When Gögwo saw how arrogant Mao Wenzhi was, he didn't feel annoyed. He immediately turned around and shouted, "Stop right there!"
The two white-robed guards immediately drew their sabers and charged forward when they saw the elder's anger.
"Four hundred ninety-eight steps, four hundred ninety-nine steps, five hundred steps! Ha, I'm here! "
Mao Wenzhi finally counted to 500 steps. He didn't dare to be careless with these 500 steps. Mao Wenzhi removed the salted fish from his neck and threw it to the ground. He suddenly realized that the salted fish's belly was bulging and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. When Sister Sun helped him put on the salted fish, it was clearly flat. What was a fish doing? Why was its belly bulging?
Mao Wenzhi squatted down in puzzlement and carefully looked at the salted fish. He picked up a wooden stick and poked it twice, accidentally poking the fish's belly. Suddenly, countless white worms crawled out from inside, giving Mao Wenzhi a fright. He turned around and ran.
Gögwo's two guards had just caught up when they saw Mao Wenzhi running back with his two hairy legs and his windbreaker fluttering in the wind. His crotch was exposed, and he looked more like a savage than a savage. They couldn't help but be stunned. "We haven't even scared him yet. Why is he so frightened?"
When Mao Wenzhi saw them, it was as though he had seen his savior. His expression changed as he shouted, "Ah! Worms! So many worms! White and fat, disgusting worms! You scared me to death! "
As Mao Wenzhi shouted, he began to 'dance' again. Gögwo glared at the dancing Mao Wenzhi and was about to flare up when he suddenly saw the salted fish on the ground. Seeing many white worms crawling out from inside, he couldn't help but say in enlightenment, "Oh! Tongue Twister Gu. "
Gögwo looked up and down at Mao Wenzhi and asked, "Did someone poison you?"
Mao Wenzhi had just calmed down. When he heard the question, he subconsciously wanted to say, "None of your business." But he suddenly remembered that this old fellow had called out the name 'Tongue Twister Gu'. His heart couldn't help but shiver. "Don't tell me this old fellow also knows how to poison? Isn't he an elder of the Gu Temple? He definitely knows how to poison. "
If it was before, Mao Wenzhi would definitely be dismissive of poison. But now, he was inexplicably in awe. He learned from experience and immediately answered honestly, "Yes! Leader Duo's daughter, Sister Sun, poisoned me. I begged her this morning and she removed it for me. She told me to throw the fish after 500 steps. I was afraid I would forget the steps, so … "
Gögwo said, "Oh, so that's how it is. 500 steps is just a rough estimate. You just need to stand there and estimate the time. You just need to throw the fish away. You don't have to walk 500 steps."
Mao Wenzhi humbly asked, "What do you mean it's about time?"
Gögwo pointed at the dried fish on the ground and said, "Naturally it's the time when the worms in your body enter the belly of the fish."
Mao Wenzhi was shocked and said, "Those … worms were originally in my stomach?"
Gögwo smiled and nodded. Mao Wenzhi immediately bent over and vomited.
Gögwo originally wanted to ask him something, but seeing the situation, he could only pinch his nose and take two steps back. He saw that Mao Wenzhi vomited too much, so he kindly advised, "Don't vomit. Those worms didn't look like this when they were in your stomach. They were much more ferocious than this. After coming out of your body, they are no longer Gu. That's why they look like ordinary worms. What's there to be disgusted about?"
"Blergh … blergh …"
Mao Wenzhi was most afraid of worms. When he heard that the disgusting worms were even more disgusting when they were in his body, he vomited even more. Gögwo stood aside and was depressed. He couldn't let Mao Wenzhi vomit while talking to him. How disgusting would that be? As an elder of the Gu Temple, it was even more outrageous to stand aside and accompany someone to vomit.
Seeing that Mao Wenzhi did not stop vomiting, Gögwo shook his head and left with his two attendants. After they left, Mao Wenzhi straightened his back. It was true that he was disgusted by the worms and vomited, but it was also true that half of it was fake. He deliberately exaggerated it.
He heard what Gögwo asked him just now. He knew that this old guy had bad intentions towards Ye Xiaotian, but he was afraid of being poisoned by Ye Xiaotian, so he did not dare to confront him openly. That was why he played a little trick. When Gögwo left, he immediately went into the forest and ran back the way he came …
The word "Gu" had existed since ancient times. Obviously, it was not limited to Miaojiang at the beginning, and it was not so mysterious that many people in the Central Plains had never heard of it. Otherwise, the sage who created the word would not have created such a word. It was only because of the different suitable environment for its development that it was carried forward in Miaojiang.
For example, when pepper was introduced to China, it could be grown everywhere, but it was most popular in Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou. For example, mustard was a common seasoning used by the Chinese during the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period, but it was carried forward in Japan. There was also pickled vegetables, which were introduced to Korea during the Three Kingdoms Period and almost became their symbol.
The word "Gu" had the word "insect" above and the word "vessel" below. It meant that the worms were placed in the vessel and became Gu. In fact, this was also the case. People who raised Gu put many poisonous insects in a container and let them eat each other. In the end, the poisonous insect that survived became a Gu.
Of course, the actual operation was not so simple. There were many secret methods. This was only a simple introduction by the people who raised Gu. The person who created the word "Gu" clearly knew this method of raising Gu. Li Shizhen was already old. His "Compendium of Materia Medica" had already been completed. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" also mentioned Gu. It said, "Take a hundred worms and put them in a jar. After a few years, one worm will eat all the other worms. This is called Gu."
Obviously, Li Shizhen also knew the method of raising Gu. He was originally from the Hunan and Hubei regions and often went deep into the mountains to pick herbs. He tasted all kinds of herbs and naturally had many opportunities to come into contact with this kind of thing. However, Li Shizhen said in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" that specialized in treating poisons and sores.
In fact, it was not only the "Compendium of Materia Medica" that said so. The Song Dynasty's "Qing Li Shanzhi Fang" and the Tang Dynasty's "Qianjin Fang" also mentioned Gu. There were even methods to raise Gu and use Gu, including medical prescriptions for treating diseases with Gu. But in the medical literature, what they talked about was how to use Gu to treat diseases.
Just like a poisonous vine that would seal one's throat upon contact with blood, a poisonous snake that would bite a person and die within five steps. These famous doctors would not talk a lot about how to use it to poison people, what were the taboos when using poison, how to preserve these poisons, how to maximize its toxicity. They would only talk about how to use this kind of poison to overcome some stubborn illnesses.
But Kong Yingda, who was also from the Tang Dynasty, mentioned another side of Gu in the "Commentary on the Thirteen Classics", "Using poison to treat people, causing them to be unaware of it, today's law calls it Gu poison."
Most of the Miao people who practiced Gu also used it to treat illnesses. They lived deep in the mountains and swamps, the environment was relatively harsh and there were many different kinds of poisonous insects and snakes. Being poisoned was a common occurrence. With the "King of Poisons" Gu to restrain various kinds of poisonous insects, it was relatively much safer. The shamans in the Miao tribe, other than asking about fortune and misfortune, their biggest role was to be part-time doctors. The purpose of them studying Gu was also because of this.
This was the content that Zhan Ning'er introduced to Ye Xiaotian. Of course Zhan Ning'er did not know Gu, in fact most of the Miao people did not know Gu either. But Zhan Ning'er was after all part of the Miao people, in addition to her family background, she knew more about these kinds of secrets.
Zhan Ning'er said, "Those who practice Gu are mostly married women. Firstly, it is to treat their family's illnesses, to prevent various kinds of poisonous insects. Secondly, when a female family practices Gu, they will have an additional skill for self-defense. Our Miao women are 'a married girl is like spilled water'. Even if they are bullied by their husbands, the paternal family will not run to their daughter's house to support her. The tribe leader also does not care about this kind of family matters. To have some protection, the only way is to practice Gu."
Ye Xiaotian thought in his heart, if Tao Si Niang practiced Gu and was willing to lay her hands on her husband, then Xu Boyi would not dare to treat her like that right? But thinking that if he married a Miao woman by his side, once he offended her, there was a possibility that she would unknowingly put Gu in his food, water or wine, making him obediently tame, Ye Xiaotian had a kind of creepy feeling.
Ye Xiaotian said, "I saw that after Mao Wenzhi was poisoned by the Gu, his appearance was extremely strange and terrifying. If you Miao people practice Gu, then won't you be invincible in the world?"
Zhan Ning 'er said, "Gu must be raised with one's own blood and many poisonous insects must be caught. Sometimes a jar of poisonous insects will all die and you have to raise them from the beginning. After several years or even more than ten years, you will be able to raise a single Gu insect. After using it, it will be gone and you have to raise it from the beginning again. Do you think this is like casting beans to make soldiers, it is so easy to say.
Moreover, all things in the world reinforce and subdue each other, Gu is not invincible. There are many strange people in the world and if you rely too much on Gu, it will inevitably become the source of disaster. Once you attract the attention of a powerful force, they will not hesitate to send thousands of men and horses and thousands of soldiers. I am afraid that it will be a disaster of extermination. Won't the loss outweigh the gain? "
As the two of them were talking, Gögwo led two bodyguards over from afar. Mao Wenzhi was not familiar with the route and when he passed through the dense forest, Gögwo had already arrived. He could only stand behind a tree at the edge of the forest and watch surreptitiously. Towards these fellows who knew how to manipulate poisonous insects, Mao Wenzhi was now deeply afraid. As he watched, Mao Wenzhi suddenly realized that there seemed to be someone in the forest opposite.
When Gögwo saw Ye Xiaotian, he arrogantly raised his chin and said, "Ye Xiaotian, so you are here?"
Ye Xiaotian knew that this Gögwo was quite hostile towards him and couldn't help but frown. He said, "So it is Elder Gögwo. What matter does Elder have with me?"
Gögwo said, "There is a noble who heard that you are highly appreciated by the Venerable. He is quite curious and wants to see you."
Ye Xiaotian asked curiously, "Who wants to see me?"
This Gögwo was already a noble in this place. Who could be called a noble by him? Zhan Ning 'er already understood and sneered, "Why does the person with the surname Yang want to see my friend? He is sneakily not showing himself but sent you here. You are a dignified elder of the God of Venomous Insects Temple. Have you become a servant who runs errands for others? "
Gögwo's face turned red and he said angrily, "Lady Zhan, how can you be so rude to me? I … I entered the village to discuss something with Gedore. I am just passing a message on his behalf. "
Ye Xiaotian asked Zhan Ning 'er, "Who is the noble he mentioned?"
Zhan Ning 'er glared at Gögwo and said, "That person is the Heavenly King Yang of the Four Heavenly Kings of An, Song, Tian, and Yang. It is because of his full support that Gögwo is ambitious to become the new Venerable. You don't have to pay attention to him. He is not a good person!"
As soon as Zhan Ning 'er finished speaking, a loud laughter came from the forest beside them, "Hahaha, Lady Zhan, when did I offend you? Why do you have such prejudice against me? However, I am also secretly happy to be called a Heavenly King by you … "
