Chapter 111 [VIP]
The old woman who helped out huddled in the corner, trembling.
Zheng Si clenched his fists and threatened, "Speak!"
The tight collar made Chen the Blind Man almost choke to his breath; he was nearly crying as he coughed and said, "I don't know who Liu Ling is."
Gu Zhizhuo fiddled with the lucky bag and asked, "Have you ever taught someone how to tuck a strand of hair into a talisman?"
Upon hearing this, Blind Chen remembered: "Yes, yes."
"explain."
Gu Zhizhuo said calmly, "If you don't want to be beaten to death, then you'd better be honest and explain everything clearly."
Zheng Si's gaze was as if he wanted to devour him. Chen the Blind didn't know what he had done wrong, and said tremblingly, "I... I remember that person."
He dared not look Zheng Si in the eye, his teeth chattering: "One night at the beginning of the month, when I was about to close up shop, he collapsed drunk in front of my stall. He was covered in perfume and powder, and it was obvious that he had just come from the red-light district."
Cat Street is right next to Flower Street, and Blind Chen has seen many people getting drunk and carefree in Flower Street.
“He was lying on the ground crying, and I couldn’t leave, so I tried to persuade him to get up,” Blind Chen stammered. “He wouldn’t let go of me, saying that his fiancée’s whole family were snobbish and that his beloved woman had been married off in a mess. He even had to swallow his disgust and try to please his future in-laws.”
“He was crying so hard, he was truly pitiful. Master Changfeng said that saving people accumulates merit for me, so I gave him a marriage talisman.” Blind Chen never felt he had done anything wrong. “Since he said his fiancée’s family was so materialistic, then let her marry someone else so he can be with his sweetheart. I taught him to choose a good man for his fiancée, and then, clip a strand of that man’s hair to the talisman…”
I'll kill you!
Zheng Si's eyes were bloodshot. He screamed and threw Chen the Blind Man to the ground, then pounced on him and started punching and kicking him.
"Ouch, stop hitting me, stop hitting me!"
Blind Chen clutched his head with both hands, screaming in pain.
"Don't let this get to someone's death." After Zheng Si had vented his anger, Gu Yican went over and pulled the people away.
Blind Chen huddled in the corner, tears and snot streaming down his face: "Scholar Zhang is so pitiful, and Young Master Liu is a pitiful man too. I'm saving people!"
"Aren't girls pitiful?" Gu Zhizhuo asked coldly.
"These are completely different!"
Blind Chen, with his neck stiff, said, "Girls will get married sooner or later, and it doesn't matter who they marry! They can not only get married, but also share joys and sorrows with their husbands when they are at their lowest point, earn their husbands' respect, and live a peaceful and happy life. This is a great thing."
"You son of a bitch!" Zheng Si couldn't help but curse, and kicked him a few more times.
"Don't cause a death or get into legal trouble."
“Brother Can, he, he…” Zheng Si obediently stopped, his teeth itching with hatred, “Brother Can, Sister Lin can’t go on living.”
Zheng Si never expected Liu Ling to be so despicable. If he were truly devoted to his beloved, breaking off the engagement would have been fine; it wasn't like his family was eager to marry off their daughter. The Liu family themselves didn't want to damage their reputation by giving their daughter away in marriage, so Liu Ling took his anger out on Lin Jie'er, blaming her for refusing to accept a concubine, and came up with such a dirty plan to ruin her.
"On the day of the birthday banquet, Lin Jie hanged herself."
"Brother Can, I really want to kill that Liu guy!"
In front of everyone, Liu Ling said that Lin Jie'er and the groom had secretly pledged their lives to each other, thus losing her chastity and becoming impure.
Lin Jie'er was saved that time, but the clan elders and clan leader said that Lin Jie'er had implicated the sisters of the clan and should die to prove her innocence. Zheng Si had already thought about stabbing Liu Ling to death while drunk.
A life for a life; at worst, he'll pay with his own life.
Zheng Si's eyes were bloodshot. He slammed his fist heavily against the wall, making it shake. Dust from the beams fell down in a shower, covering Blind Chen's head.
“Fourth Young Master Zheng,” Gu Zhizhuo sighed softly, “In that case, are you willing to bear even a little bit of the karmic retribution? It should be able to salvage Sixth Miss Zheng’s reputation, or at least reduce the criticism she faces.”
Even if Liu Ling and the old blind man were sent to the authorities together, it wouldn't make a difference. In the end, Liu Ling only gave Lin Jie'er a marriage talisman and broke off the engagement. His fault does not involve the "Great Enlightenment Law".
And this blind man, Chen, had no idea what he had done wrong.
If Zheng Si were to kill them, it wouldn't be worth it for him to lose his own life.
The right path won't work.
There are also evil paths one can take.
Zheng Si didn't ask what cause and effect or retribution meant at all, and readily agreed.
Gu Zhizhuo tossed the crumpled lucky bag in his hand over, and Zheng Si caught it in one swift motion.
"Pull out a few of his hairs."
ah?
Zheng Si was confused and didn't ask. He just pulled out a large handful of the contents as instructed, his heart filled with hatred. He even tore off his scalp with that handful.
Blind Chen screamed, covering his head with his hands, which were wet.
"You don't need that many. Just take one and put it in the lucky bag."
Zheng Si did as instructed and resealed the lucky bag.
"Go find Liu Ling, burn the talisman inside along with his hair, dissolve it in water, and pour every last drop of the talisman water into his mouth. Can you do that?"
Zheng Si squeezed the lucky bag and chuckled, "Of course."
Liu Ling was a scholar, but he was too weak to even kill a chicken. There was nothing he couldn't do by feeding him some talisman water.
"Bring him over after you're done drinking." Gu Zhizhuo beckoned Zheng Si over with his finger, gave him a few instructions, and Zheng Si nodded repeatedly.
"I'll go right now."
Zhou Liulang vaguely guessed what was going on, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.
This old blind man spouted one fallacy after another, completely unaware of what he had done wrong.
He despises women from the bottom of his heart, believing that women should devote themselves to men and give everything. To beat such a person is like stabbing tofu with a knife; even if you chop him to pieces, he would feel that he is doing a good deed and would not feel any satisfaction.
Zheng Si acted swiftly. At that time, Liu Ling was still studying at the Imperial Academy, so Zheng Si went straight there and dragged him out. Along the way, Zheng Si, following Gu Zhizhuo's advice, did not knock the man unconscious, letting him shout and yell as he went.
Zheng Si closed the door and pushed Liu Ling to the ground.
Liu Ling appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in fine clothes, with a handsome face. He stood up, straightened his disheveled clothes, and glared angrily at Zheng Si.
"Your sister is promiscuous and lost her virginity first. Our Liu family is a family that values poetry and scholarship. No matter how you threaten me, I will not marry such a used woman!"
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled coldly.
His Ling'er was also a girl from a good family, but she was forced to marry far away by the Zheng family.
His grandfather was a second-rank official, and his father and uncles were all accomplished in their official careers. Even he himself had passed the imperial examination at the young age of eighteen. He had to marry a wife of equal social standing who could help him in his official career; it was already a great injustice for Ling'er to be a concubine. As a result, when he went to the Zheng family to plead for Ling'er to have a proper status, how did they treat him? Not only did they refuse, but they also took advantage of his misfortune and dissolved the engagement.
It would be fine if the engagement was called off, he could have married a magnanimous and virtuous wife. However, the Zheng family went too far and insisted on telling the public that the engagement was called off because he wanted to take a concubine before the wedding. Wouldn't this ruin his career?
Left with no other choice, he could only watch helplessly as Ling'er was given an abortifacient and hastily married off to a distant place.
Liu Ling was in great pain after losing Ling'er.
He personally orchestrated a grand scheme to ruin Zheng Lin's reputation, break off her engagement, and hastily marry her off, making her taste the same bitterness that Ling'er had endured.
Serves them right.
This is what the Zheng family owes him and Ling'er!
"Zheng Si, save your breath. If you dare lay a hand on me again, I'll have my second uncle impeach your father and let the whole capital know that the eldest daughter of the Zheng family has given herself to a stable boy!"
"Young Master..."
Blind Chen recognized him and called out softly, trying to remind him to behave and that shouting would get him beaten.
Blind Chen remembered him; he was a pitiful man. Because his jealous fiancée caused him to be separated from his beloved, he could only drown his sorrows in alcohol.
He stood by the window, sunlight shining on him, his uneven face covered with freckles.
"It's you?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Ling looked up, paused for a moment, and then recognized him.
Did Zheng Si bring him here so that he could confront this old blind man?
The Zheng family does have some ability, managing to trace it back to the old blind man. But so what? Who would believe that a mere talisman could have such an effect?
Liu Ling brushed his disheveled hair aside and looked at Zheng Si with a cold smile.
He was about to make a sarcastic remark, but somehow, in a fleeting glance, he suddenly noticed that the old blind man who had given him the marriage charm was unusually handsome.
uncertain.
Take one more look!
Liu Ling turned around and looked down at Chen the Blind. His heart skipped a beat when he saw him.
It felt as if a brilliant firework had bloomed in my heart.
He had thought Ling'er was an exceptionally talented person, but this old blind man seemed to be radiating holy light, instantly captivating him. Why hadn't he noticed it when they met last time?
Liu Ling stared intently at Blind Chen, his palms slightly sweaty and his breathing somewhat erratic.
This must be the feeling of being moved.
He had always thought that his love for Ling'er would never change, but now, he was suddenly a little unsure.
Liu Ling gritted his teeth and turned his face away with difficulty, the last shred of reason in his heart telling him that this shouldn't be the case.
His heart was in turmoil, and he would occasionally glance back at the old blind man, his eyes filled with fervor.
What's wrong with this guy? Blind Chen felt a chill run down his spine from that gaze. He looked at him, then at Zheng Si, and subconsciously moved closer to Zheng Si.
Liu Ling's Adam's apple bobbed as he tried to suppress the burning desire within him.
Gu Zhizhuo watched this scene with great interest and spoke up at just the right moment: "Fourth Young Master Zheng, hit that old blind man. Hit him in the face, hit him hard."
Zheng Si swung his fist and punched Chen the Blind in the face. Chen the Blind was already standing behind Zheng Si and was caught off guard, so he was hit by the punch and cried out in pain as he clutched his cheek.
However, there was a voice that was even more tragic and shrill than his.
"Chen Lang!"
Liu Ling shouted out, and the last line of defense in his heart collapsed.
What about etiquette and moral principles?
What about the world's opinion?
These things were insignificant compared to his sincerity. Liu Ling rushed over without hesitation, supporting the fallen Blind Chen, his eyes filled with worry: "Brother Chen, are you alright!"
Zheng Si: ? ? ?
Gu Zhizhuo shivered and leaned closer to Gu Yican.
She just gave it a try, but she never expected that the effect of the blessing spell would be so strong. No wonder her master and the abbot said it was an evil spell.
Gu Yican couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing. He pounded the table with his fist as he laughed, almost choking on his breath. Gu Zhizhuo quickly patted his back and buried his head in his shoulder, chuckling to himself.
Zhou Liulang was dumbfounded, feeling goosebumps all over his body.
He looked around, then moved his stool to Gu Yican's side. Brother Can was righteous and impervious to evil!
Gu Zhizhu suppressed a laugh and said with a serious expression, "Fourth Young Master Zheng, hit me again."
Zheng Si gave a command and immediately executed a spinning kick.
"Zheng Si, stop!"
Liu Lingping raised his arms to block Chen the Blind, his eyes blazing with anger, ready to fight him to the death if he dared to lay a hand on him again. He said, "Brother Chen, don't worry, I will never let anyone hurt you."
Blind Chen was dumbfounded.
Weak and helpless.
That's right, his hair! He suddenly remembered that the girl had someone pluck his hair and stuff it into the marriage charm.
He was so scared just now that he didn't realize their intentions at all. Now, thinking back on it, he felt a chill run down his spine.
No way!?
Liu Ling was very close to him, and the deep affection in his eyes was almost overflowing. He was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat.
Blind Chen's lips trembled. He wanted to tell Zheng Si not to come near him, but it was as if a stone was stuck in his throat, and he stammered and couldn't speak clearly. He crawled behind Zheng Si with both hands, preferring to be beaten by Zheng Si.
"Young Master Zheng, hit him again."
Gu Zhizhuo sat on the wooden stool, his arm resting on Gu Yican's shoulder, and gave orders with a smile.
Despite his disgust, Zheng Si had found some amusement in it. He grabbed Liu Ling by the collar and threw him aside, then gleefully punched Blind Chen several more times. Blind Chen screamed in pain, but dared not run away, fearing that Liu Ling would pounce on him again.
"Chen Lang!"
Liu Ling cried out desperately, "This has nothing to do with him, let him go!"
“Zheng Si, as long as you let him go, I…” Liu Ling gritted his teeth, as if making some difficult decision, “I will marry your sister.”
As he spoke, he silently closed his eyes, as if he were being forced into prostitution.
Gu Zhizhuo curved the corners of his mouth into a smile and asked slowly, "So, you deliberately tried to ruin the Zheng family's daughter's reputation for his sake?"
Liu Ling: "I..."
Was it for Ling'er? A hint of confusion appeared in his eyes.
Gu Zhizhuo raised an eyebrow. This talisman was secondhand, and its effect was indeed not as good as the firsthand one. If it was too outrageous, it would make people suspicious.
Gu Zhizhuo: "Blind Chen, he said he admires you."
Blind Chen wished he were truly blind so he wouldn't have to face this disgusting situation anymore.
He said in a trembling voice, "No, it's not like that. I didn't..." His mind was a mess, and his words were incoherent.
Gu Zhizhu brushed the intricate patterns on her sleeve without even looking up, and said casually, "Liu Ling, you won't win the heart of your sweetheart if you're so fickle." She emphasized the words "sweetheart."
Gu Yican pinched his sister's cheek, struggling to suppress his laughter.
"Look, he doesn't want to talk to you anymore, what should you do?"
Gu Zhizhuo's voice was like a tiny flame that ignited Liu Ling's passion.
He couldn't wait to reveal his burning sincerity: "Chen Lang, ever since we met in the red-light district, I've been unable to forget you. But I was engaged, and I was not good enough for you. But now it's all right, I'm not engaged anymore, and we can be together forever."
He shouted without hesitation, "Zheng Si, if you're angry, come at me! It was I who deliberately ruined your sister's reputation so that I could be with Chen Lang and wouldn't marry her! Don't hit Chen Lang, he knows nothing about this."
"I...I won't." Blind Chen was about to cry. He hadn't cried this badly even when he was being beaten. He shouted with despair, "What did you see in me? I'll change, okay?"
"you."
Liu Ling hesitated for a moment.
However, he soon understood his own heart, or rather, he convinced himself, and said without regret, "Chen Lang, you are handsome and talented. I fell in love with you at first sight."
Why are those eight words again! Gu Zhizhuo covered her lips with her sleeve, suppressing the soft laugh that almost escaped her lips.
She flicked her sleeve, stood up, walked straight up to them, and looked down at them.
Under Liu Ling's wary gaze, she said to Blind Chen, "You really are something. Young Master Liu is sincere towards you, you should just accept it gladly."
"Yes, yes!" Liu Ling looked grateful; this stranger was actually a very kind person.
“Blind Chen, Young Master Liu is currently unmarried and without a wife, and he has done a great deal for you. He is about to take the imperial examination, so you should repay him and save him. Anyway, men will get married sooner or later, whether he marries a man or a woman is not important at all. This is a great deed that will accumulate merit.”
You'll never know pain until you cut yourself with a knife.
Blind Chen was both shocked and frightened.
Liu Ling said affectionately, "Chen Lang, I will definitely treat you well. I will pass the imperial examination with top honors and give you a good life."
"Let's go, don't keep them from expressing their feelings," Gu Zhizhuo said, calling to Gu Yican and the others before opening the door.
Huh?
She feigned surprise and asked, "So many people, are you all here to congratulate Young Master Liu on his wedding?"
Standing outside were Liu Ling's teachers, classmates, friends, and censors who intended to impeach Zheng Si.
They all looked astonished, questioning the meaning of life.
A note from the author:
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