A tall shadow loomed, seething with anger.
Chu Haoan strained to look up and finally made out the man's features. Before he could utter a single word, the man delivered a powerful blow to his abdomen.
The man's knee was as hard as a rock. Chu Haoan felt as if his internal organs had shifted, and he hunched over, howling in pain.
"You... weren't satisfied after sending someone to strangle me and force me to eat ashes just now, and now you come to beat me up yourself? This isn't fair play!"
Chu Haoan was on the verge of tears, but in the face of the imposing Shi Luohan, he was already terrified and had no power to fight back.
He could only plead humbly, "I really know I was wrong. I'm just a toad, and I'll never dare to covet the swan's meat again. Spare my dog's life!"
Shi Luohan was taken aback for a moment.
Then he kicked Chu Haoan hard twice more before leaving in a huff.
Anger boiled his blood. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword several times. With great self - restraint, he managed to hold back the urge to draw his sword and kill Liang Yuzhou.
He leaped onto the roof and let the cold wind blow on him for an hour before he managed to calm down.
There was a crescent moon in the sky. Shi Luohan stared at it for a long time and reflected on many things.
Why was he always a step behind Liang Yuzhou, even when it came to avenging Wanchu and warning Chu Haoan?
He was the one who was always by Wanchu's side, well - aware of every little thing around her.
In his heart, Wanchu came first, but his initiative was still no match for Liang Yuzhou's.
Where exactly did he fall short?
...
In the second half of the night, Liang Yuzhou returned to the Songhe Taoist Temple, wrapped in the cold.
"Tsk tsk tsk, look at that dejected look. I guess you didn't get to see your wife," a white - haired but ruddy - faced Taoist priest appeared soundlessly in front of Liang Yuzhou, wearing a gossiping and annoying expression.
Zhou Sheng was startled. "Priest Qiu, can you stop appearing out of nowhere every time!"
This old Taoist priest had amazing light - body skills. Even a master like his master couldn't detect his approaching aura.
Fortunately, this old priest just wanted to mooch off others. If he had ill intentions, even the emperor guarded by eighteen imperial guards in the imperial city might die silently at his hands.
"I'm just concerned about your master. He has old injuries, and it's cold and dewy at night. I'm afraid he'll catch a cold," Priest Qiu winked playfully and then pretended to be serious. "Or have you forgotten that he had a lung infection a year ago and coughed up blood for three months? He almost died."
Zhou Sheng had nothing to retort. If it weren't for Priest Qiu's superb medical skills pulling his master back from the gates of hell, his master wouldn't be able to chase after his wife so vigorously now!
Liang Yuzhou gave Priest Qiu a cold look. "At your age, staying up late. Aren't you afraid of sudden death?"
Priest Qiu was so angry that his white beard twitched upwards. "You ungrateful brat! I'm concerned about you, and you curse me?"
Liang Yuzhou walked around him and continued forward. "I don't need a father. I don't need your concern."
He entered the room and closed the door.
Priest Qiu wasn't willing to let it go. He jumped onto the windowsill and leaned half of his body into the room. "You're taking advantage of me. I'm old enough to be your grandfather!"
"My grandfather died twenty years ago."
Priest Qiu almost fell off the windowsill.
"You never say anything nice!"
Zhou Sheng came knocking on the door with a basin of hot water. He looked at the fuming Priest Qiu helplessly.
"You know he has a sharp tongue. Just avoid his edge. Why do you have to argue with him? In the end, it's you who gets angry."
His master had almost been taken away by Lord Yama and only managed to survive with his strong belief in his wife. He had gone through so much just to see his wife.
Although it was expected that his wife wouldn't keep the appointment, his master didn't show it on his face. He swallowed all his disappointment and sadness.
He needed to digest these emotions quietly so that he could pretend to be okay in front of everyone the next day.
Priest Qiu mumbled a few more words, but his eyes softened a bit.
"Do you think I want to bicker with him? The good job of conducting the ritual at the Chu family should have been mine. He snatched it from me. The Chu family is wealthy. Shouldn't he share half of the reward with me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a bulging pocket flew into his arms.
"Take it all. Get out of my sight!"
Priest Qiu weighed the pocket in his hand, his eyes lighting up. When he opened it, he was so excited that his eyes almost popped out.
The Chu family was really generous. It was actually gold, a full hundred taels!
He jumped off the windowsill, humming a tune, and walked away contentedly.
He had struck it rich tonight. Should he eat a fat chicken, roast goose, or pig's trotters?
Forget it. Only kids make choices. He wanted them all.
...
After resting for a few days, Song Wanchu felt much better.
Winter in Yunzhou wasn't very cold. She didn't want to stay cooped up in the house all day, so she often went to visit Ning Shi.
Ning Shi was holding back her anger, wanting to teach Qian Shi a lesson. Song Wanchu told her to be patient.
The two chatted about some trivial matters when Chu Yueying came.
She was naturally lively. Chu Shangxu and Ning Shi didn't want her to be restricted at home all day learning rules like a high - born lady. The little girl often went out and had invited Song Wanchu several times, but Song Wanchu had always declined politely.
It wasn't that she didn't want to go out, but she just didn't want to run into someone she didn't want to see as soon as she stepped out.
"Sister, I've heard that you're good at needlework. I want to embroider a purse. Will you teach me?"
Ning Shi was surprised and joked with a smile, "Oh, our girl finally wants to do something a girl should do?"
Chu Yueying blushed a little. Song Wanchu readily agreed. "It's not difficult at all. Pick out the pattern you like and show it to me. I'll teach you."
Chu Yueying rushed to rummage through Ning Shi's sewing basket.
"Sister, do you think this one is nice?"
Song Wanchu took the pattern from her hand. It was a branch of peach blossoms after the rain, about to bloom, just like a shy young girl's face.
"It's nice. It suits you very well."
"Is it suitable to give as a gift?" Chu Yueying asked casually.
Song Wanchu was taken aback for a moment. Thinking of something, she frowned slightly. "It's okay to give it to a girl your age. But if you want to give it to a lady or a madam, you should choose a pattern of fully - bloomed flowers."
Ning Shi knew her daughter well. Although she was lively, she didn't do things on a whim.
"Who are you going to give it to? Don't tell me it's a young man from some family?"
"No, no. I'm just asking!" The more Chu Yueying spoke, the redder her face became, and her eyes were a bit evasive. "Sister, this one will do."
Song Wanchu fetched the needles and thread, picked out a piece of apricot - yellow brocade, and began to teach her stitch by stitch.
Chu Yueying imitated her seriously.
Embroidery a branch of peach blossoms didn't take much time. They finished within half a day.
Chu Yueying looked at her own embroidery and then at Song Wanchu's, looking dejected.
"I did exactly as you taught me, sister. Why does yours look like peach blossoms after the rain, while mine looks like a melted sugar figurine?"
Ning Shi covered her mouth and snickered. Song Wanchu comforted her, "It's your first time doing needlework. You've done very well. You'll improve with more practice."
Chu Yueying took Song Wanchu's embroidery as well. "Sister, give this one to me. I'll practice a few more times following your stitches."
Song Wanchu said, "Take it if you like it."
Chu Yueying happily accepted it.
The maid brought in some tea and snacks. The three of them chatted while eating. Ning Shi mentioned Liang Yuzhou.
"I wonder if Taoist Priest Qingzhou has set the date for the ritual. The old lady has been talking about it several times these days. A nanny who had served her for thirty years passed away a few months ago. The old lady has always wanted to hold a ritual to超度 her soul."