Chapter - 131 Acupuncture And Medicines Unable to Remedy (13) (1/2)

At that moment, Yang Buhui returned with a floral crown that she had made. ”Mother, this is for you,” she said with a bright smile as she placed her handiwork on her mother's head.

Ji Xiaofu smiled appreciatively before continuing with her tale: ”By then, all fifteen of us lay weak and limp on the floor of the restaurant. A few could still mumble and curse in anger, but some could hardly breathe … ”

”Mother, are you talking about that horrible old woman?” asked Yang Buhui suddenly. ”Do not talk about her, please. She frightens me.”

Comforting her daughter, Ji Xiaofu said, ”Dear child, be good and go make another floral crown for Brother Wuji.”

Yang Buhui turned to Zhang Wuji and asked, ”What colour would you like?”

”Red,” answered the boy. ”And some white too. Make it as big as you can.”

Stretching her arms out, the little girl asked again, ”Like this?”

”Yes, like that,” replied Zhang Wuji.

As she clapped her hands and skipped off, Yang Buhui said, ”You had better wear it after I have finished.”

Then, Ji Xiaofu resumed her story: ”As I sat in a daze, the manager, winekeepers, cooks and other workers of the restaurant appeared, and dragged all of us off into the kitchen. Poor Bu-er wailed in fright and followed me as I was taken away. By and by, the manager looked up a written list, pointed to Jian Jie and said, 'Smear this ointment on his head.' A winekeeper carried the instruction out, using a pre-determined concoction. The manager referred to his list again, pointed to another fellow and said, ”Chop his right hand off, and connect it to his left arm.' Two cooks brought out a sharp cleaver and executed the order. I was fortunate to be spared of physical torture, but I was forced to consume a bowl of sweet liquid. I knew that the drink was poisonous, yet I did not have the ability to resist.

”After the fifteen of us had been handed our strange punishments, the manager said, 'You have been wounded seriously enough not to survive beyond half a month. But the owner of the golden flower says that she does not have any personal grudges against you. Thus, she has kindly provided you with a solution. You had better hurry to Butterfly Valley on the shores of Nüshan Lake and seek the help of the Healing Sage Hu Qingniu. If he is willing to treat you, your lives will be spared, for there is no one else in this world who knows how to cure your injuries. But this Hu Qingniu is also known as 'The One who Ignores the Dying', for he will not help anyone who is not in dire straits. Tell Hu Qingniu that the owner of the golden flower will go and look for him soon, and ask him to make early preparations for his own funeral!' He concluded by giving us detailed directions to this place.”

”Auntie Ji, does this mean that the manager, cooks and winekeepers of the Linhuai Pavilion-Restaurant are accomplices of the horrible old woman?” asked Zhang Wuji.