Chapter 95 What's wrong with becoming a half-demon?
The next morning, the servants of the Prince of Xiling’s mansion laid out a table full of various delicacies and then respectfully lined up on both sides.
Bai Xiuming sat at the table, slowly and methodically eating the food laid out before him.
Before the meal was finished, the steward of the courtyard came to announce: "Young Master, the Second Young Master has arrived."
"Let him wait," Bai Xiuming replied lazily.
The manager immediately looked troubled: "This... I'm afraid this isn't a good idea."
"Since you think it's not good to keep him waiting, then let him go back."
The steward was taken aback upon hearing this, then knelt down with a thud: "It was my fault for speaking out of turn, please punish me, Your Highness."
Bai Xiuming didn't even glance at the steward; even with someone kneeling beside him, it didn't dampen his appetite.
He wasn't displeased; he just found the servants of the Xiling Prince's Mansion quite interesting.
I still remember how cautious and timid Consort Qi was back then. Now that she's a princess, she seems to value appearances above all else. Whether it's her adopted son or her servants, they all behave well on the surface, but unfortunately, she hasn't been able to hide her true intentions.
Fifteen minutes later, after finishing his breakfast, Bai Xiuming put down his chopsticks, got up, and went out.
Seeing that he had left, the servants standing nearby quickly stepped forward and helped the steward up.
A servant whispered, "The young master is being too petty. Why is he competing with the second young master and making things difficult for the king?"
The steward glanced at the speaker and said casually, "Alright, what the young master is like is not something we should discuss."
Having said this, the other servants also harbored a growing resentment towards the young master.
When they were serving the second young master, he never made things difficult for them, the servants.
Outside the courtyard, this was the first time Bai Yichen had ever been turned away from the Prince's residence. He waited for a long time before Bai Xiuming finally came out.
Bai Yichen took a deep breath and respectfully bowed to Bai Xiuming: "Elder brother."
After bowing, he looked around and asked with some surprise, "Where is Steward Wang who went to inform you earlier? Did Steward Wang displease my elder brother?"
"Your memory is quite good; you even remember the surname of the steward in the manor."
"I've only met him occasionally, but Steward Wang is highly regarded by Mother," Bai Yichen added. "If he has done anything wrong, please forgive him, elder brother."
"The rules of the Xiling Prince's Mansion are quite unusual. Do I, as the heir, have to consider the dignity of the servants?"
Bai Yichen tugged at the corner of his lips: "Elder brother is joking. After all, she is our mother..."
Bai Xiuming showed no intention of giving the princess any face: "The princess has poor judgment in judging people. As her son, you should advise her."
“...Eldest brother is right.”
"Did you need something from me?" Bai Xiuming asked.
Bai Yichen then remembered the important matter and said, "Father is diligent and has to deal with government affairs early in the morning. It's time for you, elder brother, to meet with Father's officials after you've been home for some time."
"Lead the way."
When Bai Yichen brought Bai Xiuming to the government affairs hall, the meeting had already begun.
Seeing his two sons enter one after the other, the King of Xiling stood up and went to greet them. He addressed his officials, saying, "This is my eldest son, Bai Xiuming, who is also the heir of my Xiling Royal Family. In the future, when you see the heir, you should treat him as if you were seeing me."
Bai Yichen watched quietly from the side. Even though he knew in his heart that his father's move was just a temporary measure, he still couldn't hide his displeasure.
Bai Xiuming was to him what the late princess was to his mother—a thorn in his side.
The princess has already wisely taken her leave first. What about Bai Xiuming?
The King of Xiling summoned Bai Xiuming today, seemingly just to show everyone how much he valued this son. He then had two chairs brought over, so that his two sons could sit on his left and right sides respectively.
The officials below looked at Bai Xiuming, who was sitting to the left of the Prince of Xiling, and couldn't help but mutter to themselves. They originally thought that the prince valued the second young master more and would replace the heir sooner or later. But now it seems that this heir who suddenly returned has a better chance of winning.
The King of Xiling was in a good mood today, and the meeting ended in less than an hour.
Before the officials had left, Chief Secretary Liu Qi suddenly stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, the young master has been home for some time now. It is said that one must settle down before establishing a career. Shouldn't we arrange the young master's marriage?"
"What do you think?" King Xiling asked Bai Xiuming.
Bai Xiuming looked back at the King of Xiling, seeing the barely suppressed joy on his face, and slowly asked, "When?"
I thought it would take some time to persuade the son, since he didn't seem to like the Shen family's daughter very much, but I didn't expect him to compromise so easily.
It seems that his son is not indifferent to the title of Prince's heir.
That makes sense. No matter how the Prince of Ming treated him, he was ultimately just an adopted son, and the Prince's title was not his to inherit. It seems that his years in the capital had at least taught him to bow to power.
The King of Xiling did not dislike this ambition, but unfortunately, his throne was destined not to be inherited by this ignorant son.
The King of Xiling turned to look at Liu Qi, who quickly said, "The 20th of this month is the best day."
"Five days is a bit rushed, but the Princess Consort has already made arrangements for the engagement. If you agree, how about we set it for that day?" the Prince of Xiling asked again.
"Can."
Upon hearing that Bai Xiuming was about to get engaged, many of the officials under the King of Xiling immediately stepped forward to congratulate him. Bai Xiuming sat in his chair, looking at the faces of those who came forward to congratulate him, and imprinted them all in his mind.
Before noon, the news that the heir of the Prince of Xiling was about to be engaged to the eldest daughter of the Shen family had already spread throughout the city.
Meanwhile, Bai Xiuming also heard from the servants that a distant cousin of the princess had come to seek refuge and seemed to be planning to stay at the mansion for a while.
A demon entered the Prince's mansion last night, and this morning the Princess Consort has gained a cousin. I wonder if Minister Qi, who is far away in the capital, knows that he has gained such a relative?
Outside the Prince's mansion, Achan opened her eyes early in the morning and was surprised to find that the window she had opened last night was closed this morning.
She lay on the couch, staring at the window for a long time. Suddenly, the window was opened from the outside, and Chen Hui poked her head in: "Today is the last day of the detoxification. Aren't we going to the Shen residence? Why aren't you getting up?"
Seeing Chen Hui's face, A Chan was a little surprised and leaned forward to take a closer look: "Hui Niang, you look great."
It was rare to see any color in Chen Hui's face.
Chen Hui touched her cheek and laughed, "I drank too much demon blood last night, and I still feel a bit of blood rushing to my head this morning."
This was the first time she had felt her blood boiling since becoming a zombie.
"It's good that it works. By the time we return from Xiling, you should have advanced to the second tier." Achan's tone was somewhat envious.
"Stop staring at me. If you're any later, Huixue will come looking for you herself."
"Okay." She lingered on the couch for a while, clutching the blanket, before finally getting up to wash up.
However, Chen Hui guessed wrong today. The two did not leave until 1 p.m., and Shen Huixue did not appear.
Before the two even reached the main gate of the Shen residence, they suddenly saw Wu Mama hurrying up from around the corner to greet them.
"Miss Ji." Mother Wu's face showed some anxiety.
"What's wrong with Madam Wu? Is something wrong with Miss Qingwu?" Achan asked in confusion.
Mother Wu looked around and whispered to the two men, "Please come with me."
Instead of taking them into the Shen residence, Wu's mother led them to a deserted alley not far away.
Seeing that no one was around, she whispered, "This morning the clan leader suddenly came and brought people with him, saying he wanted to treat Qingwu's illness."
"Why is the Shen family suddenly concerned about Qingwu's illness?"
Mother Wu shook her head: "It's not that I suddenly care. In the past two years, the clan chief has invited many doctors over, but the one who came today is different from the others."
"How so?"
"He noticed that Qingwu had unresolved mirage poison in her body and even offered her the same antidote as the young lady."
As Mrs. Wu spoke, she felt her heart pounding with fear.
Although she couldn't explain why, she felt that the person the clan leader brought seemed to know everything, which was somewhat frightening.
Fortunately, Qingwu and Huixue talked late last night and got up late, so they didn't soak in the salt water for the last time. Otherwise, that person might have found out that Qingwu was not sick.
"Do you know about mirage poison..." Achan seemed to be deep in thought.
Clams are relatively rare and even more difficult to catch.
Someone who knows that clam shells are poisonous and also knows how to detoxify them seems unlikely to be human.
"Did Miss Qingwu send you to find me?" Achan asked again.
Mother Wu shook her head: "After the clan chief arrived, Qingwu dared not show any weakness and is still dealing with them. It was Huixue who secretly came to me and asked me to stop you. She was worried that you would run into the clan chief and get into trouble."
Upon hearing this, Achan immediately said, "I understand. Then we'll head back first. If there's anything else, wait until we've left, and then Mother Wu can come find me."
“Okay,” Mrs. Wu quickly replied.
She breathed a sigh of relief after stopping Achan and the others. According to Huixue, Miss Ji had severely offended Shen Yingxiao and his sister when she arrived; if the clan leader saw her, she wouldn't fare well.
After watching the two leave, she didn't dare go straight back to her residence. Instead, she went to the market, bought some more vegetables, and then returned home.
When she returned, she saw several maids who had been sent by the clan to serve Qingwu boiling water in the kitchen. When she saw her carrying a basket of vegetables, the maid named Lvwu went up and rummaged through her basket.
"Why did Aunt Wu suddenly go out to buy groceries at this time? The clan chief just called you over."
Mother Wu said calmly, "Qingwu asked for some yesterday, but I forgot this morning, so I have to go buy it now to avoid upsetting her again. Is there anything you need, Chief? I'll be right there."
Seeing that she handled the situation well, Green Willow withdrew her gaze: "No need for now. The young master Cang who brought the clan leader said he wants to boil a bucket of hot water to detoxify Miss Qingwu. You can send it over after the water is boiled."
Madam Wu's face lit up with surprise: "Did that young master say that if the poison were cured, Qingwu would recover?"
"I don't know, but Mama Wu can ask her herself in a bit." Green Willow gave a few perfunctory words and then told Mama Wu to go boil water herself, while the maids watched from the side.
Before long, Mrs. Wu had boiled two large pots of water.
Several maids carried water, and Wu Mama also carried a salt jar to the main room.
Inside the room, Shen Qingwu was grabbing her older brother Shen Zhiheng's sleeve, insisting that he take her to buy candy.
Shen Zhiheng patiently coaxed her for a couple of minutes, then suddenly turned around and coughed heavily, only stopping after a while.
Shen Huixue, with her sharp eyes, noticed that the handkerchief was stained with blood.
Shen Zhiheng didn't seem to care about the matter. He casually put the handkerchief away and, while patiently coaxing Shen Qingwu, said to Shen Huixue, "Huixue, it's been a few days since you returned from the capital. Why haven't you come to visit us?"
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Uncle. I haven't seen my mother for a long time, and I got carried away."
Shen Zhiheng waved his hand: "We're family, no need to be so polite. Your cousin will be engaged to the heir of the Prince of Xiling in a few days, you must come then."
After saying that, he looked at Shen Qingwu: "Maybe at that time, your mother will be able to go with you."
Shen Huixue's face also showed hope: "If Mother can really recover, we will have to thank Uncle and... Young Master Cang."
As she spoke, she looked at the man dressed in black who was sitting silently beside Shen Zhiheng.
The man seemed no different from any other person, but from the moment he entered, she had a dangerous feeling of being targeted by a predator.
She knew that this wasn't just her overthinking; this sense of crisis stemming from her bloodline was reminding her that the person in front of her wasn't human, but clearly a powerful demon.
The young master Cang swept his emotionless gaze over Shen Huixue as if she were an ant on the ground, giving her no response whatsoever.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and Wu Mama and her maids arrived carrying water.
Madam Wu instructed the maids to pour hot water into the bathtub and then pour all the salt from the salt jar into it.
After adjusting the water temperature, Wu's mother carefully returned to the inner room and bowed to Shen Zhiheng: "Clan leader, the water is ready."
"Mother Wu and Huixue, please help Qingwu with her bath first. We'll wait in the outer room." Shen Zhiheng and Young Master Cang got up and walked out. Once in the outer room, he whispered, "Young Master Cang, if my sister regains her senses, she might remember what happened back then. Perhaps you should leave for a while?"
It was Young Master Cang and Miss Xuan who joined forces to kill that fox demon back then. If Qingwu were to see his face, she would probably be traumatized again.
Shen Zhiheng didn't really care much about his sister who had been acting crazy for years; he was just worried that he wouldn't get what he wanted from her.
"Fine, I'll avoid it then." Young Master Cang glanced at Shen Zhiheng. "You should find out the whereabouts of the fox demon's inner core as soon as possible. I'm afraid your body won't last much longer."
"I must thank Young Master Cang for his help."
"This is what you deserve. The princess hates the fox demon of Qingyu Mountain to the bone. Your Shen family pleased her, and this is all a reward from the princess," said the young master Cang coldly.
“The princess is merciful.” Shen Zhiheng’s posture was unusually respectful.
Rumor has it that the princess is the only bloodline left by the Demon Emperor. To gain her favor means the Shen family will surely have a bright future.
As for whether one's actions will deviate from the original intentions of one's ancestors?
When the Shen family exorcised demons for the people, all they gained was some fame, but in return, the family gradually declined, and the curses of those demons before they died.
The curse caused talented offspring in the clan to be afflicted with it at a young age; his father, he, and his son were all among them.
If they hadn't tried every means to save themselves, the Shen clan would probably have been wiped out long ago.
Everything is just about survival, so why be bound by the distinction between humans and demons?
What's wrong with becoming a half-demon? At least he no longer has to worry about his broken body not being able to hold on.
Unfortunately, powerful demons in the four realms are becoming increasingly difficult to find and kill. The dragon core he had earlier was a gift from Young Master Cang. In recent years, his health has deteriorated, so Shen Zhiheng has no choice but to set his sights on the fox core in his sister's possession.
After speaking with Shen Zhiheng, Young Master Cang left ahead of time.
Shen Zhiheng seemed eager to see Shen Qingwu recover, and actually sat outside waiting for an hour.
Inside the bathroom, Shen Qingwu's bewildered expression gradually returned to normal. Through the screen, she seemed to be able to see her older brother waiting outside.
He was truly her good older brother; more than a decade later, he actually brought the enemy who killed Liufeng to cure her poison.
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