Chapter 735: The Strongest Brain
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Jiang Zhouzi whispered, “Then he asked about my future plans. I said I intended to gather disciples and benefit the world. He said regardless of how much Wangfei remembered, he could still give me some guidance. That’s why it took so long.”
It seems her intuition was correct; this Shi Jiuqing was not an unreasonable person. Mingzhu sternly said, “Mr. Jiang, remember what you said today, or I will remember it for you. You may leave now; I need to rest.”
Jiang Zhouzi stood up reluctantly, muttering, “I seem to be regressing; when did I become so obedient?” Before, he would tease Mingzhu, but now he followed her instructions without question. He had pondered when this change occurred but couldn’t recall. It had become a habit now, and reversing it seemed impossible.
Mingzhu looked out the window.
The sky was vast and distant, with a magnificent starry river spanning half the horizon, almost within reach, a spectacle unseen elsewhere. On the edge of the field stood two figures, one tall and one short, separated by a person’s width, both gazing at the stars without speaking. It was Ye Xiu and Donghui.
Mingzhu had an inkling but didn’t pursue it, focusing on resting. The next morning, she woke to find Donghui sleeping soundly beside her. Considering Donghui’s recent unrest, she let her sleep, quietly getting up to wash.
Donghui woke with a start, apologized, then sulked. Mingzhu noticed Ye Xiu outside the window, indicating he hadn’t woken Donghui as he was supposed to. Instead, he had stayed up the entire night himself, which Donghui didn’t appreciate.
Mingzhu called Ye Xiu in, “Why didn’t you wake Donghui?”
Ye Xiu replied solemnly, “I was worried about waking Wangfei.”
Mingzhu glanced at Donghui, then said calmly, “So you didn’t wake Donghui to avoid disturbing me. Even if you have the stamina to stay alert all night, what if something happens today and you’re too tired to respond?”
This was a reprimand. Ye Xiu lowered his eyes and responded seriously, “Wangfei is right. I was wrong and won’t do it again.”
Mingzhu coldly said, “When we return, accept your punishment.”
Donghui said nothing then but later quietly pleaded for Ye Xiu during breakfast, “He just pitied me, thinking if he hadn’t stayed in Qi County, Jing Song wouldn’t have died. He wanted to atone by taking my watch. Could you not punish him? If you must punish, punish me too; I shouldn’t have slept through it.”
Mingzhu replied lightly, “Does he really want to atone? I don’t see it. There are many ways to atone; why choose this one?”
Donghui fell silent.
Mingzhu didn’t press further, letting things be. She remembered Jing Song’s words, “Luckily, we didn’t marry, or I would have ruined her.”
The dead are gone, the living continue. Jing Song wanted Donghui to live well and wouldn’t want her to waste her youth. But Donghui had her choices, and no one could decide for her. Mingzhu could only guide her; the rest was up to fate.
The secret chamber for observing the book was in Shi Jiuqing’s stone courtyard. It was a small, heavily fortified room with thick walls and multiple heavy doors. Shi Jiuqing didn’t appear; Hao Yunsun accompanied Mingzhu, leading her to a table and carefully opening an iron box to reveal a thick, heavy book of unknown material. He set an hourglass, smiled, and said, “Time starts now, Wangfei.”
Mingzhu didn’t check the title or cover, diving straight into the content. With limited time, she focused solely on memorizing, ignoring any hidden meanings. She lost track of time, absorbed in the text.
Hao Yunsun appeared to read alone but watched Mingzhu closely. Seeing her methodically read from start to finish, he nodded approvingly, contrasting with those who skimmed the beginning and rushed to the middle and end.
Time flew by. Still engrossed, Mingzhu was startled when Hao Yunsun stopped her, smiling, “Time’s up, Wangfei.”
She had covered less than two-thirds and stood reluctantly. As Hao Yunsun closed the book, she glanced at the cover, noting the title “Comprehensive Pathology.” Finding the title strange, she watched as Hao Yunsun locked the book away and courteously led her out, “Writing materials are ready outside, Wangfei.”
Mingzhu rushed out, where Mu Lianjin guided her to a quiet room. Caiyun awaited with all necessary supplies, ready for her to start writing.
Mingzhu wrote swiftly, disregarding neatness, focusing on getting it down. She wrote until nightfall, unaware when Caiyun lit a lamp, and continued until she nearly blacked out. Caiyun then stopped her, “You can’t overdo it. If you collapse, you’ll lose more time. Dinner is ready; rest a bit. If needed, you can dictate, and I’ll write.”
“Can others do that too? Won’t it trouble you?” Mingzhu asked, massaging her sore wrist.
Caiyun smiled, “This is a first. My master instructed that Regent Wangfei is different; she truly will benefit the people. So, if you get tired, I’ll help with the writing.”
Mingzhu was quite pleased, eating her meal quickly. She then continued dictating to Caiyun, who wrote for her. When she was too tired to speak, she wrote herself, continuing this process until the next evening when she finally collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, after waking up, washing, and eating, she resumed writing. She worked tirelessly for three days, completing the entire content she had memorized. The result was a thick book. Caiyun looked at Mingzhu with admiration, and Jiang Zhouzi, overjoyed, bowed deeply to her, exclaiming, “Goddess.”
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