Chapter 83
Chapter 83: Opera Watching
Wen Buzuo smirked and could not conceal his gloat, “Maybe the lady is ugly like a monster and cant get married…” He swallowed the second part of his sentence upon receiving Fourth Grandpa’s glare.
The old monk shook his head and continued, “This lady is not some ugly monster. In fact, rumor has it that she is pretty like an angel with great intelligence and her supernatural power is earth-shattering. Countless youngsters of the sects are proud just to see her. Who’d have known? Ha Ha Ha, Wen family is finally famous now!”
Mumu could bear it no more. She stomped her feet whilst pointing at Wen Leyang with her Spirit Calming Needle but realized it was inappropriate and put down her arm right after, “Wen Leyang, what else can you say now?”
The Heads of the Luo family cracked a stiff smile, akin to the corpse right behind them, “Ask him for what? Whatever you say, girl. As long as you say it, we’ll flatten the Nine Peaks Mountain and bring home that Wen brat for you!”
The living dead alike Third Grandpa lifted his eyelids suddenly and stared at the Grand Elder of the Luo family like a poisonous snake, “Your eyes haven’t been swollen lately, have it?”
Hearing the Third Grandpa bringing up the past, the two elders from the Luo family immediately got angry. They brought their corpses to their side and stared at the elders of the Wen family. “Shut up! Just try it if you don’t agree! We’re without the corpses last time, this round will be different!”
First Grandpa stepped out whilst shaking his hand and told the Third Grandpa “We’ll beat him up when we’re done talking later.”
The two elders of the Luo family were about to jump up in anger but the First Grandpa did not even look at them and asked the two monks directly, “What brought Mumu and the Luo family here?
The old monk replied nonchalantly, “Such a big event, of course we’ve to discuss together. I think we’d just proceed with this marriage happily. Or else, the One Word Palace gets offended and my sword’s not working now…” The old monk was merely seeking revenge since the First Grandpa refused to let him have the Immortal Blade. Therefore, when he first heard the news, he immediately went over to the Crow Ridge with the fat monk and embellished the whole situation to the Luo Family.
As Wen Leyang had been in the Death Trademark researching on his ‘Szechuan Cuisine’ recently, he had not left the mountain or contacted Mumu at all.
Miss Luo Wangfu was feeling unsettled in the first place. After hearing the calumny of the two, she got all worked up. The Heads of the Luo family were also very keen on Wen Leyang. Hence, when they received the news, they brought along their corpses and rushed over here right away. The Centipedes were at the bottom of the mountain right now. It would be the best if they could talk things through. If Wen Leyang chose to betray and abandon Mumu, they would most definitely stand behind their granddaughter.
Wen Tunhai wanted to calm thing down. Even though he was a younger generation amongst the elders, his words undoubtedly still carried some weight. He quickly stepped out and told of the strange things that happened in the Wen family recently to the Luo family. In the end, he muttered, “We’ve never encountered the One Word Palace in the past. Even a fool can tell there’s something fishy here.”
The elders of the Luo family finally looked a little relieved. They looked at each in surprise, as something like this, where pushing a lady into a man’s arm with so wishful thinking, was unheard of in the past.
Wen Buzuo continued on from the side, “One Word Palace and those who sent gifts, aren’t they worried about getting rejected? They can’t play out such a thing alone, after all, it takes two to quarrel.”
The old monk opened up a can with a pop and said with a smile, “Cultivators like us…Cultivators like them are all far too arrogant and have little respect for secular people. The daughter of One Word Palace is going to marry an ordinary people right now. In the world of cultivators, it’s as good as betrothing the swan with a frog…that Earth-shocking Toad. In their mind, we’d be extremely proud and happy and there’s no way that we’ll reject it.”
Wen Leyang looked at Mumu with a carrot in his mouth and smiled, “As long as I don’t agree to it, there’ll be no marriage.”
Blushing, Mumu said nothing.
The old monk was about to drink his Wong Lo Kat Chinese herbal tea (a Chinese bitter herbal tea) when he heard Wen Leyang’s words, he paused and said, “Not marrying? Then how’re we going to investigate the real motive of One Word Palace? I think we’d just go on with the marriage, after all, we’re not at loss, ha ha…” The old monk started laughing when he felt a pull on his sleeves and saw Ah Dan was already standing next to his feet with the Delicate Pony unknowingly, pulling on his sleeves with his eyes staring at the Wong Lo Kat.
The old monk muttered with a groan, “How did the Luo family raise a child, such a glutton!” With that, he smilingly handed the Wong Lo Kat over to Ah Dan.
Ah Dan took over the drink and gulped down the drink with a big gulp. He immediately pursed his lips and cried.
Wen Leyang was just standing right in front of the old monk. He quickly took away the Wong Lo Kat from Ah Dan and replaced it with a carrot. Two different exclamations were heard.
“Little Taiyang, did you just give this little boy a carrot when he cried?”
“Seventh, I think this little boy most likely is the son of Little Taiyang.”
“Impossible, the boy came together with the chick in red, he must be her son.”
The two silly uncles were happily discussing while staring with interest at Wen Leyang and Ah Dan.
The face of Mumu turned red instantly, stomping her feet, she rebuked, “Ah Dan, tear the mouth!”
Stunned, Ah Dan looked up blankly at his master. It took him a while before putting the carrot into his pocket and stuffed his mouth with two of his fingers, looking all the so grieving.
With a laugh, Wen Leyang picked up the little fatty and pulled his small tender hand away from his mouth, “She’s not asking you to tear your own mouth.”
All of a sudden, everyone could not help but smiled.
Grand Elder Wen, however, frowned and pondered for a while before telling Wen Leyang, “This matter with One Word Palace, be sure to investigate…” Before he could finish, suddenly, on the road outside of the village, the pattering sound of heel hitting on the stone ground could be heard.
A cooling voice, akin to the tapping sound of ice with a glass bowl, with a touch of smile, was heard, “Investigate? What’s so serious?” Then, all eyes were brightened by a smiling gorgeous lady, with beauty that the mountain spring paled in comparison, appeared in front of everyone.
Wen Leyang, Xiao Yi and Mumu were restored to exultation, shouting in unison, “Chang Li!”
Upon calling out, Wen Leyang immediately blushed and whispered, “Great Granny.” Xiao Yi and Mumu could not care less, they were both laughing and skipping to the front of Chang Li, who was incomparably affectionate towards the two girls, with no sign of an old demon superiority. She grinningly held onto Mumu’s hands and touched the forehead of Xiao Yi, revealing a true and heartfelt friendliness. The three of them each had their own beauty, be it pure innocence or bright hotness or classy sassiness, they were all equally gorgeous.
Chang Li brought the two ladies to the front of Wen Leyang, her bright eyes checking him out from head to toe, then with a sense of surprise she said, “Boy, you’re looking even better than before with blooming spirit! What good stuff have you eaten?”
The good stuff meant by Chang Li must be some kind of walking ginseng, laughing Ganoderma or flirting Polygonum, definitely not a carrot. Wen Leyang smiled fatuously and took a look at all the reverent and respectful looking elders before whispering to Chang Li, “Can I not call you Great Granny?”
The crisp laughter of Chang Li was heard throughout the village, she then pointed to the old monk and the fat monk, who were planning on sneaking out, and said, “Except for the two of them, the rest of you call only my name, no nonsense appellation allowed.”
The few old chaps, together with Wen Tunhai, Wen Buzuo and others let out a sigh of relief at the same time. They were all with bushy eyebrows and beard and several decades old. Although they all knew the sassy beautiful lady standing right in front of them was much older than them, regardless of generational or age and they indeed had an utmost respect for her. To address her as Great Granny, however, was really hard to them.
At the same time, Mumu suddenly exclaimed, her eyes fixed at Chang Li, checking out her outfit from head to toe, while her mouth muttered as if daydreaming, “Prada… Dior… Are they genuine?”
That was when Wen Leyang noticed Chang Li had changed her outfit, a simple pastel colored dress, showing exquisiteness in every detail. Her bare feet were wrapped in a pair of sophisticated high heels and her hand clutching on an ordinary looking small purse. Then, the screams of Mumu turned into a horrific shriek, “Hermes! Hermes! Hermes!”
As carrot had no world brands, therefore village boy Wen Leyang had no clue on the internationally renowned brands. Mumu, on the other hand, was different. She was in her early twenties, like most of the girls her age, she had some knowledge of these high-end brands.
Since Chang Li entered the village, the smile on her face had never faded an inch, her bright smile kept spreading her heartfelt happiness, the happiness of meeting her loved ones, “Little girl has great taste!” She then saw the face of Mumu was full of envy and frowned lightly, “Don’t you have your own? Your family has no money? His… his disciples will have no money?”
Mumu seemed to answer honestly, “We’re not without money, but the Grandpas don’t allow. Saying it’s not pretty, not worth the money.”
The early summer air and the genial sunshine, in a snap, became cold along with the suddenly faded smile. Chang Li tweaked her head slightly and asked the Head of Luo’s gently, “Prada’s not pretty? Not worth it?”
With the god as the witness, Grand Elder Luo had never heard of Prada in the past 80 years. He swallowed hard before letting out a wry grin, “Pretty, pretty, worth it, worth it.”
Chang Li nodded her head, seemingly satisfied, and commanded, “In the future, buy the little girl whatever she wants.”
Grand Elder Luo agreed to it whilst giving Mumu a fierce stare. Unexpectedly, the staring eyes of Chang Li were larger and more beautiful than his, “You stare at her for what? Do you not want your eyeballs anymore?”
Mumu secretly pulled the hands of Chang Li, who then only let out a smile again and comforted Mumu, “It’s nothing and the old man is considered my disciple as well.”
Mumu stomped her feet in distress. Chang Li also felt her words were a bit unsightly, with a smile, she turned to Xiao Yi, “What about you? They don’t let you buy as well?”
Not waiting for Xiao Yi to speak, Grand Elder Wen already commanded loudly, “Tunhai, immediately send somebody down the mountain to buy P… Pr… Prapu… Hersemes… and Audi! Buy them all, and let Xiao Yi and Mumu share them out. Bring more money, just take twenty thousand and see…”
Shocked, Wen Leyang went, “Twenty thousand? So expensive!”
First Uncle Wen Tunhai gave him a stare, “It’s even more expensive if converted into carrots!”
Wen Tunhai did not let his experience with his mother-in-laws to waste as he was one knowledgeable man. Straight away, he called out to the shrewd Wen Bucao, gave him a card and sent him down the mountain before reminding him again, “Don’t go to the Prada in the county, it may be fake after all.”
Mumu worried that Wen Bucuo might really buy Prada and Dior in the county, she hurriedly shouted, “Have to go to Chongqing or Shanghai!”
Grand Elder Wen let out a cough and said to Chang Li respectfully, “Please come in and have a seat in the house.”
Chang Li lifted her head up slightly, showing her white tender neck, and enjoyed the sunshine with her eyes squinted and lazily said, “Such a nice weather, I don’t feel like entering the house.” Only when she was facing Wen Leyang and the two young girls would she show that kind of sincere intimacy, as for the other disciples, though they were of the same ancestral, the level of closeness was never the same.
It was during this time that Wen Leyang finally regain his composure. He took out a carrot and cheerfully asked, “How’d you get here?” Wen Xiaoyi immediately helped him ask again, “How come now only you’re here?”
The smile of Chang Li changed to an unclear expression, as if confused and regretful. Answering directly to the question, she shook her head and sighed, “This world has really changed I must say and I’ve made a few jokes at the beginning as well. Oh, you write down my numbers.” She then called out a string of numbers with her crisp voice.
Wen Leyang, Wen Xiaoyi and Mumu thought of the event where Chang Li snatched the phone of the old monk at the Goose Cutting Peak at the same time, and they all smiled.
Within the time of a short chat, the old and young of the Wen family had the rattan tables and chairs neatly placed, Wen Tunhai commanded loudly, “We don’t use those chefs today. We’ll prepare the meal ourselves and have a great feast tonight!” Both elders of the Luo family were shocked and unintentionally touched their nose with their hands at the same time.
Chang Li sat lazily on the chair. Even with such a lazy movement, there was still a strong sense of arrogance felt. The important members of the Wen and Luo family were standing in front of her, respectful and excited at the same time. Except for the three heartless youngsters, the rest of the people were afraid to look at the Great Granny, who had learned to use a mobile phone.
Chang Li smilingly asked Wen Leyang, “What’re you talking about earlier on? I’ve even heard the name of One Word Palace. Did they bully you?” When the questions came to the end, the squinted eyes of her were emitting a mighty fierceness.
Wen Leyang hurriedly explained the whole situation in detail to Chang Li, beginning from the gifts received until the news acquired by Shui Jing and Ji Fei. The more Chang Li listened, the bigger her smile was. Without waiting for Wen Leyang to finish, she slapped on the chair armrest with a laugh and her eyes filled with mischief, “It’s a good thing!” Not waiting for the rest to react, as if suddenly remembered something, her beautiful eyebrows frowned, the adorable expression was so lovely akin gently brushing one’s heart with a feather, she muttered to herself, “No, wait a minute. Old monk and fat monk, come here!”
The two quickly ran over with ingratiating smiles. They waited patiently for Chang Li to question. They were both feeling uneasy deep down, for fear of any wrong answer to inadvertently provoke this female Hades.
Seeing the old monk came over, Chang Li squinted her eyes all of a sudden, her body leaned forward slightly, with a light yet stern voice, she said, “You’ve got to tell the truth, you understand?”
The two monks swallowed hard and nodded their heads at the same time.
With a smile that seemed satisfied, her tone changed from icy cold to indifferent, her lips opened slightly and muttered, “Say it.” She then took the tea from the table and took a shallow sip, the languid demeanor was again shown on her face.
The old monk and the fat monk secretly took a look at each other. After a long while, the old monk finally lifted up his bitter face and carefully asked, “What do the Master…Fairy want us to say?”
Chang Li grunted and placed her teacup on the table with a thud, with an impatient face, she rebuked, “Of course you’ve to tell me if the girl’s beautiful?”
The old monk let out a long sigh, with a smile so ugly that a bun could cry, he said, “Pretty! Pretty! She’s said to be a top beauty…”
Not waiting for the old monk to finish, Chang Li clapped happily, “Then it’s done!”
With a wry smile, Wen Leyang asked while clutching on a carrot, “What? What’s done?”
Standing at a side, Mumu’s face had turned pale, with grievances all over her face, she bit hard on her teeth without saying a word and only stared on her own feet, not only was she not looking at Wen Leyang, but Chang Li as well. Suddenly, a puff of fragrance was smelled, Chang Li appeared right in front of her with a mischievous smile and wiped away that pearl-like tears with her hand, “Little girl, I won’t cry if I were you.”
She took a look at the easy-going Wen Xiaoyi next to her and asked strangely, “Aren’t you worried?”
Wen Xiaoyi blinked her eyes and answered with a smile, “A little bit, but there’s no point to get worried. If Wen Leyang really married the woman from One Word Palace, I’ll just blast her with my weapon!”
The smile of Wen Xiaoyi was all pure and innocent but her words sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
Wen Leyang gulped and hurriedly cross-examined, “Blast who?” With a face full of curiosity, as if Wen Leyang had asked a silly question, Wen Xiaoyi answered, “That woman of course!”
Wen Leyang let out a long sigh finally, with an insincere smile, “I won’t marry someone I don’t like.”
Mumu, from her appearance to her temper, was all hot and spicy. But, if one knew her long enough, her provocative trait was all fake. Whether in Mount Emei or the Miao village, Mumu had never got mad with Wen Leyang before, nor lost her temper irrespective of the situation.
Wen Xiaoyi knew nothing of this. She was still too small to understand the men and women relationship but in the small heart of hers, it was all about the carrot that she cared for. She grew up in the Red Leaves Forest since young and stayed with Fourth Grandpa, the Old Fairy. Though naive, she was more straightforward and had a more daring thought Mumu.
Chang Li laughed aloud and gave Wen Xiaoyi a thumb up, “You suit my temper better! But, it’s not enough if you just kill the woman alone, if I were you, none of her family would live!”
Wen Xiaoyi stuck out her tongue with a smile, “So, Wen Leyang, are you marrying or not?”
Chang Li smiled and took a glance at Wen Leyang, “Someone set up an opera for us, we’ll just sit back and relax since we can practically demolish it anytime we want.” With that, she teased the fringe of Mumu and laughed, “Rest assured, girl. I won’t let Wen Leyang marry others.”
Mumu cracked a smile, could no longer conceal her feeling towards Wen Leyang. She stuck out her tongue playfully and said, “Thank you, Great Granny!” With that, she pulled up the hand of Wen Xiaoyi, cleverly sending a message to everyone that, besides her, Wen Xiaoyi can as well.
This little gesture made the elders of Wen family extremely happy.
Be it Wen Bucao or Crow’s Ridge, although they were modern people. In terms of etiquette, they were very much themselves, men with two wives were nothing but a big deal for them. In fact, if Wen Leyang were to marry, the elders never planned on letting him register at the County Civil Affairs Bureau Office for the marriage certificate. Not to mention that the Miao family, the previous Big Dragon’s Root already had three wives, a non-family woman, his own sister and a Wicked Witch, his life was all worthwhile in short.
If the daughter of One Word Palace news was all true, even a fool could tell something fishy here, but One Word Palace purposely made it public without holding it back an inch, which spurred the interest of Chang Li. This Great Granny was one hell of a trouble-maker two thousand years ago, who had just traveled the world with nothing better else to do now. She shared the same thinking as Grand Elder Wen, to see what the One Word Palace was up to, desperately wishing to marry their daughter away.
Wen Leyang was munching his carrot away, his mind was all firm and positive that he would not get married no matter what. But, he was full of interest in the motive of One Word Palace. With his biggest patron around, he had nothing to be afraid of, plus the feeling of becoming the male protagonist inexplicably was all too well.
Wen Tunhai asked Chang Li from the side, “What about those servants? What to do with them now?”
Chang Li chuckled, revealing her neat white teeth, “Get the cook to prepare a fish for me. If it’s good, we’ll keep them.” A heartfelt desire was clearly shown in her bright eyes when it came to fish.
Wen Leyang smiled with full understanding, she was a Demon Cat after all. It was only normal for her to love eating fish. Luckily, this Great Granny of his was not a Sitting Toad turned Demon, or else who could have gotten her a braised mosquito meal then.
Since Chang Li was here in the Nine Peaks Mountain, the Luo family naturally were not returning home. The Grand Elder Wen immediately sent a messenger to Miao stockade village and complained unhappily in the end, “This place of the Miao family, the telephone lines can’t reach and there’s no signal for the handset. Can’t believe in this generation we still have to send a messenger over to give notice!”
Wen Leyang told Chang Li of the events that had happened since their departure in Mount Emei, to which Chang Li was listening gleefully, until the ghost mushroom part when a trace of light gleamed in her eyes. Not noticing the change of her expression, Wen Leyang continued on, holding the remaining half of the carrot in his hand. When he mentioned about Ah Dan’s encountering with the Spirit, Chang Li finally interrupted and called out to Ah Dan, who was riding the Delicate Pony around, “Come over here!”
Startled, Ah Dan turned around and ran. Merely two steps later, his neck was tightened and lifted up by Chang Li, who appeared right on his side all of a sudden.
Ah Dan quickly reached out to put his hat into his arms while the Delicate Pony snorted, his eyes full of hostility akin a flying dragon whose knight had been kidnapped.
Ignoring the pony, Chang Li pressed lightly on the chest, back and abdomen of Ah Dan with her white jade-like palm. Feeling itchy, Ah Dan twisted into a giggling dancing fat loach.
Mumu cared most about Ah Dan. Seeing the dignified expression of Chang Li, she quickly explained the spirit planting into child’s corpse told by Little Rabbit Demon.
Unexpectedly, Chang Li sneered, “Little Demon Rabbit’s one little silly fool, Old Demon Rabbit’s also one old silly fool. Planting spirit into child’s corpse? It’s all nonsense!”
Mumu’s face turned pale right away, “Then what’s it?” Feared of hearing any bad news coming out from Chang Li’s mouth, she pointed to Ah Dan and said, “He’s no longer a baby zombie now, he’s becoming more and more like an ordinary child!”
Having done fiddling with Ah Dan, Chang Li casually threw him to the ground and shook her head to Mumu, “It’s not a spirit inside the mushroom, but a broken soul!”
Ah Dan jumped to the ground and immediately hopped on the pony and rode away without looking back.