Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 37 Green Pearl's Resentment

This condition sounds like it would be of no harm to her.

She just needed a place to live and a way to make a living in Luoyang City. After all, she and Ashu had to live a good life before they could talk about finding out the truth about their father and mother's death and avenging them!
"But why should I become a member of your Xiao Mansion? It sounds like I'm selling myself to you."

Xiao Muchen blushed and coughed twice. "Don't get me wrong, I didn't ask you to sell yourself to me, but I think it might be safer for you to stay in my house. Because you offended Wei Wang Wu Chengsi today, you might bring endless troubles in the future."

"Then aren't you afraid that I'll bring disaster upon you and make your life difficult?"

"You don't have to worry about this. I'm living a good life. My entire Xiao family was wiped out, and now I'm the only one left in the Xiao family. I'm not afraid of getting anyone into trouble."

This person is really strange. When talking about his entire family being wiped out, there was not a trace of sadness on his face. Instead, he was very calm, as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

"Did your hair turn white because your entire family was wiped out?" Murong Huan suddenly asked.

Xiao Muchen pondered for a moment, raised his head with a smile, and nodded slightly.

"That's right!"

"But besides your hair turning white, you seem to have been poisoned by a strange poison. While this poison isn't immediately fatal, it will certainly shorten your lifespan. Why haven't you sought medical treatment?"

"Aren't I looking for you to treat me?" Xiao Muchen replied with a smile.

Murong Huan did not ask any further questions. The sound of storytelling could be heard frequently in the teahouse. The story told had changed from "The Story of Huo Xiaolian" to another story, which sounded even clearer at this moment.

Seeing Murong Huan's expression still focused and thoughtful, Xiao Muchen suddenly said:

"Do you like watching puppet shows? I'll take you to see one!"

Before Murong Huan could answer, he stood up, stretched out his hand to her and said, "Follow me!"

She couldn't refuse.

Murong Huan had no choice but to follow him to another box that was full of guests. The inside was covered with curtains, and only the lights and shadows on the stage were intertwined. Several puppets controlled by people were performing a heart-wrenching and tragic story with great emotion, which was lifelike!
The master said that since the Tang Dynasty, puppetry has been loved by the common people and even the dignitaries in the court.

A good puppeteer can even make the puppet come alive!
The puppet shows controlled by the master were like real stories one after another, which made her feel emotional and as if she was there. She was fascinated by it.

While Murong Huan was thinking, he heard a voice from the stage:
"Shi Chong refused to hand over Lu Zhu. The envoy returned and reported the matter to Sun Xiu, who then urged the King of Zhao to execute Shi Chong. The King of Zhao agreed and sent a large number of soldiers to Shi Chong's Jingu Garden. When disaster struck, Shi Chong said to Lu Zhu, 'I have been convicted because of you.' Lu Zhu was moved and ashamed, and she cried, 'I shall die before you,' and then she leaped from the hundred-foot-high terrace, where she died..."

The story ended here, and the hall was silent, with even occasional sobbing sounds.

Seeing that Murong Huan seemed indifferent, Xiao Muchen asked, "Do you know what story this is about?"

"Green Pearl's Grudge! My master told me about it!"

"Your master?"

"Yes, he also performs puppet shows and tells many beautiful stories. These stories contain both true feelings and false intentions, the human nature of love, anger, and infatuation, as well as the various choices of the Three Thousand Great Daos. But although everyone's life path is different, the ultimate goal is the same, that is, a state of compassion that seeks self and transcends the self!"

Xiao Muchen smiled and said, "Your master is truly an amazing storyteller! So what did you learn from this story of Lu Zhu's grudge?"

"Women's sorrow, men's ruthlessness!"

These words surprised Xiao Muchen. Shi Chong offended the powerful for love and ended up with his entire family being wiped out, while Lu Zhu jumped off a building to preserve her chastity for love. This is a love story that has been praised since ancient times and has been performed over and over again in the storybooks, making the audience feel heartbroken and moved.

How could this little girl have such thoughts at such a young age?
Just when he was wondering, he heard Murong Huan say, "Shi Chong died because of wealth. This itself has nothing to do with Lu Zhu. The wealth he obtained was also the wealth he robbed from others. He knew that wealth would bring disaster, but he didn't give it away. Instead, he desperately showed off his wealth. This was his own fault. He offended villains, was targeted by cruel officials, and suffered the disaster of exterminating his entire family. Why did he blame the disaster he brought upon himself on a woman? If he really loved Lu Zhu, he would not have said that sentence, 'I am guilty because of you', which left Lu Zhu with no choice but to commit suicide to show her loyalty!"

"If Luzhu hadn't jumped off the building to commit suicide for love, I'm afraid the world would have a different opinion of her, right?"

When Murong Huan said this, Xiao Muchen was completely unable to utter a word of rebuttal. At this moment, he could actually feel that the gazes from all directions were cast towards them, and they were even more intense.

There was disdain and shock in those eyes, and some were as if they had just woken up from a dream, at a loss as to what to do, or even angry and unwilling to accept the facts, with expressions that seemed to want to eat them both alive!

Xiao Muchen suddenly felt embarrassed and pulled his hood, then suddenly grabbed Murong Huan's hand and ran out.

Leaving the crowd of onlookers in amazement.

"Qiao Lang, what that girl said just now seems to make some sense." Amidst the chaos of people, a woman with fair skin and beautiful face leaned in the arms of a man and said in a daze.

"Maybe, but she's wrong about one thing. Shi Chong was indeed convicted because of Lu Zhu. Sun Xiu asked for Lu Zhu, but Shi Chong refused to give her to him. That's why Sun Xiu asked the King of Zhao to exterminate his entire family. The reason was Lu Zhu."

The woman nodded blankly, as if she wanted to refute, but finally stopped talking.

At this time, the man called Qiao Lang lifted the fair and beautiful chin of the woman and said, "However, Biyu, I will not let you suffer the same misfortune as Shi Chong. Don't worry, no matter how my mother forces me to marry other women of officials, I will not agree. I, Qiao Zhizhi, would rather remain single for the rest of my life and will only love you!" The woman's beautiful eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she snuggled into the man's arms again: "Biyu will never let Qiao Lang down in this life!"

The moment Murong Huan was pulled out of the box by Xiao Muchen, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. She subconsciously turned around and saw the couple snuggling together. Some strange images flashed through her mind again.

She seemed to see the future of this couple again, a future of tragic death like that of Shi Chong and Lu Zhu.

"what happened to you?"

Seeing her in a daze, Xiao Muchen couldn't help but ask.

Murong Huan shook his head: "Nothing, I just saw something I shouldn't have seen. Oh, by the way, do you know who that young man is?"

Xiao Muchen followed Murong Huan's finger and saw a man in splendid clothes holding a beautiful maid in his arms. He said, "Qiao Buque should be considered a famous talent. He retired in his early years. After the sage came to power, he followed General Zuo Baotaowei in the northern expedition to Tongluo and Pugu, and achieved quite a few military achievements!"

"However, this man is a love-struck man. I heard that he has a beautiful maid at home, who is extremely beautiful and intelligent. He would rather not marry a wife and only dote on that beautiful maid!"

At this point, Xiao Muchen asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I have a beautiful maid at home, who is extremely beautiful and intelligent. I'm just afraid that if this word gets out, it will bring disaster!"

"Alright, what does other people's business have to do with you? It's getting late, so come with me to the Xiao Mansion now!"

"No, I still have to meet two people. There are things I want to ask them!"

"Who?"

"King Huo's daughter and Li Xiaolian!"

……

After the case of Zhou Xing and his son was concluded, Lu Ling had no need to detain Li Xiaolian and the old woman, so he let them go.

Li Xiaolian returned to Shaohuayuan again. She wanted to use the money she had saved to redeem herself, but she found that even if she redeemed herself, she didn't know where to go or what kind of business she could do to support the group of women and children around her.
After much deliberation and weighing the pros and cons, I finally decided to return to my original place.

When Murong Huan brought A Shu to Shaohua Courtyard, it was already 1:00 p.m. The sun was setting in the west, and the orange afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm glow on the banana tree in the backyard.

The laughter of children added a bit of warmth.

"Xiao Nuan, don't run so fast, be careful!"

Li Xiaolian shouted loudly, and her face was filled with joy of surviving the disaster.

Suddenly, a question came from my ear: "Is Xiao Nuan also from Prince Huo's Mansion?"

"She is not, but she is just a poor person who was confiscated and exterminated like us." After answering this sentence, Li Xiaolian was shocked and turned to look at Murong Huan.

After looking at Murong Huan for a long moment, she knelt and bowed, saying, "Xiao Lian, thank you so much for saving me today. If it weren't for your wit and wisdom, I'm afraid my aunt and I would have died at the hands of the King of Wei."

"No need, I'm telling the truth. What's more, you're taking the blame for me!"

Li Xiaolian's expression changed drastically, and she quickly whispered, "My dear, please don't talk nonsense. There are so many people here, and there might be ears!"

"Can you tell me why you did this?" Murong Huan suddenly asked, "Don't say it was just to repay a favor. I don't believe there are too many coincidences in this world. Your aunt clearly possesses unique skills and has impressive martial arts skills. She was lurking by Zhou Jiulang's side, so she should have had many opportunities to kill him and take revenge. Why did you wait until now?"

Li Xiaolian's eyes flickered when she heard that. At this moment, the blind old woman also came out. Li Xiaolian hurried forward to support her. When the two of them came in front of Murong Huan, they both knelt down and said, "Girl, from now on, we will follow your lead!"

Not only did Li Xiaolian and the blind old woman kneel down, but all the courtesans in the courtyard knelt down as well, saying in unison, "We are all willing to serve you like dogs and horses!"

Murong Huan was shocked and looked at Li Xiaolian.

"The girl guessed correctly, we were indeed waiting for her arrival!"

"Wait for me? Why?"

"Because someone told us that only by waiting for your arrival can we escape suffering and avenge our hatred! Only by your action can Zhou Xing and his son be truly brought to justice and never stand up again!"

Murong Huan was even more surprised and asked, "Who is this person?"

(End of this chapter)