The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Mrs. Luo was terrified: ”Don’t talk nonsense, don’t scare your mother.”

She called Sixi over: ”Quickly go and ask the steward to find a doctor.”

Sixi agreed and went out.

Anning, holding Mrs. Luo’s hand, whispered intermittently: ”Mother, I’m afraid the usual doctors can’t cure this illness. Let me be honest with you, I feel uncomfortable because I’ve eaten too much fish these past few days... Mother, the fish we’ve been eating these days is actually, actually demon meat...”

”What?”

Mrs. Luo turned pale with fear: ”Ningning, don’t frighten me, what’s really happening?”

Anning spoke softly: ”Well, well, after Daoist Lu captured the River Clam Spirit, that night I heard some commotion in our courtyard and went out to check. I saw someone in black clothes being sneaky, and I wanted to call someone to catch the thief, but that person saw me. He asked me if I harmed some He Zhuzhu. I was scared, and he thought I harmed He Zhuzhu, took a knife, and wanted to kill me. But before his blade touched me, somehow, light radiated from my body, and he died, falling to the ground and turning into a black fish.”

Anning, speaking to this point, was covered in sweat, almost soaking the mattress beneath her. Holding onto Mrs. Luo’s hand, she said, ”Mother, give me some cold water to drink.”

Mrs. Luo quickly had Yue Niang bring some cold tea for Anning to drink.

Only then did Anning continue: ”I saw the black fish was quite large; I picked it up and smelled it, finding it particularly fragrant. I remembered reading in those supernatural tales that eating demon meat could extend one’s life, so I made fish soup for Mother and me. It tasted incredibly delicious, and seeing how much I enjoyed it, Mother let me eat the remaining meat. I’ve been greedy these past few days, eating quite a lot every day, and then...”

Mrs. Luo was both amused and scared listening to this: ”You silly child, I told you... from now on you shouldn’t read those supernatural tale books anymore. You’re so bold, knowing it’s demon meat and still daring to eat it. You didn’t call anyone when you heard something? You dared to go out alone; what if a demon had taken you away?”

Anning shook her head: ”Daoist Lu said I’m immune to all evils; I’m not afraid.”

Mrs. Luo really wanted to grab Anning and spank her: ”You silly child, but what am I supposed to do as your mother?”

Just then, the steward came with the doctor.

The doctor checked Anning’s pulse, and with a scholarly tone, explained Anning was over-supplemented, causing excessive Qi and requiring a release.

Mrs. Luo’s face turned dark.

The doctor’s suggestion was for Anning to soak in cold water for a while and drink some bitter medicine to release the fire.

However, releasing it through ice water could be harmful to Anning’s body, possibly affecting future fertility.

Mrs. Luo forced herself to send the doctor away, feeling angry and anxious, almost shedding tears.

”Why are you so gluttonous?”

Mrs. Luo was tempted to scold Anning.

Anning looked at Mrs. Luo pitifully: ”Mother, why don’t we ask Daoist Lu to come? He surely has a solution.”

Mrs. Luo tapped Anning’s forehead: ”You think I don’t want to? Daoist Lu already left Yang City; where can we find him?”

Thinking of Daoist Lu, Mrs. Luo remembered Xiao Yuan.

She had heard from Constable Geng that Xiao Yuan helped Luo Anqing counteract a poisonous insect technique. Presumably, this Daoist Xiao’s spells are also quite effective.

”Steward, go find Constable Geng and have him invite Daoist Xiao immediately.”

When Xiao Yuan met Constable Geng, he already knew what Anning wanted.

He felt quite helpless and somewhat sympathetic towards Anning.

He went with Constable Geng to the Luo Family, and after meeting Mrs. Luo, she explained the situation to both Constable Geng and Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan pondered for a moment: ”To be honest, I do have a method, but...”

Mrs. Luo hurriedly said: ”Daoist, if you have a method, quickly tell us. If expensive items are needed, I’ll find a way to get them. If it’s about Silver, just name your price.”

Xiao Yuan waved his hand: ”There’s no need for those. The Second Miss of your honorable house is over-supplemented, with too much Qi crashing around inside her. If she were a cultivator, it would be easier as she could absorb it through cultivation. But since the Second Miss hasn’t cultivated... there’s only one way now, which is for me to personally draw out the excess Qi and Spiritual Energy from her body, but this...”

After Xiao Yuan explained the method, Mrs. Luo’s face darkened.

Constable Geng asked Xiao Yuan: ”Daoist, is there no other way?”

Xiao Yuan shook his head: ”There is no other way.”

Mrs. Luo thought for a while and called Constable Geng outside to ask him: ”Zhang Ming, what is the background of this Daoist Xiao?”

Constable Geng quietly replied: ”He was adopted by his master and raised from a young age. After his master passed away, he buried him and fulfilled a filial mourning before descending from the mountain. I’ve heard from my apprentice brother that this Daoist Xiao is skilled in his spells. Considering spellcraft, he is surely one of the best. However, since his sect is not prominent and he is young, only then...”

”Can he marry?”

Mrs. Luo asked again.

Constable Geng nodded, ”Yes, he said he is a lay disciple and can marry and have children.”

Mrs. Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

When she and Constable Geng entered the room again, Mrs. Luo smiled and asked Xiao Yuan, ”Daoist, have you ever married?”

Xiao Yuan shook his head, ”No.”

”Have you arranged a marriage?”

Mrs. Luo asked again.

Xiao Yuan still shook his head.

Mrs. Luo was still worried, ”Then do you have someone you love, is there someone you like?”

Xiao Yuan held back a laugh and answered solemnly, ”I have always focused on cultivation, never dabbling in worldly love.”

Mrs. Luo finally was reassured, ”Daoist, I wish to betroth my daughter to you, what do you think?”

Uh?

Xiao Yuan pondered for a long time, ”I understand what Madam thinks. For saving the Second Miss’s life, there is no other choice.”

Mrs. Luo and Xiao Yuan reached an agreement and then went to see Anning.

She explained her idea of marrying Anning to Xiao Yuan, so that Xiao Yuan could cure Anning’s illness.

Anning was as red as a cooked shrimp all over but still firmly said, ”This won’t do. He is a monk... Besides, I originally intended to invite a son-in-law. My father always regretted not having a son before he passed away, and I thought of inviting someone to be a son-in-law when I grew up, so the son could take my father’s surname, and my father and mother would no longer have regrets. But if I marry the Daoist...”

Saying this brought tears to Mrs. Luo’s eyes.

She embraced Anning, ”My dear child, we understand your filial heart, but now the situation is special, if you do not marry the Daoist, your reputation will be ruined. Without the Daoist to heal you, how can you survive?”

Xiao Yuan and Constable Geng heard Anning and Mrs. Luo’s conversation from outside. Xiao Yuan rose and cupped his hands towards the room saying, ”Let the Madam and Miss know, I was abandoned by my family, my master took pity on me and brought me to the mountain, raising me. I have no parents, I am unburdened, and it makes no difference to me what surname the child takes. If Madame and Miss do not mind, and Miss consents to marry me, I promise that any second son born will take Miss’s surname.”

Mrs. Luo felt relieved after hearing this.

Anning also smiled.

She held onto Mrs. Luo’s hand, ”In that case, I will listen to Mother.”

Luo Anqing was sweating with excitement as she saw the city walls of Yang City from afar.

Cong Zhongbai was also relieved when he saw the city walls of Yang City.

Finally, he had escorted Miss Luo back, and he could now report back.

Chunniang, however, was a bit anxious.

She could not guarantee that Mrs. Luo wouldn’t notice her peculiar state, so to ease the tension, Chunniang had the team stop for a rest before entering the city.

Cong Zhongbai went into the city to send a message to Constable Geng.

When he returned, Chunniang had already fallen asleep in the inn’s room.

Luo Anqing had found a quiet place to rest.

Cong Zhongbai found Luo Anqing and quietly said to her, ”I went into the city to ask around and sent a message to my senior brother. It seems that Mrs. Luo will soon know you are back.”

Luo Anqing thanked Cong Zhongbai.

Cong Zhongbai smiled, ”There’s one more thing, your family is going to have a wedding.”

Luo Anqing was stunned for a moment, ”Could my second sister have made a match?”

Cong Zhongbai nodded, ”Exactly, you know this second brother-in-law of yours, it’s that Daoist Xiao.”

Luo Anqing was quite shocked, ”How could it be him?”

Cong Zhongbai said, ”A few days ago, Second Miss contracted a strange disease, calling several doctors but none could help. Then a Mage was called in and said Second Miss was cursed in her destiny, requiring someone with compatible eight characters and good character to dispel the misfortune, or else Second Miss might not live long. Your mother was frightened, and when the Mage calculated a matched eight-characters, Constable Geng found out about your second sister’s case and invited Daoist Xiao to look. The Mage said Daoist Xiao had compatible eight-characters with your second sister, and when your sister fell ill again, it could not be delayed. Your mother promptly arranged the betrothal, and once set, your sister’s illness immediately improved.”