Chapter Ninety-Four: Stinky Feet

No, no, the so-called miasma was only the breath of a toad spirit that had gorged itself and let out gas!

Could that be explained that way?

In the end, Gu Yun held on with sheer force of will, and Bai Jie was nearly frantic over it. Think about it: if Gu Yun died, where would she find another master who cost nothing, needed only three meals a day, and could be kept alive with an occasional chicken leg? If he died, that would be a terrible bargain.

Gu Yun: ...

Bai Jie dragged Gu Yun back and cared for him diligently for several days, and before long Gu Yun was lively and full of vigor again.

The great toad spirit returned to the bottom of the imperial garden pond and rested there for a few days. Once it had recovered, it planned to strike at the Han estate again. It could not endure any palace it had stayed in; the feathers from that bird in the Palace of Elegant Delicacy filled it with such instinctive terror that it dared not draw near.

After much thought, the great toad decided to go to the Han estate again. This time, it had become clever. It planned to take human form. Hmph. Bold and brazen.

Little Duck had been coaxed by the little ginseng into going to the Han estate. Hearing that there were delicious goldfish in the Han family’s lotus pond, Little Duck immediately packed up and hurried over without a second thought.

Only—just after the Han family had driven out a toad spirit, the pond water had not even been cleaned up, much less any fish left behind. Even the lotuses looked wilted and listless.

Little Duck? This is supposed to be a place with fish. Are the fish here edible?

So the little ginseng was chased and pecked by Little Duck for a long, long while.

At night, Bai Yulan slept with Fortune Treasure.

At midnight, a shadow came to the doorway of Fortune Treasure’s room. In a flicker, it was already beside the bed.

At the same time, Little Duck in the pond opened its eyes. Ah! Supper was served!

“Wretched little girl, today I’ll finish you off,” it said, then stretched out its long tongue to strike at Fortune Treasure. But before the tongue could even come close, a claw hooked it.

The toad spirit: ...

What was that?

It rolled its eyes and saw a bird hanging upside down, hooked by one golden claw.

Such a difficult pose.

This... this was a bird!

The toad spirit was scared nearly to tears.

No good. Run.

And so the room erupted in clatter and chaos as a game of chase began.

Seeing Bai Yulan lying on the bed and still pregnant, the toad spirit thought she would make an excellent hostage and lunged toward her.

Bai Yulan had been awakened by the noise. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw a huge toad springing at her.

She was instantly frozen with fear.

Just as the great toad was about to reach her, a giant bird behind it stretched out a claw and seized the toad’s hind leg. With a smack, the toad plunged from midair and hit the floor hard.

The great toad: Why are your legs so long?

Little Duck: I was born this way. What, you jealous?

The toad’s weapon was, of course, its tongue. So it shot its tongue toward Bai Yulan once more. At the critical moment, Fortune Treasure, who had been sleeping soundly, rolled over and offered up a tiny foot, then sank right back into sleep, making soft snoring sounds.

An indescribable stench spread through the room.

Bai Yulan: Ugh, I think I might vomit.

The great toad: Is that a human’s foot? It’s even stinkier than me!

Little Duck: I’m starving! Let me eat this big toad!

The great toad was stunk unconscious by Fortune Treasure’s little foot and, still unconscious, was swallowed by Little Duck.

When Fortune Treasure woke, the room had already been tidied up by the maids. Huazhi thought she had slept quite well the night before indeed. The author: Of course it was pleasant, getting knocked out by a monster means you don’t have to keep watch.

“Auntie, what’s wrong?” Fortune Treasure looked at the constantly retching Bai Yulan with some worry.

“It’s nothing. When you’re carrying a baby, that’s how it is. Once the baby is born, it’ll be fine,” Han Hua said, patting Bai Yulan’s back and helping her rinse her mouth.

“Oh.”

“Huh—Little Duck, why are you here? And why has a lump grown on your belly? Are you about to have babies?” Fortune Treasure found Little Duck’s appearance strange as it waddled around the courtyard. Its belly was huge and kept bobbing up and down.

Little Duck: I ate a bit too much. Just digesting it.

“Aha! You stole food again!”

Little Duck: No, the one I ate was in your room yesterday!

Fortune Treasure: ...

“Nonsense.”

Little Duck: A really huge toad, it was!

“Huh? A toad?”