Night fell like ink, enveloping the vast Zhuge estate in a profound silence. The clamor seemed to have been swallowed by the deep night, leaving only the neat, oppressive footsteps of patrolling guards passing by occasionally.
In an elegantly decorated study, the candlelight flickered, casting a figure that elongated and shortened in turn, reflecting on the bookshelf behind.
Fifth Elder Zhuge Ming was pacing back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. The expression on his face was anxious and uneasy, long gone was the calm composure he had during the day. On the floor, a few crushed tea leaves testified to the turmoil in their owner's heart.
He couldn't figure it out.
He really couldn't figure out how that young whelp Zhuge Xuan had seen through his plan.
The play during the day was meticulously planned by him. He deliberately acted obsequiously, enduring humiliation in front of Wang Kun, precisely to numb the Wang family, to make them feel that the Zhuge Clan had completely lost its edge and was no longer a threat. At the same time, this was also a performance for the pro-war faction within the clan, to make them understand that it wasn't that he didn't want to be tough, but that the situation forced him to endure.
In this way, he could both earn a good reputation for "being mindful of the bigger picture" in front of the Clan Head, and also make the Wang family lower their guard, buying more space and time for his future schemes.
Li Jianye's arrival, though unexpected, was within his ability to handle. He went with the flow, feigning civility with the Li family, and quietly tore a rift in the not-so-solid alliance between the Wang and Li families. All of this had been executed flawlessly.
However, Zhuge Xuan's seemingly arrogant and unbridled words were like an incomparably sharp awl, viciously piercing through all his disguises!
Those words, seemingly spoken to Li Jianye and Wang Kun, were in fact, every single one of them, like a blow to his heart!
"A true man stands between heaven and earth and should rely on the 3-foot blade in his hand" — this was not just an expression of pride, but also a warning to him, Zhuge Ming: don't play those shady tricks and conspiracies in front of me! The path I, Zhuge Xuan, will walk is the upright path of a king, the path of a hegemon who sweeps away everything with his own strength!
What an arrogant confidence this was!
What terrified him even more was Zhuge Xuan's attitude. Not only did he not follow the steps he had set up, showing the despondency and despair that a "cripple" should have, but instead, with a condescending posture, he turned everyone into pieces on his chessboard.
He used Li Jianye's hand to rap the Wang family's arrogance.
He used his own mouth to display the unyielding pride of the Zhuge Clan.
Finally, he even turned his own performance of "enduring humiliation for the greater good" against him, making him, the uncle, look like a clown slapped in the face in public by his ignorant nephew in front of Li Jianye and Wang Kun!
How could a 15-year-old boy possess such cunning and means? This was clearly an old monster who had been immersed in power struggles for decades!
"Could it be... he discovered something?"
As soon as this thought emerged, a layer of cold sweat seeped from Zhuge Ming's back.
He recalled the scene at the Qingyang Banquet. The reason Wang Teng could get so close so easily was not just due to the Li family's distraction, but more importantly, he had bribed a guard by Zhuge Xuan's side beforehand to put a small amount of "Spirit Locking Powder" in the guy's food and drink.
This matter, he was sure, was done flawlessly. Apart from himself and the guard who had long since been silenced, it was impossible for a third person to know.
But Zhuge Xuan's various abnormalities today made his once unwavering heart begin to waver.
"No... impossible..." he muttered to himself, trying to convince himself, "His spiritual energy was locked at that time, and his mind was in chaos. It's impossible for him to have noticed those minute details. It must be a coincidence, yes, it must be a coincidence!"
Just as he was feeling unsettled, the study door was knocked on lightly from the outside.
"Who?" Zhuge Ming's voice suddenly became alert.
"Fifth Master, it's me," a very low voice came from outside.
Zhuge Ming's brow twitched. He waved his hand, a gust of wind blew past, and the door latch opened automatically. A thin man in servant's clothes with shifty eyes slipped in and quickly closed the door.
"What is it?" Zhuge Ming sat back down in the grand master's chair, picking up a cup of long-cold tea to hide his emotions.
The servant bowed and said in a low voice, "Fifth Master, you asked me to keep an eye on the Young Master's side. There's been some movement."
"Speak."
"Just half an hour ago, Uncle Quan personally went to the clan's medicine pantry and took three stalks of 'Verdant Jade Grass,' 2 liang of 'Crimson Sun Pollen,' and a fist-sized piece of 'Hundred-Year Ironwood Heart'."
The hand Zhuge Ming was holding the teacup with suddenly froze.
These three items, taken individually, were all common medicinal materials that were not particularly precious. Verdant Jade Grass had a calming and tranquilizing effect, Crimson Sun Pollen could invigorate blood circulation and remove stasis, and the Hundred-Year Ironwood Heart was hard in texture, often used to make some medicinal tools.
But if these three items were combined...
An ancient, and even somewhat obscure pill formula, instantly appeared in his mind — the "Meridian Tempering Pill"!
The Meridian Tempering Pill, as its name suggested, had the effect of tempering meridians. But the refining process of this pill was extremely domineering. It required one's own blood essence as a catalyst to detonate the medicinal power and forcibly flush and widen the meridians. This method placed an extremely large burden on the pill refiner's body. The slightest carelessness would result in the complete shattering of the meridians, turning one into a complete cripple.
More importantly, this pill formula had been lost for nearly a hundred years. There were only sporadic records of it in the clan's most ancient texts. If not for the fact that he, Zhuge Ming, was well-read and had an amazing memory, it would have been impossible for him to know.
"Zhuge Xuan... he's going to refine the Meridian Tempering Pill?!" Zhuge Ming exclaimed, the shock on his face no longer concealable. "Is he insane?! With his current broken body, forcibly refining this pill is no different from drinking poison to quench thirst, seeking his own death!"
"This servant does not know," the servant lowered his head even further. "It's just that... when Uncle Quan was taking the medicine, his expression was very grave, and he specifically instructed the manager of the medicine pantry not to spread the word about this matter."
Zhuge Ming's face was so gloomy that it looked like water could drip from it.
He suddenly understood.
He finally understood where the confidence behind Zhuge Xuan's arrogant words came from!
That kid hadn't given up at all! Not only had he not given up, but he also wanted to use this almost insane, self-harming method to defy heaven and reshape his meridians!
"Good, good, good..." A terrifying cold light flickered in Zhuge Ming's eyes. "Truly worthy of being Zhuge Yuan's seed. That madness runs in his bones!"
He stood up abruptly and began pacing anxiously in the room again.
This news was undoubtedly a huge threat to him.
He was not afraid of a crippled Zhuge Xuan. No matter how deep his scheming was, a cripple without strength could not stir up any big waves in the end.
But he was afraid of a Zhuge Xuan who wanted to stand up again at all costs!
Once he succeeded, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, with that kid's talent and temperament, he would surely become a major threat to him in the future!
No! He absolutely cannot be allowed to succeed!
This threat must be completely strangled in the cradle before he can accomplish it!
But... how to do it?
Send someone to assassinate him directly? No, Zhuge Xuan's courtyard is heavily guarded now, and Uncle Quan never leaves his side. There's no opportunity to strike. What's more, if he failed, he would surely be exposed.
Then... secretly cause trouble while he's refining the pill?
As soon as this idea came up, he rejected it. The refining process of the Meridian Tempering Pill was extremely dangerous, and it was difficult for outsiders to interfere. Besides, Zhuge Xuan must have already taken precautions.
Zhuge Ming's mind raced, and countless insidious thoughts flashed through his mind, only to be rejected by him one by one.
Time was running out. Judging by the way Uncle Quan was taking the medicine, Zhuge Xuan was likely to make a move tonight.
Just as he was at his wit's end, his gaze inadvertently swept over something on the desk.
It was a small bronze incense burner, in which "Mind Calming Incense" used for tranquilizing the mind was burning. Wisps of green smoke rose gracefully, emitting a faint, elegant fragrance under the candlelight.
A most vicious thought, like a venomous snake, suddenly drilled into his mind!
A ferocious and cruel smile appeared on his face.
"Go," he turned his head and ordered the servant in a low, unquestionable tone, "Find a way to go to the Third Elder's residence."
The servant was stunned. "The Third Elder?"
"Yes," Zhuge Ming's smile became even more sinister. "You don't need to see him in person. You just need to 'inadvertently' reveal what I'm about to say to any servant in the Third Elder's residence."
He leaned close to the servant's ear and whispered a few sentences in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
The servant's face grew more and more horrified as he listened, and in the end, he even showed a look of fear.
"Fifth Master... this... if the Clan Head finds out about this..."
"He won't know," Zhuge Ming straightened up and patted his shoulder, his eyes grim. "You just do as I say. After it's done, that manor outside the city will be yours. If you mess it up..."
He didn't finish, but the threatening meaning made the servant shiver uncontrollably.
"This... this servant understands! I'll go right away!"
The servant dared not hesitate any longer. He bowed, and then, like a ghost, silently exited the study.
The room returned to silence.
Zhuge Ming slowly walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked towards the direction of Zhuge Xuan's courtyard. The night wind blew his robes, making him look like a night owl lurking in the darkness, ready to prey on someone.
"Zhuge Xuan, oh Zhuge Xuan, you can calculate a thousand things, but you can't calculate that in this world, there is something sharper than a sword and more lethal than poison."
"And that is... the 'care and concern' of an elder for a junior."
He laughed in a low voice. In the quiet night, the laughter sounded particularly sinister and terrifying.