bookandnovel Chapter 149 Leading Aunt Zhang to See Qingwan
Chapter 149 Leading Aunt Zhang to See Qingwan
On the fourth day, around 8 p.m.
The snowstorm that had blanketed Fengtian City for several days finally stopped this afternoon.
The streets were covered with a thick layer of snow, and the moonlight, like mercury spilling onto the ground, made the entire city a dazzling white.
At the entrance of the Zhao residence, more than a dozen carriages had already been harnessed by the guards and lined up from the main gate all the way to the end of the street, with no end in sight.
Lu Yuanli stood at the gate and turned back to call out to the brightly lit courtyard.
"Aunt Qin, Aunt Qiao'er, are you done yet?"
"Everything's done here!"
As soon as the words were spoken, two tall and voluptuous figures stepped forward.
Both women were dressed in thick, dark black cloaks, a far cry from their usual bright and alluring appearances, now dressed as noble and elegant ladies.
She lightly painted her eyebrows and applied a touch of powder.
Perhaps to please Lu Yuan, the two of them usually wore heavy, glamorous makeup.
Now that I'm going back to the temple, it's naturally inappropriate to wear that kind of makeup.
Today's elegant and refined appearance suddenly brightened Lu Yuan's eyes and made his heart skip a beat.
Sure enough, if someone is good-looking, they will look good no matter how they dress up.
"Here I am, here I am~"
With a soft voice carrying a hint of languid laughter, the two of them moved gracefully to Lu Yuan's side.
Although her makeup has changed, the allure ingrained in her bones remains undiminished.
Aunt Qiao'er's eyes sparkled as she winked gently at Lu Yuan, her voice low and alluring:
"How is it? Does it look good?"
Lu Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he nodded solemnly, praising sincerely:
"It's so beautiful."
Upon hearing this, the two beautiful aunts exchanged a smile. Aunt Qin raised her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear and said sweetly:
"I haven't done this kind of light makeup in a long time, my skills are rusty."
"Hurry up and get in the car, it's cold."
Lu Yuan nodded, then turned back for one last look at the gate of the Zhao residence.
Many years have passed since then, and it seems unlikely that he will be able to return anytime soon.
The old man must have gone to find the Ghost-Controlling Willow family.
Once the old man leaves, Lu Yuan will have to return to Zhenlong Temple.
I wonder when the old man will come back, or rather...
Even if the old man comes back, Lu Yuan definitely can't stay in Fengtian City forever.
It's just that Lu Yuan has been staying here because the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony and the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony are both being held in Fengtian City.
With those two matters resolved, Lu Yuan, as a proper Taoist priest, naturally continued to live at the Zhenlong Temple.
What, you can really live in Fengtian City and make a living like this?
Including this trip back to Zhenlong Temple with her two wives, neither Aunt Qiao'er nor Aunt Qin will stay at Zhenlong Temple permanently.
Especially Aunt Qiao'er, as the president of the Bailu Chamber of Commerce, has a lot to do every day.
If you're going to live in Zhenlong Temple in the future, then you might as well give up the top business association outside the pass?
Aunt Qin is fine, so she can stay at Zhenlong Temple with Lu Yuan.
But then again, since Aunt Qin lives at Zhenlong Temple, it wouldn't be good to leave Aunt Qiao'er alone in Fengtian City.
Secondly, it's inconvenient for Aunt Qin to live in Zhenlong Temple.
Moreover, not only is it inconvenient, but Qixia Mountain, where Zhenlong Temple is located, is also too remote.
For a pampered young lady like Aunt Qin, who grew up in the city, it's definitely not something she'd be used to living here.
So, this time when they went back, the two of them stayed at Zhenlong Temple for seven or eight days, and then they came back together.
From now on, whoever is free each month will visit each other.
Lu Yuan goes to Fengtian City whenever he has free time, and Aunt Qin and Aunt Qiao'er come to Zhenlong Temple to stay for a couple of days whenever they have free time.
They don't seem like they're living a serious life, but...
As a Taoist priest, you have to give up something to gain something.
Especially since Lu Yuan, Aunt Qin, and Aunt Qiao'er are all at the prime of their lives.
There's a long road ahead.
It's not too late to settle down when I'm older.
Lu Yuan helped the two into the carriage, which started moving, its wheels crunching over the snow as it headed south.
Once outside Fengtian City, all that could be seen was a vast expanse of white fields.
The moonlight fell on the snow, reflecting a bright white light, and from a distance, it looked like a layer of shattered silver.
The carriage fell silent.
Lu Yuan leaned against the soft pillows, listening to the sound of horses' hooves clattering in the snow outside, and his chaotic thoughts gradually calmed down.
Upon learning yesterday that the old man had left the temple, my burning desire to immediately take the Heavenly Venerable's robe back to present it as a treasure cooled considerably. Well, this day is perfect for cleaning up the mess in Fengtian City and preparing some things to take back with me.
After a busy day, everyone prepared to return to Zhenlong Temple after dinner.
Actually, Lu Yuan originally planned to go and see Shen Jizhou again.
From a public perspective, Lu Yuan did not harbor any deep hatred towards Shen Jizhou, and Wuqing Temple was indeed the foremost Taoist temple outside the Great Wall.
It doesn't matter whether we're friends or not, but we can't be mortal enemies.
This time, Lu Yuan tricked Shen Jizhou.
You should bring some gifts and go over to say a few words...
Personally speaking, there's still the connection between these two, namely Shen Shulan.
Therefore, both publicly and privately, Lu Yuan couldn't simply walk away from this matter.
As for whether this was a personal apology or not...
That's not true; Lu Yuan didn't think he was wrong.
So, since this isn't a personal apology, Lu Yuan figured he should probably postpone going.
Let's talk about it later.
Otherwise, if they come to our door now without apologizing, it'll look like they're showing off their power.
However, although Lu Yuan is not visiting in person, at the end of the investiture ceremony at noon today, he gave Shen Shulan a top-tier magical artifact, which she then passed on to Shen Jizhou.
The rhetoric was the same old one: "This junior is dull-witted and cannot fathom its mysteries. Please, Venerable Shen, enlighten me."
Shen Jizhou wasn't stupid; he naturally understood that this was a matter of strategy.
Anyway, after giving the top-tier magic artifact to Shen Shulan, Shen Jizhou didn't return it when Lu Yuan's family set off to return to Zhenlong Temple that evening. He must have used some excuse to leave.
Of course, it's also possible that Shen Shulan mediated between them.
Despite what happened with Shen Jizhou, Lu Yuan's relationship with Shen Shulan remained unchanged.
Shen Shulan still addressed him as "Shishu" (a term of respect for a senior martial uncle).
Lu Yuan also kept calling her "senior sister".
Shen Shulan knew why Lu Yuan and Shen Jizhou had gotten into this mess.
Moreover, they knew why Lu Yuan did that.
Compared to others, Shen Shulan understood Lu Yuan the best.
In a sense, their paths are similar.
Although Lu Yuan disregarded martial ethics and directly pulled out a Ma brand pistol during the "Challenge of Asking the Heavens".
However, Lu Yuan was also very careful not to aim for Shen Jizhou's vital areas, or even his key areas.
Neither of them injured Shen Jizhou's bones or muscles.
At the time, I just wanted Shen Jizhou not to use his full strength and actually push the imperial seal back.
Thus, the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony came to a perfect end.
Today, Lu Yuan also retrieved the old man's Heavenly Venerable Robe and Heavenly Venerable Sword on his behalf.
Once the Celestial Venerable Ceremony concludes, the entire area outside the Great Wall will surely be affected...
No, even within the Great Wall, it's a topic that people constantly talk about during their leisure time.
The old man must have heard about this outside.
It's such a pity that we can't see the old man's expression when he hears the news.
Thinking about this, Lu Yuan couldn't help but feel a surge of resentment.
Damn!
What's the difference if it's just a few days?!
Can't we wait until the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony is completely over before leaving?!
When the time comes, the old man will be able to personally ascend the height to bestow the title; how exhilarating that will be!
When asked about the Heavenly Venerable, Lu Yuan asked, "When was the most enjoyable time?"
That's of course, the first time I appear on screen after being selected!
This thing is like opening a can of Coke; the first sip is the best!
Of course, Lu Yuan also understood that the old man's sudden departure from Zhenlong Temple was not just a matter of a few days.
They must have received some urgent news that couldn't wait.
The next day, early in the morning.
At the foot of Qixia Mountain, the place was bustling with activity, as lively as a market.
Lu Yuan lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, glanced at it, and gasped.
Good guy!
From the foot of the mountain to the halfway point, the winding mountain road was densely packed with all kinds of horse-drawn carriages, mule carts, and donkey carts, stretching as far as the eye could see. The drivers gathered in groups of three or five, some squatting by the roadside smoking pipes, others leaning against the carriage shafts eating melon seeds.
There were also a few people huddled together, talking loudly about something.
The whole affair, inside and out, was about the newly promoted Celestial Venerable of Zhenlong Temple.
Lu Yuan listened to the exaggerated discussions, grinned, and lowered the carriage curtain.
He lowered the carriage curtain and turned to look at Song Meiqin and Zhao Qiao'er:
"arrive."
Zhao Qiao'er was fixing her hair in front of a small bronze mirror when she heard this. She looked up and glanced out through the gap in the carriage curtain, and couldn't help but whisper, "So many people..."
Song Meiqin didn't speak, but just took a deep breath and clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
Both of them were actually quite nervous, even though Aunt Qin had visited Zhenlong Temple several times before.
But on those occasions, they always came and went quietly.
She's making such a grand return now, still as Lu Yuan's wife.
In her heart, she really felt like a young woman meeting her future in-laws.
The carriage slowly came to a stop at the foot of the mountain.
The voices of the True Dragon Temple disciples could already be heard outside:
"Our senior brother is back!"
"Quickly, quickly, let them out!"
Lu Yuan lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down.
As soon as my feet touched the ground, I saw several familiar faces coming to greet me; they were all disciples from the temple.
Everyone's face was beaming with joy, and their eyes were shining brightly.
At the very front were Xu Erxiao and Wang Chengan.
It's been quite a while since I've seen those two lads.
Looking at the two people in front of him, one fat and one thin, Lu Yuan couldn't help but grin and say:
"Didn't we give you both a holiday? Why are you still here?"
After returning from Luoyanpo last time, I gave these two boys a month-long vacation.
If you count the days, it hasn't even been a month yet.
In response to Lu Yuan's words, Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an responded loudly:
"Brother Lu, what are you saying?!"
"Such a joyous occasion has happened at the temple, of course we had to come back to celebrate!"
Lu Yuan smiled and patted them on the shoulder, then turned around and reached his hand into the carriage.
Song Meiqin was the first to come down.
Song Meiqin got off the carriage first.
She wore a moon-white jacket and skirt, covered by a dark black cloak, and her hair was styled in a dignified bun with a simple silver hairpin.
After she stopped, she looked up at the familiar mountain gate, her beautiful eyes blinking gently.
I used to be a guest, but now... things are completely different...
Immediately afterwards, Zhao Qiao'er also took Lu Yuan's hand and gracefully descended.
Her crimson cotton dress accentuated her snow-white skin and gave her an exceptional air.
The moment she appeared, the surrounding murmurs fell silent.
Despite her extremely simple makeup, her stunningly beautiful face seemed to possess some kind of magic.
All eyes were fixed on her.
At the foot of the mountain, the various people who had come to visit were still speculating about the identities of the two stunning beauties.
Wang Cheng'an and Xu Erxiao reacted extremely quickly. They both bowed deeply and shouted with all their might:
"Greetings, sister-in-law!!"
The two of them made a huge commotion, loud and clear, just like the leader of a wedding procession.
This sudden shout startled both Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin.
However, when they recognized Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an as familiar faces, their initial unease and nervousness vanished instantly. The two beautiful women exchanged a smile, their eyes sparkling with charm.
They smiled and nodded slightly, then took out large red envelopes they had prepared beforehand from their bags and handed one to each of them.
Lu Yuan had seen the contents of the red envelopes with his own eyes; each one contained at least six yuan!
Wang Cheng'an and Xu Erxiao accepted the thick red envelopes, grinned, and called out again in their clear voices:
"Thank you, sister-in-law!"
With them taking the lead, the Zhenlong Temple disciples, who were still somewhat bewildered, immediately reacted, and a chorus of "Sister-in-law!" rang out. Aunt Qin and Aunt Qiao'er smiled broadly, handing out red envelopes and wedding candies.
The slight nervousness of being a newcomer had long been washed away by these enthusiastic calls.
The onlookers also joined in the commotion, crowding around to say auspicious words.
The two aunts were very generous; they handed over a red envelope to everyone who offered their congratulations.
The hundreds of red envelopes prepared by the Zhao family came in handy at this moment.
The area below the mountain was bustling with activity, and the people on the mountain were also alerted, with a large group of Taoist priests rushing down the mountain.
Leading the group was the temple's guest master, Abbot Zhou, an elderly Taoist priest well past fifty, known for his keen observation and sharp mind in welcoming and seeing off guests. He strode up to Lu Yuan, his face beaming, and bowed deeply.
"Senior brother is back!"
"We've been waiting so long!"
Indeed, Lu Yuan held an exceptionally high seniority in the temple, and even this fifty-something-year-old Taoist priest had to respectfully address him as "Senior Brother."
Lu Yuan smiled and waved his hand.
"Don't stand on ceremony, help us lead the people and their belongings upstairs."
This time, the entourage was quite large.
Not only did they bring the Zhenlong Temple's personnel in Fengtian City, but Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin also brought guards, maids, and more than a dozen cartloads of supplies. Many of these were gifts prepared by the two beautiful aunts for the disciples of the temple.
The mountain road was completely blocked at the moment, and vehicles could not go any further. The only option was to carry the load up the mountain by manpower.
Master Zhou straightened up and nodded repeatedly, but his gaze couldn't help but glance at the two stunning beauties behind Lu Yuan before quickly looking away. He recognized one of them as Song Meiqin, whom he had seen a few times before.
However, the other woman, who was taller and more beautiful, was a complete stranger.
"Senior brother, who are these two...?"
Lu Yuan turned around, glanced at Song Meiqin and Zhao Qiao'er beside him, grinned, and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft:
"My wife."
He spoke frankly, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, so that everyone around him could hear him clearly.
Master Zhou was visibly taken aback, then his old face blossomed into a wide smile, and he quickly bowed deeply again:
"Oh my, it's you two sisters-in-law!"
"Disrespect, disrespect!"
Hearing Master Zhou's words, Lu Yuan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and say:
"Alas!"
"Don't be disrespectful, we're all family!"
This week, the Taoist priest was taken aback, then couldn't help but grin and say:
"I'm used to saying it every day..."
After saying that, Master Zhou immediately said:
"Let's go up first."
After saying that, he glanced at the two stunningly beautiful mature women and, knowing the proper etiquette, asked Lu Yuan, "When we enter, shall we first pay respects to the ancestral master?"
Lu Yuan nodded and said:
"No rush. We've been busy all day and are covered in dust. Let's boil some water first, then the three of us can cleanse ourselves with incense before offering incense to the ancestral master." Master Zhou immediately nodded and said:
"That's natural!"
Soon, the group returned to Zhenlong Temple in a grand procession.
Many disciples had been waiting in the temple for a long time.
As soon as Lu Yuan led his men up, everyone greeted him loudly.
Aunt Qin and Aunt Qiao'er immediately stepped forward with smiles to distribute red envelopes to everyone.
Lu Yuan, lagging behind, said to Master Zhou:
"Put the notebooks and such in the quiet room, I'll take a look at them after I'm done."
The so-called ledgers were the account books of Zhenlong Temple, containing information on items, medicines, and the routes taken by the temple's disciples when they went down the mountain to do chores, etc.
As soon as Lu Yuan entered the gate of Zhenlong Temple, he was already in a state where the old man was not at home.
Come to think of it, the old man used to be like this when he was at home.
Lu Yuan usually manages the affairs of this temple.
What does that old man know about Zhenlong Temple?!
Master Zhou, who was standing to the side, immediately nodded and said:
"It was all prepared long ago. As soon as the abbot left, everything was ready."
Lu Yuan nodded, while Aunt Qiao'er and Aunt Qin in front had almost finished handing out red envelopes.
The two of them turned around and looked at Lu Yuan, their eyes asking whether they were going to pay respects to the ancestral master next.
When they came back yesterday, the two of them really clung to Lu Yuan's arm and asked him a lot of questions.
Since her husband was a Taoist priest, there must be many rules and regulations governing his practice. The two of them were afraid of doing something wrong and breaking the rules.
Looking at the two stunningly beautiful aunties, Lu Yuan grinned and said:
"Don't rush to see the patriarch, let me introduce you two to Qingwan first."
On the way back, Lu Yuan naturally told his two wives who Qingwan was.
She recounted all her past experiences with Qingwan, including how Qingwan had saved her and helped her.
Aunt Qin and Aunt Qiao'er nodded repeatedly as they listened, but when the time actually came to meet, they couldn't help but feel apprehensive.
after all……
That was a great evil spirit.
According to my husband, it's an incredibly powerful evil spirit.
Soon, Lu Yuan led the two to a side hall in the backyard.
There are talismans pasted on the side hall entrance.
This talisman isn't to prevent Qingwan from leaving, but rather to prevent disciples inside the pass from accidentally entering.
Lu Yuan stepped forward, tore off the talisman on the door, and then pushed the door open and went inside.
When the door to the side hall was pushed open, a chilling aura rushed out.
It was midday, and the sunlight was at its brightest, but the inside of the hall felt like another world.
The light was dim, the air was stagnant, and even the dust seemed to be suspended in mid-air, motionless.
Song Meiqin's fingertips instantly gripped Lu Yuan's sleeve.
Zhao Qiao'er also stopped, her beautiful eyes, which were always full of affection, gazing into the depths of the hall, revealing for the first time a fear stemming from her biological instincts. Lu Yuan, however, remained calm.
Everything inside the hall remained the same, with a huge coffin in the center.
The coffin was sealed tightly, with a talisman affixed to it, but it wasn't the kind used to suppress evil spirits; rather, it was used to seal away vital energy.
Song Meiqin and Zhao Qiao'er stood behind Lu Yuan, looking at the coffin, their hearts tightening.
Lu Yuan walked to the coffin, knocked on it, and then said softly:
"Qingwan, I'm back."
The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly changed.
The previously stagnant air began to move, but not from the wind blowing in through the door, but from... the direction of the coffin.
Above the coffin, wisps of black and red mist appeared out of thin air.
The mist seeped out from the cracks in the coffin lid, wisps and strands, gathering more and more, yet not spreading, but slowly swirling above the coffin, like a vortex taking shape.
The dark red mist grew thicker and denser, gradually coalescing into a human shape.
Then, the humanoid figure opened its eyes.
Both Song Meiqin and Zhao Qiao'er paused in their breathing.
She looked to be no more than twenty years old, with stunning beauty, yet her eyes and brows carried an indescribable air of authority and indifference.
She was wearing a moon-white dress, the fabric of which was thin and fluttered slightly with the mist; it was the same dress that Lu Yuan had given her last time.
She was suspended in mid-air, surrounded by a faint black and red mist.
It made his face appear even whiter and even more... otherworldly.
She floated there quietly, looking down at Lu Yuan, and then at the two people behind him.
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Then, she spoke.
"I'm back."
The voice was clear and cold, piercing through the deathly silence of the hall, yet the ending note softened in a strange way.
Looking at Gu Qingwan suspended in mid-air, Lu Yuan grinned:
"Yes, I just got back."
He had just turned around, ready to introduce the two parties.
But then she saw Aunt Qin behind her, blinking her captivating peach blossom eyes, gazing adoringly at Gu Qingwan in mid-air, and exclaiming in amazement, "Oh my god!"
"How come he's so handsome?"
"It's so beautiful!"