Chapter 170: The Flower-Plucking Thief in the Guanyin Temple

Outside the window, the night grew heavy.

On this late autumn night, the chill was biting; those staying up late to chant scriptures in the main hall were all cold and exhausted.

Even those who had brought thick clothing could barely hold out.

The Four Great Families took turns rotating people to light incense and chant, not daring to slack off.

Those who were relieved only dared to rest in the corners nearby.

The poor maidservants and servants outside could only wait there the whole time, shivering in the cold wind of the deep night, not daring to go anywhere.

It was only the minor young masters and maids who held little status in the manor who could leave to find guest rooms to rest.

Jia Tanchun and her sisters were also kneeling before the Guanyin statue at this moment, chanting scriptures.

Lin Daiyu had just caught a chill outside and was coughing incessantly; being frail and sickly by nature, she naturally could not stay up all night and had already taken her maid to a guest room to rest.

Luo Zijun had no name or status, so naturally, he did not need to stay up and put on a show.

However, he did not dare to sleep.

Even though it was very safe here and absolutely nothing would go wrong, he still remained vigilant.

He told Ziyuan to go rest first, while he prepared to read books for the night.

Ziyuan said, "If the Young Master isn't going to sleep, how could this servant go to sleep? I'm not sleepy either, I'll stay here and keep the Young Master company."

Thus, the master and servant stayed, one reading a book at the table, the other lost in thought beside them.

Seeing she was bored, Luo Zijun took a book from his Storage Bag, handed it to her, and said, "Why don't you read a book too?"

Ziyuan took the book, glanced at the title, and her expression changed slightly: "Qiannu Youhun? Is this the story about the love between a human and a ghost that the Young Master wrote? This servant is afraid of ghosts; every time I see a ghost about to appear, I don't dare to look."

Luo Zijun said, "It's not scary at all, just read it."

Seeing the long night ahead and having nothing to do without reading, Ziyuan had no choice but to say, "Alright, then this servant will read for a while."

Just as she had read a few pages, her little face tense and her heart fluttering, Luo Zijun suddenly leaned into her ear without a sound and let out a loud "Ah!"

Ziyuan was so startled she let out a shriek, jumped up from where she was, and threw the book in her hand onto the ground in fright.

Luo Zijun held back his laughter and continued reading his book.

Ziyuan stood to the side, clutching her chest, and said with lingering fear, "The Young Master is so mean, you almost scared me to death..."

"You're such a coward."

Luo Zijun teased her, paused, put down his book, and stood up, saying, "I'm going out to relieve myself."

He walked over to open the door, but just as he was about to step out, he suddenly stopped again.

Looking at the dark night outside and feeling the silence of the temple, that lingering shadow suddenly struck him again.

"Young Master, what's wrong?"

Seeing him standing at the doorway lost in thought, Ziyuan asked in confusion.

Luo Zijun stood at the door for a while longer, then turned his head and said, "Ziyuan, come with me."

Upon hearing this, Ziyuan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly let out a giggle, walked over, and said, "The Young Master was just calling me a coward, but it turns out the Young Master is even more timid."

Luo Zijun felt a bit awkward and explained, "I'm just afraid of stepping on a snake."

Ziyuan smiled and walked in front, looking down carefully.

The two descended the corridor and were about to pass through the circular gate to the latrine in the back when Luo Zijun felt it was too far and not safe enough, so he hurriedly said, "Let's just use the corner of the flower bed over there."

Ziyuan said "Oh," walked over, paced back and forth in the corner a few times, and then said, "Young Master, there are no snakes, come over quickly."

When Luo Zijun went over, she prepared to leave.

Luo Zijun hurriedly grabbed her little hand and said, "Ziyuan, don't go, wait for me on the side."

Ziyuan let out another giggle, turned her body, and smiled, "Then this servant will wait for the Young Master on the side."

Luo Zijun glanced around once more before turning his back to start relieving himself.

Whether it was because someone was nearby or because he was nervous from thinking about previous events, for a long while, he could not urinate.

Yet he was clearly feeling the discomfort of holding it in.

Ziyuan waited a while longer, suppressed a laugh, and said, "Young Master, let this servant walk a bit further away to wait for you."

"Don't, just stay here."

For some reason, the more it was like this, the more uneasy Luo Zijun felt.

After another while, he finally managed to urinate.

Hearing the "whoosh" sound, a flush of red rose to Ziyuan's face beside him, and she suddenly felt the urge to relieve herself as well.

After urinating, Luo Zijun finally let out a sigh of relief: "Ziyuan, let's go, let's head back."

Ziyuan turned around and said shyly, "Young Master, you go back first, this servant also needs to relieve herself."

"Oh."

Luo Zijun was stunned for a moment and prepared to go back by himself, but after walking a few steps, he suddenly paused and hurriedly said, "Ziyuan, go ahead, I'll wait here for you."

The two absolutely could not be separated.

The previous two times, he had been ambushed each time he was alone.

Although it seemed very safe this time, he still had to be careful.

He felt some regret in his heart; why hadn't he been intimate with Xiaohuan last night? Knowing he was going out today, he should have given everything to Xiaohuan last night.

Ziyuan said shyly, "Young Master, with you here, this servant... this servant can't go..."

Luo Zijun said, "It's fine, I couldn't go just a moment ago either; just squat down and it will come out."

Ziyuan: "..."

"Oh, alright then..."

In any case, they were all their own people, what was there to be shy about.

Ziyuan walked forward a few steps, turned her back to prepare to loosen her clothes, but after thinking about it, she hurriedly turned back around to face him and began to loosen her clothes.

In the corner, there was suddenly silence.

Luo Zijun waited for a moment, and seeing no movement behind him, he hurriedly asked, "Zhiyuan, are you still there?"

There was no response from behind. Luo Zijun felt a shock in his heart and hurriedly turned to look, while simultaneously grabbing a handful of lime in his hand, his legs tensed, ready to spring away.

It was also at this moment that Zhiyuan finally appeared after much calling.

"Sss..."

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

The two locked eyes, staring at each other in dismay.

Although it was deep night, they were standing relatively close, and with the moonlight outside, they could still see each other.

"It's fine, continue."

Luo Zijun hurriedly turned around again, with his back to her, secretly letting out a sigh of relief in his heart, and quietly put away the Lime Powder in his hand.

Zhiyuan's face was flushed red; after finishing, she stood up, tied her sash, and said, "Young Master, are you really that afraid of the dark?"

Luo Zijun felt bitter in his heart, with nowhere to voice it, so he could only say, "I was frightened when I was young."

Zhiyuan came behind him, was quiet for a moment, then suddenly stretched out her arms, gently hugged him from behind, and whispered, "Young Master, don't be afraid; from now on, this servant will protect you."

!

Luo Zijun turned around, looked at her beautiful, delicate face and her touching, teary eyes, hesitated and struggled in his heart for a good while, then gently stroked her soft hair and said, "Zhiyuan, Young Master suddenly has an ungracious request, and I hope you can help."

Zhiyuan tilted her beautiful, blushing face and said softly, "Young Master, please speak; even if you asked this servant to die, this servant would be willing."

"It's not that serious."

Luo Zijun rubbed her little head, then gently stroked her pink, delicate lips with his fingers and said, "Young Master just brought out many precious things and am afraid that it is not safe here, afraid of them being stolen by others, so now I want to secretly entrust them all to you. Are you willing to help Young Master keep them?"

Zhiyuan nodded hurriedly: "This servant is willing."

Luo Zijun glanced around again, feeling more uneasy the more he looked, so he didn't hesitate anymore and whispered, "Come, go to the shadows in that corner, squat down to talk; there are quite a lot of things, you won't be able to take them all at once, it might take several times."

Zhiyuan looked solemn and hurriedly walked toward that corner.

Luo Zijun followed into the shadows of the corner, looked around vigilantly for a good while, then bit her ear and whispered, "Are you ready?"

"Mm."

Zhiyuan whispered.

At the same time.

In another side room, a series of weak, delicate coughs could be heard.

Lin Daiyu was wrapped in a thick quilt, coughing while shedding tears, her eyes filled with shimmering tears, looking sorrowfully beautiful and moving.

Zijuan, Xueyan, and Chunxian were crying by the bed, trying to persuade her not to overthink things.

Lin Daiyu gave a sorrowful smile and said, "I thought that after Father passed away and I came to the Jia Mansion, I would have someone to rely on, but today I know that this is actually a den of tigers and wolves. Even a blood relative like the Second Sister has fallen into such a miserable plight; as an outsider, how much better can my fate be in the future?"

Zijuan wiped her tears and said, "Young Miss, there is still the Old Ancestor protecting you."

Lin Daiyu smiled bitterly and said, "Can the Old Ancestor protect me for a lifetime? The Second Sister was raised by the Old Ancestor herself, and their bond is much deeper than mine, but when it came down to it, was it of any use? In the end, the one who calls the shots in the Jia Mansion is still the one who inherited the title. Hearing those words of his today and seeing the evil deeds he has done, I can be certain that the Jia Family will not last long."

At this time, Xueyan suddenly said, "Young Miss, isn't that Young Master Luo very accurate at fortune-telling? Why not let him tell the Young Miss's fortune too?"

Lin Daiyu was silent for a moment and said, "I heard from the Second Sister that he took the initiative to tell the Second Sister's fortune; perhaps he saw the Second Sister's fate. As for others, he might not necessarily know."

Chunxian said, "Young Miss should just give it a try. If Young Miss is too embarrassed, this servant will go and ask for you tomorrow."

Lin Daiyu pondered for a moment and did not speak.

At this time, the night was deep.

In the main hall in front, people from the Shi Family and the Xue family were keeping vigil and chanting scriptures.

Others were in the corners nearby, either sitting in meditation, closing their eyes to rest, or lying on the ground to sleep.

Outside, the chill grew stronger.

The bright moon in the night sky was also covered by a cluster of dark clouds and disappeared from sight.

Luo Zijun returned to the side room and lay on the bed for a while, wanting to sleep, but after thinking about it, he was still somewhat uneasy, so he had to sit up and continue reading.

After Zhiyuan returned, she was somewhat drowsy.

Luo Zijun said, "Go to sleep, don't worry about me."

After people are full and satisfied, they indeed want to sleep, not to mention it was so late.

This time, Zhiyuan did not refuse; she blushed, said "Oh," obediently went to the bed to lie down, rubbed her full stomach, and after a while, fell asleep.

Luo Zijun continued reading, and after a moment, he began to yawn and also felt somewhat drowsy.

"This is in the Inner City, and outside the Royal Palace, with patrolling soldiers everywhere, what is there to fear?"

"Besides, it is still the period of national mourning."

"Even if that thief had the guts of a bear or a leopard, it would be impossible for them to come out tonight."

Luo Zijun struggled for a while longer, but could not resist the sleepiness, so he lay down directly beside the meditation cushion, preparing to sleep.

After letting his thoughts wander for a while, he soon fell asleep.

He did not know how long he had slept when he suddenly felt something was wrong and immediately opened his eyes.

However, he could no longer see.

A piece of black cloth, he knew not when, had already covered his eyes.

His hands had also been tied up.

And the clothes on his body seemed to be gone, as he was covered by a quilt.

Under the quilt, besides him, there was another person.

Strange, yet familiar.

"Your Majesty, spare me! I have already lost everything, I... mm..."

His plea for mercy came to an abrupt end.

First, a warm breath was exhaled onto his ear, and then, a demonic voice rang out beside his ear:

"It's fine, I brought medicine..."

"Last time it was six times, this time... seven times..."

(End of chapter)