The Devil is My White Moonlight - Chapter 15

The child abduction case and trafficking came to an end. Liang Zheng told Gu Mingshun what Gu Qingqiao suspected. After the investigation, it was found out that Zhang San left Yiyun Town a few days ago and never came back. Soon after, a message was also sent from Ping County, saying that the dozen or so children had also been returned to their families.

On the Moyun Mountain side, Su Yanjun and Mu Xiyun who originally set out to inspect the array a few days ago, but because they encountered an incident, it was put off. Su Yanjun could only return to Tianliangfeng on the same day to report what happened.

In the afternoon of the second day, Liang Zheng was sitting in the hall when there was a sudden noise in front of the door.

A carriage stopped right in front of the medicine hall. The horse’s waist was fat and strong, the carriage was light, the vermilion lacquer and the gilt roof gleamed under the sun, and the windows were fitted with beaded curtains. When moving, the beads trembled and made a crisp sound.

A faint aroma emanated from the carriage. Outside the carriage were four maids, eight servants, and another seemingly small servant holding miscellaneous items. They stood halfway across the street.

The town of Yiyun was not poor, but it was still a small place. Such a luxurious carriage and such a display of grandeur were still rare in the town. The people who were watching immediately gathered around, guessing that maybe it was a person from a big family who was on tour or a lady from the capital who came to seek medical treatment.

Liang Zheng stood at the door of the medicine hall and noticed Su Yanjun helped a woman out of the carriage. He was shocked, pondering over if Su Yanjun was already married and he didn’t know. Was this him setting off with his wife?

Looking closely at the woman, although the figure was well-maintained, the corners of her brows and eyes appeared to have some wrinkles. Maybe not a wife, but could be a mother perhaps.

Liang Zheng and the surrounding audience all had varied expressions, yet Su Yanjun turned a blind eye to it and introduced the person with a smile, “Madam, this is the renowned physician of Moyun Mountain, Master Liang.” Then he turned to Liang to explain, “This is Madame Zhu, the mistress of the Green Willow Villa.”

There were many people at the door, and Liang Zheng hurriedly welcomed everyone inside the hall.

It turns out that today when Su Yanjun went up the mountain to explain the details of the child abduction case to the master Zheng Genran, Mrs. Zhu was also there for a visit. The disciples of a small cultivator family like Green Willow Villa were not prosperous, so they have always tried their best to flatter big sects like Moyun Mountain. Now, when Mrs. Zhu appeared in the medicine hall, the first thing she thought about was not to seek a physician, but to present a gift to Liang Zheng. Zheng Genran had always been indifferent to this, merely out of courtesy and not saying much.

After Zheng Genran listened to Su Yanjun’s report, he nodded and instructed a martial  brother of his to send someone to clear up the matter. The inspection of the spiritual array was already delayed for a few days, but it must be done no matter what and sent Su Yanjun away immediately after. As he was going down the mountain, coincidentally, Madame Zhu was also, and both went down together.

Madame Zhu smiled before saying a word. She first praised Su Yanjun and Liang Zheng, and then stretched out her hand to let Liang Zheng diagnose her pulse.

Liang Zheng quietly diagnosed her for a while and became puzzled after. Judging from the pulse condition, Madame Zhu was not in serious condition. At most, her meridians were just slightly weakened due to old age. As long as she pays attention to maintenance, she may be healthier than most young people of ordinary families.

While pondering, he heard Madame Zhu say in a low voice. “Please don’t blame this mistress, Immortal physician. This mistress just wants to invite you in your spare time in the evening. My family’s patient…it’s not convenient to bring him here at this time.”

People from large families, a patient with special identity, or a person with a hidden disease that no one wants to know about, they would often use this method to quietly make an appointment with the physician. Liang Zheng immediately understood, nodded to Madame Zhu, took the pen and ink and wrote the prescription for tonifying qi and nourishing the spirit, and asked a disciple to take it for dispensing.

In the evening, Madame Zhu came to the medicine hall again, with a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy behind her. Entering the medicine hall and seeing Liang Zheng, Madame Zhu pulled the boy forward without any explanation.

“Mother, don’t do this!” The boy’s face was full of helplessness, all he wanted to do was to quickly escape, but his sleeves were tightly held by his mother, making him unable to move.

“Little bastard, don’t try to run.” Madam Zhu frowned and held onto her son tightly, then turned to Liang Zheng with a smile, “Immortal Physician, please take a look at this child.”

“What’s wrong with the madam’s son?” Liang Zheng caught the boy’s pulse, but there seemed to be nothing unusual.

“There is not!” The boy finally broke free from his mother’s clutches and hurriedly ran to the side to sulk.

Madame Zhu sighed and could only explain herself to Liang Zheng, “This child has been smart since childhood, and he built a foundation at the age of fourteen, but he has never been willing to participate in Lingshan discussion. Now that he is seventeen, he is only a few years away from his coming of age. I’m just afraid that he won’t be on the list of Lingshan young masters.” Madam Zhu lowered her voice, “I heard that there is a kind of elixir that lets someone pass the test if you eat it…”

Liang Zheng laughed in his heart. The Lingshan’s rank list of young masters was determined according to one’s performance of Lingshan’s theory of Taoism. The disciples of major immortal sects naturally don’t care. However, the children of sects like Green Willow Valley, who might get on the list, may be appreciated by a major immortal sect in the future and may be also granted to practice in the spiritual energy gathering array. It can also be used as a bargaining chip to increase goodwill when joining a renowned sect, which made many parents to either force or encourage their children to participate.

Although aptitude should be naturally determined, in fact, the major immortal sects do not care about age at all, and the number of disciples who are admitted to big sects after their coming of age were not  known. Where did Madam Zhu hear such a legend, and even came up with such an idea?

He answered her seriously, “Lingshan’s discussion of the Dao is a test for immortals, where can we intervene? I can understand your feelings, but such a medicinal pill is nonexistent. I don’t know where you heard such a rumor.”

Whether it was an illusion or not, Liang Zheng felt that the child breathed a sigh of relief. Madam Zhu was greatly disappointed and left dejected along with her child.

Early the next morning, Su Yanjun and his party set out on the road. Although it was said that a person who cultivates can ride the sword, after all, it takes up spiritual energy, and experiencing people’s livelihood along the way was also beneficial and harmless to the practice. Therefore, if it was not a particularly urgent matter, cultivators usually choose the mundane way of traveling. Therefore, Su Yanjun and Xiyun rode on horseback and started their journey to the South.

Not long after they rode out of Yiyun Town, a sound of horse hooves catching up was heard from the rear. It was the young man brought by Mrs. Zhu last night, along with a little servant.

The young man was actually handsome, wearing a vermillion robe and a jade belt. He appeared not that tall on horseback, but his back was particularly straight, and he had a kind of hearty air, which was completely different from the way he was wrestling under his mother’s hands the night before.

With a slightly shy expression, he bowed his hands to Su Yanjun and said, “I’m Zhu Yicheng of the Green Willow Valley. I don’t know where the Gentleman’s Sword is going?”

Su Yanjun returned the salute with a smile, “My junior brother and I will inspect the spiritual array and go to Shanhai City.”

“That’s just about right, I’m also going to Hongye City. If you don’t mind it, can I go with the two of you?”

Going south from Yiyun Town to Shanhai City, if one would take the official road, one will pass through Hongye City on the way, therefore Su Yanjun readily agreed.

Zhu Yicheng smiled smugly, and said to the little servant, “Go back and tell my mother that I want to go with Immortal Master Su Yanjun, let her go back to the villa quickly.”

He looked back at Su Yanjun and Mu Xiyun, and touched his nose embarrassedly. “My mother, hehe, let the two immortal masters witness something laughable.”

Among the three, Su Yanjun was easy-going, and Xiyun was indifferent, but Zhu Yicheng was very generous. He told the two some interesting stories about Immortals along the way, which added a lot of fun to the journey.

Before entering the town the next day, the three of them decided to set camp in an open space on the side of the mountain for the night and sleep in the wilderness. Under the night sky, a rush of hooves sounded from far to near, the three of them looked at each other, secretly preparing. The visitor dismounted not far away, and one person asked from a distance, “There was no inn on the way, I wonder if we can join in the fun with these gentlemen?” Two young people appeared from the darkness, one wore a light robe while the other wore a dark robe. They were surprisingly Zhang Jinjin and Gu Qingqingqiao.

The two saluted and Zhang Jinjin said to Su Yanjun, “Your Excellency is the Gentleman’s sword?”

Su Yanjun returned the salute. “Exactly.”

Zhang Jinjin: “My cousin and I are traveling south and noticed that there were no inns along the way. In the wilderness, I spotted you camping here for the night and hope that we can squeeze in with you. I wonder if you guys mind?”

Su Yanjun smiled and said, “It is inevitable to take care of each other when going out, so why not. The two of you can freely join us.”

After letting down their guard, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. Everyone took out dry food and roasted it over the fire. Gu Qingqiao glanced at Mu Xiyun, walked to him, smiled and greeted, “Immortal Master Mu, we meet again!”

Su Yanjun was surprised, “Do you know each other?”

“We had some encounters back in Yiyun Town.” Then Mu Xiyun stood up, “Senior brother, I’m going to fetch water.” After speaking, he walked aside.

There was a small stream not far from the camp. Mu Xiyun washed his face and took out the water bag he carried with him. There were light footsteps behind him but he did not look back. The visitor squatted beside him and said, “Immortal Master Mu…”

“You don’t have to call me Immortal Master Mu. My name is Mu Yun.”

“Twilight clouds? Sunset clouds in the sky?” The person beside him asked with a smile. Mu Xiyun glanced at him sideways. This question was very familiar and for some reason, Mu Xiyun suddenly blurted out an answer, “No, it is ‘big wave on the river’.”

For a while, the two remained silent, and only the gurgling sound of running water was heard, as if the Baishui River from fifty years ago was rushing forward with time.

A wolf’s howl came from the upstream direction of the creek and was then immediately followed by a few screams.

The author has something to say:

Small Theater:

Author: Big Sale, Melatonin, Luck Peach K, A Beneficial Egg, Calming for the Mind Oral Liquid…

Mrs. Zhu: I am healthy, I am healthy

City Management: Catch that stall owner!!!!