Chapter 44

As Li Hanlin gradually revealed the reasons for Su Xing's victory, the book boy showed a look of surprise.

"The rope of the Yanzhi horse breaking was not a coincidence!" Li Hanlin, with the book boy in tow, walked to the front of the corridor, where a broken tethering rope still hung. He picked up the rope and showed it to the book boy, saying, "Look, it didn't break naturally. If I'm not mistaken, it should have been broken by someone nearby..."

Li Hanlin stuffed the rope into the book boy's palm. The book boy stared at the rough, uneven break, where the fibers had been pulled out.

"Clearly, the Yanzhi horse must have torn it with brute force, right?" The book boy, unable to see the trick, asked in confusion.

"Wait, I'll find the evidence for you!" Li Hanlin, without turning his head, bent down as if searching for something nearby. His dark pupils grew even deeper, a mysterious gleam in his eyes.

"Actually, Master looks really handsome when he's serious! It's just that he likes to act silly on a daily basis. Otherwise, the main ladies from other courtyards would definitely be charmed by him." The book boy, looking at Li Hanlin's handsome profile, felt a sense of injustice for his master.

"Found it!" Li Hanlin suddenly shouted, a smile spreading across his face. He immediately straightened up and called the book boy over.

The book boy ran over in confusion and looked at what Li Hanlin was pointing at.

A small stone was embedded in a stone pillar, surrounded by fine powder.

"Who could have shot a stone into the stone pillar with such force!" The book boy said in surprise, recalling the ghosts present during the competition. None of them had the brute strength to shoot a small stone into the pillar with just their physical power.

"It was the new ghost servant!" Li Hanlin said calmly. He bent down, touched the stone, and it immediately turned to powder, clearly shattered by the terrifying force.

"The force was terrifying. It seems the new ghost servant is not simple at all." Li Hanlin's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"The new ghost servant? No way, I don't think his cultivation is high. He only has the strength of a sixth or seventh-level ghost soldier." The book boy, recalling Su Xing's slender figure, shook his head and said, "He would be easy to defeat with just one finger!"

"Then you can compete with him next time." Li Hanlin's lips curled into a smile as he teased the book boy.

"No, Master, please spare me. If the new ghost servant really has such brute strength, my eighth-level ghost soldier cultivation wouldn't stand a chance. I would be crushed!" The book boy shook his head, his face pale as he thought of the shattered stone, gradually accepting Li Hanlin's reasoning.

Li Hanlin nodded and walked to where Su Xing had stood during the competition. He crossed his arms and mimicked Su Xing's posture, then flicked his hand to find a certain trajectory.

After a while, Li Hanlin smiled and said, "I see, the force and angle were controlled so skillfully. No wonder I didn't find the stone at first. This way, it could be shot far and be hard to notice."

"Master, did you find something else?" The book boy asked, walking over, his eyes full of admiration.

Only the book boy knew how capable Li Hanlin was. Li Hanlin was his idol, and he was willing to stay with him, even if all the maids called him "crazy."

"Do you now believe that the Yanzhi horse breaking the rope was not a coincidence but was caused by the new ghost servant's stone?" Li Hanlin suddenly asked.

"Believe it!" The book boy nodded firmly. If he said he didn't believe it, Li Hanlin would definitely leave him and return to the Hanlin Courtyard alone, which was one of Li Hanlin's quirks.

Sometimes, when the book boy's answers didn't satisfy Li Hanlin, he would pique the book boy's curiosity and leave the mystery unsolved, making the book boy feel like a cat was scratching his heart.

"But even if the new ghost servant shot the stone to break the rope, the Yanzhi horse still chose the lawn he sculpted and won the chef's favor with its own strength," the book boy argued.

"The new ghost servant is very smart, maybe even a match for you, Master. He knew how to use the Yanzhi horse to turn the tables!" The book boy's eyes sparkled, filled with admiration for Su Xing.

"Compared to me, I don't know. But he is definitely smarter than you think! Tell me, what's the difference between the lawn he sculpted and the one Zhang Yu sculpted?"

"Even if there is a difference, it's microscopic. Would a Yanzhi horse be so picky, choosing the new ghost servant's lawn over Zhang Yu's just because of a few broken carrot threads?" Li Hanlin asked.

"This..." The book boy hesitated. Master always saw things others couldn't, and he had thought of this.

After Li Hanlin's explanation, the book boy also felt there was something fishy.

"Please reveal the truth, Master, I really can't figure it out!" The book boy pleaded, his head aching from trying to think of the reason, almost ready to bang his head against the wall.

The book boy had followed Li Hanlin for so many years, and his thinking had never caught up. To him, Li Hanlin was always the most capable!

"Ah, it's because I'm too smart, which is not good, not good," Li Hanlin, holding "Sherlock Holmes," shook his head and smiled narcissistically.

The book boy was embarrassed by his master's quick shift and narcissism. Sometimes, when Li Hanlin went on dates with the main ladies from other courtyards, he would leave them aside and get lost in his own admiration.

After a moment of indulgence, Li Hanlin's expression turned serious, and he asked the book boy, "Do you remember the Yanzhi horse's initial state?"

"Restless?" The book boy thought for a moment and answered.

"Right! The Yanzhi horse was not in a normal state from the beginning, and the new ghost servant must have noticed this from the start."

"Come here!" Li Hanlin walked to the opposite side of the stone pillar where the Yanzhi horse was tethered and pointed to a green plant, saying, "This is a plant called 'Horse Madness.' As the name suggests, its fruit can drive horses crazy, and it's one of the Yanzhi horse's favorite fruits. This is why the Yanzhi horse was restless."

A light bulb went off in the book boy's head, and he exclaimed, "The new ghost servant picked the 'Horse Madness' fruit, squeezed out the juice, and coated the carrots with it, making the Yanzhi horse eat his lawn. That's it!"

"Finally, you get it," Li Hanlin said, nodding. "Yes, he picked the 'Horse Madness' fruit, squeezed out the juice, and coated the carrots with it. The moment the rope broke, the Yanzhi horse rushed to the table, but because it was too close, the 'Horse Madness' scent got mixed with the carrot scent, making it hesitate and creating the illusion that it was making a careful choice!"

"When the Yanzhi horse finally determined which lawn had the 'Horse Madness,' it eagerly started eating."

"That's the truth behind the 'miracle'!" Li Hanlin, with one hand on his forehead and the other outstretched, made a cool pose and shouted.

"Indeed!" The book boy, used to his master's behavior, nodded.

"Who would have thought the new ghost servant was so capable!" The book boy exclaimed.

"Yes, he is far more capable than you think, able to surprise his opponents," Li Hanlin said, his eyes sparkling. "He planned everything from the start, setting the competition based on the Yanzhi horse and 'Horse Madness,' taking the initiative, and reading lips to see through Li Dazui's actions. He had the competition under control! Truly impressive! I really want to face him!"

"There will be a chance, I'm looking forward to it!" Li Hanlin smiled, his confidence radiating, surpassing even Li Dazui and matching Zǐ Nǚ's!

"I still think Master is more capable," the book boy muttered softly.

"Is that so? Let's go back to the Hanlin Courtyard, we shouldn't keep the 'family' waiting." Li Hanlin smiled and led the book boy away.

"By the way, book boy, where do you think the new ghost servant found the small stone?" Li Hanlin suddenly asked.

"Stone?" The book boy was taken aback, unsure how to answer. The corridor floor was made of white marble, and it was cleaned daily by ghost servants. There was no dust, let alone stones.

"Are you sure it was a stone?" Li Hanlin asked.

"What do you mean?" the book boy asked.

"Ha ha ha..." Li Hanlin burst into laughter.

"Master, good Master, please don't tease me, tell me now~" the book boy pleaded, on the verge of tears, as Li Hanlin's quirk kicked in again, leaving him with a burning curiosity.

It felt like a cat was scratching his heart, tormenting the book boy. Li Hanlin laughed, enjoying the book boy's discomfort.

"Master, please tell me, I'm so curious!" the book boy cried, tears in his eyes.

Li Hanlin smiled and decided to stop teasing him, whispering, "Who said it had to be a small stone? The 'Horse Madness' fruit's core would work just as well."

"Ah..." The book boy really cried, feeling wronged. "That answer is too cruel!"

"Don't worry, I will train you into an excellent 'Watson.'"

...

Su Xing had no idea about the Hanlin Courtyard or its master, Li Hanlin, who had meticulously pieced together the truth of his victory. He was currently looking for a place to stay with Yang Qing Shui.

"Here it is, you'll be staying in a single room." The captured ghost servant, looking resentful, ran away.

"Do I look that scary?" Su Xing, watching his panicked escape, said with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"Scary, you've been bullying him the whole way!" Yang Qing Shui said coolly, though her words were anything but calm.

"Hey, that's a bit twisted, isn't it!" Su Xing's forehead creased with three black lines. He was at a loss with Yang Qing Shui's taciturn nature.

"Never mind, let's go in and check the accommodation. I didn't expect to see this in the City God's Mansion." Su Xing said, tilting his head to look at the six-story residential building in front of him.

A sign hung on the building, with four large characters.

"Chef's Apartment"!

---

---

Su Xing had no idea about the Hanlin Courtyard or its master, Li Hanlin, who had meticulously pieced together the truth of his victory. He was currently looking for a place to stay with Yang Qing Shui.

"Here it is, you'll be staying in a single room." The captured ghost servant, looking resentful, ran away.

"Do I look that scary?" Su Xing, watching his panicked escape, said with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"Scary, you've been bullying him the whole way!" Yang Qing Shui said coolly, though her words were anything but calm.

"Hey, that's a bit twisted, isn't it!" Su Xing's forehead creased with three black lines. He was at a loss with Yang Qing Shui's taciturn nature.

"Never mind, let's go in and check the accommodation. I didn't expect to see this in the City God's Mansion." Su Xing said, tilting his head to look at the six-story residential building in front of him.

A sign hung on the building, with four large characters.

"Chef's Apartment"!