Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Absolutely Must Return It to Me

The day before every Blood Floating Pagoda member goes out on a mission, they have the chance to return home for a visit.

This is relatively humane after all. You might not come back from this mission.

For you, or your family, it could be the last time you see each other.

After a year, Ming returned to the Xu Mansion.

Prior to this, the Xu Mansion had received no prior notice.

When the steward of the Xu Mansion saw Ming return, he quickly informed Lǎotàitai.

The Xu Mansion naturally knows the rules of the Blood Floating Pagoda.

“Third Brother.” Ming smiled.

“Brother Li.”

Pengda sat beside Ming and placed the lunch box on the table: “Fifth Brother, Mother made a lot of pastries again. There are leftovers, try them.”

But no one had any improper thoughts about the Big White Goose, like stewing it into soup or giving it away.

Looking at this golden hairpin, Ye Ye hesitated for a moment, neither refusing nor accepting it: “Isn’t this thing very expensive?”

By now, everyone in the Xu Mansion has also noticed the extraordinary nature of the Big White Goose, which seems to be on the verge of becoming a spirit.

It’s useless now, so I’ll just give it to you, Fifth Brother.

“Hehehe, I think so too.” Pengda laughed sincerely.

“It’s not that exaggerated, but the danger is indeed quite significant.” Ming explained.

Looking at this Xiaochun Courtyard where he has lived since birth, to be honest, Ming doesn’t know if he can return alive.

Han played with the children in the courtyard for a while, seeing Ye Ye busy in the kitchen, Han sneaked into Ye Ye’s room and placed all his salary from the past year under the woman’s pillow.

The Big White Goose followed as well.

Ming smiled and looked at this little fat guy who wasn’t good at expressing himself: “Alright, I will definitely return it to you.”

Ye Ye smiled: “I’ll make something for you. Sit down for a moment first.”

In the evening, sitting in this empty courtyard, Ming felt a bit lonely.

Ming heard from Auntie that his mother was allowed to return to her hometown to pay respects.

“Ye Ye Sister, I’m back.” Han smiled.

Ming returned to the courtyard and realized that his mother wasn’t there.

“Hmm?” Ming took a sip of tea.

“They say that every mission undertaken by the Blood Floating Pagoda is nine deaths and one survival. Is that true?” Pengda asked worriedly.

“The food in the army is good.” Han smiled foolishly, then quickly took out a piece of cloth from his bosom, unfolded it, and inside was a hairpin. “Ye Ye Sister, this is for you.”

If anything happens, Ming isn’t even sure if his body can be found.

Therefore, the Xu Mansion specifically gave the Big White Goose plenty of cultivation resources to curry favor with Ming.

“Hmm.”

Pengda shyly rubbed his little hands: “I feel like the imperial examination isn’t complete without you, Fifth Brother. So I told Mother that four years later, I will take the Assembly Examination with you, and we two brothers will both achieve fame on the Golden List!”

With the protection of the Big White Goose, Ming felt much more reassured.

“Oh wu.” Pengda nodded, then took out an amulet from his bosom.

“Fifth Brother.” Pengda called Ming’s name.

A woman named Ye Ye stepped forward and measured him with her hand: “You’ve grown taller, taller than me.”

Everyone looked at Ming with complex expressions.

Most importantly, a soon-to-be spirit Big White Goose alone isn’t enough to make the Xu Mansion offend Ming.

“How does it taste?” Pengda asked.

“Eat roasted duck.”

The children took the roasted duck and sat orderly at the wooden table in the yard, without any quarreling.

Ming glanced at Pengda: “I heard Third Brother didn’t go to the Assembly Examination this year?”

After all, not many people are fools. Now the Big White Goose already has intelligence, and in the future, it might become a protector of the Xu Mansion.

Ming smiled, opened the lunch box, and ate a piece.

When the Back Hair Man pushed open the courtyard gate, more than ten children in the courtyard all looked over.

Ming looked puzzled: “Why?”

“This?” Ming questioned.

“Fifth Brother…”

“But when you come back, you must absolutely return it to me.”

“Alright.”

“Also fine.” Han spread Ye Ye’s palm and placed the golden hairpin in her palm. “Ye Ye Sister, just accept it. We earn high salaries in the army, more than we can spend.”

“Back?”

Pengda scratched his head awkwardly: “This is an amulet I wore as a child. Mother said I once had a serious illness, and a powerful cultivator drew this talisman for me, which can bring peace.”

Whoever could see that if Ming comes out of the Blood Floating Pagoda and passes the Jinshi exam, how dazzling his future would be!

That person absolutely wanted to cultivate Ming by keeping him close.

The children rushed over when they saw Han come back.

“Thank you, Brother Li~”

In a secluded courtyard in the eastern part of Wudu.

“Too good~”

A Back Hair Man pushed open the courtyard gate.

“Ha ha ha, I’m back!” The Back Hair Man put down the big and small bags in his hand. “I bought roasted duck for you all, half a duck per person.”

In an instant, the eyes of more than ten children all lit up.

As Ming was musing, Pengda peeked out from the courtyard entrance holding a box, roughly containing the “leftover pastries” made by Auntie.

The children ran towards Han upon seeing him return.

“Once everything is done…”

Han walked out the door, looking at Ye Ye in the kitchen, his big hand resting on the copper coin strung with red thread around his neck, smiling foolishly.