The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 350: The One in Her Heart

Chapter 350: The One in Her Heart

A young Taoist behind Daoist Changying rolled his eyes and commented, "If the groom doesn’t die, how can he accompany Miss Zhao along the Yellow Springs?"

Young Master Zhao fell silent.

Changying continued, "Young Master Zhao, this is the best and most straightforward method."

Young Master Zhao hesitated only briefly. This was his dear sister; he couldn’t bear to think of her struggling even after death. Killing one man was a small price to pay.

"Let’s proceed with it," Young Master Zhao decided.

Changying smiled, satisfied. "Your sister doesn’t have many days left. You must act quickly to find a suitable candidate."

She saw another lucrative opportunity in this transaction.

"Please guide me," Young Master Zhao asked, "Finding such a person is like searching for a needle in a haystack."

Changying waved her duster.

A clever young Taoist immediately took out a talisman, igniting it and placing it in a teacup, urging Young Master Zhao to drink it.

"This talisman will temporarily allow Young Master Zhao to see the strength of a person’s soul. The ideal groom for Miss Zhao should have a strong fire element. If he emits a strong red aura, he is the most suitable candidate," explained the young Taoist.

Annoyed by the complexity, Young Master Zhao’s face darkened. "If you all could help, it would be faster. If you think the payment is insufficient, I can increase it."

He feared that Fu’er wouldn’t hold on much longer.

Changying firmly declined, "It’s not about the money. I don’t want to be too deeply involved in the karma. Officiating the wedding will already bring significant karmic burden. I’m not sure how much merit I will need to accumulate to offset it."

Young Master Zhao understood, secretly cursing them for being crafty—wanting to make money without accruing any negative karma.

But with few Taoists capable of handling such matters, he had no choice.

After drinking the talisman-infused tea, he said, "I’ll find a suitable candidate as soon as possible. Please wait for my good news."

"Wait," Changying hesitated, then divined a fortune. She squinted her eyes, "Head to the capital; you should be able to find the right person there."

Without her guidance, the business might not succeed.

Young Master Zhao’s mood brightened slightly. "Thank you, Daoist."

Before leaving the Flame Sect, he wandered around the sect. The talisman water indeed took effect; he could see different people emitting various colors of auras, some strong, some weak.

However, none of the disciples had the right color or strength for the aura, making them unsuitable candidates.

He secretly admired Changying, realizing he indeed needed to go to the capital for success.

Before departing, he naturally visited Zhao Lingfu.

To his surprise, Zhao Lingfu was awake. She had always loved painting, but since her condition worsened, she had rarely picked up a brush.

Yet today, she had insisted on having the maid prepare paints and paper, painstakingly creating a painting with great effort and focus.

She was so absorbed that she didn’t notice her brother entering the room.

"What are you painting?" Young Master Zhao asked upon seeing a young man in the painting, someone he had never seen before.

Startled, Zhao Lingfu’s hand trembled, splattering ink on the paper, marring the painting.

"Brother, why didn’t you announce yourself?" Zhao Lingfu, both embarrassed and annoyed, hurriedly shielded the painting from his view.

Young Master Zhao quickly snatched the painting.

The young man in the painting had handsome features, exuding the spirited demeanor of a youth.

He chuckled, "Who is this young man? He must be someone you fancy, to have inspired you to paint him?"

Zhao Lingfu’s cheeks flushed red, and her ears burned. She quickly said, "No one, I was just painting to pass the time."

She tried to retrieve the painting, but Young Master Zhao, being much stronger, easily held onto it.

Just a bit of exertion left her looking paler, her breathing heavier.

Seeing this, Young Master Zhao panicked and ceased the playful struggle. He helped Zhao Lingfu sit down and returned the painting to her, saying, "I didn’t mean anything by it. You’ve only ever painted landscapes or family. I’ve never seen you paint someone else before."

Zhao Lingfu, catching her breath, looked down.

Young Master Zhao added, "Fu’er, if you truly like him, I can arrange for him to marry you, fulfilling your wish."

"No!" Zhao Lingfu’s head shot up, eyes filled with anxiety and resistance. "I’m gravely ill. How could I marry? I’d only bring him misfortune."

"It’s just a title. There’s no harm. Becoming a son-in-law of the Flame Sect is a blessing. He might not be unwilling," Young Master Zhao dismissed her concerns, feeling a bit smug.

Knowing her brother’s nature, Zhao Lingfu softly replied, "He’s from a noble family, of high status. I would be overreaching."

Carefully folding the painting, she cradled it gently, fearful of damaging it. Her eyes softened, and a slight smile curved her lips, "Brother, I don’t mean anything else. I just want this painting to be with me after I die, so I won’t feel lonely."

Young Master Zhao’s nose stung with emotion. Seeing his sister so weak, he wished he could share his lifespan with her.

Unfortunately, Changying refused to do such a defiant act.

He patted her head, "Alright, I’ll make sure to keep the painting with you."

Zhao Lingfu beamed, resting her head on Young Master Zhao’s shoulder, "Thank you, brother."

Exhausted, she soon fell into another slumber.

Young Master Zhao now faced a dilemma. His sister had feelings for someone. Finding a new groom she didn’t care for to accompany her in death would surely upset her.

Yet time was running out. Weighing his options, he decided to head to the capital.

Upon arriving at the capital branch, someone was already causing trouble outside, shouting and making a scene.

A youthful voice demanded, "You’ve bullied and humiliated innocent people. If you don’t apologize, I’ll take this to your leader!"

The disciples laughed dismissively, not taking the young man seriously:

"These capital playboys really have too much free time. Bothering over such trivial matters."

"The merchant was unfair to start with, and we kicked over his stall to prevent more people from being cheated. Young Master, you should be thanking us."

"Go ahead and complain. See if our leader cares."

"Exactly, reporting us to the leader? That’s laughable. We’ve seen plenty of pampered sons like you, standing up for others without knowing your own limits."

The disciples mocked and belittled him.

The young man’s face grew cold, his fists clenched. "If you’re men, settle this with your fists!"

The disciples looked him up and down and burst out laughing again, "You? Want to fight us?"

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