Chapter 64: 63, Zhou Dianzi

63, Zhou Dianzi

Even though Zhou Chang stood empty-handed, having lost the knife that could directly threaten Zhu Gui's life, Zhu Gui still dared not make a move, having been psychologically scarred by those two moves of his just now.

Zhu Gui pretended to be kind and nodded, pulling out a few copper coins from his clothes: "Fine! I'll settle the account with Shi Danzi right now!"

"Come, take the money!" Zhou Chang beckoned to Shi Danzi.

Shi Danzi walked forward in a daze, watching the copper coins drop into his palm, clinking loudly.

Suddenly, he jolted awake, looked at the young man with a pale face, and tears welled in his eyes: "Brother Zhou!"

The young man probably thought that once Zhou Chang left, he would never return, that he was going to sacrifice himself magnanimously.

Zhou Chang flicked him on the forehead: "The 'Li Braised Pork' shop at Linjiu Fang has gone under; think about using this bit of wages to treat me to something else."

"Good! Good!" Shi Danzi nodded quickly.

Zhou Chang then looked at the silent Zhou Sanji and sighed: "You, old sir, must not be so impulsive in the future.

Be more rational when handling matters; look, if I am amiable and consult with people like this, what matter cannot be settled through discussion?

Alright.

I'm leaving first; I'll come home for dinner tonight."

Zhou Chang then put his arm around Zhu Gui's shoulder and pushed Zhu Gui out of the courtyard.

Earlier, Grandpa had said that the winery had not released any of those being treated for madness for the past two days, so Zhou Chang guessed that a major upheaval must have occurred in the wine cellar.

Moreover, the two brothers 'Wen San' and 'Wen Si' had said that 'Wen Laozu' was about to succeed.

Zhou Chang felt that perhaps Wen Laozu was now on the verge of completely mastering the divine banner of 'Cao Tou Long Chang' bestowed by the skull of Emperor Shizong!

The wine cellar was no longer a safe place.

But Zhou Chang had no awareness of the gentleman who does not stand beneath a dangerous wall.

He himself was about to die soon.

What is there to fear for one who is about to die?!

Moreover, when Shi Danzi was in the cellar pool, infected by Wen Laozu's offering-thoughts, he had experienced a hallucinatory dream—various things in his dream had later been verified by Zhou Chang.

In Shi Danzi's dream, a Qing dynasty man with a rat-tail braid stood by the Bridegroom Pool, constantly chanting the 'Scripture of Purity and Stillness' of Qingyi Town.

This dream originated from Wen Laozu's offering-thoughts, so the identity of the Qing dynasty man was self-evident: it was Wen Laozu!

Wen Laozu constantly chanted the 'Scripture of Purity and Stillness'—this scripture was likely created by Wen Laozu and then spread throughout Qingyi Town.

He left this scripture perhaps to pave the way for him to become a mortal god today.

With one 'Scripture of Purity and Stillness', he set up various unbreachable rules and taboos for the people of Qingyi Town; those taboos became deeply locked walls in people's hearts, and once a rule was touched, a head of evil ghosts might crawl out in their hearts!

If everything is as Zhou Chang deduced, are those ghosts not the food designated by the Wealthy Heavenly King for the Nie Corpses?

Zhou Sanji watched Zhou Chang's back disappear at the courtyard gate, stared blankly for a long time, then shifted his eyeballs to look at Yang Rui beside him: "He, he just said what?

He said I—was too impulsive?!

He was the one who consulted with people?! "

The old man's face twitched, his full face of wrinkles squeezed together, filled with turmoil.

Yang Rui also looked toward the courtyard gate, deep in thought: "The child is right; you are indeed too impulsive... Look at him, he handled the matter so well."

"He couldn't even stay behind! Didn't he still have to follow that Zhu Gui?

Alas! That winery is simply not a good place now!

Not only are those being treated for madness locked inside the wine cellar—the winery won't let them out—but even those previously released after being treated for madness, it is said, have recently started dying and going mad, quite a few of them...

People have already gone to the winery to make trouble!" Zhou Sanji's face was full of regret and worry, "What can be done? He is jumping into a fire pit himself..."

Yang Rui turned back to look at Zhou Sanji, patted the other's shoulder: "Ah Chang already said he will come back for dinner tonight; don't worry too much. I think he is fine."

"I think you've gone mad long ago!" Zhou Sanji glared at Yang Rui, "He is a madman too! You, Yang Fengzi, and Zhou Dianzi, the more you look at each other, the more you approve!"

"Zhou Dianzi..." Yang Rui repeated Zhou Sanji's nickname for his grandson, and suddenly laughed.

He raised his eyes to look toward the courtyard gate, where Zhou Chang's figure was no longer visible.

Yang Rui murmured: "I think your grandson is not mad at all; perhaps he will achieve great things in the future.

A tiger or leopard cub, though its patterns are not yet formed, possesses the spirit of devouring an ox;

A young swan, though its wings are not yet complete, harbors a heart for the four seas..."

When Zhou Chang arrived at the winery's rear courtyard with Zhu Gui and the others, besides the workers, only three or four scattered people stood in the corner, waiting to enter the cellar to be treated for madness.

Their expressions were uneasy; they had obviously heard some bad rumors about the winery.

The cellar manager, Qian Chaodong, was too lazy to comfort these people; after all, they had been sent here, and since they had come, there was no way to leave.

Qian Chaodong held his beloved little white dog 'Bai Er' in his arms, feeding strips of fresh, bloody tender meat to that white dog.

'Bai Er' ate heartily, its mouth full of blood.

"Mmm..."

From the bone thumb ring on his thumb came the warning whimpers of several Ao True Zan Ben.

Zhou Chang now finally had some rapport with these Ao True Zan Ben; he understood their calls and looked deeply at the little white dog in Qian Chaodong's arms—that little white dog must be strange.

It might turn into a ghost.

But if it turns into a ghost, Qian Chaodong would die first; what does that have to do with him?

So Zhou Chang only glanced at the white dog once before shifting his gaze away.

However, Qian Chaodong on the chair, seeing Zhou Chang brought by Zhu Gui, suddenly brightened in the eyes.

"Manager Qian..."

Zhu Gui approached Qian Chaodong; his expression was tense, weighing his words, thinking about how to tactfully explain that he had failed to bring Shi Danzi back.

Unexpectedly, Qian Chaodong handed the "Bai'er" from his arms to him to hold, and with a palm stained by blood, patted his shoulder.

Qian Chaodong rose from the chair, smiling as he said, "Manager Zhu, you have done well! The master will record your merit!"

Hearing his words, Zhu Gui was even more bewildered, thinking Qian Chaodong was speaking ironically. He held Bai Gou, his shoulders trembling, and said, "Manager Qian, I did not do the task well; I failed to bring that stone egg along as well..."

"If you wish to punish me, then punish me..."

"Haha, bringing this person over is enough!

The stone egg is unimportant!" Qian Chaodong smiled and comforted Zhu Gui a couple of times.

Zhu Gui plucked up the courage to raise his head. Seeing that Qian Chaodong's expression was not feigned, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled awkwardly.

At this moment, Qian Chaodong glanced again at Zhou Chang behind him. He did not speak to Zhou Chang; he merely waved to the crowd preparing to descend into the cellar, signaling them to follow. Turning, he ordered Zhu Gui to send his "Bai'er" home to be settled, then stepped away.

Zhou Chang and the others who were to descend into the cellar to be treated were shoved by the enforcers and servants, following in Qian Chaodong's footsteps.