Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Plan for the Rat Demon’s Mortal Form
Bai Guan-guan!
Since childhood, she had inherited her mother’s martial arts lineage, deeply rooted throughout the entire Yanggu County. At the age of twenty, she succeeded the martial arts school, gathering countless disciples, many of whom were scattered among the major clans. Though just in her early thirties, her prestige was unrivaled.
After the rebel army besieged the city, chaos erupted within Yanggu County.
Yet the White Ape Martial School remained perfectly calm. Aside from Bai Guan-guan herself, a sixth-rank martial artist presiding over the school, there were also numerous disciples within. Who would dare cause trouble here?
“Master, what urgent matter do you have to call everyone together today?” a resident instructor asked.
“On the tenth of next month, your senior sister is getting married. Everyone must attend—did you hear me?” Bai Guan-guan rose from her grand master’s chair, her white training attire accentuating her slender, upright figure as she spoke.
The gathered disciples exchanged glances, each with their own thoughts, but obediently agreed.
There was only ever one senior sister in the White Ape Martial School: Zhang Qingshi. Practically every student who ever came to learn martial arts had heard this, and her name was often on the master’s lips.
But everyone also knew that Zhang Qingshi had never formally accepted Bai Guan-guan as her master; it was the master herself who insisted on the connection, and no one dared offend her by bringing it up.
“What?”
“Senior sister is getting married? Who is the groom?”
At that moment, a man in black training garb stepped forward, muscles taut and imposing, palms as large as fans, eyes round as copper bells, his bones and sinews hardened like iron.
This was Zhou Bao, the magistrate’s illegitimate son. When he was young, he joined the martial school and happened to meet Zhang Qingshi. He fell in love at first sight, learned from others that she was the senior sister, and immediately pledged himself to the White Ape School under Bai Guan-guan.
What he did not know was that, on that day, Zhang Qingshi had only come by to thank Bai Guan-guan for her kindness to the Zhang family, and by a twist of fate, ended up staying at the school to train.
“I heard the groom is Lord Su of the Su family—Su Yang,” Bai Guan-guan replied.
“The Su family?”
“Master, isn’t that the family that split off from the Wang family after the son-in-law took a second wife?”
“What? A live-in son-in-law?”
“Senior sister is marrying a live-in son-in-law?”
“How could senior sister marry such a man?”
The revelation that the groom was a mere son-in-law caused an uproar. Discontent was plain on every face.
Zhang Qingshi was a beauty beyond compare and often visited to thank Bai Guan-guan for her care to the Zhang clan, so many disciples had met her. To them, Bai Guan-guan was like a celestial maiden, and now, to hear that Zhang Qingshi was to wed a live-in son-in-law—how could they accept it?
Why should it be so?
A son-in-law? They considered themselves handsome, witty, and strong—why had senior sister overlooked them all?
Such were the thoughts of most.
Among them, Zhou Bao's eyes brimmed with resentment and hatred, as if he wished nothing more than to destroy the rival.
“Enough! Silence!” Bai Guan-guan’s brows knitted, an invisible wave of anger sweeping through the hall as she spoke with authority, “Who your senior sister chooses is her own decision. Anyone who dares gossip again—I’ll break his legs!”
“Everyone is to attend on the tenth next month. If your parents are dead, you’ll have to ask me for leave in advance.”
“Back to training, now.”…
…
The students dispersed to practice. Zhou Bao, however, hurriedly left the school, his face dark with unreadable thoughts.
Back in her chambers, Bai Guan-guan also wondered whether Qingshi’s marriage was too hasty—how could she marry a son-in-law? Even if he had married twice, something still felt off.
After a quick change into suitable attire, she set out for the Zhang residence, wanting to hear her favored disciple’s thoughts.
…
As for Zhou Bao, upon returning home, he immediately summoned his personal steward.
“Young master, what are your orders?” the steward asked obsequiously.
“Do you know Su Yang, son-in-law of the Wang family?”
“I’ve heard of him—a scholar here in Yanggu County, chosen by the Wang family as their son-in-law. Why is young master interested in such a minor figure?” the steward asked curiously.
“Find someone to investigate this man, but don’t alert him.”
“At once, sir.”
Seeing that Zhou Bao had no intention of explaining, the steward dared not probe further and withdrew to arrange for men to look into Su Yang’s background.
…
The Huang residence, Yanggu County.
“Master, Steward Huang hasn’t returned all night,” a house servant reported, smelling strongly of filth.
“What happened?” Lord Huang frowned, tossing a fresh heart into the alchemical furnace, and stroked his mustache.
“Last night, Steward Huang said he’d found a rare medicinal herb, and never came back.”
“Send people to search. He must be found.”
“Yes, sir.”
The servant withdrew quietly, sending family members out to look for Steward Huang.
…
“Military grounds. State your business,” a guard barred Su Yang’s way, blood surging with the power of a ninth-rank cultivator.
“I’ve come to see General Zhang—to discuss a business deal.”
He slipped the guard a small piece of white flesh—a rare medicinal treasure, perhaps a tenth of the whole.
For these soldiers, neither silver nor grain held any real allure compared to a piece of ninth-rank old medicine.
Sure enough, the guard’s demeanor softened at once. “What business do you have with the general?”
“Last night’s rebel raid—rumor has it there were rat demons among them. Is it true?”
“What are you after with those rat demons?”
“Indeed. I come from a lineage of demon poison crafters, and my skills are superb. I can achieve a sixty percent success rate,” Su Yang replied.
“Sixty percent? Are you sure?”
The guard eyed him skeptically. “You know what happens if you’re toying with my general?”
In Yanggu County, the best demon poison crafters could barely reach a fifty percent success rate at ninth rank. For a young man to claim sixty percent was hard to believe.
“I am certain. If you doubt me, I can demonstrate on the spot.”
“Very well. Wait here while I report to the general. Whether you’re granted an audience is up to him.”
“Of course.”
The guard exchanged duties with a companion and hurried into the camp. Su Yang waited patiently; after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the guard returned.
“The general will see you. Come with me.”
Su Yang followed, noting that nearly a third of the soldiers were ninth rank—a rare sight, for this was the camp’s elite unit, every man armored. In most armies, leather scraps stuffed into cotton jackets were considered a luxury.
…
(Today’s final update. Tomorrow’s may be later than usual; if I can, I’ll update at midnight, otherwise in the afternoon. I have some early errands. Please vote for me! — Silkworm and Heavenly Bean)