At this moment, Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei squeezed through the crowd. Xiao Wei observed Gu Xinglangâs expression, which was so cold that it was dripping ice, then raised his hand to shove the old Taoist priest, âHow dare you go about swindling our master? Get lost!â
The Taoist priest staggered back from Xiao Weiâs push. After standing up, he continued staring at Gu Xinglang.
Gu Xinglang was about to order Xiao Wei to chase this priest away when the head guard arrived with a group of Gu familyâs guards.
When the crowd saw that the situation was about to escalate, all of them scattered away with a loud bang.
The old priest was surrounded by the guards, but he didnât look worried that he might be beaten up. Instead, he told Gu Xinglang, âYour seven emotions have all been destroyed, and your six desires have all been withdrawn. Perhaps, thatâs a good thing for the person by your side.â
Xiao Wei scowled furiously after hearing this. If the Prince Consortâs seven emotions and six desires were non-existent, was he going to have to become a monk? What was his Princess going to do? âGet lost!â Xiao Wei raised his leg and kicked the old priest more than ten metres away, then yelled, âDonât let me see you again!â
Xiao Zhuang told Gu Xinglang, âThis man is clearly a lunatic.â
The old priest fell on the floor, but shouted persistently at Gu Xinglang, âAnyone who recklessly changes fate will be punished by the heavens!â
At this moment, Yu Xiaoxiao was still munching on the pigâs head. The autumn rain had long stopped. Sunlight filtered through the dense layers of clouds, and Yu Xiaoxiao could feel the warmth from the autumn sun. Here she was, food in her mouth, joyous people before her. Yu Xiaoxiao once again praised this zombie-less world; it was so damn wonderful!
âDrag him over.â Right now, Gu Xinglang couldnât feel how wonderful the world was. When he heard the old priest yelling to him about heavenâs punishment, he suddenly felt a chill, making him very uncomfortable.
Xiao Wei knitted his brows, âPrince Consort?â
âBring him over,â Gu Xinglang insisted, âI have something to ask him.â
The old priest was brought before Gu Xinglang by two of the Gu familyâs guards. He grinned at Gu Xinglang, revealing two yellowed front teeth, then said âItâs best if the Prince Consort listens to the advice of this priest.â
Gu Xinglang replied coldly, âYou want me to abandon my wife and leave my family?â
âFor someone who is supposed to die, where would there be kinship?â The priest asked Gu Xinglang.
Xiao Zhuang pointed at the priest, âHey! Old thing, youâre crazy, right?â
The old priest ignored Xiao Zhuangâs admonishment, looking only at Gu Xinglang as he said, âPrince Consort, thereâs no feud between you and I, so this priest wouldnât curse you for no rhyme or reason. This priest is doing it for your sake. Rather than regret this in future, you might as well break your arms now in exchange for survival [2].â
âYou want my Xiao Gu to chop his arms off?!â
Seeing their Princess appear behind the old priest, Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei both heaved a sigh of relief. This old priestâs words sounded terrifying, but now that the Princess was here, all evil monsters would have to retreat.
The old priest turned to look at Yu Xiaoxiao, but when he saw her, he was startled.
Yu Xiaoxiao hugged the pigâs head that she had chewed quite a bit of, and sized up the old priest, âYou are a priest?â She had just fought with a group of monks, and now, a priest had appeared. Were all the religious people in this world going against her?
âYou,â the old priest shuddered, âI canât read into your fate. Where did you come from?â
âWhat?â Yu Xiaoxiao initially didnât understand, but she thought about it again, Where did you come from? Oh man, this old man could tell that Iâm a foreigner? Glancing at Gu Xinglang, who was sitting under the shelter, his face ashen again, Yu Xiaoxiao instinctively felt that she couldnât allow this old man to tell the truth. She still wanted to live a good life with her familyâs Xiao Gu.â
âYouâ¦â The old priest gazed at Yu Xiaoxiao as he prepared to continue shouting.
âYou, what you? Scram!â Yu Xiaoxiao grabbed the old priest by the collar, then threw him across the street, dumped into some large vat somewhere.
Xiao Wei saw that the old priest had met with his misfortune, so he went to report to Yu Xiaoxiao about this man. âYour Highness, this old priest had been spewing nonsense to the Prince Consort.â
Yu Xiaoxiaoâs heart tightened instantaneously, as she asked Gu Xinglang, âWhat did that old man tell you?â
Gu Xinglang looked at Yu Xiaoxiao. The old priest had given him such a profound gaze that he was almost convinced by him. However, with Yu Xiaoxiaoâs question, he shook his head. Since he was still alive, then he wasnât destined to die yet. Where would all that talk about his fate changing come from?
Yu Xiaoxiao walked toward Gu Xinglang and touched his face. âWhat exactly did that old man tell you?â
Gu Xinglang replied, âXiao Weiâs right, he was just spouting nonsense.â
At this moment, Xiao Wei coughed.
Yu Xiaoxiao removed the hand that she touched Gu Xinglang with. She forgot that she was carrying the pigâs head, and her hands were stained with oil. With her touch, half of her Xiao Guâs face was smeared with pigâs oil.
Gu Xinglang sniffed around and said, âWhatâs that smell? Xiaoxiao, youâ¦â Third Young Master Gu saw the half of the pigâs head that was missing slices here and there, and didnât continue questioning.
âIâm sorry, the oil got on your face.â Yu Xiaoxiao put the pigâs head on Xiao Zhuangâs hands, then said to Gu Xinglang, âIâll help you wipe it off.â
They were in public view, so Gu Xinglang really didnât want to let his wife clean his own face. He quickly took out his handkerchief and wiped his face as he asked Yu Xiaoxiao, âDo you like to eat pigâs head?â The meat from a pigâs head wasnât something that noblemen enjoyed, hence Gu Xinglang didnât expect that his Princess wife would actually enjoy the food that only commoners would eat.
Before Yu Xiaoxiao could respond, Xiao Wei said from beside them, âThat old priest has stood up again.â
Both Yu Xiaoxiao and Gu Xinglang looked across the street.
The old priest had crawled out of a giant vat that was half-filled with pickled vegetables. He was in a pitiable state, but he couldnât be bothered with his appearance. Yu Xiaoxiao and Gu Xinglang stared at him, while he returned their stares and said, âThe both of you will regret this in future.â
Thunder boomed across the skies.
Yu Xiaoxiao could swear that this bout of thunder had nothing to do with her.
âItâs still not too late for you to cut your ties.â The old priest bellowed at Gu Xinglang.
âSigh!â Yu Xiaoxiao was infuriated. Between Gu Xinglang and her, a third party hadnât emerged, nor had they encountered any white lotus bitches. Unexpectedly, the first person to threaten her relationship with Xiao Gu was a priest!
Yu Xiaoxiao appeared in a flash before the old priest, and she raised her hand, preparing to beat him up.
The old priest didnât dodge. He looked at Yu Xiaoxiao with an unfathomable expression, âThis priest is Tian Xingzi.â
Be it Tian Xingzi or Di Xingzi [3], Yu Xiaoxiao didnât know any of them. Her Royal Highness simply raised her hand and lifted the priest.
At this point, it started pouring heavily again, and the distinction between heaven and earth blurred.
âYour Highness,â Gu Xinglang was carried before Yu Xiaoxiao by Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei, and he whispered, âThereâs no need to care about this swindler. Letâs return home.â
Yu Xiaoxiao threw Tian Xingzi on the floor, thinking that she should say something to threaten this old priest so that he wouldnât appear before Gu Xinglang and her.
The guards brought the carriage over. Gu Xinglang boarded the carriage then reached his hand out towards Yu Xiaoxiao, âYour Highness, letâs go home.â
âHomeâ was a term that gave Yu Xiaoxiaoâs a sense of warmth. She placed her hand into Gu Xinglangâs and was pulled into the carriage by Third Young Master Gu.
The old priest sat in the heavy downpour and watched the group leave. Just then, he had seen a blood-coloured aura behind the young Prince Consort. This man would certainly have countless blood debts in future. âPo Junâ [4], the old priest whispered the name of the main inauspicious star, then closed his eyes and sighed.
[1] The seven emotions and six desires refer to psychological reactions. The seven emotions are: joy, anger, worry, thinking, sorrow, fear, and shock. The six desires are: desire to see, desire to hear, desire to smell, desire to taste, desire to touch, and desire to feel.
[2] To break an arm in exchange for living is a metaphor for someone to be willing to part with something in order to survive.
[3] Yu Xiaoxiao is just playing with names â âtianâ is sky, and âdiâ is earth.
[4] Po Jun, also known as âRuinous Starâ, symbolizing destruction.