Gu Jingnian lately, but a couple of days ago I noticed a strange fragrance on him. It wasn’t the scent of Feng Niang or Miao Chunniang, but rather a sweet fragrance of flowers and fruits. I became suspicious and secretly followed him. He went to the Marshal’s Mansion, and I used the excuse of wanting to see him to enter. I discovered a sapphire door in the Marshal’s Mansion’s study. Passing through the door, I entered his refining field, where I happened to meet Ying Yao and Wo Min. After that, Gu Jingnian no longer hid it from me and told me that Wo Min had done Ying Yao a favor, and that after they rescued Gu Caiwei, they would have Ying Yao take Wo Min back…”

This is the same situation that Li Shuangyun saw in Pei Nian's memory.

Pei Wugou asked again because she suspected that Pei Nian might have fabricated her memories, or that Gu Jingnian might have deceived Pei Nian.

He had a strange kind of confidence, preferring to believe the changes in other people's expressions that he could see with his own eyes, and to believe his own senses, rather than Li Shuangyun's superpowers, even though they were many times stronger than his own.

"Do you think those things are true?" Pei Wugou asked. "Is it possible that Gu Jingnian suspects you and is using a false image to mislead you?"

Li Shuangyun can only see the memories, but not Pei Nian's judgment.

Pei Nian said, "If he doubted me, why did he marry me?"

"To save his older sister."

"Does my father think I can't even tell if he's sincere?"

"sincere?"

Pei Wugou was speechless, not expecting that such a nonsensical word would suddenly pop up after all the questions.

For a split second, he wondered if Gu Jingnian truly wanted to marry his daughter.

He quickly came to his senses and realized that now was not the time to worry about such trivial matters.

Seeing that he couldn't get any information from his daughter, he said, "Go and rest. Leave the rest to me."

Pei Nian asked, "Father, with no support, how do you plan to snatch someone from Gu Jingnian in this city of Jusai?"

"At worst, we can hand over Gu Caiwei and her daughter to him," Pei Wugou sighed. "As long as we can persuade him to make a deal."

--------

Jusai City, a chemical refinery.

Liang Xin hid in the dark stone chamber, picked up a transparent semi-circular gemstone, held it in front of his eyes, and stared intently at the gemstone.

This is a rare treasure. It was originally a complete bead, but it was cut in half. A few days ago, he secretly left the other half at the place where Gu Jingnian was imprisoning an old man.

And through the half in his hand, he could see what was happening there.

At this moment, Gu Jingnian was standing opposite the old man, exchanging a few simple words.

"I once saved your life, but I never expected you to repay kindness with enmity."

"Senior only wants to use me and Yingyao. If you can help me rescue my sister this time, I will definitely repay you."

The old man chuckled.

Gu Jingnian chatted with him for a few more minutes before finally turning and leaving.

Liang Xin hurriedly left the stone chamber and rushed outside, just in time to meet Gu Jingnian. "The old man I brought back the other day is of great use to me," Gu Jingnian said. "We must not harm his life, but try to see if we can extract some impurities from him."

Impurities are the tiny blood crystals that first appear when the superhuman is locked in the furnace and roasted; generally speaking, they are useless.

However, the purer and more powerful a superhuman is, the fewer impurities are in their body. Blood crystals also have some of the effects of blood coagulation beads. However, this situation has only been heard of. Liang Xin has been studying alchemy for so long, but he has never actually seen it.

At this moment, having received instructions from Gu Jingnian, he couldn't help but wonder, what kind of person's blood crystal could be useful?
Then, an idea popped into my head.

Liang Xin dared not ask any more questions and hurriedly made arrangements, soon beginning to refine the old man.

Gu Jingnian stood behind him the whole time, watching him intently, as if afraid that he would kill the old man. This was a situation that had never happened before, which made Liang Xin inexplicably nervous.

The old man chuckled and calmly stepped into the stove.

Turn off the furnace, sprinkle the medicine, start the fire...

suddenly.

With a loud "bang," the furnace cracked open.

The old man fell into the fire below.

Liang Xin was startled and was worried when he saw the old man calmly walk out of the fire, completely unharmed.

"Young Gu, is this your 'repayment'? You asked me for a favor, but now you want to refine me?"

Gu Jingnian did not answer, but personally led the old man away from the refining site.

From beginning to end, he never told Liang Xin what kind of extraordinary person the old man was, but Liang Xin had his own guesses.

After watching Gu Jingnian leave, Liang Xin's eyes revealed a conflicted and hesitant look.

He took a day off every three days. Two days later, when he returned home, he was indeed summoned by Gu Jize. But when he arrived at the Marshal's Mansion, he found Pei Wugou there as well.

"Imperial Physician Liang, it's been a long time."

Upon seeing Liang Xin arrive, Pei Wugou greeted him first.

They had met a few times before in Switzerland.

"Young Master Pei has arrived. Congratulations! Are you here to discuss your daughter's marriage to your son?"

Pei Wugou smiled slightly, but did not answer the question. Instead, he said, "I was chatting with Young Master Gu just now and learned that Imperial Physician Liang has greatly benefited you."

"What did you say?"

While they were having a pleasant conversation, a sentence suddenly uttered by Pei Wugou caught Gu Jize off guard.

Liang Xin reacted in the opposite way, a smile appearing in her eyes.

Gu Jize said, "I never said that..."

He stopped halfway through his sentence, not continuing, because he already understood Pei Wugou's meaning.

In an instant, Gu Jize's eyes darkened.

"Fourth Young Master," Pei Wugou said, "you may be able to deceive others, but you cannot deceive my eyes. Everyone here is discerning, so why should you continue to hide your abilities?"

"I don't know what Pei Shaoqing is talking about."

Gu Jize spoke calmly, but his gaze toward Pei Wugou carried a hint of murderous intent.

"Fourth Young Master, you need not think about killing me."

Although Pei Wugou had no special abilities, she seemed to be able to see through Gu Jize's thoughts. She spoke first with every word, and then said calmly, "Since I'm here, it's because I'm certain that I can benefit you. Do you want to hear it?"

Gu Jize said, "No need for nonsense, speak."

Pei Wugou turned to Liang Xin and asked, "Imperial Physician Liang, do you know that Gu Jingnian has recently acquired something extraordinary?"

"This……"

Liang Xin hesitated, not daring to answer, glancing at Gu Jize to see his reaction.

In fact, after Gu Beiming was placed under house arrest, Liang Xin kept begging Gu Jize for mercy and finally gained his trust.

When Gu Jingnian returned and asked him to renovate the refining plant, it had already been renovated. Liang Xin had actually spent some time making it even more dilapidated. Fortunately, Gu Jingnian trusted Gu Jize too much and didn't bother to check.

At this moment, Gu Jize turned to Liang Xin and asked, "What is it?"

(End of this chapter)