Chapter 419 - Dealing With the Zhao Family, Part II
Gu Zuo’s tone eased somewhat: “Speaking of which, it isn’t something that will make things difficult for your Tian Family. What big brother and I want to request is still for the Tian Family to act as mediators.”
Tian Hang said: “Please elaborate.”
Gu Zuo replied: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” He looked at Tian Hang, “Previously, everything I did was only for the sake of saving my father and reuniting my family. With regards to the Zhao Family, it’s naturally an implacable hatred, but I’m not interested in the Zhao Family’s things.”
Tian Hang somewhat understood.
Gu Zuo revealed a smiling expression: “As a result, I need some allies who similarly loathe the Zhao Family and who are interested in certain things… Of course, they need the strength to completely digest the Zhao Family. For this reason, I can also take out a few medicinal pills that I’ve been researching to act as welcoming gifts for new friends.”
Tian Hang realized Gu Zuo’s intentions. After he finished listening to Gu Zuo’s words, he already thought of the names of quite a few organizations. At the very least, his Tian Family, the School of Fist Intent, and the School of the Great Saber would all be getting a piece of the action.
Thinking up to here, his reaction was very fast: “Mister Gu, please rest assured. My Tian Family will certainly take care of this matter.”
Gu Zuo smiled and said: “With the Tian Family at work, I naturally feel at ease.” After that, he appeared to think of something, brought out a jade gourd from the side, and handed it over, “The Tian Family has been of great help to us in the past. Mister Tian, please don’t refuse this trifling gift of gratitude.”
Tian Hang took the jade gourd, and estimated its weight with an experienced hand. Delighted, he swiftly set forth: “Many thanks, Mister Gu. I’ll get in touch with the others right away.”
Following this, Tian Hang left the villa.
Once he departed, he uncorked the jade gourd and counted… There were as many as a hundred Qi Generating Pills inside!
At this very moment, Tian Hang gained a deeper understanding of how important the position of that rescued person was in the hearts of Gu Zuo and the others. His mind quickly went to work. He needed to split his efforts to properly handle those matters for Gu Zuo.
Not long after, through Tian Hang’s meticulous filtering, he brought over four organizations.
These four organizations had feuds with the Zhao Family. Though, one wouldn’t say that they possessed an unending hatred. Instead, it was the type that, the more they saw the Zhao Family’s misfortunes, the more pleased they would be. On top of that, there were the Schools of Fist Intent and the Great Saber, which tasted sweet benefits and strove to work together with the Tian Family. Thus, there were seven organizations in total.
The properties of the Zhao Family encompassed many fields. With the alliance of these seven forces, each organization possessed at least one or two businesses that held certain advantages over those of the Zhao Family. What they needed to do right now was to increase their advantages, suppress the Zhao Family’s properties, and snatch all of the market shares the Zhao Family held.
If this was in the past, everyone wouldn’t shed all pretenses of cordiality. Although the competition would utilize methods of commerce, those methods wouldn’t be excessively fierce. However, it was different this time around. What they wanted was to carve up and devour all the properties the Zhao Family possessed! It was only natural that any traps or means could be used&#k2026;
But before that, they had to secretly inform a few others — It wasn’t necessary to tell those people any clear reasons. They only needed to give hints. It would be enough if those within certain circles didn’t rashly interfere and help the Zhao Family. And if anyone was willing to watch with the cold eyes of a bystander, or even throw stones while the other party down to worsen the Zhao Family’s situation, they would gain some exciting benefits.
If it was like this, then the Zhao Family would sink into isolated and helpless circumstances.
At the same time, Gu Zuo started the treatment phase for his father, Zhao Ji — The efficiency of the Zhang Family’s grandfather and grandson pair was extremely high. After going back, they promptly sent people to gather and send over the medicinal ingredients.
The prescriptions for Zhao Ji were basically versions researched by Gu Zuo himself. Among the ingredients, it drew inspiration from many of the other world’s prescriptions. Merely, due to the difference in ingredients and the strengths or weaknesses of the properties, he researched many decoctions and cuisines whose properties were relatively weak to martial artists.
For the current Zhao Ji, whose internal organs and overall body were so frail, he could only be nourished with medicinal cuisines and nursed with medicinal decoctions.
In the room.
Zhao Ji was already awake. He used his pitch-back eyes to stare fixedly at Gu Qi. Whether his eyes were wide open or blinked shut, it was like he was looking at the only scenery in the entire world.
Gu Qi cheered himself, drew Zhao Ji’s hands closer, and carefully talked to him in a voice as happy as possible: “When we met, you don’t know how miserable you were. At that time, because you weren’t cared for properly after your birth, you were undernourished, short and small, thin and weak. When I saw you in the orphanage, I thought I was looking at a little beansprout. Even though I was also thrown away, my arms were as twice as thick as yours…”
Along with the ups and downs of Gu Qi’s voice, Zhao Ji’s eyes seemed to slowly gain a trace of liveliness.
Gu Qi attentively watched Zhao Ji’s face, and his fingers lightly stroked the back of Zhao Ji’s hand. His speech continued: “Later on, I felt that I had to be the older brother because I was a size larger than you. Who would’ve thought that this beansprout was actually a few months older than me? Back then, you were so innocent and silly that you would call me older brother if I asked you to. But you were also too petty and small-minded. Didn’t I just ask you to call me older brother a few times? Later on, you paid me back by taking compensation from my body…”
Just like this, Gu Qi talked for a long time. It wasn’t known if it was one or two hours. Zhao Ji’s mind still hadn’t recovered as he slowly closed his eyes, and fell asleep again.
Gu Qi waited for a short while. Seeing that Zhao Ji wasn’t moving, he lightly extracted his hands, and walked out of the bedroom.
In the living room, Gongyi Tianheng was sitting upright on the sofa. As he swallowed a medicinal pill that looked like white jade, he sat in meditation. The qi emissions that surrounded him would cause people to cower somewhat. He didn’t dare approach.
This was something Tianheng did frequently. Gu Qi had long gotten used to it, and didn’t pay any mind. His attention mainly fell onto Gu Zuo.
At this moment, there was a huge medicinal cauldron in front of Gu Zuo. And beneath the cauldron were wisps of orange-colored flames that were as fine and slender as silk threads.
Gu Qi walked closer, and stood behind Gu Zuo.
Placed inside the medicinal cauldron were many types of ingredients that Gu Qi found familiar, but couldn’t recognize. When these ingredients were thrown into the cauldron, they instantly melted into juices like ice cubes meeting the scorching sun.
Such a scene was incredibly magical.
Gu Zuo’s expression was extremely focused.
He continuously made several astonishing hand seals whose transformations couldn’t be seen clearly. When Gu Qi watched carefully, he felt a little swollen in the head with a second glance.
As if Gu Zuo had eyes at the back of his head, he warned: “Dad, don’t keep staring at my hands.”
Gu Qi snapped out of it, and promptly retreated a few steps: “Son, what are you up to?”
Gu Zuo didn’t answer, and asked another question instead: “Is father’s body doing okay? How about his mind?”
Gu Qi’s voice was somewhat downcast: “His body is still like that, but he can already wake up. It’s just that, every time he wakes up, it won’t be long before he falls asleep again.”
Gu Zuo formed a couple more hand seals, and the decoction inside the medicinal cauldron instantly started boiling. At the same time, he said: “Dad, you don’t need to worry. It’s a good sign that father doesn’t crazily lash out when he wakes up. But dad, you must remember that you can’t leave father’s side whenever he’s awake. This is to prevent father from losing sight of you and falling into a nightmare.”
Gu Qi didn’t dare neglect anything, and seriously said: “I understand, son.”
At this time, Gu Zuo said: “I’ve decided on a few prescriptions in the early stages. Primarily, father will soak in decoctions three times per day to absorb the medicinal power through his skin. Right now, father’s internal organs are very frail — Especially his stomach. As a result, I also have a type of watery, porridge-like medicinal cuisine that he’ll drink every day to strengthen his stomach.”
Gu Qi nodded his head: “He doesn’t need to eat anything? Your father has lost too much weight…”
Gu Zuo hurriedly replied: “Don’t let father eat anything else at all. The medicinal cuisines I refine already have enough nutrition. Father will be slowly replenished.”
Gu Qi only asked one more question because he was worried about not having the full picture and because he was a layman in terms of medicine refinement. After that, he didn’t say anything else. He silently walked back to the bedroom, and continued accompanying Zhao Ji.
Sure enough, Zhao Ji woke up again only a few minutes later.
As before, Gu Qi locked gazes with Zhao Ji. He could clearly see the hysteria in his eyes quickly calming down. Once more, Zhao Ji’s gaze became focused and strongly attached.
Gu Qi’s heart ached. He held Zhao Ji’s hand, and started telling him interesting anecdotes when they were children: “You might not remember, but when we were small, you were scared of bugs the most. In the orphanage, there was a period when there weren’t enough subsidies. Everyone would go out and catch cicadas to supplement the taste of meat, but you didn’t dare go. Even if it was roasted, you didn’t eat it. Later on, you were so hungry. I peeled a cicada’s shell, took the meat inside, and tricked you…”
Some time passed, and Gu Zuo walked through the doorway. Carried in his hands was a bowl of amber-colored medicinal juice. He used the Earthen Core Flame to extract the medicinal properties of this world’s ingredients. Through uninterrupted refining, this bowl of juice was produced. Its nature was mild, and wouldn’t cause any injuries to the stomach. Instead, it possessed strong recuperative abilities for an atrophied stomach. At the same time, it could provide a great amount of gentle nourishment.
After Zhao Ji sensed that someone had come inside, he instantly tensed up. However, he didn’t proceed to attack. Perhaps it was because Gu Qi was at his side, or maybe he subconsciously remembered that Gu Zuo was an important person, too?
Gu Zuo handed over the bowl to Gu Qi: “Dad, you have to feed the medicine to father. He can’t miss a single drop.”
Gu Qi naturally received it without delay: “What about you?”
Gu Zuo said: “Big brother and I are going out for a trip.” He smiled, “We need to let the Zhao Family experience terror and panic, too.”
T/N: Thanks for the corrections, Charysa.
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