Chapter 134

Chapter 134

Both families were surprised by the unexpected meeting, but it was Madam Gao who reacted first. "What a coincidence for both your families to come for divination on the same day!"

Qin Furong smiled and nodded repeatedly, while Madam Li also nodded in agreement.

Among so many Taoist temples in the prefecture, the two families had chosen the same one and even arrived on the same day—it was indeed fate.

The younger generation stood up to greet the elders. Chen Qingyun’s cheeks flushed slightly upon seeing her future mother-in-law, yet she remained composed and graceful.

Qin Furong said warmly, "Please, sit and rest. When did you arrive, Madam?"

Madam Li replied, "We just got here. We were tired from walking and stopped to rest, and by chance, we ran into both of you."

The Liu family servants had brought waterskins, so the two women sat down and drank some water.

Qin Furong asked, "Yesterday, our servant went to your shop to buy vegetables but found it closed. Did something happen?"

Wang Ying said, "Nothing’s wrong. It’s just that field vegetables are in season now, so business has slowed down. We decided to close for a while and take a break. We won’t be selling vegetables this year."

"If not vegetables, then what will you sell?"

"Once the weather gets hotter, we’ll sell iced drinks and ice pops."

Qin Furong and Madam Gao were surprised—not because they had never tried such things, but because ice was extremely expensive in summer, and ordinary people could hardly afford it. Relying solely on wealthy households in the city wouldn’t bring in much business, as iced drinks weren’t daily necessities like vegetables. Moreover, they couldn’t be stored for long; if not sold within a day, they would melt, resulting in significant losses.

However, neither of them said much, as it was someone else’s business, and they didn’t know enough about it. They feared overstepping their bounds and causing annoyance.

After resting for a while, the group continued up the mountain. After going around a couple bends, they saw the Qingfeng Temple ahead.

This Taoist temple was built during the previous dynasty era and had a history of over 150 years. It was mostly destroyed during a time of unrest and was later restored by several wealthy merchants after the establishment of the Wu Dynasty.

Over the years, the temple had enjoyed a good number of visitors. Its tranquil environment attracted many officials’ wives and daughters to offer incense.

Qin Furong and Madam Gao were frequent visitors, and the temple’s Taoist priests were familiar with them. Seeing them arrive, a priest stepped forward to greet them. "Greetings, devoted patrons. It’s been a while. I hope you are well."

"Thanks to the priest’s blessings, we are all well." Winter made the mountain paths hard to travel, so they hadn't visited until now—this was their first time since spring.

Madam Gao said, "We came today to ask Master Qingxu to help check their birth signs for compatibility for a marriage. Is he available?"

"The master is in the main hall. Please come in."

Qin Furong called Madam Li and Madam Fang. "The children can wait outside. Since it’s not easy to come here, let them explore the temple."

While the elders went inside, Wang Ying took Lin Sui and Qing Yun to a side hall to say their prayers.

The main hall of the temple enshrined the Three Pure Ones, while the right side hall enshrined the Three Officials: the Official of Heaven, the Official of Earth, and the Official of Water.

The statues were carved from wood and painted with detailed colors, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship that made the figures realistic and dignified.

The three knelt on soft cushions to say their prayers before heading to another side hall. This one enshrined the God of Wealth and the Matchmaker God, likely the most popular hall, as the beams were blackened by incense smoke.

Since someone was already praying inside, the three waited at the entrance. Once the others left, they entered.

Wang Ying naturally prayed to the God of Wealth. He bought a bundle of good quality incense from a young Taoist acolyte, lit it, placed it in the incense burner, and then knelt with hands clasped to pray.

He asked the God of Wealth to bless his shop with prosperity and a successful, profitable year.

Qing Yun knelt before the statue of the Matchmaker God, her cheeks slightly flushed. With hands pressed together and eyes closed, she prayed for a harmonious and loving marriage, hoping to share the same affection as her brother and sister-in-law.

Only Lin Sui stood in the middle, unsure whom to pray to. He initially thought of praying to the God of Wealth, but he currently had no means to earn money.

Helping his sister-in-law, he earned two strings of cash a month—far more than what others could make. He knew that, given his abilities, he wouldn’t even earn three hundred coins a month on his own.

As for praying for marriage, it felt like wishful thinking. How could an infertile man like him hope for a good marriage?

A wave of sadness washed over him, overwhelming and heavy. He turned and walked out of the hall, standing on the steps outside to weep silently.

*

Down the mountain, Uncle Chen had tied the horse carriage to the roadside and was drinking tea at a tea stall while waiting.

The tea stall owner was an older man with little business, so he sat down to chat with Uncle Chen.

As they talked, the sound of hoofbeats suddenly startled them. They stood up to look and saw a group of six or seven riders approaching.

The leader was a tall man with a square face, thick eyebrows, and a blue birthmark on his left cheek. Though dressed in simple cloth clothing, he carried an imposing presence, and the men following him were clearly seasoned fighters.

The group stopped their horses at the tea stall and tossed the owner a piece of silver. "Keep an eye on them."

"Of course, sirs! I’ll make sure they’re well taken care of!"

With too many horses to handle alone, Uncle Chen stepped forward to help lead a few and tied them to a nearby tree.

"Thank you, old brother."

"Don’t mention it. Are these men soldiers?"

The tea stall owner nodded and lowered his voice. "See that man with the blue birthmark on his left cheek? If I’m not mistaken, that should be Wuping Marquis Li Mu."

Uncle Chen didn’t know any marquises, but with nothing else to do, he listened to the stall owner’s gossip.

The tea stall served many customers daily, including noblewomen and wealthy ladies from the prefecture. Regardless of status, women loved to gossip when they gathered, and the stall owner had overheard many secrets.

He said in a hushed tone, "This marquis is quite famous in the prefecture. He started as a mere illegitimate son from the Li family, despised by his father for his ugly appearance and sent to the military at thirteen."

"Surprisingly, he proved himself quickly. Within two years, he earned military merits and was promoted to centurion. After several more victories, he rose to the rank of thousand-man commander. A few years ago, when the Northern Qiang invaded, he led three thousand troops and crushed the enemy!"

Coincidentally, that year marked the new emperor’s ascension to the throne. The victory pleased the emperor so much that he made Li Mu a marquis.

Though it was the lowest rank of nobility, it was still a great honor. Overnight, Li Mu became famous throughout the district.

Uncle Chen took a sip of tea and listened as the stall owner continued.

"Yet, despite his heroism, his marriage was unfortunate. His birth mother was merely a concubine in the Li family, unable to arrange a marriage for him, so the task fell to the first wife. But the Li family’s first wife was bad-tempered and disliked Li Mu, so she quickly arranged a marriage for him with a daughter of a wealthy family in the city."

"After marriage, the woman bore Li Mu a daughter, but the following year, she was unfaithful to him spectacularly. It turned out she had been involved with another man even before the marriage, and it was unclear if the child was even Li Mu’s. Enraged, Li Mu nearly beat the man to death, divorced his wife, and cut all ties with his family."

The incident caused a major scandal in the prefecture, becoming the talk of the town.

Meanwhile, the man at the center of the scandal, Li Mu, was hurrying up the mountain. He hadn't come to Qingfeng Temple to pray but to seek the temple's head priest’s help in curing his daughter.

Two days ago, his daughter had suddenly fallen seriously ill, developing a blistering rash around her waist that caused excruciating pain and constant crying.

The doctor summoned diagnosed it as "snake-coil disease," a severe illness. If the rash encircled her waist completely, the child would not survive.

Li Mu urgently asked if there was a cure.

The doctor shook his head. "There’s no known treatment, but I’ve heard the abbot of Qingfeng Temple once helped someone with this sickness. Perhaps he has a solution."

Li Mu immediately took his men and rushed all the way to Qingfeng Temple to seek medical help.

The group hurried up the mountain but was stopped by a young Daoist priest at the entrance. "Kind benefactor, please wait. There are ladies inside, and the temple master is currently conducting a marriage divination. He will be out shortly."

"I have an urgent matter and need the temple master's assistance. Could you please pass on the message?"

The young priest looked troubled. Interrupting a divination, especially one for marriage, was highly discouraged. "Please wait just a moment, kind benefactor."

A servant behind Li Mu tried to reassure him, "Marquis, please don’t worry. It’s only a short wait. The young lady will be fine."

Frustrated, Li Mu paced back and forth outside the hall. By chance, he noticed Lin Sui standing on the high steps, tears streaking his face and his expression ashen. With a steep cliff dozens of yards high right beside him, Li Mu feared he meant to take his own life.

In a flash, Li Mu rushed over, grabbed Lin Sui’s clothes, and yanked him back.

"Ah!" Lin Sui cried out in shock, falling to the ground and taking a moment to regain his composure.

Hearing the commotion, Wang Ying and Chen Qingyun hurried out of the room and helped their cousin up. "What happened?"

Lin Sui’s clothes were dirtied, and the skin on his palm was scraped raw. Welling up with tears from the pain, he said, "I was just standing here, and this man suddenly rushed over from behind and threw me to the ground!"

Li Mu was at a loss. "I... I thought you were going to jump..."

"Who said anything about jumping?" Lin Sui, already upset, was now in pain all over from the fall. He covered his face and burst into tears.

"My apologies, it was my mistake. Please accept this silver as compensation, and I hope you gentlemen won’t hold it against me." Li Mu took out a money pouch from his robe and placed it beside Lin Sui.

Just then, the door next to the main hall opened, and Qin Furong and the others emerged, smiling. Li Mu, pressed for time, cupped his hands in apology and hurried inside.

"What happened to Sui Er?" Madam Li and Fang Ling quickly came over.

Wang Ying helped Lin Sui up and explained, "Brother Sui was standing near the steps, and that man probably thought he was distressed and pulled him back. He used a bit too much force and ended up throwing Brother Sui to the ground."

Madam Li checked him over carefully. "Are you hurt?"

Lin Sui wiped his tears and shook his head. "It’s nothing, just a scrape on my palm."

"That man is really something—grabbing our brother out of nowhere. Could he be a harasser?" It was no wonder Madam Li suspected; Li Mu was tall, strong, and had a bluish birthmark on his face, making him look menacing.

Madam Gao, who recognized him, quickly lowered her voice. "Don’t speak carelessly. This is Wuping Marquis. He wouldn’t do such a thing."

Madam Li was startled and covered her mouth.

Lin Sui was also taken aback, never expecting this man to be a marquis. The money pouch in his hand suddenly felt heavy and uncomfortable.