Chapter 419: Godmother

Chapter 419: Godmother

When dawn broke the next morning, Lü Xiuzhai awoke to the ache of his wounds and the gnawing of hunger. With no money for an inn, he had spent the night curled up beside Tao’er beneath the eaves of a shelter. Now, chilled and famished, he felt a pang of regret—why had he squandered all the money he'd won? If only he had saved a little, things might not have come to this.

Even more disheartening was the realization that he had nowhere to go now. He couldn't return to Niu Xin Village, and there was no place left for him to turn.

“Master,” Tao’er said softly, “what if I become your concubine by pledge?”

“No!” Lü Xiuzhai rejected her suggestion without hesitation. “How could I let you bear children for another man? What would be left of my dignity?”

Tao’er’s face showed rare sadness. “I don’t want to be sold either, but I’ll starve without food. My father sold me because he couldn’t afford to feed me.”

Lü Xiuzhai glanced at her pale, emaciated face and clenched his fists so tightly that he pounded the ground in frustration. If only he had the strength of Li Huowang, he wouldn’t be in this wretched state!

Still, he finally pulled Tao’er to her feet and walked toward the inn where Bai Lingmiao resided.

Just as Bai Lingmiao and Chun Xiaoman were preparing to depart, Lü Xiuzhai appeared before them once again.

He really didn’t want to humble himself before a woman, but thinking of Tao’er being pressed under another man’s body, he gritted his teeth and said firmly, “Miss Bai, I apologize for my past behavior—I was wrong. Please let me return to Niu Xin Mountain!”

“Is this how one begs for mercy? What did you call Li Huowang? What do you call me?” Bai Lingmiao looked at the young man with a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Li Huowang is my master. I call you... godmother!”

“That’s right. Except for your father, no one owes you anything. To gain something from others, you must pay a price.”

Lü Xiuzhai nodded vigorously. “Yes! Godmother speaks truly!”

“Alright, follow me. Oh, by the way, where did this wife of yours come from?” Bai Lingmiao’s attention turned to the woman beside Lü Xiuzhai.

“I bought her. Godmother, look over there—she was bought just like those people from a human trafficker.”

Bai Lingmiao followed the direction of Lü Xiuzhai’s finger and saw several half-starved children kneeling by the roadside. Their collars bore dried straw, and a tall, thin man nearby haggled with someone else over prices.

Chun Xiaoman saw this scene and suddenly remembered something, her expression turning grim.

Bai Lingmiao patted her hand gently and then asked Lü Xiuzhai, “How much silver per person?”

“Based on appearance and height, I paid five taels when I bought Tao’er.”

Bai Lingmiao narrowed her eyes, recalling something. “The villagers in Niu Xin Village are indeed few. And some of the techniques hidden in the ancestral hall can’t be practiced enough by just our fellow disciples. To become strong, we need to form a proper scale—just like my grandfather, father, and mother once did.”

It was risky to bring outsiders directly from outside. These orphans had nowhere to run, and she could easily control them.

Though she didn’t remember much from childhood or what the Bai family had done behind the scenes, Bai Lingmiao recalled that for a long time, their clan lived well. As a child, she had never lacked meat or eggs, and wore golden bracelets on her ankles.

And the fact that they could force Li Huowang to burn off all his skin proved their strength.

Thinking of this, Bai Lingmiao walked over and began negotiating with the human trafficker.

Seeing Bai Lingmiao buy everyone regardless of size or looks, the trafficker beamed with joy.

“Are these people now my household servants?” Bai Lingmiao asked the man weighing silver.

“What nonsense are you talking about, miss? We’re not those barbarians from Qingqiu. The emperor himself issued an edict—slavery and selling slaves are forbidden within our great Liang empire!” He chuckled after saying this.

“These aren’t your servants—they’re your adopted sons and daughters! Come now, bow to your godmother!”

The pale, malnourished boys and girls, already numb to such treatment, immediately knelt before Bai Lingmiao and bowed low. “Godmother!”

“Heh heh heh,” the trafficker said cheerfully, “This is the contract of adoption. We’re square now.”

Unaware of the cold glint in Bai Lingmiao’s eyes, he continued.

“Dong dong dong,” the drumbeat began. As Bai Lingmiao chanted the battle invocation, the two deities slowly walked down the desolate street.

“I know you hate people like this. Don’t worry—he won’t live past tomorrow,” Bai Lingmiao patted Chun Xiaoman’s hand again.

“Thank you,” she whispered, slowly retracting the bell from her sleeve.

“You’re being too formal. Didn’t we used to say thanks to each other?”

Bai Lingmiao turned to face the group of pale, thin boys and girls. Honestly, they weren’t particularly attractive—some had crooked teeth, bulging eyes. Those who were good-looking or sturdy had already been taken. These were the leftovers, but Bai Lingmiao didn’t mind. As long as they were alive, it was enough.

“Don’t be afraid. I bought you because there’s plenty of farmland in the village that needs tenant farmers. You’ll keep six-tenths of the harvest, and give us four-tenths.”

Hearing this, their eyes lit up. After all, they were adopted children. Even if they got only one-tenth, it was a blessing. They’d found a kind soul!

“Come on, we still have a long way to Niu Xin Mountain,” Bai Lingmiao said, climbing into the carriage. The crowd hurriedly followed.

One woman with a mole on her lip couldn’t hold back her hunger anymore. “Godmother, can we have some food before we travel? We only had a sip of millet porridge yesterday. Not much—just a handful of rice will do.”

Of course, the human trafficker cut costs wherever possible, as long as they didn’t die of starvation.

“What do you mean by a sip? So stingy! If you want to eat, eat your fill!” Bai Lingmiao tossed a large bag of dry provisions.

Chun Xiaoman smiled seeing this. Though Bai Lingmiao had become more assertive, she remained as kind as ever.

The sight of the mixed grain steamed buns, flatbreads, and meat jerky made the group excited beyond words. They rushed forward and devoured the food hungrily.

“I came first! Move aside!” Lü Xiuzhai squeezed in, then handed four steamed buns to Tao’er before tearing into his own meat jerky.

As he chewed, he called out to Bai Lingmiao in the carriage, “Godmother, these kids are wild and unruly. No discipline at all. Why not let me take charge on the journey?”

The more he said it, the easier it became.

He had realized that Bai Lingmiao was right—without power, nothing mattered. It was better to humble oneself than lose even a sliver of flesh.

“No way. You can’t do anything right. You can’t even hide your dissatisfaction with me.”

Lü Xiuzhai panicked and quickly denied it. “Godmother, how could I be dissatisfied with you? You’re my master’s wife!”

“That’s true. You’re afraid you might do something foolish. Li Huowang would make your life miserable.”

The words made Lü Xiuzhai tremble. The bloody images flashing through his mind made it impossible for him to swallow the meat jerky.

Bai Lingmiao leaned against the carriage window, watching Lü Xiuzhai below. “So useless, yet so bitter, aren’t you? I have a method to help you cultivate divine powers. Want to try?”

Lü Xiuzhai looked up at Bai Lingmiao. Remembering that blind man effortlessly taking lives that night, he nodded firmly. “Okay!”

“This damn bitch thinks she’s so superior! What do you mean ‘useless’? I’m just unappreciated! Give me a chance, and I’ll become stronger than Li Huowang!!”

(End of Chapter)