Reborn: Revenge of the Concubine's Daughter

Ah, had Yi met a fox immortal? Or a fox demon? Madam Luo was nervous and she squeezed He Danggui’s hand again and again, as if she wanted to figure out whether the girl in front of her was her granddaughter or not. What a meek girl with same eyebrows and eyes! Madam Luo laughed softly that she was confused because of losing sleep. The old celestial was so warmhearted because he came to tell Yi how to save Zhu. There were so many gods and buddhas in the sky. How could a small mortal like her know his identity?

“Yi, what was the character of that ‘old celestial’ when you first met him?” Madam Luo thought that the celestial must have used some kind of disguise skill to hide his real face when he met mortals, so she added, “You can tell us every word he said to you. If we can find out which celestial helped us and made Zhu back life, we will build a temple in Luo’s Mansion to worship the old celestial and glorify his virtue.”

“Well, let me see…” He Danggui crooked her head and recalled, “I can’t remember clearly, because it was in my dream. That old celestial was far away from me, so I only remember vaguely that he dressed in an old Taoist robe, holding a sparse horsetail whisk in his hand. When I looked at him again, I saw him with grey hair, and he was a hollow-cheeked, square-nosed, wide-mouthed man. His eyes were bright as if they could speak.”

Sitting outside the gharry, Chan Yi was drinking the Hawthorn tea. At the same time, she believed the old celestial He Danggui described was the Taoist priest they met in Qunxianlou Restaurant. Her Miss wanted to take off his clothes at that time.

In their whole lives, it was the first time that Madam Luo and Mammy Tang had heard someone describing the image of “an old celestial” in such a detailed way, which was more vivid and specific than a storyteller in the teahouse. They couldn’t stop wondering the result, so they asked with one voice, “What happened later?”

“Later? Well, let me see…” He Danggui blinked and said, “The old celestial told me that he happened to pass by here, feeling a different breath below, so he was curious to come down and have a look. Then he said to me that my eyes flash brightness and I have a good physique. According to him, the fortunate clouds over my head bring good luck to me and others around me. I’m more than a mortal. Then he figured out that I had taken the leftover dregs of the pill furnace of Taishang Laojun! Then he thought I’m lucky and planned to make a divination for me at the risk of revealing the secrets. So, I asked him to tell the fortune of Grandma and my mother. He reckoned that although both of you were safe, one of the youngest generation in Luo’s Mansion would suffer a lot, so there was the ‘changing skin’ thing in the later.”

Chan Yi was sitting outside the gharry. As she heard this, the Hawthorn tea almost came out of her mouth. The words “Your eyes flash brightness and you have a good physique…” were said by the Taoist priest whom her Miss wanted to take off his clothes…

“Bless you!” Madam Luo said and then sighed, “This is also the Immortals blessing Luo’s Family! Just, what a pity! You’ve lost your delicate and white skin from now on, Yi. Alas… But it’s still worthwhile to save Zhu… I hope that the methods of this immortal will make him return to life after death. Bless you, bless Luo’s Family!”

He Danggui added, “When I woke up, I found that my skin from head to foot was the same as that I saw in my dream. I turned into the pale-yellow wheat skin. Then I held up the mirror and looked at it carefully. I found that my eyes were smaller than before, and my nose and mouth looked slightly bigger. Anyway, I am getting uglier. Aho–”

He Danggui covered her face to cry, so Madam Luo patted her head to coax her. After a while, He Danggui raised her head to wipe her tears and continued, “When I was sad and doubtful about it, Huai Hua told me that Mammy Tang came to the Taoist temple to visit me. At that time, I didn’t know whether the “one of my nephews is in danger” mentioned by the immortal is true or false. I dare not tell my weird dream to Mammy first, or face Mammy with my ugly face. So, I put white powder on my face, neck and hands, but I am still worried about exposing it. Then I took a veil to cover my face, and I lied that I had a cold. Mammy, please don’t blame me for this!”

Mammy Tang waved her hands and said, “How can I blame you? It’s a blessing for mortals like us to encounter things related to the celestials, which are all merits and virtues of the previous lives. Third Miss, you must have accumulated countless virtues in the previous lives. So, in this life, you have got the help twice from the Immortals. If Zhu can really wake up this time, you are the biggest hero in Luo’s Mansion. You will get great honor over First younger Mistress Luo. Madam Luo, do you think so?”

Madam Luo nodded, “Of course. Yi is not only the biggest hero. If Zhu can really return to life, then as his mother, she must certainly be grateful to you!”

“I don’t dare to hope that.” He Danggui was flattered, and she shrunk her shoulders and frowned, saying, “But then I’m really worried about Nephew Zhu. Grandma, let’s go home now and see how Elder Cousin has done those things. The immortal once said that Nephew Zhu would only return to life after completing the five steps. But it was no use doing less.”

※※※

“Firstly, bring a group of hungry big tabby cats and put them in a cage for future use?

Secondly, sprinkle sesame oil, stir-fry dried fruit and crispy dessert in the garden at the foot of West Hill? When the time is right, let out the cats and set on fire?

Thirdly, set fire to burn the West Lateral court down?

Fourthly, sprinkle boiling whitewash and Deutzia Crenata Water in Liu Li Tang, especially in the room of Luo Shizhu, and then do the same in the whole East Yard of Luo’s Mansion?

Fifthly, put the dead body of Luo Shizhu in the warm sesame oil, and mix the following medicinal materials in the warm oil. After mixing, pat the dead body repeatedly from top to bottom with the warm oil?

Warning: the above steps must not be missed or reversed; otherwise, you would regret it. Bear this in mind?”

Every time Luo Baiqian read one step, his tone would rise for a while. After he finished reading it, his voice was as sharp as a woman. He stared at Nie Chun and questioned, “Is this letter really written by the Third Sister? Why did she write this? How could Grandma ask you to send this? Hey, did you write this by yourself to trick me?”

Nie Chun opened his mouth slightly, and he said, “Idiot.” After that, those big feet with boots stood on tiptoe in place–

Luo Baiqian knew that this was the first step for Nie Chun to perform the Phantom Footwork, so he immediately grabbed his bright red sleeve and said, “Nie Chun, please make it clear. Can the method on this paper really save my son? This is related to the life of Zhu. Can’t you think more before you speak?”

Nie Chun turned around and his eyelids drooped. He prised Luo Baiqian’s five fingers and smoothed the wrinkled cloth carefully, and then he stood on tiptoe–

Luo Baiqian’s anger broke out again, “Nie Chun, are you rush to start a new soul? Where are you going? Let’s make it clear first!”

“I’m going to find a group of tabby cats… But don’t get me wrong. Madam Luo asked me to find them.” After taking 2 or 3 steps forward with the big feet, the bright red figure disappeared within a moment from the same place, and then suddenly appeared 10 zhang away from Luo Baiqian. As repeatedly 7 or 8 times, finally the bright red figure disappeared from his sight.

Luo Baiqian didn’t get any answer he wanted. He sighed and read the contents of the letter with his head bowed, “After doing the following steps one by one, your son, Luo Shizhu can come back to life”? Bah! What a weird method? But since Madam Luo ordered, then make every effort to do it. Even if it’s only a farce, it’s a comfort to Madam Luo who was extremely superstitious… Eh? “Fourthly, sprinkle boiling whitewash and Deutzia Crenata Water in Liu Li Tang, especially in the room of Luo Shizhu”?

“Whitewash” had many uses, and Luo Baiqian couldn’t figure out the original intention of this action. However, he clearly remembered that “Deutzia Crenata Water” was used for killing rats and eliminating rodent pathogen!

So, immediately he thought of a group of rats that he had met in the garden last night and the rashes on his son’s thin skin… Was his son’s death related to those things? Although he had neither been to the plague epidemic area nor seen the symptoms of the patients infected with rodent pathogen. Previously, he had treated some patients with worms in their belly because of unhealthy diets. Zhu’s symptoms were similar to theirs before his death!

“Ah, Luo Baiqian!” Ms. Dong’s hair lay upon her shoulders, as if she was a female ghost. She jumped up from behind, and then demanded, “How did you know this woman whose surname is He? What does she do? What do you have to do with her?” At the same time, she reached for the letter in Luo Baiqian’s hand.

“Crazy woman, what are you doing?” Luo Baiqian quickly put this thin letter away and pushed Ms. Dong away. Then he said angrily, “This letter was sent by Nie Chun from Madam Luo, and it was written by the Third Sister!”

“Did He Danggui write to you?” Hearing that, Ms. Dong became angrier, and she said furiously, “Why did she write to you? Luo Baiqian, our son died, but you exchanged letters with your cousin? What’s in the letter? Why don’t you show it to me? Humph.” Ms. Dong made a snort through her nose and put her hands on her waist, saying, “Humph, hum, I found that you had something to do with her for a long time. 2 days ago, Sun Meiniang sent someone to tell me that you persuaded Madam Luo to take her back! At that time, Second Branch and Third Branch didn’t agree, while only you agreed! Luo Baiqian, what do you think of it? Are you going to let her be your Junior Wife? Or are you going to kill me and then remarry her?”

Hearing that, Luo Baiqian shouted, “Nonsense! Dong Xinlan, look at you, you are a woman who comes from a literary family, while now you are ruder than any other shrew in the street! Didn’t I explain it to you? It was Qi Xuanyu who asked me to help the Third Sister and let Madam Luo pick her up as early as possible!”

“Nobody believes you!” Ms. Dong gnashed her teeth and reached for the letter again. And she sneered, “Is Qi Xuanyu your father and you do whatever he said! Why don’t you listen to me and the Third Aunt? Show me what’s written on the letter! Why are you hiding? What’s secret in it?”