Chapter 45: Peach Blossoms and Flowing Water, Fat Mandarin Fish

  Ma Ershao said up to here, and then nodded at me: "Mei Cai, what are you still dazing about? Quickly fill up the fragrant tea for Ershao! You foolish and muddle-headed fool, what do you look like!"

  "Ah... Ah..." I had been enchanted by the sound for a while before I came back to my senses, and hastily picked up the purple clay teapot to pour some tea and present it to him. Master Ma looked at me with disdain, gave me a white eye, then snatched the teacup away and started savoring the drink with relish.

  Yu Xiuniang was also entranced and hastily asked, "Tian Xia Gu Xing? Is there really a Tian Xia Gu Xing that can suppress the master's fortune? Is there any way to eliminate it?"

  "I was surprised at the time, although he said that he had guessed the fetal mark correctly, but how could I fully believe in his words? So I asked him: What you said is good, but why reveal the heavenly secret for no reason?"

  Yu Xianger hastily said: "Indeed, Ma Erlang is still the one who thinks things through thoroughly. If it were me, I would have been deceived by his words and followed his plan long ago."

  Ma Ershao smiled and said: "What's the big deal? I've been through thick and thin, of course I know how to speak to people and ghosts."

  Yu Xiangu asked hastily: "What did the fish say?"

  Ma Ershao replied, "The fish has finally revealed the truth. It turns out that after its death, it became a messenger of the underworld. Unexpectedly, this year an unusual event occurred, saying that the dark land was in great chaos. It was able to swim from the Naihe River to the Huajiang River in the mortal world. The opportunity was just right, and I happened to meet it, so it came specifically to inform me. In order to repay my kindness in my previous life, it came to report to me."

  "It turned out to be a vengeful spirit transformed from gratitude, and it's quite kind!" Yu Xiujie was seemingly very moved.

  "Hmm, it seems that in my previous life, I was also a straightforward and honest good fellow." Ma Ershao nodded his head in great satisfaction: "Now that the fish has said so, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and decide to trust this fish."

  You're just flattering me, aren't you? I thought to myself. President, isn't that enough?!

  "It's indeed related in this life and the previous one!" Yu Xi thought to herself: "If young master hadn't saved it in his past life, they wouldn't have had such an encounter."

  "That's natural," Ma Ershao continued, "The Fish Head said that the fate of this life is all caused by the karma sown in the previous life, so whether it's an enemy or a benefactor, they are all entanglements from past lives."

  "What kind of fate is this?" Yu Xi's curiosity grew even stronger.

  "You don't know, that person told me on the fifteenth of this month, at 3 o'clock in the evening, I absolutely cannot stay inside the house." Ma Ershao said very seriously.

  "Deep in the night, why are you still waiting outside?" Yu Xi asked curiously: "Isn't it that you can't sleep either?"

  "Indeed, on that day, I thought to myself, 'it's better to believe it exists than not', just as I got out of bed and entered the courtyard, the main beam in the house suddenly broke off and fell onto the bed. If I were still lying in bed, I'm afraid I would have been crushed to death..."

  "As expected, it's indeed a divine being!" Yu Xi hurriedly asked: "May I ask where can that fish be found? I, Yu Xi, also want to go and ask about my fortune and misfortune!"

  Ma Ershao raised his index finger and shook it from side to side: "Heavenly secrets must not be revealed."

  Yu Xiuniang smiled and hit Ershao with a hint of annoyance: "Ershao, you're really annoying, it's like dangling someone's appetite."

  "Haha... " Ma Ershao's greasy smile: "Beauty, aren't you also teasing Second Master's appetite..."

  Ryūto Kiji

  I saw that Ma Ershao was unwilling to continue speaking, and he was anxious to the point of scratching his ears and cheeks. However, seeing Ma Ershao's expression, I should have retreated long ago. Now, I couldn't find an excuse to stay, so I reluctantly bid farewell and left.

  Just came out, and ran into Lian'er. Lian'er saw me and smiled: "What good snacks did you bring today? But haven't sent them to our young lady's room yet, what's the matter with dragging on and delaying today?"

  I smiled and said: "Because just now in Miss Yu Xi's room, I listened to Master Ma Er talking about the human-headed fish, and for a moment, I was so fascinated that I forgot myself and disturbed you for a long time."

  "Is it Ma Ershao?" Luan'er furrowed her brow: "Could it be the Ma Ershao who runs a grain store on Ziyu Street?"

  I nodded: "The matter of Ren Tou Yu, no one on the Zi Yu Chai Street is unaware of it. But isn't that the mysterious and elusive Second Master Ma?"

  "I didn't think he still had the heart to come to the Smoke and Rain Pavilion for fun..." Luan'er shook her head: "This man's heart, unexpectedly is as cold as iron stone."

  "What's wrong?" I asked hurriedly: "Sister Luan, what do you mean by this?"

  "Yuan'er lowered her voice and said, 'You don't know that Ma Ershao's fourth concubine died of a sudden illness just the other day. Although she wasn't the official wife, at least they had a husband-and-wife relationship in name. Before her body is even cold, he comes out to seek pleasure, isn't this being as heartless as iron and stone?'"

  I was stunned for a moment. The one that Ma Ershao mentioned earlier, the one who fainted from being scared by the fish head, seemed to be the fourth wife. How could it be so coincidental that she actually died of illness?

  "Of course, Master Ma is a seasoned romantic, and I'm sure his concubines are as numerous as cats and dogs, too many to count."

  I nodded, but still had doubts in my heart. Could the death of the fourth wife and that person's head fish be related? The heavenly calamity, the bloody disaster, what were they talking about? The rouge river has such a fish, it must also be related to the great chaos of the mysterious yin land and the evil thinness of the dragon well. It's better to tell the dragon well about it. Save the world, villain!

  After sending away the dim sum, I left a plate of dim sum and went to the Longshen Temple.

  Longjing had fallen asleep early, lying on his side on the altar table, with a thread of saliva still at the corner of his mouth. The dim yellow lamp cast a glow on his handsome face that was so good-looking it seemed almost unreal.

  The melon seeds didn't sleep, and were chirping with a white parrot that came from who-knows-where.

  "Hurry up, Guapian! How long has Dragon God been asleep? I have urgent news to report to Meicai."

  The melon slice hadn't replied yet, but the white jade parrot spoke up first: "Dragon God just fell asleep not long ago, probably because he found our conversation dull and fell asleep."

  I was stunned, this white parrot's tone was gentle and pleasant to the ear, crisp and nice to hear, it actually sounded like a young girl.

  Guapian Dao said: "This is a friend from the demon world, come to report some strange things, named Huayu."

  That white jade parrot floated down, transforming into a white-clad maiden of an age similar to mine. Her bright eyes sparkled with spirit as she gazed at me, her smile faint: "Guapian often mentioned you, saying you were interesting, but unfortunately when I arrived, you had already lost your spiritual energy and we missed each other. Today, we finally meet, it seems there is still fate between us."

  "I hastily said: 'That, that's truly a blessing of three lifetimes, to get to know the Flower Language Maiden. I'm just a small errand girl for Mei Cai, and it's only because Dragon God has taken notice of me that I've been allowed to follow along and help investigate strange occurrences, searching for the whereabouts of the evil spirits.'"

  "This is a serious matter, isn't it also an unusual affair?" Hua Yu blinked her big eyes and smiled: "If I'm lucky, I'd like to hear more too."