CHAPTER 201: CHAPTER 200: KNEEL

The doctor who was called over said the pulse of their miss was normal, she was just asleep.

A bunch of useless doctors, Fu Ling was so angry she wanted to hit someone. "Asleep? Then why did we call you all here? To watch our miss sleep?"

"You’re right, the old fraud must have run away. We shouldn’t look anymore.

Go quickly and invite the best doctors you know in Luocheng."

"Alright, I’m on it!"

The next day, it wasn’t the officers looking for Granny Ji anymore, but arresting.

Anyone who could provide clues on the old fraud would be rewarded ten silver, and directly catching the old fraud would earn a hundred silver.

Yu Xiaolian originally planned to throw Granny Ji’s body away on a dark and windy night, but with the bounty out, she changed her mind.

Don’t misunderstand, she wasn’t after the hundred silver.

For a mere hundred silver, getting into a mess wasn’t worth it.

Since they thought Granny Ji fled due to her poor skills, she might as well help them along and make Granny Ji disappear completely.

Returning from Shuren Academy, Yu Xiaolian left the city alone, found a bottomless cliff, and threw down Granny Ji’s corpse, along with the corpse of a plumed bird.

Who knows what strange bugs this bird fed on to grow, she dared not eat it.

However, on this journey, she traveled too far. On the way there, preoccupied with matters, she didn’t feel tired, but on the way back, her legs were stiff from walking.

By the time Yu Xiaolian returned to the city, Xiao Tiger and Su Jingyue had already returned from school. The two were practicing martial arts with Zhao Sanyan in the yard, with Su Jingyue’s movements looking somewhat proper, while Xiao Tiger and Zhao Sanyan were just flailing around.

As soon as Xiao Tiger saw Yu Xiaolian, he immediately ran over. "Sister, Zhao Xudong’s house protector is really amazing! He stomped on the ground, tapped once on the academy wall, and flew to the opposite roof, then stepped a few times in the air and landed steadily behind Zhao Xudong.

Sister, I also want a protector who knows martial arts, I want to learn martial arts from him."

Yu Xiaolian actually also felt that practicing martial arts was very necessary. In times of chaos, mastering martial arts could be life-saving.

Moreover, chaos was not far away. After the Crown Prince’s death, several princes held their own territories, causing true chaos for years!

"Then someday I’ll ask Escort Head Zhao if there’s anyone at the Escort Agency willing to become a protector for our family?"

A protector skilled in martial arts isn’t like hiring laborers with raw strength, you can’t just buy one. Usually, excellently skilled individuals are sought after by many wealthy families.

Xiao Tiger was so happy he jumped up and down, reminding, "Sister, you have to find someone even more impressive than Zhao Xudong’s protector, someone who can fly."

Yu Xiaolian tapped Xiao Tiger’s forehead, "Got it. Why do you little children have such a strong sense of competition?"

Xiao Tiger replied, "I want a powerful master, when the master is strong, then I can be strong too. I want to learn all his skills!"

Yu Xiaolian asked, "Have you two finished your homework?"

Su Jingyue said, "Tomorrow is the Ghost Festival, the academy gave us a holiday, we’ll do it tomorrow!"

Yu Xiaolian responded with an oh, unknowingly the Ghost Festival had arrived, it seems her mother will be saddened for a few days again.

In the past, during the Ghost Festival, her mother would always buy a packet of fine pastries and burning paper, to worship Yu Zikuang, and for many days, her mood would be very down.

Now they were far in Luocheng, it was impossible to go worship at the grave.

Yu Xiaolian found Sun Shi, who was in a daze alone, "Mom, let’s set up a memorial plaque for Brother Kuang and Grandpa in the temple here?"

Sun Shi’s eyes lit up, why didn’t she think of that? Setting up a plaque in the temple, not only could they enjoy the incense offerings, they could also listen to the Dharma, it’s a good thing!

Though to set up a plaque in the temple, the family had to regularly add incense money, they weren’t lacking money now, "Let’s do it!"

On the fifteenth of July, the Ghost Festival.

Yu Xiaolian took Sun Shi and Sun Granny, hired a carriage, and went to the largest temple outside Luocheng—Longhua Temple.

The carriage could only reach the gate of the mountain, the rest of the way had to be walked up step by step.

Today, many people came to the temple to offer incense. On the way up the mountain, people were coming and going, bustling around.

Yu Xiaolian, supporting the heavily pregnant Sun Shi, walked the slowest, even Sun Granny, full of energy, walked ahead of them.

Longhua Temple was built on a remote mountain outside Luocheng, with thousands of steps just to go up the mountain. Yu Xiaolian and the three took rests along the way, finally, after half an hour, reached the temple gate.

At the merit box at the gate, they donated incense money and received sandalwood, then the three of them entered the main hall to kneel and worship Buddha and Bodhisattvas.

After three kneelings and nine prostrations, Yu Xiaolian helped Sun Shi up and asked the monk guarding the merit box at the gate about how to offer a plaque.

The monk pointed in a direction, "To offer a plaque, go take care of it at the Ksitigarbha Hall over there."

Sun Shi thanked the monk, and the three headed to the Ksitigarbha Hall. Beside the Ksitigarbha Hall, there was a small table with paper, ink, brushes, and inkstone on it. An elderly monk was engrossed in writing, making records for the people in front.

Yu Xiaolian let Sun Shi and Sun Granny sit and rest on the steps, while she went to queue.

The queue was long, mostly consisting of wealthy families with money to spare.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in front.

"Hey, why are you cutting in line? We’ve been waiting for a long time!"

"Yes, yes, go to the back of the line!"

Fu Ling ignored the protesting people and went straight to the monk making records and slapped a silver note on the table, "My miss is seriously ill, I want to set up a prayer plaque for her, you..."

"Is this maid hard of hearing? My old madam said go to the end of the line!" Another maid reached out to pull Fu Ling back.

Fu Ling slapped the maid back and, not to be outdone, they immediately started fighting.

The two martial masters accompanying Fu Ling saw her hair being grabbed, so they kicked the maid away.

The maid was kicked right at Yu Xiaolian’s feet, spat out a mouthful of blood, and fainted after tilting her head.

"Someone, come quickly..." an elderly female voice shouted, "Hold down this vile servant for me!"

When the old lady shouted, a group of guards with knives came quickly, encircling Fu Ling and the others.

Fu Ling’s expression didn’t change, she raised her voice and said, "I am of the family of Great General Yu, who dares touch me?"

The old lady stomped her cane heavily on the ground and asked in a deep voice, "Which Great General Yu? Could it be the one who barely knows any characters?"

Fu Ling was at a loss for words, indeed, their general did not know many characters, he became a general relying on his bravery.

Of course, their Great General’s success today also couldn’t have happened without the strategic advice from the Left Military Advisor.

But if Fu Ling admitted she came from the general’s family known for barely knowing any characters, wouldn’t she be disgracing her general?

Old Lady Lu seeing Fu Ling’s look, knew she had guessed right, then sternly glared at Fu Ling, "Do you know who I, the old madam, am?"

Only then did Fu Ling carefully look at the old lady. At first glance, her clothes didn’t appear special, but on closer inspection, they were made from rare, valuable material. Further examining, until she saw the brown-red deer-head cane, Fu Ling fell to her knees with a thud.