Chapter 882 The Smell of Kerosene

Upon seeing the monk Huineng again, Song Chunxue felt completely at peace.

All that happened in the past has long since faded into peace.

Even though the eldest child looks a lot like him, she no longer has any hope for that face, and she doesn't even immediately think that his soul was once the father of her children.

After shaving his head, he became Huineng.

After her rebirth, Song Chunxue's resentment towards her child's father, along with her favoritism towards her eldest son, slowly vanished into nothingness.

Hearing the monk's words, she unconsciously smiled. "That's right, we want to become Daoist partners, but the time is undecided."

She wanted to say something else, but upon closer inspection, it seemed unnecessary.

Knowing this answer is good enough; perhaps it can also completely sever those lingering attachments in his heart.

The monk's eyes flickered slightly, then he lowered his gaze to the clean cracks between the bricks on the ground, his heart filled with desolation.

They were to become Taoist partners.

Why should we remind him of those memories?

This could be a divine punishment, a torment or a test, or perhaps a warning to him that he wanted to escape unscathed.

"Huineng, won't you come in for a cup of tea?"

Master Han's voice came from behind, instantly breaking the deadlock.

Song Chunxue looked at Xie Zheng and said to him, "Let's go for a walk somewhere else."

Xie Zheng shifted his gaze from the monk and smiled at Song Chunxue, "Okay."

His hand remained firmly in Song Chunxue's hand, even though her fingers had become enlarged from endless farm work and housework, her warm and dry palm made him feel at ease.

Although he knew that Chunxue had long since let go of the monk, he still felt uneasy every time he saw a monk or even heard the name Huineng.

He hadn't forgotten that not long ago, Song Chunxue hadn't seen the monk for a month.

Besides, they had five children.

There was no official relationship or distinction between them.

Xie Zheng couldn't help but think that even a slight test could turn them into strangers.

He longed to become her Daoist partner, but the timing wasn't right.

In my youthful arrogance, I superficially studied the Book of Changes and learned about divination. After using it a few times, I thought I had already figured out the secrets and disdained to follow the trend, firmly believing that man can conquer nature.

After turning thirty, he gradually began to believe in the word "fate".

After passing the age of forty, he picked up the Book of Changes again and often read the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic.

After meeting Song Chunxue, he became obsessed with fortune telling.

He never told anyone that he had consulted the oracle dozens of times to predict their marriage, but to no avail.

He was already well-versed in the "Plum Blossom Divination" and had privately tried using various perceptible things such as sound, direction, time, movement, geography, weather, people, color, plants and animals as symbols to predict development trends and thus gain insight into opportunities.

He was no longer confused about his career path, but he couldn't predict their marriage.

Well, if he really calculates it all and the outcome doesn't meet his expectations, will he accept his fate?

"Hmm, this is a good place to practice swordsmanship, don't you think?"

They came to a bamboo grove, where the open space was covered with fallen leaves, and it looked very peaceful.

Song Chunxue immediately took out the Worry-Free Sword and looked at Xie Zheng, eager to try it out. "You look so listless. It must be that official duties are making you feel bored. Why don't you practice for a while to perk you up?"

Looking into her bright eyes, Xie Zheng smiled helplessly, realizing he had been worrying unnecessarily.

She's now obsessed with cultivation, spending her time meditating, practicing swordsmanship, and drawing talismans. She's even learned to recognize all the characters and is more interested in the books in his study than he is.

He drew his Snowdrift Sword, exuding an imposing aura, and shouted, "Come on!"

...

When Lord Zhao found them and followed them to the street, Song Chunxue remembered that Xie Zheng was still hungry.

Fortunately, there was a wonton stall on the street, so she sat down and ate a bowl with Xie Zheng.

Fangyue followed, moving closer to Song Chunxue with a slight frown.

"I feel like you're all in pairs, and I don't even know who to talk to." She muttered in a low voice, "Lord Zhao and Daoist Han are both cold and aloof, and Bai Caiwei and the monk are very strange."

As she spoke, she leaned close to Song Chunxue's ear and asked, "Do you know the monk?"

Song Chunxue glanced at Xie Zheng across from her; he was sure he could hear her.

She scooped up a wonton and put it in her mouth. "What makes you say that, Senior Sister?"

Before Fangyue could answer, he said, "We ran into each other during our previous trip to the Northwest. Senior Brother and Master Han both know about it. Did Caiwei say something that made the monk angry?"

"We just encountered a few people who were rude and harassing Caiwei. The monk directly taught them a lesson. When he did, his hat accidentally fell off, revealing his bald head," Fangyue said, shaking her head in disappointment. "The monk was quite calm. After putting his hat back on, he said that his master wanted him to go back and sweep the pagoda, and then he left."

Song Chunxue turned to look into the distance, "Where's Bai Caiwei?"

“Of course she went with the monk and took him to the temple. If she were that shameless, she would have abandoned the darkness and embraced the light long ago. Really, she had to do it.” Fangyue rested her chin on her hand, looking at the beautiful lanterns in the distance. “If I wasn’t waiting to watch the fireworks, I would have gone back long ago.”

"Fireworks?" Song Chunxue didn't know there were fireworks to watch.

"The fireworks during the Lantern Festival are even more spectacular than the lanterns, but it's still quite a walk away. Do you see those tall flower boats over there? There will be lion dances performed on them later. At the most exciting part, fireworks will light up the entire capital."

Song Chunxue, who originally wanted to go back early, suddenly perked up.

They quickly finished their wontons and headed to the best spot to watch the fireworks.

"Our senior brother is of noble status and has reserved a private room at Cuiyue Tower. It's the most suitable place for us to stand. Let's go over there now." As she spoke, Fangyue had already bought candied hawthorns and was handing them out.

Song Chunxue smiled, "Senior sister really treats us like children."

Suddenly, she smelled a distinct oily smell, which was strange, with a faint burnt aroma.

"Who says only kids like candied hawthorns? Don't you like them too?" Fangyue bit into a hawthorn.

"Beep beep beep beep~"

Fireworks exploded in the sky not far away.

Song Chunxue's eyelids twitched, and she smelled that scent again, but this time, she could tell that it was two different scents.

At 2:45 PM, they arrived at the third floor of Cuiyue Tower, the best spot to watch the fireworks.

"wrong."

Master Han suddenly stood up, stood by the window, opened his mouth, and carefully discerned something.

Song Chunxue asked curiously, "Did you smell the odor of some organ?"

"You smelled it too?" Master Han looked at the brothel warily. "It's kerosene, and it's unusually strong."

Zhao Jin and Xie Zheng were both startled and immediately stood up from their chairs.

"Is it really kerosene?" Lord Zhao knew that Master Han was originally a snake, and his sense of smell was dozens of times higher than that of ordinary people.

He immediately did some quick calculations with his fingers, and his pupils suddenly trembled. "A very bad omen. Someone is planning to cause trouble tonight."

Xie Zheng immediately walked out, saying, "I'm going to the government office."

"No need. You can't move them unless the fire starts," Lord Zhao said in a deep voice. "Put up the fire-avoidance talismans first, and my two junior brothers should leave here."