Great Ming: I Started by Escaping with the Emperor Grandfather 89

Zhu Shou had barely formed a thought when a graceful figure slowly walked into the courtyard. It was Xu Miaojin.

Just as she was about to greet him, she caught a glimpse of Xu Zengshou standing there in a daze and exclaimed, “Oh, Fourth Brother, you’re also here?”

“Didn’t you just get beaten by Eldest Brother and were crying and begging to go to our father’s grave to vent your grievances on Eldest Brother? Why have you come to Young Master Zhu’s residence?”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Shou was momentarily taken aback. He quickly turned his head and shot Xu Zengshou a disdainful glance.

Little Young Master, what happened to your bravado from before when you were scolding the Duke of Wei? So you were just boasting to this Young Master!

Xu Zengshou, feeling embarrassed, immediately turned dark in countenance and said to Xu Miaojin, “Sister, do not slander me! I am a man of honor, how could I do such a cowardly thing?”

“Oh.”

Xu Miaojin, too lazy to unmask him, replied with an indifferent expression, “By the way, Fourth Brother, Eldest Brother has sent word saying that if you don’t give him what he wants, he won’t let you return home to stay.”

Xu Zengshou’s eyes went wide in shock as he blurted, “What? This son with no spine, how could his heart be so black?”

“Isn’t it just that we didn’t give him the Spring Palace Diagram? Did we need to go this far?”

Upon hearing this, Xu Miaojin was also taken aback. “Ah? Eldest Brother wants… that kind of diagram?!”

Xu Zengshou realized he had let it slip and quickly waved his hand, “I didn’t say anything, I didn’t say a word. If I say too much, he’ll hang me up to beat me…”

“Forget it, if I can’t go back, I’ll just stay here at Old Zhu’s place.”

Zhu Shou chuckled and said, “Ah, Young Master, I’m sorry, but the only vacant room in my brother’s residence was just demolished!”

How shameless! If you come to stay, wouldn’t that bring misfortune upon me?

What if the Duke of Wei comes over in a rage because he hasn’t seen the Spring Palace Diagram for so long and takes his anger out on me?

Peh! This guy is truly a troublemaker!

Xu Zengshou looked at Zhu Shou with a pitiful expression, “Old Zhu, after I gave you so much silver and sent you two stunning concubines, how could you treat me like this?”

“You’re being ungrateful!”

Before Zhu Shou could react, Xu Miaojin frowned and instinctively asked, “Fourth Brother, what kind of concubines?”

Zhu Shou’s heart suddenly jolted!

What the heck! This… this is serious trouble!

Just as he was about to explain, the timid Cuiliang and Cuiliu stepped forward, respectfully bowing, “We’ve come to greet the mistress!”

M-Mistress?!

Xu Miaojin’s beautiful eyes widened in shock as she looked at the two lovely and clever maids before her, hurriedly waving her hand, “No, no, I’m not your mistress!”

Huh?

Cuiliang and Cuiliu exchanged confused looks, unable to fathom the situation.

Not the mistress? But the Young Master clearly looked terrified; if she wasn’t the mistress, who else could be the mistress of their family?

Slightly regaining her composure, Xu Miaojin unhappily said, “Fourth Brother, it’s fine if you’re a lecherous person yourself, but why do you have to corrupt Young Master Zhu, this righteous gentleman?”

“Why send him two concubines of all things?!”

Xu Zengshou, looking astonished, replied, “No way, Sister, Old Zhu is still a gentleman?”

“If he were a gentleman, then I might as well be a bodhisattva that sees through everything!”

“Moreover, he swiftly took in these two lovely maids, didn’t he?”

Xu Miaojin narrowed her eyes and said, word by word, “Young Master Zhu, is this true?”

Although the tone was casual, when Zhu Shou heard this, he felt an immense pressure weighing down upon him.

He hastily waved his hands, “Miss Xu, allow me to explain!”

“The Young Master’s kindness is hard to refuse; I had no choice but to reluctantly accept, but I had absolutely no intention of taking these two maids’ purity!”

Xu Miaojin seemed skeptical, unable to hold back as she asked, “Really? Young Master Zhu, you truly can keep to your virtue?”

Zhu Shou nodded like a chick pecking for food and hurriedly added, “I’ve always been true to my word; if I say I won’t take anyone’s purity, then I won’t even touch a single finger!”

Seeing his earnest expression, Xu Zengshou immediately scoffed, “Peh! Old Zhu, I’ve never seen someone as shameless as you!”

“With such beautiful maids, and a pair of lotus blossoms at that, you’re not moved?”

“Don’t try to fool my sister!”

Zhu Shou gritted his teeth, feeling quite vexed.

Xu Zengshou, are you a fool?

At a time like this, we should be standing united, quickly covering for you while convincing your sister that you’re a lecherous cad!

Why are you selling me out at this moment?!

As Xu Miaojin’s expression gradually turned colder, Zhu Shou’s eyes darted around before he quickly said, “Ah, Miss Xu, at this point, I can’t hide anything from you.”

The reason I’m not involved with these two maids is actually due to an unspeakable secret!”

An unspeakable secret?

Xu Zengshou immediately perked up, excitedly saying, “Old Zhu, I didn’t expect you to be this ineffective at such a young age!”

“Don’t worry; the expert we know has plenty of experience with acupuncture and the techniques for the celestial eunuch!”

Zhu Shou rolled his eyes and retorted, “Young Master, put away those filthy thoughts; I’m in good health!”

“Like a dragon tailing its master, I’m skilled in every possible art!”

Xu Miaojin listened to his nonsense, and her face instantly flushed red.

Peh! Vile!

Xu Zengshou, with a face full of disbelief, asked, “Old Zhu, since it’s not that kind of unspeakable secret, then what is it?”

Zhu Shou sighed dramatically, revealing a nostalgic expression as he mournfully said, “This story is dated back to my childhood!”

Childhood?

Xu Zengshou perked up, urging, “Old Zhu, what happened when you were young? Quickly tell us!”

Zhu Shou, with a solemn demeanor, spoke quietly, “That year, during the heavy snowfall of winter, a wandering old Taoist passed by my residence…”

“He looked at me and said, ‘Good boy, you have astounding bones. You are truly a rare talent in Taoism.’”

“I… Ah, no, the poverty Taoist is fated to teach you a technique for refining essence and locking it away!”

Oh damn!

Is there really such a bizarre thing?

Xu Zengshou listened with rapt attention, gazing intently at him as he eagerly asked, “Old Zhu, what happened next?”

Not only him, but Xu Miaojin also appeared focused, anxiously expecting what was to come.

Seeing the brother and sister had taken the bait, Zhu Shou smirked slyly and said, “Later… when I was young and ignorant, I practiced his method and naturally enlightened myself; there was nothing I couldn’t do.”

“But this method does have its downsides…”

“The old Taoist said before I turn eighteen, I must not indulge in women, or else it would be a total waste and disaster would strike!”

Hiss!

Xu Zengshou inhaled sharply at this revelation!

One cannot break the vow of chastity?

No wonder Old Zhu doesn’t have any concubines at home!

He stepped forward and patted Zhu Shou’s shoulder with a long sigh: “Hey, Old Zhu, you’ve truly suffered all these years!”

Inside, Zhu Shou was delighted, but he put on a façade of deep sorrow: “What can I say? Who told me I didn’t understand back then?”

Seeing his solemn expression, it didn’t appear fake at all, and for a moment Xu Miaojin felt quite embarrassed and speechless.

But soon, she realized a problem and eagerly asked, “Young Master Zhu, may I ask the name of that old Taoist?”

“Ah… let me think…”

Zhu Shou deliberately scrunched his brow in thought for a while before slapping his thigh and exclaimed excitedly, “Oh right, that shameless Taoist he called himself Zhang Sanfeng!”

Boom!

As soon as the name was mentioned, the Xu siblings’ faces changed dramatically!

What?

He was actually the old immortal Zhang Sanfeng?!

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