PCJ – Chapter 47 Unexpected

Since Liu Xi was fine, there was no need for Liu Biao to go to the county the next day. Liu Biao rushed to Yangjiaba to inform tractor driver Yang Zhigang to cancel the tractor for the next morning. When he went, Liu Biao put two packs of cigarettes in his pocket. In this era, those who owned tractors in the village were considered prominent figures. Naturally, Liu Biao didn’t want to offend anyone.

Yangjiaba was also part of Lanshexi Village, a villager group name within Lanshexi Village, and an old place name. It was named after a nearby water conservancy facility. Zhang Jiaohua’s maternal grandfather’s group was called Fengshui, named after the Fengyu Bridge near the village. The place where Zhang Jiaohua’s family lived was called Meizi’ao Village, and the group they belonged to was called Meizitang.

Originally, Zhang Youping was supposed to accompany Liu Biao, but Liu Biao adamantly refused. People in this era had particularly strong courage, so walking on the night road was nothing to them. Liu Biao had always been bold and naturally didn’t take the roads in Lanshexi Village seriously. Zhang Youping’s whole family had traveled dozens of miles on the night road, so he naturally didn’t want to trouble Zhang Youping further.

From Fengyu Bridge to Yangjiaba, it was about three to four miles, passing through a stone bridge group along the way. Guo Daogui lived in the stone bridge group.

Coincidentally, when Liu Biao went to Yangjiaba, he ran into Guo Daogui, who was drunk and returning home from his older brother Song Dachao’s house.

As soon as he saw Liu Biao, Guo Daogui rushed over and blocked Liu Biao’s path.

“It’s you!” Guo Daogui grabbed Liu Biao’s shoulder with his hand.

“Let go. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite.” Liu Biao suppressed his emotions. After all, this was someone else’s territory. Even if the dragon was strong, it didn’t suppress the local snake. If Liu Biao acted, the Guo family members in the stone bridge area, regardless of Guo Daogui’s right or wrong, would come to help. Because it involved the dignity of the clan. As the saying goes, when beating a dog, look at the owner. Moreover, beating someone of the same surname on someone else’s turf was even more disrespectful. If Guo Daogui made trouble outside and got beaten up, it was his own fault. But if someone came to the village to beat him up, it would be a slap in the face for the whole village. Liu Biao, a native rural person, naturally understood the principle.

“Liu Biao, did the hospital cure your kid’s illness? Hehe, now you come to beg me again, right? Let me tell you, that kid has lost his soul. Even if it’s in Lanshexi or the entire Yudu Waterside, only I, Guo Daogui, can save your kid’s life. But it depends on my mood. If you want me to help again, first kowtow to my ancestors a hundred times, then bring a hundred yuan, and I’ll reluctantly save that kid. Otherwise, wait until tomorrow morning, and that kid will become a short-lived ghost.” Guo Daogui smirked.

Liu Biao stopped and pulled Guo Daogui’s hand away. “Sorry to make you worry for nothing. My kid’s illness has been cured. I warn you, don’t let me catch you outside again, otherwise, every time I see you, I’ll hit you.” Liu Biao pulled Guo Daogui’s hand away and pushed him aside.

At this late hour, everyone in the stone bridge area was already asleep, so no one saw this scene. But Guo Daogui was still burning with anger. He had lost face. However, Liu Biao’s kid did lose his soul, and a high fever couldn’t be cured with medicine alone. Moreover, Liu Biao’s kid had been treated by barefoot doctor Xie Datian in Sanjiaoping for more than a day, and the fever couldn’t go down. Guo Daogui had already inquired about this. But the thing that trapped Liu Biao’s kid’s soul was quite powerful, and Guo Daogui’s half-cans of water couldn’t deal with it. How did it suddenly get better?

Most of the dao masters who could cure Liu Biao’s kid’s illness in Yudu Waterside were from the Shiqingwang lineage. Everyone had their own fixed areas of incense burning, and they rarely crossed boundaries. Even if they did, they would inform the dao masters on this side in advance. Crossing over without notice could easily provoke a water priest battle. Dao master battles were major events. Although Guo Daogui hadn’t formally graduated, in principle, he couldn’t conduct incense burning alone. However, Shiqingwang turned a blind eye to this matter, and everyone tacitly accepted Guo Daogui’s qualifications. This area around Lanshexi became Guo Daogui’s area of incense burning. Now that Liu Xi’s illness was cured, it meant that a dao master had come to burn incense.

Guo Daogui stared blankly at Liu Biao, who continued to walk forward with a flashlight.

When Liu Biao knocked on Yang Zhigang’s door, Yang Zhigang thought Liu Xi’s condition had worsened. If the condition had worsened, Yang Zhigang was reluctant to take Liu Xi to the county hospital. If something happened to the child before reaching the hospital, it would be a headache for him. Villagers were very superstitious about tractors that had transported dead bodies. Once a tractor had been used for such a purpose, people in the village would avoid it. In the future, they would never consider using the tractor for happy events. So, Yang Zhigang was in a dilemma.

“Liu Biao, why did you come so early? Is your kid’s illness alright?” Yang Zhigang asked with mixed emotions, regretting that he had agreed to Liu Biao yesterday.

“My kid’s illness is cured. We don’t need to go to the county tomorrow. I came specifically to tell you. It would be a waste for you to go to our place tomorrow morning. I’m sorry for delaying your business for a day.” Liu Biao handed the two packs of cigarettes in his bag to Yang Zhigang.

Yang Zhigang was initially overjoyed. He didn’t have to worry about Liu Biao’s child dying on the way. But soon he felt regretful because he had canceled several orders yesterday. It might be that the tractor would be idle at home for a day. But he was also a good-natured person. “What are you doing? You come to my house and bring cigarettes? Did you come for the money I promised you for taking your kid to the hospital? Yesterday, there were a few who wanted the tractor. I told them that no matter what, I would take Liu Biao’s kid to the county hospital. I might earn less money, but saving lives is absolutely not something to be postponed. We have such a good relationship. We’ve been in the same class since primary school, and we were still in the same class in junior high.”

Yang Zhigang tried to return the two packs of cigarettes to Liu Biao, but Liu Biao naturally wouldn’t really take them back. The two of them pushed back and forth for a while.

“How did your kid’s illness suddenly get better? Did you invite some powerful doctor?” Yang Zhigang asked curiously.

“I invited a dao master from my sister’s village to cure him, and he recovered immediately.” Liu Biao knew that his sister and brother-in-law didn’t want to reveal the water priest’s identity.

“Oh, which village is he from? So powerful? I only know that Guo Daogui’s half-can of water is good at swindling, but he’s useless when it comes to real action.” Yang Zhigang opened a pack of cigarettes, gave one to Liu Biao, and lit them both.

“He’s from my sister’s village. He doesn’t usually do these things, and few people in my sister’s village know about it. If it weren’t for my close relationship with my brother-in-law, he wouldn’t have easily taken action.” Liu Biao had to fabricate a bunch of lies to cover up his previous lie.