Chapter 294 Rip them off
Madam Luo was worrying about Fortune-teller Li’s words. She raised her head listlessly and asked, “What happened to Yi? Couldn’t she stand it for just one night?”
Miss Ji hurriedly pointed that He Danggui had no bed, quilt, stove, and everything else she needed. She also reported that He Danggui looked very weak and should immediately move out of that place. More importantly, He Danggui needed to see the doctor as soon as possible.
Madam Luo paused. She only said, “I’ll talk about this later. I don’t mean to punish her. But if I let her out so soon, Sun Meiniang will complain about it. She will blame me for being partial. Plus, there is a bad omen waiting for us. I am so upset that I don’t want to hear them yelling in front of me.”
Miss Ji could do nothing more but stand aside to listen to their conversation about pursuing good fortune and avoiding disaster.
Fortune-teller Li introduced a Fengshui matrix to Madam Luo, which could ensure the safety of the family. Of course, this was the time when he made a fortune. Every key component in the matrix must be purchased from him. For a wealthy family like Luo’s Family, he would be a fool if he didn’t rip them off. So, he proposed that he would conduct a religious ritual for Luo’s Family to drive away bad luck and ensure safety.
Madam Luo believed in Fengshui theory so much that she was willing to spend money for safety. Therefore, she not only accepted Fortune-teller Li’s offer but also adopted his opinion that she should buy thousands liang worth of sesame oil to worship Heaven and Earth. For the reason that they couldn’t burn so much oil at one time, Luo’s Family had to choose a proper place to build a Taoist temple first. And Fortune-teller Li would be its master in charge of worship.
Fortune-teller Li did not expect Madam Luo to be so gullible. What a fool. How could a strange star in the sky influence the people on the ground? It was so easy to make money from rich people.
His joyful face was caught by Miss Ji. Obviously, he was ripping Madam Luo off. Miss Ji was irritated, and she couldn’t help but blurt out, “Madam, I have just talked to Third Miss. She said that something good will happen to us, and you will be overjoyed!”
“Huh?” Madam Luo looked up at Miss Ji in confusion, “The whole Yangzhou City is under the fury of his majesty. What kind of good things will happen to us?”
Miss Ji reminded her, “Our ancestral tombs and ancestral temple are all intact. Isn’t it the good news? As for the other good things, I can’t guarantee that because I don’t understand Third Miss’s words. Anyway, according to her implication, we should have a wonderful celebration.”
Fortune-teller Li did not know that information. He was angry because Miss Ji disturbed his business. He snorted, “Ridiculous! The prophecy neither depends on you nor me! I am not bragging, and everything I said is from divination books! Later, the emperor will draw a conclusion on this matter, and the Qintianjian Celestial Prefecture will tell the world about it. We shall see that!”
Natural disasters could make somebody rich. Now, this one might be Fortune-teller Li, and nobody could step in his way. He said in an alarmist tone, “When the immortal sends the power to the world, it will be a sign of the sinful world. Among all kinds of sins, disrespect for the heaven is the most serious one. Girl, your words might have already angered the immortal. If you don’t apologize, you and the people around you will be punished!”
Madam Luo was convinced by his words, so she reprimanded Miss Ji, “How dare you! Apologize now! Fortune-teller Ji might have a way to save you!”
However, Miss Ji was not convinced. She stretched her right hand and said, “I have never given birth to a son since I have married. All my three children are girls. Could you make a prediction for me? I want to know when I will have a son.” Madam Luo immediately glared at Miss Ji, who was deceiving Fortune-teller Li. Miss Ji had never married and given birth to a child. Why did she lie?
Miss Ji was under 30 years old. She had no wrinkles on her face, and she wore a hairstyle of the married woman. Therefore, Fortune-teller Li was not suspicious at all. He casually looked at her palm and shook his head, “Girl, you will never have a son, but you will have two more daughters in the future.”
Miss Ji smiled and looked at Madam Luo, “Madam, you see it. I have persuaded you early not to listen to Fortune-teller Li.”
Madam Luo was a soft touch. She was convinced by Miss Ji, “So, he doesn’t know the divination and is deceiving me, right? The phenomenon yesterday is not a bad omen at all?”
Fortune-teller Li was annoyed. There was no reason to give up the upcoming money. He was not a liar, and he did have learned something in Daguomen Sect. Therefore, he took out the fortune-telling tools and seriously made a prediction. Then, he corrected, “I have to make a revision. You have married twice. Now you have two sons. In the future, you will have two daughters.”
Miss Ji was stunned because Fortune-teller Li split out her secrets. However, Madam Luo didn’t know the secrets, and she only knew that Miss Ji had two adopted sons. So, Madam Luo waved to Fortune-teller Li and said, “I am tired. We can talk about your offers later. Now you can leave.”
Fortune-teller Li muttered incredulously, “I divined right…” Then, he walked away dejectedly.
Miss Ji came to her senses and continued to report to Madam Luo, “In the morning, Third Miss told me that if the information about our ancestral tombs and ancestral temple goes to his majesty, more good things will happen to us, and you will be happier.”
Madam Luo raised her head and became more energetic. She asked, “How would a girl at her age know prophecy?”
Miss Ji answered, “It seems that the information was from her grandfather.”
“Are you sure?” Madam Luo opened her eyes wide.
“Yes.” Miss Ji nodded, “Some of them are related to the fortune of our family.”
Madam Luo showed a longing expression.
“But…” Miss Ji faltered, “Third Miss was seriously ill with shock last night because of Second Mistress Luo. As a result, she couldn’t remember anything in her dreams.”
When He Danggui was looking in the mirror to wear makeup, a laugh came from behind. She looked back and found that Meng Ying was standing there, dressed in servant clothes. She asked, “What about my letter?”
“Humph.” Meng Ying was displeased, “After you marry my brother, you should call me Third Brother. Pay attention to your attitude. I am not your servant.”
“Please tell me what the reply is.” He Danggui asked word by word.
Meng Ying said, “Only an oral message. The fat girl said that your approach is clever, but she will not give up so quickly. She must fight the two villains of Ji’s Family again. If she fails, then she will try your way.”
He Danggui looked in the mirror again to put on her veil, “Thank you. ‘Please’ have a rest.”
“Are the rashes painted?” Meng Ying expressed his curiosity, “They are so vivid like growing on your face. Could you do that on mine? I wanted to put on some incense ash. But yours are more realistic.”
Looking at Meng Ying’s attractive face, He Danggui asked, “Why? Could you stop following me? I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“You have to.” Meng Ying sneered and threatened, “If you don’t, I will follow you in my true appearance. If your family asks me, I will give them a wonderful story.”
He Danggui frowned and asked, “I am highly doubting whether you are sent by Meng Xuan really.”
“Not sent! He ‘begged’ me!” Meng Ying picked his nose and said in a stagy voice, “You are a funny girl, and I am willing to stay by your side. You don’t need to pay attention to me at all.”
He Danggui considered for a while. Then she opened her dressing case and picked out the disguise materials. She gritted her teeth and asked, “What do you want to disguise?”
“I don’t understand.” Meng Ying picked up a small clip and played with it curiously, “You are the master. I will listen to you. I want to keep my handsome face, but I don’t want to attract unnecessary attention.”
“…”
After a while, some intermittent groans came from the room, “Ah… Please be gentle. It hurts… My queen, please…”
He Danggui warned him solemnly, “The guard is at the door. If you don’t shut up, I will clamp your eyelids.”
Meng Ying spilt out a teardrop out of pain and then asked, “Why do you disguise yourself easily? Why do you use scissors, knives and clamps to disguise me?”
“Because you are demanding.” He Danggui told him, “Besides, you are Meng Xuan’s elder brother, so I will give you my special cares.”
Watching a small needle approaching his eyebrows, Meng Ying closed his eyes and asked, “Does it really have to hurt so much? Why could Lord Ning and the others get it done smoothly? Hiss! Did you fail? Am I disfigured?” He gasped.
He Danggui enhanced her strength and replied, “You feel the hurt only in the first time. You are fine. I am helping you make a mask. A mask can last for three months, and you will be satisfied.”
Meng Ying was sweating in pain and regretted his decision. He muttered, “Women nowadays are not gentle. You are just like Su Niang.”
“Who is Su Niang?” He Danggui caught the keyword.
“Su Niang…” Meng Ying replied triumphantly, “She is the woman of Brother Xuan, and she even gave birth to a son.”
“Seriously?”
“Of course! If you don’t believe me, you can ask Brother Xuan when he comes back. That baby is three months old now.”