DLWAV CH136

Then Yao Wenju returned to the inn to pack his luggage. Starting today, he was the freshly minted chief clerk of the Prince Wu estate.

Ao Ruize subsequently brought a portion of his predecessor’s personnel out into the open, dispatching them to take over the Prince Wu estate. He also had them build an iron-smelting forge within the estate and recruit a batch of craftsmen. After all, how could a rebellion lack bombs and hand grenades?

Having finished all this, he finally turned his attention to Wu Chuyao.

Only then did Wu Chuyao completely process everything: “So, I’m free now?”

Ao Ruize nodded.

This was also the main reason he chose to kill Fu Deben directly and expose himself to the public eye. Otherwise, even if Wu Chuyao hadn’t been forced to ‘commit suicide’, who knew how much more suffering she would have had to endure.

No, she hadn’t completely regained her freedom. Because as long as the Ji family still sat on the throne, they would continue to live in daily trepidation.

At this thought, Wu Chuyao immediately asked, “Is there anything I can do?”

Ao Ruize was speechless. It was rare to see such a proactive tool character these days.

He thought about it: “Then how about we find you a teacher first, to study the Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance) and Zhenguan Zhengyao (Essentials of Government of the Zhenguan Period)?”

Wu Chuyao was utterly confused. Did this have any necessary connection to rebelling?

But she quickly realized that there was indeed a connection. After all, the Wu family was now down to just the two of them, sister and brother. She had to learn more so she could help Ao Ruize keep an eye on things in the future.

But they never expected that, rather than being stumped by the monumental task of rebellion, they would repeatedly stumble over the trivial matter of finding a suitable teacher.

They consecutively approached several highly respected great scholars who were willing to associate with them, but all of them refused without hesitation. Aside from two who phrased it delicately—claiming their health was failing and they feared they couldn’t teach Wu Chuyao well—the rest practically told them outright: although Wu Chuyao had left the Prince Rui estate, her reputation was long ruined. If they accepted her as a student, they feared they would have no face to meet the sages and virtuous men in the afterlife.

Wu Chuyao’s expression instantly changed.

The milk dumpling system couldn’t hold back from cursing out loud: “If they’re so obedient to those so-called sages and virtuous men, why don’t they just acknowledge them as their mothers?”

“…And they have the nerve to spout that since ancient times, a woman who loses her chastity should proactively withdraw from the world… I bet they actually wanted to say that a woman who loses her chastity should proactively apologize with her death. Dammit, why don’t they mention that society used to be matriarchal…”

Ao Ruize said, “Hmm? No swearing.”

But the milk dumpling was still furious: “I refuse to believe I can’t find a great scholar willing to teach older sister!”

Thinking of this, it gritted its teeth and used its own private stash of points to purchase a trial version of a Talent Search System from the system mall.

Opening the Talent Search System, it inputted three keywords: ‘Name Matches Reality’, ‘Great Scholar’, and ‘Renowned Teacher’, then clicked search.

Ten seconds later, a complete map of the entire world appeared on the system interface, followed by red dots lighting up one after another. At a rough glance, there were well over a hundred.

The milk dumpling directly ignored those renowned teachers abroad and focused its attention within the borders of Great Yang.

Then, its eyes lit up. Because it saw that the absolute brightest of those red dots was impressively located right inside the capital.

It immediately urged, “Quick, quick, quick, let’s go find him right now.”

Ao Ruize, who had originally been planning to go look for a wife first, agreed: “Alright.”

What they didn’t expect, however, was that this great scholar was unlike any they had visited before; he actually lived in the slums.

“This shouldn’t be!” After all, anyone who could become a great scholar could casually publish a book or sell a piece of calligraphy and make enough to live a life free from worry over food and clothing.

Only then did the milk dumpling remember to check this great scholar’s detailed profile. And then it completely froze.

The profile read: “Jiang Zimo, born in the tenth year of Chongming, native of the capital, aged twenty-five…”

“He’s only twenty-five?”

A year younger than Wu Chuyao? Even if he had started studying while still in the womb, it was impossible to achieve such massive accomplishments at this age.

The milk dumpling thought to itself: “Could this Talent Search System be just like me…” A pirated copy?

Fortunately, it caught itself instantly and didn’t voice the latter half of that sentence.

“Ahem.” It covered its mouth and gave a light cough, then said in disappointment, “How about we go back? Forget it.”

However, before Ao Ruize could respond, it added, “Since we’re already here, we might as well go take a look.”

Ao Ruize: “Alright.”

Over ten minutes later, after leaping over a stinking ditch, dodging two rampaging wild dogs, and evading three rocks that flew out of nowhere, Ao Ruize finally stood before Jiang Zimo’s door.

The milk dumpling prompted, “Quick, knock on the door.”

Ao Ruize raised his hand and knocked. However, half a minute passed without the slightest movement from inside. He knocked again, and there was still no reaction.

Just then, an auntie walked out from the neighboring courtyard.

Ao Ruize immediately asked, “Auntie, is Mr. Jiang Zimo home?”

The auntie glanced at the Jiang house. “He should be. I haven’t seen him go out today.”

Ao Ruize: “But I just knocked several times, and there was no response inside.”

“Is that so?” The auntie suddenly realized something. “Oh no, could Mr. Jiang be delirious with fever again?”

Thinking of this, she immediately rushed back into her own home, practicedly grabbed a ladder from the corner, set it against the wall, and flipped over into the neighboring Jiang house.

Seeing this, Ao Ruize followed suit.

The very moment he landed, he heard the auntie, who had already rushed into the bedroom, scream in alarm, “Mr. Jiang? Mr. Jiang? Someone come quick!”

Ao Ruize immediately hurried inside.

Who knew that the moment he stepped one foot into the bedroom, the milk dumpling’s familiar exclamation would ring out: “These beautiful, watery eyes, this high-bridged nose, these alluring crimson lips… I’ve decided, this is my new wife! Wait, no, he’s sick, that’s why his face is so red. Xiao Ruize, quick, save him!”

Ao Ruize had already rushed forward. “How is he?”

The auntie replied, “He’s completely delirious with fever.”

Hearing Ao Ruize’s voice through his daze, Jiang Zimo’s ears twitched. He thought to himself that this voice was rather nice. With that thought, he couldn’t help but turn his head toward the source of the sound.

Mhm, he’s quite good-looking too.

To his surprise, the next second, the man simply threw off the quilt covering him and swept him up into his arms.

Caught completely off guard, Jiang Zimo’s face was buried directly into the man’s chest. The rock-hard sensation smacked him right in the face, causing the dagger hidden under his wrist—which should have thrust forward like a conditioned reflex—to stiffen for a split second.

It was precisely this split second that allowed him to belatedly realize Ao Ruize was here to help him, so the dagger ultimately wasn’t thrust out.

Seeing Ao Ruize’s actions, the auntie immediately followed. “Mr. Jiang has always been in poor health. He runs a fever every few days… Just take him straight to the Jimin Clinic at the corner of the street. Doctor Li there has excellent medical skills and can always bring his fever down quickly.”

Following her advice, Ao Ruize carried Jiang Zimo to the Jimin Clinic.

Seeing the new arrivals, Doctor Li’s expression shifted at an imperceptible speed, and then he quickly came forward to meet them. “Xiaoshan, quickly bring me my silver needles, and prepare a basin of ice water to send to the ward…”

While speaking, he guided Ao Ruize into the patient room. Ao Ruize placed Jiang Zimo onto the bed as instructed. Suddenly leaving Ao Ruize’s incredibly comfortable embrace, Jiang Zimo couldn’t help but frown.

Doctor Li, however, thought Jiang Zimo was nearing the limit of his endurance, so he immediately asked Ao Ruize and the others to step outside.

His medical skills were indeed brilliant. In no time at all, Jiang Zimo’s fever began to subside.

The milk dumpling breathed a huge sigh of relief. Then, as if recalling something, it wanted to warn Ao Ruize not to make a move on the wife it had its eye on. But remembering what Ao Ruize had said before, the words died on its lips. Because deep down, it suddenly had an intuition: every time it said such things, it just made its IQ look that much lower.

Right at this moment, one of Ao Ruize’s subordinates ran over and whispered into his ear, “Master, the imperial court has mobilized troops against the Prince of Qinghe’s fiefdom…”

“I know.”

Ao Ruize then turned to the auntie who was also waiting off to the side. “Auntie, I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first. I will come back another day to visit Mr. Jiang.”

Seeing this, the milk dumpling’s eyes instantly lit up. Jiang Zimo was sick, yet not only did Ao Ruize not think to use this opportunity to shamelessly flatter him, but he even left over some trivial matter! What did this mean? It meant Ao Ruize harbored no illicit intentions toward Jiang Zimo! This was simply wonderful.

But what it didn’t know was that not long after they left, Jiang Zimo completely regained consciousness.

After sending the auntie away, Doctor Li closed the door tightly. His brow then furrowed heavily. “Your body is giving out.”

Jiang Zimo’s motion of drinking the medicine paused.

Doctor Li continued, “Two years ago, the poison in your body only flared up once every three months. Last year, it started acting up every two months. Now, it has barely been half a month since the last flare-up…”

At this point, Doctor Li didn’t know what else to say. Because they had long known this day would come sooner or later.

“In short, if you have any unfulfilled wishes, go do them as soon as possible.”

Jiang Zimo lifted the medicine bowl and took another sip. The revenge that needed taking was taken; the people who needed killing were killed. What unfulfilled wishes did he have left?

Yet, despite thinking this, the very next second, his thoughts suddenly drifted back to the embrace he had crashed into earlier. Recalling that face with its sharp, distinct features, he raised a brow.

Thinking about it this way, perhaps there really was something he could do before he died.

His hand resting by his side tapped lightly against the bedsheets.

Like breaking his fast…