Chapter 203: Worthy of Trust Cripple

Qin Mu frowned slightly upon hearing the news, glancing at the Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace beside him. The Imperial Preceptor looked sorrowful and said, "I must go to the Northern trấn King's manor to offer my condolences."

Qin Mu whispered, "Imperial Preceptor, why did the Northern trấn King rebel?"

"He didn't rebel against the Emperor; he rebelled against *me* for the sake of his Ling family's rule."

The Imperial Preceptor softly said, "My power has grown too great, making him uneasy and convinced that I would overthrow the Ling family's reign. You were right; I should settle down. While upholding heavenly principles, human desires must also be considered."

Qin Mu's expression was odd.

For someone like the Imperial Preceptor to settle down and start a family? It seemed somewhat absurd, yet it was about to happen.

"I need to return to my manor first and change into plain, somber clothes. The Northern trấn King made great contributions to the nation. Even though he disagreed with my methods, he was a respectable person, and I must pay my respects."

The Imperial Preceptor parted ways with him, saying, "Once we reach the capital, you won't need to trouble yourself with my injuries anymore."

Qin Mu nodded. The Imperial Preceptor had previously been gravely injured in a sneak attack, but his wounds had already healed, indicating there must be a divine physician by his side. Thus, Qin Mu would no longer be needed to treat him in the capital.

Upon returning to his manor, the Imperial Preceptor suddenly felt a surge of caution. Instead of using the main entrance, he leaped directly into the compound. He looked around and saw that all the restrictions and seals within the manor were intact.

Still not letting his guard down, he sternly called out, "Old Fu? Yuan Qing?"

No sound came back; the Imperial Preceptor's manor was unusually quiet.

The Imperial Preceptor walked further inside. Upon reaching the main hall, he saw several servants and guards from his manor tied up tightly, stacked on top of each other like human pyramids.

The Imperial Preceptor frowned. He then spotted Fu Yuanqing, the Little Poison King Fu Yuanqing, stripped naked, trussed up, and hanging from the ceiling of the main hall. His tongue was sticking out, tied with a golden rope from which a large, heavy iron weight was suspended.

The Imperial Preceptor frowned, and sword light flickered from his fingertips, severing the golden rope and then the ropes binding Fu Yuanqing. Fu Yuanqing fell heavily. Only then did the Imperial Preceptor realize that all of Fu Yuanqing's cultivation had been sealed, even his divine treasures, preventing him from exerting any power whatsoever.

The Imperial Preceptor unsealed Fu Yuanqing's cultivation, then unsealed all the other servants and guards. His expression grew grim as he asked, "What happened?"

"I don't know," Fu Yuanqing shook his head, ashamed. "I didn't see anything before I was sealed. Then I was hung up, and still didn't see anything before my tongue was pulled out and a big iron weight was attached. I couldn't even call for help!"

"Master, is our manor haunted?" The other servants also looked terrified, saying, "I didn't see anything either, and then I was just stacked up with the others, unable to move!"

"Haunted?" The Imperial Preceptor shook his head. "It's not a ghost. It's because that person was too fast; so fast that you couldn't even see him. I know who it is. He broke into my manor simply to retrieve his leg while I was away. If I'm not mistaken, the storeroom where I keep my treasures should now be empty."

He led everyone to the storeroom, where they saw that the seals on it were still intact and undisturbed.

Fu Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled, "Imperial Preceptor, you were mistaken. The seals are still there. It seems the thief couldn't break your seals, so nothing in the storeroom was touched."

The Imperial Preceptor sighed. "Illusory, formless, capable of 'stealing the sky and replacing the sun'—why would he need to break the seals? He can pass directly through them without touching them in the slightest. The storeroom is indeed empty."

The others were disbelieving.

The Imperial Preceptor opened the seal and pushed the door open. The room, which once held various treasures, was now completely empty, as if thoroughly cleaned out.

On the wall directly opposite the door, there should have been a painting: the "Sword God Carrying Sword" scroll, painted by the Crown Prince of Tian Tu Kingdom. But it was gone. In its place was a crooked, astonishingly ugly message: "Imperial Preceptor, I've taken my leg back, and I've gratefully accepted your treasured possessions. I've taken very good care of your servants, so don't worry. Oh, and I slept in your bed. After waking up, I left a pile of poop there for you. I also brewed you a fragrant pot of tea in your study. Our grievances are settled. You're welcome!"

The Imperial Preceptor's face darkened. He quickly turned and went to his bedroom, pulling back the covers. An unbearable stench filled the air. He quickly covered his nose and waved his hand, saying, "Old Fu, throw it out, throw it out!"

Old Fu quickly wrapped up the quilt and rolled up the mattress, but the entire bed still reeked. Old Fu asked, "Master, should we throw out the bed too?"

"Throw it out!" The Imperial Preceptor waved his hand and quickly went to his study. A foul odor hung in the air, and in the teapot was a yellowish-orange liquid that clearly wasn't tea.

The Imperial Preceptor rolled up his sleeve and swept the teapot and teacups out the window, his face livid. "That scoundrel! Taking his leg back is one thing, but to eat, drink, relieve himself, and sleep in my manor, disturbing my peace! Old Fu, prepare some more tea sets and bedding."

Old Fu hesitated, then said, "Master, there isn't much money left at home..."

The Imperial Preceptor paused, then mused, "The Emperor's reward won't arrive for a few more days, and my monthly salary is issued at the beginning of each month. Is this month's salary gone?"

Old Fu explained, "Master, you took most of your salary for your recent trip. With the remaining money, we had to send modest gifts for the birthdays of various princes and ministers, and also for new additions to their families. A few days ago, when the Empress Dowager had her birthday in the palace, I prepared a gift, but the palace still considered it meager."

The Imperial Preceptor rubbed his temples. "Now that the Northern trấn King has passed away, we'll need to prepare another gift. Is there truly no money left at home? Is there anything we can pawn?"

"Well..." Old Fu hesitated, not answering. The Imperial Preceptor looked around and saw that while his residence was not small, it contained very few pieces of furniture or items that could be pawned.

He had always believed that indulging in frivolous possessions wasted ambition, so he kept his living expenses simple and owned no antiques. The items he collected were often peculiar, like the Cripple's divine leg or paintings by the Crown Prince of Tian Tu Kingdom – and those were precisely the things the divine thief had come to steal.

"Can we get an advance on my salary?"

Old Fu said, "Master, are you willing to lose face?"

The Imperial Preceptor hesitated, "Can I borrow some?"

Old Fu shook his head. "With the ongoing war, the several officials you are close with are currently away with their troops and not at home. Besides, you've borrowed many times before and never repaid, which has led to gossip. Their heads of household aren't home, so if I go to borrow money, who would lend it? Unless you go yourself, Master."

The Imperial Preceptor pondered, "My painting skills are decent. I could paint and sell them for some money."

Old Fu asked, "Will you sign your name, Master?"

The Imperial Preceptor shook his head. "If I sign my name, buying my paintings would be tantamount to bribing me. So, no."

Old Fu shook his head again. "Then your paintings won't sell, Master."

The Imperial Preceptor was exasperated. "How do you know they won't sell? I've collected paintings by the Crown Prince of Tian Tu Kingdom and copied them countless times. While I wouldn't dare claim to rival a painting saint, my work is still quite good, isn't it?"

"Master, what kind of place is the capital? Notables are as numerous as carp in a river, but how many can actually make money from calligraphy and painting? Most are skin and bones from hunger. How do you think your painting skills compare to theirs?" Old Fu then added, "However, your disciples could lend you money, Master."

"Borrow from my disciples? I can't bring myself to do that."

The Imperial Preceptor suddenly thought of Qin Mu and chuckled, "I know someone who has money and from whom I can borrow. He's very generous; whenever I needed medicine, he usually paid, otherwise my meager salary would have run out long ago. He's not involved in court politics, so borrowing from him isn't losing face. I'll go borrow the money; you all wait here for me."

Qin Mu returned to the Scholars' Residence at the Imperial College. As soon as he stepped inside, he caught a whiff of medicinal herbs. The scent seemed to be drifting from his own courtyard, which puzzled him.

The Scholars' Residence had dedicated servants to maintain it. Although they were called servants, each often attended lectures in the halls, so their cultivation and strength were far from weak. Some servants were even stronger than the scholars themselves. In the history of the Imperial College, many servants had cultivated extraordinary abilities, leaping from servant status to scholar, gaining official positions and titles, and becoming renowned generals. With servants guarding the Scholars' Residence, it was virtually impossible for outsiders to slip in.

Qin Mu led Long Qilin and Hu Ling'er into his courtyard. He saw large and small bags of medicinal herbs piled up, along with medicine furnaces and cauldrons.

Both the medicine cauldrons and furnaces were extraordinary, bearing remarkably intricate patterns. They were clearly precious artifacts, no less impressive than the treasures Qin Mu had plundered from the Loulan Golden Palace! In one cauldron lay a leg, and in another furnace, an arm.

Qin Mu paused, startled by the sight of the leg and arm. He told Hu Ling'er and Long Qilin, "Wait outside the courtyard. Don't let anyone enter my house."

Hu Ling'er and Long Qilin rose and exited the courtyard. Qin Mu turned to see Long Qilin squeezing through the doorway, making the doorframe creak. He shook his head, thinking, "This fellow has gotten fat these past few days. It won't be long before he breaks my door, and then I'll have to replace it again."

He pushed open the main room's door and saw two men, neither old nor young, sitting inside. The Cripple was immaculately groomed, his hair sleek and shining, and the beard on his chin was tied with a gleaming golden cord. His clothes were quite elaborate.

Opposite him sat Old Ma, dressed in a simple blue cloth shirt, unlike the Cripple's flashy attire, with one sleeve hanging empty. He looked somewhat travel-worn, likely having just arrived, with graying temples and disheveled hair.

Seeing Qin Mu enter, the Cripple gave a guileless smile, and even Old Ma's usually stern face softened into a faint smile.

"Old Ma, Grandpa Cripple..." Qin Mu felt moved, his eyes slightly reddened. "Are you here to see me?"

"No," Old Ma replied.

Qin Mu felt a pang in his chest. The Cripple chuckled, "You're living much more comfortably than us. Why would we come to see you? We picked you up off the street. Would we travel thousands of miles just to visit you? Don't flatter yourself."

Qin Mu retorted indignantly, "You *are* here to see me!"

The Cripple shook his head. "Brat, have you grown wings? We're just not here to see you!" Old Ma cleared his throat and slowly said, "If you're not here to see him, why didn't you take your leg to a pharmacist instead of coming to him? Stop teasing him; look, he's almost crying."

"I am *not* almost crying," Qin Mu insisted stubbornly.

"Alright, alright, stop getting teary-eyed. I *am* here to see you. I just got back from the Imperial Preceptor's manor, where I stayed for a while and conveniently took a few things. See that leg in the furnace?" The old man said triumphantly, "My leg! I got it back from the Imperial Preceptor's manor. The Imperial Preceptor was completely helpless; he just watched as I took my leg!"

Qin Mu was silent for a moment, then gave a guileless smile. "Grandpa Cripple, the Imperial Preceptor and I just returned from out of town. Which Imperial Preceptor are you referring to at the Imperial Preceptor's manor?"

The Cripple stared at him, and Qin Mu stared back just as unyieldingly. The smiles on both their faces were almost equally simple and honest, giving off an air of trustworthiness. Even if they were to stab someone, that person would still feel they were highly dependable.