Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 114 Master is Asleep

Rong Wanyin picked up a bean: "One bean per person per day? How am I supposed to see you eating handfuls of them?"

Rui'er patted her chest proudly: "I'm immune to all poisons! I can eat beans like rice and it'll be fine! My master said I was raised on medicine since I was a child!"

“You’re really amazing. You can tell right away. How do you treat the symptoms? And what about him?” Rong Wanyin pointed to Xiao Liu next to her.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats, and they held their breath.

"He's in trouble. He's been poisoned for too long, and the antidote won't be easy to cure, but he won't die anytime soon! Sister, you don't need to worry about him!" Rui'er suddenly became a little impatient. "Hurry up and help me build the stove!"

"Alright, alright." Rong Wanyin quickly stopped while she was ahead, and could only ask the rest of the questions when she had another chance. "More people can work faster. Should I ask them to lend a hand? However, this crossbow will have to be made slowly."

"It's alright, it's alright, good sister, quickly have them build a stove!" Rui'er shook Rong Wanyin's arm and said coquettishly, "And make me a bamboo dragonfly too!"

Rong Wanyin quickly gave the others a look, and everyone sprang into action.

Rui'er had never seen such a lively scene before, and she clapped her hands and jumped up happily.

Seeing that her plan was working, Rong Wanyin couldn't help but smile. She took out her dagger, picked up two straight wooden sticks and started whittling them. As she whittled, she explained to Ruier, "Ruier, look, you have to whittle it at an angle like this so that the bamboo dragonfly you make can fly high."

"Look, with this turn, the bamboo dragonfly flies up!" Rong Wanyin rubbed her hands together vigorously, and the bamboo dragonfly flew high into the air.

"It's amazing! Sister, you're so incredible!" Rui'er stared at the bamboo dragonfly, her eyes filled with longing. "I wish I could fly too..."

"Do you want to go out of the valley and take a look?" Rong Wanyin noticed Rui'er's thoughts.

Rui'er shook her head, tilting her head: "I can't go out. Master said there are many bad people outside, and they will catch me. I can't go..."

Rong Wanyin was at a loss for words. Ruier's mind was limited, and the outside world was too complicated for her.

-

The earthen stove was already built, and Rui'er, covered in soot, was grilling meat in front of it, saying, "It's fun, it's fun!"

Yan Mingzhang and Rong Wanyin exchanged a glance, and breathed a slight sigh of relief. The information they had gathered today was very important.

Rong Wanyin handed a skewer of grilled meat to Ruier: "Ruier, you can eat these first. I'll take them to your master after I finish grilling these."

Rui'er's eyes dimmed slightly: "Master can't eat it..."

"Can't finish it?" Rong Wanyin looked at her in confusion.

"Yes, Master is asleep." Tears welled up in Rui'er's eyes. "Master isn't paying attention to Rui'er anymore, he just keeps sleeping and sleeping!"

"Sleeping all the time?" Rong Wanyin and Yan Mingzhang exchanged a glance, vaguely sensing that something was wrong, and had a bad feeling.

"Can you take me to your master? I'll call him for you," Rong Wanyin asked cautiously.

Rui'er shook her head: "No, Master said that outsiders cannot be allowed into the secret chamber."

“But I’m not an outsider! Aren’t we friends now? Aren’t I your sister?” Rong Wanyin said with a smile.

Rui'er looked at Rong Wanyin thoughtfully: "Friends? Are we really friends?"

"Yes!" Rong Wanyin nodded firmly, but her heart was filled with guilt.

“Okay, I’ll take you there now.” Rui’er threw down the meat skewers in her hand, excitedly grabbed Rong Wanyin and ran off. After a few steps, she stopped, put her hands on her hips and said to the others, “No one else is allowed to peek! We’re not friends yet, Xiao Liu, you keep an eye on them for me!” Yan Mingzhang couldn’t hide his worry in his eyes. He frowned and gently shook his head at Rong Wanyin, indicating that she shouldn’t go alone.

Rong Wanyin smiled at Yan Mingzhang, then resolutely turned and left.

Rui'er giggled and pulled Rong Wanyin towards her residence.

"Hey, slow down..."

-

Rui'er's dwelling was similar to Rong Wanyin's small house, the only difference being that her house was backed by a towering rock wall. At the courtyard gate, Rui'er stopped and looked into Rong Wanyin's eyes, solemnly instructing, "Sister, don't touch anything later. I'll take one step, you take one step. Making a mistake could be fatal!"

"Okay!" Rong Wanyin swallowed nervously, suddenly hating herself for not having Yan Mingzhang's photographic memory. If she made a mistake, she would die! She could only try her best to remember every step.

Once inside, Rong Wanyin dared to wipe her sweat, glancing around as she did so.

The room was small, but surprisingly clean and tidy.

"I tidied it up!" Rui'er proudly raised her head. "Master taught me everything!"

"Rui'er did well!" Rong Wanyin patted Rui'er's head, and suddenly felt a lump in her throat. "Rui'er, is it usually just you and your master?"

"And the mute old woman." Rui'er shook her head, then called out towards the kitchen, "Mute old woman, I'm back!"

A woman with gray hair and a kind face emerged from the kitchen. She was somewhat surprised to see that Rui'er had brought outsiders, but she still wiped her wet hands on her apron and greeted her with a smile.

The mute old woman gestured a couple of times, and Rui'er grabbed her arm, saying, "Mute old woman, this is my friend! A friend!"

The mute woman beamed with joy, her eyes narrowing into slits, revealing her scattered teeth. She was genuinely happy for Rui'er.

“Grandma, I’m going to take my sister to see Master. I have friends now too,” Rui’er said with a smile.

The mute woman looked at Rong Wanyin with some concern, then suppressed her smile and looked away.

"Old mute, please, we'll be out in a bit!" Rui'er pleaded.

The mute old woman nodded helplessly. Rui'er happily leaned her head on the old woman's shoulder, and the old woman smiled helplessly and patted Rui'er's head.

"Rui'er, what do you usually eat?" Rong Wanyin asked softly.

“There’s lots of delicious food. The mute old woman will cook a lot of delicious food for me. I will also pick all kinds of fruits from the trees and collect bird eggs. Oh, and there are also worms, but they don’t taste very good.” Rui’er gently turned the vase in front of the desk, and the door to the secret room opened.

"..." Rong Wanyin felt a mix of emotions. "Rui'er, would you like to go out and see the world? The world outside is vast."

Rui'er looked at Rong Wanyin with longing in her eyes, but still firmly shook her head, "No, I won't go. Master said there are too many bad people outside, I can't go out. I'm safe in Medicine King Valley. Come on, I'll take you to see my master!"

Rong Wanyin smiled and nodded.

The stone steps in the secret chamber were long, and the further down you went, the darker it became. Water droplets seeped from the stone walls and fell down, icy cold.

After climbing the stone steps to the end, we finally arrived.

It was a stone chamber.

A stone chamber that exudes a strange smell.