Chapter 497 Xuan Lang

The Taoist priest knew very well that there was only one person who would dare to order the digging up of his mother's grave.

It was his half-brother. If he hadn't been a good brother who had been doing bad things and being idle all these years, causing his adoptive father to realize that his expectations had been dashed, he wouldn't have remembered his eldest son who had been gone for many years.

"Crack!"

The Taoist priest kicked his leg so hard it broke.

"Aww!"

"Everyone else, come with me and dig out the remains. Be quiet. Then go down the mountain and haul two cartloads of timber. Understand?"

The others nodded in agreement.

Then, the Taoist priest looked at Song Chunxue and said, "You stay here and watch. If anyone dares to run away, I will go back and set your master's courtyard on fire."

When the matter is investigated, they will all be implicated.

If you behave now, you'll at most get a scolding.

In less than half an hour, they dug up the coffin, and everyone worked together to lift it up.

Song Chunxue handed over a bag of silver, saying, "Get two cartloads of good-quality pine resin, and be quick."

Their eyes lit up at the sight of the silver, and they instantly felt that even if they were blamed later, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

"Okay, okay, we'll definitely do it. Wait for us."

Watching the group of people help each other leave, Song Chunxue took out a pot of wine from her Qiankun bag and handed it to the Taoist priest.

"Senior brother, do you think they will do as instructed?"

“If they don’t come up the mountain, they will suffer unbearable pain tonight, vomiting and having diarrhea, until they fulfill our request.” The Taoist priest gently lifted the soil off the coffin. “I should have come years ago.”

Song Chunxue was silent for a moment, then said, "It's not too late to come now."

She really wanted to know what Tang Yuxiu had said to him that made him come here in such a hurry.

He clearly hadn't planned to come.

But my senior brother definitely doesn't want to say it.

The Taoist priest took the wine pot, uncorked it, poured some wine onto the ground, and took two gulps.

Song Chunxue did not disturb him and quietly stayed to the side.

More than half an hour later, the two carts carrying timber returned, and they thanked Song Chunxue.

Should we thank her for giving us money, or for not letting them dig up someone's grave?

They lifted the coffin onto the arranged timber before the five men left.

It was late at night, and the fire was raging in the open space on the mountain.

Looking at the raging fire that howled in the wind, Song Chunxue felt a lump in her throat.

Her senior brother told her about his most vulnerable side.

Thinking of my senior brother's journey, he always had a sharp thorn stuck in his flesh, yet he still distributed the money he earned to those who needed it most, always doing good to others, and traversing mountains and rivers alone, yet he was able to maintain his original intention...

She greatly admired her senior.

But judging from the way my senior brother cursed today, it seems he's gone astray since meeting her.

The way they curse has become much more down-to-earth.

Judging from his expression, he must have had a good scolding.

It's nice to occasionally not be a gentleman.

A sudden heavy snowfall began on the mountain, but it did not affect the fire at all.

I don't know how much time passed before dawn broke, the fire went out, and snow covered the ashes.

The Taoist priest knelt amidst the black ashes and placed the ashes from the stone slab into a black jar.

Looking at his hunched back, Song Chunxue dared not go forward to disturb him, and couldn't help but burst into tears.

The Taoist priest stood up, dusted off his knees, turned around and saw Song Chunxue's appearance. A faint smile appeared on his gloomy, pale face.

"Why are you crying so hard, junior brother? This is my mother." He handed her the jar. "Help me wrap it with a cloth. I think I burned my knee."

Song Chunxue wiped away her tears, took the urn with both hands, and wrapped it in a black cloth.

The road down the mountain was covered with a thick layer of snow, and the wind was biting cold. Song Chunxue felt that the snow was falling for her senior brother's mother.

Down the mountain, the snowfall was indeed light.

They returned to the Yibai Inn, and the senior brother carried the urn of ashes into the room.

For the next day and night, Song Chunxue did not see her senior brother.

When I delivered the food, I only heard voices coming from inside, so I told her to just leave it at the door.

Song Chunxue didn't urge her. She thought that with so many years of resentment stuck in her heart, it would be good to cry alone for a while.

However, some clueless people just happened to come and bother us.

Old Gougua arrived with his men, and the first thing he asked was why they had dug up his third aunt's remains. He also said that all the clansmen had gathered today, and they had bought a lot of paper figures and wreaths. To welcome the paper offerings, they needed to play suonas and kneel to offer incense, and the Taoist priest had to go.

Song Chunxue pointed at him and said, "You still dare to come? It seems I was too polite to you before. My senior brother said he wouldn't go. You can even cut off your ears if you're deaf."

"You wretched woman..."

"Squeak~"

The door opened, and the old man immediately took two steps back, looking at the Taoist priest with trepidation.

"Sixth brother, I've come to..."

"I'll go if you want, but I'll hold the person who sent people to dig up my mother's grave accountable."

Old Pumpkin chuckled, "Sixth Brother, there's no rush to settle accounts now. Let's settle them after Third Uncle's burial, what do you think?"

The Taoist priest took two steps forward. "Not very good."

"Sixth Brother, I know this is not a fair thing to do. You can pursue it however you want after Third Uncle is buried, but there is another important matter today that concerns you. You must go and see it."

The Taoist priest stared straight at him. "Zhang Yaoshun, don't try any tricks on me. I don't fall for that. I don't like playing games."

"Here's the thing, a mother and child came over last night, saying they were your wife and child, Sixth Brother. Are you sure you don't want to go see them?"

Wife and children?

Song Chunxue looked at the Taoist priest in surprise.

The Taoist priest frowned. "Say that again?"

Zhang Yaoshun said with a smile, "Yes, that woman said she had a brief affair with you a few years ago, and who knew she would get pregnant, but you just left, and she has been searching for you for many years without finding a trace..."

How old is that child?

"Seven years old."

"Ha!" The Taoist priest scoffed. "Ten years ago, I went to the Northwest. Where would I find a seven-year-old child? If you want to be tied to me, don't be ridiculous."

Zhang Yaoshun smiled and his gaze fell on Song Chunxue.

"Sixth brother, I was blind before and offended your junior sister, but since you were able to bring her back, it means that you two..."

"Don't try to figure me out with your filthy and dirty thoughts. The reason I didn't leave is because I wanted to see more of the place where I grew up. It has nothing to do with you." Master Zhang pointed at him with his whisk. "If you don't want me to smash up the mourning hall, you'd better not bother me."

Old Zhang Yaoshun stepped down the stairs, about to say something, when he heard the commotion downstairs and couldn't help but smile.

"Come here, quickly pay your respects to your father."

Song Chunxue was very curious and quickly walked to the handrail and peered down.

A handsome young boy, led by a charming woman, was walking up the steps with a sorrowful expression in his eyes.

The woman, around thirty years old, dressed simply and neatly, rushed forward eagerly upon seeing the Taoist priest, exclaiming, "Xuan Lang!"

"Xuan Lang?" Song Chunxue's eyes widened. The way city people addressed each other was so cheesy.

The Taoist priest glanced at her.

Song Chunxue quickly covered her mouth, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, this is the first time I've heard such a novel way of addressing someone."

The Taoist priest took two steps back and swept his whisk to stop the woman who was about to fall into his arms.

“Young lady, please have some self-respect. You were sent by Zhang Yaoming, weren’t you? He’s really going all out, planning to have his son call me ‘father’?” the Taoist priest sneered. “He’s really generous.”

"Xuanlang, you really don't remember me? You have a mole on your thigh, and I..."

"Shut up!"