Chapter 27 One Thing Subdues Another

Mu Xi was well-versed in negotiation in her previous life. She didn't expect to get complete "disposal rights" all at once, but when she started to "make an offer", she always left herself "room to lower the price". What she wanted now was the real deal.

After all, the goal is to save the two lives, but whether they can succeed depends on the other party's attitude.

She is not a "saint"; her own life and safety, as well as the lives and safety of the many people around her, are her top priority.

"This..." Mu Zhen began to consider it.

Mu Xi feigned pitifulness again: "I just don't want innocent lives to be lost because of my mistake. Just let me meet with that Qi Erniang and see if she can keep her mouth shut. If I find that she is indeed not a reliable person and only wants to betray us, then I will not spare her life. Of course, the final decision rests with Father. I only ask to see her once. As long as I can see her, I will obediently leave the city."

Mu Zhen seemed somewhat tempted, but then looked at Mu Xun and asked, "Where have you placed them?"

Mu Xun stood by his side the whole time, but when his father and brother were talking, he had no say and could only watch from the sidelines.

We can only answer truthfully now: "It's right below the back alley of Zhuming Pavilion."

“Hmm…” Mu Zhen lowered his head and thought for a while, and finally nodded after a lot of effort. “Alright, since you insist, then let Xun’er arrange to take you there. But it’s just for a meeting. You can’t interfere with how things are handled in the end. And after the meeting, you must immediately cooperate and obediently leave the city to take refuge. You can’t return to the city without my order.”

"Thank you, Father." Mu Xi's initial negotiation intentions were met.

Mu Zhen then pointed to the talisman water on the table: "Also, drink this, it's for your own good."

Pooh--

Mu Xi resisted, but since the negotiations had finally been successfully completed, it was not appropriate for her to refuse outright.

Mu Zhen repeated his previous statement: "The Imperial Preceptor's talisman water is always effective, and it's also to suppress the evil within you... Sigh... Anyway, drink it."

"What's on me?" Mu Xi keenly sensed that something was wrong, especially since her scumbag father had mentioned "when I was little" twice.

"It's nothing..." Mu Zhen didn't answer, her mind made up. "If you still want to see that proprietress, then drink it."

"Don't drink it, I'm scared..." At this moment, the voice of a three-year-old child popped into my head, "As long as you don't drink it, I know why, I'll tell you."

Um?

How can someone still have a childlike personality?

Mu Xi could no longer refuse the talisman water outwardly, but she still had to ask herself inwardly, "What do you know? Why can't I drink this talisman water? As long as it's not poisonous, drinking a bowl won't kill me, right?"

"I won't die, but I'll feel terrible." If Mu Xi could see the face of that voice right now, it would definitely be the aggrieved face of a child.

“If you’re worried about what’s in this talisman water, brother, let me try a sip first.” On the other side, Mu Xun picked up the talisman water, scooped up a spoonful, and drank it. It seemed that the taste was indeed not very good. “This talisman water doesn’t taste good. I’ll have Tao’er and the others bring some candied fruit over.”

Sometimes you really don't know which side this person is on.

The scumbag father chimed in, "Now that Xun'er has already tested the poison for you, you can drink it without worry, right?"

Testing for poison?

Yes, she really should have someone by her side to test the poison.

Having come this far, Mu Xi had no choice but to drink: "Since that's the case, I'll drink it. I hope Father will keep his promise."

Although Mu Zhen was a terrible father, he was still a man of his word: "Just drink it without worry. I will have Xun'er arrange for you to meet him. But you must not be soft-hearted. Don't forget, the lives of the three of us are tied together."

"Heh, now you know I'm a 'woman'?" Mu Xi couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark.

I can say these words myself, but it feels uncomfortable to hear them from my scumbag father.

Mu Xi reached out and took the talisman water. The voice of a three-year-old child was indistinguishable between male and female, but it was almost a cry: "Don't drink it, they are very bad. They want to harm me, don't drink it."

Mu Xi's head throbbed with pain: "Who are you? Who are they? Why are they trying to harm you?"

Before they could get an answer, the scumbag father impatiently said, "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and drink it."

"Uh..." Mu Xi didn't know who to listen to.

Just then, there was another knock on the inner room door.

Immediately afterward, before anyone could respond, the door was pushed open, and Doctor Luo entered carrying a bowl of freshly brewed medicine, followed by Tao'er carrying candied fruit.

As soon as Doctor Luo entered, he didn't even glance at Jin Fangjun. He snatched the talisman water and handed the medicine to Mu Xi, saying, "Here, this is a calming soup that was just brewed. Drink it while it's hot."

"Uh..." Mu Xi was wary of the talisman water, but she simply disliked the bitter taste of the herbal medicine.

Doctor Luo gave him no chance: "If the young master is afraid of bitterness, there are also candied fruits prepared here."

Mu Xi was caught in a dilemma, but ultimately getting the person out of trouble was the priority: "I'll just drink the talisman water; after all, it's part of the deal."

"What are the terms of the exchange?" Doctor Luo slammed the bowl of talisman water down on the table. "The water made from the ashes of the talisman paper is extremely cold in nature and will not be good for your health. Do not drink it."

In the original owner's memories, the relationship between Doctor Luo and Jin Fangjun was subtle.

This move was clearly aimed at Jin Fangjun.

Since transmigrating, Mu Xi hadn't had a chance to really look at Doctor Luo. Now that her scumbag father and the doctor were in the same frame, the two were worlds apart. Although they were about the same age, one seemed to be in his twilight years, while the other was in the prime of his life.

The divine physician Luo usually keeps a low profile, but she always manages to save her from dire situations in critical moments.

He possesses both an otherworldly and Taoist-like appearance and miraculous healing abilities.

The more I look at it, the more pleasing it becomes.

Mu Xi's opportunity had arrived, and she used a feigned retreat to advance: "It's alright, Doctor Luo, it's just a bowl of talisman water, it won't kill anyone if you drink it."

"Don't drink it." Doctor Luo stopped him abruptly, turning to point the cannon at Mu Zhen. "What are you doing, Lord? Are you going to force your daughter to drink something of unknown origin, just like you did back then, almost killing her?"

Mu Zhen's face darkened and he said, "Cough cough... Luo Qingming, what nonsense are you talking about? This is talisman water that the current Grand Preceptor Xian Ling personally prayed to the gods for. It can protect Xi'er from being possessed by evil spirits. I saw it with my own eyes just now, there's no mistake."

"Saw it with your own eyes?" Doctor Luo's veins bulged suddenly. "Some people are blind; even if they had eyes, they'd be useless. Back then, Qionghua believed you. She clearly had a naturally miraculous constitution, yet you still..."

Qionghua was the courtesy name of the original owner's birth mother.

Mentioning these two items made Jin Fangjun and Mu Zhen's already sour face darken even further.

"Fine, it's just a bowl of talisman water, she doesn't have to drink it." Mu Zhen turned his wheelchair around and was about to leave. "This was all for Xi'er's good. Since she's so unwilling to drink it, then forget it. I have other things to take care of."

Well……

Is this a case of one thing subduing another?