Chapter 74 - Friends who slept in the same quilt

Chapter 74 Friends who slept in the same quilt

“What are you talking about?! Revive Zhu?!” Madam Luo tightly grasped the tiny left shoulder of the little girl in front of her. Her fingernails were deeply embedded in the green cloth. She asked in a hoarse voice, “How can this be possible? You are lying to me. There is no such a good thing in the world that the dead can be brought back to life!” After saying that, she was immediately stunned for a while, because she stultified herself. There was a person who had come back to life standing in front of her!

He Danggui nodded and said softly, “Don’t worry, Madam. I dreamed this before the day Mammy Tang came. In my dream, I was very scared. After that, I found that from head to foot, my skin was the same as that in my dream, and now it is dark yellow. I was shocked at that time. I didn’t feel sad for my appearance that became ugly but worried about my nephew’s safety, because the old immortal in my dream said that one of the twins would die in three days… Since my appearance did become as ugly as that in my dream, the prophecy for my nephew would also possibly come true. Later, Mammy Tang came, and I heard from her that Nephew Zhu was really ill, so I doubted that what the old immortal said was true.”

After listening to that, Madam Luo was terrified. She held and shook He Danggui’s shoulders, asking in a tight voice, “What kind of dream is it? What did the old immortal say? Tell me more about it!”

Miss Ji, who was standing behind Mammy Tang, helped Madam Luo up and said, “Madam, don’t worry about that too much. Third Miss said there’s a way to save Young Master Zhu. Why don’t you ask her to talk about how to save him?”

“Yes, tell me!” Madam Luo straightened her granddaughter who was swayed askew like a puppet. “How to save Zhu?”

Everyone was curious about the way to save the dead. Therefore, not only Madam Luo, Mammy Tang and Miss Ji stared at her, but Chan Yi and Huai Hua also opened their eyes with curiosity.

He Danggui took out a letter from the sleeve and said, “What Miss Ji said is exactly what I want to say. Saving people is like fighting the fire. Although I don’t know if this method works, I will try my best! The reason why I am waiting for Mammy Tang at the foot of the mountain is that I don’t want to waste time. I have written the way of saving Zhu taught by the old immortal on this letter. At first, I intended to ask the guards who escort carriage to take it to Luo’s Family by riding a swift horse and give it to my Elder Cousin. But since you are here, I think Uncle Nie is protecting you by your side, so I want to ask him to go.”

Madam Luo took the envelope doubtfully and immediately opened and read it. After reading, she handed it to Mammy Tang and Miss Ji. They were all puzzled. Mammy Tang asked, “Let’s put the first, second, fourth and fifth items aside. The third item says, ‘make a fire and burn the West Lateral court down’. What does this have to do with saving Zhu? Isn’t there where you live?”

“Em, I don’t know either!” He Danggui blinked her eyes innocently and said, “Although I’m unwilling to burn the residence full of memories, whether to burn it or not is up to my Grandma. I just wrote down the immortal’s words in my dream without missing a word. I couldn’t write many of the words. Later, I consulted Master Zhen Zhu. As for the meaning of the contents and whether it can save Nephew Zhu, I really don’t know. Mammy, think about it. After all, there is always something unique about what the immortals do. How can a human like I guess that?” Bai Yangbai often said the last sentence. When he deceived others, he always praised the immortal who lived in nowhere and it was always efficacious.

Mammy Tang thought what He Danggui said was reasonable, so she persuaded Madam Luo, “Third Miss is the master of the West Lateral court. Since she is willing to offer the immortal’s method and burn the West Lateral court to summon the soul of Zhu, let’s try it! We all will be happy if it is able to save Zhu. If not, Third Miss has also done her best, and we have tried our best…”

Miss Ji also strongly proposed, “Madam, as it’s not difficult anyway, why don’t we try it? It’s worth ten West Lateral courts if it can really save the Young Master! Moreover, when we are discussing whether it will work or not, the Young Master’s body is getting colder and colder. If we delay another day or a half, I’m afraid that the immortal will not be able to save Zhu!”

“Yes, we have to try anyway!” Madam Luo immediately made up her mind, and then called to the wheat field in the distance, “Nie Chun, come here!”

The golden wheat field, which had not been reaped yet, was suddenly separated, creating a path in the middle. Then a bright red figure appeared at the end of the path. The figure disappeared from the original place for a moment at every two steps, and then appeared a dozen feet in front. After four or five times, he stood in front of Madam Luo and He Danggui and asked, “What is your will?”

Madam Luo folded the paper, put it back into the envelope, and handed to Nie Chun, “This is the way to save Zhu that the immortal said in Yi’s dream. Don’t riding. You should rush back to Luo’s Mansion as soon as possible. Give this to Qian and let him do all tasks listed on the paper. All tasks!”

He Danggui added carefully, “Uncle Nie, please give the letter to my Elder Cousin. Don’t let other people pass it on to him.” Then she turned to Madam Luo and smiled, “Ha-ha, this is also what the immortal ordered.”

Nie Chun was a tall and thin man who was about 28. He had a handsome face and his appearance showed that he was a clear and upright man. But he didn’t look at anyone. In fact, from the perspective of He Danggui, he seemed to be looking at her with a pair of nostrils. Hearing Madam Luo and He Danggui’s words, Nie Chun nodded, took the envelope, turned around and left. However, after turning around, he hummed and said a word, which was so clear that it was hard for others to pretend not to hear, “Idiot.”

He Danggui just raised her eyebrows. Mammy Tang kindly comforted her, “It doesn’t matter. He may not comment on you.”

He Danggui scratched her cheek and changed the topic, “Didn’t Grandma want to know the details of that dream? Anyway, even if we don’t take the sedan but take the carriage, we won’t be able to catch up with Uncle Nie. We may as well postpone the trip so that I can tell the details of my dream to Grandma to relieve her anxiety.”

Mammy Tang nodded and said, “Yeah. Anyway, we can’t help even if we hurry back home. Master Baiqian is clever and competent. Let him do it!”

“Well, I’d like to hear the dream of Yi.” Madam Luo looked tired and sighed with relief, “After driving for a night, I’m thirsty. Our entourage are resting in the tea-booth at the intersection ahead. Ji, bring me some green tea to drink.”

Mammy Tang hurriedly stopped and said, “Nope, the tea-booth is not a good place. The water in it is not as clean as the dishwater in our house. It will cause stomachache after you drink it! Madam, I remember that there are some clear streams on the mountain. I’ll go and fetch some water quickly for you. Alas, I didn’t bring anything before I went out, making you so thirsty. It’s really all my fault!”

He Danggui immediately turned around to find 4 or 5 bamboo slips in the luggage, held them to Madam Luo, and smiled, “I made the Hawthorn tea. Last time, Mammy Tang said it tastes delicious, so I made a big pot again this morning. I also took some Schisandra chinensis from the Medicine Room of the Taoist temple and added them in the tea to quench Mammy Tang’s thirst and fatigue on the way. Grandma, please try it.”

Mammy Tang was delighted to hear that. She went up and took them all in her hands, saying, “Madam, this tea is really delicious and can quench thirst. You will like it. Third Miss is very filial!”

Miss Ji came up directly to hold Madam Luo’s arm and persuaded with smile, “It’s windy and dusty at the intersection. You’d better talk with Third Miss on the carriage, Madam. There is a small tea stove in our carriage, which is still on fire. We also have the clean blue and white porcelain tea set in the drawer. Now there is only a lack of the Hawthorn tea from the Third Miss.”

“Well, that’s good.” He Danggui climbed on the carriage first, and then turned back to pull Madam Luo. She turned her eyes playfully and said crisply, “I haven’t cooked tea with proper tea set for a long time. It’s my turn to show my skill. Please give me guidance, Grandma.”

※※※

“Chief, do you know that there are many kinds of friends? Some people are really lifelong friends, but some are fair-weather. And of course, there are some friends who sleep in the same quilt…” Liao Zhiyuan trod the quilt jokingly and said with a smile, “But few people can become the above three kinds of friends like us. Isn’t it very interesting?”

“…” Lu Jiangbei turned and didn’t say anything.

“Chief, don’t you think it’s weird? Our Gezhu is a lord who is deeply loved by the Emperor. When the Emperor is happy, he often gives all kinds of beautiful women to his sons. My dad has never been so kind to me. However, our Gezhu refuses every time as he can. He accepts reluctantly and say thanks only when he can’t disobey the Imperial Edict. It’s said that he never takes those beauties back to his fief either. Instead, he left them in separate courtyards in the capital to serve his wet nurse. What a gentleman! Alas, he just appreciates the beauties, and he can control himself. After enjoying, he paints them into erotic pictures according to his imagination! Is he very gentlemanly?”

“…”

“Chief, when did Childe Duan get those seven little Taoist nuns? In the past, we said that he has terrible taste in women. However, Miss Xue, Miss Lian and the other two nuns he brought back this time are all beautiful! At that time, I caught up with the carriage and looked through the gap. I saw 4 sitting on the left and 4 on the right, and then 2 in the middle. Although there are also some plain women, such as Miss Lian’s mom and a Taoist nun who looked black, the overall quality is high and they were beautiful at a glance! Ha-ha, I hope that this time Childe Duan can open up his mind and choose two beautiful girls for his own. Although he never admits it, I always think that Childe Duan is still a virgin!”

“…”

Seeing that Lu Jiangbei got something against him because Liu Sui misunderstood them, Liao Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes and said, “Ah, before I know that He Jingxian is her father, I didn’t think she had any similarity with him, but now I think that their noses and mouths are almost identical! No wonder He Jingxian used to be known as ‘the most handsome man in the capital’. He looks like his daughter!”

This topic successfully intrigued Lu Jiangbei. Although he was backfired by the cold poison of Hanqing Cold Palm, and now every time he spoke, he would feel pain, he still looked at the white snow cave ceiling above his head and took part in the topic, “I didn’t expect that Commander He is so cold. I saw Commander He often go to Glass Street with his family to play. No matter what kind of rare toy his children wanted, he bought it immediately without hesitation. I’ve seen his eyes with fatherly concern to his children. At that time, I also admired their intimacy. Commander He is the only son of a medical family and is a senior official. For many years, he didn’t have a concubine. He is so affectionate to his wife. But I never expect that he is so cruel to his eldest daughter He Danggui!”

Seeing that Lu Jiangbei finally was interested in a topic and said so many words at once, Liao Zhiyuan drew the pillow closer with excitement and put forward his different opinions, “You can’t say in that way. How do you know whether He Jingxian wants this daughter or not? Maybe it was Chick He’s mother who ran away with her!”

Lu Jiangbei coughed, and replied in a deep voice, “According to the informer of Changye Tower, Luo’s Family had sent a person to inform He’s Family before they sent He Danggui to the farm. Commander He and Madam He knew about it. But Commander He allowed Luo’s Family to bully He Danggui so much and treat her so cruelly, and didn’t want to find her back. Is there a father crueler than him in the world?”