Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1184 585: Sour and Bitter (Part 3)

The projector sighed in admiration: "This is the art of a peerless beauty—just two lines of tears, yet they can cry a person's heart to pieces. It's just that…"

Li Qi asked, "Just what?"

The projector said, "Tears are blue, smiles are red. What does it mean when the blue is tinged with red?"

The Clock Pendulum was very surprised: "What are you talking about, blue tinged with red? How come I can't see it at all?"

Li Banfeng glanced at the projector, then looked over at Zhao Xiaowan: "Beloved wife, what's wrong now?"

Zhao Xiaowan wiped her tears and said, "All these years, everyone who has seen this Little Servant has taken me for the monster in the phonograph. I truly feel wronged. I want to show myself to people in my original appearance, to clear my own name a bit."

The Gloves lowered its voice and said, "Has the Missus gone mad? Does she plan to reveal her identity?"

Zhao Xiaowan glared at the Gloves: "It's not like I'm going to tell the whole truth. I'll leave them a couple of lines and let them figure out the rest themselves. I just have to fight for this bit of pride."

Hong Ying said softly, "Xiaowan, what's gotten into you? Those words just now didn't sound like something you would say."

"You cheap hoof! I'll say whatever I want. What's it got to do with you?"

Zhao Xiaowan's emotions were unstable, and the whole family didn't dare make a sound. If Li Banfeng tried to coax her gently, he'd be walking right into it, because no matter how he persuaded her, he might end up provoking Zhao Xiaowan.

After being a phonograph for so many years, she had suffered plenty of misunderstandings. This was a knot in her heart. His wife usually buried it deep, but today it had been exploited by the Foolish Cultivation.

This heart-knot was not easy to undo. Li Banfeng couldn't think of a solution, so he simply went along with it, tying another knot outside the first one.

"Wife, who do you want to see?"

The phonograph thought for a moment: "Let's start with the owner of this furniture shop. When he delivers the goods, just one meeting will do."

Li Banfeng said, "Did this furniture shop owner also take you for the monster in the phonograph, wife?"

His wife was taken aback: "Well, no. He's never seen me before."

"If he hasn't seen you, how can he clear your name? We have to let him see you first—let him see what you look like as a phonograph."

His wife nodded: "Husband, you're right! First we let him see what the 'monster' looks like, then we show him what I originally look like!"

The slope had been laid out, and his wife walked down it. Li Banfeng pushed the phonograph in front of her.

His wife felt a bit conflicted. She was torn over whether she should leave the puppet's body.

This conflict was still caused by the Foolish Cultivation Technique. There was a Foolish Cultivator inside the puppet, and she'd been manipulating his wife's thoughts all along.

After waiting quite a while, his wife suddenly left the puppet and slipped into the phonograph.

Joy surged in Li Banfeng's heart. It seemed that Foolish Cultivator had let go and was no longer entangling his wife.

But why had this Foolish Cultivator let go?

Once back in the phonograph's body, his wife instantly became much clearer-headed.

She lifted her head to look at the puppet, then turned her face to glance at Li Banfeng: "Just now this Little Servant doesn't know what came over me. I said so many willful things and made it hard on husband."

Li Banfeng shook his head: "That wasn't willfulness. You really have suffered wrongs all these years. Let me deal with this puppet first, then I'll listen to you talk about these years of bitterness."

After soothing his wife, Li Banfeng turned his head to look at the puppet.

The phonograph raised its needle and said, "No need for husband to dirty his hands over this. This Little Servant can handle her myself."

Hong Ying pushed the phonograph aside: "Xiaowan, go hide in another room."

"Why should I hide?"

"Because you can't bring yourself to do it!" Hong Ying stared at the puppet. "Not just you—even I can't do it. This thing looks too much like you. Xiaowan, hurry and get out!"

The puppet, which had been motionless, suddenly spoke: "You don't need to hide. Let me be the one to hide for a bit. Li Qi, can I have a word with you alone?"

All the Magical Treasures were stunned, and Hong Ying immediately drew her Sword.

There was actually someone hidden in this puppet—another Soul concealed inside!

The phonograph blocked Li Banfeng: "Husband must not go."

The Portable Residence suddenly spoke up: "Girl, let him go. I'll be watching."

Li Banfeng hugged his wife, then walked over to the puppet: "What do you want to say? Where do you want to say it?"

"Let's go to where I live." With that, the puppet fell silent.

The Soul inside had left.

Hong Ying asked in surprise, "Where does she live?"

Li Banfeng said, "She lives in the Ninth Room."

The one hiding in the puppet was Miss Jiufang. She had used a Foolish Cultivation Technique on his wife, causing her to lose control like this.

The first time he went to the Ninth Room to find her, it was to have her translate the Birch Tree Hermit Society's blackboard notes. She had made a reckless translation, writing a completely irrelevant passage, almost deceiving Li Banfeng.

The whole family failed to see through her tricks, but she couldn't fool the Judge's Pen, because the Lazy Cultivator restrains the Foolish Cultivator. From that moment on, Li Banfeng concluded that Miss Jiufang was a Foolish Cultivator.

Although Li Banfeng was also a Foolish Cultivator, he himself felt a bit of fear toward Foolish Cultivators. This whole time he'd been guarded against the Ninth Room, yet he hadn't expected her to use the puppet to get at his wife.

Li Banfeng entered the Ninth Room. The phonograph and Hong Ying waited quietly at the door, listening, but they couldn't hear what was happening inside. The Ninth Room's sound had been cut off by the Portable Residence, and Red Lotus had also been moved out by Li Banfeng.

Once the door was shut, before Li Banfeng could speak, Miss Jiufang took the lead and asked, "Just now, what you used on your woman was Reversing Cause and Effect and Going with the Slope, wasn't it?"

Li Banfeng said nothing. Miss Jiufang asked again, "Who did you learn your Technique from?"

Li Banfeng still didn't speak.

Miss Jiufang simply made a guess: "Was it from Sun Tiecheng?"

Li Banfeng remained silent, so the Old Man spoke: "Ah Qi, if you trust me, tell her."