Because Tao Wan'er's parents were no longer alive, the ceremony to recognize a godparent was kept extremely simple.
Jun Jiuli placed two talismans on Tao Wan'er and the other person, making their swollen, pig-like faces invisible to others. However, these two were unaware that they covered their faces tightly with their hands and handkerchiefs throughout the entire banquet.
This led the guests attending the banquet to believe they had some sort of hidden illness, as they looked perfectly fine. They began to wonder if they had lost their minds, and silently marked them both down.
Finally, it was time for the bowing and tea-serving ritual. Zheng Wan'er had no choice but to lower her handkerchief.
Biting her lip, she said with great reluctance, "Godfather, please have some tea."
Tao Qianmian accepted it and drank it as if nothing had happened. When it came to Jun Jiuli, she couldn't bring herself to say "godmother." It was only after Tao Qianmian reminded her several times that she managed to say "godmother" with a flushed face.
"Wan'er, you're so good. From now on, you are my daughter," she said, taking a large red envelope from the side and personally handing it to her.
At this moment, Zheng Wan'er, who was kneeling, stood up and had to pay respects to Tao Chuzhuo. As soon as she uttered the word "brother," Tao Chuzhuo fainted dead away. Everyone was shocked, and Jun Jiuli quickly instructed someone to summon a doctor.
After politely seeing off the guests, by the end of the day, the entire capital was abuzz. The newly recognized goddaughter of the Tao family did not have compatible horoscopes with the eldest young master of the family. It was said that the eldest young master's ongoing unconsciousness was due to the ill fortune brought by that Miss Zheng.
Over the next month, Zheng Wan'er was subjected to all sorts of rumors and slander. Crying daily, Tao Qianmian spent her days comforting her.
"Qianmian brother, why do they speak of me like that? They don't even know who I am, yet they call me a jinx. Qianmian brother, will you believe them? Will you leave me?"
She asked these questions every day. Initially, Tao Qianmian answered patiently, but now he was becoming somewhat impatient. However, the person before him was, after all, his true love. She was still young and in need of comfort, so he had to say all sorts of reassuring words.
Tao Qianmian's actions also began to make the still immature Tao Zhici dislike him. This was exactly the outcome Jun Jiuli desired.
In the past few days, Jun Jiuli had been feigning deep worry for Tao Chuzhuo in front of Tao Zhici. She spent her days diligently attending to Tao Chuzhuo by his bedside, her complexion sallow, dark circles under her eyes, looking haggard and worn.
Little Tao Zhici only knew that his brother was ill and needed his mother's care. Yet, his brother was clearly the child of his father and mother, but his father had never come to visit.
His mother spent all her days comforting that god-sister in her courtyard. Weren't his mother and brother in greater need of comfort now? Did his father not love his mother and his two brothers? He thought this and asked as much.
"Zici, don't overthink things. Your father doesn't not love us. He's just busy with official duties and can't attend to us. When he has time, he will visit your brother."
Shui Wa: "Host, your manipulation in this round is excellent."
At this moment, Tao Zhici thought to himself that his father was not busy with official duties at all; he dared to lie to his mother. His mother was truly pitiful, knowing nothing. He absolutely had to protect his mother and brother now and never pay attention to his father again. He was a big bad guy.
Last time, Tao Qianmian had sent people to Foguang Temple to invite a master, but as soon as those people heard that he suspected his wife was possessed by a ghost, they all refused the job, saying they were ascetics of the Buddhist sect and did not deal with expelling evil spirits or ghosts.
With no other choice, Tao Qianmian sent out another group of people, and this time, he finally got a response. This person claimed to be the last descendant of the Celestial Master sect, skilled in catching ghosts and expelling evil.
Tao Qianmian promised a reward of a thousand taels of silver to invite him from Jingzhou to the capital. All the necessary items were prepared offline, and the action was to take place tonight.
Jun Jiuli was currently by Tao Chuzhuo's bedside, spoon-feeding him medicine.
"Mother, please rest for a while. Otherwise, when brother wakes up, you'll collapse from exhaustion."
"Mother is not tired. As long as your brother can wake up, mother will do anything."
Tao Zhici rubbed his eyes and said in a milky voice, "Mother, you are so good. Brother and I will take good care of you in the future."
"Silly child, as long as you and your brother are well, your mother will be at ease."
Tao Zhici threw himself into Jun Jiuli's arms and hugged her waist affectionately. Just then, the door was kicked open with a "bang."
Tao Qianmian rushed in first, pointing at Jun Jiuli and saying, "Daoist priest, it's her! That demon is on her. I request the Daoist priest to help expel the attached demon from my wife."
Tao Zhici struggled out of Jun Jiuli's embrace and ran forward to block Tao Qianmian.
"Don't you dare harm my mother, not even you, Father."
Tao Qianmian shoved Tao Zhici to the ground. "Don't cause trouble. She is no longer your mother."
Tao Zhici, who had fallen to the ground, scrunched up his little face. Father had actually pushed him and called his mother a demon. He never wanted to see him again.
After all, he was still young, so he cried out, "Father is bad, Father is bad. Zici never wants Father again."
Two servants came to forcibly take Tao Zhici away. No matter how much Tao Zhici struggled, he was still taken outside the door.
At this moment, a thin, dark man wearing a black Daoist robe, a string of garlic around his neck, and holding a thin willow branch walked towards Jun Jiuli.
Two house guards carried in a basin of black dog blood. The Daoist priest performed a few strange movements as if performing a ritual, and spat out a ball of fire from his mouth, making Tao Qianmian, who stood behind him, retreat repeatedly.
He thought to himself that he had found a capable person. This time, let's see how arrogant that bitch Jiang Li could be. Once he found the antidote, he would surely punish her properly.
The Daoist priest took out a yellow talisman, burned it, and placed it into the dog blood. He stirred it with the willow branch, chanting incantations and stomping his right foot.
Suddenly, he shouted, "Demon, why do you not reveal your true form quickly?"
Saying this, he raised the basin with both hands to splash it onto Jun Jiuli. Jun Jiuli had never seen others perform rituals before and was somewhat curious, so she watched his performance. She knew she wouldn't be so foolish as to be splashed with dog blood.
Jun Jiuli dodged nimbly, and the entire basin of dog blood was splashed onto the sleeping Tao Chuzhuo.
"Demon, you dare to dodge? Watch as this old man captures you!"
Saying this, he was about to pick up the willow branch in his hand and strike at Jun Jiuli. Jun Jiuli flashed forward, grabbed his wrist, and directly threw him to the ground.
Seeing Tao Qianmian about to escape, how could Jun Jiuli let him go? She grabbed his hair and threw him directly onto the Daoist priest. Everyone present was piled on top of each other on the ground like a human pyramid.
Jun Jiuli picked up the willow branch and whipped them all with a series of crackling blows. Their cries of pain were too loud, so she stuffed the string of garlic into each of their mouths one by one.
After she had her fun, she made them slap each other, and several of them had their teeth knocked out.
However, all of this was perceived differently by Tao Zhici. He was held down forcefully, his mother was splashed with dog blood by that Daoist priest, and his father was still there, abetting the crime and whipping his mother.
His mother's skin was torn and bleeding from the corners of her mouth. She even told him to run quickly, which moved him to tears.
At the same time, he bitterly resented his own weakness for being unable to protect his mother and allow her to suffer such great hardship. He also harbored a deep hatred for Tao Qianmian in his heart.
He vowed to avenge his mother in the future and to take his mother away from this terrifying general's mansion.
Jun Jiuli, holding the sleeping little cub, happily returned to her Tingxue Pavilion.