Volume 1: Hanyang Chapter 5: Reason

  In the silence, Er Biao's husband rushed over hastily, shouting loudly: "A Jiang, A Jiang, what's wrong with you?" He quickly dispersed the crowd and rushed in.

  Then he was stunned too!

  This unusual silence finally startled Ping Yi, who slowly turned her head in this direction with a vacant gaze.

  It was unknown how much time had passed when a voice trembled and said: "Heaven! Heaven!"

  Another woman trembled and cried out: "It's Dao Jun, Dao Jun has manifested! This wretched person actually dared to make a reckless vow under the Xuanyun Temple, Dao Jun personally took action to punish her!"

  Amidst the screams, most people were still staring with their eyes wide open.

  Just now, this aunt made a vow to the heavens, saying that if she was not beneficial to Ping Yi, the child in her belly would not be born. Really didn't think that in an instant, she actually had a miscarriage!

  It was unknown how much time had passed when a clear and cold voice came, "Is this the heaven that cannot be deceived, the Taoist master that cannot be deceived?"

  The person speaking was indeed Lu Xuan, but no one looked at her. The crowd that came back to their senses simultaneously turned their heads to look at Wu Lang. At the same time, they thought: That's right, this is the heavenly way of not being deceived, and the Taoist master cannot be deceived! Ah Jiao, this young girl, has a heart as vicious as she is young! She actually hooked up with her benefactor's husband, really not having good intentions!

  Fortunately, heaven has eyes! Let this villain's sinister plot fail!

  Wu Lang's face was pale and his eyes were fixed on her, Ah Jiao suddenly woke up from her groggy state, her face white as she stretched out her hand to him, tears streaming down her face as she called out: "Wu Lang!"

  Seeing his lover's pleading eyes, Wu Lang, who had just been gentle and considerate towards her, not only didn't step forward but instead took a step back.

  Wu Lang's unfamiliar gaze, distant movements, and the disgusted and rejecting expressions of the people around him suddenly appeared in Ah Jiao's eyes. Just now she was still in severe pain and hadn't paid attention to what others were saying. When she came to her senses, she suddenly remembered her own vow!

  Has the vow I just made really come true?

  Thinking of this, Ah Jiao was shocked and fearful, her face turned pale.

  Lu Xuan, standing on one side, saw Ah Jiao's ashen face and glanced at Wu Lang, who was hurrying towards Ping Yi with a remorseful and guilty expression. He curled up the corners of his lips, revealing a faint smile, before turning around and leaving.

  She knew, Ah Jiao was done for, this life was over!

  After walking out for dozens of steps, she came to a clump of grass and bent down to pick up the package hidden here. But as soon as she reached out to touch it, where was it? Lu Xuan was startled, and then heard a voice coming from afar, "Your things are here."

  The voice was right behind her, Lu Xuan slowly turned her head to face the young man in front of her who was wearing a black robe. The young man had a cold expression on his face, and when he saw Lu Xuan looking at him, he tossed his hand and threw her bundle over to her.

  Lu Yun caught the package, and the young man in black continued to say expressionlessly: "My master wants me to ask you, that pregnant woman, do you have a feud with her?"

  Is the pregnant woman Ah Jiao? Lu Xuan's eyes narrowed as he sized up the young man in black, who was expressionless. He realized that what he had seen must have been him throwing a meat bone onto Ah Jiao's skirt. This person's master is quite interesting, actually taking an interest in women's squabbles.

  Although she thought so, Lu Xuan still shook her head honestly and said, "No grudges."

  "Oh?" The young man in black's voice remained flat, "Then why did you frame her? Do you know that with this move, you can ruin her whole life?"

  Lu Xuan nodded and replied, "I knew that." She looked at the young man in black with a clear and cold gaze, saying slowly, "Is it only allowed for her to ruin my second sister's life, but not allowed for me to retaliate?"

  Upon hearing her response, the young man in black really did pause for a moment before lifting his head and saying, "Not bad, continue speaking."

  Lü Yu suddenly blinked and asked: "The answer is ready, but what's the reward?"

  This remark was beyond the black-clad youth's expectation, and he stared at Lu Ying with a wooden face. Lu Ying's expression remained unchanged as she said naturally, "Judging from your attire, I can tell you're not an ordinary person, and your master should be even more extraordinary. Since your master is so interested in this matter, it wouldn't be right to be stingy with a reward!"

  He had seen many people come to ask for rewards from him, and from his master, but he had never seen anyone as straightforward and confident as this young girl. Unconsciously, the black-clad youth thought: No wonder Master's eyes lit up when he saw her earlier. She really is a bold one.

  Thinking of this, he casually pulled out a gold ingot from his bosom and threw it at Lu Yue, "Speak."

  Lu Xuan took it and put it in his sleeve, continuing to say: "Actually, it's very simple. My second sister-in-law loves her husband very much. If that woman enters the house, I'm afraid she won't have the strength to live on. Since one of them must die, why can't it be the one with ulterior motives?"

  Lu Xuan tilted her head and said, "I've finished speaking. Does your master have anything else he'd like to know?"

  The young man in black shook his head and said, "No. But he has a message for you." Looking into Lu Xuan's bright eyes, the young man in black said with a serious tone, "My master says that within such a short period of time, you were able to set up this plan without making any noise, which is quite impressive. However, since an outsider like him was able to discover it, your methods are not yet sophisticated. If you have the chance, learn from mediocrity."

  When she heard the two words "Zhongyong", Lu Xuan was still indifferent, but the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily. This was the first time she had heard that the classic teachings of Confucian saints on being steady and moderate in doing things actually contained cunning and deceitful learning?

  The young man in black obviously was a messenger, and he said hereafter: "By the way, my master also said that you have a husband who has passed away, right? Go and mourn for him, and when you learn to be moderate, he will give you a concubine position!"

  As soon as the voice fell, the young man in black turned around and left, without noticing that Lu Yue's face suddenly became angry after hearing the last sentence. If she were a man, she would have spat a mouthful of thick sputum at the young man in black!

  However, she soon became excited again when she thought about how she had unexpectedly obtained such a large gold ingot. She swung the bundle in her hand and walked forward, thinking to herself: This gold ingot is at least seven or eight taels, enough for me and my brother to spend for half a year.

  The more she thought about it, the happier Lu Ying felt, so she hummed a tune and walked briskly towards the main hall of Xuanyun Temple. As for the young man in black and his inexplicable master, they had long been thrown to the back of her mind.