Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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Without his elders around, Zhuang Lao Da’s honest and unassuming face revealed a twisted expression. He was mortified by Zhuang Lao Er, consumed by jealousy.
Why are both of Zhuang Lao Er’s sons successful, passing the imperial examinations and becoming scholars? Why can Zhuang Lao Er earn four taels of silver a month, yet he can’t even afford to eat? Why is it that whatever Zhuang Lao Er says goes, and even his parents have to obey him?
If it weren’t for Tian’er’s good fortune in gradually winning over her parents’ hearts, her family probably wouldn’t even have a place to stay.
The more Zhuang Lao Da thought about it, the more he hated it, and he couldn’t help but curse Zhuang Lao Er in his heart. The hanged dog was actually a reflection of his true inner self.
Zhuang Tian’er glanced at him and said casually, “The news that Second Uncle’s family has made a fortune is only known to the villagers so far, so it’s not very dangerous. Dad, don’t worry.”
Zhuang Lao Da immediately twisted his jealousy into a worried expression, a thought surfacing in his mind: Yes, the news hasn’t spread yet, and Zhuang Lao Er is still safe. But what if the news spreads? What if the surrounding villages happen to harbor the bandits’ spies?
With this thought, a sinister light emanated from Zhuang Lao Da’s turbid eyes.
Zhuang Tian’er lowered her head slightly and smiled secretly.
Human hearts are so unpredictable.
Human hearts are so simple and easy to control.
In this life, she will definitely live better than anyone else!
….
The following day, Zhuang Li hired a carriage to go to Bazhou City, and to prevent any accidents, he also took his whole family and their gold and silver treasures with him.
“Father, Mother, go to the fortune teller’s office and ask who owns that house in Xishan, and whether it’s for sale or not. I’m not going; I need to set up my fortune-telling stall here.” Zhuang Li gestured to his younger brother with his chin and instructed, “When customers come to have their fortunes told, grind the ink for me. If they just want their faces read, sit aside and read your books. The Emperor has opened a special imperial examination; even if you fail this year, you can try again next year. Don’t slack off.”
Zhuang Jiuge nodded repeatedly in agreement, then asked in return, “Brother, don’t you read books?”
“I’m not participating in the imperial examinations anymore; I’ll be a fortune teller from now on,” Zhuang Li casually dropped a bombshell.
Zhuang Lao Er and the others were all stunned by the shock. Just as they were about to grab him and try to persuade him, they heard a hesitant voice from behind them: “Excuse me, are you the fortune teller Li Banxian?”
“I am.” Zhuang Li immediately planted the “Li Banxian” flag on the ground.
The rosewood table and chairs that Qi Wang had brought in yesterday are still in their original place, and no one dares to touch them. The waiter at the Jin Manlou restaurant across the street wiped the table and chairs clean with a rag when he opened the door this morning, so Qi Wang must have given some instructions before he left.
So this corner became Zhuang Li’s exclusive domain, and the patrolling constables would also nod respectfully to him.
He calmly sat down, pointed to the chair opposite him, and said, “Please sit down. What do you want to discuss?”
After saying this, his sharp gaze had already sized up the newcomer several times and made some basic judgments.
This was a woman, around thirty years old, dressed in luxurious silk clothes, her hair adorned with pearl hairpins, suggesting she came from a wealthy family. She wore a cautious, guarded expression, indicating she was unaccustomed to going out alone. Her household was strictly regulated; so she should not be from a merchant family, but rather a scholarly or official family.
She kept glancing at a carriage parked on the side of the street; it seemed someone was waiting for her inside.
Looking at the carriage, her eyes were filled with deep worry and a hint of tears. This person must be the one she cared about most, otherwise she would not have broken the rules of her home and come to this bustling, chaotic dock.
Having grasped this clue, Zhuang Li gained the woman’s trust with just one sentence: “What you really want to know is their fate, isn’t it?”
He pointed to the carriage.
The woman’s anxious expression was immediately replaced by surprise, and a hint of obvious joy appeared in her eyes.
She opened her mouth, about to reveal her purpose, when suddenly the carriage curtain was lifted, and a disheveled girl with loose clothes jumped out, shouting, “Let me go, let me go, you evil spirits! Ahhh, the evil spirits are here! The evil spirits are tearing my intestines out!”
Her face was covered in bruises, showing she’d had her share of bumps and bruises. Her gaze was unfocused and disoriented, her mind completely absorbed in the horrific image of being gutted by a demon. Every time she saw someone, she screamed “demon!” and frantically tried to escape, even losing a shoe in the process, but making no attempt to retrieve it.
It was obvious she was crazy.
Two maids also jumped out of the carriage and chased after the girl.
The woman screamed and then ran wildly down the street.
She ran faster than the servants, which showed that she was used to chasing after crazy girls.
Someone recognized the girl and shook their head, sighing, “How come the Zhou family’s madwoman has run away again? Didn’t Master Zhou say last time that he was going to send this daughter back to his hometown and lock her up?”
“Madam Zhou couldn’t bear to part with her daughter. She only has this one daughter, and she was the apple of her eye.”
“Going crazy every few days isn’t sustainable!”
“It’s not madness, it’s possession. It’s said that Miss Zhou is haunted by a group of evil spirits. Even Master Lingxi, the chief disciple of Master Xuanzhenzi, couldn’t subdue these evil spirits when he came to exorcise them. He could only suppress them for a short period of time. After that period, Miss Zhou will be haunted by the evil spirits again and become even madder than before.”
“It is said that three years ago, she was possessed by an evil spirit on the eve of her engagement, and the marriage was called off. Her family was originally a very wealthy and noble family. Master Zhou was a confidant of the Governor and a prominent figure in our Bazhou City. However, he spent all his wealth and resigned from his official position for this daughter. It is truly a pity.”
“If it were me, I would just drown this daughter to save the family from being a burden.”
“That’s incredibly cold-blooded of you. After all, she’s your own daughter. Who could do that to her!”
Zhuang Li heard all the discussions around him, which gave him a general understanding of Miss Zhou.
He dared not say that there were absolutely no ghosts or monsters in the world, after all, his lover was a being that transcended the laws of nature. But he firmly believed in this idea— that the vast majority of ghosts and monsters in the world originated from the human mind.
What was Miss Zhou hiding in her heart?
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