Chapter 105

"Anything else?" Lu Han prompted him. "If I want to cast a spell on you, what else do I need to know? There are so many people with the same name; what if I curse the wrong person?" "Date and time of birth?"

"Right, exactly, the date and time of birth, plus the name given by your parents, and then you become you." Lu Han laughed. "So, I just need to go to the registry, change my name to He Chunhua, and swap the date and time of birth to his. Then, I can go to Xiazhou to become an official, pick up the Yuan currency, and that ghost thing will be able to glow! Hmm, changing one's birth date isn't easy; you have to perform a rebirth ritual to deceive the heavens, but it's not like no one has done it before. I still have some connections."

He snapped his fingers: "Regardless, we must get our hands on the official seal and documents. Once we get to Xiazhou, you all might have to address me as—"

His subordinates said in unison: "Lord He!"

Everyone laughed, and then that lackey asked cautiously: "So, are we still taking action tonight?"

Originally, General Lu had said he would spare these government soldiers and let them go their separate ways tomorrow morning.

"No!" General Lu waved his hand grandly, full of spirit. "Hold your positions; no one is allowed to strike the first blow!"

The group was stunned. Weren't they supposed to seize the official seal and documents? So they weren't fighting anymore? But a confidant quickly realized: "General Lu wants to delay this battle until tomorrow, preferably when the units under Wu and Pei arrive as well."

"The soldiers that dog official brought on this long journey were all carefully selected, sturdy men, and perhaps they even have battlefield experience. He also has the State Decree, so the army enjoys the blessing of Yuan power; it wouldn't be hard for a force of three hundred to exert the combat strength of four hundred." General Lu said calmly, "Even if we could wipe them all out, the losses would likely be significant. If we then had to face the ones surnamed Wu and Pei, we would be at a disadvantage. It's better to wait until everyone is gathered, and then use these dog soldiers as a blood sacrifice to open our banner. Wouldn't that be better?"

The subordinates agreed repeatedly.

Just then, a commotion broke out outside, sounding like many people shouting.

At this moment, the last thing Lu Han wanted was an accident. He dropped his duck leg, wiped the grease on his trouser leg, and strode out.

￥￥￥￥￥

Wang Pangzi entered the room and sat down on a bamboo chair of his own accord.

Creak—the bamboo chair let out a wail, unable to bear the weight.

Facing high-ranking officials and nobles, this action was also very rude, but he couldn't care about that anymore. He glared at Zhu Xiuer and scolded: "Are you stupid? Hurry up and pour water for me... and the Young Master."

He couldn't vent his anger on the dog pup, but scolding his "own" woman was fine, right? Zhu Xiuer turned silently, but before she had taken two steps, the fatty reached out and slapped her on the backside: "Hurry up."

Zhu Xiuer looked back; this man's bear-like gaze made her extremely uneasy.

He Lingchuan smiled: "It seems you've read a few years of books; you even know the phrase 'the house is honored by your presence'."

"Ah, yeah." Wang Pangzi muttered to himself, don't get angry, don't get angry, just pull this kid's tongue out later. Whether to roast it or spice-braise it then, he could do as he pleased! He Lingchuan changed the subject: "Are you working for Boss Lu?"

"Huh?" The fatty was startled. "Ah, no."

"Then how many years has Boss Lu been gone before returning?"

The fatty was speechless; this question had no answer at all: "I don't remember. Why are you asking these things?"

"I just feel that Boss Lu is a man with a story." He Lingchuan shrugged. "Let's change the subject. How long have you and Zhu Xiuer been married?"

Years of labor and exposure to the elements had made Zhu Xiuer's skin dark and her cheeks flushed. But if one looked closely, Zhu Xiuer's features were actually delicate, and her figure was quite slender.

"Her?" This turn was unexpected; the fatty was stunned. "Quite a few years."

"How did she end up marrying—" He Lingchuan gestured at his whole body, "—you? No offense, but you two really don't seem like a match." These two were like a fresh flower stuck in cow dung, or a precious jade embedded in rotten mud.

Wang Pangzi's face turned red, not from shame, but from swelling.

"There are so many men in the village, and she chose me! She insisted on marrying me!" He said sharply. "Is that not allowed?"

"Allowed, allowed. I just don't know what she sees in you—do you love sleeping or not washing?"

"I have money!" The fatty's words were squeezed through his teeth. "I went out to work in my early years and saved money before coming back!"

He Lingchuan sighed and muttered a few words, something like a bright pearl covered in dust, then asked: "How many children?"

"... Two." Why did this kid specifically come to find trouble? Did he take a fancy to Zhu Xiuer, or had he already made a connection with her?

Wang Pangzi's anger had just surged to his head, and he hadn't thought much of it, but now that his temper had cooled, he began to feel that something was wrong.

"Where are the children?" He Lingchuan glanced toward the inner room. "I don't seem to see them."

There wasn't a sound from the inner room.

This fatty looked like a firecracker that couldn't take any provocation, yet after being repeatedly insulted by him like this, he hadn't exploded. He Lingchuan guessed that these guys were indeed planning to make their move in the second half of the night.

The fatty choked; how was this person's questioning like cannonballs, one after another, fast and urgent? It was really hard to deal with.

Fortunately, he had some quick wit and said vaguely: "Sent them to a relative's house in town. They'll be back after playing for two days."

He was very afraid that He Lingchuan would follow up by asking "which relative."

Fortunately, he didn't.

At this time, Zhu Xiuer came out with a kettle of boiling water and two wooden cups, pouring water for both of them.

He Lingchuan didn't drink, and the fatty didn't either.

Because he suddenly thought that some farmers kept rat poison, and they always said the most poisonous heart is a woman's; what if this woman put it in the water...

"You rest, I'm going back to the room. Call me if you need anything." The fatty was holding back his anger, and when he turned to Zhu Xiuer, he had no pleasant expression: "Come, follow me into the room."

He would vent his anger on this little wench first. Now he was the "head of the household," and on his own turf, no matter how he treated his own woman, the little brat surnamed He could only listen.

As he stood up, the chair let out another long creak, as if rejoicing that it hadn't fallen apart. Zhu Xiuer looked at the chair, knowing that her fate after following him into the room would definitely be worse than this chair's.

What to do? Her only savior was the He family youth in the room, along with his personal guards.

Just as she was burning with anxiety, He Lingchuan's voice came from behind the fatty: "By the way, Boss Pang, what's the deal with the Water Spirit tablet?"

The direction was too pointed; the fatty had to turn back: "What about it?"

"Living off the water, the Water Spirit you worship must be a spiritual creature in this lake, right?" He Lingchuan pointed to the big lake outside. "What is the original form of your Water Spirit here?"

"Ah, yes." This was a question the fatty couldn't answer, but the woman behind him kept her mouth shut as tight as a clam. "Why are you interested in it?"

Since a Water Spirit shrine had been built here, it meant the local Water God had been officially canonized and had a position. But the types of monsters could be said to be strange and varied; if the locals didn't say, outsiders had no way of knowing what the Water God's original form actually was.

(End of chapter)