Chapter 299: Tao Family

The medicine cauldron landed beside a low hill; Pan Yun's hat was blown off halfway, but she snatched it out of the air with lightning speed—now her head was completely bare, her nose and face flushed red from the cold wind, more like a nun than a Daoist Priest, and a nun abandoned on the roadside at that.

Wang Cong turned his head and saw how pitiful his junior master looked; he couldn't help it and burst out laughing.

Pan Yun couldn't see her own face, but she saw Wang Cong's—his hair plastered half over his face, like a madman—and she laughed heartily.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He also clutched their stomachs laughing, their mirth so bright and unrestrained that Pan Yun's smile immediately faded.

She was laughing at them—then who were they laughing at?

Wang Cong and the other three finally realized and touched their own heads; then they looked at the other three—fine, the eldest didn't scold the second, they ought to show each other some respect.

The four of them wiped their smiles away and tidied their appearances.

But it truly was a peculiar experience, so by the end of tidying, they still couldn't help laughing at each other for a long while.

Wang Cong said: "Next time we fly, tie your hair up properly—if you could wrap your whole head and face, that'd be even better."

Pan Yun tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said: "I know how to wrap it up—but it'll look ugly, and kind of scary."

Miao He: "How scary?"

Pan Yun: "Looks like a bandit."

Seeing Miao Zhen: "Who cares what you look like while flying? Who can even see us?"

After a brief pause, Pan Yun nodded. "That makes sense. When we get back, I'll make one for you—all my senior brother keeps making me do needlework, so I've got plenty of time for sewing."

The hood would suit her even better—she had no hair; once put on, only her eyes, nose, and mouth showed, the wind couldn't blow it away, and it kept her warm—perfect!

The three of them thought of Pan Yun's uneven, crooked stitches and fell silent.

Wang Cong changed the subject: "Junior master, dawn's breaking—let's enter the village."

A pale white streak appeared on the horizon, like the belly of a flipped fish; as Pan Yun lifted her head to admire that pale glow, suddenly a faint golden light reflected upon it—like a switch had been flipped, more and more pale gold hues bloomed across the sky…

It slowly deepened; soon, pale gold turned to gold-red, then orange-red—the sun rose.

Pan Yun tucked away the medicine cauldron, waved toward the nearby village, and said: "Let's go!"

The four walked toward the rising sun; by the time they reached the village entrance, the morning light had already spread in patches across the ground, gilding their faces and making them glow as if coated in light.

Life sounds rose from within the village—the clatter of pots and pans, the swish of brooms sweeping the ground, the shouts scolding children.

Fortunately, none of the sounds were harsh, so Pan Yun and the others listened with delight—until Wang Cong led them to a gate.

Through the courtyard, they heard the sound of pots being smashed and curses being hurled: "Every single day you just wait for me to cook—do you think if I don't, none of you will eat?"

"You do nothing all day, just wander the streets and alleys, come home hungry to eat, come home tired to sleep—what kind of home is this? It's an inn, and a free one at that."

"You think you're some big official? This is a posthouse—stay, eat, no charge."

Pan Yun instinctively tiptoed to peer over the wall.

The wall wasn't tall; the four easily saw inside.

Tao Yanbai said nothing, stepped forward, took the pot, rinsed the rice, returned it to the kitchen, then came out to gather firewood.

The woman saw him carrying so much wood and slapped his arm. "Are you trying to kill yourself? You're boiling porridge, not roasting a whole pig—do you think gathering firewood costs nothing? You don't care because you didn't pick it up, right?"

The little girl beside her couldn't bear it anymore. "Mama, this isn't nearly enough to cook the porridge—we usually have to carry wood twice."

"Shut up! What's it got to do with you? Go gather pigweed right now—if you don't bring back two baskets today, you won't eat!"

"Fine, I won't eat," the girl tossed her braided hair back, slung the two large baskets over her shoulders, and said: "Even if you won't let me speak, I'll say it anyway—Mama, you lock the grain sack in the cabinet, and only you can get the rice—even Brother One wants to cook, he has no rice."

Tao Mu flew into a rage, snatched a stick from Tao Yanbai's hand, and raised it to strike her; Tao Yanbai immediately grabbed the stick and glanced at the girl.

The girl steadied the two baskets with her hands and ran out, shouting back over her shoulder to the middle-aged man sitting on the veranda twisting rope: "Dad, do something about Mom! People help others when they see injustice—but our own path is full of potholes, and you won't even fill them!"

"You little brat, what are you talking about?" Tao Mu screamed. "Stop right there! Talking trash about your parents like this—do you want lightning to strike you dead?"

Tao Yanbai frowned, gripping the stick tightly so she couldn't pull it away. "Mama, Xiao Hua is your own daughter—how can you curse her like that?"

Tao Hua turned back. "I'm used to it. If Mama doesn't curse me one day, I actually feel uneasy."

She opened the gate, saw the people standing outside, and froze. "Who are you looking for?"

The noisy family all turned to look.

Tao Fu and Tao Mu recognized Wang Cong; their hearts lurched, and they felt guilty.

Tao Yanbai saw them and his eyes lit up—he dropped the firewood in his arms and rushed over. "Senior Brother, Junior Master, Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister—what are you doing here?" Wang Cong saw the tears in his eyes and knew he'd suffered here; his heart ached, and he forced down his anger, patting Tao Yanbai's head. "Third Master returned—he's injured and needs someone to care for him. Grand Master sent me to bring you back."

Tao Fu immediately dropped the half-twisted rope and asked anxiously: "Is Sanlang injured? How serious?"

Wang Cong nodded solemnly. "That's why Third Younger Brother must return to care for him."

Tao Fu hesitated, glancing at his wife.

Tao Mu said: "He just came back a few months ago and now he's leaving again—is this son raised by the Three Pure Ones Temple, or by our Tao family?"

"If this keeps up, maybe he shouldn't come back at all…"

Tao Fu immediately snapped: "Shut up! What are you saying? He's my son!"

He gave Wang Cong an apologetic smile and explained: "His mother just misses the child too much—she says harsh things, but she loves him deeply."

He sighed. "When Yanbai came back this time, he went door to door practicing medicine—I saw his skills improved greatly. Sanlang said he's ready to graduate. I was even thinking of finding him a pharmacy in town to work at—then he'd have a livelihood, and we could arrange a marriage. If he leaves again, that opportunity will be lost—the pharmacy won't wait. By the time he returns, it'll probably be gone…"

Wang Cong showed no embarrassment, paused thoughtfully, then said: "Third Younger Brother's future is indeed important. In the past, I'd never delay him—but now, Third Master is injured, and he keeps calling out for Third Younger Brother. You know, Third Younger Brother has lived with Third Master since he was seven."

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"Though we all took the same master, our master travels constantly and is rarely at the temple. Third Younger Brother was only a nominal disciple under him—but Third Master raised him as his own true disciple, taught him everything he knows. Now that Third Master is injured, he only calls for Third Younger Brother…"

Tao Yanbai's face turned pale; he gripped Wang Cong's arm tightly. "Is Third Master badly hurt? Where is he injured?"

Wang Cong sighed. "Internal injury."

Pan Yun sighed deeply.

Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He also sighed.

Tao Yanbai, who had been tense beyond measure, stiffened at their reaction—his heart suddenly calmed. But just moments before, he'd been terrified; now that the fear lifted, his tears spilled uncontrollably.

Tao Hua saw her brother crying like this, dropped her carrying pole, and said to Tao Fu: "Dad, what are you waiting for? Let Brother go with them right away—he was raised by Third Uncle. If he doesn't go to care for him, the whole village will spit on us."

Tao Fu's face flushed red. "What nonsense are you talking? I never said no—I just asked a few questions. Yanbai, since Third Uncle is waiting for you, go quickly and get ready to return with Senior Brother."

Tao Yanbai raised his sleeve to wipe the tears from his face, then hurried back inside to pack his things.

Tao Mu's chest rose and fell—she was clearly furious—and she followed him into the room. "What's there to pack in such a rush? Isn't there clothing at the Daoist temple? Just take your household register and travel pass and get going. Don't dawdle."

Tao Yanbai turned a deaf ear and kept on folding his clothes and books, along with the miscellaneous things he had brought, and packed them all into his back basket.

Tao Yanbai looked at her with a troubled face. "Mother, please step out first. I need to change clothes."

"What clothes do you need to change? It's urgent—get going now." Tao Mu stared hard at the back basket, knowing what she wanted wasn't inside it; that thing was still somewhere in this room. So she reached out to push Tao Yanbai. "Go, go! Don't keep your Third Uncle waiting."

Tao Yanbai gripped the back basket, his face full of difficulty. While hesitating, he was pushed two steps toward the door by her. Before he reached the doorway, Pan Yun strolled in, with Miao Zhen and Miao He following behind her.

Pan Yun glanced around curiously, her face full of disdain. "Yanbai, this is the room you live in? How can it look like a cattle pen?"

Pan Yun turned around, and when she saw the muddy earthen floor and a single wooden post on the other half of the room, she blinked.

"Wait a moment." Pan Yun turned and walked out the door, once again looking this room up and down.

It was the east wing; the room right next to it on the north was a storage room, piled haphazardly with plows, hoes, wooden buckets, and all sorts of junk.

Directly opposite was the kitchen.

In the middle was a large courtyard, and across from this room was the chicken coop, so this room…

Pan Yun looked this gatehouse up and down. Damn it—this is nothing but a cattle shed!

Pan Yun's face still wore a smile, but no matter how you looked at it, a chill seeped through.

Both Tao Mu and Tao Fu felt a chill run through them and broke out in a shiver.

Miao Zhen and Miao He's faces were full of anger, their little countenances set cold and stern.

Pan Yun walked back into the room and said to the mother and son who had suddenly gone quiet: "What are you staring at? Keep on struggling."

Tao Mu frowned slightly. "Little Daoist, this is a man's bedchamber. How can you walk in and out as you please?"

Pan Yun: "Isn't this a cattle shed? Do cattle sheds have separate quarters for men and women?"

(End of chapter)