Chapter Thirty-Two
Three adults, including two Taoist masters, failed to keep an eye on the little beggar, allowing him to slip away right under their noses.
Pei Xuanji was riding ahead on her horse when she turned her horse around. Before she even knew what had happened, she saw a dark shadow dart into the alleyway beside her.
She stood frozen on her horse, and asked in surprise, "Senior, that was a petty thief, wasn't it? You..."
Zhang He was so annoyed that he kept scratching his head, unable to speak for a long time.
Li Zhi, not wanting to be outdone, leaned out and asked, "Master Zhang, is the money pouch in your sleeve still there?"
Of course it's gone!
As soon as the little beggar sprang up, Zhang He knew something was wrong. He reached out and felt the money pouch in his sleeve had disappeared.
He rubbed his face vigorously and said in a sinister tone, "I have a magic array on my money pouch. You'll see, do you really think a petty thief can steal it?"
"He stole your purse," Li Zhi concluded.
"Is there a lot of money inside?" Pei Xuanji asked with concern.
“…You!” Zhang He was on the verge of tears, his heart aching. “How could it not be much! I just received my salary, and I haven’t even had a chance to spend a single penny!”
"It's alright. You've been well taken care of by Master Pei and Chief Commander Ji these past few days, and I see you haven't spent much money," Li Zhi comforted him.
"Li Zhi!"
Zhang He wanted to turn around and talk to him, but Li Zhi had already climbed back into the carriage.
He then turned to look at Pei Xuanji.
Pei Xuanji had already ridden far away when she called out loudly from the front, "Senior, forget it, don't go looking for it. It wouldn't sound good if people knew that a dignified Celestial Master had his purse stolen by a petty thief."
"Knowing you still speak so loudly, keep your voice down!" Zhang He said through gritted teeth.
Zhang He turned back to ask Li Zhi, only to find that Li Zhi had already begun studying the "Discourse on the Heavenly Strategy" in the carriage.
It's better to avoid trouble, and neither of them seemed to agree with his decision to retrieve the purse.
Zhang He felt as if his heart was being torn apart.
Alright, the three of them were unfamiliar with the place, and the county's Taoist priests did not earn much each month. Considering the severe drought in Jiangbei Prefecture and the hardship the people were going through, he decided not to go looking for them and consider it an act of charity.
But that little beggar must not fall into his hands.
The loss of a month's salary made Zhang Tianshi extremely focused on the second half of his journey.
Originally, Zhang He thought that since there were constables everywhere in the prefectural city, it would be difficult for petty thieves to cause trouble, so he was a bit careless. This time, his money bag was stolen, and he was seriously injured. So he put on the spirit he usually had when solving cases, and his eyes scanned back and forth across the pedestrians passing by in twos and threes on the street.
Upon closer inspection, some problems became apparent.
Along the way, there were always some gloomy, ambiguous gazes, carrying a hint of malice, constantly scrutinizing them in the alleys and at the base of walls.
When Zhang He looked over without flinching, the people who were looking away turned their heads away again.
They all had honest-looking faces and didn't seem like bad people.
But the malice they perceived was genuine.
If Pei Xuanji's horse hadn't been exceptionally fine, and if Zhang He's carriage hadn't had the hidden markings of the Strange People's Temple, what would these people have done?
Zhang He looked up at the sky.
The sun was high in the sky.
"If it doesn't rain soon, people will turn into ghosts," Zhang Tianshi murmured.
Pei Xuanji, who was riding ahead on horseback, seemed to have heard Zhang He's words. She raised her head in confusion and asked, "Speaking of which, I saw in the local chronicles of Jiangbei Prefecture yesterday that in July, Jiangbei Prefecture is usually shrouded in clouds and fog with occasional light rain. Why is there such an unusual situation this year?"
Pei Xuanji reined in her horse.
She turned to Zhang He and said, "Senior, could this strange occurrence be due to the work of demons or ghosts?"
Zhang He was taken aback. He instinctively wanted to retort, but then he stopped.
If such a great disaster was caused by demons and monsters, then just how powerful must those demons and monsters be?
Zhang He wanted to say that powerful demons and ghosts in the world are ultimately a minority.
But just because it's a minority doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Pei Xuanji let the horse walk on its own, and she turned to Zhang He and said, "Such a huge natural disaster, why doesn't the Yiren Temple go and investigate the cause? Doesn't this have any impact on Ji Ren?"
After saying this, she suddenly recalled the water she used for bathing every day at the Ji residence.
Pei Xuanji sighed, "It really won't have much of an impact on these people."
These past two days, she frequently visited the Yiren Temple and its government offices. The Taoist masters she encountered all appeared normal, as if the scorching sun over Jiangbei Prefecture had nothing to do with them.
Zhang He also said, "When Yiren Temple investigates a case, the first thing they need is for someone to report it. If no one reports it, the Celestial Master's life is also at stake. It's better to avoid trouble."
The two of them were discussing something outside, and Li Zhi listened intently, holding the book in his hands, lost in thought.
Li Zhi and the other two walked for a long time inside the Ji residence.
There was no one there; even the insects had died from the heat, and there wasn't a sound in the courtyard.
After rolling around on the bed twice out of boredom, Baozhu got off the bed shakily and tried to take a few steps with its four paws on the ground.
She was so bored that if she couldn't leave her room and go outside, Baozhu felt she might become the first fox demon to suffocate to death.
Even though her body was still aching, Baozhu insisted on getting out of bed and walking around so she could get some exercise.
Baozhu walked from the bed to the door, bared her teeth, and used her head to push the door open, wanting to go to the yard and take a stroll around the osmanthus tree in the middle.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out of the room, a wave of heat hit her head and slammed into Baozhu's body.
"Ouch!" Baozhu looked up and quickly retreated back inside the door.
She never imagined that such an inconspicuous little courtyard would have a heat-insulating magic array set up inside the house.
"Who lived in this house before?" Since it was so hot outside, Baozhu gave up her idea of taking a walk and staggered back into the house, rummaging through drawers and cabinets to pass the time.
She was still a little reserved in front of Li Zhi, but now that Li Zhi was not around and Baozhu could move around a bit more, her true nature as a wild fox demon was revealed.
She didn't care whether she was a guest or not, or whether she was rummaging through the owner's house.
After rummaging around, she actually found something.
"What is this?" Baozhu found a tiny book hidden in an inconspicuous crack in the wall next to the bedside table.
She carefully pried it out with her claws and opened it.
"I have a deep longing for you, Ji Lang, and wish to grow old together with you..."
A small book was filled with someone's love for Ji Lang and their feelings after being intimate with him, written in extremely small and beautiful characters.
Baozhu closed the book expressionlessly and stuffed it back into the crack in the wall.
This mortal woman is truly not picky; she can love any kind of man.
Ji Lang, isn't this Ji Ren, the deputy chief of the Yiren Temple in Jiangbei Prefecture, the one Li Zhi and Baozhu mentioned?
When Baozhu thought of this person, an image of a droopy-faced old man with a vacant look in his eyes came to mind. She could never imagine that any graceful young woman would call him Ji Lang.
The fox suddenly shivered.
She turned around and went to search through another room.
Just as I took a step, I heard several people talking and laughing as they walked toward the courtyard in the distance.
Baozhu's ears twitched, and she heard Li Zhi's voice in the middle of the conversation.
They walked very fast and arrived at the courtyard gate in no time.
Baozhu cried out inwardly that something was wrong. She only had time to restore the messy cabinet to its original state before Li Zhi pushed open the door and she threw herself onto the bed.
Li Zhi pushed open the courtyard gate and returned to the room. Every piece of furniture was placed at an angle. Looking into the inner room, a fox was lying properly on the bed. It seemed to have heard him return and looked at him sleepily.
"You're back quite early today," Miss Baozhu said.
Li Zhi hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over Baozhu's fox tail.
For some reason, the tail seemed to become stiff and no longer swayed freely, but instead clung tightly to the side of the pearl's body.
Li Zhi almost burst out laughing. He placed the "Discussion on Heaven" book on the table, walked to the bedside, and softly asked Baozhu, "Are you feeling better now? Can you get out of bed and walk around?"
Baozhu shook her head vigorously and said, "No, it won't work. It hurts everywhere. I need to rest for a while longer."
Li Zhi gently stroked the fox's head and smiled, "With me here, you can rest for a few days."
After saying that, he reached out and loosened Baozhu's muscles and bones.
“If you stay in bed for a long time, you may not have the strength to stand up later. You should massage it from time to time,” Li Zhi explained.
His hands were long and strong, pressing on Baozhu until she groaned and became dazed, but she naturally had no objections.
Li Zhi only stopped when the fox's tail began to swing contentedly again.
He didn't hide from Baozhu; he sat down at the table and began to study the Treatise on Heaven.
Baozhu curiously craned her neck to look, and saw a single character for "strategy" on the worn page. She assumed Li Zhi was reading a collection of policy essays, but then belatedly realized that it was already the end of July, and the autumn imperial examinations were just around the corner.
It's been less than twenty days, and Li Zhi is still in Jiangbei Prefecture!
"Hurry up and study! I haven't seen you take out any books to read these days!" Baozhu suddenly became anxious. "When are you going back to Xiandu Prefecture?"
Li Zhi turned around in surprise, then said naturally, "Baozhu, I'm not taking the exam."
Who's not taking the exam...?
Li Zhi isn't taking the exam?!
These words were like a bolt from the blue for Baozhu!
Her mind was buzzing, and she subconsciously asked, "What does that mean? 'I'm not taking the exam anymore'?"
Baozhu jumped off the bed and limped toward Li Zhi.
Li Zhi quickly got up to catch her and held her in his arms.
In Li Zhi's arms, Baozhu stared intently into his eyes, trying to find any evidence that he was joking.
But the scholar's heart was as deep as the sea, and Baozhu looked at him for a long time but still couldn't see through him.
She said in a trembling voice, "Why..."
Li Zhi held her tightly, his eyes lowered, and remained silent for a long time.
Only when the pearl in his arms began to struggle did he whisper, "Jiangbei Prefecture is suffering from a severe drought, and the people outside are living in misery and cannot survive."
Baozhu looked at him in confusion, thinking to herself, "What does this have to do with you?"
"I cannot be a pure villain, nor can I become a true gentleman."
Li Zhi looked away, no longer staring into Baozhu's eyes.
Like a hard, tightly wrapped cocoon, its many layers of confinement have been broken, revealing an extremely small part of its interior to the world.
A hint of fatigue was visible on Li Zhi's face.
His current young face, untouched by the vicissitudes of life, gradually overlapped with his former self in Baozhu's eyes.
He was already old then, with wrinkles on his face and deep lines between his brows.
His strong arms were no longer strong, and his back began to show signs of hunching.
One day, Li Zhi, who held supreme power, finally had some free time. After returning home, he held Baozhu in his arms and teased her, "If I were to retire from officialdom, how about we go back to our hometown together and live as farmers?"
"Okay!" Baozhu hugged Li Zhi back, feeling happy. "Let's go back to our hometown tomorrow."
Her head was buried in Li Zhi's chest, and she only heard Li Zhi's soft laughter, but did not see his eyes at that moment.
Or perhaps even if she had seen it clearly at the time, she wouldn't have understood it.
She only ever remembered things from much earlier times, when Li Zhi went to the capital to take the imperial examination and they lived together in a very dilapidated courtyard on the outskirts of the capital.
Li Zhi was woken up early in the morning by his fellow villagers and waited for his results with the students of Xiandu Prefecture in a restaurant.
The servants who had been waiting for the results to be posted finally copied down the names on the list.
The attendant, straddling a red flower, banged a gong and shouted slogans all the way.
"Li Zhi from Qiling County ranked third among the second-class Jinshi!"
Cheers erupted in the restaurant. Fellow villagers who had taken the exam together gathered around Li Zhi to congratulate him, and Zhou Huan hoisted Li Zhi onto his shoulders.
Many more fellow villagers followed, and together they happily went out into the street, cheering joyfully.
Baozhu hid far away at the street corner, watching the uncontrollable joy on Li Zhi's face.
He dismounted from Zhou Huan's shoulder, declined numerous invitations to banquets from wealthy families, and hurriedly returned to the small courtyard where he lived with Baozhu.
"Baozhu!" Li Zhi burst into the room with a loud laugh and picked up Baozhu in his arms.
He held his beloved woman in his arms, circling around in the cramped, narrow half-courtyard.
"I passed the exam. I will give you a big house and countless jewels. I will definitely make sure you live a good life."
Li Zhi put down the pearl, reached out and took the dull silver hairpin from her hair, and threw it far away forcefully.
Baozhu's long, flowing black hair cascaded down her back, her face flushed with a rosy blush, but she couldn't speak, only smiling at him.
Li Zhi, panting with excitement, cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.
He looked at her for a long time before calming down, then he lowered his head and kissed her lips.
It was a deep, passionate kiss.
Baozhu was breathless from the kiss. She clung to Li Zhi's neck, wishing she could die with him in that kiss.
After a long time, they finally parted ways.
Li Zhi lowered his head and pressed his forehead against Baozhu's, murmuring, "I have no family left, I don't need to tell anyone anymore. Heaven and Earth are my witnesses, Baozhu, will you be my wife?"
His gaze was so earnest that Baozhu couldn't help but tear up.
It was such a joyful moment, so why were she bursting into tears?
Baozhu choked up, mumbling incomprehensible words, saying, "...Okay."
Li Zhi hugged her tightly once again, then released her and tenderly kissed away the tears from Baozhu's eyes.
Li Zhi led her to a grove of trees by the lake.
They knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to heaven and earth.
"I, Li Zhi, wish to marry Baozhu and grow old together, sharing both honor and disgrace."
"I am Baozhu—"
Baozhu cried so hard she could hardly breathe.
"I wish to marry Li Zhi, and from now on... grow old together, sharing both honor and disgrace."
With heaven and earth as witnesses, Baozhu and Li Zhi became husband and wife.
After dark, Li Zhi found a small boat and helped Baozhu board it.
The small boat drifted aimlessly on the lake under the night sky.
That day, countless stars in the sky watched without blinking as a newlywed couple rowed a boat in the dead of night.
I watched them enjoying each other's company under a sky full of stars, without any shame.
When they finally calmed down, Li Zhi released the pearl from his arms, put on his clothes, and stood at the bow of the ship.
He gazed quietly at the lake surface, shimmering in the moonlight.
Baozhu gazed longingly at her husband's face from inside the boat.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Zhi turned to look at Baozhu, his eyes shining with something more dazzling than starlight.
"Baozhu, I wish to ride the long wind and break through ten thousand miles of waves."
Baozhu wanted to say that there was no wind on the lake, let alone waves.
But she was so captivated by Li Zhi's indomitable youthful spirit that she couldn't bring herself to say anything that would spoil the beautiful moment.
So much so that she would think of that moment many years later.
Her newlywed, spirited husband stood under the dazzling starry sky and spoke to her in the calmest tone about his ideals and ambitions.
The beauty of that moment made Baozhu overlook the increasingly weary expression on Li Zhi's face and the later and later he lingered in the study over the years that followed.
Li Zhi's weary gaze gradually merged with that of the eighteen-year-old man before him.
Baozhu belatedly recalled the events.
Do you still want to ride the wind and break through ten thousand miles of waves?
She wanted to ask Li Zhi, who was covered in dust and looked exhausted.
But he's no longer here.
Twenty years is too long for mortals, but too short for fox spirits.
Over the years, Li Zhi lost his ideals and ambitions, while Baozhu lost the Li Zhi who possessed those ideals and ambitions.
Today, when she can no longer find that Li Zhi, Baozhu belatedly realizes it.
She looked at Li Zhi in front of her, and saw the hesitation and struggle in his eyes.
Baozhu felt waves of regret and sadness.
She transformed back into a woman in Li Zhi's arms.
It's night again, under the starry sky.
With tears in her eyes, Baozhu reached out and touched Li Zhi's face, her voice trembling as she said, "If you don't want to take the exam, then you don't have to. Just live a happy life in this world."
Li Zhi's eyes were red, his lips were tightly pursed, and he stared at Baozhu without moving for a moment.
Baozhu apologized to him in a voice barely audible.
"I'm sorry."
She didn't know who she was talking to.
He then reached out and embraced Li Zhi, who had lowered his head.
As the night passed, Baozhu gained a much deeper understanding of Li Zhi from the past.
But these realizations always made her feel troubled whenever she thought about them.
Therefore, when she discovered that Li Zhi not only no longer wanted to take the imperial examination, but also brought back a Celestial Master's Manual to study, the fox demon was not angry at all, but generously defended Li Zhi in her heart.
The Celestial Master is free to travel around, which is certainly more enjoyable than his previous life.
"When you become a Celestial Master, the first thing you won't do is take me in and turn me into a scarf, will you?" Baozhu also probed Li Zhi, half-jokingly.
Upon receiving this, Li Zhi smiled helplessly: "How could that be?"
Li Zhi learned very quickly. The next day, he was able to use the cinnabar and talisman paper that Zhang He had sent to draw some simple spells.
This surprised Baozhu. She circled around Li Zhi, asking in surprise, "You're actually this talented?"
Li Zhi smiled demurely: "It's alright."
Li Zhi's talent not only shocked Baozhu, but Zhang He and Pei Xuanji were also astonished when they saw it.
"It's a real pity that someone with such talent isn't a Celestial Master," Pei Xuanji sighed, her expression complex.
“You’ll definitely pass the entrance exam, and you might even become a key talent for Jiangbei Prefecture,” Zhang He added. “Don’t forget, you’ve already impressed Ji Ren before, so he’ll definitely appreciate you.”
Before Li Zhi could answer, Pei Xuanji suddenly said to Zhang He, "Senior, I promised Ji Ren that I would be transferred to Jiangbei Prefecture, and I also made a condition to him."
"What?" Zhang He looked at her in surprise.
“I told him I want to transfer you here too.” Pei Xuanji didn’t dare look at Zhang He’s expression and spoke quickly. “If I were alone in Jiangbei Prefecture, I would be completely isolated and helpless. Besides, I asked Ji Ren and found out that the salary in Jiangbei Prefecture is three times that of Qiling County, and there will be a large bonus at the end of the year.”
Zhang He remained silent after hearing Pei Xuanji's words.
Seeing this, Pei Xuanji became extremely nervous, large beads of sweat appearing on her forehead as she cautiously observed Zhang He's expression.
Li Zhi also put down the "Discussion on Heaven" in his hand and looked at Zhang He.
Zhang He pondered for a while, then calculated with his fingers and said, "So, how much more salary will I get in a year?"
Pei Xuanji breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I've already calculated that it will bring in at least ten taels of silver more each year!"
“Who would turn down ten taels of silver!” Zhang He said smugly.
The three were determined to finish the matter in one day, so they planned to go to the Yiren Temple government office together on the day of Li Zhi's examination to complete the formalities.
On that day, Baozhu unusually got up very early.
She lay in bed watching Li Zhi pack his things and then go out to bring her breakfast.
Baozhu was not fully recovered, so Li Zhi suggested that she should keep her fox appearance.
"The Treatise on Heaven states that in order to maintain their human form, demons will consume their own demonic power."
He persuaded Baozhu with classical texts, and even though he knew she could walk, he still served her closely as always.
Baozhu ate the food Li Zhi fed her with a worried expression, and said, "I should be able to pass the exam."
"Of course." Li Zhi's tone remained unchanged, his expression serious, as if the current task was even more daunting than the college entrance exam.
After carefully packing the precious pearl, he prepared to set off with a relaxed expression.
"Oh, by the way, I have a gift for you when I get back."
Before leaving, Li Zhi suddenly turned back and said to Baozhu.
"What gift? Tell me before you go." Baozhu hurriedly tried to stop him.
But Li Zhi left without looking back.
The three of them arrived at the yamen with familiarity with the place. They split into two groups: Li Zhi went to take the entrance exam, while Zhang He and Pei Xuanji went to handle the transfer procedures.
Unlike traditional government offices, the various departments of the Yiren Temple have their own communication channels. Zhang He and Pei Xuanji only waited a short while before their colleagues from the Earth Department said to them amicably, "It's all taken care of. The head of the department has already instructed me. From now on, you two will be in Group A of the Heaven Department. The group leader is Zhao Jia. Just go and find him."
Unlike their colleagues in the Earth Division, who do not go on missions, the Heaven Division is the most important branch of the Temple of Strange People. All the Celestial Masters who can go on missions come from this division.
Pei Xuanji quickly stepped forward to thank her colleague and coaxed him into revealing the temperaments of the various team leaders in the company's "Heavenly" division.
After chatting for a few minutes, a colleague suddenly poked his head in and asked them in surprise, "Have you heard? There's a newcomer with extraordinary talent in today's school exam. Team Leader Zhao Jia even went to see him in person."
Upon hearing this, Pei and Zhang quickly asked, "Is that person surnamed Li?"
The colleague who had come to gossip was caught off guard by someone coming to do business and scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, saying, "It seems his surname is Li."
Pei Xuanji quickly pulled Zhang He towards the training ground.
When they arrived at the drill ground, their colleagues, who had heard the commotion, had already surrounded it in layers.
They finally managed to push them to the front. The entrance exam was over, and several prospective Celestial Masters were standing aside, listening to their seniors' instructions.
Zhao Jia, however, ignored all that and, acting like a close buddy, squeezed next to the newcomer, patted Li Zhi on the shoulder, and laughed heartily, "Don't worry, once you're in my group, I'll naturally protect you."
Li Zhi smiled calmly at him.
Even though he wasn't particularly enthusiastic towards Zhao Jia, Zhao Jia's eyes were still full of satisfaction when he looked at him.
Seeing this, Pei Xuanji's expression changed several times before she finally managed to utter, "It's good to have talent."
Zhao Jia was only at the yamen to handle some business today, but he managed to get a talented newcomer before all the other team leaders. While he was happy, he remembered that Ji Ren had said that Zhang He, the Celestial Master who had gone down to Gejiabao with him, was also going to be transferred to his team.
Turning around, he saw Zhang He and Pei Xuanji standing by the training ground and couldn't help but laugh, "Zhang He, from now on we're brothers!"
Zhang He quickly replied, "How could I dare to address the team leader as a brother?"
"Don't stand on ceremony. My brothers from Group A have all been through thick and thin together. Today, since you and Li Zhi have come here, I'll treat you to a good meal!"
As Zhao Jia spoke, he sent his servants to inform the other Celestial Masters of Group A that they would be gathering at a restaurant that evening to welcome their new brothers.
He winked at Zhang He and whispered, "Besides the wine, there are also beautiful ladies to accompany it."
Zhao Jia continued talking to himself, completely forgetting that there was another Celestial Master present who had also been transferred to Group A that day.
When he mentioned the drinking companion, Pei Xuanji's face already showed some embarrassment.
In front of everyone, Zhao Jia showed no respect for her in his words and actions. When talking about the new brothers, he even included Li Zhi, a newcomer who had just passed the school exam, but he didn't include her, Master Pei.
Pei Xuanji forced herself to say, "It's not appropriate for women to be in this kind of setting, so I wish you all a pleasant drinking experience."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jia seemed to only then notice her, and suddenly said, "Oh right, and Master Pei too. My brothers are all ignorant and rough men who don't know how to treat women. If they have offended Master Pei, please forgive them and don't go to Chief Ji to complain."
Pei Xuanji was furious. What did he mean by treating women this way? What did he mean by complaining to Ji Ren? She was a legitimate Taoist priestess who had passed the entrance exam to enter the temple. How could she be described like this by Zhao Jia?
Seeing this, both Zhang He and Li Zhi wanted to say something to ease the situation.
Pei Xuanji didn't need them to speak, and said firmly, "Team leader, don't underestimate me. I, Pei Xuanji, am no less than any of you brothers when it comes to being a Heavenly Master."
Having said that, he ignored Zhao Jia's reply, turned around and left the yamen, mounted his horse and returned to Ji's residence.
Along the way, Pei Xuanji's eyes were already brimming with tears. She dismounted and, disregarding how the servants would perceive her, jogged back to her courtyard.
When they were all alone, she finally couldn't hold back her tears and started crying.
“I am not as talented as Li Zhi, nor as experienced as Zhang He, but I work hard every day, reading files, practicing swordsmanship, and drawing talismans. Why should I be treated like that?”
Pei Xuanji casually sat down on the ground and burst into tears.
She cried so much that her eyes became swollen.
After a long while, Pei Xuanji rubbed her eyes, stood up, and went inside to find her bladeless sword.
She sobbed as she practiced her sword in the courtyard.
After practicing for a while, he put down his sword and burst into tears.
After crying for a while, he picked up his sword again and started practicing.
As soon as Pei Xuanji returned home, Baozhu, who lived three courtyards away, was driven crazy by her noise.
She hadn't planned to go and watch the excitement, but when she heard Pei Xuanji loudly saying that he was inferior to Li Zhi and Zhang He, she became incredibly curious and decided to go and see for herself.
After much hesitation, just as Pei Xuanji burst into tears for the third time, the pearl bird quietly slipped out of the courtyard, leaped onto the roof, and quietly came to a place where Pei Xuanji could be seen.
Upon seeing Pei Xuanji, Baozhu immediately frowned in disdain.
It was all because Pei Xuanji, a pretty girl with a round face, cried herself into looking like a big, white steamed bun, with her eyes, nose, and mouth all swollen up.
"Oh dear, why is she crying so hard?" Baozhu thought to herself, "What's wrong? Is she so heartbroken even though we weren't drinking together?"
After all, Pei Xuanji was still quite young. When Baozhu saw her crying so sadly, as if a child had been wronged, even the heartless demon felt a pang of pity.
She returned to her courtyard and plucked a large handful of the wilted osmanthus blossoms that were about to bloom from the tree.
Baozhu quietly climbed to the outside of Pei Xuanji's courtyard.
She held the osmanthus flower in her hand and gently blew on it.
In an instant, a gentle breeze blew past Pei Xuanji, who was practicing her sword, bringing with it the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms from the courtyard.
Pei Xuanji put down the bladeless sword in her hand and rubbed her eyes, which were swollen shut and barely visible.
A few osmanthus blossoms were placed on her face.
She reached out and wiped it, gazing absently at the pale yellow flower in her palm.
I wonder if she's feeling any better.
Baozhu waited for a while, and finally heard Pei Xuanji stop crying.
Miss Fox Demon tilted her head back smugly and walked back along the eaves.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com