CH 051 Descendant

During this period of illness, in addition to the suffering of the several patients, another person was also under inhumane torture. This person was the doctor who was responsible for treating these patients. This person’s surname was Xu and he was the doctor who once treated Nie Bufan earlier. Later, when the chickens began displaying abnormal behavior, he was once again “invited” over as a veterinarian. After crying without tears and diagnosing the chickens as having “intermittent insanity” he was then allowed to go back. But unexpectedly, within two days the other people in Chicken Nest Village all fell ill one after the other, so he was called over yet again.

After a few days of treatment and yet the patients had not improved, doctor Xu’s mood was unusually gloomy. He was not a courageous man and his medical skills were also ordinary. He did not have harmful intentions towards others but neither did he have a great sentiment to save the world. So he tactfully suggested that everyone in Chicken Nest Village should ask for a more skilled doctor, only to be rejected by the patients.

The treasures of the Duobao Sage was just outside the Chicken Nest Village so it was not suitable to attract too many idlers. Besides, Si Chenyu and the others didn’t think their illness was all that serious. Didn’t Nie Bufan recover within two days? They were obviously infected by him. It was unreasonable for Nie Bufan, who was frail and weak, to recover so quickly whereas they had to see a more skilled doctor!

After dragging back and forth several times, doctor Xu also accepted his fate and simply packed up his luggage and settled in Chicken Nest Village.

He felt that he couldn’t afford to offend either one of the people in this small shabby village.

But it was truly strange, how come this group of people all got collectively sick?

Although Si Chenyu and the others were ill it was not to the extent that their movements were in any way hindered. Every day they would wander in front of Nie Bufan with a haggard face, making silent accusations.

Nie Bufan looked down on their childishness and only worried that they would spread the virus. As a result, he made a mask for everyone, each one with different patterns “attentively” embroidered on it to distinguish them. As we all know, the kind of craftsmanship Nie Bufan possessed was one that was absolutely abstract. In the eyes of others, the pictures were of chickens in various colors such as yellow, green and red. But according to Nie Bufan, they were actually monkeys, tortoises, and foxes.

In truth, it could be considered to be pretty realistic in some sense……

As a result, masked men and women could now be seen everywhere in Chicken Nest Village.

“Quack doctor, quack doctor!” Li Huai said angrily, “Do you even know how to use medicine? Why can’t it be cured after so long?”

Doctor Xu shrank his neck and walked out of Li Huai’s house hurriedly.

Nie Bufan happened to pass by, and Li Huai couldn’t help feeling angry when he saw him, “How come you recovered so fast?”

Probably after the chickens mutated, the virus had also mutated. Nie Bufan thought to himself, but he said: “I am naturally talented, how can you mere mortals even compare?”

Li Huai was so pissed he began to cough even more.

Nie Bufan consoled: “Don’t lose your temper casually or else you will only recover even more slowly. Look at Little Root (alpaca), his calm expression has never changed this whole time.”

Li Huai reflexively looked at the strange creature galloping past the courtyard, a twisted expression appearing on his face.

“Alright, you continue to rest while I go cook.”

Although Nie Bufan was as needling as ever with his words, he did pay special attention to food and hygiene. Most of the work was all done by him. Every night he would also quietly visit the other people’s rooms to check on them in case the dropping temperature at night might exacerbate the illness.

“Bufan, accompany me tonight?”

This night, after visiting Zhang Junshi, Nie Bufan was about to leave when the other grabbed his arm.

Zhang Junshi was lying on the bed, looking at him with bright and alert eyes, and said gently: “We haven’t been alone for a long time.”

Nie Bufan smiled and said, “Okay!”

He put down the candlestick, took off his outer robe that he had draped on casually, and got under the quilt nimbly.

Zhang Junshi took him into his arms, feeling the smooth touch of his skin, and sighed happily.

“Is it really uncomfortable?” Nie Bufan asked softly.

“It’s okay.” Zhang Junshi replied.

“I know what it feels like to be sick.” Nie Bufan had his eyes wide open, gaze distant as if he was reminiscing something.

Zhang Junshi touched his head and comforted: “Don’t worry, who has never been sick? It will be fine in a few days.”

Nie Bufan nodded, and the two of them slept with arms embracing each other. Under the dim light, the scene looked very warm and sweet, without a trace of anything lustful.

After a long while, Nie Bufan spoke again: “Zhang Third, you must get better as soon as possible. Without your help, I can’t even sleep in on mornings.”

“……” So this was your main concern?

“Bufan, I want to ask you something.” Zhang Junshi said suddenly.

“What is it?”

“Do you want the treasures of the Duobao Sage?”

“What?” Nie Bufan was a little confused, “What about the treasures or Duobao Sage?”

“As the holder of the fifth key, you have the same right to share in the treasures like the other four.” Zhang Junshi said slowly, “But you are just a commoner without any power. In the end it is possible that not only might you not get the share of the treasures that you deserve, it might even cause trouble for you.”

“Oh.” Nie Bufan said casually, “I am not very interested in the treasures, and it doesn’t matter if they take them all.”

Zhang Junshi smiled. The person in his arms liked to hold the money jar and count the copper coins, but he treated windfall profits like dust. He seemingly appeared to be a nitpicky person who liked to fuss over small matters, but in truth he had a more mild and open-minded mentality than anyone else.

“Although this is the case, one must still have vigilance.” Zhang Junshi said again, “Prince Si and the others are protecting you, but the families behind them may not be without their own selfish motives. The rich and powerful are very complex and when it involves their interests, the situation can become a troubling one. At that time, even Prince Si and the others might be overwhelmed.”

Nie Bufan curled his lips and said, “What does it matter to me? I’m just a small common villager of Chicken Nest Village. I don’t fight with them over their interests and they can take whatever they want. Even if it’s like this they would still cause trouble?”

“Hehe, don’t you know that there is a saying in this world called ‘To gauge the heart of a gentleman with one’s own mean measures’? The more magnanimous you behave, the more people may suspect that you have hidden even better things. You must know that all of them are high-ranking princes and nobles, and ordinary gold and silver treasures would not invoke any interest in them. What they want is unique technology and rare treasures.”

Nie Bufan sighed, “Ignorant human beings.”

“……” Zhang Junshi was silent for a moment before saying with exasperation, “Be serious, what I’m telling you is a matter of life and death!”

“Oh.”

“So, no matter how you behave, it will not reduce their suspicion of you.” Zhang Junshi continued, “They will wonder, how can a mere commoner like you have the fifth key to unlock the treasure trove? Was it stolen from someone else? If one powerful group suddenly came out and claimed that the key was originally theirs, how would you argue? Those who dare to intervene strongly in this battle for the treasure must be powerful enough to compete with the other four families.”

Nie Bufan fell silent.

Zhang Junshi paused and asked hesitantly: “Bufan, can you tell me where your key come from?”

Nie Bufan touched his nose and replied: “I knew the location of the treasure trove. The key was found at the entrance of the underwater passage of the treasure trove.”

“Why did Duobao Sage bury the treasure here?” Zhang Junshi pondered for a while, and then asked, “Bufan, who is the former head of Chicken Nest Village?”

“I don’t know.” Nie Bufan didn’t lie. When he transmigrated over, that old man didn’t seem to be surprised at all and even took the initiative to help him settle down in Chicken Nest Village and then passed the village over to him without even leaving a last word. What was even more amazing was that he even dug his own grave and prepared a precious Chinese cedar coffin for himself, as if he had long been awaiting his eternal rest.

Zhang Junshi didn’t doubt him and just said, “I checked your background when I moved into Chicken Nest Village.”

“Hah?” Nie Bufan glared at him.

Zhang Junshi smiled and said, “I believe that the other people have also checked it. This is supposed to be called Nameless Village, and Chicken Nest Village is just your own name that you gave it afterwards.”

“How could Nameless Village be as appropriate as Chicken Nest Village?”

“Yes, yes. It is indeed worthy of the name.” Zhang Junshi said, “What really made me puzzled was that for hundreds of years, there had never been more than 10 villagers at once in Chicken Nest Village. Later, it even became an isolated village, with only the village head living alone, the position of village head passing over from generation to generation.”

“This kind of situation made me unable to avoid feeling suspicion……” Zhang Junshi looked at Nie Bufan and emphasized each word, “Each generation of village head in Chicken Nest Village is actually Duobao Sage’s descendant and the guardian of the treasure trove.”

Nie Bufan’s eyes flickered and he reached out his hand and messed up Zhang Junshi’s hair without comment.

When Zhang Junshi saw his innocent look, he knew that this guy was pretending to be stupid again.

But this time, village head Nie was wronged, he really didn’t know anything. After pretending to be stupid so many times, it now caused others to think that they could see through to the truth behind the veneer of stupidity. Perhaps it was the so-called “if it‘s fake then make it real, and if it’s real then make it fake.”

“Bufan, you have to grasp onto this identity well.” Zhang Junshi suggested, “Everyone should know that you are the descendant of Duobao Sage and are fully qualified to receive the treasure. Back then Duobao Sage said that as long as the five keys are gathered then the treasure can be opened and the people holding the keys all have a right to receive an equal divide of the treasure. Although you do not have a prominent background, but you are the legitimate heir. If it weren’t for Duobao Sage scattering the keys in different places, you don’t even need to share it with other people. The key he left at the entrance of the treasure is likely prepared for his descendant.”

“So you mean……” Nie Bufan understood, Zhang Junshi was creating a powerful identity for him. As the descendant of Duobao Sage, even the emperor did not have the qualifications to question him.

“Leave this to me.” Zhang Junshi kissed his forehead and smiled, “Although you don’t have a covetous heart for the treasure, it is still fine to get something to pay for the cost of everyday necessities. You can build a few comfortable houses or expand the chicken coops in the future.”

“En.” Nie Bufan nodded, “I still want to open a zoo and plant some fruit trees. Maybe I can raise a few babies in the future.”

Zhang Junshi’s face turned dark, and he said dangerously: “Whose baby?”

“Anyone’s.” Nie Bufan said with longing. “A group of bare-bottomed kids running all over the mountains, that would be a lovely kind of life.”

Zhang Junshi couldn’t help but imagine the scene of a group of toddlers surrounded by a large army of chickens occupying the top of the mountains, and he reflexively shuddered.

No, he had to immediately stop Nie Bufan’s unrealistic thoughts.

Zhang Junshi held his face and said gravely: “Bufan, men can’t give birth to children! We must have this awareness, children or whatever are just clouds.”

Nie Bufan grumbled a few times, obviously disapproving.

Zhang Junshi bit his lips and said in a low voice: “Accept your fate, I won’t let you have time to think about children.”

As he said this, he rolled over and pressed down on top of him, immersing himself into the hard work.

As he inhaled the other’s scent and felt the heat in his lower abdomen, his head no longer hurt and his nose no longer run……