Legendary Son-in-Law: The Man with Poison Talismans

Qin Yumo nodded without saying anything. The two turned and left the courtyard, their footsteps fading into the distance.

Lin Mu stood still, took a deep breath, shook his still slightly numb arm, his face expressionless, as if he had done something insignificant.

At this moment, Qin Yumo glanced at him.

That glance was indifferent, expressionless, devoid of emotion, carrying the same aloofness as before. Then she turned around, went into her room without looking back, and closed the door.

Lin Mu watched Qin Yumo leave, shook his head, and said it didn't matter; Qin Yumo's reaction was within his expectations.

"Son-in-law! You're amazing!"

Chunxing ran over from the corridor, carrying a bunch of things, her eyes sparkling, her face full of smiles, and she was incredibly adoring.

Lin Mu looked down at her, reached out and gently patted her head, and smiled, "Of course."

Chunxing smiled and asked, "Is your son-in-law hungry? I'll go get you some food."

Lin Mu rubbed his stomach and nodded, saying, "I'm hungry."

"Then, young master, go back to your room and rest!" Chunxing hugged the things to her chest, turned around and ran to the kitchen. After running a few steps, she turned back and said, "After dinner, I'll boil some water for you, young master, so you can take a good bath. You must be exhausted from being out here these past few days."

Lin Mu watched her retreating figure, a slow smile creeping onto his lips. This little girl is the best.

He turned and walked towards the side room. When he passed Qin Yumo's tightly closed door, he paused for a moment, glanced at her, then looked away and pushed the door open to enter his own room.

Not long after, Chunxing brought over the food.

Four dishes and a soup: a plate of braised pork, a plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, a bowl of steamed eggs, a plate of pickled radishes, and a bowl of steaming chicken soup. Lin Mu sat at the table, staring blankly at the table full of food for a long time. During his days in the Woma Forest, he had been eating nothing but dry rations and flatbreads, and his mouth was practically parched.

He picked up a piece of braised pork and stuffed it into his mouth. It was fatty but not greasy, melted in his mouth, and was so fragrant that he almost bit his tongue. He then took a sip of chicken soup, which was so delicious that his eyebrows almost flew off.

"Delicious! Delicious!" Lin Mu kept eating with his chopsticks, praising indistinctly, "Chunxing, when did your cooking become so good?"

Chunxing stood to the side, twisting her apron in her hands, a smile on her face, but also a little embarrassed: "Young master, this wasn't made by me. I only know how to make pancakes. These were made by Aunt Liu from the kitchen. Aunt Liu's surname is Liu, and her given name is Qiao. She has been cooking at the Qin residence for over ten years, and she has always been in charge of preparing Miss's meals."

Lin Mu nodded and picked up another piece of food with his chopsticks: "Aunt Liu, remember that. Please thank her for me later."

Chunxing smiled and agreed.

After dinner, Chunxing went to the kitchen to boil water, carrying it back and forth to the side room. Steam rose from the wooden tub, making the whole room warm and cozy. Lin Mu took off his clothes and soaked in the water, which reached above his chest, scalding him so much that every pore on his body opened up. He leaned against the tub, let out a long sigh, and closed his eyes.

The fatigue of the past few days washed over him like a tide. Soaking in the hot water, his aching muscles gradually relaxed, and a sense of comfort permeated every bone. He cleared his mind, thinking of nothing, and just soaked there, listening to Chunxing gently adding water beside him and the occasional crackling of the charcoal in the brazier.

Chapter 53 Handsome Man Emerging from Bath

Before he knew it, Lin Mu had fallen asleep in the bathtub.

Chunxing stayed by his side, not daring to make a sound lest she wake him. She added hot water to the bucket whenever it cooled a little, testing the temperature with her hand repeatedly to ensure it remained just right. She squatted beside the bucket, watching Lin Mu sleep, her heart filled with a bittersweet warmth. Her son-in-law had lost weight and become darker, but he looked much stronger than when he left.

Lin Mu woke up two hours later.

He opened his eyes; the water was still warm. Chunxing, who was squatting beside him with a water ladle in her hand, saw that he was awake and her eyes lit up: "Young master is awake? The water is still warm, would you like to soak a little longer?"

Still groggy from just waking up, Lin Mu shook his head and stood up from the tub. Water droplets trickled down his shoulders, back, and thighs, and the rising steam revealed his physique, honed in the Woma Forest.

His shoulders were much broader than before he left, his arm muscles were clearly defined, his abdomen was tucked in tightly, and there wasn't an ounce of excess fat on his body.

Chunxing's face flushed instantly, her mind went blank, and she hurriedly handed over a dry cloth. She turned away as if she had been burned, her ears were so red they looked like they could bleed, and her heart was pounding as if it would jump out of her throat.

Lin Mu subconsciously took the towel before realizing that he had just finished bathing and was standing naked in front of the person. At this moment, he also came to his senses, and strangely enough, he didn't feel too uncomfortable. He just quickly dried himself off, put on his clothes, and sat down at the table.

At this moment, Chunxing also came to her senses and suddenly remembered something. She went to the cabinet and rummaged through it to get rid of the embarrassment. After a while, she took out an exquisite box from the cabinet. Inside the box were the five bottles of blessing oil.

Chunxing placed the blessing oil on the table; the blue bottle gleamed warmly in the candlelight.

“Young master, these were delivered by three people a few days ago. They said you asked them to keep an eye out for them.” Chunxing pushed the bottle in front of him. “One of them was named Shitou, and there was a girl and a young man. They all looked like honest people.”

Lin Mu was somewhat surprised. Shi Tou and the others had gotten five bottles so quickly? It seemed they were quite serious about it. He picked up a bottle, unscrewed the cap, and a faint fragrance wafted out. Then, he casually took out his Half-Moon Sword and slowly poured the blessing oil onto the sword. The amber liquid flowed down the blade, evenly covering the entire surface. The oil slowly seeped in, giving the sword a faint sheen before disappearing.

Your weapon has been blessed.

【半月：攻击5-10，道术1-3，魔法0-1，幸运+1，需要等级15】

He opened the status bar and took a look.

Luck went from 1 to 2.

Lin Mu's lips curled up, he picked up another bottle, and then casually asked a question.

"Are they alright?"

Chunxing nodded and told her everything she knew. She said that the three of them, including Shitou, greatly admired Lin Mu, especially the little girl, whose eyes sparkled when she mentioned Brother Lin, and she talked more than usual.

As Chunxing spoke, she puffed out her chest, her tone tinged with a hint of bitterness: "No matter what, Miss is the oldest, older than me, and I am older than that girl."

Chunxing is obviously saying that if the group were to live together in the future, their status should be determined by their seniority, and since she is of higher status than that other girl, she should be the head of the household.

Lin Mu was staring at the effects of the blessing oil on Banyue Shang when he didn't hear what she said. He only heard something about "big" and saw Chunxing puffing out her chest. He wondered why this little girl was becoming more and more uninhibited. So he followed up and said, "Big, your big."

Chunxing was stunned for a moment, her face flushed even more, and she said happily, "Then the young master has agreed?"

Lin Mu was completely confused. What had she agreed to? Before he could ask, Chunxing continued, "That day, Miss also asked them where they were staying. She said it would be convenient for them to visit each other in the future, so they stayed at a farmer's house outside the south gate of Bich City."

Lin Mu nodded, a scene suddenly flashing through his mind: when he first arrived in Bichon City, he was squatting outside a farmer's yard, drooling over their chickens, only to be yelled at and driven away. He wondered if Shi Tou's family raised chickens. Lost in thought, his mind drifted away again. He already knew about the size of Chunxing's breasts, but that Brother Gu's chest, even though he was wearing men's clothing, was so flat—the flattest he'd ever seen. Didn't she want to find a way to improve it?

By this time, the oil had slowly seeped into the half-moon-shaped blade, but the blade did not develop a luster.

[Wishing you failure].

Another bottle was poured, and it still ended in failure.

He put away the remaining two bottles, deciding not to waste any more. The first bottle of this stuff is guaranteed to work; the rest depends entirely on luck. He should accumulate more before adding more, lest his luck turn into a reverse blessing or a curse.

Chunxing watched from the side and asked curiously, "Young master, this sword looks more powerful than the wooden sword from before. Why don't you use this sword to fight that annoying guy? You'll definitely beat him to a pulp."

Lin Mu put the half-moon back into his Qiankun bag and smiled: "Remember, don't tell them about these things belonging to your son-in-law. What if they find out and come to steal your good stuff?"

Upon hearing this, Chunxing's expression changed, and she nodded vigorously: "This servant will not tell, I would rather die than tell!"

Lin Mu chuckled at her earnest expression. He glanced out the window; it was already dark. He'd try the +2 luck effect again while leveling up later.

"Were those people alright when they left?" Lin Mu asked casually.

Chunxing nodded: "It's alright, but when that girl left, she seemed a little unhappy, her eyes were red. I didn't dare to ask any more questions."

Lin Mu paused for a moment, recalling the look Ah Shui gave him as she left. He roughly guessed what was going on, sighed, and said nothing more.

However, he quickly returned to the main topic.

Lin Mu leaned back in his chair and looked at Chunxing, saying, "Your son-in-law still has to go out and level up. I came back this time because you finished your sesame cakes, and the dry food I bought outside was too awful."

Upon hearing this, Chunxing immediately understood, and her eyes lit up. She put the cloth in her hand on the table, turned around and ran out, but after a couple of steps she turned back: "Young master, wait for me, I'll go make it for you right away!"

She ran to the kitchen, where Aunt Liu was tidying up the dishes at the stove. Chunxing thought that her son-in-law might leave tomorrow, so she took out two silver coins from her pocket and stuffed them into Aunt Liu's hand: "Aunt Liu, please help me make some more pancakes, my son-in-law is going out to take them with him."

Aunt Liu took the silver coins, weighed them in her hand, and realized that the two silver coins were worth two days' wages for her. Her face immediately lit up with a smile: "Alright, alright, Miss Chunxing, don't worry, I'll knead the dough right away, and I guarantee it will be fragrant and soft."

Chunxing rolled up her sleeves and stood in front of the stove, joining Aunt Liu in the work. She wanted to make as many pancakes as possible before her son-in-law left.

Lin Mu returned to his room, took off his shoes, flopped onto the bed, and pulled the blanket over himself. The fatigue from days of travel hadn't subsided; although he'd slept for two hours in hot water, he was still exhausted. He closed his eyes; the sky outside was gradually darkening, and Lin Mu soon fell into a deep sleep.

-

Meanwhile, at Beech Palace.

Inside the deep palace, candlelight shone brightly.

In a spacious hall, incense smoke curled and gauze curtains hung low.

The "Brother Gu" on the ship had changed out of his moon-white men's long robe and put on a magnificent palace dress.

Her pale yellow skirt draped over her sides, embroidered with golden phoenix tail patterns. A white jade belt inlaid with jewels was tied around her waist. Her long, black hair was styled into a high bun, with a red gold hairpin adorned with pearls.

She sat there gracefully, her features still delicate and pretty, but her demeanor was completely different—dignified, elegant, and with an air of quiet, imposing nobility between her brows.

Here, she is no longer Gu An, but the Princess Anning of the current dynasty, Gu Qingyi. Her father is Prince An, the Empress's uncle.

The woman sitting opposite her was a few years older than her, wearing a deep purple dragon robe and a golden crown. Her features resembled Gu Qingyi's, but she had a sharper and more majestic air about her.

Chapter 54 Imperial Sister! You did this on purpose!

She was flipping through the stack of papers that Gu Qingyi had brought back, her gaze sweeping over the lines of poetry. At first, she was just browsing casually, but gradually her expression became serious, her brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed, and a smile appeared on her lips.

"My sister has certainly gained a lot from her travels this time." The Empress put down the paper and looked at Gu Qingyi with a hint of approval in her eyes. "This poem is far superior to your previous ones. Especially these few lines." She looked down at it again. "'Enjoy life while you can, for the golden goblet will not stand empty before the moon,' so unrestrained and carefree, it doesn't seem like your style at all."

Gu Qingyi sat to the side, holding a teacup, a slight smile playing on her lips, saying nothing. She had finally managed to restrain herself. Lin Mu's words, "My abilities are not worth disturbing Her Majesty the Empress," were long forgotten.

The Empress picked up another piece of paper, her gaze falling on it as she read aloud: "The spring river rises with the tide, reaching the sea; the bright moon rises with the tide..." Her voice gradually faded, her brows furrowed again, her eyes moving line by line across the paper, her fingers unconsciously clenching the edge of the paper.

The hall fell silent, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight.

After reading the last word, the Empress did not put down the note, but instead read it again from the beginning. She read it once more.

"This is..." She looked up at Gu Qingyi, her eyes filled with shock, "You wrote this?"

Gu Qingyi put down her teacup, blinked, and smiled even more broadly: "What do you think, sister?"

The Empress stood up, took a few steps in the palace, then walked back, picked up the paper and read it again, put it down, and walked away. She exclaimed "Wonderful!" several times, her voice rising higher with each word, her expression changing from shock to admiration, and then from admiration to excitement.

"Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!" She turned around, looking at Gu Qingyi with her eyes shining. "My sister's talent has reached such heights! These two poems are probably unmatched in the entire Mafa Empire!"

Gu Qingyi finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. She took the paper from the Empress, flipped to the last two pages, and pointed to the signature: "Sister, take another look."

The Empress glanced down and saw two characters at the end: "Lin Mu." The handwriting was the same as the previous poem, both belonging to Gu Qingyi, but the name was not her sister's.

"Lin Mu?" The Empress raised her head, her brows furrowing slightly. "Who is this?"

Gu Qingyi leaned back in her chair, her eyes crinkling with a smile, like a cat that had just stolen a fish. She looked at the Empress and said, word by word, "He is the one I've been waiting for."

The Empress paused for a moment, then sat down, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and suppressed her shock before speaking: "Tell me."

Gu Qingyi then recounted her experience on the ship.

How to hear someone reciting poetry on the deck, how to be attracted by those few lines of poetry, how to go up and strike up a conversation, and how to hear him recite the entire poems "Spring River Flower Moon Night" and "Bring in the Wine" in the cabin.

She described Lin Mu's appearance, speech, and demeanor, and quoted his saying, "Whether I'm a live-in son-in-law or not is not up to me. But how I live is up to me."

But she didn't mention that Lin Mu had slept on the floor in her cabin. Although nothing had happened between them during those two days and two nights, it was still embarrassing to talk about it. As she was thinking about it, the tips of her ears turned red again.

As the Empress listened, she tapped her fingers lightly on the table, her gaze sweeping over Gu Qingyi's reddened earlobes, a slight upturn at the corner of her lips, but she didn't say anything.

"The son-in-law of the Qin family..." The Empress pondered for a moment, "It must be the Qin Zhengchuan family in the South City. I've heard about their wedding banquet, which was held just a month and a half ago. I heard that the girl from the Qin family is already at level eighteen; her talent is quite good."

Gu Qingyi nodded without speaking, but her fingers unconsciously twisted her sleeve.