141: Chapter 21 This person is incredibly stupid!

The next day.

Meng Li and his group continued to stay at the Inn.

Yesterday, Yang Tiexin had learned from Guo Jing that Bao Xiruo and Yang Kang were very likely still alive. He had originally planned to head to the Misty Rain Tower in Jiaxing as soon as possible to find Qiu Chuji, but Guo Jing said he had an appointment to meet someone today to discuss something, so the group stayed a while longer.

The meeting time agreed upon by the Jiangnan Seven Monsters and Qiu Chuji was the twenty-fourth day of the third lunar month, which was still some time away.

Yang Tiexin felt that good things were happening one after another since he had finalized Mu Nianci's marriage, found Guo Jing, and learned that his wife and son were very likely alive. He was in high spirits and had drunk quite a lot during dinner yesterday, and he still hadn't woken up.

Guo Jing went to his appointment after finishing breakfast.

Meng Li knew he was likely meeting Huang Rong. Seeing that there was nothing to do, he didn't join them and instead took Mu Nianci out to continue wandering the streets.

Unexpectedly, halfway through their walk, they saw Guo Jing carrying a Daoist priest on his back toward the Inn. A young girl in a pale yellow dress followed closely behind him.

Mu Nianci immediately voiced her confusion, "Why is Little Brother Jing carrying a Daoist priest? And there's a girl following him."

Meng Li had seen the original show and recognized Huang Rong. Considering the situation, he quickly guessed what was happening.

The Daoist on Guo Jing's back was likely the Iron Foot Master, one of The Seven Masters of Quanzhen. According to the original plot, the Iron Foot Master should have recognized that Yang Kang knew the Quanzhen Sect's Martial Arts and the Nine Yin White Bone Claw among the crowd during yesterday's Martial Arts Marriage Contest. He would have pursued him to investigate, only to encounter the Esoteric master, Master Lingzhi.

The two of them fought, and both were injured, but Master Lingzhi used underhanded tactics, causing the Iron Foot Master to be poisoned.

Later, while wandering the streets with Huang Rong, who had returned to her female attire, Guo Jing discovered the poisoned Iron Foot Master and stepped in to save him.

However, in the original story, Guo Jing chose to help without hesitation because the Iron Foot Master had assisted him during his clash with Yang Kang at the marriage recruitment.

Now, because of Meng Li's interference, there had been no conflict between Guo Jing and Yang Kang at all, and the Iron Foot Master hadn't helped Guo Jing.

Yet Guo Jing still lent him a helping hand...

A self-correction of the plotline?

Perhaps, but it was more likely that Guo Jing was simply kind-hearted, and the Iron Foot Master was dressed as a Daoist.

Ma Yu, the head of The Seven Masters of Quanzhen, had taught Guo Jing the Quanzhen Internal Skill and had been kind to him.

Qiu Chuji was also one of The Seven Masters of Quanzhen.

Even without the Iron Foot Master's help, given Guo Jing's character, he would still have helped if he saw someone in trouble.

Thoughts flashed through his mind as he made his guesses, but on the surface, Meng Li said, "I'm not sure. Let's go take a look."

"Alright," Mu Nianci readily agreed.

Soon, the two found Guo Jing at the Inn.

Guo Jing settled the Iron Foot Master in a room. To save him, he was about to go fetch water as Huang Rong had instructed. Seeing Meng Li and Mu Nianci, he was startled for a moment before greeting them happily, "Elder Brother Meng, Sister Nianci, you're back."

Meng Li nodded slightly.

Mu Nianci asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"

Guo Jing replied, "I saved a Daoist priest on the road. He's been poisoned and is currently using his inner power to expel the toxin. I'm going to fetch water to help him further clear the poison."

Mu Nianci then understood and said, "Then go quickly, don't delay."

"Okay," Guo Jing replied and ran off to fetch water.

Meng Li and Mu Nianci walked inside and saw Huang Rong sitting by the door, peeling an orange with her legs crossed.

"Miss, who are you?" Mu Nianci asked.

Before Huang Rong could answer, Meng Li said, "This is Miss Huang Rong. Guo Jing and I met her before. However, she was disguised as a man when she befriended Guo Jing. Now that she's back in her female attire, it seems their relationship is progressing well."

Mu Nianci was somewhat surprised.

Disguised as a man to befriend Little Brother Jing, and now back to being a girl with a good relationship?

Huang Rong put down the orange and said in surprise, "You knew I was a woman all along?"

Meng Li nodded and spoke bluntly, "I could tell the first moment I saw you."

"Young hero, you have a keen eye!" Huang Rong praised. Then her eyes flickered as she asked, "Could we step aside for a word?"

"Sure."

After a moment, the two walked some distance away.

Huang Rong asked directly, "You saw from the start that something was off about me, so why did you just sit by and watch Brother Jing get tricked into buying me food and drinks? He treats you like an older brother."

Meng Li smiled. "It was a case of 'Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai'—one willing to strike and the other willing to suffer. Why should I have exposed it?"

"If I had exposed it, how would you have come to call him 'Brother Jing'?"

Huang Rong paused, then added, "But what if I really were a swindler?"

Meng Li asked in confusion, "Aren't you a swindler?"

"I..."

"Do you dare to swear on your parents' names that you never intended to deceive him from the very beginning?"

Huang Rong: "..."

She didn't dare.

If it were only swearing on her father, she wouldn't have hesitated.

Because she was currently angry with Medicine Master Huang.

But she couldn't bring herself to do it if her mother was included.

Because at the beginning, she really did intend to deceive Guo Jing.

Not long ago, she had been talking with Old Imp on Peach Blossom Island when her father, Medicine Master Huang, discovered them. He scolded her, and in a fit of resentment, she ran away from home.

After some time, seeing that Medicine Master Huang hadn't come looking for her, Huang Rong grew even more resentful. Feeling that everyone was hypocritical, she deliberately disguised herself as a beggar to cause trouble, wanting to see the coldness of the world to prove herself right and thus alleviate the hatred in her heart.

She stole Guo Jing's luggage, tricked him out of his money, and caused trouble for him to take the blame—all for this purpose.

As it turned out, Guo Jing was pure and kind by nature. Having just left home, he didn't understand the wickedness of people's hearts. Combined with his own experiences that made him want to help the weak, he protected Huang Rong at every turn, which eventually moved her.

That was why she had returned to her female form to meet him.

In all her life, this was the first time Huang Rong had been bested by someone of her own generation. Just as she was about to say something, Guo Jing arrived.

"Elder Brother Meng, Ronger, what are you two doing here?"

Meng Li said pointedly, "Miss Huang deceived someone, yet she blames me for not exposing her. I'm just reasoning with her."

Guo Jing was stunned, then said to Ronger, "Ronger, that's where you're wrong. It's wrong to deceive people, so how can you blame Elder Brother Meng for not exposing you?"

"Who did you deceive?"

"Once the Daoist priest's poison is neutralized, let's hurry and apologize to them."

Meng Li: "..."

He stared at Guo Jing for two seconds, and seeing that his serious expression didn't seem fake, he couldn't help himself. He turned and walked away, laughing as he went.

Huang Rong glared at Guo Jing. "There's no need for apologies!"

"Why?"

"Because that person is stupid to death!" After saying this with exasperation, she turned and left.

Guo Jing stood there looking bewildered. "Stupid to death? Can a person really die from being stupid? Is that true?"

Huang Rong walked to the door and turned back to see that Guo Jing still hadn't figured it out. She was too annoyed to explain. Looking back, she saw Meng Li and Mu Nianci whispering to each other and immediately knew their relationship was not simple. She felt inexplicably relieved, then checked the room to see how the Iron Foot Master's detoxification was progressing.

Seeing the clear water turn a murky green, Huang Rong forgot her anger and hurriedly said to Guo Jing, "The water in the bucket has neutralized most of the poison. Brother Jing, change the water quickly."

"Oh, okay."

...