Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 302: Little Immortal_1 (1/2)

Chapter 306: Chapter 302: Little Immortal_1

“What’s your injury got to do with me?”

Zhang Min didn’t give any ground. “Don’t blame your own stupidity on others, I won’t fall for that.”

When he and his master and senior disciple had been on a training journey, they were caught in a large bandit uproar. But when the bandits found out they were onmyojis, they didn’t trouble them and let them pass.

They hadn’t gone far when they came across the Xiao brothers with thirty or forty bodyguards on patrol.

They seized Zhang Min’s group and interrogated them, accusing them of being bandit scouts.

It wasn’t until Master Zhou presented his identity documents that the Xiao brothers let them go.

Later, for some reason, his group encountered the same bandits again, who took advantage of their superior numbers to attack the Xiao brothers’ team, causing heavy casualties.

Sensing the urgency of the situation, Zhang Min and his companions rushed to help, only for Xiao Chengjun to assume they were part of the bandits, and turned his attack on Master Zhou’s group. Unawares, he was slashed in the abdomen by a bandit with a saber.

Had it not been for Master Zhou rushing forth to rescue Xiao Chengjun, the youngster would’ve long been slain by the bandit’s hand. He wouldn’t still be standing here, hopping about.

Unexpectedly, when Xiao Chengjun woke up, he claimed that his injury was Zhang Min’s fault. Xiao insisted that, had Zhang Min not been present, he wouldn’t have made the incorrect judgment.

Zhang Min was at a loss for words.

He had almost no connection with Xiao Chengjun, except they had been classmates at the Imperial College for a year.

Once, when they were eight, they participated in a selection process for the Prince’s reading companions. Zhang Min could’ve been selected, but he was surpassed by Xiao Chengjun.

But that was no big deal. Zhang Min’s father hadn’t intended for his son to accompany the prince in his studies.

The prince was frail, and if something happened during his studies, all the reading companions around him would have a tough time dealing with the domineering Xiao family.

Zhang Min participated in the selection only because his mentors at the Palace Study Room had recommended him and the Emperor had given a verbal decree, so he had no choice but to go.

Probably the Xiao family had other plans, because before long, Zhang Min’s family was banished from Beijing.

Zhang Min’s father, Zhang Fangshan, a senior scholar of the Hanlin Academy and once a top scholar, was demoted to a governor in Jingzhou for unfounded charges, and the whole family was exiled to that desolate place.

Once they reached Jingzhou, by a fortuitous twist of fate, Zhang Min became an apprentice of Zhou Wuchang.

“Huh! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been injured.”

Xiao Chengjun scanned Zhang Min from head to toe, disdaining the bamboo placard hanging from his waist: nothing but a county medical student. He wouldn’t amount to much in his lifetime.

Zhang Min didn’t want to argue with a fool, so he beckoned Wen Hengyin and Wei Zhan to walk away.

They heard Xiao Chengjun shouting from behind: “Wei Zhan! Come here! I have a question for you!”

Wei Zhan pretended not to hear and scampered away without looking back.

Xiao Chengjun, angry and wanting to run after him, but afraid of being laughed at by Zhang Min, had to suppress his anger.

Watching as the three men walked away, Xiao Chengjun turned and called Nan Zhu: “Go and see why Zhang Min is with Wei Zhan.”

Nan Zhu agreed and followed after Wei Zhan’s group.

At dusk, the Wen family hosted a dinner for Yingbao and Zhang Min.

Xiu Zhenniang and her husband did not eat with them, retiring early to their own courtyard, giving the youngsters some privacy.

Wen Shu served Yingbao some dishes. “I made this. Lotus roots stuffed with glutinous rice and osmanthus, give it a try.”

Yingbao picked up a piece of lotus root and took a bite. It was soft, sweet, and fragrant, evidently containing lots of honey. “Delicious.”

She loved this sweet, sticky honey-cooked lotus root more than sweet dumplings.

Wen Shu gave a slight smile and served her a deep-fried crab.

Small river crabs deep-fried in oil, with even the pincers becoming crispy. They were very delicious when eaten crunchingly.

While eating deep-fried crab, Zhang Min said, “A couple of years ago, I had fried silkworm pupae when traveling with my master. They were very tasty.”

Out of curiosity, Yingbao asked, “I thought your master didn’t eat meat?” Silkworm pupae should count as meat.