Chapter 48

Saint Monk 14 (Bai She Fights Traffickers)

Yu Yuanwai woke up instantly. Seeing the situation outside, he jumped out of the carriage and screamed, "Don't hurt my family's Snake Ancestor, ah ah ah!"

He shook his small body, blocked the way in front of the two Imperial Guards, and shouted loudly for the servant driving the carriage to come over.

In short, as long as he was alive, no one should think about hurting his family's Snake Ancestor!

The carriage behind, seeing the giant snake appear, was so scared it turned around and ran.

However, how could the Bai She let them run away? It saw it swing its tail again, throwing the driver off.

The carriage door fell off under its powerful attack, and along with it fell a man holding a knife. When he saw the giant snake, he was so scared he didn't even dare to swing his knife, wanting only to run as far as possible.

This snake was so big that his big knife, compared to it, was like a small dagger. He suspected that if he slashed it, the snake would lose a few drops of blood at most, but he would definitely lose his life.

Then, this man was also fanned unconscious by the Bai She's tail. Like the two drivers on the ground, he was bruised and swollen, eyes unable to open, only feeling the smell of blood in his mouth and nose!

The faces of the two Imperial Guards had already darkened, and they could no longer spare the time to scold the Bai She.

When the carriage door fell off, they had already seen that the carriage was full of children, packed tightly, and they were tied up, their mouths stuffed with rags, only able to make whimpering sounds.

They were shocked and angry. How could they have the heart to care about the Bai She attacking these people? They even wanted to say "well done."

Seeing the two Imperial Guards gripping their knives with murderous intent, Yu Yuanwai was scared to death, but he still didn't give way, shouting loudly, "There must be some reason. My family's Snake Ancestor is so, so good... It won't go crazy for no reason."

The two Imperial Guards were helpless and stepped forward to push Yu Yuanwai aside: "We know, your family's Snake Ancestor going crazy has a reason, because it wants to save people."

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Yu Yuanwai turned around in confusion and went to the carriage with the open door; it was full of children tied tightly.

"Abominable human traffickers!" he cursed angrily.

In the other carriage, besides children, there was also a woman.

She had no knife in her hand, and when she came face-to-face with the giant snake, she fainted directly from fright.

All the children in the carriage were rescued. Among them was a little girl of about eleven or twelve who was exceptionally beautiful. After crying, she told them the story clearly.

Most of these children were snatched by human traffickers while they were out watching the lanterns during the Lantern Festival.

"They fed us medicine before, but later, when we were far from the capital, the medicine wasn't enough, so they tied us up and stuffed our mouths."

There were many children here, and some had been tormented quite badly, so it was not suitable to continue on the road. Thus, one Imperial Guard was sent to the nearby county to report to the government office, and Yu Yuanwai had the servants find a place to camp, light a fire, set up a pot, and stew chicken soup. These children looked haggard and were clearly very hungry.

Yu Yuanwai flatteringly fed the Snake Ancestor snacks, smoothed its tail, and kept up the rainbow farts: "Snake Ancestor, you are truly amazing, smelling the bad guys from so far away!"

The Bai She's tail wagged happily, hissing at Yu Yuanwai: If you can talk, say more; it loves to listen!

Yu Yuanwai: "Snake Ancestor is the best in the world! The number one divine snake in front of the Buddha!"

Is it better than the parrot? The Bai She looked at Yu Yuanwai expectantly.

Yu Yuanwai thought of the Bai She that always lost in the Demon King Competition and said with a clear conscience: "Of course you are better! The parrot is so small, it's impossible for it to knock out human traffickers with one slap."

The Bai She was immediately satisfied, its tail even perking up. It had protected the Yu family for nearly a hundred years; it was finally not in vain.

After the children were full, they gathered in twos and threes, glancing at the Bai She from time to time, and then whispering.

Finally, the leader was still that beautiful little girl, who gathered her courage to step forward and perform a deep bow to the Bai She.

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When she bowed, the other children also stepped forward to bow.

One of the children, only four or five years old, followed suit and thanked them in a milky voice. When he bowed, his body tilted, and just as he was about to fall, the Bai She's tail whipped over, hooked, and lifted, and the child was hanging on the Bai She's tail.

He was still young and didn't know what fear was, so he giggled and slid down the snake's tail.

When the Imperial Guards brought the government runners over, what they saw was the Bai She lying on the ground, with children climbing up from its head one by one and then sliding all the way to the tip of its tail along its body.

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The group of runners was also startled when they first met it; the snake was truly larger than they could imagine. But seeing the Bai She lying there like a dead snake, letting the children play on it without even moving its tail, they were no longer afraid.

The two Imperial Guards from the palace said that it was the one who discovered the human traffickers. It is rumored that this is a Buddha snake that has read many Buddhist scriptures and has a lot of Buddha nature.

The runners muttered in their hearts: Since it has Buddha nature, why does it eat chickens, ducks, and geese instead of being vegetarian?

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Because of this episode, they were delayed in the county for two days.

Most of these children were abducted from the capital. The local Prefect took care of them for two days, then sent the children into the carriages, dispatched manpower, and let the Imperial Guards help send them back to the capital.

With the Bai She there, presumably the human traffickers would not dare to target these children again, nor would they dare to come for revenge.

In the county government, there were still a few children who had caught a cold or were sick from fright after being rescued and could not travel. The Prefect promised the sick children that he would send them back once they were well.

These children, especially the younger ones, had all their fear cured by the Bai She. On the way back, they would occasionally climb into the big snake's carriage and squeeze together with it, feeling very safe staying by the Bai She's side.

The Bai She was also willing to play with them and even gave them its reserve food. Those human traffickers who would hit them, scold them, pinch them, force-feed them bitter medicine, not give them food, and tie them up were no match for one tail-slap from the big snake!

Every time the Imperial Guards opened the carriage curtain, they saw a few human cubs lying on the big snake, and the youngest one even stretched out a chubby little hand to pry open the big snake's mouth and feed it snacks.

Every time they saw this scene, they felt their hearts thumping.

Damn it, every time they worried that the big snake would open its bloody mouth and swallow the child in one gulp! Especially since the children were chubby, their arms like pink lotus roots, looking tender, fresh, and delicious.

This youngest child had the biggest background. When the people from the county government asked, they discovered it was actually the Grand Princess's only son.

The Imperial Guards felt their scalps go numb when they heard it. The Grand Princess had a difficult labor back then, and it was said she only had this one son in her life. Fortunately, he was found, otherwise, the sky would have collapsed.

"Snake, snake, is it delicious?" the five-year-old child asked in a milky voice. "Emperor Uncle's house has lots and lots of snacks, I'll give them all to you to eat..."

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The child shook his head, "Oh, Little Lion's house is much poorer. Mother said there is no money at home, so Little Lion can only eat two snacks a day." The child held his chubby face with his chubby hands, "Fortunately, you are going to Emperor Uncle's house; he can afford to keep you! If only Little Lion's house had money, Little Lion would also want to keep you..."

The Bai She patted the child gently with its tail, signaling him not to be sad; it had a lot of reserve food and could afford to keep such a small two-legged beast.

Yu Yuanwai broke into a cold sweat. My Snake Ancestor, this child's mother is the Grand Princess, how could she have no money?

Eating only two snacks a day was just because adults were afraid the child would ruin his teeth.

Forget it, there was no need to tell the Snake Ancestor about such things. His family's Snake Ancestor was so innocent, how could it understand the cunning of humans?

When the Imperial Guard carried the child out, the child was very dissatisfied, his mouth pouting.

Other children played with the Bai She, and the Imperial Guards didn't care much, so why were they always watching him? Too bad.

"This..." the Imperial Guard explained, sweating profusely, "The Little Shi Zi will have the opportunity to enter the palace in the future and can see the Snake Immortal every day. These children won't have the chance, so let them have more time?"

The child was well-taught, and after thinking about it, he felt it made sense, so he sighed and temporarily said goodbye to the big snake.

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With such a group of children, the carriage moved even slower.

Now the Imperial Guards were not in a hurry. Just the fact that they rescued the Grand Princess's Little Shi Zi, the Emperor's own nephew, meant that no matter how slow they traveled, presumably the Emperor wouldn't be angry.

Halfway there, when they passed a big river, the Bai She also enthusiastically rescued a man who had fallen into the river.

Regarding this, Yu Yuanwai proudly boasted to the Imperial Guards: "My family's Snake Ancestor practices Buddhism and follows the Merit Path. In our county, it even helps repair roads."

The two Imperial Guards now looked at the Bai She differently than in the past; their eyes carried awe, and they became respectful toward the Bai She.

The Bai She didn't care how humans thought. In areas without people, it would let a few children sit on it and slide forward by twisting its body.

The younger children were overjoyed, shouting "Giddy up, giddy up," dancing with joy, and the big snake was stimulated to swim even more happily.

When resting, a few pampered children used spoons to bathe it.

Because Master Xuanji loved cleanliness, the Bai She also developed the good habit of loving cleanliness.

"Thank you, Snake, for giving us a ride. Snake, you've worked hard," a little girl thanked it in a thin voice, pouring water on the Bai She's body to clean its scales.

The older girls were very envious; they also wanted to ride on the big snake, but they were big girls now, and such behavior was unrefined.

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The Mi family in Wan Beast County could be said to be the wealthiest family within a thousand miles.

To what extent were they wealthy? It is said that as long as it was people in Wan Beast County and nearby cities and counties, their clothing, food, housing, and transportation could not be separated from the Mi family.

The most famous thing about the Mi family was not just money, but that the head of the Mi family had eighteen wives and concubines, yet they all gave birth to daughters.

Master Mi was thirty-eight this year and had twenty-three daughters, but he just couldn't produce a son.

The Mi family had a quite good reputation in this area. They had many daughters who married well, and their network of relationships consisted of either powerful officials or wealthy merchants. But the Mi family was not rich and unkind; they repaired bridges and roads, distributed porridge in disaster years... they had done a basketful of good deeds, just hoping to be able to give birth to a son.

The Grand Princess's swollen eyes shed tears again; she would thank Master Xuanji for the rest of her life!

The Empress had someone bring boiled eggs, and after peeling them, she rolled them on the Grand Princess's eyes and persuaded her not to cry anymore: "If you cry like this, Little Lion will be heartbroken when he sees it. This child is filial; if he sees you crying, he will cry too."

Zhang Zhuguan was secretly shocked. Logically speaking, if a Master accepts so much silver, even if he saves a life, he would lose his good reputation.

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The Master put his hands together in a prayer gesture, his brow clear and compassionate.

Under Little Lion's enthusiastic hospitality, the children soon forgot this was the Huangong and laughed one by one, talking and laughing just like before.

Little Lion nodded vigorously: "Emperor Uncle is so rich. The Imperial Kitchen has snacks all day long, unlike my house, which is so poor that snacks have to be counted." After saying this, he sighed deeply. He had to study hard and practice martial arts so he could earn money when he grew up. His parents were too pitiful and couldn't achieve snack freedom.

No wonder their Mi family had descendants now; this was a sure-fire way to send a son!

Little Lion initially wiped his mother's tears, but later, seeing that his mother couldn't stop, he simply cried with her. He had long discovered that as long as he cried, his mother wouldn't cry anymore.

Otherwise, if something happened to those children, it would damage the Snake Immortal's merit.

Zhang Zhuguan was not stupid, and Wang Daxing was even less so. They became increasingly respectful toward the monk.

The Emperor also had lingering fears. Because he had no sons, he loved this little nephew very much. Fortunately, he had a sudden idea to invite the Snake Immortal to the capital, and it happened to save Little Lion on the way.

The children who were eating snacks put down the snacks in their hands one after another, saying they wanted to save them for the big snake.

In the capital, the Grand Princess's eyes were almost cried blind. In terms of offspring, she was as troubled as her brother, and now she only had one only son.

Little Lion was young and didn't remember things clearly. If he had been sold to a mountain ditch, he might never have come out in his life, and he might have soon forgotten his identity. The world was so big, how could he be found? His sister would definitely suffer for a lifetime.

The Grand Princess was both amused and touched, telling the children to eat to their hearts' content; the Huangong didn't lack these few snacks.

The butler ran over hurriedly, "Master, a Master has come from outside, it is said he can save the Mistress, do you want to..." Master Mi jumped up quickly, calling out hurriedly, "Hurry up and call the Master in! Quick, quick, quick, let him save the Mistress and the child!!!"

Master Mi outside the door paced back and forth, muttering to himself, "This is the fourth pregnancy, logically it should be very easy..."

Master Mi was so anxious he almost knelt down to pray to gods and Buddhas.

"The Mistress has done good deeds and accumulated virtue all her life, she should have a good result. I only hope the Mistress will do more good deeds and accumulate more virtue in the future."

Every time Little Lion saw her crying, he would say: "Mother, Little Lion doesn't know what to do so Mother won't cry, I can only cry with you."

The Grand Princess's reason finally returned, and she wished she could peel the skin off those human traffickers!

The Mi family was well-informed and had long received news from the capital, hearing that the Emperor, who was in his thirties and had no children and was almost forced to adopt a son from the clan, now had an heir.

This hoarse voice startled the Emperor, who said hurriedly: "He is very well, the Snake Immortal saved him."

Besides the Mi family, Jiang He, this Master, also helped a few other families.

The grateful Mistress Mi had someone stuff countless silver notes to the Master and said through the window: "Master, I don't know why, but I always feel this is what you need most."

The Grand Princess ordered with a smile and touched her son's head.

Master Mi stared at the Master's face for a long while, then looked at the parrot on his shoulder, and said hurriedly: "Master, rest assured, the Mi family will definitely do more good deeds in the future."

Master Xuanji was indeed the Sending Son Saint Monk!

Before he could finish speaking, the nanny opened the door and came out.

"Master, it's bad, the Mistress is having a difficult labor, the midwife is asking whether to save the mother or the child!"

When she saw her son, she burst into tears instantly, and the Grand Princess hugged Little Lion and cried.

Mistress Mi sat on the bed, holding the big fat son she had given birth to, feeling lingering fear.

The small child had already remembered the preferences of the children who were abducted with him and handed the snacks to them.

His medical skills were superb, and the people he saved presented silver notes with thousands of thanks. If the Master didn't accept them, they would follow him anxiously.

Inside the delivery room, the thirty-seven-year-old Mistress Mi let out a scream, her voice getting weaker and weaker.

The Emperor and Empress prepared the freshest chickens, ducks, and geese for the Bai She. Although she didn't understand why her son said the Bai She's favorite was sweet snacks, it didn't matter. Just because it saved her son, she could provide it with snacks for a lifetime.

The Emperor comforted her: "I sent Imperial Guards to pick up Little Lion, and Feng Ming also clamored to pick him up after hearing about this, so you can rest assured."

They were still so young; if their families insisted on removing them from the clan, what way out could they have? Could it be that there was only death?

The Empress heard this and couldn't help but pat her forehead in annoyance, "Oh, since I became pregnant, I've become stupid! I should have let these children enter the palace first."

The Empress nodded and said: "The Snake Immortal saved their lives, we must save their lives."

The Grand Princess laughed through her tears; her child was indeed filial. Before, when she cried, her son cried with her.

Master Mi almost fainted and roared at the doctor: "I want both the mother and the child!"

The Emperor nodded. He thought more: Was it because the Master's child was abducted that he hated human traffickers so much, and the Bai She learned from him to hit human traffickers whenever it saw them?

"If the Master knew, he would definitely be happy," the Empress suddenly said.

"This is what Snake likes best." Little Lion picked up a piece of red bean cake, thought for a moment, and said to his mother, "Mother, the red bean cake is too little, not enough for Snake to eat, you ask the Imperial Chef to make more."

So, having no money is absolutely impossible.

As a result, this monk took the money, and those who gave him money not only wished he would take more, but were also grateful, looking at him as if they were looking at the gods and Buddhas in the temple.

The Grand Princess laughed: "Where is the Empress stupid? Look at whether the Emperor admits it?"

The Grand Princess watched with a smile, her expression proud.

She thought for a moment and suggested: "Empress, the children saved by the Snake Immortal have quite a connection with Little Lion. Why don't you summon them into the palace to support them?"

If Jiang He knew what Master Mi was thinking at this moment, he would definitely let the parrot peck him until he was covered in blood.

The Grand Princess coughed twice uncomfortably and hurriedly changed the subject, "Little Lion, can you tell Mother about the Snake Immortal?"

Feng Ming's reputation in the capital was not good, but Little Lion was not afraid of him and often entered the palace to play with him. The big and the small played well together, almost tearing down his Huangong.

The Grand Princess waited day and night, finally waiting for the Bai She's group to enter the capital.

Those who were pedantic in the family would not only refuse to acknowledge them but would also drive away the children who had returned after much hardship, fearing it would ruin the reputation of other girls in the family. Even worse, to show the family's good reputation, these returning girls would either enter a temple—which was considered a good result—or the worst was being "sick to death," their bright lives disappearing in the hands of their families.

The three of them discussed those girls. Generally speaking, as long as boys were not sold to a male brothel, it was not a big deal, and almost no family would reject them. Furthermore, these abducted children were still young, so it was even less of a deal.

Just at this moment, the sound of a Buddhist chant seemed to ring in their ears, "Amitabha!"

The Emperor naturally didn't dare to say his wife was stupid and bypassed the topic, "The Snake Immortal practices the Merit Path. For the children it saved, we must find a way to let them live better."

Little Lion's eyes lit up instantly when he saw the snacks on the table. With so many snacks, and Mother didn't say he could only eat two today, he could eat to his heart's content.

So what if he is a monk? You can't take advantage of people just because they are monks. You have to give some incense money; they were not bribing the Master with money.

The Grand Princess finally stopped her tears and greeted the children to come over for tea and snacks.

Children who don't know things are valuable, and beautiful girls are even more valuable. Most of the abducted children were girls. After these girls who had fallen into the hands of human traffickers were found, there were only three endings.

"The Mi family is a family that accumulates good deeds, which is why their wishes come true. I hope they will not change their original intention in the future."

When she heard news about her son, she hurried into the palace.

For Mistress Mi, who had almost seen the Naihe Bridge, the appearance of Master Xuanji was as if he were stepping on colorful clouds, full of radiance.

She saw the Naihe Bridge between life and death. If Master Xuanji hadn't appeared, not only would she have lost her life, but her son would have carried the name of "mother-killer" as soon as he was born, and she feared she would have been haunted by it for a lifetime.

He didn't want to give up either; he wanted both the big and the small!

Worthy of being the Sending Son Guanyin, the Living Buddha who protects children!

The Master was in the golden light, his features unclear, his voice very pleasant, and there was a parrot on his shoulder, which was extremely beautiful.

But the doctor had no choice. Historically, women giving birth was like walking through the gates of hell. They had already stepped into the gates of hell, and even if they wanted to pull them back, they couldn't, so they could only try their best to save one.

Thinking of the cute appearance of the child rubbing his eyes and crying, the Grand Princess felt heartbroken.

This was all the credit of Master Xuanji.

Even if she only gave birth to one son, this son was stronger than several sons of others combined!

He weighed the thickness of the silver notes with satisfaction. The System's mall was becoming increasingly strict and harsh, emphasizing the affairs of this world and trying to use people or things from this world to resolve them. Not only were the golden fingers becoming more expensive, but the ratings would also drop accordingly.

The children waiting for the Empress's summons on the side looked at this scene with envy, especially those girls. The closer they got to the capital, the more uneasy they felt, fearing their families would no longer accept them.

Families with good luck would acknowledge them, but the marriage would definitely not be good. They could only marry far away, marry someone with worse conditions than before, and still have to guard against the husband's family looking down on them after the maternal family declined.

With her support, no one would be so tactless as to let these miserable girls "die of illness."

"You guys come over, let's eat snacks together." Little Lion saw that everyone was restrained, ran over, and grabbed the hand of the most beautiful little girl, "Sister Sanniang, this is your favorite peach cake, Sister Wuniang, your favorite pea paste..."

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