Chapter 186 I've Been Waiting for You

"Treason is too harsh a term." Chen Zhaozhi said, "If you want to force the emperor to abdicate, that's fine. I have a legitimate reason to do so. I will take back what I deserve."

"Is the Grand Master also on your side?" Xu Chuchu was suspicious. "He didn't even save you and let you be exiled? I think he wants to seize this power for himself and become the emperor himself. I'm afraid you have been abandoned."

Chen Zhaozhi smiled and shook his head. "You don't understand my master. His ambition has never been power. He has devoted his life to promoting his Buddhist teachings. The current emperor respects him on the surface, but in reality, he has issued few effective decrees to promote his teachings. Otherwise, there would be no place for your Taoists in the Xia Dynasty. Only by helping me ascend the throne can he realize his great cause. The Crown Prince can't do it, and the Second Prince is even less capable."

"Religions must allow a hundred schools of thought to flourish in order to progress. A single dominant force will only lead to decay." Xu Chuchu shook her head. "You're so bold! You dare to tell me about treason! Aren't you afraid that I'll report you?"

"Report me? Where's the evidence? The evidence is that you ran into me sitting alone in a prison van when you went into the mountains to collect herbs, and I told you in person? Not to mention that you are someone close to Xiao Yu, who would believe you?" Chen Zhaozhi smiled disdainfully.

"Xiangshi Xu, you are very smart and talented. Instead of being my enemy, why don't we cooperate?" He said calmly, "Release me and I will take you back to the capital. We have gathered enough power and can give you some of it. Reaching the fifth level will be no problem."

"Going for level five is like sending away beggars. I'm not interested in cooperating with you, Chen Zhaozhi." Xu Chuchu refused bluntly, but actually put down the Umbrella. "You can continue with your plan. It has nothing to do with me."

Chen Zhaozhi saw that it was getting late and that soldiers might be chasing them soon, so he said anxiously, "You don't want power, but you must want something else, right? Ginseng? As long as you ask for it, I will find a way to help you!"

Having said that, Xu Chuchu hesitated for a moment.

Perhaps the Grand Master could really save her master's life.

But she quickly realized that a man who was full of lies and had just deceived another girl was never worth trusting.

"Goodbye, Emperor Shen." She smiled slightly and turned away. "Have a nice trip south."

"If you don't cooperate, it's your loss." Chen Zhaozhi shouted from a distance, "Don't blame me for not reminding you."

In Shen Zhaozhi's opinion, it would be best if Xu Chuchu was willing to cooperate with him. Even if she was unwilling, it would be acceptable if she didn't kill him. After all, she certainly didn't want to bring trouble to himself.

But he didn't know that Xu Chuchu didn't kill him not because she was afraid, or because she felt it was none of her business, but because she didn't want to disrupt the other party's plan for the time being and arouse the vigilance of the Grand Master.

She thought that if they really gathered enough energy, maybe she could borrow one or two.

Xu Chuchu was worried about running into officers and soldiers who had returned to hunt down Shen Zhaozhi, which would cause misunderstandings, so she didn't stay there for long and went home early.

It was afternoon now. The master was resting in the room, Xu Zhe and Ah Fu were working in the yard, and Da Ju had disappeared somewhere.

Although Daju has reached the fourth level of cultivation and can transform into a human, he is essentially still a pet cat. No one has ever made too many demands on him, such as asking him to help with chores.

Xu Chuchu put the basket back to the corner of the yard, preparing to wash and slice the ginseng he had dug and give it to his master to hold in his mouth.

"Big Sister," someone called from behind her, "You're back so early. Didn't you say you'd dig all day?"

Xu Chuchu turned around and saw that the person talking to her was Xu Zhe.

His tone and expression were not very friendly, and he seemed not very happy that she came back so early.

"It's Jiji." She smiled at him gently and imitated her master and Daju, calling him by his nickname to appear more approachable. "Originally, we were going to dig for a whole day, but something unexpected happened and it's not convenient for us to continue, so we came back first."

Xu Zhe looked at the ginseng in her hand. It was not small in size, so he didn't say anything.

"Big Sister," he continued, "my family's heirloom sword is in your hands, right? Can you return it to me?"

Xu Chuchu was slightly stunned.

The family heirloom sword he was talking about was naturally the one he had sold to her for five hundred taels of silver at the auction.

Logically speaking, after the money and goods are paid, the sword belongs to Xu Chuchu, and there is no question of "whether to return it or not". But now it seems that Xu Chuchu is the eldest senior sister, and the sword is so important to him, so it is reasonable to return it.

only……

"The sword is not with Senior Sister right now, so I can't return it to you right away." She said politely, "I'll get it back for you when I have the chance, okay?"

If nothing unexpected happens, the sword is still in the Xiao Mansion, and that is the place Xu Chuchu never wants to go back to in her life.

"It's in that man's hands, right? The man you went to the auction with!" Xu Zhe suddenly asked excitedly, "You don't have to return the sword to me. Go ask him for help. He's so rich, he'll definitely be able to find a way to heal Master!"

Xu Chuchu was speechless for a moment, but she slowly shook her head: "You don't know the situation very well, so I can't go back to find him. But you have to believe in Senior Sister, she will definitely find a way to cure Master."

"What solution? Digging for ginseng?!" Xu Zhe's voice grew louder and louder. "You'll never know when you'll come up with a solution. The fastest and most effective solution is right in front of you, why aren't you using it?"

Xu Chuchu said: "Jiji, if I go back and beg him, he won't help me..."

"He will!" Xu Zhe interrupted her. "I heard Chou Mao and Master Ah Fu talking today. They said that man is rich and powerful, and that you are very important to him. He will satisfy whatever you want, even if you ask for the stars and the moon. I really don't understand. Even if he does something to make you angry, can it be as important as Master's life? Can you watch Master die just to satisfy your selfish desires?"

"Enough!" Xu Chuchu shouted, "Jiji, I know you're anxious, but there are some things you can't take for granted. Money can't cure all diseases!"

Xu Zhe's eyes suddenly dimmed. He knew that he had said the wrong thing in his impulse and lowered his head in shame.

"I know money can't cure all diseases... but without it, we can't even afford tonics, let alone Master's life." He whispered, "Big Sister, do you know how we've been through these past few years... We've been looking forward to seeing you every day."

"Looking forward to... me?" Xu Chuchu was stunned.