Chapter 51: Incompatible Birth Charts

Chapter 51: Incompatible Zodiac Signs

After the matron finished speaking, she joined the end of the queue.

The Zhang family's bun shop was thriving, and the buns were prepared swiftly, so the queue moved quickly.

The matron was dressed meticulously, clearly a servant from an affluent family.

Qiu Wen hesitated as she handed over the buns, her gaze following the matron to the corner of the street.

A Yuan's face was hidden beneath her veil, but Qiu Wen recognized Chun Tao, who stood beside her.

"We’re running low on the pickled cabbage filling you requested, so I’ll offer you some beef-filled ones for your masters to try."

Beef was a rare and costly delicacy during the Zhou Dynasty, but Qiu Wen offered it without hesitation.

No one would turn down such a generous offer, and the matron's smile grew noticeably wider.

"No wonder your bun shop is so successful, young lady. You’ve got a knack for business."

Qiu Wen smiled faintly, but her eyes still glanced toward A Yuan.

A Yuan lifted the edge of her veil and returned a warm, genuine smile.

The two of them, separated by half a street and a crowd of people, shared smiles that were both bright and open.

After the matron bought the buns, A Yuan didn’t linger. She had come today solely to check on Qiu Wen’s well-being.

Now that she knew Qiu Wen was happy, A Yuan felt at ease.

Qiu Wen stood in the shop, her gaze following A Yuan as she departed, her smile never wavered.

She owed her current life to A Yuan, and for A Yuan's sake, she would live her life well.

"Xiao Wen, my eldest son is returning today. Let’s hold off on selling the remaining buns. We'll add some dishes to welcome him home."

Old Lady Zhang emerged from the back of the shop, untying her apron. She was stout with a kindly expression, clearly a good-natured person.

When Qiu Wen sought employment, others hesitated to hire her due to her striking beauty, or they had ulterior motives, wanting her to trade her body for money.

After leaving the Marquis's household, Qiu Wen had no intention of using her looks to get by.

When she was at her wit's end, it was Old Lady Zhang who took her in.

Hearing Old Lady Zhang's words, Qiu Wen smiled and replied, "Alright, I'll go heat up the remaining buns."

"No rush, take a rest first. My eldest son won't be back for a while."

Old Lady Zhang watched her work with a smile. She had two sons and a daughter. The second son and the youngest daughter were already married, leaving only the eldest son still single.

To be honest, their bun shop brought in a decent income every day, and the eldest son was a blacksmith with a steady job. Their situation wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either. However, when it came to marriage, things were difficult.

Every time a match was arranged, the young woman would either fall ill or have an accident, as if everything was going wrong. Over time, the eldest son gained a reputation for being cursed in marriage.

While his younger siblings' children were already running around, he was still single in his late twenties.

Old Lady Zhang was deeply worried. When Qiu Wen came looking for work, she took one look at Qiu Wen's gentle and quiet demeanor and had an idea.

After spending time together, Old Lady Zhang was even more satisfied with her in every way.

When the eldest son returns, she will definitely try to arrange a match.

......

A Yuan has a small appetite and could only eat two buns, giving the rest to the maids and elderly servants.

Wei Xun ran into some trouble and hadn't returned for three days.

A Yuan relished the tranquility, taking her medicine punctually each day and caring for the estate's flowers, her complexion improving significantly.

"Mistress, the young master has returned."

A Yuan was arranging freshly picked camellias when Chun Tao's cheerful voice suddenly rang out from beyond the door.

The door swung open, revealing the tall, commanding figure of the man.

Backlit, A Yuan couldn't see his expression, but years of familiarity allowed her to sense that Wei Xun's demeanor was tense.

"Master?"

A Yuan wanted to ask what had happened, but feared overstepping and displeasing her superior, so the words remained unspoken.

Wei Xun stepped closer, resting a hand on her shoulder, and spoke in a deep voice, "Madam Wei is unwell. I've come to bring you back to the mansion."

Madam Wei was ill, and as Wei Xun's concubine, A Yuan had to tend to her.

Wei Xun wished for A Yuan to rest and recover for a few more days, but with Madam Wei's illness lingering, A Yuan had no option but to return.

On the carriage ride back to the mansion, Wei Xun's face remained grim.

A Yuan, aware of his concern for his mother, gently tugged at his sleeve, giving it a soft shake. "Madam Wei has an abundance of blessings; she will surely be fine."

"...I know."

Wei Xun interlaced his fingers with hers and embraced his concubine.

A Yuan's words soothed him slightly.

Although Wei Xun's demeanor was aloof, he was a filial son. Madam Wei had raised the three siblings through much hardship, and Wei Xun deeply respected his mother, naturally loath to see her suffer from illness.

The carriage came to a halt before the mansion.

In the Ci'an Courtyard, Zhao Wan and Wei Jin were present, along with Shen Qiuyu.

By her side stood a Taoist nun with an ethereal presence, clutching a yellow talisman at the head of Madam Wei's bed.

"Madam Wei, we've returned."

Wei Xun entered with A Yuan, and Madam Wei slowly opened her eyes at the sound, her clouded, ailing gaze meeting theirs.

"Third son... come closer..."

She beckoned to Wei Xun, who rushed to her side.

"Madam Wei?"

Madam Wei grasped his hand without a word, her gaze flickering towards A Yuan, her pallid face contorted with disdain.

"Taoist Nun Ma, you speak."

The Taoist nun advanced, her arm cradling a horsetail whisk, intoning "Infinite Heavenly Lord."

She radiating a serene presence, her eyes slightly closed, exuding great conviction.

"The old lady's lingering illness is not due to sickness, but because she has been affected by someone's negative energy."

"Affected by someone? Who?"

Wei Jin, impatient by nature, blurted out her question the moment Taoist Nun Ma finished speaking.

"Yes, Taoist Nun, please tell us who has caused harm to mother."

Zhao Wan also stepped forward, not only worried about the old lady but also concerned about the person who had caused harm.

She attends to the old lady daily—what if the offender has some connection to her?

Zhao Wan anxiously wrung her hands.

Taoist Nun Ma raised her whisk slightly, her right hand forming a series of seals. She opened her eyes and scanned the room.

Both Zhao Wan and Wei Jin were tense, fearing they might be implicated.

Shen Qiuyu stood beside Wei Xun, her gaze flickering toward A Yuan and her maid at the door. She lowered her head, concealing the glint in her eyes.

"By the power of the Heavenly Lord! Appear!"

At the Taoist Nun's sharp command, Chun Tao's back burned as if scorched, and she stepped forward involuntarily.

"Old lady, honored guests, the offender has been revealed."

"Are you saying it’s Chun Tao?"

Hearing this, Zhao Wan breathed a sigh of relief but also felt a hint of smug satisfaction, her tone suppressing excitement.

Taoist Nun Ma nodded. "The old lady's spirit aligns with wood, making her inherently fragile. This girl, born under a year, month, and day of yin, carries excessive yin energy, which attracts malevolent forces. The old lady, being old and weak, is easily affected by such energies."

"Malevolent spirits?"

The old lady’s expression turned icy, her gaze piercing Chun Tao with cold fury.

"I’ve always been strong, so I knew something was amiss when I fell ill. Turns out, it’s because of you, you little troublemaker! Drag her out and beat her to death!"

"Madam..."

Chun Tao was petrified, never imagining she was the one who had brought harm to the old lady.

Beside her, A Yuan turned pale, stumbling toward the old lady’s bedside and kowtowing fiercely.

"Madam, I beg you, spare Chun Tao’s life!"