Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: Thin As A Skeleton
Chapter 618: Thin As A Skeleton
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Wei Meng looked at Liu Sanniang. “Sister Liu, did you sleep well? I didn’t snore at night, right? Did I kick you? I don’t think so. I’m a very well-behaved sleeper, right?”
Wei Meng asked a few questions in a row. Liu Sanniang smiled and replied. “You didn’t snore or kick me.”
Wei Meng smiled playfully. “Hehe, I knew it.”
After sniffing, Wei Meng said, “Sister Liu, you smell so good. It’s so comfortable to be around you. I don’t think I want to get up. No… I have to go to the toilet first!”
Not having gone to the toilet for the entire night, Wei Meng felt uncomfortable. She quickly got out of bed and ran out without saying anything.
Liu Sanniang got up and washed up. Liu Yuanyuan and Hu Yu had also returned.
“Venerable, everything was good last night. Nothing happened.”
…..
Xia Qiluo asked the beautiful women in the capital to go to the princess’s mansion, which was heavily guarded, while she watched over them.
Lin Shuran also went there. Dozens of beautiful young women were on tenterhooks all night, but nothing happened from dark to dawn.
The soldiers searched thoroughly but could not find anyone with burn marks.
Chu Yan came out of the kitchen with a gentle expression. “Eat something first.”
Chu Yan only cared about one person. He only knew that she was not in good health now and needed nourishment and rest.
However, there was not much time for her to recuperate. All he could do was make every meal extremely nutritious so that she could get better as soon as possible.
Liu Sanniang drank the soup and ate the meat before starting to draw talismans.
Not long after, Su Yanyu also came over. Seeing that Liu Sanniang was still working, he went forward to help her grind the cinnabar. “Shifu, if only 1 could draw talismans too. Now, those people in the capital are willing to pay a few hundred taels for a talisman.”
Wei Meng blushed with shame. “My father said that he only pays Sister Liu ten taels a month…”
Wei Shilai paid Liu Sanniang ten taels a month to help him investigate cases. Now that Wei Meng heard how much Liu Sanninang could earn, she felt that those ten taels were nothing to her.
Su Yanyu was speechless. Ten taels a month? His shifu’s ability was worth at least a hundred taels.
The corners of Liu Sanniang’s mouth curled up. She held the brush steadily and drew the talisman without being disturbed by the two of them.
Su Yanyu scratched his head. “I’ll go out and see if there’s any news.”
The night passed peacefully.
The young ladies in the princess’s mansion also left and returned home.
The harem was divided into two factions.
The empress distributed the talismans drawn by Xia Qiluo. If people accepted the talisman, they were not allowed to accept the talisman from Xian Fei.
There were even some who returned the talisman that Xian Fei gave them.
When the talisman was returned, Xian Fei was not angry. She sent it out of the palace and asked the Third Prince to give it to someone else. Xian Fei also sent many precious herbs to Liu Sanniang’s house.
During the day, the young ladies were accompanied by maidservants at all times.
At night, they were sent to the princess’s mansion to stay with Xia Qiluo.
After searching commoners’ houses, the soldiers began to search the officials’ houses. A person with seriously burn marks had nowhere to hide.
A group of soldiers entered a house and looked at an old woman with silver hair. “The authorities are searching for a criminal. Please stand aside.”
Liu Shun’s mother slowly moved aside and revealed a gentle smile. “Sir, go ahead. 1 don’t have any criminals here. Please be gentle with the items. Don’t break them.”
When the soldier in the lead heard this, his expression softened as he instructed his subordinates. “Be careful. We’re soldiers, not bandits.”
Liu Shun’s mother followed them in. The courtyard was not big. There were some vegetables and fruits planted in the outer courtyard, and there was a lot of cloth and cotton hanging in the inner courtyard.
Inside, a man stood up obediently with an unfinished doll in his hand.
The soldiers saw that there were animal dolls stuffed with silk.
Liu Shun’s mother explained with a smile. “We make a living by making some dolls. If you like, take a few and give them to your children at home.”
The leader smiled. “No need. If I see you selling the dolls on the street one day, I’ll buy some from you.”
At this time, if they took the dolls, they would be no different from bandits.
The leader looked at the man. “Your son is too thin and weak. If your life is really too difficult, you can send him to the army camp. At least he can eat his fill there. If he trains in the army, he won’t be so weak.”
The leader patted the man and left with his subordinates.
He muttered as he walked out. “He is too thin, like a skeleton…”
With a gentle smile on her face, Liu Shun’s mother sent the soldiers out.
When they reached the door, the leader turned around. “You can really consider my suggestion. Your son is not old either. He’s still growing. Don’t let him starve.”
Liu Shun’s mother smiled gently and nodded. “Thank you for your kindness, Sir. I’ll consider it.”
She slowly returned to the house.
Outside, the leader asked his subordinates. “Was there anything unusual just now?”
The subordinate shook his head. “Nothing unusual. I just found some cotton and cloth in the kitchen that was not burned clean. The old woman probably burned the dolls she was not satisfied with.”
“Remember this place. Come to check in on them from time to time to prevent them from starving to death.”
The subordinates nodded and continued to search for the next family.
When Liu Shun’s mother returned to the house and saw that Liu Shun had already taken off his clothes, tears welled up in her eyes. “My son.”
Liu Shun’s expression was cold. “Mother, come and help me. There’s too little cotton inside. It doesn’t look normal.”
Liu Shun’s mother wiped her tears and walked over. She picked up the cotton at the side and stuffed it into Liu Shun’s stomach. Her heart ached so much that she cried. How painful was this? Even if her son could no longer feel pain, as his mother, she couldn’t bear to look at it..