novelapdf Chapter 96 From this day forward, my name is Jiang Mu!
Chapter 96 From this day forward, my name is Jiang Mu!
Chapter 96 From this day forward, my name is Jiang Mu! (First update of 5,000 words)
Passion is fleeting, romance is short-lived.
When the fireworks fade, the moon sets and the stars disappear, what remains is the warmth and ordinariness of daily life.
Of course, Jiang Mu didn't feel much warmth the next day.
Bai Xiang kept a stern face the whole time.
To cover up yesterday's embarrassment and shame, she deliberately adopted a more aloof demeanor than usual.
He's like a wooden doll when cooking, and his eyes are glued to the ground when sweeping.
Every time Jiang Mu tried to approach her and strike up a conversation, she would quickly and gracefully dodge away, her movements fluid and effortless, without a trace of cynicism.
This left Jiang Mu speechless.
I inexplicably had the feeling that I had been caught cheating last night and that my husband and I were having a cold war.
"I'll deduct a month's wages," he muttered to himself.
Of course, Jiang Mu didn't have much time to pay attention to these subtle emotional fluctuations.
What truly shook him was something else—
Yuan Aqing has made a breakthrough.
This girl only took a nap, and when she woke up, she had already crossed the threshold of the first realm.
If Jiang Mu hadn't repeatedly confirmed that her internal energy was stable and harmonious, her foundation solid, and there were no signs of her going astray, he would have almost suspected that this small body had been possessed by some reclusive master.
This left Jiang Mu both amazed and somewhat indignant.
They are both geniuses.
Why was it so difficult, so arduous, so... when I broke through?
Wait a minute, I think I've cheated.
Oh, that's alright then.
Jiang Mu felt a sense of balance.
However, this also directly proves that Ling Da Xigua has a sharp eye.
The little girl I bought for ten taels of silver back then is truly an absolute darling.
After carefully instructing Yuan Aqing on the precautions for her upcoming cultivation, Jiang Mu changed her clothes and went to the local county government office.
He's going to change his name.
From the moment of his birthday last night, he decided that he would truly return to his roots in this world.
Since we are going to take root here, then the name we once had should also be returned to our roots.
The name "Jiang Chen" always gave him a sense of unease, as if he were living someone else's life, a dream that could end at any moment.
But it's different now.
Lao Tzu wants to return to his roots!
I want to live my own life.
So the gift he gave Bai Xiang yesterday was engraved with the two characters "Jiang Mu".
He wanted to proclaim to the world that he was no longer the dissolute playboy who only knew how to seek out women, nor was he a human pile driver.
Completely cut it off!
Although I may still be involved in piling in the future, it must be a high-quality, emotionally charged, and deep exchange.
Look at what that idiot was playing with before.
Cao Cao's indiscriminate behavior, regardless of whether it involved meat or vegetables?
I'd rather die than be a traitor like Cao Cao!
Changing one's name might be controversial in today's society with its strict feudal ethics, as the saying goes, "Our bodies and hair are given to us by our parents, and so are our names," and it might even violate certain taboos.
But given Jiang Mu's current status in the Demon Slayer Division, it's just a matter of a word.
He also fabricated a plausible reason:
These past few days, his deceased parents have frequently appeared in his dreams, saying that they are very pleased to see him now reformed and bringing honor to the family. They have specially given him the new name "Mu," which means that even as the sun sets and the journey continues, he still needs to strive and explore.
My parents both appeared in my dreams and told me to change. If I don't change, wouldn't that be unfilial?
Besides, the surname hasn't changed.
No one paid much attention to Jiang Mu's sudden name change.
I took it as a symbol that this former young master had completely turned over a new leaf and broken with the past, and I felt even more respect for him.
The prodigal son does not exchange for gold.
From a notorious playboy to a renowned figure in the Demon Slayer Division of Huzhou, such a complete transformation is something few can achieve.
It seems that the spirits of the two elders of the Jiang family have finally brought this young master to a complete understanding.
Indeed, only great misfortune can mature a person's soul.
After finishing his personal business, Jiang Mu went straight to Huichun Pharmacy to find Little Doctor Chu Lingzhu.
The main purpose was to find out about Madam Han's background.
His intuition told him that there was definitely something wrong with that woman.
Any potential problems must be nipped in the bud to prevent them from escalating into major disasters.
The pharmacy was quiet, except for Chu Dahai fiddling with his abacus behind the counter.
Only after asking did I learn that Chu Lingzhu had gone to her private bamboo hut.
Without saying a word, Jiang Mu changed course and headed there.
Watching his employer's retreating figure, Old Chu's expression was complex.
If it were the previous young master of the household, he would definitely be dissatisfied to see the other party so eagerly seeking out his beautiful young lady.
But now that his employer has changed hands, he secretly hopes that something might happen between the two of them.
After all, their daughter is getting older and it's time to talk about marriage.
Before long, Jiang Mu arrived at the bamboo forest.
It was afternoon, and sunlight filtered through the lush green leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
A gentle breeze rustles through the woods, carrying the unique fragrance of bamboo leaves, evoking the idyllic scene described in the poem: "The cicadas' chirping makes the forest seem even quieter, and the birds' singing makes the mountain seem even more secluded."
Upon entering the courtyard, one could see a number of medicinal herbs that had been taken from the Divine Sword Sect drying in the sun.
Chu Lingzhu was standing in a huge wooden basin, barefoot, stepping on something.
The girl was not wearing her signature emerald green dress today, but instead wore a simple short brown ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).
The skirt is a bit short, just past the knee.
As she moved, a section of her calf, exposed to the air, appeared and disappeared.
Like two sections of freshly emerged white lotus root, they gleamed with a delicate luster under the sunlight, radiating the youth and vitality unique to young girls.
"The employer?"
Hearing footsteps, Chu Lingzhu looked up, her delicate face glistening with a few beads of sweat.
She wiped the sweat from her cheeks and said, "The medicinal herbs are almost sorted out. These dried herbs are of slightly lower quality, so I plan to give them away for free to some poor families who can't afford medical treatment."
"This will not only accumulate good karma, but also build a good reputation for our pharmacy and for you, sir. Father says it's feasible, what do you think, sir?"
"It's up to you. This pharmacy was originally entrusted to your management, so you can make these decisions yourself."
Jiang Mu waved her hand, her gaze falling on the wooden basin at her feet.
The basin contained pale pink flower petals mixed with dough, which had been trampled into a sticky mess by the girl and emitted a medicinal fragrance.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Mu asked curiously.
"This is the Jade Spirit Flower."
As Chu Lingzhu continued stomping, slightly out of breath, she explained, "It's used to make Jade Spirit Fragrance Cakes. They taste great and also have the effects of nourishing the skin, moisturizing, and regulating the spleen and stomach."
With her movements, her pair of delicate white feet rose and fell in the pale pink floral mud.
With each step, floral foam overflows from between your toes.
Jiang Mu's lips twitched: "—Aren't you disgusted? Who would eat a pancake stepped on?"
Although I'd heard of stepping on wine and udon noodles before, I still had a bit of a psychological barrier when it came to actually tasting them.
Chu Lingzhu rolled her eyes at him and said coquettishly, "I washed it very clean, okay? And I soaked my feet in medicinal soup before stepping on it."
This Jade Spirit Flower is different from other medicinal herbs; only by trampling it like this can its medicinal properties be better released. Besides, I'm keeping this for myself; I wouldn't bother giving it to others!
Jiang Mu snorted and said, "That's right. If others knew that this pancake was made by you stepping on it, they would probably be disgusted even if they wanted to eat it."
Chu Lingzhu pursed her red lips, too lazy to argue with this guy, and continued to stomp on him.
Jiang Mu pulled up a small stool and sat down next to him, getting to the point: "Your not-so-bright friend, Lan Rou'er, wants me to help her slay the demon and avenge her family. What's going on?"
Chu Lingzhu slowed her movements and sighed, "Rou'er is also a tragic figure. Her family used to be in the silk business and were quite well-off. But somehow they attracted the wrath of demons, and her parents were killed by them, and their shop was burned down."
She was still young then and narrowly escaped death by hiding in a water vat. Later, she was adopted by her aunt, who is now Mrs. Han.
Over the years, she never gave up searching for the killer, and she actually found the demon that murdered her family. But as a weak woman, and not a cultivator, she couldn't take revenge herself and could only seek help from others.
"So you're going to tell her that I, the dignified head of the Demon Slayer Division, am only worth eight taels of silver for an appearance?"
Jiang Mu stared at the girl's feet.
He unconsciously compared it to Qiu Yuexin's feet.
The two are about the same age, but have very different styles.
Chu Lingzhu appeared even more slender and graceful, like a willow budding in spring, standing tall and elegant. Qiu Yuexin, on the other hand, was petite and exquisite, exuding an alluring and enchanting beauty.
Therefore, their feet were also different:
One was slender and graceful, with well-proportioned bones and flesh. The other was petite and delicate, with beautiful arches.
They're all very beautiful.
As for which one tastes better, Jiang Mu has no way of knowing.
Perhaps Chu Lingzhu's is better?
After all, this girl soaks her feet in medicinal soup all year round.
Chu Lingzhu blushed slightly, feeling a little guilty: "I just said it casually—besides, Rou'er doesn't have much money on her."
Her aunt took all the remaining property her family owned, as repayment for raising her. Now she makes a living by doing embroidery and needlework; she can't afford to earn much money.
"You can't fool us even if you don't have money; this is a life-threatening job."
Jiang Mu stopped dwelling on the topic and changed the subject, "How much do you know about her aunt? What's she like usually? Is there anything about her that you find odd?"
In the past, Chu Lingzhu would have assumed that this playboy was eyeing someone else's aunt again.
I'd spit on him and scold him for being a lecherous old man.
But now, she knew that Jiang Mu's special inquiry must be for a serious matter.
The girl stopped what she was doing, tilted her head and thought carefully: "Madam Han is usually very polite and courteous in her dealings with people, and she takes good care of Rou'er."
On the contrary, that Mr. Han was rather strange.
I remember that Mr. Han used to be quite domineering, and Mrs. Han was somewhat afraid of him at home.
But ever since that big fight between the couple, and Mr. Han's departure and subsequent return, his temperament has changed completely. He's become timid and weak, and in front of Mrs. Han—he's even a little afraid.
Jiang Mu's eyes flickered.
The image of Han Chenghu's hesitant expression in the alley outside the Han residence flashed through his mind again.
A drastic change in a person's temperament often means—
This person may not be the same person they were before.
"Oh, right, and one more thing!"
Chu Lingzhu suddenly remembered something, her eyes lighting up. "Once, Rou'er said that Madam Han had a headache and asked me to help administer acupuncture. When I entered Madam Han's room, I smelled a strange odor."
"Strange taste?"
"Hmm, a faint stench."
Chu Lingzhu wrinkled her nose. "After we came out, I asked Rou'er, and she said she couldn't smell anything. But I've been dealing with medicinal herbs since I was a child, so my nose is very sensitive."
Jiang Mu nodded: "Yeah, you really do have a dog's nose."
Chu Lingzhu: "————"
"Cough, continue, what's that stench?" Jiang Mu pressed.
Chu Lingzhu puffed out her cheeks and continued, "The smell—it's a bit like the stench of a rotting dead rat. But I didn't see anything dirty in the room; perhaps Madam Han kept some plants."
The stench of a corpse?
Jiang Mu crossed her arms and fell into deep thought.
More and more doubts are emerging.
A couple argued, the husband left home, his niece saw her aunt building a wall in the middle of the night, the husband returned and his personality changed drastically, and there was a stench of corpse in the room.
Jiang Mu gasped.
What a wicked woman!
Isn't this just like bricking her own husband into a wall?
Thinking of the woman's seductive flirting with him, Jiang Mu felt a chill run down her spine.
What should I do?
This case appears to be a simple murder of a husband, with no connection to demons, and should logically fall under the jurisdiction of the county government.
However, Jiang Mu had no solid evidence and was only speculating, so the county government might not dare to investigate a respected gentry like Han Chenghu.
"Looks like I'll have to go there myself."
Jiang Mu made up her mind.
Since this woman is colluding with my predecessor, she might be hiding some secrets that will eventually backfire on me.
"By the way, do you have any food here? Nothing you've stepped on."
Jiang Mu watched the girl treading on flower petal dough, and he started to get a little hungry.
Chu Lingzhu pointed to the stove behind her: "There are freshly baked pies on the table. The plate on the left has regular scallion pancakes that I kneaded by hand, and the plate on the right has fragrant pancakes with Jade Spirit Flower juice, which are the kind that were just stomped on."
Jiang Mu walked into the kitchen.
Sure enough, there were two plates of pancakes on the table.
He picked up a scallion pancake and took a bite, but his gaze couldn't help but drift to the plate of fragrant, pinkish-red pancakes on his right.
I hesitated for three seconds.
"Just one bite."
He picked up a sesame cake and took a bite.
Ok?
It has a soft yet chewy texture, a rich floral aroma, and a sweet aftertaste.
Really fragrant!
When Chu Lingzhu finished tidying up and entered the house, she found that the plate of more than twenty sesame cakes on the table had all been eaten by some "beast".
The other person was still licking their fingers, seemingly unsatisfied.
"It's alright, it's quite chewy."
Jiang Mu rubbed her slightly bloated stomach and commented, "Next time, I'll scout out more places and pack some to take home for a late-night snack."
"you----"
Chu Lingzhu, annoyed, revealed her little tiger teeth and pointed at him, "Didn't you say you found it disgusting?"
Jiang Mu said matter-of-factly, "As long as it tastes good, I'm not picky about food."
Hehe, there was once a vixen who wanted to shove her foot into my mouth. Compared to that, what is this?
"Starving ghost!"
Chu Lingzhu muttered something under her breath.
Seeing Jiang Mu about to leave, she rolled her eyes, suddenly leaned closer, and blinked her bright eyes: "Boss, are you going to investigate a case? I can help you!"
"What case are you investigating? It's none of your business."
Jiang Mu shoved her head away in annoyance and walked outside.
Chu Lingzhu, however, persisted and jogged after him, saying mysteriously, "You're definitely going to investigate that Madam Han, right? I'll help you. You praised me for being smart last time."
Jiang Mu glanced down at her bare feet under her skirt: "Look at you, you're not wearing shoes and you're standing on the ground right now, and you still have the nerve to say you're clean? I should have just not eaten."
.
"I'll definitely wash it again."
Chu Lingzhu twitched her delicate pink toes and pressed, "Do you want my help or not?"
Jiang Mu pondered for a moment.
The rough plan in my mind seems to really need this girl's cooperation.
"Alright, then come with me."
"Okay!"
Chu Lingzhu's face lit up with joy. "Wait for me a moment, I'll change my clothes and get ready."
The girl ran back to the house, quickly changed into her familiar light green silk dress, and then ran to the bamboo grove to pack up her medicine basket.
Jiang Mu stared blankly at the maidservants bustling about in the courtyard.
A gentle breeze silently wafts through the forest, causing the bamboo shadows to sway.
The girl's skirt fluttered in the wind, and a few strands of her black hair danced playfully, creating a fresh and lively silhouette in the dappled sunlight through the forest.
He suddenly noticed that although the girl was slender and graceful, her hips, which were covered by her skirt, were quite plump and round when she ran.
Yes, she's also a woman who's good at having children.
The two arrived at the alley entrance outside the Han residence.
Jiang Mu looked around and whispered, "Just do as I said. Remember, stall them as long as possible, keep a natural expression, and don't give anything away."
"Don't worry, boss."
-
Chu Lingzhu patted her chest and assured them, "I will be ruthless towards Rou'er!"
Jiang Mu patted her shoulder: "Go ahead, be careful."
"Uh-huh."
Chu Lingzhu composed herself, slung her medicine chest over her shoulder, and headed towards the gate of the Han residence.
Jiang Mu then darted around to the outside of the wall in the backyard of the Han residence, stood against the wall, and quietly waited for the right moment.
Because she was Lan Rou'er's close friend and the goddess that their young master had been pursuing, the servants of the Han family were already familiar with Chu Lingzhu, so they respectfully invited her in without any need for announcements.
As soon as Chu Lingzhu entered the front yard, she bumped into Han Yushu.
Upon seeing the goddess descend, Han Yushu's previously gloomy face instantly brightened, as if a withered tree had come back to life. He quickly stepped forward to greet her: "Miss Lingzhu, what brings you here?"
Chu Lingzhu felt a chill run down her spine, but forced a gentle smile: "Young Master Han, I heard you've been unwell these past few days. Are you feeling better?"
Han Yushu's expression stiffened slightly.
He'd been having diarrhea lately, and his legs were so weak that he'd been suspecting Chu Lingzhu had drugged him.
But seeing the goddess take the initiative to care for him, his doubts immediately vanished, and he realized that he had been judging a gentleman by his own petty standards.
He quickly straightened his back and said nonchalantly, "I'm much better. Thank you for your concern, young lady. It's just a slight cold, nothing serious."
"Oh, the weather has turned cooler these past few days, young master, you must take good care of yourself."
Chu Lingzhu gave a perfunctory reply and headed towards the backyard, saying, "Then I'll go find Rou'er first."
Han Yushu, not wanting to miss this opportunity to curry favor, shamelessly followed behind: "Miss Lingzhu, there's a temple fair in the city in a few days. I heard that a high-ranking monk from Tianchi Temple will be presiding over a prayer ceremony; it'll be very lively. I've managed to get two tickets for the inner area through connections—"
"No way, what's so interesting about a bald guy?"
Chu Lingzhu waved her hand impatiently.
Seeing that this persistent pest was still following her, she stopped and pointed to the moon gate on the ground: "Young Master Han, this is a young lady's private courtyard. Isn't it inappropriate for you to follow me in?"
Han Yushu paused, then stopped awkwardly.
Chu Lingzhu gave a light snort and quickly walked into the courtyard where Lan Rou'er lived.
Inside the room, Lan Rou'er was sitting by the window embroidering a purse.
It must be said that although this girl is gentle and sweet-natured, she has a pair of skillful hands, and the things she embroiders are always lifelike.
"Sister Lingzhu."
Upon seeing her best friend arrive, Lan Rou'er put down her needlework and stood up in surprise.
Before she could even exchange pleasantries, Chu Lingzhu approached her with a serious expression and placed her hands on her shoulders: "Rou'er, now is the time when we need your help."
"what?"
Lan Rou'er was completely bewildered, blinking her big eyes blankly, "Help with what—"
Before she finished speaking, Chu Lingzhu took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve, uncorked it, and waved it under Lan Rou'er's nose.
A slightly pungent aroma wafted into my nasal cavity.
Lan Rou'er felt dizzy, her body went limp, and everything went black.
"thump."
fell to the ground.
The next second, Chu Lingzhu let out a high-pitched scream with great penetrating power.
"ah!!!"
Hearing the commotion, Han Yushu rushed in and found his cousin lying unconscious on the ground, with Chu Lingzhu's pale face beside her.
"What...what's wrong?" He panicked.
"I don't know either. I went into the house and saw her lying unconscious on the floor."
Chu Lingzhu looked panicked. "What are you standing there for? Go and call your parents!"
"Okay! I'll go right away!"
Han Yushu was completely flustered. After being yelled at by the goddess, he turned around and ran towards the main courtyard to call for help.
Outside the courtyard wall.
Jiang Mu's ears twitched slightly as she heard the sounds coming from inside.
"This girl has quite a loud voice."
When the noise in the courtyard rose, he had a thought and threw the number one demon shadow into the other side of the wall.
Swish!
Jiang Mu passed through the wall.
The next moment, he appeared behind the artificial hill in the back garden of the Han residence.
Relying on his memory of having been here before, he avoided the servants who were running around in a panic, passing through walls and houses as if he were in an empty place.
Soon, they slipped into Mrs. Han's master bedroom.
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