Chapter 61

Early the next morning, after paying her respects to her mother, Madam Han of the Jian’an Marquis Estate, Cheng Qingyao made an excuse to visit the Yunshui Taoist Temple. Madam Han frowned slightly, thinking that since her daughter was already engaged, she likely wouldn’t stir up any trouble, so she gave her consent.

However, to be safe, Madam Han ordered a trusted senior maid, Nanny Liu, to accompany her.

Cheng Qingyao felt restricted having a nanny watching her every move, but seeing the non-negotiable look in Madam Han’s eyes, she suppressed her dissatisfaction and set out.

As soon as her carriage left the estate, someone began following her in secret.

The Yunshui Taoist Temple was extremely famous in the capital, especially among the high-society circle of noblewomen. The priests there would secretly help noble madams or the favored concubines of high-ranking officials resolve “shadowy” private matters.

Among these priests, some were frauds or half-baked amateurs, while others possessed genuine spiritual power. Those with real ability rarely acted, and commissioning them required a heavy price.

Having been reborn early, Cheng Qingyao had used her foresight to amass a significant fortune; her large stockpiles of grain gave her even more confidence. From her memories of her past life, she knew of a priest named Daoist Yunqing. During the upcoming Great Disaster, his fame would skyrocket, and he would accumulate massive prestige and faith. Within a single month, he would transform from a white-haired old man back into a ruddy-faced middle-aged man.

It was said that Daoist Yunqing had once been a wandering priest who suffered a massive loss of longevity—turning his hair white overnight—because he helped someone “defy heaven to change their fate.” Later, the immense merit he earned during the Great Disaster not only restored his lifespan but also elevated his spiritual cultivation.

As for whose fate he had changed, Cheng Qingyao didn’t know, nor was she interested.

Currently, Yunqing’s reputation was obscure; almost no one knew such a profound master resided within the Yunshui Temple.

Cheng Qingyao’s goal was simple: to get this hidden master to take action. She glanced at Nanny Liu beside her and subconsciously touched the 100,000-tael banknote tucked in her bodice, feeling a sharp pang of stinginess. This was nearly the bulk of her private savings.

Upon arriving at the temple, Cheng Qingyao noted the bustling crowd of elegantly dressed people and the array of carriages, ranging from understated to extravagant. She mused that the “incense fire” here was no less vibrant than at Xiangguo Temple. The architecture was magnificent, with gilded roof tiles that shimmered grandly.

“Miss, if you are here to request a ‘Harmony Talisman,’ it is best to seek out Priest Xuan-cheng,” Nanny Liu suggested once a young acolyte led them to a guest room.

Cheng Qingyao’s excuse for coming was to pray for a marriage blessing. In reality, she looked down on the Heir of Prince Wei; she would never pray for a successful marriage with him. It was merely a cover.

“Nanny Liu, I’m not familiar with the masters here, so I’ll defer to you. Here is my birth chart and the Heir’s horoscopes. Please take them to Priest Xuan-cheng. I… I shall wait here in the room,” Cheng Qingyao said, feigning a bashful, joyful smile.

Nanny Liu had originally been testing her, but seeing the girl’s shy, lovestruck expression, she began to wonder if she and the Madam had been overthinking things. After all, the temple’s Harmony Talismans were quite famous.

Reassured, Nanny Liu took the documents and left, though she still took the precaution of stationing the family guards outside the door.

The moment Nanny Liu vanished, Cheng Qingyao’s smile turned cold. She whispered to Qiulan, “Go find the Temple Abbot. Tell him I wish to have an audience with Daoist Yunqing.”

In a secluded, quiet courtyard in the rear mountains of the temple, a voice—full of vigor yet laced with shock—rang out.

“Brother, are you saying a young lady from a Marquis’s house wishes to see me?”

“Yes. This lady from the Jian’an Marquis Estate seems to have come specifically for you. Do you wish to see her?” a steady, ethereal voice replied.

A silence fell over the courtyard, followed by the clinking of copper coins being tossed for divination. Finally, the vigorous voice said, “Very well.”

Shortly after, two priests emerged. One had hair and a beard as white as snow, his face etched with deep wrinkles like a man in his eighties. His steps seemed steady, yet a closer look revealed a slight frailty. The other was a middle-aged priest in a robe embroidered with talismans, wearing a Daoist crown and holding a whisk, looking every bit the celestial immortal.

“Twenty years… time truly flies. I didn’t expect someone whose future I cannot calculate would know of my existence and call for me by name…”

The wrinkled old priest’s eyes darkened as he remembered something. His voice, however, remained strangely powerful and lacked any trace of age.

The middle-aged priest paused and sighed, flicking his whisk. “Junior Brother Yunqing, the past is beyond pursuit. Let it go. The Great Disaster in the coming two years is your final chance. Whether you can grasp it depends on your luck.”

Yunqing had been their master’s favorite and most talented disciple—the one who had opened his “Heavenly Eye.” However, twenty years ago during his travels, he had been young and arrogant. He defied the heavens to change someone’s fate, and overnight, he transformed from a young man in his twenties into a white-haired elder. He was nearly silenced forever by those he helped.

If their master hadn’t calculated this fatal calamity, Yunqing would have died two decades ago. To save him, their master had infused Yunqing with his entire lifelong cultivation before passing away. Since then, Yunqing’s personality had changed drastically, and he had never stepped foot outside the temple again.

The middle-aged priest shook his head. Yunqing had never revealed whose fate he changed, and the master who knew the truth was long gone.

In the guest room, Cheng Qingyao was growing anxious. After several cups of tea, she finally laid eyes on the legendary Daoist Yunqing. He was covered in wrinkles and looked ancient, but his eyes were bright and his gait firm.

“This girl greets Daoist Yunqing!” she said respectfully.

Upon seeing her, Yunqing was shaken. No wonder he couldn’t see her future during his divination—she was someone whose fate had been altered, and she possessed an immense “Great Fortune.”

However, the purple aura of her fortune was being smothered by a thick, swirling black mist. This black energy was eroding the purple aura bit by bit. Once the purple light vanished, the consequences would be more than she could bear.

It seemed this young lady was a ruthless character.

She reminded him of a noble madam years ago who had knelt and begged for his help. She had seemed kind and pure, and in his youth, he hadn’t sensed the danger. He didn’t realize she wore a Buddhist artifact that masked her true nature. He had softened his heart, ignored his master’s warnings, and performed the ritual to change a fate. That ritual had ruined his life.

Seeing this ambitious girl who had somehow discovered his title, Yunqing asked coldly, “For what purpose does the lady seek this poor priest?”

Cheng Qingyao didn’t mind his coldness. She put on a helpless, bitter smile. “I have come to beg the Master to exorcise a monster that has possessed my younger cousin.”

She sounded like a doting elder sister.

When Yunqing heard the word “monster,” a mystical, profound sensation flooded his heart. He felt that this so-called “monster” would have a very deep connection with him. He looked at Cheng Qingyao with an inscrutable gaze.

“Monsters and evil spirits are the enemies of all. I accept.”

Cheng Qingyao was overjoyed. She hadn’t expected him to agree so readily without even discussing terms. He truly is a master—I might even save my 100,000 taels!

“I thank the Master,” she beamed. “When can the Master come to eliminate the creature?”

Yunqing closed his eyes slightly. “Tomorrow will suffice.”

“Then I shall send someone to fetch you tomorrow!” Cheng Qingyao was ecstatic. After seeing him off, the smile didn’t leave her face for a long time.

When Nanny Liu returned and heard from the guards that the lady hadn’t left the room but had only seen an old priest, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“A-Mo, do you think Cousin Qingyao is bringing a priest to perform an exorcism on me?” Cheng Ruyi asked in surprise after hearing the news. This “heroine” really wouldn’t give up.

“Indeed,” Rong Mo nodded, a hint of worry on his brow. His scouts had informed him that this “Yunqing” was the Junior Brother of the Temple Abbot. Prince Pingnan had told him the Abbot was a man of great power; therefore, his brother wouldn’t be a fraud.

Rong Mo knew his fiancée wasn’t the “original” owner of the body. What if she was discovered? In his worry, he forgot that Cheng Ruyi was no ordinary girl.

“I’ve never seen a real priest before. I wonder if they actually draw talismans and catch ghosts…” Cheng Ruyi was fascinated.

“I suppose so,” Rong Mo replied hesitantly.

Cheng Ruyi’s eyes darted around, her heart itching to meet this Master Yunqing. “I heard that when they exorcise ghosts, they brandish peach-wood swords, stick talismans everywhere, and splash black dog’s blood… I really want to see it!”

Rong Mo was speechless. She was the one being “hunted,” yet she wanted to go watch the show. “Ruyi, your situation is unique. It’s better if you don’t go.”

Cheng Ruyi waved him off. “I’m not an evil spirit or a monster, what is there to fear? Mo Xiang, am I right?”

Mo Xiang felt Rong Mo’s threatening glare but bit the bullet. “The Young Miss is right!”

Rong Mo sighed. He suddenly remembered the golden light of merit surrounding her. Seeing a priest shouldn’t be a problem, so he stopped trying to dissuade her.

The next day was slightly overcast. Cheng Qingyao arrived aggressively at the gates of the Changle Marquis Estate, accompanied by an old priest and a crowd of onlookers.

The Marquis and Rong Susu were livid. They had never seen such a venomous niece; she was clearly trying to brand their daughter as a monster in front of the whole world.

Cheng Ruyi narrowed her eyes, while Rong Mo stood as if facing a great enemy. The Marquis opened the gates, flanked by guards. “Niece Qingyao, what is the meaning of this?”

Cheng Qingyao smiled. “Second Uncle, let me introduce you. This is Daoist Yunqing, a master of profound power. Whether or not Ruyi has been possessed by a monster will be clear the moment the Master looks at her.”

“Nonsense! Get out!” the Marquis growled.

“Second Uncle, I’m doing this out of concern. It’s just a look to confirm the truth. Why be so hostile?” Cheng Qingyao pouted, looking aggrieved. She had specifically dressed in a simple white gown today with minimal jewelry, appearing elegant and pure. The crowd, seeing her “sorrow,” immediately sided with her.

“Miss Qingyao is acting out of kindness, Marquis! Just agree to it!”

“Yeah, it’s just a look. If she’s really possessed, it’s better to get rid of the monster early!”

As the crowd jeered, the Marquis was about to have his guards drive them away when Rong Mo and Cheng Ruyi appeared.

“Father, since it’s Cousin Qingyao’s ‘kindness,’ let the Master have a look. We shouldn’t refuse, lest people say we have a guilty conscience.”

Dressed in vibrant red, Cheng Ruyi looked radiant. She leaned on the tall, handsome Rong Mo’s arm and smiled at her cousin. “Cousin Qingyao, I’m here.”

Cheng Qingyao’s heart skipped a beat. Was she really a “returnee” like herself? No, if she were, she never would have given up Yan Zihao. She comforted herself with this thought.

“Cousin Ruyi, long time no see. You look more beautiful than ever,” Cheng Qingyao greeted her with an air of intimacy, making them look like a pair of close sisters.

Cheng Ruyi didn’t play along. She pointedly rubbed her arms. “Cousin, we aren’t close at all. Stop pretending to be my sister—you’re giving me goosebumps.”

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd. These were onlookers, not Cheng Qingyao’s paid plants. Cheng Qingyao’s face flushed; she hadn’t expected Ruyi to be so blunt. She took a deep breath. “Cousin, you must have forgotten how good our relationship used to be…”

“Enough,” the Marquis interrupted. “Niece, stop the chatter. Didn’t you say you wanted this priest to look at my daughter?”

“Dad is right. I’m waiting,” Cheng Ruyi said, her eyes fixed excitedly on the old priest.

Cheng Qingyao turned to Yunqing. “Master, please see if my cousin is possessed!”

The moment Cheng Ruyi had appeared, Yunqing had been struck dumb. Under his “Heavenly Eye,” the thick, shimmering layers of golden merit surrounding her nearly blinded him.

This was the “monster” the lady spoke of? Absurd!

He turned his gaze to Cheng Qingyao, noting the coldness and anticipation in her eyes. He frowned. Another one with a crooked heart.

Everyone held their breath. The crowd grew as spies from various families and a scout sent by Prince Rong slipped into the fray. Even Madam Han had sent people, fuming that her daughter had acted so impulsively.

“This lady is no monster,” Yunqing declared. “She is the reincarnation of a Great Merit Being.”

Cheng Qingyao blurted out immediately, “Impossible!”

The crowd’s gaze shifted to her, filled with suspicion. Realizing her slip, she tried to explain, but Cheng Ruyi cut her off.

“Master, you’re so unprofessional!” Cheng Ruyi said with genuine curiosity. “You took my cousin’s money, so you should follow her wishes and call me a monster. Why are you saying nice things about me? You won’t get any more business acting like this.”

The crowd nearly choked on their own spit. They looked at her as if she were a total eccentric—which she was.

Rong Mo: “…” Why do I feel like laughing?

The Marquis roared with laughter. “My daughter is right! Master, you’re far too unprofessional. Look, you’ve upset Niece Qingyao!”

Cheng Qingyao’s face turned bright red with rage and shame. She felt like she had swallowed a bitter pill she couldn’t spit out. “Second Uncle… Ruyi… you…”

Yunqing was caught between tears and laughter. “I did not take any money from this lady.”

Cheng Ruyi waved a hand knowingly. “No need to explain. I get it.”

Cheng Qingyao felt like she was about to spit blood. You get it? What do you get?! This was effectively branding her as a malicious fraud who tried to frame her own cousin.

“Master,” Cheng Ruyi leaned in eagerly. “I heard exorcisms require peach-wood swords, talismans, and black dog’s blood. You have to jump around a lot too. You’re so old—can you even jump?”

Rong Mo’s mouth twitched. Yunqing was speechless. This girl’s curiosity was entirely misplaced. He was only in his early forties—where was he “ancient”? And who said exorcisms required jumping?

The Marquis looked at Yunqing’s wrinkled face and nodded. “Daughter is right. Niece Qingyao is terrible at picking people. This Master is all old skin and bones; he can’t perform a ritual. Even if you wanted to save money, this isn’t the way to do it.”

The crowd began to whisper.

“The Marquis has a point. Didn’t the priest say he wasn’t paid?”

“Maybe because Miss Qingyao didn’t pay him, he’s intentionally sabotaging her plan!”

“She looks so pure and kind, but she’s so wicked inside.”

“This is what happens when you’re a cheapskate…”

The suffocating pressure of their insults finally broke her. With a sharp “Pfft!”, Cheng Qingyao actually spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Miss!” Qiulan screamed, catching her swaying mistress.

The crowd scrambled back, leaving a wide circle around her.

“Eh? A-Mo, why did Cousin Qingyao suddenly spit blood?” Cheng Ruyi’s eyes were wide.

Rong Mo watched with a cold sneer, adding fuel to the fire. “She’s probably spitting blood because she regrets being too stingy to pay the priest, thus ruining her own scheme.”

“I see,” Cheng Ruyi concluded solemnly. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch. One really shouldn’t be a cheapskate!”

Yunqing: “…”

Sansukini: Rong Mo’s quips are too funny.

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