Chapter 1851 — Trouble Comes Knocking, Part One

He had done all he could, but within the family his standing and station fell far short of Zhao Qibing's. That he was even permitted to sit in on the family council was owed entirely to his clean passage through the Ice Palace trials and his delivery of Zhao Qijiu into training there—only this had raised him a notch in the Zhao family's estimation.

Yet winning himself any real voice in family affairs was, for the present, out of the question.

One day, Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu, as was their habit, went with Granny Sun at dusk to the secondhand market to sell off what they had scavenged that day—and there, by sheer accident, they were spotted by two familiar faces!

Not that they were intimate acquaintances; the two parties had merely crossed paths a few times.

Those two were Leader Zhu and Chen Xi! They had met before by the seaside, and later behind the mountain at the holiday resort.

Only, Leader Zhu and Chen Xi stood on the far side of the market, while Gu Mengyao, Shen Yushu, and Granny Sun were happily counting their money, entirely unaware that a short distance away two acquaintances were staring at them in astonishment...

"Grandpa Zhu, aren't those two sisters the rich folk who are always with Brother Wei Zhao? What are they doing out scavenging and selling junk?" Chen Xi asked, looking at Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu in some puzzlement.

A gleam of fierce excitement flashed through Leader Zhu's eyes, but he said without betraying a thing, "Plenty of children from well-off families go out in the summer to taste real life. Likely that's what they're doing."

"Oh, I see! Then shall we go say hello?" Chen Xi nodded as understanding dawned.

"No need. You're not exactly close to them, are you? And Wei Zhao isn't here either," Leader Zhu said.

"That's true—I don't really know them, and Sister Xiaoxiao isn't here..." Chen Xi gave up the notion of greeting them.

"Xiao Xi, you go on home by yourself today. Grandpa Zhu has a few things to see to and can't walk back with you," Leader Zhu said placidly.

"All right." Chen Xi thought nothing of it; Grandpa Zhu often had errands, and she was used to it. "Then I'll be off..."

"Mm. Don't forget to study hard!" Leader Zhu admonished.

"Don't worry, Grandpa Zhu. I won't let you down," Chen Xi promised with a smile.

Leader Zhu left the secondhand market first and hid himself behind a transport truck at the gate. Before long Gu Mengyao, Shen Yushu, and Granny Sun came out of the market—and Leader Zhu fell in behind them at once...

With Leader Zhu's early Earth-rank strength, keeping himself hidden from Gu Mengyao and the others was the easiest thing in the world.

On the way they passed a pharmacy, and the three of them—Gu Mengyao, Shen Yushu, and Granny Sun—went inside to have medicine made up for Wei Zhao.

"This is the last course of the prescription. I hope Brother Arrow wakes up soon..." Shen Yushu sighed inwardly. Before she knew it, more than ten days had slipped by—days of hardship, of sweat, and of joy as well.

Unforgettable as they were, they still wished Wei Zhao would wake as soon as ever he could.

Medicine in hand, Gu Mengyao had gone from gritting her teeth at the bill to paying it without a blink—what a difference! Her heart was full of feeling: without that little creature the Thunder Pig, how hard would things have been for them all?

As the three left the pharmacy, a smile of delight flickered in Leader Zhu's eyes. It seemed Wei Zhao really had been injured by qi deviation, just as the rumors said—otherwise why would Gu Mengyao be buying medicine?

Of course, to be safe, Leader Zhu meant only to follow them; he would not go knocking on their door. He was no fool—why should he alone step forward in a matter that concerned three families? And his strength was only early Earth-rank, while Wei Zhao's was early Earth-rank as well. If Wei Zhao was feigning unconsciousness again, he would be finished!

Leader Zhu knew well Wei Zhao's knack for fighting above his rank. Until he was absolutely certain, he would not risk a move; better to leave Wei Zhao to those more capable. So long as he carried word of Wei Zhao's whereabouts back to the Zhao family, the reward would be substantial enough.

Gu Mengyao, Shen Yushu, and Granny Sun noticed nothing and went home as usual. Once Leader Zhu had fixed their location, he gave a cackle of laughter and vanished into the gathering dusk...

Though the Hidden Zhao family was far away in Donghai, to an expert like Leader Zhu it was no more than an hour's journey; a few leaps through the air and he was back.

"Elder Zhu!" The disciples of the Hidden Zhao family bowed at once when they saw him.

"Go tell Young Master Bing and the Young Family Head that I've brought back good news!" Leader Zhu waved a hand, signaling the disciple on duty to announce him.

The disciple nodded respectfully and turned away. Before long Zhao Guangyin came out to greet him with Zhao Qibing in tow.

Leader Zhu might be only an early Earth-rank expert, but to Zhao Guangyin he mattered a great deal—especially since the Hidden Zhao family was run by the old master, and Zhao Guangyin could not command Earth-rank experts, whereas Zhao Qibing had taken Leader Zhu into his service. This made Zhao Guangyin value Zhao Qibing all the more.

"Leader Zhu, I hear you've brought back good news?" Zhao Guangyin laughed heartily and came forward.

"Yes, Young Family Head!" Leader Zhu bowed.

"What good news? Out with it!" Zhao Qibing urged.

"Young Family Head, Young Master Bing—after careful investigation and searching, I have at last found the hiding place of that junior, Wei Zhao!" And with that, Leader Zhu recounted all he had seen and heard.

Zhao Guangyin and Zhao Qibing were no fools; they knew Leader Zhu had merely stumbled upon Wei Zhao's hiding place like a blind cat finding a dead mouse, and that there had been no careful investigation at all. But that was a thing they could not say now—Leader Zhu had done them a service, and his credit was their credit, since he was their man.

"Good, very good! I'll go report this to Old Man Bi and my father at once. Elder Zhu, you've done a great service!" Zhao Guangyin said in delighted surprise.

"It is only my duty to serve the Young Family Head and Young Master Bing; I would not call it a service," Leader Zhu said quickly.

When the Zhao family's old master and Old Man Bi learned the news they were overjoyed, and at once told Zhao Guangyin to contact the experts of the Hidden Yu family and the Hidden You family and have them gather at the Zhao house, so that they might all descend upon Wei Zhao together!

This time, Wei Zhao must not be allowed to escape!

At Granny Sun's house.

Wei Zhao had found that the decoction Gu Mengyao gave him each day worked remarkably well against the fire-poison true qi. With the medicine's aid, he drove the fire poison out faster and faster; by now only a small patch on his left foot remained, and the purging would be complete...

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