Chapter 116: You Owe Me a Life!

Outside the Prince’s Estate’s East Courtyard.

Li Fengrao and Hou Dexian had chased from the Xu Family to this spot.

Upon learning that Ding Suian had suddenly returned because his childhood sweetheart had contracted a severe plague, Li Fengrao found it difficult to say anything more.

Hou Dexian feigned sighs for a while, then finally said, “Alas! A man must ultimately prioritize his achievements. Now that the Prefecture Yamen is all set up, how can it lack its main character? Head Ding was formerly a subordinate of the Princess Consort. I trouble the Princess Consort to persuade him to come out and finish the parade duty first. It’s not too late to return afterward. A true man, why worry about not having a wife?”

Lin Hansu was extremely displeased by this and almost couldn’t hold back from cursing him.

But reacting too strongly would reveal too much.

She could only take a few deep breaths, forcing down her emotions.

Just then, Uncle Zhang, the steward from the front residence, hurried over, “Your Highness, a woman outside the estate wishes to see Head Ding~”

Normally, Lin Hansu wouldn’t need to personally handle such a small matter.

But firstly, she didn’t want to continue facing Hou Dexian, and secondly, ‘a woman wants to see Head Ding’ did pique some curiosity, so she took the opportunity to say, “Please make yourselves at home, esteemed sirs.”

Following Uncle Zhang to the estate gate, Lin Hansu was momentarily stunned.

At the bottom of the steps, a graceful and beautiful woman in a crimson dress was smiling as she looked at her.

“Greetings, Princess Consort of Lanyang~”

Lin Hansu was just thinking the woman looked familiar when she heard her coquettish voice, full of twists and turns, and instantly remembered.

It was that crazy woman!

The crazy woman who had flirted with her at the small training ground!

“What are you doing here?”

Lin Hansu’s expression immediately turned cold.

Xu Jiuxi, however, didn’t care at all, covering her mouth with a smile, “Naturally, Head Ding called me over.”

“If you’re looking for him, go to his house! What are you doing at my Prince Lanyangs Estate!”

Lin Hansu’s first impression of Xu Jiuxi was extremely poor. Hearing her say she was looking for Ding Suian now naturally made her even more disgusted, so she immediately turned to Uncle Zhang and said, “See her out~”

But just a few steps out, she suddenly heard the improper woman behind her say in a charming voice, “Then I’ll trouble the Princess Consort to inform Head Ding that Head of the Law Academy Xu Jiuxi has returned to Central Heaven~ Hehe~”

.

Lin Hansu’s steps halted.

Oh dear! How could she have forgotten about this? Ding Suian had said that she was the Head of the Law Academy.

That was a Purple-robed Cultivator of the State Religion.

Ding Suian must have called her over to save Ruan Ruan!

.

Lin Hansu silently turned around, bowed slightly, her face burning with embarrassment from her earlier arrogance and current deference, but still said, “Please, Headmaster, enter the estate.”

“Didn’t you just say he was at his house?”

“This Princess remembered incorrectly. He is currently inside the estate.”

“Hehe~”

Xu Jiuxi giggled sweetly, “Then, I trouble the Princess Consort to personally lead the way~”

Make this old lady personally lead the way for you?

Damn it!

“Headmaster, this way, please!”

Lead the way, then!

Outside the East Courtyard.

Hou Dexian was growing increasingly agitated, wanting to barge in and personally persuade Ding Suian to ‘prioritize the bigger picture,’ yet he was unwilling to get too close to a ‘plague’ patient.

Lest he contract the plague.

As he hesitated, he suddenly saw Princess Consort of Lanyang and a crimson-clad woman gracefully approaching from a distance.

Princess Consort of Lanyang, still in mourning, usually dressed in plain clothes.

The two women, one in red and one in white, were exceptionally eye-catching.

There was no need to mention the Princess Consort; her beauty was renowned ever since she married into the Prince’s Estate. But now, she was a female Chancellor of the Princesss Residence, a confidante of Princess Xingguo, and Supervisor Yuan’s closed-door Disciple, so naturally no one dared to harbor improper thoughts.

However, the crimson-clad woman had peach blossom eyes and a slender waist, her graceful steps swaying like willows in the breeze, and her glances exuded natural charm.

As the two passed by, Hou Dexian puffed out his chest, seemingly noticing her inadvertently, and stroked his beard with cultured grace, “This official is the Lanyang Assistant Prefect. May I ask this lady—”

Xu Jiuxi didn’t stop, looked over upon hearing him, and lightly parted her cherry lips, “Scram. If you want to be lewd, go home and suckle your old mother’s teats~”

Hou Dexian’s hand, stroking his beard, tightened, pulling out several strands of hair.

“Pfft~”

Head Constable Jiao next to him couldn’t hold it in.

“What are you laughing at!”

“This humble subordinate didn’t, didn’t laugh! Pfft…”

East Courtyard, guest room.

Xu Jiuxi stood quietly by the bed, her beautiful eyes cast down upon Ruan Ruan, whose breath was as faint as a wisp of smoke.

Ding Suian and Lin Hansu stood nervously to the side.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour, seeing Xu Jiuxi neither offering help nor speaking, Ding Suian said with a hint of urgency, “Please, Headmaster, lend a helping hand—”

Xu Jiuxi then turned her head, but her eyes lingered for a moment on Ding and Lin, who were standing side-by-side, as if sensing something. Lin Hansu quickly moved a few steps away, creating some distance, under the pretense of checking Ruan Ruan’s condition.

“I can save her~”

Xu Jiuxi said with a smile.

Ding Suian couldn’t help but let out a long breath, but the next moment, Xu Jiuxi suddenly said, “But why should I save her?”

Hearing this, Lin Hansu quickly said, “The State Religion cares for all living beings under heaven. As someone from the State Religion, Headmaster naturally wouldn’t stand by and watch an innocent young girl die.”

Xu Jiuxi glanced at her askance, as if she had heard something ridiculous, and disdained to reply.

Then she looked at Ding Suian again, as if waiting for him to offer new terms.

Ding Suian pondered for a moment, “Upon returning to the capital, within three months, I will compose three more pieces for the Law Academy. The kind that can produce String Blades!”

“Sounds good~” Xu Jiuxi pursed her full cherry lips and smiled, “But I don’t think it’s enough.”

.

It seemed she had no intention of helping.

Ding Suian began to consider if he, along with Daoist Master Yunxu, could subdue Xu Jiuxi and force her to save someone—

But at this moment, Xu Jiuxi twirled her skirt, sat on the edge of the bed, raised her right hand, her cherry lips silently parting and closing, and a faint green glow emanated from her slender white palm as she gently stroked Ruan Ruan’s forehead.

Each of her choices seemed to be deliberately unexpected.

A moment later, a thin layer of fine sweat beaded on Xu Jiuxi’s fair forehead.

Ruan Ruan, however, let out a soft moan and slowly opened her eyes.

“Ruan Ruan!”

Lin Hansu cried out softly and rushed to the bedside. Ruan Ruan could feel that the plague poison that had tormented her body was being drawn out, as if silk threads were being painstakingly extracted. Her eyes were a little dazed. Seeing Princess Consort Sister’s concerned expression, she weakly said, “Princess Consort Sister, did you save Ruan Ruan?”

“No~” Lin Hansu’s gaze towards Xu Jiuxi was exceptionally complex.

As the true savior, Xu Jiuxi didn’t even bother to explain or care for Ruan Ruan to remember her life-saving grace. She simply stood up and walked towards the door.

The moment the door opened, Miao Qing and the others eagerly peered inside.

Seeing that Ruan Ruan seemed to have improved, they couldn’t help but let out surprised whispers.

Xu Jiuxi, as if annoyed, pushed through the crowd and walked out. Once outside the room, she turned back, pointed her index finger at Ding Suian, “Young Master Ding of the Ding Family, remember this~” She then brought her index finger back to tap her ample chest, “You, owe me a life!”

On the twenty-sixth day of the seventh month, Head of the Law Academy Xu Jiuxi arrived in Lanyang.

While taking over the handling of the ‘Rat Demon impersonating an Immortal Master of the State Religion’ incident, she cooperated with the Lanyang Prefecture Yamen and the Vermilion Bird Army to strictly enforce plague prevention measures once again.

Five or six days later, the spread of the severe plague, which had been on the verge of getting out of control, was effectively curbed.

By the tenth day of the eighth month, the daily number of infected individuals had dropped to single digits.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the number of infected individuals was ‘zero’ for the first time.

Victory was imminent. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Fengrao hosted a banquet at the Prefecture Yamen, on behalf of all the people of Lanyang, to entertain the righteous individuals who had come to provide aid.

Li Baicheng, Daoist Master Yunxu, and Zhisheng were all present.

Returning to the estate at night, Ding Suian and Zhisheng sat chatting in the small training ground of Diying Garden.

“AZhi, the plague is about to end. Where are you planning to go next?”

“Wandering the four directions. Experiencing the Mortal World to its fullest.”

“Why wander the four directions to experience the Mortal World? Just Central Heaven is enough for you to experience.”

“Amitabha.”

Zhisheng looked up at the bright silver moon in the mid-heaven, a hint of confusion in his small eyes.

“AZhi, why don’t you return to Central Heaven with me?”

“What could This poor monk do in Central Heaven?”

“You can be my doorman! One tael and five mace of silver per month, with food and lodging included. How about it?”

Zhisheng hesitated upon hearing this.

Ding Suian quickly said, “AZhi! I’m telling you, I’m offering you such a high salary because I consider you a brother. Last time I met an old man at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, he only asked for one tael and two mace of silver, crying and begging me, but I didn’t give him this lucrative job! What are you still hesitating for?”

Zhisheng said, “Wealth is an external possession. This poor monk is not hesitating because of the amount of money.”

“Then why?”

“Buddhism does not speak of transactions; our hands do not touch silver money—”

“Hah! That’s easy. You be my doorman, and I won’t give you money, so it won’t be a transaction!”

“Hmm! That’s a good idea!”

“Hahaha!”

“Amitabha~”