Chapter 371 Sister-in-law Song
The soldiers who came from Longxi County captured the bandits alive outside the city gate.
The people inside the city were too frightened to go out, and the doors and windows of the streets and alleys were tightly closed.
Song Chunxue went home with her senior brother, while Jiang Hongying's whole family stayed in the fort.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Jiang Hongying rushed forward anxiously. "Are you hurt?"
She was extremely anxious, wondering why the Taoist priest would take her mother on such a dangerous journey. What would happen to her and her siblings if something went wrong?
But when she saw the Taoist priest supporting her weak and listless mother, she felt that only the Taoist priest could help her mother, and that the others were just there to make things worse.
"It's alright, your mother was just frightened. I'll talk to her."
The fourth brother shook his head at Jiang Hongying, signaling her to mind her own business.
The Taoist priest helped Song Chunxue into the north room.
Song Chunxue was stunned, her mind was very clear, even excessively so.
However, she always remembered that she had killed someone.
The Taoist priest poured her a glass of water. "The first time I killed someone at the foot of the mountain, I was so scared that I chanted 'Amitabha Buddha' all over the place and repented for several days."
Upon hearing her senior brother's words, Song Chunxue's gaze fell upon him, as if she had grasped a lifeline.
“At first, my master comforted me, but later he pointed his finger at me and scolded me, saying that I cultivate Taoism, not Buddhism, so why should I chant Amitabha Buddha with those bald monks? He even deliberately fought with me, and every move he made was full of killing intent. I was beaten black and blue, and there wasn’t a single good piece of flesh on my body.”
At this point, the Taoist priest smiled helplessly, his eyes filled with longing for the past.
“My master said that if I ever encounter someone more powerful, I will be the one who gets killed.”
Song Chunxue understood that her senior brother meant that if she hadn't been skilled in martial arts, she might have been the one kidnapped by the bandits today.
“Junior brother, if you really want to travel the world with me, there are countless people who want your life along the way. If you are too soft-hearted, you will be the one who loses your life in a single mishap.”
Song Chunxue nodded, "I understand, senior brother. You don't need to persuade me. Let me take a break."
The senior brother shook his head. “I have a senior brother whose condition has worsened after a period of improvement. The books teach benevolence and morality, and the pure and kind heart of the Dao, but the true path in the world is full of vicissitudes. Wherever there are people, there is deceit and treachery, and the law of the jungle prevails.”
He sighed, "Never mind, it's my fault. I shouldn't have taken you to rescue people today. I blame myself for taking your promise to come to Jiangnan with me in the future too seriously."
"..." Song Chunxue understood that he was using reverse psychology.
The Taoist priest got up and walked outside.
Song Chunxue also stood up, "Senior brother, where are you going?"
Didn't we agree to comfort her and stay with her? Why are you leaving now?
She's just a farmer, not a born killer.
“I’m going to wash the sickle, otherwise if they find out you killed one and a half people with that sickle, they won’t dare to use it again.” The Taoist priest commented calmly, “However, your aim is very good, you hit the target with one strike. I think you have a talent for using hidden weapons.”
talent?
Song Chunxue's eyes lit up. "Senior brother, are you going to teach me?"
“If you understand, I will teach you. In the future, when you encounter bad people, you can protect yourself without having to aim to kill them from the start. But you must understand that being soft-hearted towards the enemy is being cruel to yourself. Sometimes even the patriarch has a temper. He may have blocked two attacks for you, but if you insist on being a great benefactor, he will make you suffer and learn a lesson.”
That makes sense. Song Chunxue has lived once before, so she understands immediately.
"Oh, by the way, I also need to go to the county government to inquire about the deeds of those bandits. Once you find out how many evils the person you killed had committed, you'll only be glad you killed him."
Song Chunxue clenched her fist. "I'll go with you."
Ultimately, she has to overcome this hurdle on her own.
The Taoist priest smiled slightly, "No need to force yourself."
“No, I won’t force myself. I can’t give myself the chance to be sentimental.” She stepped out the door. “I’m going to buy a jar of good wine.”
The Taoist priest smiled slightly behind her; he knew his junior brother's temperament best.
He knew all too well where her Achilles' heel was.
He walked down the steps with his arms crossed and an air of nonchalance.
"Mother, Taoist priest, are you going out again?" the fourth son asked worriedly. "There's been a lot of commotion outside. Have the bandits been caught?"
“Well, you guys are feeling stifled staying at home. I’ll take your mother out to get some experience and maybe see some old friends.”
Old friend?
Song Chunxue turned her head involuntarily, "Could it be Xie Zheng?"
He Chuan stepped forward and said, "I'll go with you."
"No need. You're the pillar of the children's family. Take good care of the house." The Taoist priest patted his shoulder. "Go tidy up and cook."
He Chuan nodded, "Then be careful."
"Just keep an eye on Lao Si and the others to make sure they don't wander off. We'll be back when dinner's ready," Song Chunxue instructed. "And don't open the door to just anyone."
"Yes, Mother, we understand."
Stepping out of the courtyard and looking at the empty streets, Song Chunxue regretted her decision.
But she had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow her senior brother through the trials.
Upon arriving at the county government office, the county magistrate, Liang Xiao, personally received the Taoist priest.
From his words, Song Chunxue could tell that her senior brother had done something for her.
It turns out that the bandits who rushed into the city first today were the ones who usually led the charge. They blended into the crowd of ordinary people and suddenly broke into the city, catching the people on the street completely off guard.
If people hadn't been keeping quiet recently due to rumors, many more people might have been harmed.
Of the fifteen people who stormed into the city, five died, four of whom were killed by the Taoist priest, and eight were injured.
This group of people only harmed ordinary civilians. They came to test the defenses of Zhuanglang County because they knew the defenses were lax.
The city's best soldiers were all recently transferred to neighboring cities to help suppress bandits.
So the rest were all weapons that had never been used.
No wonder he was so cowardly.
According to the information obtained from the interrogation, the leader who was killed by Song Chunxue was the second-in-command of the mountain. He was fond of abducting women and bullying men and women. He had already killed hundreds of children.
Upon hearing this, Song Chunxue regretted letting him die so easily; she should have put him in a frying pan.
"Thanks to your two valiant assistance, otherwise, if civilians had died today, the higher-ups would only blame me for failing to defend the city effectively. I remember this lady has a close relationship with Lord Xie; when he returns later, how about we have a simple meal together?"
The Taoist priest looked at Song Chunxue.
"No need, we won't bother you any longer. Lord Xie has official business to attend to, we can meet another day," Song Chunxue said with a smile. "The children have already prepared the meal."
She was in a hurry to get home, afraid of running into Xie Zheng.
“Why are you running?” the Taoist priest drawled. “They came for you. Even if you run home, they will still come after you.”
Song Chunxue turned around and glared at him, "Senior brother has figured it out again. Then why did you come here specifically to train me? Did you already know that we were destined to be apart?"
Just as Master Zhang was about to say something, he saw a man emerge from around the corner. He was dressed in a python robe and black official boots, walking with a breezy air, and his gaze was fixed on Song Chunxue.
Song Chunxue followed the gaze and her heart skipped a beat.
A strange thought flashed through my mind.
She didn't want to run away anymore and met Xie Zheng's gaze.
"Master, Sister Song, I didn't expect to see you here. I heard that if you hadn't stopped the bandits, the people in the city might have suffered."
Xie Zheng looked at Song Chunxue with a gentle expression, "When did you become so skilled, Sister-in-law Song? You can even use a sickle as a weapon to kill people?"
P.S.: (Looking down demurely) My darlings, go ahead and scold me, I won't talk back~
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