Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

The snow is falling like the white pear blossoms, but the pear blossoms are not so cold. Such cold weather is suitable for sitting around the fire, drinking some hot wine and eating a barbecue.

Wen Jiao touched Huo Ling'er's ear: "Sister Huo, how about eating roasted meat today?"

Huo Ling'er's ears trembled excitedly, and she nodded the lion's head: "Hmm!"

The man and the lion first walked to the restaurant and bought two large jars of Lanling wine, then walked to the butcher shop and bought a large fat sheep, and then went to buy a lot of spices for barbecue. The boss of Sanjiazi was so excited that he flattered Wen Jiao as if he had seen a god, and almost didn't want the money, and even gave her a lot of things. Wen Jiao threw the money on the counter, rolled up the things and ran: "Let's go to Xuanji Pavilion."

Huo Linger raised her paws in agreement: "Yuan Ling's Fengchun cooking skills are getting better and better. I haven't been there to eat these few days. I miss it a little."

Fengji will be sad. Wen Jiao smiled secretly.

Fengji was not as fragile as she thought. When he saw Huo Ling'er coming, he raised his little face to the sky to hide the corners of his mouth that were about to burst with laughter: "You are here, what else do you bring?"

Huo Linger carried the things and rushed straight to the kitchen: "Fengchun! Fengchun! I left the sheep here for you. It was just slaughtered today. It's very fresh. We're having barbecue today. Hurry and cook it!"

Feng Ji was helpless. He bowed briefly to Wen Jiao and Yuan Tiangang and chased after them. For a moment, only Wen Jiao and Yuan Tiangang were left on the field.

"It's been a long time since we last met. It's rare that you have time today." Yuan Tiangang's eyes were already deeper than the sea, and now they were even deeper, as if containing a bit of joy and a bit of resentment.

It's an illusion. Wen Jiao didn't think too much about it, she just smiled and said, "I have something to discuss with you, so I don't have to be so embarrassed to bring more gifts. It's hard for you to refuse, right?"

Yuan Tiangang shook his head and smiled helplessly: "I know that if you have nothing to do, you won't come to me."

Why does this statement sound a bit like Lin Daiyu's "I know that others won't give me the leftovers if they don't pick them out"?

Wen Jiao laughed dryly twice, and then she heard him say: "The wine and meat are already in the door, it's too late for me to refuse now. Why don't you tell me what it is first?"

Bringing wine and meat when you need something is already a bit too obvious. After being seen through, the other party wanted to talk about business before even taking a sip of wine and meat. No matter how thick-skinned Wen Jiao was, she felt a bit embarrassed. She touched her nose and said shyly, "There's no rush at this moment. Let's just chat about other things first."

On the low table in front of him was a pot of wintersweet, with its overlapping saffron-colored flowers exuding a light fragrance, intertwined with the scent of agarwood rising from the Boshan stove beside him. The girl opposite him was dressed in green clothes like a green mountain reflecting the autumn water, her face was graceful behind the incense, full of a sense of tranquility and mystery.

Yuan Tiangang stared at her quietly and asked, "Where has your son been recently?"

He knew that Wen Jiao had left Xuanzang a note that could transmit messages over a thousand miles.

When Wen Jiao heard this question, she couldn't help but smile: "I just said it last night, we arrived at the Eagle Sorrow Stream in Shepan Mountain."

Yuan Tiangang silently recited the place name: "It is the name of a place with dangerous mountains and bad waters."

"That's right. As soon as we got there, a little white dragon jumped out from the bottom of the water and swallowed up the horse that Xuanzang was riding in one gulp." When she said this, Wen Jiao could no longer hold back her laughter.

Yuan Tiangang was startled: "I remember that you secretly brought back the imperial horse given by His Majesty, and now your son is riding the paper horse you drew?"

At this point, Wen Jiao finally laughed so hard that she fell backwards. "Yes, so he swallowed it in one gulp, and then he felt something was wrong, and he sneezed, and confetti flew all over the sky. Sun Wukong and Xuanzang both laughed at him, and the little white dragon was so angry that he fought with the Monkey King."

Yuan Tiangang shook his head when he heard this: "That Monkey King caused unrest among the dragons in the four seas. A little white dragon wants to fight him. It's really overestimating one's own abilities."

Wen Jiao said in a relaxed tone: "That little white dragon was quite obedient. He took advantage of the terrain and fought with Sun Wukong for several rounds. After he screamed twice, we figured out that he was also enlightened by Guanyin Bodhisattva and was told to wait here. When Xuanzang passed by, he would transform into a white horse to be his mount."

Yuan Tiangang loved to see her bright eyes when she said this, and he poured her some green plum wine without making a sound. Wen Jiao just took a sip, and Fengchun had already roasted the whole lamb, and Fengji and Huo Linger brought it up, letting them chat while she sat aside and ate and drank by herself.

Huo Ling'er usually eats like a tiger, but she eats a 2.5-inch rice residue fiercely, but she doesn't eat much. Feng Ji is the opposite of her, she eats in a gentle manner, but eats quickly and a lot.

Seeing how he was eating up everything in a flash, Wen Jiao was afraid that if she was any later, she would run out of food. She quickly grabbed a lamb rib and handed it to Yuan Tiangang, saying attentively, "The roasted lamb at this location is the most tender. Try it."

Feng Ji saw her actions in his busy schedule, his heart in his throat, and he almost tried to stop her. Unexpectedly, a smile appeared on Yuan Tiangang's face, and he actually took it and started to chew it.

Wen Jiao noticed that Feng Ji's eyes were about to pop out, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Master Feng Ji, Yuan Ling and I both have dust-avoiding beads. Wherever the pearl shines, it will not be stained by dust or dirt."

I know this, but since this Fox King has known him, this is the first time he has taken something from someone else and put it directly into his mouth!

Wen Jiao had no idea what Feng Ji was shocked about. After explaining, she turned back to look at Yuan Tiangang and said, "If you eat my mutton, maybe you will agree to my request."

Yuan Tiangang slowly put down the bone he had just gnawed. Although it was unnecessary, he still habitually picked up the clean towel beside him and wiped his fingers one by one: "I didn't say I don't agree. But, what is it?"

Wen Jiao said, "I would like to ask you for help. Please write a letter to His Majesty, saying that the stars have changed and it is not good for the country. We need to ask a concubine to become a Taoist priest and pray for the country."

"This is not difficult." Yuan Tiangang agreed immediately.

Wen Jiao didn't expect him to agree so readily, and asked in surprise: "Don't you even ask why?"

"If you are willing to tell me, I can know it without asking; if you are not willing to tell me, it would be unnecessary for me to ask. It is the same whether I ask or not." Yuan Tiangang chuckled.

Then you agreed without hesitation.

Wen Jiao muttered in her heart and lowered her eyes: "Actually, I want to ask someone to come out from the palace. You know that person, she is the daughter of the late Yingguogong Wu Shigui, the little girl you predicted would rule the world. She is now a talented person in the emperor's harem."

"You want to use this method to protect the Li Tang Dynasty?" Yuan Tiangang's eyebrows wrinkled slightly, and his expression was solemn, which Wen Jiao had never seen before. "It was destiny for this woman to usurp the Li Tang artifact. I know that the emperor is like a mentor to you, but if you want to use this method to disrupt destiny, I'm afraid it's like fishing for the moon under the water, and you are doomed to end up in vain. Wen Jiao, do you know where this woman came from?"