Dao Cheng Gui Xian

Chapter 32 references the New Year's money management law (please continue reading!)

"Good dog, I advise you to calm down!"

The old beggar huddled in the corner, loudly advising Chen Gou'er.

Li Wushou peered through Chen Gou'er's gaping mouth into his throat and immediately saw the undigested piece of paper inside. He quickly raised his hands and shouted:
"Chen Gou'er, I admit my mistake!"

"Admit your mistake now? Too late! Tell me how you want to die!"

Chen Gou'er was relentless; this time, he was determined to bring these two villains who stole the child's money to their deaths!

Seeing this, the old beggar quickly pointed at Li Wushou and confessed to Chen Gou'er to get leniency.

“I saw your ten taels of silver; Li Wushou took it away.”

Li Wushou, enraged, raised his hands and quickly began to explain:

"I had no idea where you hid the money; the old beggar kicked it into my lap. Besides, think about it, didn't you get a share of the food I bought with my ten taels of silver?"

Seeing that Chen Gou'er was starting to waver and his target was shifting, Li Wushou quickly added fuel to the fire.

"We earned thirty taels, and now we've spent ten of them. Guess whose hasn't been spent?"

Chen Gou'er breathed heavily through his nose, his eyes slightly red, and turned his large mouth toward the old beggar.

The old beggar immediately pointed one finger to the sky and swore an oath:
"Calm down, Doggy! I swear to God, these ten taels are for our Three Immortals Pavilion's grand scheme!"

"Heh~ Chen Gou'er, you know, when this old man was bragging, he said that even the heavens couldn't control him, and no one would believe his oath."

"Li Wushou! You ungrateful bastard, you murderous wretch! I'll fight you to the death!"

The old beggar suddenly jumped onto Li Wushou, and the two instantly began to wrestle, moving towards the door as they fought. Once they reached the main room, they immediately separated and rushed towards the door. When they saw the lowered door latch, they were both dumbfounded.

"Wow, this kid's really got a brain!"

Turning around and looking at Chen Gou'er, who was standing behind them with his hands on his hips and sneering, Li Wushou and the old beggar, lacking any backbone, quickly lowered their heads and shouted in unison:

"Please calm down, Mr. Dog, and let us explain!"

"Ah wu..."

"..."

Bang bang bang, a chaotic biting spree ensued, the Three Immortals Pavilion was filled with howls and screams, chickens flew and dogs barked, and the fighting lasted for half the night before gradually subsiding.

It wasn't that Chen Gou'er was tired of biting, nor that he had taken pity on the two and let them go.

Only after the old beggar repeatedly assured him that his ten taels of silver were for future use and were eventually confiscated as collective funds, did Chen Gou'er let him go.

Li Wushou didn't have ten taels of silver to confiscate, so he rubbed the teeth marks on his arm and tried to persuade him with reason and emotion.

"Chen Gou'er, think about it, I spent my ten taels of silver, and the three of us ate together. Did I say anything?"

Seeing that Chen Gou'er was about to bite someone again, he quickly continued:

"The old beggar and I didn't take your ten taels of silver for nothing. Do you know Niu Dan, the king of the kids on the hill? During the New Year, the lucky money his relatives gave him was taken by his parents the very next day, wasn't it?"

Chen Gou'er bared his teeth again, and Li Wushou unconsciously raised his voice:

"but!"

"What did they say? They didn't spend the money; they're saving it for his future wedding! Is that right?"

"But you spent my money!"

"I only spent ten taels of silver in kind, but I didn't spend the ten taels of silver nominally! I'm saving it for you! Keep a good record of it, and when you grow up and get married, the old beggar and I will give it to you together!"

Chen Gou'er's expression finally softened, and he asked with some suspicion:
"Really?"

"When have I, Li Wushou, ever lied to anyone?"

After saying that, he coughed a little guiltily and added, "Tomorrow I will be the High Priest, with a monthly salary of twenty taels. How could I owe you ten taels of silver? I'm just saving it for you. When you grow up, I will return it to you with interest!"

The mouth that had been open finally closed, and Li Wushou seized the opportunity to strike while the iron was hot.

"So although it seems like I spent your ten taels of silver, those ten taels of silver are actually my own money, and your money is still with me. I spent my own money to treat you to a meal, and you still bite me. Where can I go to seek justice?"

The old beggar quickly chimed in, "That's right, Dog, think about it carefully. Isn't that the truth? You're the smartest!"

After a chaotic mess of "you" and "me," Chen Gou'er finally lost his temper and stubbornly said, "Who told you not to say so earlier?"

Seeing that Chen Gou'er had finally relented, Li Wushou began to complain even more.

"Chen Gou'er, you're too impulsive. Next time you encounter something, you should discuss it with me and the old beggar first. Do you think we would lie to you?"

"It is! It is!"

"bare"

"Sleep, sleep, let's turn the page."

The chaos at the Three Immortals Pavilion finally subsided.
The city lord's mansion on the east side of the city was brightly lit, and people were moving around in Zhu Sihai's council hall.

A maidservant stood by, occasionally refilling the tea for the two people in the hall.

Out of the corner of his eye, he kept subconsciously glancing at a woman in a white dress sitting next to the city lord.

The woman's face was veiled by a white veil, and her smiling eyes were very beautiful.

Just now, when I approached the other person to pour tea, I stole a glance at their skin. Their skin was so fair and smooth that it looked like a sheet of paper.

It's so beautiful!
But this woman was a bit strange. When I poured tea for her, she never drank it. She just held it under her nose, inhaling the steam. When the tea got cold, she would pour it into the tea tray and I would add hot water again.

"I have troubled you with this matter, Wusheng."

Zhu Sihai took a sip of tea and thanked the woman beside him.

The woman covered her mouth and chuckled, her silvery voice echoing through the council chamber:
"Lord Zhu, what are you saying? The Wusheng Sect has entrusts itself to your protection, and its business is thriving in Wufang City. Isn't it only right that we help you solve your problems?"

Upon seeing this, Zhu Sihai's wrinkles smoothed out a bit, and he smiled, saying:

"I have never regretted cooperating with the Wusheng Sect!"

"My mother often praises the city lord's courage and boldness. The Wusheng Sect is also very honored to be able to cooperate with City Lord Zhu."

The two were already familiar with each other, and after exchanging pleasantries, they were both quite satisfied.

Suddenly, the woman, who had been smiling all along, frowned, stood up abruptly from her chair, and accidentally knocked over the teacup beside her, splashing water onto her dress.

The maid who had been silently watching her hurriedly went to her side, wanting to help her wipe the water off her body.

As they wiped, they discovered that the other person's previously smooth skin had become wrinkled, like paper dampened with water.

"Ah~ girl, you~"

With a gasp, the maid fell to the ground, looking up at the woman in shock.

"Lord Zhu, please give this girl to me."

Zhu Sihai nodded dismissively, then asked with concern:
"What happened to Wusheng?"

The woman gave Zhu Sihai a somewhat apologetic curtsy.

"I'm truly sorry, Lord Zhu, but I'm afraid I won't be able to bring Li Wushou's soul back."

"Oh~?"

Zhu Sihai was surprised again. This kid named Li Wushou had surprised him twice in just half a day, even though they hadn't met yet.

"My paper body was just destroyed in the South City. Before it was destroyed, I sensed the divine aura of the City God. This City God has probably been protecting Li Wushou all along."

Zhu Sihai put down his teacup, his expression becoming serious.

Why does the City God value Li Wushou so much?
Was he truly exceptionally talented, or did this kid possess some mysterious ability that helped the City God during the sculpting of his golden body?

In any case, it seems I need to prepare to welcome a new High Priest in the Five Directions City!
As the two were talking, the lively little maidservant silently turned into a pile of bones.

A long strip of white paper floated up from between the withered bones' eyebrows and wrapped around the woman's water-dampened skin, making her skin smooth and new again.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhu Sihai snapped out of his reverie, glanced apologetically at the Envoy of No Life, and called out towards the door:

"Come here, serve tea!"

(End of this chapter)