Chapter 12: Grandiose and Magnificent

That evening, the old master Lu, upon hearing Lu Tianming’s return, craned his neck from his room and shouted, “Third son, what exactly is the plan for your mother’s funeral now?”

“Father, don’t worry! I’ve brought a Taoist priest and a funeral procession team from the neighboring county,” Lu Tianming replied wearily as he stood in the courtyard. “They’ll arrive tomorrow.”

“Have your second and fourth brothers sent any word yet?” the old master asked after a moment of silence.

“They’re both tied up with matters and won’t make it back in the next few days.”

“So… you won’t even get to see your mother one last time?” The old man was taken aback.

“There’s nothing we can do. You know how strict those corrupt officials are about our mother’s case lately; my second brother can’t show his face for now. As for the fourth brother, he’s caught up with some trivial affairs and can’t come back immediately.”

“Bah! Trivial affairs, just nonsense about not keeping his pants in check! It’s bad enough they’re unreliable usually, but to miss your mother’s final journey—unbelievable!” The old man spat in anger.

“Father, I mean we should proceed as planned and bury Mother as soon as possible without waiting for them,” Lu Tianming suggested.

The old master was silent for a long while before sighing deeply. “Very well, let it be so.”

“Third son, is that Taoist reliable? No matter what, we must ensure your mother’s passage is at peace.”

“Father, now isn’t the time to be picky. If he weren’t after money, he probably wouldn’t have agreed to come here,” Lu Tianming replied wearily.

“But matters of the afterlife can’t be handled carelessly!” The old man pounded the edge of the bed in frustration.

“Father, I’m already exhausted. Let’s talk about this tomorrow.” With that, Lu Tianming left for his room.

In the quiet night, Lu Shijiu’s lips curled slightly.

Can’t even take this much?

She touched the small oil-paper packet hidden in her sleeve.

The real show hasn’t even started yet.

Before dawn the next morning, the door to the wood shed was repeatedly knocked upon with sharp claps.

“You jinx, open up! Do you think you’re some lady of privilege, sleeping in so late? Get up and cook!”

Lu Shijiu’s eyes snapped open.

Has that fake father of hers finally solved the manpower issue, giving Xue’s family newfound confidence?

Cooking is fine, as long as they dare to eat!

After tidying herself up a little, she went to open the door.

“Are you an idiot? Sleeping so soundly! I knocked for so long and you didn’t hear?” Xue scolded fiercely, staggering a little as she berated Lu Shijiu.

“Tired, just woke up.” Lu Shijiu didn’t bother wasting words and went straight to the stove to start cooking.

“You—!” Xue was furious.

When the meal was ready, Xue quickly served a thick bowl of porridge to Lu Tianming. Just as a smile played on her lips, a thin little hand snatched the bowl away.

“You jinx! Got itchy skin or what? Daring to touch your father’s portion of breakfast!”

Lu Shijiu secretly opened the oil-paper packet in her sleeve.

As the yellow liquid trickled into the bowl, she quickly tilted her body to dodge Xue, causing the bowl’s contents to sway.

The yellow liquid soon disappeared into the porridge, leaving no trace.

“I can’t fill my stomach with just plain porridge!”

“You always ate like this before, didn’t you? Besides, you’re just a jinx. It’s lucky you get to eat at all. Don’t be picky, or else watch your skin!”

Lu Shijiu handed the bowl back to Xue, then grabbed another slightly thicker bowl of porridge and began gulping it down.

“You brat! Put that down!” Xue shouted hoarsely, grabbing the fire tongs and swinging at her.

Lu Shijiu dodged while finishing the porridge, set the empty bowl on the table, and bolted toward the mountain.

This time, once on the mountain, she didn’t gather firewood as usual but walked to the spot where she had discovered the Bolo Hui plant the day before.

Bolo Hui, a plant related to poppies, is entirely medicinal. It dispels wind and detoxifies, reduces bruising and swelling, and can treat injuries from falls, rheumatic joint pain, and abscesses. It even kills maggots.

But the entire plant is highly poisonous and must never be ingested. The supplementary Materia Medica says: when broken, it exudes yellow sap; the medicine immediately causes death if ingested and is therefore forbidden.

Liu Jinyi’s words echoed in her mind.

Given the limited conditions, she had only added a small amount of Bolo Hui’s yellow sap to that morning’s porridge. For one, she feared her fake father might notice if the dose was too large; secondly...

A cold smile tugged at Lu Shijiu’s lips.

If they treated her so despicably, wouldn’t it be too easy on them to just poison them to death?

She snapped off a stem of Bolo Hui, and yellow sap immediately oozed from the broken end. Lu Shijiu took two wild boar tusks from her waist, carefully coating their tips with the yellow sap, drying, then reapplying repeatedly.

With her fake father’s violent temper and his intolerance for anything beyond his control, she had to be prepared for any sudden attack. Multiple contingencies had to be in place well ahead of time.

But to her surprise, before Lu Tianming could turn against her, he unleashed his fury on the hired hands brought into the household.

Once the old madam Lu was buried, Lu Tianming’s ferocity became apparent.

He refused to pay the funeral team and the Taoist priest as agreed and even forced them to return their deposits.

At first, the group thought their numbers could overpower Lu Tianming. But after witnessing his skill, the timid ones quickly produced all the money they had, begging for their lives.

Yet once a demon reveals his true form, no living soul can be allowed to escape and tell the tale.

Lu Shijiu lowered her head, clenching her fists tightly.

The graveyard was desolate, seldom visited, especially since it was the burial of old madam Lu; no one wanted to bring bad luck by helping with the funeral. So aside from the old Lu family and these outsiders, no one else was present.

“Father, you and Mother go back first. I’ll deal with these insolent fools myself!” Lu Tianming cracked his knuckles with a sharp popping sound.

His head swayed from side to side, bones shifting audibly with crackling noises.

Those sounds in this bleak graveyard were more chilling than the wails of the grim reaper.

The old master Lu nodded. “I’ll go lie down. Be careful.”

His injuries had barely healed but he had been tormented for most of the day, truly reaching his limit.

“I’m heading back now!” Xue called out with a trembling voice as she hurried home. After some distance, seeing Lu Shijiu hadn’t followed, her face turned pale with fear. She quickly turned back and grabbed Lu Shijiu to pull her along.

“Go back!”

Lu Shijiu allowed herself to be pulled forward, a faint smile playing on her lips. “What are you so afraid of? He wants to kill people, right? I’ve heard killing becomes addictive. Tell me, when will you be the next one he kills?”

Xue froze mid-step. “Where did you hear such nonsense? Didn’t I tell you not to associate with outsiders?”

“Why can’t I associate with outsiders? Is it because my face is something to be ashamed of?” Lu Shijiu asked leisurely.

Xue’s eyes flickered. “It’s not about that! How many good people are there among outsiders? We’re doing this for your own good!”

“Give me a break! For my own good? I have endless chores every day, don’t even get a proper meal, and get beaten or scolded at the slightest thing. Who would want such ‘goodness’—take it if you want it!”

“Have I not been giving you fewer tasks lately?” Xue was visibly annoyed.

“Hah!” Lu Shijiu smirked, scoffing. “If it weren’t for the chickens, ducks, and pigs being stolen before, do you think I’d have less work?”