Chapter 50: Human Face Peach Blossom Reflection Red Three

  The lady replied, "The messenger is unaware that the two young masters did not go out today, but were in the study clearing up the accounts of the shop. The accounts were complicated and the two young masters feared that the two foolish concubines would disturb them, so they locked the door from the inside and instructed the servants to guard the entrance, saying that no one was allowed to enter. Who knew that when it was time for lunch, someone was sent to call the two young masters to eat, but no matter how hard they knocked, they couldn't open the door? The two servants kept saying that the two young masters had not come out, only there was no response. We were worried and broke open the door, only to find that the study was empty, with no one inside."

  "Huh?" I was shocked: "Second Master just disappeared like this?"

  The lady nodded: "The doors and windows were all closed, and there was no back door. It's as if he had vanished into thin air. The whole family is in an uproar, clinging to a glimmer of hope, sending people out to search everywhere, but somehow they can't find any trace of the second young master. And with our Ma family having encountered so many strange things recently - the second young master encountering a monster, the fourth wife suddenly dying, and that strange face... it's really worrying about the second young master's whereabouts!"

  Longjing nodded slightly and smiled: "Since so, you can go take a look at that study."

  I hastily suggested going to the study, and the lady, upon hearing this, personally escorted me there.

  The Ma family's large mansion is made of green bricks, neat and solemn, paved with woven bamboo floor tiles, passing through several courtyards with carved wooden railings, but a small study appears in front of you.

  The study faces south and sits north, with no back door or window. If a small servant is guarding the entrance, unless Marquis Ye has the skill of walking through walls, he will absolutely not be able to leave the house quietly.

  Longjing went in and took a look around. This study was elegant, without the feeling of being overly flashy like Ma Ershao's place. The furniture was all made of yellow pear wood, and there was even a vase with lotus flowers on it.

  The lotus pot floated with a few round leaves, the water in the pot was slightly green and murky, unable to see the bottom. A love that transcends time and space between humans and demons.

  The lady said: "These days, Second Young Master has been alone here and does not allow others to come. That's why the water is so murky, making it a laughing stock for the servants."

  I shook my head hastily: "It doesn't matter, does Second Master often come here by himself?"

  The lady nodded: "Just think of it as a pitiful fourth wife, and Second Young Master also suffered a blow."

  Ma Ershao's expression was still carefree as he went to the Smoke and Rain Pavilion with Yu Xi, chatting and laughing together, not seeming to have suffered any blow.

  Longjing sat on the upper seat and smiled: "You tell that woman to go out and just say that you have seen the beginning and end of things, and now it's time to drive away the evil spirits."

  I hastily assured them, and the lady and her concubine were overjoyed. The lady grasped my hand and said: "If this time we can really drive out the evil spirits and find Second Young Master, our Ma family will be eternally grateful. Even if it means bankrupting the family, we must heavily reward the messenger!"

  "Madam, you're being too serious!" I hastily said: "It's enough to just offer sacrifices to the Dragon God and thank him, Mei Cai didn't actually put in any effort, so naturally she doesn't dare ask for any reward. Everything still depends on the Dragon God."

  Madam Ma and the others thanked her profusely before retreating.

  As soon as the door was closed, I hastily asked: "Dragon God, where is Ma Erlang?"

  "Can't you see?" Longjing pointed at the lotus pot: "It's still inside!"

  "What?" I stared at the lotus pot, my heart tightened. The lotus pot was not small, but if someone was hiding inside, wouldn't they have drowned long ago? I quickly asked: "How is it possible for someone to be in there? Could it be that Ma Ershao has already..."

  "Man is no longer human!" Longjing laughed and said: "You go to the side and take another look in that vat."

  I leaned over the edge of the vat and saw that the water in it hadn't been changed for who knows how long, murky like a pot of paste. I was just hesitating when suddenly the water in the vat churned up and a pale white human head bobbed to the surface.

  "What?!" I was shocked, but saw that person splashing water, floating up, staring at me with eyes wide open, and shouting: "Mei Cai? How did you come?! Quickly ask Dragon God to save Er Shao! Er Shao has been deceived, now it's really worse than death!"

  "Second Master Ma?" I took a closer look and indeed, that disheveled white-haired head wasn't Second Master Ma, who else could it be?

  I suddenly felt dizzy and couldn't understand what was happening in front of me.

  Longjing laughed and said: "I was deceived and suffered a great loss, but I really got this land."

  I barely reacted, and Ma Ershao shook his head, rolling over in the water: "Save me! Save me! As long as you ask Dragon God to save me, I'll give you all the gold and silver mountains, anything my family's grain store can provide, I'll hand it over to you, let you use it for the rest of your life!" Only then did I notice that under Ma Ershao's head was a fish body more than four feet long.

  "It's not going to work... it's not going to work for him either..." I looked at Longjing: "Did he turn into that fish-headed person?"

  Longjing came over with interest, stroking his own pointed chin, and smiled: "Hey, have you done what the human-faced fish promised you?" Gray Bear Ranch

  Ma Ersha stared with his eyes wide open like a dead fish and said: "Could it be that you... are the legendary Dragon God?"

  Longjing smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to transform into such a state, it's quite an eye-opener. But what did that human-faced fish tell you? They say that reunions are not as good as chance encounters, your fate with the human-faced fish is also known as 'destined for three lifetimes'."

  "Dragon God is wise! They are all young... Young ones believed in evil words, and ended up like this..." Ma Ershao wiped away tears, continuously splashing the green water of the lotus flower basin.

  "Dragon God, what's going on? Didn't that human-faced fish reveal the heavenly secret and die?"

  "This matter should be asked of Mr. Fish Face." Longjing said with a smile.

  Ma Ershao sighed and said, "It was my ignorance that made me believe the lies of the human-faced fish. Who knew this would be a trap set by the human-faced fish... The human-faced fish didn't die after all. I had planned to take it home as a rare treasure, raise it, and if one day it became extremely valuable, then I..."

  "A snake swallowing an elephant is not enough, and having a disaster is also inevitable." Longjing smiled and asked: "That human-faced fish was originally from the River of Forgetfulness in the underworld, and it came out to survive in the world. It must have the same demand for living people's breath as ordinary fish do for water, but you kept it in this study, letting it swim around and absorb the breath of the people in the house, even deceiving your own family members with clever words?"

  "That fish isn't just saying it's here to absorb human energy! He said he was driving out evil spirits, driving out evil spirits for the Ma family!" Ma Ershao said pitifully: "I didn't expect that fish to have ulterior motives, openly repairing the bridge while secretly digging a tunnel, and harming me like this... it's simply making me regret it endlessly..."