Chapter 2: Joy can lead to sorrow and give rise to calamity
"Are you saying that when a woman gets married, her parents are present, but after marriage, her family is left in ruins? Or that the husband's family experiences a loss, or that the husband's family goes from poverty to wealth, and thus cannot abandon the wife of humble origins?" Zheng Dongting inquired
The Luo family can no longer hold out; the enemy has already begun to set fire to the estate. Zheng Dongting shook his head and sighed.
At this moment, Luo Qiunian's face was flushed with a deep purple hue, as if he were about to rush forward and strangle Zheng Dongting to death. The steward, Luo Fu, gently tugged at the corner of his garment from behind, reminding him not to act impulsively. Luo Qiunian closed his eyes to steady his breath, wiped the soup from his face with his hand, and forced a smile, saying, "Since the food is unpalatable, I invite both of you to enjoy a few more cups of our family's homemade fine wine. I will go and invite my family elder to entertain you." With that, he turned and left.
"Oh... I don't want to die, I want to see Qiutong one more time." Zu, filled with sorrow and despair, collapsed to the ground, unable to hold back his tears.
Zhu Bei Qiu thought carefully for a moment, and suddenly his expression changed dramatically. He struggled to stand up from the ground and slammed his head against the bars of the cell door, shouting hoarsely: "Luo Nanshan, Luo Qiunian, you can kill us, but do not make things difficult for my parents in Yizhou"
Hehe, it seems I have underestimated the internal skills taught by my master. Yes, and the heat here has dried out the beef tendons in our hands. Zheng Dongting lifted his foot and easily broke the ropes on his feet, leaping up from the ground. "Junior brother, when Master taught you the acupoint technique, he should have also taught you this form of qigong. Hurry and use it!"
Not good! Zheng Dongting struggled to sit up from the ground, leaning against the wall beside him, anxiously searching for the whereabouts of Zu Beiqiu. At this moment, Zu Beiqiu was lying at an angle in the corner, his large mouth gaping wide like a broken pocket, with long strands of saliva continuously flowing from the corners of his mouth.
Indeed, there are three circumstances under which a married daughter does not return home. First, she is married but has no place to return to; second, she is in mourning for three years; third, she experiences poverty before attaining wealth and honor. " Grandfather said in a methodical manner.
"Disciple, we have been ambushed by the Luo family!" Zheng Dongting said sternly
Zhu Beiqiu was eager to divert the unpleasant topic raised by Zheng Dongting and quickly replied, "The taste is very good. It's just that there is a bit less honey; if Qiutong were to taste it, she would find it lacking in flavor." As soon as he finished speaking, Zheng Dongting suddenly waved his sleeve, and a whole bowl of steamed lion's head was lifted high by his robe, crashing down onto Luo Qiunian. Caught off guard, Luo Qiunian was drenched from head to toe in brown sauce. Zheng Dongting suddenly waved his sleeve, and a whole bowl of steamed lion's head was lifted high by his robe, crashing down onto Luo Qiunian. Caught off guard, Luo Qiunian was drenched from head to toe in brown sauce.
Suddenly, Zu Beiqiu quickly retracted the divorce letter, his face filled with eagerness as he asked, "Do you know where Qiutong is? I just want to see her one more time, to ask her to come back home with me. I will never submit the divorce letter; I can treat these ten years of leaving home as if they never happened."
Hehe. Zheng Dongting yawned and looked around, discovering that he was lying on the ground in a very awkward position, with his hands and feet tightly bound by cowhide ropes. A heavy iron ball was also attached to the ropes around his feet
Zu Beiqiu let out a cry, attempting to follow the methods taught by Master Hou. With a surge of energy from his dantian, the tendons in his hands and feet immediately snapped. "Senior Brother, it really works! We are free!" Zu Beiqiu stumbled to his feet and exclaimed excitedly
Oh? This is the first time I have heard of such a thing" Zheng Dongting raised an eyebrow
Zheng Dongting glanced at Zu Beiqiu and laughed heartily: "Junior Brother, do you know what they used to entertain me when I endured countless hardships to capture the notorious villains of the Jianghu and came to this manor? Leftover food, cold rice, and steamed buns with meat, along with a pot of hot soup. In this very reception room, the disciples of the Huanhua Sword Sect who entered the manor with me came empty-handed, yet they feasted on delicacies from land and sea. Now, I finally have the opportunity to enjoy the meals that only the disciples of Huanhua deserve, and this is all thanks to your support, haha!"
"Are you saying that those who entertained me before were merely trying to get rid of me?" Zheng Dongting exclaimed with wide eyes
Waves of heat surged against Zheng Dongting and Zu Beiqiu at this moment, indicating that the entire Renyi Manor had already been engulfed in raging flames. The cries of anguish coming from outside the corridor grew increasingly piercing.
Ah? Oh, strange, I can't take it anymore either. He... damn it, the Luo family really brews good wine; they must have put a pound of knockout drops in it... Hmm? I was talking about... the knockout drops? Zheng Dongting struggled to sit up straight from his seat, but saw that Zu Beiqiu had already collapsed onto the table, fast asleep... "No... this is bad!" Zheng Dongting rolled his eyes and also fainted.
Although the two individuals are in different moods at this moment, their desire for fine wine is identical. In no time, both are engrossed in drinking, and a jar of exquisite wine has already been consumed.
"Senior brother, do not panic. If they do not accept the divorce letter, there is no need to kill us; there are other methods. According to customary practices, as far as I know, there are three ways for the maternal family to refuse the divorce letter," said Zu Beiqiu.
"What is your fault? If Luo Qiutong was not fond of you, she should not have spoken lightly of marriage in the first place. Now, regretting after the wedding is already too late. She has left with a heart full of betrayal, yet you come to bear the blame. Isn't that absurd?" Zheng Dongting snatched the divorce letter from his hand, "If you do not present the divorce letter, I will help you!" After saying this, he flicked his hand and threw the divorce letter towards Luo Qiunian.
"You are quite filial," Zheng Dongting said with a smirk, "Don't worry, we are right here; they won't go through the trouble of killing your parents."
I suppose I can no longer obtain a divorce from Qiutong. At this point, Zu Beiqiu cautiously glanced at Zheng Dongting. Zheng Dongting let out a heavy sigh and nodded in frustration. Zu Beiqiu quickly took out the divorce papers that had not yet been claimed and threw them into the raging fire of Renyi Zhuang.
Zu Bei Qiu seemed to be having a pleasant dream, her body twisting slightly as if she did not want to wake up. Zheng Dong Ting, feeling helpless, could only tilt his head and deliver a heavy headbutt to her forehead.
"Senior Brother, you have finally come to your senses," said Zu Bei Qiu with a smile.
Upon hearing Zubeiqiu's passionate words, Luo Qiunian was slightly taken aback: "Brother-in-law, are you certain that you will give my sister a way out?"
Uncertain how much time had passed, when Zheng Dongting slowly awakened from a deep slumber, a rustling sound faintly reached his ears. He attempted to shake his head, but felt as if his skull weighed a thousand pounds, with the air he inhaled through his nose heavy with a metallic scent. He barely managed to open his eyes, only to find a large, shiny black rat baring its teeth and claws at him, seemingly intent on nibbling at the tip of his nose. Startled, he instinctively let out a belch, a strong odor of alcohol erupting from his abdomen. The large black rat was the first to be affected, reeling back from the stench, its limbs going limp as it collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Senior brother, is it that I cannot hold my liquor, or is this wine too strong? I... feel a bit dizzy." After a while, Zu Beiqiu suddenly said.
At that moment, a flag of the Luo family, adorned with several flames, was swept into the air by a whirlwind and landed squarely on Zheng Dongting's head. He removed the flag from his head and looked at it, only to see the bold inscription: "Jiangnan Righteous Luo"
Luo Qiunian did not expect that Zu Beiqiu would ask this question, and was momentarily taken aback: "No, my elder sister is not here."
When Zheng Dongting and Zu Beiqiu successfully escaped from the main entrance of Renyi Manor amidst thick smoke and fierce flames, the entire Renyi Manor in Jiangnan, with its dozens of magnificent buildings, had already fallen into the inferno. The courtyard was filled with the charred remains of burning corpses, and waves of nauseating burnt odors wafted through the air.
Seeing Zu Beiqiu soundly asleep, Zheng Dongting let out a slight sigh of relief and immediately looked around. The place he found himself in appeared to be a dungeon for death row inmates, with the room's light coming from a dim oil lamp outside the cell. In the dark environment, he could only vaguely see a few withered yellow bones on the ground, unsure whether they were human or animal bones. A bone-chilling cold rose from beneath Zheng Dongting's feet, reaching his heart. He turned slightly and forcefully bumped into Zu Beiqiu's shoulder, urging, "Junior Brother, wake up quickly."
Senior brother... Zubi Qiu was stunned for a moment, and finally spoke.
Um? Zheng Dongting replied hesitantly
Upon entering the chair, Zu Bei Qiu immediately observed the surroundings in silence. Zheng Dong Ting seemed to feel at home, leaning back in his seat, resting his arms on the back of the chair, and stretching lazily: "Hehe, this is not my first time in this humble place, but it is the first time I have been welcomed to the guest of honor seat." He grabbed Luo Fu, who was attending to him, and pulled his head close: "Tell Master Luo and Madam Luo, as well as their precious Luo Qiu Nian, that Zheng Da Ye has come with their future son-in-law, bringing something special to present to them."
Zheng Dongting tilted his mouth, shrugged his shoulders, and casually tossed the roll of the Zhuang flag into the fire: "Consider it good luck for Luo Qiutong"
"Is Qiu Tong here?" Zubeiqiu, who had been silent, suddenly flushed and asked.
Do you serve the demon god?
Zhu Bei's eyes darkened with sorrow as he trembled, holding the divorce letter in both hands, slowly extending it towards Luo Qiunian. Upon seeing this shocking divorce letter, Luo Qiu felt a chill run through his body, his heart racing. He hesitated, reaching out his hand, unsure whether to push it away or to accept it.
Luo Qiunian quickly retreated three steps, raising both hands. The two long sleeves flew out like pythons, knocking the floating letter of divorce back into Zheng Dongting's hands
"Ah, Brother Zheng, why must you take it to heart so much!" At this moment, the neatly dressed Luo Qiunian laughed as he walked out from the inner hall. Upon seeing Zheng Dongting, he immediately clasped his hands and said, "I was just enjoying a bath with incense and arrived a bit late. I apologize for not properly hosting you, my brother-in-law, and Brother Zheng. The banquet before you is a grand feast prepared by the Luo family to welcome heroes and outstanding individuals. Please enjoy it to your heart's content." Luo Qiunian deliberately emphasized the words 'heroes and outstanding individuals' with particular clarity.
"Senior brother, you have broken free!" exclaimed Zu Beiqiu in surprise.
This is more like it! Zheng Dongting smiled proudly, raised the wine glass in front of him, and drank it all in one go
Qiu Tong suddenly woke up from her dream, her mouth agape in shock. She looked around in confusion, her face displaying a lost and disoriented expression
Indeed, they could go to Yizhou and kill your parents. With such a loss, you will not be able to enjoy any peace with Luo Qiutong, haha!
Indeed, I am like a soaring arrow piercing the clouds, ready to meet thousands of troops. With such capability, why should I remain here?
The Luo family is currently thriving, and it is impossible for them to be destitute. Your parents are alive, and moreover, when she married into the ancestral family, that family was already wealthy and prosperous. I cannot see which of the three prohibitions the Luo family fits. Wait, I understand now; they indeed might not kill us
Indeed. If any one of these three conditions is not met, the Luo family will no longer need to accept my letter of divorce. " Zu Beiqiu said with a knowing smile.
Upon entering the Luo residence, Zu Bei Qiu and Zheng Dong Ting were respectfully welcomed by the chief steward, Luo Fu, into the reception hall. Several maids and servants rushed forward to assist the two in taking their seats at the honored guest table
I never expected that today I would truly part with Qiutong... However, all I wish is to see her one last time and persuade her to return home with me. Upon saying this, Zu sighed deeply, raised his wine cup, and drank it all in one go.
"Hmph, your Luo family still owes me two payments of reward money, totaling three thousand taels. Today, I accompany my junior brother to submit a letter of resignation and to collect the debt. If your Luo family had any sense, the person in charge should come to meet us in person. Every time we come, it is always you, this idle young master. If you are not tired of it, I certainly am tired of it," Zheng Dongting said coldly
"These damned Luo family members, they do not wish to accept the divorce papers from you, thus bringing shame to their family, so they want to silence the two of us." Zheng Dongting glared with furrowed brows, "Damn it, this is the only way they can avoid accepting the divorce papers. Those bastards from the Luo family, I will descend into hell and become a vengeful spirit, and I will surely return to take revenge on you all"
Hmm? Zu Bei Qiu looked at his body and found that his hands and feet were bound, and he was sitting on a dirty, filthy ground. His robe was stained with sauce in various places. He couldn't help but scream, "Oh my God, my clothes! I can't believe I'm sitting on this dirty ground. This is the end. How long will it take to clean this? No, no, no, it will never be clean again. I... I need to change out of these clothes immediately. Senior brother, help me take off these clothes!"
I sincerely apologize, but the head of the Luo family is still present, and it is not yet my place as a junior to take on the letter of divorce. " Luo Qiunian quickly changed the subject, saying, "Brother-in-law, how does this steamed lion's head taste?
... perhaps. Today is the ancestral worship ceremony of the Luo family, and all members of the Luo family are here. It is a complete disaster, utterly a case of family ruin and personal loss, Zheng Dongting gasped in shock and said softly
"Do you think I don't want to go out? This rope is made from water-soaked beef tendon, but even a master of internal energy cannot break it. The Luo family is not foolish..." As he spoke, he instinctively exerted his strength to struggle, and suddenly, with a loud snap, the rope in his hand broke.
It is, I only wish to see her one more time, just once. I know that I may not be worthy of her, but I foolishly dream of becoming the perfect husband in her eyes, so I keep striving to win her heart. Yet, in the end, she still left me, perhaps it is all my fault... Zubeiqiu wanted to continue speaking, but Zheng Dongting had already stuffed a steamed lion's head into his mouth. Yet, in the end, she still left me, perhaps it is all my fault... Zubeiqiu wanted to continue speaking, but Zheng Dongting had already stuffed a steamed lion's head into his mouth.
"What are you still worried about regarding clothes! We are about to be slaughtered!" Zheng Dongting couldn't help but shout in anger. "Slaughtered? Why? We haven't done anything wrong!" Zu Beiqiu and Tu Shuming asked in confusion.
The Luo family is so ruthless and merciless, despite their reputation for benevolence. If I, Zheng Dongting, can escape, I will surely wash the Luo family in blood, leaving no survivors, not even the chickens and dogs
"Tell your chef from the Luo family to add more honey before serving the dishes; it's embarrassing. Since you, Luo Qiunian, cannot make any decisions, why waste our time here? Quickly call Luo Nanshan out for me." Zheng Dongting said sternly.
Ah, Brother Zheng, you underestimate yourself too much," Luo Qiunian said with a laugh, "Even if our Luo family were to give alms, it would not be to the extent of thousands of taels of silver.
"Come out, Luo family, and face your death! Now, my brothers from the underworld gather from all directions, ready to wash away the Luo family in blood, leaving no one alive, not even a chicken or a dog!" A deafening roar of battle cries echoed from all sides, resonating throughout the corridor and the dungeon, as if thunder had struck and a mountain flood had erupted, thundering incessantly, causing Zheng Dongting and Zu Beiqiu to feel dizzy and helplessly shrink into the corner of the dungeon.
At this moment, Zheng Dongting had rushed to the dungeon door, pulled out a piece of iron wire from his pocket, and forcefully jabbed it into the lock's hole. The heavy lock opened effortlessly, and the iron chain weighing several dozen pounds fell to the ground with a thud. He kicked the door open, grabbed Zu Beiqiu's hand, and shot out of the corridor like an arrow, leaping through the blazing main hall of the benevolent lord.
It is so hot... Senior Brother, if they set the village on fire, wouldn't we be burned alive here?
"Yes, indeed," Luo Fu quickly nodded and bowed, "The master and mistress are currently busy with the ancestral worship ceremony and are not available to meet with you at this moment. The young master will be here shortly to personally attend to you. We have prepared a continuous banquet for three days and three nights for the ceremony. Since you have come, you are our guests; please do us the honor of enjoying the family feast." After saying this, he clapped his hands vigorously. Immediately, four or five meticulously groomed maidservants brought forth dozens of exquisite dishes, laid out like a flowing stream before the two.
Luo Qiunian glared fiercely at Zheng Dongting, his face flushed with anger, as if he wanted to swallow him alive. However, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, managing to swallow his anger.
The Luo family... is this how it ends?" Zu Bei Qiu asked in astonishment.
The cries of slaughter outside grew increasingly mournful, accompanied by the clashing sounds of weapons, the splintering of tables and chairs, the shrill screams of women and children, the exhalations of internal martial arts masters, the thuds of fists and palms colliding, the anguished cries of countless village warriors and mysterious enemies, and the explosive sounds of flames erupting, all merging into a cacophony.
The two looked at each other in confusion, unsure of what to do.
Hmph, the women of the Luo family do not adhere to the principles of a virtuous wife, leaving home and not returning for ten years, causing my junior brother to waste his youth. This debt must be settled with you properly. Junior brother, what are you waiting for? Hand over the divorce letter.