Hidden Shadow – CH 272

Chapter Two-Hundred-Seventy-Two: Entering the City on a Rainy Day

Before Mei Yanran could speak, Mo Sigui reached out and pried open her lower eyelid.

A thin, rice-grain-long red line was clearly visible on the white of her lower eyelid, resembling a thin blood vessel at first glance, but its straightness made it look slightly eerie.

“Miao Gu,” Mo Sigui sighed.

He released her, and two red finger marks appeared on Mei Yanran’s fair skin.

An Jiu asked, “What is Miao Gu?”

“Idiot,” Mo Sigui said, too lazy to explain.

Mei Yanran’s voice was gentle. “Take a hundred insects and put them in a jar. After a year, open it, and one insect will surely devour all the others. This is called Gu.”

In fact, the scope of Gu poison was not limited to this. Herbs and medicinal stones could all be used as Gu. There were thousands of ways to prepare Gu poison, and some extremely complex Gu could only be neutralized by finding the person who cast it.

“A living creature entered my body.” An Jiu pondered something. “During the attack on Piaomiao Mountain Mansion, a worm someone kept burrowed into my body. Qiu Yuntong’s snake could detect it and follow it. I then removed it with a dagger.” An Jiu rolled up her sleeve, revealing her pale arm, where a long bruise from the worm’s attack had not completely faded.

“This is a type of Gu, extremely potent, designed to kill quickly. Many who manipulate poisons keep poisonous pets that feed on them. However, poisonous pets generally dislike slow-acting Gu that can be suppressed with medication.” Mo Sigui’s expression was grave. “Please describe in detail the shape, color, smell, and size of the pill you ingested, Aunt.”

Those skilled in Gu poison could roam the martial world freely, demonstrating its profound nature. Mo Sigui only had a superficial understanding and had never studied Gu, which was arguably his weakness.

Mei Yanran said, “It’s a red, oval-shaped pill, about the size of a thumbnail, and it tastes very strange. I cannot identify any herbs, but it has a strong fishy smell.” Mo Sigui glanced at Mei Yanran’s thumb; her nail was small and full.

“At that size, it is probably an insect egg. Did you experience any pain after taking the medicine?”

The pill contained the insect egg. When swallowed, the outer layer of the medicine would quickly melt. The body’s temperature was a breeding ground for the poison, and with the added stimulation of the medicine, the egg would hatch quickly. It would not stay obediently in the stomach; instead, it would seek out blood vessels.

Mei Yanran nodded. “About two cups of tea after taking the medicine, I experienced severe abdominal pain. The pain spread to my left rib and then stopped, lasting only about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”

Mo Sigui frowned and reached out to check her pulse. A moment of silence ensued.

He used his internal energy to examine Mei Yanran’s pulse, roughly searching her meridians and blood vessels, and found the foreign object. A surge of joy welled up within him, but the strange creature was incredibly cunning, knowing how to evade Mo Sigui’s internal energy detection, and vanished in the blink of an eye!

Mo Sigui’s face instantly darkened.

The human body’s eight extraordinary meridians were incredibly complex. A tiny Gu worm could easily find a place to hide and exhaust his internal energy.

Seeing him withdraw his hand, An Jiu asked, “If I can find this pill, are you confident you can cure the poison?”

“You can find it?” Mo Sigui’s expression shifted from gloomy to cloudy.

“Our team did not take any poison. We all suspect Gao Dazhuang secretly kept the poison; he cannot possibly return it, can he?” An Jiu said.

Mo Sigui’s eyes brightened slightly, like sunlight breaking through dark clouds. “Then go find it quickly.”

“Alright.” Although An Jiu did not know much about Gu poison, she had never seen Mo Sigui with such an expression before, knowing the situation must be very serious. She quickly ate a bowl of rice, packed her things, and set off immediately.

“I will go with you,” Mei Yanran said, chasing after him to the ferry.

An Jiu stood on the boat, her petite figure outlined in a black outfit. Her features were still familiar to Mei Yanran, but that calm, cold gaze pierced her eyes.

Mei Yanran’s emotions were complex. She felt a deep-seated repulsion towards someone who had taken over her daughter’s body. Mei Jiu had told her that they had once coexisted as one, getting along well and sharing hardships. However, Mei Yanran knew her daughter’s personality all too well; perhaps even if she had been tricked into being sold, she would have gratefully helped count the money for her.

Yet, facing that familiar face now, Mei Yanran could not completely hate her.

“No need,” An Jiu said, bowing her head to untie the rope. “I can come and go on my own.”

She pushed the ferry post with the oar, and the boat drifted far away in an instant.

Mei Yanran watched the lone boat float on the still mist-shrouded lake. She turned, leaving only her slender back, a sense of desolation washing over her.

“She belongs to the night; if she hides, few in the world will be able to find her.”

Mei Yanran turned around at the sound of the voice and saw a figure emerge from the bamboo path, dressed in white robes amidst verdant bamboo, ethereal and otherworldly. His captivating peach blossom eyes, though smiling, concealed all worldly desires.

“Aunt,” Mo Sigui said.

“Sigui, did you already notice Jiu’er’s strangeness?” Mei Yanran recalled the past and realized with a start that she had truly been a terrible mother.

“Yes, but the truth is beyond my expectations.” Mo Sigui gazed at the vast expanse of water. “Is this not a good outcome? My cousin is not suited for a life in darkness; Heaven has made other arrangements for her.”

Mei Yanran said worriedly, “But Jiu’er…”

“My cousin is intelligent. After experiencing life and death, she will surely grow. If Aunt interferes too much, she will still be the woman who can only live under someone else’s wing.” Mo Sigui turned to look at her. “She is no longer your daughter; this is fate’s arrangement.”

Mei Yanran lowered her eyes and sighed, “Yes.”

But how could she not worry? Mei Jiu’s current situation was even worse than in Mei Mansion. Mei Jiu was sent by the Emperor, and the Hua family would not only not treat her like a normal eldest daughter-in-law, but would also be wary of her and try to harm her. But if the Hua family really fell, and Mei Jiu was fortunate enough to survive, she would still be recalled to the Konghe Army.

“This time when we met, I could feel that she had become more composed and mature, with the demeanor of a matriarch,” Mei Yanran smiled slightly.

“Everyone should live for themselves at least once,” Mo Sigui murmured.

The sky was overcast, the lake and sky a hazy gray, connected by a thin mist, creating a chaotic scene.

The stifling, humid air foreshadowed an impending downpour.

Shortly after An Jiu left Mei Mansion, raindrops began to patter down. She entered a village, bought a raincoat, opened an umbrella to cover her clothes and face, and went straight into the city.

Many others entering the city, like An Jiu, wore raincoats and carried umbrellas, so she did not attract much attention.

A streak of lightning flashed across the sky, like a snake slicing through the thick clouds, a moment of dazzling white light followed by a rumble of thunder.

The people on the street evacuated quickly; although it was daytime, it was as dark as night, with only occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the sky.

An Jiu ran to the palace, folded her umbrella, concealed her presence, and climbed over a corner of the palace wall.