Early the next morning, just as the sky was beginning to grow light, Tangtang rubbed her eyes and came over to her new dad, looking him over with curiosity.
The man in his deep sleep had sword-like brows, long eyelashes, high and straight nose bridge, and pale thin lips without a trace of color.
If Tangtang hadn’t seen his faintly rising and falling chest, she would have thought her new dad was lying on the boards just like her master.
Just as Tangtang wanted to stand up, her peripheral vision caught sight of wisps of black Qi lingering around his chest.
Her small hands trembled, and endless panic rushed into her heart.
A few days ago when Master came back from outside, his body was also shrouded in this kind of black Qi; if you didn’t look closely, you couldn’t see Master’s face at all!
She had frantically slapped the black Qi on Master’s body wanting to chase them away, but she couldn’t keep up with the speed at which the black Qi grew.
In the end, Master not only vomited a lot of blood, but also repeatedly instructed her to leave Xixia Taoist Temple as soon as possible, and from then on, she must not draw talismans or exorcise ghosts.
Before Tangtang could even figure it out, Daoist Qingfeng closed his eyes forever.
Tangtang sniffed, patting gently on Daddy’s chest while muttering in a small voice: “Bad thing, you harmed Master and you still want to harm Dad… Go away, all of you!”
After a few breaths, the black Qi dissipated, and Gu Yanzhao’s lip color gradually turned rosy.
Only then did Tangtang withdraw her hand, raising it to wipe the sweat beads from her forehead.
Phew—good thing it was discovered in time, Dad’s life should be saved…
“Yaya, watch Dad here, I’m going to cook breakfast!” Without waiting for Yaya to reply, Tangtang scrambled off on her short little legs.
Dad lost a lot of blood last night, so he’ll definitely be hungry after waking up. She must properly nourish Dad’s body.
Since Tangtang recognized him as her dad, she had to be a dutiful child to him!
The little girl skillfully added water and washed the rice, her small hand fumbling inside her purse to pull out a crudely drawn yellow talisman.
The moment the yellow talisman entered the stove hearth, the firewood was ignited, bursting into little sparks of fire.
Tangtang’s carved-jade-like little face was full of pride. This was her self-created Fire-Fire Talisman, and even Master didn’t know about it!
Thinking of Master, Tangtang’s head drooped involuntarily, and her lips pressed tightly together.
She was being obedient and not drawing talismans or playing with good ghost friends anymore, so couldn’t Master not die?
The firewood in the stove hearth crackled, and soon the small kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of rice.
“Tangbao! Tangbao! Your new dad moved!” The little crow’s voice rang out, giving Tangtang a start.
Dad moved?
Then is he going to wake up?
Thinking of this, Tangtang scurried away at full speed toward Daoist Qingfeng’s room, with Yaya flapping its wings right behind her.
Gu Yanzhao endured the sharp pain in his chest, slowly sitting up and looking around with vigilance in his eyes.
Last night, he suffered an assassination attempt and was heavily injured; his dark guards had fought to the death to help him escape.
Where is this place?
Upon seeing Daoist Qingfeng on the bed, Gu Yanzhao’s gaze paused.
There was actually someone else in the room?
He hadn’t even sensed his breathing; could it be that an extraordinary master lived in seclusion here?
Gu Yanzhao forced himself to stand up, cupping his hands toward Daoist Qingfeng and speaking in a hoarse voice: “I have disturbed you greatly last night, senior, please do not blame me!”
Yet Daoist Qingfeng still lay quietly on the bed, not even moving his eyelids.
Gu Yanzhao pondered inwardly: truly an extraordinary master; even the dark guards by his imperial father’s side couldn’t achieve complete concealment of their aura.
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he truly would have thought he was the only one in the room.
Seeing that Daoist Qingfeng remained unwilling to speak for a long time, Gu Yanzhao pursed his lips and added: “Thank you, senior…”
Before he could finish speaking, a rush of hurried footsteps approached from far to near.
Gu Yanzhao’s gaze turned sharp as he looked toward the doorway, heavy killing intent lingering around his whole body.
The moment she entered the door, Tangtang saw the awake Gu Yanzhao. Her eyes lit up as she scampered over, tilted her head up, and asked, “Dad, you’re awake? Does your body still hurt?”
Last night she had been so afraid Dad wouldn’t wake up that she hadn’t even slept soundly!
Good thing Dad woke up, so Master won’t need to go around catching a dad for Tangtang anymore!
Gu Yanzhao had thought the assassins from last night had caught up, and in his heart he had already prepared himself to fight to the death.
When he saw the person coming was a carved-jade-like little Daoist child wearing a slightly worn Daoist robe, his handsome face froze slightly.
Dad?
He had never heard of any custom in the Xixia Mountain area where strangers called each other dad upon first meeting…
Tangtang didn’t know what he was thinking. Her black-grape-like big eyes stared at Gu Yanzhao for a moment, and then she let out a gentle sigh.
So Dad is mute…
She reached out her small hand to pat Gu Yanzhao’s knee, her milky-sweet voice full of heartache: “Dad doesn’t want to talk, then don’t speak! Tangtang cooked porridge, Dad come with me!”
Anyway, she could speak, and she could rely on mourning at funerals to earn money to support Dad and Yaya!
Tangtang ladled two bowls of porridge, handing the thick, rich bowl of rice porridge to Gu Yanzhao, while her own bowl was entirely watery rice soup.
Just as the little girl wanted to pick up her own bowl to drink the porridge, the bowl in front of her was swapped by a large hand.
“Dad?” Tangtang tilted her head, her tone filled with confusion.
Does Dad not like drinking rice porridge?
But there was nothing else left to eat in the Taoist temple…
“Dad, eat a couple of bites first to line your stomach. Later Tangtang will go to town to earn money to buy meat for Dad to eat!”
She hadn’t expected Dad to be so picky about food even though he was this big. It looked like today Tangtang would have to run through a few more villages…
Tangtang scratched her head, and coupled with Master’s coffin boards, future days were going to be busy indeed!
“You eat this bowl!” Gu Yanzhao’s voice was hoarse, but his tone allowed for no refusal.
She was so skinny her chin could double as a throwing dart, and heaven knows how her family raised this child.
Earn money to buy meat?
This little toddler isn’t even as tall as the table, how is she going to make money?
For her to say it so casually, it couldn’t possibly be her first time.
Unwarranted anger welled up in Gu Yanzhao’s heart. As the dignified Crown Prince of Dayong, he wasn’t so pathetic as to need a young child to earn money to support him!
Since this little toddler had called him dad, he would take responsibility for her all the way to the end!
The food in the Eastern Palace is good; it’s guaranteed he can raise Tangtang to be plump and fair!
“Dad, you can speak?” Tangtang asked in pleasant surprise.
Once Dad’s injuries heal, she can take Dad along when she goes out to mourn!
She cries for ten copper coins alone, and with Dad she can ask for fifteen!
Once Dad gets used to mourning, they can ask for twenty copper coins!
Gu Yanzhao didn’t answer and instead asked, “Where are your parents?”
Tangtang froze for a moment before shaking her head: “Master picked me up. I’ve lived in the Taoist temple since I was little, I’ve never seen my parents… Now Master is lying on the boards, and I don’t have a master anymore either…”
If she had parents, others wouldn’t curse Tangtang for being a wild child without a daddy…
Gu Yanzhao’s brow twitched. No wonder…
Dead people lose their aura so naturally you can’t sense it, he had thought…
Gu Yanzhao awkwardly patted Tangtang’s head and spat out dryly, “Don’t be sad, I’ll be your dad!”
“You’re already my dad, Tangtang will be a filial child to Dad, and work hard to cry at funerals to earn money to buy coffin boards for Dad!” The little girl shook her head happily as she spoke.
Dad is still young right now, so Tangtang will definitely be able to save up enough silver to buy the boards!
Gu Yanzhao’s expression stiffened; there really was no need for this kind of filial piety…
“Bang, bang, bang—” A violent knocking sounded on the door, and Tangtang scurried out quickly.
“Little crow-mouth, get your butt out here!” Wu’s shrill voice echoed through the air, startling the birds on the branches into flapping their wings and flying away in panic.