Chapter 199 Fate
After exchanging greetings with everyone, Li San Niang and Qiu Xiang left the clinic and waited at the door for Li Er Xiong to come and pick them up.
Before long, Brother Li arrived with his donkey. After getting on the cart, Sister Li didn't say much. She went into the carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked outside.
As luck would have it, while queuing to leave the neighborhood, Li San Niang saw Xu Jingzhen talking to someone at the front of the neighborhood gate.
Upon seeing Xu Jingzhen, Li Sanniang recalled the tortoise shell that Xu Jingzhen had thrown to deflect the arrow that was flying towards her, thus shattering it in the process of saving her.
Although Li San Niang was a materialist and only had a superficial understanding of Taoism, she did know that tortoise shells were tools used in Taoist divination.
Furthermore, Li San Niang guessed that the tortoise shell must be something quite important to Xu Jingzhen.
As the queue drew to a close, Li Sanniang stepped out of the carriage to have the policeman attach her and Qiu Xiang's household registration stickers. When she looked up, she met Xu Jingzhen's gaze, who was turning to look in her direction.
After checking the household registration certificate, Li Sanniang thought she would not have a chance to speak with Xu Jingzhen, but after leaving the neighborhood, she heard shouts coming from behind.
As they got closer, Li Erxiong heard it too, and then stopped the car. Li Sanniang got out of the car to check, and it was indeed Xu Jingzhen who had chased after them.
When Xu Jingzhen arrived, Li Sanniang bowed and addressed him as "Third Master Xu".
Xu Jingzhen returned the greeting: "Third Sister Li".
Li San Niang noticed Xu Jingzhen's round-necked official robe. "It's been a few days since I last saw him. Xu Sanlangjun has actually taken up an official post. No wonder I saw him coming with the soldiers of the Imperial Guard the other day."
Xu Jingzhen suddenly felt a desire to show off. He straightened his sleeves and looked at the wounds on Li Sanniang's cheeks and neck that were clearly starting to scab over. "I'm relieved to see that Sanniang is alright. I took the imperial examination a few days ago and am now working in the Ministry of War."
"In that case, congratulations, Mr. Xu Sanlang."
I am grateful for Mr. Xu's help that day.
I noticed that your tortoise shell was broken, all because you saved me. I will return it to you another day as an apology.
Xu Jingzhen thought of the tortoise shell that was in the box on the antique shelf at home, which he had wrapped in a handkerchief and was now broken into more than a dozen pieces of various sizes.
After a pause, Xu Jingzhen replied, "You're too kind, Third Madam. If I hadn't intervened that day," Xu Jingzhen looked at Qiu Xiang behind Li San Niang, "the female guards behind you would have deflected the arrow from the very beginning. It was all unnecessary for me. Don't worry, it's alright."
Seeing that people were already looking this way from the gate, Li San Niang knew that Xu Jingzhen had official business to attend to, so she didn't dwell on it anymore. "Young Master Xu, go ahead and do your work. Official business is important. Goodbye."
"Take care, Third Sister. Goodbye."
Although Xu Jingzhen said there was no need to apologize for the broken tortoise shell, Li Sanniang felt that since it was indeed broken while saving her, she should compensate him with a new one.
Seeing that Li San Niang's brows had been furrowed ever since she parted ways with Xu Jingzhen, Qiu Xiang thought for a moment before speaking: "Third Sister, I was watching you the whole day. The moment the arrow came, I determined its direction and immediately threw out an Emei dagger. After I deflected the arrow, Xu San Lang Jun's tortoise shell intercepted it again halfway."
Actually, even without Xu Sanlang's tortoise shell, the arrow still wouldn't have hit the lady.
Li San Niang was present at the time and saw everything clearly. She was puzzled as to why Qiu Xiang explained it to her again.
Qiu Xiang looked at the puzzled expression on Li San Niang's face and said, "So, my lady, you don't need to worry. Xu San Lang Jun's actions were completely unnecessary. You don't need to feel apologetic."
Hearing this, Li San Niang finally understood Qiu Xiang's intention in explaining these things; she was afraid that she would feel guilty, ashamed, and worried.
"Haha, good Qiu Xiang, I know."
That day, it was thanks to you that I was saved.
Xu Sanlangjun's actions were indeed unnecessary.
But ultimately, he saved me with good intentions, and I should be grateful to him.
The tortoise shell was indeed damaged while saving me, and Taoist believers would value it, which is why I was worried and thinking of where to find a new one to give him as a token of my apology.
Seeing that Li San Niang understood, Qiu Xiang nodded and remained silent.
When they got back to the Li family home, they had just washed their hands and face in the courtyard when Li San Niang was playing with the little yellow dog that was following Lu Zhu'er around when Li's mother came out.
"How old are you? You're still acting like a child."
Li's mother was speechless when she saw Li San Niang teasing the dog. Li San Niang was already a mother, but she was still acting like Xiao Si Lang all day long, either pulling the dog's tail or flipping the dog over and scratching its belly.
Having just teased the puppy, and thinking that it was almost time for dinner, Li San Niang grabbed a handful of dew and washed her hands.
I used lard soap; thanks to my fellow travelers.
A shop called Supermarket opened in the West Market ten days ago. Li's mother and sister-in-law went shopping there with the old ladies and young wives on the street. They said it was a grand opening promotion with a 20% discount.
So, considering that the family would need it in the future, Li's mother and the others bought a few extra bars of this lard soap.
Therefore, Li San Niang was very happy to be able to use the lard soap with strong cleaning power, and she was indeed grateful to her fellow transmigrators.
Then, Li's mother took out two amulets from her bosom that looked like they were obtained from the Xuandu Temple.
The yellow paper was decorated with symbols that only Taoists understood, drawn in cinnabar. It was folded into a triangle. Li San Niang took one and smelled it. Inside, there were herbs to repel mosquitoes. No wonder it smelled like grass.
“Your eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, and I went to Xuandu Temple this morning. We specially invited everyone in the family.”
Li's mother picked up Lu Zhu'er, who understood her intention. She pulled and reached around her neck with her little hand, and Li San Niang saw that Lu Zhu'er was wearing a talisman.
The style was similar to the one Li's mother gave to Li San Niang, except that Lu Zhu'er's amulet had a hole in it, and she strung it with silk thread.
“Dewdrop’s, Little Fourth Brother’s, and Little Fifth Brother’s are all like this. Do you remember that you have to take them off when you bathe Pearl? The monks in the temple said that they can’t get them wet.”
Li San Niang nodded to indicate that she had remembered it. Seeing Li's mother's gesture, Lu Zhu'er obediently put the amulet back into her clothes.
“Pearl knows, Grandma said we can’t get it wet.”
"Good pearl, Grandma's good pearl, so clever."
After praising the dewdrops, Li's mother said sternly to Li San Niang, "You must take good care of them. Keep one in your purse, and put the other under your pillow when you sleep at night. Do you understand?"
Li San Niang reached out and took Lu Zhu'er in her arms, nodding: "I know, I know. I'll carry it with me and put it under my pillow. Alright, Mother, I understand."
After the Li family finished their dinner and gathered to discuss how to spend the upcoming two-day birthday celebration, Li's eldest brother had just returned home.
Li Dalang and Li Erlang diligently served their father, helping him wash his hands and face, while Li Dasao brought out the food that had been kept warm in the pot.
After Brother Li had finished eating, Third Sister Li asked, "Brother, do you have any protective gear in your army? Besides armor, do you have anything like a copper breastplate?"
Brother Li replied without hesitation, "Indeed, there are such things, but they are only used when two armies are facing each other, when the generals are on the front lines, and they are afraid that the enemy archers will shoot arrows from the shadows. Why are you asking about this?"
"Brother, I'd like to get a copper plate to protect my heart and carry it with me."
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