Zhang Yuge was deep in thought, contemplating his next move, when Wang Quan arrived with two companions.
“I wonder, Brother Wang, what brings you to me?”
Zhang Yuge asked absentmindedly.
“Brother Zhang, you’re too polite. Just call me Wang Quan from now on. You’ve helped me so much, yet I’ve never properly expressed my gratitude. I feel deeply guilty about that.”
“Just some spirit stones. No need to mention it.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Wang Quan introduced the two men behind him to Zhang Yuge.
“Brother Zhang, these two just tested their aptitude at Jinyi Pavilion but were overlooked. They have witnessed your Heroic Spirit and insisted I bring them to meet you.”
“Brother Wang speaks in jest. I’m a laughingstock among the people, hardly deserving the title of Heroic Spirit.”
Zhang Yuge was preoccupied with thoughts of how to take revenge on Wu De and didn’t really want to deal with Wang Quan and his group.
“Brother Zhang, this is Liu Rong, son of the Left Guard Commander. This is Chen Bin, son of the Vice Prefect of Jingzhao.”
Afterward, the two exchanged greetings with Zhang Yuge, and to his surprise, the conversation flowed smoothly.
Zhang Yuge realized these three men all had backgrounds around the fourth rank.
The Minister of Rites was upper fourth rank.
The Left Guard Commander was lower fourth rank.
The Vice Prefect of Jingzhao was also lower fourth rank.
The Governor of Ningzhou, a large prefecture, held the equivalent of a third-rank official in the court.
Yet, precisely because their statuses were similar, the conversation was genuine and did not descend into flattery or sycophancy.
“I’ve long disliked Elder Wu. If I weren’t no match for him, I’d have sliced him down with one stroke!”
The speaker was Liu Rong, worthy of a military family’s son.
“That scoundrel, without the status of a cultivator, is nothing but a ruffian,”
Chen Bin agreed.
“What wrongs have ruffians done? If you speak so ill of them, I say he’s just a pure-born bastard, worse than pigs and dogs.”
Wang Quan, having been injured by Wu De and coughing up fresh blood, naturally hated Wu De the most.
Zhang Yuge was amused by these young nobles, and his heavy mood lightened considerably.
But amusement aside, a gentleman must avenge his grievances.
“Gentlemen, there’s no time like the present. Why don’t we act tonight?”
Zhang Yuge proposed.
“I’m not quite sure what you mean, Brother Zhang. Act tonight at what?”
Wang Quan asked, puzzled.
“To deal with that Wu fellow…”
Zhang Yuge stopped himself and glanced at Zhang Qingyao.
After confirming the physician in the pharmacy hadn’t overheard, Zhang Yuge made a cutting motion across his neck.
Everyone immediately understood.
The three looked at each other, though they had just vented their anger, they were hardly brave enough to kill Wu De.
One must remember, mortal bodies stand no chance against a cultivator’s strike—one touch means death or worse.
Still, they couldn’t just back down outright, having just spoken so fiercely.
Seeing no response, Wang Quan sighed and forced himself to speak.
“Brother Zhang, we’re mere mortals without your cultivation…”
“Don’t you want revenge?”
Zhang Yuge interrupted.
After a pause, he slowly said,
“That Wu fellow publicly humiliated you in front of nearly every noble in the capital and even wounded you. Can you swallow that?”
“I…”
“Liu Rong, Chen Bin, you heard it too. Wu called mortals pigs and dogs in front of everyone, and not a single person dared to contradict him. Today it’s Wang Quan who’s humiliated, tomorrow it will be you. Today my servant girl was coveted and molested by him, tomorrow it will be your women stolen by his brazen hand. To me, cultivators are still human, not gods. And all humans die.”
Turning, Zhang Yuge approached the pharmacy’s physician.
“Doctor, I want all the drugs here capable of sedating a person.”
“All of them?”
The Old Physician looked at Zhang Yuge in surprise, hesitatingly asking,
“May I ask what the young master wants with so many sedatives?”
Zhang Yuge placed a spirit stone on the counter.
“Just tell me if you’ll sell or not.”
“Sell! Absolutely sell!”
The Old Physician hurriedly pulled out several packets of medicine.
“My drugs require only one or two doses to bring down a healthy adult male within ten breaths.”
“Good, I’ll take them all.”
Coincidentally, Zhang Qingyao had just finished gathering the medicine, and Zhang Yuge left the pharmacy with her.
Wang Quan and the others waited outside.
Wang Quan hesitated.
“The Receiving Elder of the Five Spirit Sect is a cultivator. Can these mortal drugs pose any real threat to him?”
“Yes,”
Zhang Yuge nodded.
“That’s why we’re using all these doses, leaving nothing behind. With this amount, even a cultivator like that Wu fellow will have a hard time.”
Zhang Yuge handed the packets to Zhang Qingyao to carry.
Wang Quan stared at the girl’s bulging bundle of medicines, his mouth twitching slightly as he hesitated.
“Dissolving this much sedative will require several pots of wine at least. Wu is unlikely to drink that much. In that case, the sedative’s effectiveness will be limited. Besides, he holds the title of Elder, likely stronger than an ordinary cultivator.”
Zhang Yuge shook his head, speaking softly.
“You don’t need to confront Wu directly. Just disperse the onlookers and clear the area. Leave the rest to me. If you can’t get that much wine, burn the remaining medicine in an incense burner. Combined with the wine, the fumes should keep Wu from being lively. By the way, Wang Quan, Liu Rong, Chen Bin, which of you is close to the Flower Queen at Jinyi Pavilion?”
“I… I have a good relationship with a Flower Queen named Moli. Brother Zhang, do you want her to assist us?”
Chen Bin asked.
“Of course. Chen, have this Flower Queen seek out that Wu fellow tonight and try every means to get him to drink. Light the incense burner filled with sedatives. Have her take the antidote beforehand so she can hold out longer. After that, it’s no longer her concern. If she passes out, she won’t know what’s coming. Wu won’t suspect her either.”
“This… these courtesans are no fools. Why would she agree to help us?”
“Chen, you promised to buy her freedom afterward and take her as your concubine. No woman can resist such an offer.”
“But… buying her freedom costs a thousand taels of silver. She’s one of Jinyi Pavilion’s biggest moneymakers.”
“Don’t worry, I, Zhang Qingyao, will pay. You get a Flower Queen for free, and you’re not happy about it?”
“Thank you, Brother Zhang. I will arrange it right away.”
After Chen Bin left, Zhang Yuge turned his attention to the military scion, Liu Rong.
“Liu, do you have any brothers under your command?”
“Chen, you’ve asked the right person. I have many brothers and friends in the Imperial Forest Army.”
“Then I entrust the clearing of the area to you, Liu.”