Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 145 Drugging
The old man seemed completely unsurprised: "Yan Lizhe is not your biological father, Yan Lizhuo is, right? You are that child?"

Yan Mingzhang bowed again and took out the jade flute from his bosom: "Yes, I am the five-year-old boy you saved. After my parents were murdered, my uncle adopted me into his household."

The old man poured himself a cup of wine, took a sip thoughtfully, and said, "I have long heard that the head of the Yan family, Yan Lizhe, loves his wife dearly. Although she has no children, the two are still very much in love. He has no children of his own, so it is a perfect solution for him to adopt you."

Yan Mingzhang was eager to know the answer and gripped the jade flute tightly in his hand.

The old man sighed softly: "I don't want to lie to you. I didn't kill your parents back then. When I found out, they were already dead..."

"Then you must know who the real murderer is, right?" Although Yan Mingzhang had already guessed in his heart, he still breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Elder Wuji say that he did not kill his parents. If it were true, he really would not know how to face Rong Wanyin.

“Child, give up. Let these things go. If I said I didn’t know, you wouldn’t believe me, but let me tell you, you can’t do anything about it… What’s the point… Let it go!” Old Man Wuji took a swig of wine and sighed.

“It’s him… the one sitting in the highest position, right?” Yan Mingzhang confirmed his suspicions.

The old man Wuji looked up at him, but did not answer, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"Why?" Yan Mingzhang's eyes were red. Although he had suspected it for a long time, he still felt some resistance when he finally confirmed that the person was the murderer. That person had once been a wise ruler who had kindly cared for him, encouraging him to study hard and become a pillar of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

"How can we commoners presume to guess the thoughts of an emperor? Once the emperor's suspicions arise, it's like a thorn in his flesh; how can he sleep soundly if it's not removed?" Old Man Wuji shook his head and said self-deprecatingly.

Yan Mingzhang felt a pang of sorrow. Just because of these unfounded suspicions, his parents were going to die by the sword...

"Back then, your parents accidentally learned a secret concerning that person's birth. And with the coronation ceremony about to take place, how could he allow such an unstable element to exist? Naturally, he wanted to eliminate it as soon as possible..." Old Man Wuji toyed with the cup in his hand and sneered.

"born?"

"I've heard that your parents obtained something—evidence that could prove he wasn't the late emperor's son, and this evidence has become their death warrant." The old man nodded and continued, "I rushed day and night to save your parents, but unfortunately, I was too late. These are the things your father told me personally before he died. It's just a pity that the crucial evidence has already been taken away, and in fact, I haven't had any evidence all these years."

"And it was precisely because there was no evidence that he let you go?" Yan Mingzhang wondered why the Old Man Wuji knew this secret yet remained unharmed.

"Hahaha, of course he wanted to kill me, but he just didn't have the ability. This can be considered an unspoken understanding between the two of us... After all..." The old man Wuji paused, tilted his head back, and drank the remaining wine in his cup in one gulp, "After all, I've been the Grand Tutor for so many years, there must still be some affection between us..."

The old man Wuji spoke of affection, but his voice trembled slightly.

"Alright, brat, I've told you everything you wanted to know. Can you answer a few questions for me?" The old man Wuji composed himself and looked at Yan Mingzhang with a half-smile.

Yan Mingzhang looked serious and quickly bowed, apologizing, "It was my rudeness, senior, please forgive me..."

"Forgive me? If I do it again, will you not poison me?" The old man Wuji reached out, but his hand was too weak to pick up a wine cup.

"What is this poison called?" The old man Wuji asked, seemingly without any sign of life.

"Cartilage-softening powder..." Yan Mingzhang said modestly, "I obtained the formula for this medicine by chance, and then improved it. The effects will be relieved on their own after half an hour. I have personally tested the medicine."

"Interesting..." The old man Wuji smiled and pointed to the bamboo forest again, "Then what about this improved Wuji Bagua Formation? Where did you learn it? Do you know who created this Wuji Bagua Formation?"

Yan Mingzhang naturally knew that the book he had read from A Bao was created by the Elder Wuji: "I know, but the swordsmith can also die from the sword he forged."

"Hmph, that's why I especially hate you clever people." Old Man Wuji sneered. "If I told you that I was indeed the murderer of your parents, would you shoot me with the crossbow in your arms? Aren't you afraid I'm lying?"

"Don't worry, I can tell you're not lying, senior," Yan Mingzhang said confidently. After all, with his years of experience judging prisoners, he could tell at a glance whether someone was lying or not. "You poisoned me, trapped me with an array, and even planned to shoot me with a crossbow. Aren't you afraid that after I get out of this array, you'll tell Yin'er?" the old man Wuji laughed.

“If you are the enemy who killed my parents, I will kill you no matter what, even if she hates me. If not…” Yan Mingzhang’s expression was solemn.

“If not, so what? I’m not a kind person.” The old man’s eyes were sharp.

"Just now, Senior not only took the bone-softening powder, but also a pill made from the Dream Eater flower. I've improved it; it will make you forget everything that happened in the past hour..." Yan Mingzhang slowly knelt down and kowtowed. "Senior, this kowtow is my apology to you..."

"Didn't you say I wouldn't remember what happened later? Why are you still kowtowing to me?" Old Man Wuji asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Because the younger generation will remember!" Yan Mingzhang said firmly.

"There is one more thing I don't understand," Yan Mingzhang said, standing up.

The old man Wuji raised his eyes and glanced at Yan Mingzhang.

"This junior doesn't understand why you asked Miss Rong to collect your previous items. What's the deeper meaning behind this?" Yan Mingzhang asked, puzzled.

"No deeper meaning, what deeper meaning could there be? It's just that they've learned there are suddenly more people in the martial arts world buying these items at high prices. Rather than letting others make money, they might as well make it themselves!" Old Man Wuji laughed.

"Oh? Is that so? What if I said that I sent those people out?" Yan Mingzhang's eyebrows curved into a smile.

"So it's you, kid... That's great! I'll sell it to you directly at a high price, saving you the middleman's profit!" Old Man Wuji clapped his hands and laughed.

"Is that really the case?" Yan Mingzhang's smile faded, and he stared intently at the Old Man Wuji.

The old man, Wuji, awkwardly touched the tip of his nose: "Sigh, that's why you clever people are so hard to fool. It's... I was afraid someone would use this as an excuse to find me and dredge up that old story, so... all my efforts were in vain, and you still found me..."

The old man Wuji smiled and shook his head: "Forget it, I can't beat you. Go back! I'll return on my own once the effects of the medicine wear off..."

Yan Mingzhang shook his head firmly: "No, I'll wait here until the effects of the medicine wear off. It wouldn't be good if something went wrong during this process..."

Teacher Wuji was momentarily embarrassed. He coughed lightly twice and his eyes involuntarily glanced into the bamboo forest.

"Senior, what is this...?" Yan Mingzhang was somewhat confused.

"Maybe the drug is taking effect... Hahaha... Everyone reacts differently!" Old Man Wuji was plotting how to escape, but he was laughing out loud.

"Master! Master!" Xiao Mu's voice came from the bamboo forest.

Yan Mingzhang's heart tightened. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xiao Mu approaching with a folding fan. Oh no, the medicine hadn't taken effect yet.

Yan Mingzhang's palms were sweating, and he clenched his fists. What would he do if the Old Man Wuji let something slip?

"Little Mu'er..." Before the old man Wuji could finish speaking, he collapsed onto the table with a thud.

Yan Mingzhang breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed the medicine was working.