Chapter 69

Luhua County

In the early morning, as the sun just rose, the streets were quiet and cold, with only a few passersby hurrying along. Among them, a cart was moving slowly.

"Master, there's a dilapidated dragon temple here. It doesn't get much incense, but the area in front is quite lively," the driver said enthusiastically, pointing it out.

At that moment, the clear waves of Jinyang Lake rippled, and a grand temple stood on the southwest side of the lake. However, it looked gray and desolate, with an open space to the east that used to be the site of temple fairs.

"Stinky tofu, stinky tofu, fresh stinky tofu, even the local governor loves it," despite the early hour, some vendors had already set up their stalls, selling their goods.

This was a bustling county, but it was still early, so there weren't many people. However, in a short while, the crowd would thicken, with all sorts of people.

"Ice sugar water, ice sugar water, one coin per cup! One coin per cup!" a vendor was shouting.

Ye Qing was a bit puzzled and pointed to the dragon temple, asking, "If it's a dragon temple, why doesn't it get much incense?"

"I've heard that the Dragon King doesn't pay much attention. Several times, people prayed for rain, but it didn't work, so it gradually fell into disrepair," the driver stopped and explained.

Ye Qing shook his head, threw a silver coin, and continued toward the dock. According to the mountain god's words, his opportunity this time lay in finding a fortune-teller who only appeared at dawn on the 15th of each month.

At that moment, a voice reached Ye Qing's ears.

"Knows the heavens above, the earth below, the past three hundred years, the future five hundred years, your destiny and fortune, just give me money and I'll tell you!" Ye Qing felt like laughing at the words but was intrigued and looked in the direction of the voice.

An emaciated old man with a deeply lined face and messy white hair, looking dirty and worn out, sat there, looking very aged and lacking any vitality.

In front of him, a white cloth hung casually, with the four bright red characters "先天神算" (Innate Divine Calculation) written on it. On the ground was an old and worn-out I Ching diagram, some parts of which were worn away and barely visible, held down by stones.

The passersby avoided him with disgust, and those who felt pity would throw a few coins and quickly leave. Ye Qing, however, approached and sat down casually at the stall.

"Oh, this scholar, what do you want to know about your future? Marriage and love? Or fate and calamity? Yes, my family's innate divine calculation, knowing the past three hundred years and the future five hundred years," the fortune-teller said eagerly.

Ye Qing remained silent, carefully observing the talkative old man. The old man wore a very old black robe, his hands were dry and bony like chicken claws, slightly bent and unable to stretch, with calluses all over, and his face was full of wrinkles, showing the marks of time.

The fortune-teller seemed unremarkable, and Ye Qing felt a bit disappointed. The fortune-teller, seeing the disappointment in Ye Qing's eyes, thought for a moment and said, "I guess you're here to find someone, or at least to find something?"

Ye Qing laughed.

"I'm here not to have you calculate anything, but because we met by chance. I'll take care of your business," Ye Qing said, throwing a five-tael silver ingot that rolled to the fortune-teller's hand. "Just say some auspicious words to make me happy. If you do well, the money is yours. If not, it's still yours."

The fortune-teller's heart trembled at the sight of the silver, thought for a moment, picked it up, and put it in his sleeve before speaking.

"Since that's the case, I'll speak freely. You don't seem to be short of money, so you don't care about this silver!" The fortune-teller smiled, then stared at Ye Qing for a while, showing a hint of surprise and confusion. After a long pause, he slowly said, "Master, you shouldn't be here. You're not here to find someone; you're here to seek great fortune!"

"Your fate is full of hardships and trials, with very little good fortune. You shouldn't have the achievements you have now. Your fortune is all taken, and I see a faint aura of misfortune between your brows. This is an omen. By taking fortune, you invite retribution, which is your calamity," the fortune-teller tapped the ground with his finger, one by one.

Ye Qing's eyes narrowed sharply, his heart shaken, but he remained calm. "Tell me, what calamity do I have, and why shouldn't I be here?"

"Based on your current fortune, to achieve what you want, it's still far from enough. Your efforts are insufficient, and your heart is unwilling, which is the calamity. You shouldn't be here; there should be no trace of you here— even if there is, it's half a year too early."

"How can I overcome this calamity? Please teach me, sir." Ye Qing asked lazily, taking out another silver ingot and placing it in front of the fortune-teller.

The fortune-teller put the silver in his sleeve and said, "You're not bad. I see your sincerity. I'll make an exception and perform a ritual for you to dispel your calamity!"

The fortune-teller picked up a dusty brush, dipped it in his saliva, and spread out a yellow paper, starting to draw a twisted talisman, the lines winding and incomprehensible, unlike any he had seen in his past or present life.

But as he drew, his stomach growled, and he stopped, tapping it a few times. "I'm hungry, too weak to draw the talisman. Here's half for you!" he said, leaving the half-drawn talisman and walking away.

Ye Qing laughed, thought for a moment, then composed himself, took the half-drawn talisman, and found a nearby inn, instructing, "Bring the food to my room and don't disturb me."

Time passed, and soon it was dusk. The night fell like a veil, and Ye Qing got up, followed by a waiter carrying a food box, arriving at the lakeshore. The river water flowed continuously, the waves refreshing.

Ye Qing walked around, observing the surroundings.

On both sides of the lake were villages, mostly inhabited by fishermen. Seeing a flat rock, he ordered, "Lay out the food and wine here; I want to enjoy the lake and the moon."

"Yes, sir, I'll set it up right away," the waiter, not understanding the elegance, quickly laid out a layer of mulberry paper and arranged seven or eight dishes, with a crystal-clear bone dish in the middle, the aroma making people hungry, and a pot of wine.

The waiter explained, "This is our signature dish, Crystal Bone, made from wild meat from the mountains, a great tonic."

"Good, you can leave now. Here's your tip!" Ye Qing casually threw a small piece of silver, making the waiter smile and bow, "Thank you, sir."

After bowing, the waiter left.

Seeing no one around, Ye Qing coughed and said, "You can come out now."

His words fell into the void, with no response. Ye Qing smiled, picked up the chopsticks, and took a bite of the Crystal Bone, immediately sensing a subtle essence spreading through his body, just as the waiter had said, a great tonic. He continued eating.

Finally, a sigh came from the darkness, and an old man appeared.

Ye Qing smiled, "It's you, indeed!"

He then carefully observed the fortune-teller, who was emaciated and, upon arriving, pounced on the mulberry paper but didn't pick up the chopsticks, asking, "Is this a feast for me?"

"Who else could it be?" Ye Qing's heart stirred, as if he had a sudden realization.

The fortune-teller sighed, tapping the ground with his cane, "Exiled for thirty years, penniless, begging for the first fifteen years, and fortune-telling for the last fifteen. I haven't had a proper meal in decades. It's been so hard to have a meal like this!"

"This is my first full meal in thirty years. How can I repay you?"

Ye Qing didn't speak immediately. The moonlight was dim, the lake water lapping against the shore, the waves making a sound. With a smile, he said, "To be honest, sir, I just passed the scholar examination this year. In August, and next February, there will be the provincial and imperial exams. I want to succeed, but I lack some fortune, and I've offended some people, so I may face some calamities. What do you think, sir?"

The fortune-teller carefully observed Ye Qing, his expression unclear. The waves crashed against the shore, splashing up. After a long pause, he shook his black robe and said, "I see correctly. Your innate fortune is very thin, and it's impossible for you to have your current achievements. However, you have multiple fortunes entangled, with significant external assistance, one of which is from the same lineage as me, likely due to the Dragon King's favor."

Ye Qing was startled, not by being seen through, but by the word "same lineage." Could this person also be a Dragon King?

As he thought, the fortune-teller sighed, "Based on your current fortune, you can barely pass the provincial exam, but to pass the imperial exam, it's far from enough, lacking much."

"Your current fortune is only two-tenths of what's needed for the imperial exam. The remaining eight-tenths depend on your luck."

Ye Qing was moved. He didn't know how much fortune was needed for the imperial exam, but the old man's insight was undeniable.

"Please teach me, sir!" Ye Qing bowed deeply before the fortune-teller, requesting.

Seeing Ye Qing's earnestness, the fortune-teller pondered, not immediately responding. After a long pause, he sighed, "Fine, I'll help you. To be honest, I am a dragon descendant, exiled. If I were in good condition, I could help you with three-tenths of the fortune, but now I can't even have a meal, let alone help you."

"However, I have a plan, but it requires your courage, wisdom, and insight." The fortune-teller said darkly, "And I must warn you, once you agree, there's no turning back, and you will offend some powerful people!"

The words "dragon descendant" and "powerful people" echoed in Ye Qing's ears, the implications clear.

An ordinary person might have jumped at the chance, but Ye Qing, having experienced great calamities in his past life, knew the depth of the schemes involved.

Moreover, the words had a familiar ring, a glimmer of recognition, but it was just out of reach.

"Are you afraid?"

Seeing Ye Qing's hesitation, the fortune-teller asked coldly.

Ye Qing was taken aback but wouldn't be swayed by such a provocation. However, was there really a way back?

If he couldn't pass the imperial exam this time, what difference would it make from his past life?

To rise, he couldn't afford to back down. With this thought, Ye Qing laughed heartily, extremely pleased, and said, "Why should I be afraid?"

As soon as the words were out, a闷雷 (muffled thunder) sounded, dark clouds gathering, covering most of the lake.