Chapter 20: Bane: Dragon Grass (2/2)
”Could it be---!” said Butler Lin. An idea occurred to him and his face turned weird.
”Yes, that's it!” Great steward Fang found that Butler Lin has already guessed right about the new drug. He nodded and said, ”Dragon Grass!”
”Dragon Grass?!” cried Old Xing shockingly. He then asked seriously, ”Does Second Madam have news about the Dragon Grass?”
”En!” Great steward Fang nodded and said, ”It's within the Misty Mountain!”
”Of course there are Dragon Grass within the Misty Mountain, and there are also Evil Beasts. What you are saying is nonsense!” replied Old Xing annoyingly after hearing great steward Fang's reply. Misty Mountain had vast amounts of countless valuable herbs and beasts. Everybody knew that. Was there a need for him to say that?
Great steward Fang neglected Old Xing's complaints and went on, saying, ”Second Madam receives the news that there are three stalks of Dragon Grass perching on the edge of Misty Mountain.”
”Really?” Old Xing and Great Steward Fang were startled and stood up at the same time.
Dragon Grass was a sort of well-known grass in the world. Its sole function was to enhance the effect of the drug. After blending it into the medicinal bath, the drug effect would be increased by five times. For this reason, for hundreds of years, Dragon Grass was almost extinct. Now, it only remained in some deep mountains and forests and isolated places, and was extremely difficult to locate. Hence, it was really unexpected to know the specific location of it.
”How did Second Madam get the location?” Butler Lin asked.
”I don't know, however, you all should be aware that Second Madam is from Tian Long Daoism. She naturally has her secret sources.” Great steward Fang threw up his hands helplessly and said.
”Your meaning is, we're asked to find Dragon Grass?” Butler Linn asked hesitantly. He was a smart person and was working for Second Madam, but he knew he was not an important one.
Where was Qingyang Market? It was just a sesame-seed-sized place, whose officer had little power. Compared with the Wu's, Qingyang Market was nothing, thus he was nobody. Otherwise, he would not be sent here. For today's thing, it obviously involved the struggle between First Madam and Second Madam — it was a power fight among the Wu's core members and it even affected the successor of the Wu's. Such a complicated thing had no place for him.
What would happen after he found Dragon Grass for Second Madam? If First Madam knew it, her mere finger would squeeze him to death. At that moment, Second Madam would not fight against First Madam over such a lowest-level butler.
Coming around to this reason, Butler Lin's face immediately dropped. So did Old Xing's. Old Xing was a boor but not a fool, he also did not want to be a part of it.
Noticing their faces, great steward Fang actually knew their misgivings. In fact, great steward Fang himself also did not want to be a part of it. But they had no choice.
He lightly shook his head and said, ”I know what you're thinking, but there's no alternative. It's crucial for our livelihood. The thing has gone too far and left us no choice.”
The hall fell into silence. Indeed, did they have another choice?
That was all right when they did not know it before. But now, unfortunately, they knew it, that was to say, they were forced to make a choice between First Madam and Second Madam. It was impossible to keep neutral without offending both sides.
”Old Fang. Old Fang. Damn, you put me in a bind!” said Old Xing, who raised his head and stared angrily at great steward Fang after a long silence.
”Do I have another choice?” Great steward Fang's face was more bitter than theirs. ”By the way, this fact is not as horrible as what you imagined. That's why I ask you two instead of others.”
”Due to what fools we are?” Old Xing bluntly asked.
”Bullshit, because till now, just four of us knew this thing in all of the entire Wu's.”
”Four?!”
”Yeah, four. We three, plus Second Madam. Nobody knows except us. At this time, it appeared that I set off from Lu City and paid a visit to an old friend. But the real purpose lay somewhere else.”
”Why us?”
”For Qingyang Market is the nearest town to Dragon Grass. You're leaders here who happened to have a quite close relationship with Second Madam's party. So you're the best choice.”
Butler Lin and Old Xing were speechless and silent again.
”So, what time will we set out?”
”As soon as possible!” Great steward Fang said. ”Just in case anything bad should happen. Second Madam has told me the specific location of Dragon Grass, which is not far away from here. As long as we cooperate together, we'll find it in three to five days. We'll definitely get it in our hands!”
”How does Second Madam know about it?” Butler Lin asked curiously. ”She's never been here before?!”
”Second Madam didn't tell me the details. But, don't forget her background — !” Great steward Fang whispered.
After hearing great steward Fang's words, Butler Lin and Old Xing both revealed expressions of understanding.