Chapter 198: Saved

Chapter 198: Saved

Xin You's words made Dai Ze’s eyes widen. "How did Miss Kou know?"

Zhang Xu patted his shoulder. "Have you forgotten who Miss Kou is?"

Dai Ze slapped his forehead, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "Miss Kou is truly a divine person! There is indeed a monkey at my home!"

"Can you tell me about the monkey, Young Master Dai? When did you get it, and where did it come from?"

Without much thought, Dai Ze spoke without hesitation. "After reading *Journey to the West*, I became very interested in monkeys. The monkey was brought to me by my family at the end of the year. It seems to be a monkey from Thousand Sakura Mountain."

Zhang Xu couldn't help but exclaim, "Your family really dotes on you."

Being able to skip school and keep a monkey—it was far from his own situation. He was forced to enter the Imperial Academy, and not only did he come in last place in the exams, but he also got beaten for it. Worse still, he came in last every month! Who could endure that?!

Hearing Thousand Sakura Mountain, Xin You confirmed that the monkey in the vision was the same one.

Kou Qingqing ascended Thousand Sakura Mountain.

"Miss Kou, what about the monkey?" Dai Ze's expression changed. "Is it going to harm me?"

It wouldn’t be like that accursed sparrow—Dai Ze involuntarily shuddered, his expression becoming even more troubled.

Seeing Dai Ze’s expression change, Xin You nodded calmly. "That monkey will claw you."

"That beast actually dares to claw me?" Dai Ze sneered. "When I get back, I’ll skin that monkey and smash its head!"

Xin You's eyes turned icy.

In the vision, after the monkey clawed Dai Ze, a group of servants rushed over shouting to kill it. It was likely that the monkey wouldn't survive. This was why she brought it up.

That monkey had guided her and Xiaolian to find Kou Qingqing, and she couldn't stand by and watch it die.

Despite her disgust at Dai Ze’s disregard for life, Xin You didn't show it on her face. She spoke meaningfully, "Young Master Dai, it's best if you don't do that. If you kill that monkey, the misfortune might strike elsewhere."

Dai Ze panicked. "Then what should I do?"

Xin You lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before saying calmly, "How about this? Young Master Dai can send that monkey to me. After that, you will have no further connection with it."

Dai Ze’s face lit up with delight. "I'll send that little beast over as soon as I get back—"

"Ahem! Ahem!" Zhang Xu coughed to remind him.

Dai Ze looked at Zhang Xu.

Zhang Xu was speechless.

He was already bad enough at social niceties, but Dai Ze was even worse! At least show some courtesy!

It wasn't that he was thinking about Miss Kou's feelings, but he needed to maintain a good relationship with her for future consultations.

Dai Ze also realized his mistake and bowed in gratitude.

"Young Master Dai, you should hurry."

Zhang Xu hurriedly asked, "Miss Kou, and what about me?"

Xin You looked at Zhang Xu steadily and smiled. "Young Master Zhang is doing well recently."

"Good then." Zhang Xu breathed a sigh of relief.

Dai Ze, unable to spare a thought to envy his friend's good luck, hurried out of the bookstore and quickly mounted his horse. He rode all the way back to Count Gu Chang's mansion, only to find Zhang Xu had followed him.

"You didn’t go home?"

"I’ll accompany you to get rid of that monkey."

This kind of excitement was much more interesting than watching lanterns.

Having someone accompany him was naturally good, so Dai Ze led Zhang Xu straight to the place where the monkey was kept.

The monkey was locked in a cage. It was initially still, but as soon as Dai Ze approached, it jumped up and fiercely shouted at him.

Zhang Xu clicked his tongue and said, "So this is the monkey, huh? Quite fierce."

No wonder it injured Dai Ze.

Dai Ze, initially fascinated by the monkey, now found it ominous. He ordered the servant to load the cage onto the carriage and headed straight back to Qingsong Bookstore.

At Qingsong Bookstore, Liu Zhou curiously asked, "Boss, will Dai Ze really get scratched by a monkey?"

Xin You smiled. "Once Dai Ze sends the monkey here, he won’t."

Liu Zhou was somewhat worried. "If the monkey comes to our Qingsong Bookstore, won’t it cause trouble?"

Xiao Lian gave him a sideways glance. "A mere monkey, what trouble can it cause?"

"The Monkey King in *Journey to the West* caused quite a lot of trouble," Liu Zhou muttered.

Hu Boss interjected, "Boss, when will the second volume of *Journey to the West* be released?"

Having observed Dai Ze and Zhang Xu’s attitudes towards the boss today, he felt more at ease.

"Let’s set it on the 18th of the first lunar month," Xin You decided.

No one in the bookstore questioned Xin You’s decision, and the release date of the second volume of *Journey to the West* was set.

"Miss Kou, the monkey is here!" Dai Ze walked in first and stepped aside to reveal the servant carrying the cage.

Xin You and the monkey locked eyes, and her lips curled up involuntarily.

It’s definitely that monkey.

They say reuniting with old friends is a joyous occasion, but meeting a monkey one has encountered before also brings a sense of pleasure.

The monkey froze for a moment, then, whether it recognized Xin You or not, it began to shout excitedly.

"Miss Kou, be careful, this monkey is very fierce," Dai Ze, now increasingly displeased with the monkey, warned.

The monkey, as if understanding, abruptly turned its head and squeaked fiercely at Dai Ze.

Dai Ze quickly stepped back and said, "Miss Kou, look—"

"It’s okay, I’ll take care of it," Xin You said confidently, though in reality, she planned to send the monkey back to the deep mountains. She didn’t believe she had the ability to manage a monkey.

Thousand Sakura Mountain might not be safe enough, so it could be sent further away.

Thinking of Thousand Sakura Mountain, Xin You thought of Kou Qingqing, who was still lying in the cave at the bottom of the cliff. She and Xiaolian had already discussed it—when the flowers bloomed in spring, they would select a suitable day to collect Kou Qingqing's remains and give her a proper burial.

Strangely enough, the monkey seemed to understand Xin You's words and immediately quieted down.

Dai Ze had an incredulous look, and Zhang Xu looked surprised, but the two soon figured it out: it's Miss Kou—it's no wonder the monkey listened to her.

"No wonder Miss Kou asked me to bring the monkey here," Dai Ze said, giving a signal to another servant.

The servant immediately handed over a square box.

"This is a gift of thanks for Miss Kou. Please accept it," Dai Ze said with a smile.

"There's no need. It was nothing," Xin You replied.

"Miss Kou must accept it. I'll need your help with fortune-telling again in the future," Dai Ze insisted.

Zhang Xu also handed over a bag of money. "This is my gift of thanks, please accept it, Miss Kou."

"Mr. Zhang, you're all right, how can I accept your gratitude—"

Zhang Xu hurriedly said, "It was because you read my fortune, Miss Kou, that I knew I was fine. I can't let you do it for free."

Afraid that Xin You would refuse, the two left the monkey behind and ran off.

"Sir, what should we do with the monkey?" Liu Zhou asked.

Xin You thought for a moment and said, "Xiaolian, go to the back kitchen and get some fresh fruit. See if it's hungry."

The monkey was indeed hungry, and even with Hu Boss and others watching, it wolfed down the fresh fruit.

"Are you full?" Xin You asked the monkey with a smile, not expecting a response. She then told Liu Zhou to prepare the carriage.

Accompanying Xin You to return the monkey to the forest were not only Xiaolian but also a group of guards led by Captain Yang. It took them a considerable amount of time to reach the foot of the mountain, where the carriage came to a stop.