A burly man with a rough demeanor stepped forward, towering over Qiao Ci. "Calculate mine too."
Qiao Ci remained unfazed. "What would you like me to calculate?"
"Anything. Whatever you see fit. If you're accurate, all the silver I have today is yours!" The man's voice rumbled, sounding rather simple-minded.
Without him drawing a lot, Qiao Ci simply observed his face. "Your forehead is full, but your brow is sunken and dark. There may be a death in your family soon."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" The man's face fell. "You're clearly a fraud. My parents are healthy, my children are lively, and my wife is virtuous. How could there be a death in my family soon?"
Qiao Ci's expression didn't change. "If you return home quickly, you might be able to mitigate some of the misfortune. Delaying further may be too late."
"Alright, I'm going home now! If all is well at home, I'll smash your stall when I return." The man, unnerved by her words, turned and left.
His long strides clearly indicated his haste to get home.
The remaining onlookers were merely spectating, not seeking fortune-telling. They placed more faith in the old Taoist priest. This was a young girl, likely just making things up without any real skill.
Around dusk, most of the crowd had dispersed. Qiao Ci was preparing to pack up her stall.
At this moment, the second fortune-teller, a man beaming with excitement, rushed over. He then produced ten taels of silver and placed it on Qiao Ci's stall. With a *thump*, he knelt on the ground. "You calculated it so accurately! After I returned home, my elderly mother accidentally fell and hit her head. She rarely goes out and usually stays in her room to pray. If I had returned any later, she would have been in grave danger. Thank you, thank you so much!"
Qiao Ci accepted the ten taels of silver and smiled. "To accept payment is to avert disaster. There's no need for thanks."
Those who hadn't left yet began to gather around again.
"Little Taoist, can you tell my fortune too?"
"Tell mine, I'll give you the silver first!"
...
Qiao Ci shook her head. "Two fortunes a day. I won't do more. Wait until tomorrow."
She tidied her belongings and headed to the inn.
Xiao Shaozi asked from within the system space, "Host, why have you started acting like a charlatan?"
"You call this being a charlatan?" Qiao Ci glanced at the large golden ladle in the space.
"Ahem, I just don't know what the host plans to do next," Xiao Shaozi said, scratching his head in curiosity.
Qiao Ci didn't reply. She used the silver she'd earned to check into the inn.
As she was ascending the stairs, a youthful voice, both pleasant and urgent, called out from behind her.
"Little Taoist, wait up~"
Qiao Ci stopped and turned. A young man, about eighteen or nineteen years old, dressed in fine brocade, was galloping towards her on a magnificent steed. The lingering rays of dusk cast themselves upon the exquisite features of the young man in his bright attire. Due to the sweltering heat and his vigorous riding, glistening sweat beaded on his forehead, accentuating his fair skin, which appeared even more delicate and soft.
Qiao Ci remained standing, waiting for him.
Upon reaching her, the young man executed a graceful dismount. Whether from heat or exertion, he spoke breathlessly. "You, are you the young girl who was setting up a fortune-telling stall today?"
"Yes," Qiao Ci nodded.
"Excuse me, when will you be telling fortunes tomorrow? I'd like you to cast a divination for me." Lu Li had heard from his friends, after returning from archery practice, that someone had been remarkably accurate with their fortune-telling. After inquiring about her location, he had rushed over without delay.
"If it's you, it can be anytime," Qiao Ci said, a smile in her eyes as she looked at the young man.
"Really? Would that disrupt your practice? I heard that your Taoist sect strongly discourages overusing your divination skills." Seeing that the "little Taoist" was around his own age, Lu Li felt a bit hesitant.
"It's alright." Her own boy naturally received preferential treatment.
"Ahem, is it convenient to speak privately?" Lu Li said, finding it a little difficult to articulate, especially since she was a young girl, yet some things were not meant for public ears.
"Mm, follow me." Qiao Ci led the way to the room she had rented.
Upon entering, Lu Li appeared remarkably flustered. He had never been alone in a private space with a girl before. Qiao Ci sat on a table, gesturing for him to sit opposite her. Lu Li obediently sat down. He had intended to relax in his usual manner, but remembering he was opposite a young girl, he became rather stiff.
"Be as you normally are. There's no need to be reserved," Qiao Ci said, unable to resist a smile. "What is it you seek? Marriage, wealth, career?"
Under her gentle reassurance, Lu Li relaxed slightly. He sat up straight, his lean waist cinched by a broad belt, exuding a sense of latent power yet remaining aesthetically pleasing.
"Recently, the Di people have been frequently encroaching upon the borders of my Chu Yun kingdom. The Emperor has dispatched my father and elder brother to defend against the foreign invaders. I, I want to ask if they can return safely. I've heard that those Di people are very brutal," Lu Li said hesitantly. He hadn't intended to be so specific with the young girl before him, but he feared that insufficient detail might affect her divination.
"It was a situation that should have been fatal, yet there is a glimmer of hope," Qiao Ci said. Through Xiao Shaozi, she already knew Lu Li's role in the unfolding narrative.
His name was Lu Li, born into the distinguished military family of the Lu clan. He was the youngest grandson of Old Master Lu. The Lu family had a history of military service. Old Master Lu had ten sons, all of whom either perished in battle or suffered from lingering injuries that caused them constant pain. Currently, only his eldest son remained, and among the grandchildren, there were only the eldest grandson, Lu Rong, and the youngest, Lu Li. The eldest grandson had been trained as a disciplined soldier, while the youngest, Lu Li, was shielded from the battlefield, his father having him focus on scholarly pursuits from a young age. However, through constant exposure, Lu Li secretly followed Lu Rong in practicing riding, archery, and martial arts, and the two brothers shared a deep bond. After Shen Si had voluntarily resigned, Lu Rong was appointed the new Great General by the Emperor, effectively filling Shen Si's position. At this time, with the Di people invading, Lu Rong and his father, who suffered from numerous ailments, were assigned to the battlefield. Ultimately, both returned, but one was dead and the other injured. Only Lu Rong survived, but he had only managed to repel the Di forces temporarily. Later, the Di people continued to harass the border. By then, Shen Si's leg injury had healed. Following Lou Qing's advice, the Emperor appointed Shen Si as the Deputy General, to assist Lu Rong. Shen Si, unwilling to be subordinate, rarely followed Lu Rong's commands on the battlefield. During one ensuing mishap, his forces were surrounded, and Lu Rong, considering various factors, went to his rescue. He was captured by the Di people and then cooked and eaten. When Lu Li, in the capital, heard that his beloved elder brother had died saving Shen Si, and that Shen Si had smoothly taken over the position of Great General, he was filled with rage and began to oppose Shen Si at every turn. However, Shen Si at that time possessed military power, influence, and prestige, and was also involved with the favored Princess Qing Luan. Lu Li was no match for him and eventually took up his sword alone to seek revenge, only to be beaten to death.