Chapter 15

The ritual ground had been set up in the clearing in front of Liu De's bedroom. By craning his neck, Meng Zhou could even see a stack of letters on the bed, along with several large chests of books that had been sorted out, ready to be burned and sent to the underworld that night.

His newly acquired eldest senior brother brandished a peachwood sword before him. Meng Zhou followed his movements, performing the entire sequence smoothly, with even better form than the leader of a broadcast calisthenics routine.

He was, after all, a Best Actor winner who had played a Daoist priest!

With a turn of his fingertips, his eldest senior brother drew several yellow talismans in cinnabar and handed them to Meng Zhou. "Paste these in the center of the bed canopy. After fifteen minutes, throw them into the brazier beside the bed. Not a single speck of ash must escape."

"Yes, eldest senior brother."

The opportunity he had anticipated had arrived. Meng Zhou took the yellow talismans and explained his purpose in detail before the two servants guarding the door would let him through.

As soon as Meng Zhou went inside, his eldest senior brother, whose movements had been elegant enough to flourish a peony with his peachwood sword, suddenly went mad, flailing all four limbs. In an instant, the eldest disciple of the capital's most famous Daoist temple turned into a crazed shaman woman, putting on a show even more spectacular than the acrobats in the street.

Here came the climax!

Unable to help themselves, the two servants were drawn to his eldest senior brother's unrestrained performance. They watched the acrobatics outside, keeping only a distracted eye on Meng Zhou inside the room.

With two pairs of eyes on his back, Meng Zhou calmly pasted the yellow talismans above the bed. As his Daoist robe swept over the pile of letters, he slipped the top three, all signed by the Zhou family, into his pouch without anyone noticing.

When Meng Zhou came out, his eldest senior brother was balancing a large vat on his head. At the sight of Meng Zhou, he let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief, calmly lowered the vat, and resumed his aloof demeanor.

The servants pursed their lips in disappointment. It was over already.

Daoist Master Xiuming had only asked his eldest disciple to help Meng Zhou get inside. He had never demanded such a great sacrifice from his perpetually aloof disciple. It was practically like running naked in front of all his junior brothers!

Meng Zhou gave his eldest senior brother a grateful smile and returned to his place in the ranks.

Once midnight had passed, the Daoist priests' task was complete. Their eldest senior brother led them in taking their leave of the Liu residence, only for the steward to stop them at the gate.

He said that Master Liu had only just passed away, and the young master dreamed of his father visiting him every night, even suffering one nightmare after another. Having heard that the disciples of the Clear Void Daoist Temple possessed profound cultivation and skill in interpreting dreams, he specifically requested that Meng Zhou stay to keep vigil.

"Our youngest junior brother has only just joined us and understands very little. I fear he cannot shoulder such a responsibility. I shall return tonight to inform our master and invite him down the mountain tomorrow." His eldest senior brother was refined and courteous, but his words were firm and left no room for negotiation.

In his later years, Emperor Tianyuan had embraced Daoism, falling into the same obsession with "immortality" that plagued every foolish emperor.

As a result, Daoist Master Xiuming enjoyed considerable standing and often entered the palace to discuss the Dao with Emperor Tianyuan. By offering to invite his master, his eldest senior brother was both giving them ample face and exerting pressure.

Who would have thought the steward would be so arrogant? Snapping, "We're only keeping a little Daoist priest for the night. What's all this nonsense?" he ordered men to seize Meng Zhou.

The burly men trained on the Liu family's martial grounds were each stronger than the last. How could this group of young Daoist priests possibly match them?

Meng Zhou stopped his eldest senior brother, who was about to unleash his wrath. He still had the letters hidden on him. If they were discovered, none of them would be able to leave.

Secretly slipping the letters to his eldest senior brother, Meng Zhou spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear. "If I don't show up tomorrow, take these letters to Prince Huai."

Then he stepped forward and said composedly to the steward, "I'm honored that the young master thinks so highly of me. Please lead the way."

Faced with this unexpected turn, Meng Zhou had no solution either. He would have to take things one step at a time.

The farther inside they went, the tighter the security became. A chill crept into Meng Zhou's heart, and his footsteps gradually dragged until he finally crouched on the ground, clutching his stomach and groaning in pain.

"Wh-where's the privy?"

The steward looked thoroughly impatient. "Why are you so much trouble? Go once we get there."

Meng Zhou lowered his head and imitated the gurgling of an upset stomach, as though he would give a demonstration of diarrhea right there if the steward refused to take him to the privy.

"You!" The steward flung his sleeve, helpless against Meng Zhou. He knew perfectly well what Liu Hongbao intended to do to him. He could hardly bring someone with diarrhea over to spoil the fun.

"Over there. Hurry back."

The moment Meng Zhou reached the place, he was dumbfounded.

Could someone tell him why an ordinary privy had been built in such a conspicuous location, with one, two, three, four guards around it?

At the slightest disturbance, dozens or even a hundred men would surely come running.

With one hand supporting his chin and the other covering his nose, Meng Zhou crouched on the ground in bitter resentment. Beauty truly was the original sin.

Was he more likely to persuade Liu Hongbao to devote himself to the Dao with his silver tongue, or would it be better to make himself vomit and have diarrhea right now?

Beneath Meng Zhou's thin eyelids, his eyes shifted toward some unidentified weeds nearby. He wondered what would happen if he ate them...

Grass from the privy... so lush, tender, and green that he could not bring himself to eat it.

"Urgh..." This was bad. Just thinking about it made him want to throw up.

After waiting outside for fifteen minutes, the steward felt something was wrong and urged a servant boy to check on him.

"Are you done yet? You'll suffer for it if you keep the young master waiting."

"I-I don't think I can stand up. Give me a hand." A voice as weak as a kitten's came from inside.

Without thinking much of it, the servant boy pushed open the door and went in.

Hiding behind the door, Meng Zhou knocked him unconscious with a chop of his hand and quickly swapped their clothes, pretending to carry on a conversation as he did.

"There's no toilet paper left. Could you fetch some?" That was Meng Zhou's voice.

"So much trouble. Wait here." That was the servant boy's voice.

After the servant boy came out, he closed the door while telling the steward, "He's still going! Steward, I'll fetch some toilet paper."

"Go on, go on." It was pitch-black, and the servant boy spoke with his back turned, so the steward could not see him clearly. Growing even more impatient, he stepped back twice as though he could smell the stink.

"Right!"

Disguised as the servant boy, Meng Zhou left along another path. Once out of the steward's sight, he moved at a flying pace, not the least bit weak.

The steward would soon discover the switch. He had to find a way out at once.

"Bad news! That damned Daoist priest has run away!"

"Light the torches and search along the way! He can't have gone far. After him!"

That fast!

Meng Zhou cursed inwardly and slipped into the garden in one breath. Torchlight blazed behind him as his pursuers closed in, bringing a wave of clamor.

Amid the uproar, he picked out the almost completely muffled sound of flowing water.

It was running water.

If he followed the current, there had to be an exit. Besides, the water's surface was pitch-black, and he would be concealed underwater. The Liu family certainly would not immediately think he had chosen the water route.

Confident in his swimming, Meng Zhou drew a deep breath. He had barely extended half a foot when someone suddenly caught him around the waist from behind and hauled him back. He slammed into a solid chest, hot breath spilling over the back of his neck. Meng Zhou's hair stood on end in fright.

"What, frightened now? Going to drown yourself in the lake?"

The furious mockery exploded beside his ear, every word ridiculing him for overestimating himself.

With every word the other man spoke, the arm around his waist tightened. Meng Zhou even suspected that a little more force would squeeze him clean in two.

What did he mean, drown myself? Didn't he know I was a good swimmer?

Indignantly, Meng Zhou drew breath, only to find himself squeezed too tightly to speak. In a flash, he remembered that this body's original owner could not swim and had nearly drowned, and silently shut his mouth.

He reached down to pry away the arm locked around his waist. Despite using every ounce of strength he had, he could not budge it.

"Please let go first. You're squeezing the breath out of me," Meng Zhou pleaded.

Chu Huaiyin restrained the fury blazing through his head. With a shift of his right hand, Meng Zhou rolled halfway around in his embrace and slid into his left arm, turning from facing away to facing him. Carrying Meng Zhou almost upright, he darted through the garden paths in a few flashing movements, evading patrol after patrol of guards until they reached the Liu residence's outer wall.

He knew the way so well that it was as though he had fled for his life here countless times.

Once outside the Liu residence, Chu Huaiyin set Meng Zhou down and stood in grim-faced silence.

Meng Zhou cautiously studied his expression and realized Prince Huai was truly angry this time. Whatever else, the man had saved his life. For the first time, he softened his voice. "I didn't think things through. Thank you for saving my life, Prince Huai."

"Thank me?" Chu Huaiyin tugged at the corner of his mouth in utter disdain. "If I hadn't come, would you still be alive to thank me?"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became, giving Meng Zhou a thorough scolding as though he were a rebellious child.

"If I hadn't been worried and gone back to see the abbot, I wouldn't even have known you were doing such great things! When I reached the Daoist temple, the Daoist master said you'd already set out. I met the returning priests on the road, and of all people, you were the only one kept behind."

Chu Huaiyin took several letters from inside his robe and slapped them against Meng Zhou's head. "For these scraps? Was it worth it?"

"Do you know how I felt then?!"

Meng Zhou obediently listened to the lecture. Afraid that a lack of response would make Chu Huaiyin even angrier, he obsequiously chimed in, "Mm, how did you feel?"

Chu Huaiyin choked, unable to answer the question. Even now, he could not describe that anxious, lingering fear, as though being a step too late would mean having something snatched away from him. Embarrassment turned to anger, and he rapped Meng Zhou on the forehead.

Rubbing his forehead, Meng Zhou cleverly changed the subject. "You seem very familiar with the Liu residence, Prince Huai." He deliberately added a hint of admiration and curiosity to his tone, flattering him without leaving a trace.

Chu Huaiyin felt pleased for a moment, then his expression darkened further. "I've memorized the layout of every important minister's residence in the capital. Unlike you, charging into a dragon's pool and tiger's den without figuring anything out!"

In his anger, he pinched Meng Zhou's little cheeks twice!

They seemed a little fleshier.

Chu Huaiyin could not help taking a few more looks. He noticed that the servant's clothes Meng Zhou wore today were far too large for him, like a kitten slipping its padded paws into an adult's boots. The navy blue made his skin look all the more fair and translucent, his bearing fresh and pure. His long hair was simply tied into a bun. He looked a little... cute.

However cute he was, it would not dispel his anger.

"Do you know what Liu Hongbao keeps in that pond? And you dared jump in blindly! It would eat you without leaving a bone! You wouldn't even know how you died."

Meng Zhou was startled. He really did not know what was kept in the pond, but given the brutal practices on the Liu family's training grounds, it was probably some monster that devoured people, bones and all.

No wonder it was running water.

Now that he thought about it, what he had heard might not necessarily have been flowing water. It could also have been the sound of a monster moving beneath the surface.

Meng Zhou's face went pale, and his body trembled. This time, he really was a little frightened.

Strange. He did not remember being this sensitive before. Especially when it came to ordeals already behind him, he had always taken them in stride.

It had to be because Chu Huaiyin was too fierce when he scolded people.

Meng Zhou felt like a lowly soldier under Chu Huaiyin's command who had done something stupid, delayed vital military affairs, and was about to be executed on the spot.

General Chu really was fierce!

But he was right to scold him.

Meng Zhou took the lesson deeply to heart.

Someone, however, felt he had not learned enough of a lesson. After they parted outside the Liu residence, Meng Zhou went home and fell straight asleep. After a busy day compounded by fear and anxiety, he slept especially soundly. He had never known that a single ritual could be so physically exhausting.

After returning home, Chu Huaiyin might have thought it over and decided he could not let him off so easily, because Meng Zhou was actually dragged out of bed halfway through his sleep. At first, his muddled mind became alert for an instant, but after hearing Chu Huaiyin soothe him with "Go back to sleep," his head dipped, and he leaned against Chu Huaiyin and kept sleeping.

When he next woke, he was actually back at the Liu residence.