Free Web NovelChapter 112: Chapter 88: A Beauty in His Arms
Xu Lei glanced at the surrounding corpses.
"Let’s leave this place first," he said. "Don’t resist."
After he spoke, he grabbed the Bell and shook it.
"RING, RING, RING." A faint chime sounded.
Two Human Puppets immediately walked over to the siblings and hoisted them onto their shoulders.
"These are not men, but Puppets."
He had noticed the young lady’s slight reluctance, guessing that as a chaste, cloistered maiden, she was unwilling to be touched by the black-robed guards.
She had only refrained from resisting because she didn’t dare defy the Living Buddha’s command, which prompted Xu Lei’s explanation.
"Puppets?" Hearing this, the young lady’s expression relaxed.
’Then again,’ she thought, ’the attendants of a Living Buddha are naturally no ordinary servants.’
Her pretty face couldn’t help but blush slightly. It was partly from embarrassment—to think she had mistaken the Living Buddha’s attendants for ordinary servants.
The other part was her surprise that the Living Buddha had noticed her discomfort and even taken the time to explain so gently.
An incredulous thought rose in her heart: ’My Living Buddha Can’t Be This Considerate and Gentle!’
「A few minutes later.」
Xu Lei had the Human Puppets carry the siblings away from the killing ground.
After all, if they remained, and more men backing those Government Officials came looking for them, Xu Lei would have to fight again. They couldn’t stay long.
Once they reached a safe spot in the woods, Xu Lei had the Human Puppets set the siblings down.
Xu Lei briefly examined the brother’s condition, only to find the poison had already seeped deep into his organs. He was beyond saving.
When Xu Lei confirmed he couldn’t be saved, despair washed over the siblings’ faces.
At this, Xu Lei said that while he couldn’t save the brother, he might have a way to help with their family’s predicament.
The siblings were both shocked and overjoyed, immediately pleading with him and asking for details.
They declared they would do anything if Xu Lei helped them, pledging to obey the Living Buddha’s every command from that day forward.
"Amitabha Buddha."
Xu Lei said, "Our meeting is destiny. In that case, I will lend you a hand."
As for his method of helping, it was, of course, the Jade Pendant left behind by Wei Qingning.
After all, one of its uses was already gone, and these two siblings truly revered and feared him as a Living Buddha.
Xu Lei felt that the promises they made were entirely from the heart.
That being the case, Xu Lei couldn’t let them lose their hereditary peerage; otherwise, he wouldn’t get any return on his investment.
The brother was a lost cause, but having the sister impersonate him should be fine.
According to them, the siblings had grown up together and experienced many things at the same time.
Even with the brother gone, the sister could claim that she suffered a head injury during the chase and lost some of her memories.
Besides, the sister was actually smarter and more capable than her brother, and she was just as knowledgeable about their family’s affairs.
"Sister, you really look like you’ve become a man!"
He watched as his sister put on the Jade Pendant. An Adam’s apple appeared on her neck, and her voice became masculine, sounding identical to his own.
The young man couldn’t help but exclaim in shock, "The Living Buddha’s methods are truly extraordinary!
We’re saved! Even though I won’t live much longer.
But if our peerage can be saved...
I’ll be able to face our ancestors when I pass on. Thank you, Living Buddha!"
"It really is magical,"
the young lady herself said in disbelief. "I just spoke normally, and my voice really changed like that!
I look like a man in the mirror, and I even have an Adam’s apple!
The Living Buddha’s methods are incredible!
Thank you, Living Buddha!"
「Four hours later.」
Xu Lei continued onward with the sister, who now wore the Jade Pendant.
As for her brother, he had been given a simple disguise and put on a passing stranger’s carriage, heading in a different direction.
Earlier, Xu Lei had agreed to escort them home.
After all, he had given them the Jade Pendant; he couldn’t let them die before they successfully inherited the peerage.
Of course, Xu Lei’s promise came with a condition.
He would only take one of them.
Xu Lei had explained that a monk should not involve himself in worldly affairs, and he had already become entangled in their karma.
Repeatedly entangling himself would be detrimental to his spiritual practice, so the two of them could no longer travel together.
Besides, while the Jade Pendant could disguise a person’s appearance, it could only disguise one person!
And since they were twins of similar age and build, if one were discovered, the other at their side would surely be exposed as well.
But if they separated, the disguised one could follow Xu Lei in secret, protected by his Human Puppets.
The other sibling could then act as a decoy to attract the attention of those hunting them!
It would be a classic diversion!
Although Xu Lei’s condition was cruel, the two siblings had to admit that his reasoning was sound.
At that moment, the young lady simply pressed her tender lips together and said nothing. After all, it was obvious who should follow the Living Buddha for the greater good.
And while the brother wasn’t as clever, he was by no means a coward.
He immediately said he just needed a little silver; he would catch a passing carriage and then switch to traveling by water.
If nothing happened to him, he would find some of their family’s old retainers to escort him home.
If he made it back successfully, he would inherit the peerage first. Then, when the poison finally claimed him, his sister could take his place.
And if he didn’t make it back, if he was caught and killed, their pursuers would likely lower their guard and not hunt his sister so relentlessly.
Hearing her brother’s sensible words, the young lady couldn’t help but cry.
"Living Buddha, I entrust my sister to your care!"
As they parted, the young man knelt on the ground, coughing as he spoke. "I’m begging you!"
