CHAPTER 385: CHAPTER 0367: FORTUNATE PERSON (1)

Old Mrs. Zhao’s neck was unlike that of ordinary people; the flesh on her neck was very loose, so thick that it was almost invisible.

It seemed as if her head was directly connected to her shoulders, making her appearance highly recognizable.

The old man selling soup noodles nodded, "Yes, just now—oh dear, where is that old lady’s neck? She’s so fat, you can’t even see it." He started laughing as he spoke, "The old lady is large, she must be a lucky old lady, right?"

If she were so fortunate, why come out in the middle of the night?

To the pauper selling soup noodles, being large signifies wealth, and wealthy people are considered fortunate.

To the wealthy, money can buy many things, but it cannot necessarily buy happiness.

At least, she didn’t see Old Mrs. Zhao as happy and joyful.

Li Yuzhu looked at Li Xing’an, "That’s definitely her."

Li Xing’an said, "I’ll go knock on the door."

The door of the Daoist Temple was half-open; Li Xing’an knocked twice, and a little Taoist around seven or eight years old came out.

He was holding a small lantern and looked at Li Xing’an and Li Yuzhu with curiosity, "What do you want?"

Li Yuzhu said, "We are just passing by and want to go in to offer incense to the Heavenly Venerate."

The little Taoist said, "It’s late now, come back tomorrow."

Li Yuzhu glanced inside and smiled, "I just saw an old lady go in to offer incense, why was she allowed in?"

The little Taoist said, "She wasn’t here to offer incense; she was asking my master to help send a letter. I tell you, even we monks need rest. Please come back tomorrow to offer incense."

Li Yuzhu took five copper coins from her pouch and gave them to the little Taoist, "This is incense money. I just want to go in, worship the Heavenly Venerate, and then leave."

The little Taoist looked at the money and hesitated, then said, "You must leave right away; don’t stay too long. We really need to close!"

Li Yuzhu nodded, "Of course, of course, we have to hurry home to sleep."

The little Taoist stepped aside, allowing them to enter.

As Li Xing’an had guessed, it was a very small Daoist Temple.

Upon entering through the main door, the main hall could be seen ahead.

The main hall was only a dozen steps away from the entrance, with merely a few rooms on either side, and no other buildings.

Under the eaves of the main hall’s front door, two large red lanterns hung, illuminating the surroundings.

The little Taoist said to the two of them, "Up ahead is the hall dedicated to the Heavenly Venerate; please follow me."

The two looked around while walking, following the little Taoist into the main hall.

The candles inside the hall were brightly lit, with the Heavenly Venerate and three Realms of Truth enshrined in the upper seats.

Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an accepted the incense sticks handed to them by the little Taoist and began to pay their respects.

Then, from outside the hall came a voice, "I must trouble Daoist Wang; please be sure to deliver the letter. Once the matter is accomplished, I will ensure a generous reward."

This was an elder woman’s voice.

Li Yuzhu slightly furrowed her brow, wondering if it wasn’t Old Mrs. Zhao.

Soon, another elderly male voice was heard saying, "Rest assured, old lady, I’ll set out for the Capital at dawn and will definitely deliver the letter."

"Thank you, thank you."

"It’s late, old lady, take care."

"Daoist, stay here."

Then, the creaking sound of the door and the fading sound of footsteps were heard.

Li Yuzhu glanced at Li Xing’an, and the two hurriedly placed the incense into the incense burner, thanked the little Taoist, and left the hall.

The old Daoist saw them and asked Huizhi with confusion, "Who are they?"

"Master, they’re two incense patrons," the little Taoist replied.

Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an called out, "Daoist."

"It’s getting late; we need to close the doors," the old Daoist glanced at Li Xing’an and Li Yuzhu, recited the Heavenly Venerate’s name, and entered another room.

Li Yuzhu was eager to chase after Old Mrs. Zhao, and without waiting for the little Taoist to urge her, she quickly ran out of the Daoist Temple.

Li Xing’an followed her.

"Over there, that’s not it," Li Xing’an pointed in a direction and said.

On the street covered by the night, there was a plump figure walking hastily forward.

"Catch up," Li Yuzhu said.

They were two young people; catching an old lady was indeed too easy.

Not far apart in the first place, within scores of steps, they quickly caught up.

"Old Mrs. Zhao?" Li Yuzhu walked up to her, giving a slight smile, "Why did you come here this late at night?"

Old Mrs. Zhao was dressed in plain household clothes, without any jewelry, looking like an ordinary elderly woman.

She stared at Old Mrs. Zhao’s face, and on the roadside was a gambling house, brilliantly lit inside and out. The bright lantern at the entrance illuminated Old Mrs. Zhao’s face particularly clearly.

Li Yuzhu clearly saw a hint of surprise flash across Old Mrs. Zhao’s face.

But quickly, the surprise vanished.

She asked Li Yuzhu in a stunned manner, "Who are you? Why are you blocking my way?"

"Old Mrs. Zhao, earlier today, my sister was treating you; how come you don’t recognize her?" Li Xing’an asked.

"Who’s sick? You’re the one who’s sick! I’m not sick, I’m not sick. Don’t talk nonsense." Old Mrs. Zhao pushed the two aside and hurried along.

Her steps were still brisk.

Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an exchanged a glance and then chased after her again.

She said from behind Old Mrs. Zhao, "Did you just go to the Daoist Temple to deliver a letter? What letter was it? Why didn’t you let someone in your family deliver it? How come you’re out by yourself at such an age? Does Lai Qing’s family know?"

Lai Qing’s family refers to the nanny in Old Mrs. Zhao’s house.

Old Mrs. Zhao turned around, put her hands on her hips, and glared at Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an, "What’s all this noise? Which family’s little children are not going home to sleep, following an old lady like me? If you keep following, I... I’ll report you to the authorities!"

Li Xing’an raised an eyebrow, "Go ahead, report us."

Old Mrs. Zhao was startled.

Li Yuzhu waved her hand, "Alright, alright, we’re not following you anymore. You go on back, we won’t tell anyone about tonight’s events, you can rest assured, Old Mrs. Zhao."

Old Mrs. Zhao gave them a humph, turned around, and walked on.

Li Yuzhu indeed did not chase after her.

She just stood there watching.

After they could no longer see her figure, Li Xing’an said, "That was indeed Old Mrs. Zhao, why did she say it wasn’t her? Also, if you keep walking along this road, it leads to the Zhao family’s residence."

Li Yuzhu squinted her eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "Does she have something on her mind, wanting to talk to someone? Is that why she was delivering a letter? And who was the letter to? Was it sent to the Capital? Who in the Capital?"

Li Xing’an said, "How about I go back to the Daoist Temple to ask that little Taoist?"

Li Yuzhu shook her head, "Forget it, let’s respect other people’s privacy and don’t pry. Whatever the truth is, tomorrow when I meet Old Mrs. Zhao, I’ll surely notice some clues. Besides, if you go to ask, the elder priest might not say anything either. That little Taoist boy said the old lady went to find the Daoist to send a letter, it must have been to a familiar person, and if they’re familiar, they wouldn’t tell a stranger like you, would they?"

Li Xing’an suddenly understood, "Third Sister is right, then I won’t go."

Li Yuzhu said, "It’s getting late, let’s go to the County Magistrate Mansion. If we go any later, that kid Li Lixing will be asleep, and how will he arrange guest rooms for us to rest?"

Li Xing’an is very familiar with Li Lixing, and is on brotherly terms with the County Magistrate, he laughed unconcernedly, "If he dares not to arrange guest rooms for us, he won’t sleep either!"

Li Yuzhu smiled without saying anything.

Li Lixing fears nothing and no one, except for the Li Family.

The two found their way expertly to the back courtyard of the County Magistrate Mansion.

Li Xing’an knocked on the door a few times, and the gatekeeper immediately asked who it was.

"It’s me, Li Xing’an, and my sister, we just came back from the Zhao family, we got delayed with matters." Li Xing’an said through the door.

The gatekeeper laughed and said, "So it’s Third Young Master Li, please come in, come in. The young master has instructed that if Third Young Master Li and Miss Li come, just let them in. Oh, by the way, your guest rooms are also prepared, same place as before."

The door opened, and Li Xing’an and Li Yuzhu walked inside.

The two thanked him.

Li Xing’an handed the gatekeeper a handful of copper coins, "Thank you for the trouble."

"Oh my, Third Young Master Li, you are indeed too courteous." The old gatekeeper chuckled.

He closed the door, took a lantern to lead the siblings to the guest room door, and then went back.

Li Xing’an shared a room with Li Lixing, and as soon as he returned, Li Lixing’s personal servant immediately brought water for Li Xing’an to bathe.

It was the same for where Li Yuzhu was. Before she could knock on the door, Chun’er, the County Magistrate’s Wife’s maid who looked after the room, immediately opened it for her, smiling, "I heard Miss’s voice, your change of clothes has been prepared, I’ll go fetch you some bathwater now."

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Thank you, Sister Chun’er."

"No need to be polite, this is what the lady instructed me to do." Chun’er waved her hand with a smile and went on her way.

After bathing and changing clothes, Li Yuzhu stretched lazily and fell onto the bed, sleeping.

She was tired from the carriage ride and the evening walk, so she didn’t even dream and slept until dawn.

Last night she returned too late, so Li Yuzhu didn’t disturb the County Magistrate’s Wife, nor did she ask Chun’er. After getting up this morning, Li Yuzhu said while dressing, "Chun’er, is the lady well? I didn’t check last night for fear of disturbing her rest."

Chun’er smiled and said, "She went to visit relatives in another county yesterday, not at the mansion, and won’t be back for a few days."

Li Yuzhu realized, laughing, "I was worried I hadn’t greeted her." Remembering something, she added, "How about the concubine at the Mansion?"

Chun’er lightly curled her lips, "The lady took her along."

Li Yuzhu was surprised, taking one’s husband’s concubine to visit relatives? The County Magistrate’s Wife’s ways are indeed interesting.

With the County Magistrate’s Wife not at home, Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an only paid their respects to the County Magistrate.