Chapter 9

Since there are matters concerning their lord, that is a different story. The old servant repeatedly agreed, saying, "If that is the case, please wait a moment; I will have someone go in to convey the message right away." He then smiled at the Dragon Lord and said, "However, there are rules in our household; the lady of the house does not meet male guests. Please, gentlemen, follow the old servant to the side hall for tea."

Yibo is very curious, "What are the flower streets and willow lanes?"

The conversation has reached a point where it is truly difficult to continue, akin to a chicken talking to a duck. Long Jun tossed aside the lotus root and clasped his hands, saying, "When the paths are different, we cannot collaborate. Let us part ways here. Farewell."

You fish! Jiuchuan the Great God felt quite irritated, and it seemed that she would not give up until everything was explained clearly. She was like a blank sheet of paper; whatever was drawn on it became its essence. Therefore, to avoid negative influences, even if it is ugly, it should not appear so starkly; it must be approached indirectly. Once upon a time, there was a kingdom where the ruler built a street called Flower Street. The ruler loved beautiful women and collected stunning beauties from all over, but many of these beauties had dubious origins and were incarnations of demons. They roamed around harming living beings and committing crimes. The ruler invited a celestial master to subdue these demons and designated an alley at the end of Flower Street, naming it Willow Alley, specifically for imprisoning them. These demons fed on souls and spent their days dressing extravagantly to confuse men. Thus, Flower Street and Willow Alley refer to undesirable places. Now do you understand?

The old servant led them to the side hall, and Yibo walked with a sway, resembling a duck. A Luo felt it was not a problem, believing that after walking a few more steps, she would grasp the knack of it. However, Long Jun was deeply concerned, guiding her to step with her left leg and right leg, reminding her to keep her hips aligned. A proper person would not sway all over; only the girls from the flower streets and willow alleys would stand and sit without any decorum.

Madam's face flushed, and after a long pause, she said, "That is a trivial matter between me and my husband, not worth mentioning to outsiders"

Yibosi pondered for a long time before realizing that the "two gentlemen" mentioned by the servant included her. She was currently dressed in men's clothing; regardless of her appearance, the flowing robes and wide sleeves made her look like a man. There was no need to part ways with Longjun, which was quite good. Let A Luo meet people while she enjoyed some tea with Longjun, relishing the moments of solitude. Ever since Longjun had appeared, she had not dared to look at him properly; her heart raced whenever she got close. Now, having the opportunity to sit across from him calmly and without haste made her feel delighted just at the thought.

They stepped out of the residence of Deng Bao, and behind them came the mournful sound of weeping. Lady Deng had originally been skeptical, but who would have thought that the fish would deliver a message, and only the fish could testify to the disaster encountered overseas. It was evident that the man she had been waiting for day and night would truly not return.

The three individuals stood up to return the greeting. A Luo was more cautious this time and asked, "Before Mr. Deng Bao set sail, did his wife give him anything to carry with him?"

The old servant shook his head, "Sir, your parents passed away early, and there is only one lady in charge at home. If the three of you have any instructions, just let the old man know, and I will naturally convey them to the lady."

The old servant said, "Our master has set sail on a mission, what brings you three here?"

Long Jun murmured, "This is how the world is: women are fragile and live in dependence on men. A family without a man is like a body that has lost its arms and trunk; it will inevitably collapse sooner or later. Therefore, it is common to see some virtuous women commit suicide to uphold their chastity. Deep feelings are one aspect, but on the other hand, they feel that living is hopeless, and it is better to follow their deceased husbands into the grave."

Yibo and A Luo exchanged glances, and it seemed that this time there would be no mistake. Yibo took out a heavy bag of candle silver and placed it on the table. A Luo said, "Mr. Deng has passed away. We were deeply moved when we saw the rouge box on him, so we gathered a little money to send to you for your living expenses. Do not be sad; a person cannot be brought back to life, and you can find another husband in the future." She pulled the bottom of the bag, and silver ingots of various sizes rolled all over the table. "Look, there is so much here, so you need not worry about making a living. Aren't you happy?" Yibo beside her nodded vigorously in agreement. Do not be sad; a person cannot be brought back to life, and you can find another husband in the future. She pulled the bottom of the bag, and silver ingots of various sizes rolled all over the table. "Look, there is so much here, so you need not worry about making a living. Aren't you happy?" Yibo beside her nodded vigorously in agreement.

Alois disagreed, "Isn't that lying? We are the righteous aquatic beings, and we never lie"

This is a relief, as there is no need for further explanation. Long Jun sighed, lifted the merman onto his shoulder, and signaled A Luo to leave.

He let out a long sigh, realizing it was not easy to explain, "What you should be concerned about is not that; just remember what I have instructed you, and one must heed advice in life"

Yibo stated quite naturally: "If you have money, you don't have to die"

Six or seven people from the government office all mobilized, coming aggressively with sticks in hand. Yibo hurriedly waved his hands, "Don't hit..."

Yibo felt that A Luo was right, and with a pair of innocent big eyes fixed on him, he suddenly felt a great deal of pressure. "Lies can also be categorized as good or evil; if they are told to consider the feelings of others, then they are considered benevolent lies"

Madam Deng felt somewhat embarrassed and hesitated before saying: "I married my husband not long ago, and he was soon ordered to set sail. A round trip at sea takes several months, and I worry about his loneliness, so I sent him a box of commonly used rouge, so that when he sees it, it is as if he sees me."

Indeed, Lady Deng was taken aback, and after a long pause, she trembled as she said: "Where did this madman come from to spout nonsense for amusement? My husband is perfectly well, why are you wishing him dead?" With a sweeping gesture of her wide sleeves, she shouted in exasperation, "Come here, drive them out with sticks! Drive them out!"

Alo laughed and said: "Madam, please be sure to inform me. Mr. Deng entrusted me with delivering something, and I must ensure that I have the right person before I can hand it over. If I make a mistake, it would be a breach of Mr. Deng's trust"

Yibo felt immensely gratified for having done a good deed, joyfully flapping about on the Dragon Lord's shoulder. However, the Dragon Lord was not particularly pleased and directly tossed her into the lake, saying, "I told you not to get wet, yet you revealed your true form in front of so many people." Shaking his head in disappointment, he remarked, "Indeed, the memory of a fish lasts only a moment; it is unfit for great responsibilities"

They have caused trouble, and Long Jun can only handle the aftermath for them. He stood up and said: "Madam, please remain calm. Although the two of them speak rather bluntly, they are stating the truth. Mr. Deng's Mulan boat encountered a storm in the Yaha Sea, and the ship was shattered into pieces, with all aboard perishing. Since the ship was south of the South China Sea and there were no survivors, it is feared that this news will not reach the Eastern Continent. They traveled thousands of miles to Jiyize out of compassion. Madam, please mourn and accept the changes, and also keep this in mind; there is no need to wait any longer." Since the ship was south of the South China Sea and there were no survivors, it is feared that this news will not reach the Eastern Continent. They traveled thousands of miles to Jiyize out of compassion. Madam, please mourn and accept the changes, and also keep this in mind; there is no need to wait any longer.

Yibo felt sad, the pearls of the mermaid scattered all over the ground, "It's over, it's over..."

A Luo has lost trust in anyone since being deceived last time, and has not seen Lady Deng in person. The candle silver must not be let go under any circumstances. She said to the old servant: "We have news from Mr. Deng Bao and some words to convey to the lady in person, please be sure to invite the lady to meet with us."

She had just finished speaking when she heard someone exclaim, "Not good." Turning her head, she saw a person sitting on a high stool extending a fish tail from beneath their robe, the tail fin lush and flapping helplessly. That beautiful face was filled with a forced smile, timidly placing the teacup in her hand on the table.

Long Jun glanced at A Luo casually, but in fact, he was being overly cautious. Regardless of who the owner of the rouge box was, the money could simply be used to comfort the widow. Yet, these aquatic beings remained enamored with the enchanting love, for what moved them was not the person being praised, but rather the rouge box hidden on him.

He stroked his chin and said, "It won't be long, just a couple of days!" Then he soared into the air, gently waved his sleeve, and floated away on the clouds

He tugged once but could not break free, pointing to the sky and saying: "I have important matters to attend to, and it is inconvenient for me to take you along. How about this: you return to the Silent Sea first, and once I have completed my tasks, I will immediately return to Tide City to meet you."

Alois still disagrees: "What benefit is there in keeping it from that lady? A person's lifespan is so short, and in the blink of an eye, it can be exhausted. Rather than spending youth in futile waiting, it is better to see the reality clearly and find someone else to remarry soon."

Long Jun hung his shoulders in despair. The behavior of the demon was simple and direct; even when faced with setbacks, it would digest them on its own, without the habit of glossing over difficulties. This approach does not work with people, who are delicate and sensitive, and many matters can only be approached gradually. He took a bite of lotus root and looked up at the sky, saying, "People cannot withstand blows, especially women. If they truly love each other, the news you bring may lead that lady to take her own life."

It is indeed a bit presumptuous to ask this, the old servant paused for a moment and then said: "Our master has already married..."

Yibo became tense; it must be that they did not perform well, provoking the Dragon Lord's anger. She grasped the corner of his robe, "Do not turn away."

Women from families of status do not receive guests, unlike those who roam about freely from all corners of the world. After listening for a long time, Yibo felt hopeful; the rouge box must belong to that lady. The couple had no other relatives and had always relied on each other, so before the husband set sail, the wife gifted him the rouge box to remind him of her. Unexpectedly, a sudden change occurred at sea, and from then on, they were separated by life and death. This lady could no longer wait for her husband to return, which is truly heartbreaking

However, Lady Deng did not meet A Luo alone; she ordered the three guests to be served tea and, after finishing her own grooming, came immediately.

Yibo was still struggling, laboriously raising himself to wave at Lady Deng, "We are the aquatic people... speaking the truth"

What happened? They were doing good deeds, so why were they still beaten? She only slept for one hour at night to weave silk in order to exchange for more candle silver, and she thought she would be grateful to them, but it turned out to be like this

The sound of the waves has indeed been understood. It reminds me of the kabuki performers I saw during the Night Banquet of the Nine Provinces, with blood-red lips and such long nails, likely the aberrations mentioned by Lord Long.

Long Jun appeared harmless like livestock, clasped his hands in a salute, and asked, "May I inquire if this is the residence of Mr. Deng Bao?"

A Luo knew that clinging on was futile, and busily comforted her, "Since Your Majesty has matters to attend to, we cannot hold him back. The Lord of the South Sea is a man of his word; if he promised to return, he will surely come back." With this intention, he spoke at length and then inquired, "How long will Your Majesty be gone? We have been thinking of you day and night, longing for your return, and waiting with bated breath."

Are the gentleman's parents still alive? We have matters to discuss with both esteemed elders

Yibo nodded slightly, digging and excavating underwater, and pulled out a section of lotus root, washing it clean before handing it over to them. Longjun glanced at her with disdain; her face was filled with a flattering smile, and her water-soaked skin shimmered in the sunlight. He held back the corners of his mouth as he took it, using his hand as a knife to carefully peel off the outer skin of the lotus root, then bit a small piece, raising a finger to point at them, "Humans and demons are different; humans have delicate emotions. When dealing with them, there are many rules about what to say and what not to say. For example, earlier at the Dengbao Mansion, when you presented the silver candle to Madam Deng, you should have said it was a household item entrusted by Dengbao, and that he was safe outside; there was no need to mention that he had died."

Although Lady Deng was reluctant to believe, she could no longer hold back her tears and staggered forward a couple of steps, saying: "Since no one has survived, how did you come to know this? I am but a woman, living in seclusion, so do not deceive me."

Alois is not quite accustomed to the refined manner of speaking on land. She leaned over and asked, "May I inquire who is present at Mr. Deng's residence? Has he married yet?"

She followed them into the side hall, where a maidservant presented tea. Yibo took a seat opposite Longjun, watching him elegantly lift the teacup, the fine porcelain lingering at his fingertips as if it had been transformed into jade. Yibo imitated him; drinking tea as a mermaid was truly novel. She might not take a sip, merely holding the cup to admire it—beneath the amber-colored tea, there was a small koi, adorned with a dot of cinnabar on its head. As the tea rippled, it began to move as well, which was quite amusing. Yibo imitated him; drinking tea as a mermaid was truly novel. She might not take a sip, merely holding the cup to admire it—beneath the amber-colored tea, there was a small koi, adorned with a dot of cinnabar on its head. As the tea rippled, it began to move as well, which was quite amusing

Seeing this scene, Yibo was so frightened that his hands trembled, spilling tea all over his knees

Alo also agrees: "If one has lost their livelihood, they may think of death; if one has no worries about food and drink, why not live? If one truly wishes to die, then let them die; it would be just right to accompany Deng Bao."

Alois found it incredible, "Does one person die for another?"

Long Jun was originally enjoying tea when he heard them speak, and he suddenly choked, unable to catch his breath. These two water beings, though they had human forms, lacked any understanding of human emotions and social customs. Announcing death in such a blunt manner was likely to cause trouble

Yibo fell silent for a moment, then continued to ask: "What are the flower streets and willow alleys?"

It was just at dawn, after a frost had fallen during the night, and tiny dewdrops adorned the surface of the red medicinal leaves. Three individuals arrived at the door, and the old servant opened it, pausing slightly upon seeing them, "Who are you looking for, gentlemen?"

Yibo blinked innocently, and A Luo hurried to defend her: "Those people were coming to attack us, she got scared and spilled the tea on herself."

The lady of the honor finally made her appearance, a woman of average looks, not particularly stunning, approximately in her twenties, with her long hair tied up, and a gentle expression on her face. Upon entering, she did not shy away from the presence of men and women, bowing slightly as she said: "I have heard that the guest has brought news of my husband, and I hurried here without proper etiquette; I hope for your understanding."

The Dragon Lord is indifferent, for his beauty compels those on land to steal glances at him. Should one inadvertently provoke that newly widowed lady, it would be a disservice to the deceased Deng Bao