Rubbing her nose, which no longer felt sore, Xu Milu removed the handkerchief from her face:
"Sister Yin, you came to see off the young lady of the Wei family today, why didn't you tell me? In the past, even if you wanted to buy some snacks and fruits, you would always come to me to let me know. But today you kept it from me. Could it be that you have become estranged from me?"
"How could that be? You and I are the best of friends in the world. It's just that I heard from the waiter at the restaurant a few days ago that you haven't been feeling well, so I didn't tell you."
Yin Wenjiao sighed and said again:
"Speaking of which, I have some connection with Prime Minister Wei. My father was once a disciple of Prime Minister Wei, and I visited the Wei residence when I was young. The osmanthus trees in that garden were truly beautiful. It's just a pity that things have changed so much since then. It's really true that life is unpredictable!"
As she spoke, her face darkened, clearly recalling a painful memory—she and the top scholar Chen Guangrui were supposed to live a happy life together, but unexpectedly, tragedy struck, and the couple died, leaving her separated from her newborn son for over thirty-two years.
The Tripitaka Master looked slightly nervous, seemingly unsure how to handle the situation.
"Mother, don't be sad. Today is Miss Wei's wedding day. The couple is a perfect match and their story is quite beautiful!"
To everyone's surprise, Yin Wenjiao just sighed, shook her head, and said she was tired.
Xu Milu received a signal from the monk Sanzang, and deliberately tugged at Yin Wenjiao's arm, trying to distract her in a coquettish manner:
“Sister Yin, today is a rare occasion. Just think, the Ghost King is marrying the judge’s granddaughter. All the demons and monsters from all over have come to celebrate. The feast must be incredibly lavish. I’ve never seen a feast in the underworld before. I heard that the Northern Ghost King invited Yi Ya to make soup and Yi Yin to roast meat. Please, have some compassion and take me and Chen Xiang to have a taste! Good sister, I beg you.”
Yin Wenjiao was old enough to be her mother, but she was also sweet-talking and knew how to coax people, and Yin Wenjiao was always able to be coaxed into being happy.
Her words immediately diverted Yin Wenjiao's attention, and she exclaimed in surprise:
"Yi Ya? Is that the Yi Ya who was favored by Duke Huan of Qi? Is that the prime minister of the Shang Dynasty who assisted the state? It is said that Yi Ya was skilled in the art of frying, boiling and roasting. In order to please Duke Huan of Qi, he once cooked his three-year-old son into soup—how could anyone eat that?"
It seems... that's not impossible.
Xu Milu broke out in a cold sweat.
This is the underworld. Most of the guests here today are demons and monsters. Who knows, they might actually sneak up a pot of baby soup.
She immediately gave the Tripitaka Master a pleading look:
I've already helped you appease Sister Yin, so you have to come with us for a feast, right?
Putting everything else aside, even if there were monks on the table, those ghosts wouldn't dare to bring out human flesh!
The Tripitaka Master saw through her little scheme, nodded rather helplessly, and his radiant Buddhist light seemed capable of saving all sentient beings.
"Can."
...
...
If it were before, Xu Milu would never have imagined that one day she would be able to sit on a mat in the underworld.
White candles, carved with dragon and phoenix patterns, were placed in the main hall. A white coffin stood in the center, with several plates of neatly arranged fruit in front of it: dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds, symbolizing the auspicious wish of "early birth of a son."
Jars of fine wine were piled up on the wall. Paper maids unwrapped the red cloth covering them and poured the wine into large porcelain bowls. The old ghost with a bull's head tilted his head back and drank it down with a "glug glug" sound, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The table was laden with dishes. Unlike ordinary banquets, all the dishes were served at once. Each guest had a bowl of rice placed upside down with three sticks of incense sticks glowing red on top. Every dish was cold: cold chicken, cold duck, cold steamed buns, paper ingot-shaped white wax flower rolls. The coldness was just like Xu Milu's mood at that moment.
Chenxiang was too hungry to move, so Xu Milu stuffed sesame flatbreads into his hands:
"Have something to eat first. With so many dishes, surely you can eat something, right?"
"It is I who have neglected our guests from afar and failed to provide them with adequate hospitality!"
Jiao Nu did not stay in the back hall, but instead greeted the guests in the front yard. When she saw Yin Wenjiao sitting at this table, she quickly waved to the back, and immediately a paper figure brought out a new table of hot dishes and wine.
"Sister Yin, I truly apologize for my poor hospitality today. I will personally visit you another day to make amends! Knowing that you are observing a vegetarian fast, this entire meal is vegetarian—"
Jiaonu looked at the monk Sanzang with a puzzled expression, paused for a moment, and then continued:
"I suppose this must be my sister's son-in-law. If I were still alive, we sisters could even become in-laws!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Milu glanced at the Sanzang Master and, seeing his unwavering demeanor, guessed that Yin Wenjiao probably hadn't revealed his true identity.
Otherwise, given the Buddha's status, at least half of the guests sitting here today would have run away on the spot, with the remaining small group staying to watch the spectacle.
She was complaining about the feast in the underworld when she saw a group of little ghosts carrying a steaming hot steamer, jumping and serving dishes. Inside the steamer was a living person, three feet tall, dressed in mourning clothes.
Xu Milu's eyes widened in surprise.
Seriously? They're really going to dox people?
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