"Qing'er, one can only rely on oneself. Let's cook some porridge to stave off the hunger."
She poured out the last bit of rice. Seeing this, Qing'er quickly cleaned the stove and lit the firewood.
The bowl of porridge held only a few grains of rice, so thin it was almost transparent. Looking at the bowl, Qing'er felt a pang of sorrow, yet she dared not say another word. Shen Qing picked up the bowl and took a light sip, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.
She knew that by reclaiming the Star and Moon Pavilion, she had surely stirred up a rage in Madam Feng, who could not swallow her pride and was resorting to such petty malice. However, she was no longer the weak woman who had been bullied for the past three years. She knew she was isolated in the Marquis Manor and could only rely on herself to turn the situation around. But to change the status quo, the urgent matter was to make money!
"Qing'er, I am going out. Keep a watch in the manor for me. If there is any movement, let me know immediately."
Hearing this, a flicker of worry crossed Qing'er's eyes, but she dared not ask more. She quickly rummaged through a cabinet for a simple outfit and handed it to Shen Qing. "Miss, please be careful. Things are not peaceful inside or outside the manor."
Shen Qing took the clothes and offered a faint smile, her eyes filled with craftiness. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
She quickly changed into the plain clothes, tied her long hair high, and put on a bamboo hat, shielding half her face. In the mirror, her expression held a blend of resolve and elegance.
"Qing'er, I'm leaving." Shen Qing whispered, then slipped out through the back door of the Star and Moon Pavilion.
In the East Courtyard, Shen Ying'er sighed helplessly, "Mother, we just let the Star and Moon Pavilion be taken away without gaining any benefit? I am not reconciled! Shen Qing really can endure; she hasn't made a peep after eating spoiled food for days."
Madam Feng slammed the table, furious. "It's too abnormal. She’s so cautious that I can’t even find a handle on her!"
Deep down, she felt a lingering sense that the current Shen Qing was different from the one before.
Shen Qing exited the Marquis Manor, passed through several alleys, and arrived at the busiest market in the capital. Shops lined both sides of the street, the sound of hawking was incessant, and the crowds were bustling and lively. She lowered her bamboo hat to cover half her face, revealing only a pair of deep eyes that seemed capable of peering into people's souls.
The hawking cries on the street rose and fell, the air was thick with the scent of various foods, and the passing crowds were shoulder-to-shoulder. Shen Qing stood in a corner of the market, her gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd as she calculated in her heart.
During her three years of recuperation in Jiangnan in her past life, she had the good fortune to meet her neighbor, Sister Pu. Both were there to recover from illness, and their boredom blossomed into a close friendship. For those three years, they were constant companions. Sister Pu said her family were practitioners of divination, and their readings were incredibly accurate. In their spare time, she taught Shen Qing how to divine.
When Shen Qing left three years later, she wanted to say goodbye, but the house next door was already empty. Sister Pu had left behind only a delicate Fate Disk—the Xuantian Instrument—said to be capable of peering into the destinies of the three realms.
She sighed softly. Having drifted through this city for over twenty years in her past life, she had seen the warmth and coldness of the world, knew the fate of every official, and with the divination skills learned from Sister Pu, she would surely be able to make money.
Shen Qing took a piece of plain white cloth from her sleeve and spread it on the ground. She then brought out the Xuantian Instrument and several copper coins. She cleared her throat and proclaimed, "Divining fortune, predicting the future, calculating destiny! No fee if not accurate!"
Shen Qing was in no rush. She knew that to attract attention, she needed a "hook." She smiled slightly, flicked her finger, and the Fate Disk suddenly let out a strange, humming sound, as if an invisible force were vibrating in the air.
The surrounding pedestrians could not help but stop, looking at her with curiosity. Just then, a young dandy in a lavish silk robe sauntered over, waving a folding fan. Two servants followed behind him, carrying bags and bundles, clearly having just looted some shop.
The dandy glanced at Shen Qing’s stall and scoffed, "Hey, have fortune-telling stalls become this pathetic these days?"
Shen Qing looked up at him and said indifferently, "Sir, you might as well try. If it’s not accurate, I won't take a cent."
The dandy raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued. He sat down on a stool across from Shen Qing, snapped his fan shut, and tapped the table. "Fine. Then tell me, what does my fortune look like today?"
Shen Qing’s fingertips brushed the mottled star patterns on the edge of the Fate Disk, the bronze bell glowing with a faint, ghostly light in the morning sun. As she arranged the three Kaiyuan Tongbao coins into the Kan position, the copper bells suddenly chimed without wind, shaking her palm—a sign of imminent disaster.
"Your wealth is flourishing today, sir, but..."
"But what?" The dandy, clearly hooked, leaned forward slightly.
Shen Qing looked up at the arrogant Zhao Jing. The Big Dipper at the center of the Xuantian Instrument was oozing a dark, cinnabar-like red. "I fear there is a risk of bloodshed."
The dandy was startled, then burst into laughter. "Risk of bloodshed? Are you trying to scare me?"
Shen Qing did not answer, merely looking at him calmly.
Before the words had left his lips, a roar from Li Zhengdao pierced through the market.
"Well, well, Zhao Jing! To think you’d badmouth me in front of Miss Su! If I don't teach you a lesson today, you'll really think I'm a pushover!"
Several burly men wielding clubs charged over aggressively, led by the local bully, Li Zhengdao. Zhao Jing’s face changed, and he scrambled to his feet in a panic. "Brother Li, you... don't be reckless!"
Li Zhengdao did not listen. With a wave of his hand, his men rushed forward. Frightened, Zhao Jing stumbled backward, tripped, and fell hard, his forehead striking the stone slab and immediately bleeding profusely.
As blood splattered on Zhao Jing's forehead, the Xuantian Instrument buzzed, making the copper coins jump three inches high on the stone bricks.
Shen Qing remained seated, her expression indifferent, as if this were all within her expectations. She gave the copper bell a light shake and whispered, "Sir, the blood disaster has been fulfilled. Would you like another reading?"
Clutching his forehead, Zhao Jing grimaced in pain, but he no longer dared to underestimate Shen Qing. He quickly pulled a silver ingot from his robes and threw it onto the stall. "Read! Give me another reading!"
Shen Qing pressed down on the restless Fate Disk, catching sight of blood droplets seeping from the Tanlang star position, slowly flowing toward the Pojun star—a sign of finding a way out of a desperate situation.
She pocketed the silver and smiled slightly. "Though you have met with disaster today, sir, you will turn it into good fortune. Go east, and stop when you encounter water."
Hearing this, Zhao Jing treated it like a priceless treasure and quickly fled to the east with his servants. Li Zhengdao and his men chased for a few steps, but seeing Zhao Jing running so fast, they couldn't be bothered and left while cursing.
The surrounding townspeople witnessed this scene and immediately took a keen interest in Shen Qing’s stall. Before long, a crowd had gathered, all clamoring for readings. Shen Qing’s words were sharp and hit the mark every time. Gradually, her reputation spread throughout the market.
Just then, a middle-aged man in official robes walked over, followed by several yamen runners. He looked at Shen Qing’s stall and frowned. "Are you the one telling fortunes?"