“Tianhao, you don’t need to worry about him. You just need to remember that you are a member of the Quanzhen Sect, and you must prioritize the survival and livelihood of Taoism. Don’t ask about other things that are not your concern, and you don’t need to concern yourself with them. You can still go down the mountain and be the Taoist Master Zhou who saves all living beings and heals the sick, understand?” Yuan Xinghui said.
Seeing the four managers staring at him, Zhou Tianhao knew that this was the limit of their tolerance. If he spoke out of turn again, he might be punished by them. So he stopped questioning them.
“Tianhao, Xiuzhu is almost fourteen this year. Why don’t you let him stay by my side? I’ll help you teach this disciple.” Zhou Xingchuan suddenly said.
Zhou Tianhao knew that these were hostages they had kept to keep him in check. They knew he treated Xiuzhu like his own son. Although he had found Xiuzhu when he was under fifteen, he had insisted on keeping him and sharing some of his own food with him, which was how Xiuzhu grew up. He and Xiuzhu were like father and son, like brothers, not relatives, but closer than family.
"Tianhao has never served by Master's side, so let Xiuzhu take care of Master for a few days on my behalf," Zhou Tianhao said to his once highly respected master.
Zhou Xingchuan nodded, looked at his senior and junior brothers, and then let Zhou Tianhao go down the mountain with peace of mind.
Now, the Fourth Master and his men were captured, their ropes were loosened, and they were locked in a cell. The cell was made of wood, and the Fourth Master was locked in the innermost cell. Su Peisheng and the others were locked in another cell and were not allowed to see the Fourth Master.
People brought them food every day, but no one came to see them or ask them anything. They were locked up like this for three days, and still no one came.
Fourth Master sat cross-legged in his cell, eyes closed in deep thought. He never imagined he would one day be imprisoned here by a group of Taoist priests. He worried whether Lanqin was also locked in another cell with Su Peisheng and the others. If so, he would be relieved; at least the little woman wasn't wandering outside. In this place teeming with wild animals and without any protection, Fourth Master was truly worried about Lanqin.
He wasn't worried about himself. Ling Feng should have met with the prefect of Ezhou by now, and troops should be arriving soon.
However, to Fourth Master's surprise, Ling Feng spent a whole day seeking an audience with the Prefect of Ezhou, but still couldn't get a look at him. Ling Feng arrived at the Prefect's residence in just two days. When he showed them the official document Fourth Master had given him to prove his identity, he was only received by the Prefect's clerk, who said the Prefect was out on an inspection tour and hadn't returned. He had no authority to mobilize troops and told Ling Feng to wait.
Ling Feng stayed at an inn near the prefectural government office, waiting at the door every morning. Today was the third day, and the clerk still sent someone to tell him that Prefect Qiu had not returned.
Meanwhile, Lanqin stayed at the hunter's house in the mountains for three days. She learned that the family's surname was Dong. After a few days, Aunt Dong began to dislike Lanqin. This was because her son, Dong Erkui, was already engaged to her niece from the neighboring mountain. Lanqin and Dong Erkui agreed not to tell Aunt Dong about this, to avoid worrying her. Because Aunt Dong consistently forbade Erkui from seeking revenge for his father, Dong Erkui and Lanqin agreed not to tell Aunt Dong, but instead used the excuse of not being able to find his family to stay temporarily at the Dong family's house.
In the past few days, Dong Erkui went to Master Zhou's house to inquire whenever he had time, but he still found it empty, and even the child named Gouwa was gone.
Lanqin never imagined that even Fourth Master and Taoist Master Zhou had disappeared without a trace, and then been captured by those Taoist priests? In the past few days, she regretted not accepting the official document that Fourth Master had given her, which could mobilize troops; otherwise, she wouldn't be trapped here now.
On this day, Aunt Dong's niece and uncle came. It was probably because Aunt Dong was worried that her son would fall in love with someone else that she specially sent her niece and uncle.
“Aunt, that girl Lanqin is dressed so well, she looks like she comes from a wealthy family. Maybe she’s a concubine of a landlord or rich man who ran away,” Qiaoxian, the niece, said to Aunt Dong.
"Sigh, when this girl came to me asking for a drink of water, I didn't suspect anything. I even asked your cousin to take her to Master Zhou's place. Who knew she wouldn't be able to leave?" Aunt Dong sighed.
“Aunt, why don’t I go and ask her? You’re too kind-hearted, and my cousin is honest and simple-minded. If she encounters someone with bad intentions, she might swindle my cousin out of the money he needs to get married, and then just leave.” Qiaoxian was a spirited mountain village girl with some beauty. She had been betrothed to Er Kui of the Dong family since childhood. When she heard that Aunt Dong had sent someone to deliver a message to her, she immediately packed a bundle and walked a day’s journey through the mountains to come here.
Dong Erkui didn't actually like his cousin, but marriage was a matter of parental arrangement and matchmaker's words. He couldn't find fault with Qiaoxian, so he couldn't bring himself to break off the engagement.
"Alright, Qiaoxian, go and talk to this Miss Lanqin properly. If she knows where she lives, we'll do our best to help her, even if it means giving her some travel expenses to send her home." Aunt Dong was indeed a kind-hearted old woman, only hoping that Lanqin wouldn't ruin her son's marriage. She often saw her son and Lanqin avoiding talking to each other, so she assumed that Er Kui had fallen for Lanqin.
"Oh, Aunt, don't worry. I have a way to get rid of her." Qiaoxian couldn't wait for Lanqin to leave, because in the past day or two, her cousin hadn't paid much attention to her, but instead kept talking to Lanqin.
“Alright, go ahead,” said Aunt Dong.
Qiaoxian then took a basket of chili peppers from the kitchen and headed towards the room where Lanqin lived.
"Oh, Miss Lanqin is sitting here!" Qiaoxian, carrying a basket of chili peppers, leaned against the door frame and said sarcastically to Lanqin, who was sitting in the inner room.
Lanqin saw that it was Qiaoxian and knew that she didn't like her, so she didn't want to talk to her. But since Qiaoxian was already standing at the door, she had no choice but to say, "Cousin Qiaoxian, is there something you need?"
"Sister Lanqin, you sit in your room all day doing nothing. Why don't you help out? My aunt is so old, yet she serves you food and drink without ever taking a penny from you. Do you think that's appropriate?" Qiaoxian glanced at Lanqin a few times and said.
"Damn it, they haven't even said anything yet, how dare you, a cousin who's not even married into the family, say such things!" Lanqin thought to herself.
“If Auntie has anything to say, she can come to me. If it’s something I can do, I will do it for her. I don’t know why Miss Qiaoxian came all the way here to say these things. Is it because Brother Dong has been ignoring his cousin these past few days, and he’s taking it out on me?” Lanqin decided not to play along with her anymore.
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