Chapter 87 Gratitude from his mother
“A handso boy? And you have t him before? Which celestial is he?” Madam Luo was confused, and then she narrowed her eyes, thinking for a while. Under the celestial of Sanqing Immortals and 6 Great Emperors, there were 5 Emperors (Qingdi Emperor, Chidi Emperor, Huangdi Emperor, Baidi Emperor, and Heidi Emperor), 3 Islands and 10 States, Emperors of Heaven, Hell and Water (Heaven Emperor for blessing, Hell Emperor for forgiving, and Water Emperor for disaster-solving), 4 Heavenly Kings… Was there such a celestial like this? She couldn’t think of anyone, so she turned to Mammy Tang, who also shook her head, showing that she knew nothing about any old celestial who could change from an “old celestial” to a “young celestial”.
Ah, had Yi t a fox immortal? Or a fox demon? Madam Luo was nervous and she squeezed He Danggui’s hand again and again, as if she wanted to figure out whether the girl in front of her was her granddaughter or not. What a ek girl with sa eyebrows and eyes! Madam Luo laughed softly that she was confused because of losing sleep. The old celestial was so warmhearted because he ca to tell Yi how to save Zhu. There were so many gods and buddhas in the sky. How could a small mortal like her know his identity?
“Yi, what was the character of that ‘old celestial’ when you first t him?” Madam Luo thought that the celestial must have used so kind of disguise skill to hide his real face when he t mortals, so she added, “You can tell us every word he said to you. If we can find out which celestial helped us and made Zhu back life, we will build a temple in Luo’s Mansion to worship the old celestial and glorify his virtue.”
“Well, let see…” He Danggui crooked her head and recalled, “I can’t rember clearly, because it was in my dream. That old celestial was far away from , so I only rember vaguely that he dressed in an old Taoist robe, holding a sparse horsetail whisk in his hand. When I looked at him again, I saw him with grey hair, and he was a hollow-cheeked, square-nosed, wide-mouthed man. His eyes were bright as if they could speak.”
Sitting outside the gharry, Chan Yi was drinking the Hawthorn tea. At the sa ti, she believed the old celestial He Danggui described was the Taoist priest they t in Qunxianlou Restaurant. Her Miss wanted to take off his clothes at that ti.
In their whole lives, it was the first ti that Madam Luo and Mammy Tang had heard soone describing the image of “an old celestial” in such a detailed way, which was more vivid and specific than a storyteller in the teahouse. They couldn’t stop wondering the result, so they asked with one voice, “What happened later?”
“Later? Well, let see…” He Danggui blinked and said, “The old celestial told that he happened to pass by here, feeling a different breath below, so he was curious to co down and have a look. Then he said to that my eyes flash brightness and I have a good physique. According to him, the fortunate clouds over my head bring good luck to and others around . I’m more than a mortal. Then he figured out that I had taken the leftover dregs of the pill furnace of Taishang Laojun! Then he thought I’m lucky and planned to make a divination for at the risk of revealing the secrets. So, I asked him to tell the fortune of Grandma and my mother. He reckoned that although both of you were safe, one of the youngest generation in Luo’s Mansion would suffer a lot, so there was the ‘changing skin’ thing in the later.”
Chan Yi was sitting outside the gharry. As she heard this, the Hawthorn tea almost ca out of her mouth. The words “Your eyes flash brightness and you have a good physique…” were said by the Taoist priest whom her Miss wanted to take off his clothes…
“Bless you!” Madam Luo said and then sighed, “This is also the Immortals blessing Luo’s Family! Just, what a pity! You’ve lost your delicate and white skin from now on, Yi. Alas… But it’s still worthwhile to save Zhu… I hope that the thods of this immortal will make him return to life after death. Bless you, bless Luo’s Family!”
He Danggui added, “When I woke up, I found that my skin from head to foot was the sa as that I saw in my dream. I turned into the pale-yellow wheat skin. Then I held up the mirror and looked at it carefully. I found that my eyes were smaller than before, and my nose and mouth looked slightly bigger. Anyway, I am getting uglier. Aho–”
He Danggui covered her face to cry, so Madam Luo patted her head to coax her. After a while, He Danggui raised her head to wipe her tears and continued, “When I was sad and doubtful about it, Huai Hua told that Mammy Tang ca to the Taoist temple to visit . At that ti, I didn’t know whether the “one of my nephews is in danger” ntioned by the immortal is true or false. I dare not tell my weird dream to Mammy first, or face Mammy with my ugly face. So, I put white powder on my face, neck and hands, but I am still worried about exposing it. Then I took a veil to cover my face, and I lied that I had a cold. Mammy, please don’t bla for this!”
Mammy Tang waved her hands and said, “How can I bla you? It’s a blessing for mortals like us to encounter things related to the celestials, which are all rits and virtues of the previous lives. Third Miss, you must have accumulated countless virtues in the previous lives. So, in this life, you have got the help twice from the Immortals. If Zhu can really wake up this ti, you are the biggest hero in Luo’s Mansion. You will get great honor over First younger Mistress Luo. Madam Luo, do you think so?”
Madam Luo nodded, “Of course. Yi is not only the biggest hero. If Zhu can really return to life, then as his mother, she must certainly be grateful to you!”
“I don’t dare to hope that.” He Danggui was flattered, and she shrunk her shoulders and frowned, saying, “But then I’m really worried about Nephew Zhu. Grandma, let’s go ho now and see how Elder Cousin has done those things. The immortal once said that Nephew Zhu would only return to life after completing the five steps. But it was no use doing less.”
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“Firstly, bring a group of hungry big tabby cats and put them in a cage for future use?
Secondly, sprinkle sesa oil, stir-fry dried fruit and crispy dessert in the garden at the foot of West Hill? When the ti is right, let out the cats and set on fire?
Thirdly, set fire to burn the West Lateral court down?
Fourthly, sprinkle boiling whitewash and Deutzia Crenata Water in Liu Li Tang, especially in the room of Luo Shizhu, and then do the sa in the whole East Yard of Luo’s Mansion?
Fifthly, put the dead body of Luo Shizhu in the warm sesa oil, and mix the following dicinal materials in the warm oil. After mixing, pat the dead body repeatedly from top to bottom with the warm oil?
Warning: the above steps must not be missed or reversed; otherwise, you would regret it. Bear this in mind?”
Every ti Luo Baiqian read one step, his tone would rise for a while. After he finished reading it, his voice was as sharp as a woman. He stared at Nie Chun and questioned, “Is this letter really written by the Third Sister? Why did she write this? How could Grandma ask you to send this? Hey, did you write this by yourself to trick ?”
Nie Chun opened his mouth slightly, and he said, “Idiot.” After that, those big feet with boots stood on tiptoe in place–
Luo Baiqian knew that this was the first step for Nie Chun to perform the Phantom Footwork, so he imdiately grabbed his bright red sleeve and said, “Nie Chun, please make it clear. Can the thod on this paper really save my son? This is related to the life of Zhu. Can’t you think more before you speak?”
Nie Chun turned around and his eyelids drooped. He prised Luo Baiqian’s five fingers and smoothed the wrinkled cloth carefully, and then he stood on tiptoe–
Luo Baiqian’s anger broke out again, “Nie Chun, are you rush to start a new soul? Where are you going? Let’s make it clear first!”
“I’m going to find a group of tabby cats… But don’t get wrong. Madam Luo asked to find them.” After taking 2 or 3 steps forward with the big feet, the bright red figure disappeared within a mont from the sa place, and then suddenly appeared 10 zhang away from Luo Baiqian. As repeatedly 7 or 8 tis, finally the bright red figure disappeared from his sight.
Luo Baiqian didn’t get any answer he wanted. He sighed and read the contents of the letter with his head bowed, “After doing the following steps one by one, your son, Luo Shizhu can co back to life”? Bah! What a weird thod? But since Madam Luo ordered, then make every effort to do it. Even if it’s only a farce, it’s a comfort to Madam Luo who was extrely superstitious… Eh? “Fourthly, sprinkle boiling whitewash and Deutzia Crenata Water in Liu Li Tang, especially in the room of Luo Shizhu”?
“Whitewash” had many uses, and Luo Baiqian couldn’t figure out the original intention of this action. However, he clearly rembered that “Deutzia Crenata Water” was used for killing rats and eliminating rodent pathogen!
So, imdiately he thought of a group of rats that he had t in the garden last night and the rashes on his son’s thin skin… Was his son’s death related to those things? Although he had neither been to the plague epidemic area nor seen the symptoms of the patients infected with rodent pathogen. Previously, he had treated so patients with worms in their belly because of unhealthy diets. Zhu’s symptoms were similar to theirs before his death!
“Ah, Luo Baiqian!” Ms. Dong’s hair lay upon her shoulders, as if she was a female ghost. She jumped up from behind, and then demanded, “How did you know this woman whose surna is He? What does she do? What do you have to do with her?” At the sa ti, she reached for the letter in Luo Baiqian’s hand.
“Crazy woman, what are you doing?” Luo Baiqian quickly put this thin letter away and pushed Ms. Dong away. Then he said angrily, “This letter was sent by Nie Chun from Madam Luo, and it was written by the Third Sister!”
“Did He Danggui write to you?” Hearing that, Ms. Dong beca angrier, and she said furiously, “Why did she write to you? Luo Baiqian, our son died, but you exchanged letters with your cousin? What’s in the letter? Why don’t you show it to ? Humph.” Ms. Dong made a snort through her nose and put her hands on her waist, saying, “Humph, hum, I found that you had sothing to do with her for a long ti. 2 days ago, Sun iniang sent soone to tell that you persuaded Madam Luo to take her back! At that ti, Second Branch and Third Branch didn’t agree, while only you agreed! Luo Baiqian, what do you think of it? Are you going to let her be your Junior Wife? Or are you going to kill and then remarry her?”
Hearing that, Luo Baiqian shouted, “Nonsense! Dong Xinlan, look at you, you are a woman who cos from a literary family, while now you are ruder than any other shrew in the street! Didn’t I explain it to you? It was Qi Xuanyu who asked to help the Third Sister and let Madam Luo pick her up as early as possible!”
“Nobody believes you!” Ms. Dong gnashed her teeth and reached for the letter again. And she sneered, “Is Qi Xuanyu your father and you do whatever he said! Why don’t you listen to and the Third Aunt? Show what’s written on the letter! Why are you hiding? What’s secret in it?”
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