Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 221 Robbery

Previously, Nianyao asked, "Brother Dashu, are there any divine fish in Tianchi Lake that can grant immortality if eaten? I haven't eaten fish in a long time. On Chongming Island, fish can be eaten as a meal, and there are all kinds of them."

The reply from the Great Heat was: "Heavenly Lake is frozen for seven months of the year. If there are really fish there, they can only be divine fish!"

Nianyao was very sad at the time.

Now that we have money, we can eat as much as we want. Tonight, we're still having wild rabbit stew with potatoes. We caught the rabbit during the hottest part of summer, and we bought a big bag of potatoes, which should last us a long time.

Da Shu was surprised: "Madam, didn't you want to eat fish?"

Nianyao said, "So much gold is being put here to buy fish? There are more people in this world who are tempted by money than by beauty."

Da Shu was both amused and exasperated: "There shouldn't be anyone within ten miles who could defeat us, right? Perhaps we could bury it."

"Two fists can't beat four hands." Nianyao munched on a rabbit leg. "Brother Dashu, you're thirty years old, why aren't you married?"

Da Shu said, "Having a wife and children means having a weakness or vulnerability, which is a major taboo for a shadow guard."

Nianyao asked in surprise, "None of you get married? You have girls you like but don't get married?"

Da Shu replied naturally, "I don't have a girl I like."

Nianyao glared at him: "How could you... I mean, if, if you have a girl you like?"

Da Shu still shook his head: "There are no ifs."

Communication failed. Nianyao thought for a moment: "Haven't you thought about doing something else?"

Da Shu said, "No!"

Nianyao patiently and persistently encouraged her: "For example, hunters, woodcutters, fishermen, martial arts masters... and chefs who specialize in making wild rabbit stew with potatoes."

The Great Heat is unbelievable. After years of training, the Shadow Guard's mission is to become a hunter, a woodcutter, a fisherman, or a martial arts master?

Nianyao naturally didn't understand his thoughts: "If you don't want to be a shadow guard, you can tell me. I'll talk to Luo An, and he'll definitely agree. Since you call me Madam and cook for me, I'll protect you."

Although Da Shu thought these were nonsense, she was still very moved: "Thank you, Madam."

Nian Yao said with great enthusiasm, "We're all brothers, no need to be so polite."

What brothers? They are the master's shadow guards! Da Shu fell silent.

Nianyao lay there with his eyes open, not daring to toss and turn, afraid of disturbing Dashu's sleep. Unexpectedly, Dashu also seemed unable to sleep. He tentatively called out through the curtain, "Madam?"

Nianyao hesitated between responding and pretending to be asleep when she suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching. She immediately jumped up and yanked open the curtain: "What?"

The two lay on the rooftop, blending into the night.

The leader, carrying a torch, led about seven or eight men, riding up brazenly. They were the same soldiers they had seen at the temple during the day.

Nianyao whispered, "Brother Dashu, you were too weak during the day. We need to show them what we're capable of tonight."

Those people swaggered around and kicked open the door, making the thatched hut shake violently.

The leader ripped the curtain off, and the people behind him slashed wildly at the quilt. When they realized something was wrong, they lifted the quilt and found two clumps of straw inside.

The dilapidated house stretched as far as the eye could see, and there was nothing of any worthwhile about it: the people were gone, and the box containing the gold was also gone.

Da Shu and Nian Yao listened to their discussion from the rooftop:

"They ran away! Those two siblings are really clever."

"What do we do, brother?!"

"What else can we do? Just accept our bad luck."

"They can't have gone far. We'll split up and search for them tomorrow."

……

The group set the bed and thatch ablaze, then rode away, arriving and departing just as quickly.

Nianyao said resentfully, "Brother Dashu? Shall we go after him?"

Da Shu said, "They thought we had run away, so we pretended to leave and hid in the mountains for a while."

All was quiet, then a sound suddenly rose from the woods: woo...woo...woo...woo...woo...woo...

The sound was terrifying and shrill, inspiring fear in all who heard it. People wrapped themselves even tighter in their blankets, and no one dared to come out to investigate. Even with the protection of Buddha, in the deep mountains and forests, it was unlikely that there were any ghosts or monsters.

The sound lasted for about half an incense stick's time, then suddenly disappeared. Silence returned to the mountains.

The lights were still on in the backyard of Baishan Jin Temple, and Luo An was holding a copy of "The Four Sacred Sources of the Heart," seemingly engrossed in it.

Nianyao peeked out the window, holding a budding azalea in her hand. She waved it around, thinking herself alluring, and said in a coquettish tone, "Young master, it's late at night, and you must be lonely. I've come to keep you company!"

Luo An remained completely unfazed: "I think the young lady..."

Luo An paused, and Nian Yao's expression immediately changed, her eyes flashing with a fierce light, her tone sinister: "How about it?"

Luo An said solemnly, “I see that the young lady has a lustful look on her face, is behaving wantonly, and has wicked thoughts. In the deep mountains and forests, before the Buddha, the young lady should purify her mind and desires and devote herself to cultivation. Amitabha, well said, well said.”

Luo An raised his palm and chanted a Buddhist mantra.

Nianyao gritted her teeth as a rhododendron flew towards Luo An's face.

Luo An reached out and took the azalea, shaking it with unparalleled grace and poise. Unlike her, who had just been disgusted by herself, Luo An showed absolutely no appreciation.

Nianyao jumped in through the window, snatched the azalea, and plopped down on the bed with a cold face.

Luo An put away his book, walked over and sat down next to her, and was about to put his hand on her shoulder.

Nianyao quickly moved to the side. Luo An's hand missed its target, so he simply took off his clothes, lifted the covers, and lay down inside: "Go to sleep."

Nianyao glanced at him sideways: "Shouldn't one be pure and free from desires before the Buddha?"

Luo An smiled: "Buddha taught us to be pure of heart and free from desires, but did he forbid us from sleeping? However... Madam came to see me in the middle of the night just to sit and talk about Buddha! In just over ten days, Madam has not only given up worldly thoughts, but even given up sleeping. Baishan is indeed a place for pure cultivation, a sacred place to attain immortality!"

Nianyao glared at him: "You're better suited to speaking in two or three words."

Long, rambling speeches are really unpleasant to listen to.

Luo An nodded, his eyes slightly closed, as if he was about to fall asleep.

Nianyao waited a while: "Hey, why aren't you saying anything?"

Luo An yawned: "Does Madam think I talk too much nonsense?"

Nianyao gritted her teeth, cracking her knuckles: "You want a beating, don't you?"

Luo An closed his eyes slightly and mumbled, "Madam, please meditate on your own. I'm sleepy, so I'll go to sleep first."

Nianyao suddenly became angry and pulled off the blanket: "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here? Aren't you afraid something will happen to me? Aren't you worried about me at all?"

Luo An snapped his fingers to extinguish the lamp, his voice particularly captivating in the darkness: "In the dead of night, when no one is around to whisper, why don't you lie down and chat slowly, Madam? Even the Buddha is resting; aren't you sleepy, Madam?"

How could she not be sleepy? She was exhausted! She hadn't slept well for many days! But Luo An remained calm and unperturbed. Seeing that she showed neither surprise nor worry, Nian Yao felt uncomfortable, even though she knew that Luo An was usually indifferent.

Nianyao stubbornly struggled: "I'm not sleepy."

Luo An's voice was gentle and soothing, like a lullaby: "Madam just received a thousand taels of reward money. Someone must have wanted to rob you and rape you, and burned down your dilapidated house. You have nowhere to live, so you came to me!"

Nianyao blurted out, "How did you know? Did you send someone to burn it?"

Luo An chuckled and said, "Middle-aged men have three joys: promotion, wealth, and the death of their wives. Madam, I'm still young."