TGCFNM -Chapter 104 The Ox Cannot Be Stopped

At this moment, Fu Qingyu also caught up. Seeing that the ox was still somewhat agitated, she hurriedly tried to restrain it. “Look, it really isn’t my fault! The ox just can’t be held back.”

“But so what?” the leader said angrily. “What are we supposed to do now?”

Chu Ling tugged on Fu Qingyu’s sleeve and asked quietly, “If someone blocks a spirit’s path, does it really affect the reincarnation route? Is there actually such a saying?”

Fu Qingyu nodded. “Yes, there is. And generally, when something like this happens, people avoid it. Nobody expects someone to just crash into it.”

At that moment, the people carrying the spirit separated, and two figures—one in white, one in red—slowly stepped forward.

“Master Ma,” Fu Qingyu said, cupping her hands. “Please accept my condolences.”

“Lord Fu, thank you for coming to see this off.” Ma Yuansheng held the spirit tablet and bowed slightly, then raised his eyes toward Chu Ling. “You must be Lord Chu.”

Chu Ling nodded slightly and pointed at the ox. “The ox suddenly went mad. He simply couldn’t hold it; it was never his intention to block the way.”

Ma Yuansheng’s eyes were red with grief. “I know it’s not his fault. Zhu’er… Zhu’er was a kind soul. It’s just that my heart feels heavy… Let him go.”

The old man was flushed with shame, tears brimming, utterly unsure what to do, looking to Chu Ling for help.

Two people beside him were still trying to restrain the ox, but they couldn’t get it back. The ox was sprawled across the road, apparently preparing to relieve itself.

Chu Ling stepped forward and pulled the ox aside, startling the two men.

“Sorry, the ox is secured now. Hold on tight,” she said, then looked at Ma Yuansheng. “You don’t need to worry. I know how to handle this. In my hometown, this has happened before. The elders say to sprinkle willow branches with water; it cleanses the impurity.”

Fu Qingyu hurriedly sent someone to fetch willow branches, then looked at Ma Yuansheng. “Don’t worry, Master Ma. It will be fine shortly.”

Ma Yuansheng forced a faint smile. “Thank you, Lord Chu. Thank you, Master Fu.”

Chu Ling waited as the willow branches were brought back, her gaze occasionally drifting to the woman in the wedding dress.

Perhaps her stare was too obvious, and she kept looking that way repeatedly. Fu Qingyu had to cough a few times to remind her, and only then did Chu Ling avert her eyes.

“Lord Chu, what are you looking at?” Ma Yuansheng asked, unable to hold back.

“Looking…” Chu Ling’s eyes shifted back, and the woman in the wedding dress moved slightly. The veil tilted aside, revealing a fair hand that slowly lifted the fine fabric.

“Look… the sky is so blue. Look, the ground is so clean. Look, the willow branches have finally arrived—prepare the clean water.”

After saying this, Chu Ling turned and faced Bai Su, her face pale.

Bai Su nodded. “It’s a ghost. Half the face is rotten; it doesn’t look like poisoning.”

Cui Xi hid fearfully behind Bai Su.

Ghost Scholar tapped his folded fan. “Could it be Miss Zhen?”

“It’s me,” the woman said softly. Wearing a red wedding dress, she walked slowly forward and stood opposite Chu Ling. The veil was now down. “I didn’t know the new Lord of Changzhou could see ghosts.”

Chu Ling tilted her head, giving an awkward smile.

“It’s not convenient to speak here. Do you have any grievances? Do you want the Lord to seek justice for you?” Ghost Scholar asked quickly.

Zhen Mingzhu slowly shook her head. Under the veil, the corners of her mouth revealed a faint smile. “I have no grievances. I only regret that my life was too short, that I could not grow old together with him.”

Chu Ling moved aside from the person sprinkling water with the willow branches and, resting her chin in her hand, signaled for Zhen Mingzhu to lift her veil so she could see her properly.

“Aren’t you afraid?” Zhen Mingzhu asked curiously.

Chu Ling could only gesture with her eyes—she wanted to see clearly.

Reluctantly, Zhen Mingzhu lifted the veil again.

Chu Ling gazed intently. Just as she was about to speak, Fu Qingyu suddenly stepped forward, pulling her back. “Lord Chu, you’re in the way.”

“Alright,” Chu Ling said, then lowered her voice: “Stay here.”

“Stay here?” Fu Qingyu tilted his head, looking at her.

“I said I’ll stay. Yes, stay,” Chu Ling said seriously, staring at Zhen Mingzhu ahead.

Soon, the willow branches were all sprinkled with water. Ma Yuansheng gave a slight nod to the group, then continued guiding the funeral procession slowly forward. Zhen Mingzhu immediately tried to follow.

The Ghost Scholar advised, “You can go anywhere with the Lord.”

Zhen Mingzhu paused, gazing at the figure ahead with lingering attachment. Wanting to stay just a little longer, she nodded in response and stopped.

After the funeral procession had gone, the old man driving the ox cart blinked back tears and said, “Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.”

Chu Ling helped the old man up. “Elder, just now, why did the ox rush forward? Did you see anything?”

Fu Qingyu was also curious. “The Lord mentioned a piece of red cloth, but I didn’t see it. Could someone have deliberately provoked the ox?”

The old man looked puzzled. “I didn’t see any red cloth, only a little child waving a stick across the way.”

Chu Ling took a curious step toward the other side, then stopped, looking down to see a small stone at her feet.

Fu Qingyu came over. “Someone threw a stone to provoke the ox? I’ve been here in Changzhou for a while, and I haven’t heard of any quarrels between the coachman and anyone.”

Zhen Mingzhu hurried over too. “Not in the Zhen family either.”

“Was it the child who threw it?” the old man asked, eyes red. “I thought it was some little boy playing around.”

“Do you recognize the boy?” Chu Ling asked.

The old man shook his head.

“How old?” Fu Qingyu asked. “Maybe we can find him and ask.”

The old man gestured. “About this tall, waving a stick over there… he even left the stick there.”

Chu Ling bent down, picked up the stone, then walked over to pick up a piece of branch, holding it up to the old man. “This one?”

The old man nodded.

Chu Ling tossed the branch aside. “Not the branch. This short piece is useless. The problem is still with the stone.” Saying this, she put the stone back into her hand, then took some snacks from Fu Qingyu. “I’m heading back to the yamen.”

Fu Qingyu, seeing that the packet being sent along was also taken back, couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh. He shook his head slightly, about to leave, when suddenly a man in mourning clothes came running back, rushing straight toward Chu Ling.

“Lord Chu!” Fu Qingyu immediately called out.

Chu Ling turned around. The man looked tense and panicked, gasping, “Lord Chu, what if…the wooden frame of the coffin suddenly broke? What should we do?”

Zhen Mingzhu couldn’t help but fret. “Is it…is it because I stayed behind?”

“Did the coffin tip over?” Chu Ling asked.

The man grimly nodded.

Chu Ling’s expression instantly changed. “This is bad… this is not good…”

“What…what should we do, Lord?” the man asked urgently.

“Since the coffin has already left the house, there’s no going back. We can only find a temporary place to set it, have the person most familiar with it keep watch for three days, then relaunch the coffin,” Chu Ling said.

“I know a place,” Fu Qingyu said. “There’s an abandoned house nearby. With a little cleaning, it should work.”

The man immediately cupped his hands in thanks. “Thank you!” With that, he hurried off.

Chu Ling smiled and handed over a packet of snacks. “Lord Fu, where exactly is that abandoned house?”