General Alu suddenly spoke. "Young Hero Su, show mercy! Ziqi established its teachings through Buddhism and its nation through those teachings. Since Third Sister's offerings can save the monk's life, that counts as accumulating good karma before the Buddha. Let him go."
"But..." Su Dingfeng hurriedly began, but he had not finished speaking.
General Alu was displeased. He furrowed his brows and said coldly, "How dare you? This is Ziqi Country." General Alu normally had a kindly appearance, but his face was now filled with anger.
Seeing the situation change, Su Jiangcheng released Monk Sixi and smiled as he tried to smooth things over. "General Alu, my junior brother and I will wait for you at the foot of the mountain and go with you to Milu City."
General Alu nodded and said to his attendants, "Attend to these two distinguished guests from afar and take them to rest at the dock."
After everyone left, General Alu stepped forward and swept his sleeve. The twelve dishes of leftovers on the stone table were all swept aside.
General Alu said unhappily, "Third Sister, today is your birthday. Your big brother has come to see you. You failed to recognize people while alive, and after death, you were bullied again. Why won't you eat Jiangnan's food? Your big brother brought the pastries you loved most as a child."
As soon as General Alu spoke, he began to weep. He crouched down and placed the pastries from the food box one plate at a time on the stone table.
On Penglai Immortal Island, inside the White Jade Palace, White Deer Immortal stood beside the reclining chair and actually felt sympathy with the scene. She thought of her own elder brother, Hong Sheng, and murmured, "Humans actually have such a wonderful elder brother!"
Chen Renfeng glanced at the reclining chair beside him. Pure Yang Emperor and True Martial Great Emperor had actually fallen asleep... There was no reaction, and neither mortal faith nor mortal origin had appeared.
After thinking it over, Chen Renfeng continued watching the scene in the water mirror.
The young physician finally could not hold back any longer at the sight of everything General Alu had done. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed aloud.
General Alu turned around and asked, "Why are you crying, physician? Did someone in your family die too?"
"Uncle..."
"What did you just call me?" General Alu thought the voice sounded oddly familiar and asked in return.
The young physician removed the bamboo hat from his head and called out again, "Uncle Alu, Uncle Age... Boohoo..."
General Age recognized him first and shouted, "Big Brother, it's Bingxue! It's Bingxue!"
General Alu exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, Bingxue! You've grown into a fine young lady!"
General Age sighed. "Big Brother, it's been eight years since we last saw her. How could she not have grown into a fine young lady?"
General Alu asked with concern, "Bingxue, your uncle has always been thinking of you. Let me have a look. Are you fully recovered?"
The young physician embraced her two uncles and cried, "I missed you both so much. Boohoo..."
As the two uncles comforted her, the little novice monk nearby began to cry as well.
General Alu asked, "Why are you crying, little monk?"
Sixi answered through his tears, "I miss my uncle too."
"Who is your uncle? I'll send someone to find him so you can reunite," General Alu said readily. He could not bear to see anyone sad.
The little novice monk said awkwardly, "I'm an orphan. I grew up in the temple and don't know who my parents or uncle are."
General Alu frowned, thinking that the monk was making fun of him. He angrily said, "Shoo, shoo, go stand over there." He pointed to a spot far behind the burial mound.
After studying medicine for eight years at Nine Dragon Valley on Fujian Road in Gongjiao Country, Bai Bingxue returned and kowtowed three times before her mother's grave. Her two uncles were greatly comforted. They helped her up and walked down the mountain.
After boatman Meng San woke up, he found the little novice monk on the mountain. The two of them came together, and when the three of them returned, General Alu gave them some reward money and told them to leave on their own.
Seeing that the little novice monk did not leave, Bai Bingxue thought he was worried about his injuries and comforted him. "Little monk, you and Elder Meng should leave together. Your injuries will heal on their own in another month."
The little novice monk knelt and said, "This disciple is Sixi, a lay disciple of Chongsheng Temple. Thank you, Sister, for saving my life."
Bai Bingxue helped him up and said with a smile, "Since you're a Buddhist disciple, there's no need for these empty formalities. Go back down the mountain to your temple."
Sixi suddenly drooped his lips, and tears fell as he cried, "Sister, I can't go back to the temple. My master is dead!"
Bai Bingxue was about to comfort him when General Alu impatiently said, "Shoo, shoo, take the money and leave. We still have to return to Milu City."
Sixi's eyes lit up at this, and he said loudly, "Milu City? I want to go to Milu City too, to deliver a message!"
General Alu helplessly asked, "Who are you delivering the message to in Milu City? I'll take it for you, so you won't have to make the trip."
Bai Bingxue nodded as well.
Sixi quickly refused. "No, before my master died, he ordered me to personally present the letter to King Ziqi."
"What? To Father?" General Alu asked in surprise.
Sixi nodded firmly.
Half an hour later, everyone sat together in the reception hall at the dock below Gushan Island.
Monk Sixi began recounting the tragic events of the past few days.
"I was originally a lay disciple of Chongsheng Temple in Southern Expedition Country. My name is Sixi. Seven days ago, Lord Duan of Southern Expedition Country came to the temple to offer incense and worship Buddha. He invited Master Puxin to play a game of chess, and the two of them chatted and laughed together.
"In the middle of the night, my master woke me and had me secretly climb over the temple wall and hurry southeast through the night. At dawn, I hid in a mountain cave. I traveled at night, sleeping in the open and eating whatever I could find, hiding from place to place.
"I asked my master what had happened, but he would not tell me. He only urged me onward and slept when he could. At daybreak today, we had just traveled a dozen li from the cave when a group of cavalry began chasing us.
"My master found a boat and rowed into Xingyun Lake. The horsemen behind us found a boat as well and chased after us.
"When my master saw that he could not shake them off, he finally told me the secret."
Upon hearing this, General Age hurriedly asked, "What secret did Master Puxin tell you?"
Sixi looked toward him, then toward Su Jiangcheng and Su Dingfeng.
General Age said, "The Su brothers are one of us. It's fine, go ahead."
After finally making it to Xingyun Lake today, they were overtaken by troops sent by Lord Weichu, Gao Liangcheng.
Sixi continued, "My master was originally a guard of Southern Expedition Country's former emperor, Emperor Wen'an. He followed Emperor Wen'an into monastic life. This time, he was entrusted by Lord Duan to deliver a letter to King Ziqi. My master did not want to implicate me, so he brought me along.
"The troops were sent by Lord Weichu, Gao Liangcheng. The enemy was close behind. My master gave me the token and letter and told me to go to Milu City and personally deliver them to King Ziqi.
"He also instructed me to remember four lines of Chan verse: 'Unmoving, cultivate no good; unconcerned, commit no evil; silent, sever sight and sound; boundless, let the mind cling to nothing.'
"My master walked across the lake and fought the pursuers, dying and sinking into the lake.
"I was shot in the shoulder as well. When I woke up, I was already on this mountain. Later, I heard from the boatman that Sister had saved me."
After Sixi finished speaking, he knelt again and kowtowed to Bai Bingxue.
Bai Bingxue rose and helped him up. "Saving lives and healing the wounded is a physician's duty. Get up quickly."
Sixi suddenly burst into tears. "Sister, my master is dead, and I have nowhere to go. Take me in as your disciple."
Bai Bingxue was shocked inside and secretly thought, I'm just a child myself. How can I accept a disciple? Helplessly, Bai Bingxue sought help from her two uncles.
General Alu pretended to cough and said, "Monk Sixi, come with us to Milu City and deliver the letter first. We'll consider what you can do afterward."
Sixi rose at this and wiped his tears with his sleeve.
At that moment, General Alu stood and said, "Father's birthday is the day after tomorrow. Guests from every route must arrive before tomorrow during the Hour of the Monkey, or they'll miss the banquet and the ceremonial toast."
"Uncle Alu, we should set out!" Bai Bingxue said.
General Alu shouted, "Set out!"
Su Jiangcheng whispered to Su Dingfeng, "Sixth Junior Brother, Master has a daughter, the granddaughter of King Ziqi. Could it be her?"
"What? We just offended her!" Su Dingfeng exclaimed in surprise.
Before you continue