Nangong Zhuyi stood at the entrance of the Taoist temple with a small red lantern in her hand. She sighed for the 283rd time and looked at the lantern wheel that lit up the night sky like it was daytime a few streets away.
Today was the annual Shangyuan Lantern Festival, and almost everyone in the Jingzhao Prefecture had gone out to look at the lanterns.
It was said that this year, in order to curry favor with the newly conferred imperial consort, the little Emperor had specially installed a lantern wheel decorated with fifty thousand gold and silver lamps outside Anfu Gate. He had even let the palace maids, who had never shown their faces in public, come out of the palace to participate in the grand event, singing and dancing under the lantern wheel to celebrate the little Emperor's consort title!
Sigh! They were both humans, women, and concubines conferred by the Emperor. Why did she, Nangong Zhuyi, have to be so lonely and lonely, guarding this Taoist temple where even ghosts would not come? Moreover, he could only hang a small lantern to fill in the numbers and match the scene?
Was it because she scared the old Emperor to death? She didn't do it on purpose! Who knew that the old fellow would be so frightened that he immediately went to see his ancestor! She was sent to this Liquan Temple to be a female Daoist priest, and from then on, she would be accompanied by the ancient Buddha…No, it was the Grand Supreme Elder…Not really! It should be the Queen Mother…It didn't seem right. In short, she, Nangong Zhuyi, could only guard this small Taoist temple for the rest of her life!
Wu…She thought that after she was conferred the title of Imperial Consort, she would be able to enjoy happiness, prestige, and peace! I didn't expect…I didn't expect that she would actually stand at the entrance of this Ghost Temple with a small lantern to celebrate the Lantern Festival. What did she do wrong, or did she offend someone?
Thinking of this, Nangong Zhuyi could not help but feel indignant.
Humph! If she didn't want to be an imperial consort, then she didn't want to be an imperial consort. She didn't believe that she would be worse than others as a Taoist priest. Wasn't there a female Taoist priest named Yu Xuanji in the Tang Dynasty?
Yu Xuanji was an expert in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. His poems were praised throughout Chang 'an and he even knew a bunch of men. Although she, Nangong Zhuyi, was not Yu Xuanji, she was only seven bushels tall and four carts of learned. She was only one bushels less than Cao Zijian and one cart less than Hui Shi. In terms of beauty, Yu Xuanji and the other women were far inferior to her. Otherwise, how could she have been chosen by the Emperor to be the Imperial Consort?
Therefore, with her talent and looks, it would be extremely easy for her to shake the entire world and the court! At that time, even if the little Emperor knelt on the ground and begged her, she would not even glance at him.
Hah! Thinking of this, Nangong Zhuyi couldn't help but feel happy. Just as she turned around and was about to hang up the lantern, a hand suddenly stretched out.
"Excuse me…"
Nangong Zhuyi was shocked and subconsciously screamed,""Ghost!"
She then threw the lantern up with both hands and ran away without a care for the consequences. At the same time, she shouted,"Ghost, there's a ghost! Help, help!"
Who knew that the ghost was so resourceful that he actually shifted his position and blocked her path in an instant. He even spoke,"Miss, I…"
Nangong Zhuyi was caught off guard for a moment, and she crashed head-on into the ghost.
With a cry of pain, Nangong Zhuyi fell backward. Her little butt fell to the ground, and she was in so much pain that tears fell from her eyes.
However, she didn't even dare to scream. She touched her little butt with one hand and covered her head with the other. She kept trembling and muttered indistinctly,"Don't catch me, don't catch me! I've never harmed anyone, nor have I done anything bad. I've always been very obedient, very kind, and very obedient. Moreover, I burn incense and pray on time every morning and evening! If you want to catch her, go catch the old woman. That old woman bullies people all day long and even complains and flatters. If you catch her, the King of Hell will definitely be very happy and reward you greatly…"
Chu Yufeng's eyes were wide open. He couldn't believe what he saw. The girl was lying on the ground, trembling and talking nonsense.
He knew that his kung fu wasn't bad, and his qinggong wasn't bad either. When he walked, he was usually silent, but was he really so silent that he was treated as a ghost?
Judging from her attire, she should be a female Taoist priest. Since she was a female Taoist priest, she would burn incense and chant scriptures. Why would she be so afraid of ghosts when she burned incense and chanted scriptures?
Chu Yufeng squatted down and patted Nangong Zhuyi's shoulder." Little Master, I…"
Unexpectedly, Nangong Zhuyi, who was lying on the ground, jumped up. She closed her eyes and shouted randomly,"Don't catch me, I beg you, don't catch me! I promise to find a Taoist priest to help you read the scriptures. If you want a monk, I can do it. As long as you don't catch me, I can promise you anything!”
Chu Yufeng was both angry and amused. He grabbed Nangong Zhuyi's shoulder and said,""Little Master, I'm not a ghost, and I won't capture you. I don't need you to find a Taoist priest or a monk to help you release your soul and chant scriptures. I just want you to tell me if this is Liquan Temple!”
Nangong Zhuyi was stunned. She mustered up her courage and quietly opened one of her eyes. She tilted her little head and secretly peeked at the "male ghost" in front of her.
"You, you said you're not a ghost?"
Chu Yufeng furrowed his brows, not knowing whether to laugh or cry." Do I look like a ghost?"”
This clear and magnetic voice made Nangong Zhuyi lose most of her fear. She opened her eyes and looked at Chu Yufeng.
"Are you really not a ghost?"
Chu Yufeng shook his head." Of course not. If you don't believe me, you can touch my hand and see if I have legs. Then you'll know if I'm a ghost."”
Nangong Zhu Yi carefully poked his hand with a finger and found that his hand was actually warm. Moreover, he had legs, ha, and a shadow! It was said that ghosts did not have legs or shadows. It seemed that he was really not a ghost? Hmm…it would be better to confirm it again.
So, she poked Chu Yufeng's chest with her finger.
Hmm…He was firm and broad, and his warm chest was mixed with a faint, pleasant scent of a man. She couldn't help but change her fingers to palms. She touched and pressed, and her small hands touched Chu Yufeng's chest. Nangong Zhuyi thought in his heart, How strange! Why did this male ghost's chest feel so comfortable? And she's so good-looking? Weren't ghosts all green-faced and sharp-tongued, looking very scary? Why was this male ghost so good-looking?
It was true that Chu Yufeng was good-looking.
His appearance was handsome and elegant, and his demeanor was relaxed. He was like a pearl and jade beside him, like the morning glow rising. His every move could break the evil spirit of Wei Jie, and his every frown and smile were ashamed.
However, what Nangong Zhuyi found the most unbelievable was that pair of soul-seducing eyes that seemed to be able to capture one's soul.
His eyes were bright and spirited, as deep as two pools of lake water, making one lose their soul when looking at them. It was also like a bright star, warm and distant, cold and seemingly containing infinite enthusiasm. If it was intentional and unintentional, the expression of a smile that was not a smile would make people fascinated and at a loss. They just wanted to look at him and follow him. It didn't matter even if they weren't imperial concubines!
Could it be…he really wasn't a ghost?
Nangong Zhuyi asked suspiciously,"Are you a human, not a ghost?"
Chu Yufeng quietly took a step back, avoiding Nangong Zhuyi's " Lushan's Claw " that kept harassing him.
"I told you, I'm a human, not a ghost!”
"Then why did you pretend to be a ghost to scare me?”
Chu Yufeng almost choked on his own saliva." What…what? I'm pretending to be a ghost to scare you?"
Nangong Zhuyi nodded righteously." Yes! In the middle of the night, you stood silently behind someone and suddenly stretched out a terrifying hand. If this isn't pretending to be a ghost to scare me, what is it?”
"Midnight? A terrifying hand?" Chu Yufeng looked up at the sky, then at his slender hands. He shook his head in confusion.
Did he look scary? It was just the beginning of the night and he was already treated as a ghost?
Suddenly, Nangong Zhuyi clapped her hands." I know! You're the rapist who appears on the fifteenth of every month and scares all the girls in the capital capital so much that they don't dare to go out, right?”
Chu Yufeng was even more surprised. What nonsense was this girl talking about? What rapist?
When she thought of the rapist, Nangong Zhu Yi's face couldn't help but show a trace of fear and panic. She immediately retreated and waved her hands," Don't come over! I have learned martial arts before, and I have been ordered by the old man to cultivate here. If you dare to do anything to me, you will be cut into pieces, roasted into jerky, and hung on the city wall for public display!”
Chu Yufeng's eyes widened.
Cultivation under orders? Kill the entire family? A rapist? It turned out that not only was the Shangyuan Lantern Festival bustling in Jingzhao Prefecture, but even this small Daoist temple was bustling with activity! All sorts of things happened, such as cultivation under orders, the execution of the entire family, and the rapist.
He shook his head and said," I'm not a rapist or a ghost. I'm just here to find someone."”
However, Nangong Zhuyi was too timid. When she heard Chu Yufeng say that he was looking for someone, she was so scared that she was trembling. She was shaking even more than when she thought Chu Yufeng was a ghost. She started talking nonsense again."I know! You're the person sent by the little Emperor to harm me, right? Let me tell you, I'm not the person you're looking for. I don't know anything, and I won't tell you anything! Hurry up and leave! Otherwise, once the old woman comes out, you won't be able to leave even if you have ten legs!”
"What do you mean you can't leave once the old woman comes out? Nangong Zhu Yi, I told you to hang lanterns, and you're slacking off and acting wildly, hiding here and gossiping?”
At this moment, a cold and rough female voice came from the Taoist temple.
When Nangong Zhuyi heard this, her eyes widened and her little head shook violently, like a little mouse that had seen a cat. She, who usually did not need to swallow her saliva or breathe, actually began to stutter,"No, no, I didn't do anything. It's, it's this…this beautiful ghost…rapist, he came to me on his own.”
"What good-looking ghost, rapist? He was spouting nonsense again! "It seems that if I don't punish you with 50 buckets of water and punish you with copying the scriptures a hundred times, you won't…" A middle-aged female Taoist priest cursed as she walked. She opened the door and walked out.
When she saw Chu Yufeng standing in front of her, wearing a silver-white robe and looking as handsome as a god, she couldn't help but be stunned. Then, she showed her yellow teeth and forced a smile.
Her smile gave Nangong Zhuyi goosebumps. Her hair almost stood on end. She quickly hid behind Chu Yufeng and grabbed the corner of his shirt to steal a glance at the middle-aged Taoist.
Chu Yufeng raised his eyebrows. What's wrong now? This little Daoist girl was still so afraid of him just a moment ago, looking like she was avoiding him. Now, she was hiding behind him and grabbing his clothes without letting go. What was this?
The middle-aged female Taoist priest reprimanded in a hoarse voice,""Stinky girl! Come here, how can you be rude to this benefactor? Hurry up and apologize to him!"
Nangong Zhuyi shook her head and whispered to Chu Yufeng,""Hey, you good-looking ghost, rapist and little emperor's killer, if you're willing to save me from here, I'll tell you all my secrets, okay?”
Chu Yufeng was confused." Secret? What secret?"
Nangong Zhuyi tried his best to express his goodwill." It's the secret that the old emperor told me before he died.”
"The old emperor's secret?" Chu Yufeng's frown deepened.
Did this girl know what she was doing? Suddenly, she went crazy, calling him a ghost, a rapist, a killer, and so on. Suddenly, she treated him as her savior and wanted to tell him the secret. What was wrong with her?
"Yes!" Nangong Zhuyi continued. It's a secret related to the Nine Phoenix Ring…"
At this moment, the middle-aged female Daoist suddenly stretched out her hand and forcefully pulled Nangong Zhuyi over. She gave her a tight slap on the head, not allowing her to continue speaking.
"Beat you lazy little slut, beat you cheap jinx, I want you to come out and hang a lantern, but you actually talk nonsense here? Watch how I punish you. Come in with me!”
The middle-aged female Daoist pinched Nangong Zhuyi as she walked, causing her to scream.
"I don't want to go in with you! Who doesn't know that you're going to interrogate me about the whereabouts of the Nine Phoenix Ring again! I won't tell you. Even if you kill me, I won't tell you! Save me! A very good-looking ghost, save me! Wow! Murder, fire, molestation, robbery! Please save me…"
Nangong Zhuyi kept shouting and struggling. However, the middle-aged female Daoist was frighteningly strong. She beat, scolded, twisted, and pinched Nangong Zhuyi as she dragged him into the temple.
" Wait…" Chu Yufeng stopped her.
However, the middle-aged female Daoist completely ignored him. She only saw Nangong Zhuyi's cute little face struggling to get out of the door. She seemed to be able to hear her shouting for him to save her. What followed was the sound of beatings, scolding, intermittent cries for help, and earth-shattering cries.
Rubbing her thighs and arms, Nangong Zhuyi sobbed as she invited all eighteen generations of Huang Tu's ancestors and nineteen generations of his children and grandchildren to come out and greet them. She also invited Chu Yufeng's grandmother to come out and greet them. Then, she reluctantly carried the small wooden bucket to the ancient well to fetch water.
Humph! So what if she wanted to fetch water? Who was afraid of who? Did she think that she, Nangong Zhuyi, was a lady from a noble family and could only pick up embroidery needles? Hah! He had really underestimated her! Ever since she was demoted by the little Emperor to become a Daoist priest in this Daoist temple, what kind of hardship had she not suffered? She was ordered around by the ugly hag Huang Tu every day. She was asked to fetch water and clean the garden. She had to cook and wash clothes for the other old female Taoist priests in the temple. Sometimes, she had to go out to collect firewood and sell needles to earn money. She was just short of picking manure and watering the vegetables.
Wuwuwu! Why was her life so miserable? Could it be that the heavens were really going to give him a great responsibility?
Mr. Meng said that when God wants to give such a person a great responsibility, he must first suffer his mind, work his muscles and bones, starve his skin, empty his body, and disturb his behavior.
It could be seen that if the Jade Emperor wanted a person to stand out, he would first temper the person. She, Nangong Zhuyi, must have been chosen by the Jade Emperor and was about to take on a great responsibility. Otherwise, why would the old Emperor give his last words to her?
It didn't matter. Anyway, when she left this Ghost Temple in the future and made a name for herself, she would definitely, definitely, definitely come back and beat up Huang Tu, this ugly old woman with yellow teeth, until she knelt down and begged for mercy. Let's see how arrogant she would be and how she would bully others!
As she thought about it, Nangong Zhuyi unconsciously became happy again. The place where she had been hit earlier did not seem to hurt as much anymore.
She happily walked to the side of the ancient well and was about to draw water when suddenly, an icy cold thing was placed on her neck.
"Little girl, I heard that the Nine Phoenix Ring is with you, right? If you know what's good for you, hand over the Nine Phoenix Ring. Otherwise…"
This time, Nangong Zhuyi couldn't even scream, and he didn't even dare to turn his head. He could only stutter,"No…no, who…who did you hear it from?”
That person snorted." No? Everyone in the capital prefecture knows that you are the only person who stayed by the old fellow's side before he died. If he didn't hand over the Nine Phoenix Ring to you, he would at least tell you the whereabouts of the Nine Phoenix Ring. Otherwise, why would the Emperor send so many troops to guard this small Daoist temple?”
Nangong Zhuyi froze there and did not dare to move. She was afraid that if she moved even a little, the knife would cut her neck. At that time, not only would she not be able to achieve anything, but she would also have to meet the old Emperor. That would be very bad.
"The Nine…the Nine Phoenix Ring belonged to the Nine Phoenix of Dunhuang. The Nine Phoenix of Dunhuang regarded it as a treasure and would only give it to its bride during the wedding. How could it be in the hands of the former emperor?”
"This Nine Phoenix Ring was snatched by that old fellow from Xiang Xue Hai, so it is also something that was obtained through improper means. Since it is something that was obtained through improper means, everyone in the world can obtain it. Speak! Where is the Nine Phoenix Ring?"
Nangong Zhuyi was extremely shocked. How did this person know that the old fellow's Nine Phoenix Ring was snatched from Xiang Xuehai? Could it be that…he was the killer sent by the little Emperor? Oh right, didn't he just call the little Emperor " Emperor "? That's right, only the people sent by the little Emperor would call him " Emperor ". The others would not call him that!
"You…you are sent by Yan Meng, right?”
Yan He was the little Emperor's name. She always called him by his full name, firstly to highlight her identity, and secondly to show her dissatisfaction, disdain, and anger towards him.
That person didn't deny it," Since you know that I'm here under orders, why aren't you obediently handing over the Nine Phoenix Ring?”
Nangong Zhuyi snorted twice," Speaking of which, I am still considered Yan He's aunt. He actually dared to offend his superior? Wasn't he afraid of being criticized by the world?”
"After the emperor ascends to the throne, he is the emperor of the world. You are just a concubine of the former emperor. It is already the emperor's grace that he did not send you to be buried with him. Speak! Are you going to hand over the Nine Phoenix Ring or not?"
Knowing that the other party was sent by the little Emperor, Nangong Zhuyi was not afraid anymore. She shamelessly said,"I just won't say it. What can you do to me? Kill me? If you kill me, Yan He will never be able to get the Nine Phoenix Ring!”
"You!" The man's eyes were filled with killing intent." You naughty girl! Don't think that I can't do anything to you. Are you going to tell me or not?”
At this moment, Nangong Zhuyi was even more certain that he would not dare to kill her, so she was even more fearless." I won't say anything. So what?”
"You!" The man nodded fiercely." Alright, you're the one who refused a toast only to drink the forfeit. Don't blame me for being rude to you!”As soon as he finished speaking, that person picked up the rope used to wrap around the bucket and tied it around Nangong Zhuyi.
Before Nangong Zhuyi could figure out what he wanted to do, he was lifted up like a little chick.
"I will ask you again, where is the Nine Phoenix Ring?”
Nangong Zhuyi was a little scared, and her face was extremely pale. However, when she thought about how the old Emperor had told her before he died that unless she met the Nine Phoenix of Dunhuang, she could not reveal the whereabouts of the Nine Phoenix Ring.
Therefore, although she was trembling in fear and almost peed her pants, she still said with a backbone,"I don't know. If you have the guts, just kill me!”
"Alright, you asked for it. Don't blame me!”
As soon as he finished speaking, that person lifted Nangong Zhuyi and threw it into the well.
Nangong Zhuyi was wailing loudly, crying for his parents and cursing. Then, with a bang, he sank into the water without a sound.
Not long after, that person stretched out his long arm and pulled Nangong Zhuyi up.
Nangong Zhuyi's entire body was covered in water, and her small face was filled with fear. "You…You…"
That person moved closer to Nangong Zhuyi and glared at her pale face." Are you going to tell me or not?”
Nangong Zhuyi panted heavily. His chest was up and down, and his entire body was trembling non-stop. He was prepared to surrender.
What a joke, it's the 15th of the first month! Usually, it was still snowing on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month! Although it wasn't snowing today, it was still so cold that it made people want to put on a cotton jacket and a mink coat, let alone be thrown into a well. However, she was really cold and was so afraid that she couldn't speak.
"I…I…"
That person thought that Nangong Zhuyi still wouldn't say anything, and his face sank. "You don't want to say anything? It doesn't matter. I'll see how long you can last!”After saying that, he picked up Nangong Zhuyi and planned to throw her into the well again.
"Ah!" Nangong Zhuyi shouted loudly.”
In the blink of an eye, a silver-white figure pounced at the ancient well like lightning. With lightning speed, he saved Nangong Zhuyi and knocked out the killer at the same time.
Nangong Zhuyi still did not know that she was saved. She kept screaming with her mouth wide open. Her voice was enough to alarm the entire Jingzhao Mansion and scare away all the people who were watching the lanterns.
Chu Yufeng frowned and glared at the little girl who was screaming at the top of her lungs.
He couldn't tell that even though this girl was tied up like a dumpling, she was still full of energy. She could actually shout for so long?
He couldn't help but cover Nangong Zhuyi's mouth with his hand and shouted in a low voice,"Shut up! If you continue to scream, do you believe that I will throw you into the well?”
Nangong Zhuyi suddenly stopped talking and looked at Chu Yufeng, who had appeared out of nowhere.
Then, an earth-shattering cry rang out,""Ah!!"
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