Retired Villainess Transmigrates into a Cannon Fodder

The Strongest Fox-Demon (82)

It was the pair of fellow Daoist masters beside Prince Qi who refined elixirs for the emperor. Now that there was a problem with the elixirs, they and Prince Qi’s faction immediately became the thorn in the emperor’s eyes and flesh. What was more, Li Yufeng has shown the emperor his ability in a matter of days. The Emperor had no reservations in terms of his successor, but that didn’t mean he could tolerate these people again and again.

Of course, eradicating a huge force could not be accomplished overnight, and it would be unwise to act rashly and alert the enemy. The Emperor didn’t reveal anything, treating his imperial concubine, Prince Qi as well as the others as usual. It was only in private that he began to move. However, these were none of Chu Xiang’s business. Her purpose has been achieved. That Daoist temple and Prince Qi, along with the Third Prince would not end up well. She didn’t even have to take action. How good was that?

Chu Xiang left the matter to Li Yufeng and went back to town. Bai Yi was still feeling down and needed her comfort even more. In fact, she didn’t comfort her much. She just accompanied her, or rather took her to conduct medical treatments and didn’t mention a word about Zhuang Yulang.

After a busy day, Chu Xiang took her to work in the fields. Following her example, Bai Yi dug soil, dug pits, planted vegetables, and fertilized. She wondered, “Sister, when did you learn these?”

Chu Xiang patted the dirt off her hands and shook her head. “I can’t remember. Anyway, I learned these somehow.”

Bai Yi held up a handful of soil, watched the soil slowly slip in between her fingers, and murmured, “Sometimes I really admire you. You can do everything. You can do everything flawlessly. You can solve everything, and you are always so happy. Your life is so wonderful. Compared with yours, my life is bleak and depressing.”

Chu Xiang squatted down in front of her. “Then have you ever wondered why there is such a big difference between us? Isn’t it your choice to live your life in this way? You have to go down whatever road you choose. If you don’t want to, why don’t you just detour?”

Bai Yi lowered her head and sighed. “Detour, I’m changing my path. I just feel uncomfortable, worse than being seriously injured.”

“So what? It will always pass.” Chu Xiang pointed to the field in the distance and said, “You have never done these things, or even seen farmers till the land. You have never seen how embroiderers embroider, how a county magistrate adjudicates cases, how villagers quarrel, and how soldiers fight. There are so many things you haven’t seen in the world, so why not go and discover them? Instead of spending your energy on someone unworthy of it, better spend it on yourself. See more of the world, and you’ll find that it’s easy to find happiness.”

Bai Yi responded with a faint smile. “Sister, You always manage to make light of everything. When I learned that Zhuang Yulang wanted to kill me, I really felt like the sky was falling, but staying by your side… It’s as if the sky falling down is no big deal.”

“That’s my point exactly. There is nothing in the world that cannot be solved.” Chu Xiang touched Bai Yi’s head, her voice still carrying that comforting power. “All you need to do is choose another path to walk. If you find obstacles along the way, find a way to overcome them. If you can’t, just change to another path. I will always be there for you.”

Bai Yi looked at Chu Xiang for a while, then hugged her tightly. “Sister, it’s good to have you.”

Chu Xiang’s presence made Bai Yi unable to value Zhuang Yulang as her “benefactor” too seriously. Compared with her benefactor’s life-saving grace, Chu Xiang’s kindness was something she could never repay for all eternity. Chu Xiang never needed her to do anything. As long as she lived well, she would not let her down.

Compared with Zhuang Yulang’s unlimited demands, hers was obviously a nobler and more cherished kindness. Maybe she was the kind of benefactor that should never be forgotten. Zhuang Yulang’s grace was merely kindness. Pay it back and they would be even. There was no need to bear it in mind.

A man of two minds who wanted to marry someone else was unworthy of her sadness. She mourned the passing of her feelings, but that grief seemed to have been muted in the face of the sick who were still suffering from the plague. She thought of the floods in the south, of the cries and corpses there, and of Bai You’s silent sighs as he carried people on his back. She still had much to do.

Bai Yi didn’t stay for another day. She bade farewell to Chu Xiang, rushed to the south as quickly as possible, and simply told Bai You that everything was over. She then worked with him to save people non-stop, arrest corrupt officials, and exercise their imperial envoy’s power.

Chu Xiang wasn’t idle either. Although she has sets of means, it was not easy to cure the patients who were affected by the plague. It would take time and energy, and mistakes in all aspects were out of the question. She must personally keep an eye on everything and checked on each patient from time to time.

Prince Qi had already found out that Bai Yi was a demon, but Li Yufeng spread information ahead. He made Chu Xiang’s shops together with Bai Yi’s shop surface as models for disaster relief efforts. He, Bai You, and Bai Yi were able to deliver information swiftly. He also announced the number of people Bai Yi had saved in the flooded areas, as well as a tall of those who had been saved by the property provided by Chu Xiang’s shops.

He included the corrupt officials that Bai You dug out, two of whom were unquestionably Prince Qi’s lackeys!

At this juncture, Prince Qi’s people stepped out to say that Bai Yi was a demon, but Li Yufeng didn’t reason with them much. All he did was smile in front of all the civil and military ministers and said, “The more of such sentient and righteous demons, the better.”

The civil and military ministers in court had varying understandings of his statement. Some people thought that he was mocking Prince Qi and his subordinates for being greedy, deriding them for daring to swallow the disaster relief funds and harm the people. They even had the nerve to slander the demons who took over to relieve the victims in the disaster zones.