The Whole Village Thrives After Adopting a Lucky Girl

“What’s the difference between me giving and him giving? Why are you being so nitpicky?” Xiao Chengjun coldly glared at Yingbao.

Yingbao knitted her brows.

Well, there really wasn’t any difference. But it just rubbed her the wrong way.

And every time she thought about the content of these stories, she felt a growing distaste for Xiao Chengjun that she couldn’t quite articulate.

But despite her distaste, she wasn’t foolish enough to provoke him.

Yingbao: “I just wanted to ask about old Mr. Li, why are you getting mad?”

Since Doctor Li and his grandson hadn’t returned with them, it was only natural she would ask. Then, when they returned, she would have an answer for the family.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chengjun’s expression stiffened and he gradually reined his anger in: “You could’ve asked me the same question”.

Yingbao, seeing him order a cup of wine but not responding to her question after waiting for a while, reminded him impatiently: “Well, aren’t you going to answer?”

Xiao Chengjun lazily ate his food and without lifting his head, he replied: “You haven’t asked yet.”

Yingbao: …

Is this kid mentally ill?

“I, want, to, know, why, old, Mr. Li, didn’t, come!” Yingbao emphasized each word distinctly.

“Now I have asked, so hurry up and answer.”

Saying this, she narrowed her eyes, carefully assessing this youth who exuded an immature aura but behaved strangely.

Xiao Chengjun picked up his wine cup, took a sip, then continued eating. He replied lazily: “I don’t know!”

Yingbao’s face twitched.

Not only was this guy crazy but he was probably quite severely so.

If she were not so young and physically smaller, she would really like to kick him a few times then dunk his head to see how waterlogged his brain was.

Yingbao didn’t want to waste her time arguing with a lunatic. She returned to her cabin, noticing her mother, Chen Zhao, were still sleeping, she sat next to them, took out a book of Zu Yuke and began reading.

While reading, she quietly chanted a calming spell: “A heart as clear as ice and would not be disturbed by the collapse of heaven! Among the myriad changes, the spirit stays peaceful and the energy calm, do not stoop to the level of a fool!”

The first chapter was the Nine Laws, which included Tian, Yuan, Di, Fang, Lu, Ling, Jiu, Kou, and Zhu Chapters.

These Nine Laws were necessary ritual tools for officers and commoners, and also the behavioral norms that constrain them.

Like the first chapter, Tian Chapter: Heaven has nine layers, the earth has eight dimensions. Gentlemen focus on the origin, small-minded people focus on the end, implementing laws and investigating truth to resolve disputes…

Although Lady Wen had taught her this and Yingbao had recited them, she didn’t take them seriously at the time.

Now when looking at them again, she found them rather insightful and understood more from them.

That’s because these were the preludes that the Forbidden Curse Masters would recite prior to drawing their talismans.

For instance, if one was to draw a talisman for curing a child’s nocturnal crying, the introduction would be: Heaven is round, earth is square, the Nine Laws are supreme, as I now pen the talisman, all ghosts must retreat!

Then during drawing the talisman one would chant an incantation: The sun rises in the east, the profound yin and yang, I hereby write this talisman to sweep away all misfortune, mouth spewing the holy fire, eyes shining like the sun, summoning celestial marshals to capture monsters, making use of diamond warriors to fight diseases and disasters, calming monsters and turning ill luck to good fortune!

And the concluding mantra: Heaven is vast, the earth is vast, there’s a creature in my house called Night-lang, its job is to capture crying ghosts at night, with magic talisman safeguarding the room ensuring a peaceful sleep! I, under the command of the Supreme Elder Lord, in dire need like a law requires, capture!”

The drawn talisman would then be affixed to a peachwood sword, whilst the Forbidden Curse Master will continue to perform a set of hand signs. After that the drawn talisman would be set aflame and be placed in a clay bowl.

The burning talisman would be reduced to ash, which would then be mixed with a form of herbal medicine the Forbidden Curse Master brought, and be administered to the child.

As Yingbao continued reading, she suddenly realized that being a Forbidden Curse Master was not easy at all.

One had to memorize various incantations, and also had to master various hand seals and steps, to combine and draw talismans.

Meaning that, for every talisman one has to draw, not only does one have to recite incantations, but one must also perform the corresponding hand signs and steps.

Moreover, every brushstroke corresponds to a different hand sign, and one also has to perform the steps at the same time.

So when a Forbidden Curse Master is drawing talismans, it often looks like they are dancing, moving their feet back and forth, left to right.

At this moment, Yingbao came across a diagram of a set of steps. She stood up and tried to follow the instructions on the diagram.

She first stood with both feet on the Central Palace position, crouched down, directly advanced her right foot forward, stepping on the Qian Hexagram.

Then her left foot traced a curve towards the left, stepping on the Dui Hexagram. Next, she advanced her right foot forward directly and stepped into the Li Hexagram.

Swing the right foot in an arc to step to the left into the Zhen Hexagram, and move the left foot forward in a straight line to step into the Central Palace…

It’s somewhat similar to a boxing technique’s footwork, surprisingly easy for me to pick up.

However, the cabin’s limited space made it difficult for me to practice properly.

After contemplating, Yingbao carried her book and stepped out of the cabin onto the deck.

Xiao Chengjun was already gone, probably back to his own cabin.

Perfect, she thought, now I can really begin mastering the steps of invoking the power of hexagrams.

Starting with the left foot, step by step, alternating front and back, with the duality of Yin and Yang. Start and end synchronized, placing each foot perpendicularly to one another, forming a ‘T’ shape.

The Forbidden Curse Master uses such steps to summon the spirits.

However, there are dozens of types of Yu Steps. It would take a long time to master them all.

Yingbao decided to practice one at a time, and after many repetitions, she finally mastered one.

Meanwhile, the sailors on the deck watched with great interest, occasionally whispering and commenting.

Yingbao ignored them and focused on mastering the second Yu Step and the Pinching Hand Technique.

She ended her session when Spring Maiden and Chen Zhao came out of their cabin.

“Yingbao, what are you doing?” Chen Zhao curiously asked.

“I’m studying the Healing Prayer Technique.”

By this time, dusk had fallen and the boat lady began to cook dinner.

Yingbao opened one of her own boxes and took out a few mutton steamed buns and three bamboo tubes full of water.

Relieved that the buns hadn’t gone bad after Spring Maiden smelled them, they split the buns and water with Chen Zhao and began eating on the deck.

The boat lady walked over and laughed, “Oh, you’ve brought your own dry food, I’ve cooked some fish, would you like to try some?”

Spring Maiden politely declined: “Thanks for the kind offer, but we’re already full.”

Without insisting further, the boat lady put a pot of boiled fish on the deck, followed by a large pot of rice, inviting the guards to help themselves.

Several sailors docked the boat near a pier, dropped anchor, and came over to eat.

After eating and drinking their fill, the trio walked around the deck to enjoy the scenery.

Night fell, and the stars above blinked, mirroring the lights on the surrounding boats.

“It’s a bit chilly.” Chen Zhao rubbed her arms and shrunk her neck.

Spring Maiden quickly asked her daughter, “Baobao, are you cold? I’ll fetch you some more clothes.”

“Mmhmm”. It was indeed a bit cool now that it was late July.

The three of them returned to their cabin, decided to stay inside, and began chatting as they sat down on the cabin floor.

Of course, it was Spring Maiden and Chen Zhao who talked, while Yingbao continued practicing her hand seal technique.

The Pinching Hand Technique, also known as the Gripping Technique, Twisting Technique, Pinching Technique, Charm Technique, Hand Technique, Magic Technique, and sometimes referred to as the Doubt Technique, is simply known as Seals.

Depending on the arrangement of the 28 constellations and Eight Diagrams, each hand seal corresponds to a specific chant by changing the pose of the hand.

Chen Zhao found it fun, started learning it herself, and even brought over an oil lamp to cast shadows of their hand seals onto the cabin wall.

“Haha! Rabbit, rabbit! Doesn’t mine look like a rabbit?”

“Wow! Yingbao, yours looks like a wolf’s head. I want to learn how to do it too.”

In the end, the two girls created hand seal shadows and attacked each other.

“Roar, roar, I’m going to eat you, little rabbit!”

“You can’t! Watch me turn into a hawk, I’ll peck your eyes out… ”

Spring Maiden laughed her head off to the side.

The two girls playfully wound around each other, making hand puppet battles with their shadows.