Chapter 19: Why arrange a ghost marriage?

Jingwu lay on the bed, carefully thinking about which moves would be simpler to teach them the next day.

I fell asleep while thinking about it.

The next day, I was awakened by the aroma of meat pies.

Jingwu opened his eyes and looked at the sky outside, which was only slightly bright. He thought he was still half asleep. He took two more breaths and confirmed that it was the smell of meat patties. He then immediately got dressed and went downstairs.

Seeing his aunt and uncle busy in the kitchen, he poked his head in.

"uncle."

"Awu, why are you up so early?" Shao Che turned to look at her, a smile on his face. "Did I wake you up?"

Jingwu shook his head: "It woke me up."

Upon hearing this, Shao Che paused, then laughed out loud. He took a freshly cooked meat pie, handed it to her, and patted her head affectionately, saying, "So you woke up because you were craving it."

Jingwu took the cake and took a big bite.

Looking at the basket of cakes on the ground, he looked up in confusion and asked, "Uncle, where are we taking these cakes?"

"I plan to pick them up and sell them in the market. There's not much farm work to do these days, so I can make some money." Shao Che said with a smile, "Awu, we have to walk too much today, so your uncle can't take you."

Upon hearing this, Jingwu nodded calmly: "It's alright, Uncle. I'm going to South Street today; I have some business coming in."

"Okay, then your uncle will take you to South Street first, and then come back to pick you up after he finishes selling the pancakes."

Jingwu blinked: "No need to trouble yourself, I can go by myself."

"That won't do. How can a child like you go by yourself?"

"That's right, you go with your uncle, and then come back together."

Ruan Chongyue said this while busy with her hands.

Although she knew she was very capable, the mountain roads were difficult to traverse, and if they encountered bandits or wild beasts, she definitely wouldn't be able to handle it alone. It was better to let her husband accompany her for peace of mind.

Seeing that the two were determined, Jingwu agreed.

A short while later, after she finished eating the pancake, the two brothers, Shao Chengyang and Shao Chengmin, also woke up.

Jingwu took a stick in the backyard and taught him a few simple moves.

The practice lasted for about an hour before it ended.

Afterwards, Jingwu drank another bowl of rice porridge and followed Shao Che to South Street.

The journey was peaceful. When they arrived at the stall on South Street, Shao Che helped move the tables and chairs out of Chen's steamed bun shop. Before leaving, he gave a few instructions: "Awu, your uncle will be back after he finishes selling the meat pies. Be a good boy and wait here. We'll go home together."

Jingwu nodded and agreed with a smile, only turning his gaze away after watching Shao Che's departing figure disappear into the distance.

She sat down at the table and took out the leftover snacks her aunt had given her for the New Year and started eating them.

A moment later, a figure walked over and sat down next to her.

Just as Jingwu was about to say something, two steamed buns were handed to him.

She accepted it with a smile; she had just walked a long way and her stomach was a little empty.

He thanked her and started eating the steamed bun.

Yue Huai watched as she took a big bite, her cheeks puffing out as she ate with great relish.

He suddenly felt hungry again, realizing he had wasted his breakfast.

Yue Huai quickly looked away and shifted his attention.

He looked at the sign on the table that said "ten coins for one divination" and asked in surprise, "Isn't this divination fee too low?"

Jingwu glanced at it, swallowed the bun in his mouth, and then said, "It's a bit little for wealthy families, but it's already a lot for poor families."

Upon hearing this, Yue Huai was about to ask something when he saw a middle-aged man sit down in front of the stall.

He wore a dirty, blackened gray robe, and his long hair was so oily it shone, casually braided and hung around his neck.

His thin face was shiny with oil, and his narrow eyes held a hint of greed.

The middle-aged man placed ten coins on the table and opened his mouth wide: "Little girl, can you tell me when I'll get rich?"

Jingwu, who was eating a steamed bun, slowed down, looked up at him, and immediately wrapped the bun up and placed it on the stool.

It's not that I'm afraid he'll snatch it, it's just that I'm afraid his spittle will land on the bun.

Jingwu took a close look at his face and was about to speak when he heard the person in front of him speak.

"I brought my birth date and time with me." As he spoke, the middle-aged man was about to lift his cotton coat to take out the paper he kept close to his body.

Upon seeing his actions, Jingwu immediately smelled a foul odor and quickly stopped him, saying, "No need, I can tell just by looking at your face."

Seeing him stop moving, she continued, "Your name is Li Kai, and you're forty years old, right? Your family left you an ancestral home and land, and..."

"I know all of that. Just tell me, when exactly will I get rich?" Li Kai interrupted her, speaking somewhat anxiously.

Seeing this, Jingwu said nothing more: "Judging from your face, you will never become rich."

"Why?" Li Kai didn't believe it and immediately lifted his clothes to take out the birth chart: "You haven't even seen my birth chart. People have been saying since I was a child that my birth chart is very good."

Jingwu smelled that familiar stench again and frowned: "Even the best birth chart can be dragged down by laziness. What's more, your bridge of the nose is sunken and your chin is thin, which is a typical sign of being destined to be poor."

Li Kai was very displeased upon hearing this. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly: "You're talking nonsense! When I was a child, a fortune teller said that my birth chart meant I would receive money even while lying down. Do you even know how to tell fortunes? If you don't, give me my money back."

Jingwu's forehead throbbed as he looked at his furious expression: "Sorry, I've already done your face reading, so I can't give you a refund."

"What did you say?" Li Kai took a step forward, glaring at her angrily. "You bitch, you dare to cheat me out of my money! I'll beat you to death..."

He rolled up his sleeves and walked forward, intending to beat up the person in front of him, but was bounced away by a barrier and crashed heavily to the ground.

Li Kai was stunned by the fall and struggled on the ground for a long time before finally getting up.

He glared fiercely at Jing Wu, but dared not step forward for fear of being thrown back again. He could only stand there and spit out, "You wait!"

After saying that, he rubbed his buttocks and limped away.

Jingwu withdrew his gaze and removed the barrier.

She breathed in the fresh air, but had no desire to eat steamed buns anymore.

Yue Huai felt the same way; he suddenly realized he wasn't hungry anymore.

Jingwu rubbed his forehead, looked at the birth date and time he had left on the table, but had no desire to check it. He made a hand seal and sent the red paper back.

After thinking for a moment, she recited a cleaning spell and cleaned the chair that Li Kai had sat on.

A short while later, another woman arrived; she looked very young.

With a smile on her face and a hint of shyness, she handed over the two pieces of red paper.

"Master, I've heard that your fortune-telling is very accurate. Could you please tell me if this person is a good match for me?"

After saying that, he took out ten coins and placed them on the table.

Jingwu took the birth chart, examined it carefully, and then looked up at the face of the person in front of him.

She pointed to the eight characters on the right and asked, "Is this your eight characters?"

He frowned slightly when he saw the woman nod.

"You're in the prime of your life, why would you want a ghost marriage?"

"What ghost marriage?"

Seeing her puzzled expression, Jingwu repeated himself earnestly, "The owner of the other birth chart you brought is already dead."