Chapter 69 Red Spider Lily 08
In the fortune-telling house on Wuli Lianhua Street.
As the night deepened, the temperature in the lobby also dropped. This is an ancient Chinese building with so many magical instruments displayed, but one can still feel gusts of cold wind.
Huo Cunsheng hissed and shuddered.
Luo Siwei then discovered that there was an air conditioner hidden on the roof, with the vent facing them. She had long seen through Master Zhang's tricks; everything he said was just a trick.
These wealthy businessmen came to him, paying exorbitant so-called consulting fees, for a variety of reasons: seeking wealth, finding a good marriage, having children, warding off disasters, avoiding misfortunes, or trying to trip up others.
Master Zhang knows how to tailor the dishes to the customers. He has already categorized his customers and is trying to get them to do things in different directions.
Huo Cunsheng looked to be middle-aged. He came with his girlfriend and did not shy away from the presence of bodyguards. He was very urgent as soon as he arrived, so he was most likely here to ward off disasters.
Generally, warding off disasters is related to family members, and most likely it is to ward off evil and avoid disaster.
Moreover, Master Zhang mentioned the haunted house in a vague way. If he happened to guess correctly, he would be considered a god. If he guessed wrong, he would say he was predicting future events and could help people change their fate. He could always make up his mind.
The master continued, "Your forehead is dark. You must have met a villain or been haunted by a ghost."
This is also a routine. Who hasn't met someone they don't like and found them to be difficult to deal with?
Huo Cunsheng thought to himself, the villain I met is you.
He cursed in his heart, but touched his face with his hand and pretended to be moved: "Master, is it so obvious?"
Master Zhang stroked his beard and said, "According to the calculations of the Eight Trigrams, I see discord in the family, bloody disasters, villains blocking the way, and a great omen of misfortune."
Huo Cunsheng's acting spirit took over after hearing this, and he said anxiously, "I knew my friend's recommendation was right. Master, you are so foresighted. Please save my life! What should I do?"
At this point in the play, Master Zhang knew that half of the matter was accomplished. He relaxed completely, lowered his head, took a sip of the tea in his cup and said, "Tell me, what exactly happened."
"Alas, it's all because of my ex-wife. When she found out I had someone else outside, she started to make a fuss..."
Huo Cunsheng was a chatterbox. He had heard many similar stories when interrogating the prisoners, so he made up a story on the spot with detailed information.
"...I never imagined she'd actually taken the drug. On the day the divorce was finalized, she died at home before she even moved out. I didn't take it seriously at first, holding a funeral for her and even hiring a Taoist priest to pray for her soul to be reborn. But my wife's family insisted I had her murdered, and they wouldn't let me down, threatening to sue me. Later, strange things started happening in my family. On the seventh day after my ex-wife's death, I was sleeping that night when I heard footsteps outside..."
Huo Cunsheng told the story vividly.
Master Zhang's expression was serious as he touched the beads on his wrist. "Seven days after death? This is the return of the evil spirit. You didn't answer your ex-wife, did you? If you happened to call her name, then this ghost wouldn't be able to leave even if you wanted to."
Huo Cunsheng put on a wronged expression and said, "Master... I'm just an ordinary person, how could I know the ins and outs of this? I was so scared at the time, and I was half asleep, so I just shouted, 'Who is it?'... Ever since that day, I've had bad luck. The lights in the living room always come on inexplicably, and two nannies and a bodyguard were so scared that they resigned."
Since bragging doesn't pay tax, Huo Cunsheng fully utilized his talent for storytelling, telling it vividly. Finally, he said to Master Zhang, "My friends all said your place is very effective, so I wanted to come and try it. Master, please help me figure out how to resolve this matter."
Master Zhang asked for details, including the date of his ex-wife's death, and solemnly asked Huo Cunsheng to leave his and his ex-wife's names and birth dates. He also asked about the decoration layout of the room.
Huo Cunsheng had made it all up, using a model he'd seen before, and he didn't stutter a bit as he lied. Master Zhang pulled out a bagua filled with characters, muttered to himself for a long time, and said, stroking his beard, "Your case is a bit difficult."
Huo Cunsheng's back bent, and he slumped down, and said with some disappointment, "Then Master, even you can't do anything?"
Master Zhang raised his eyebrows: "I see that you are sincere, and it is not impossible to solve the problem."
Luo Siwei asked at the right time: "Master, what method do you have?"
Master Zhang started with the same old routine: "How about this, I'll give you some renovation suggestions first. You rearrange the door, the master bedroom, and the stove according to my instructions to create a good feng shui layout. Then I'll give you a peach wood sword to protect your home, some magical tools, and perform a ritual for you. That way, you may be able to turn misfortune into good fortune and survive this disaster."
Huo Cunsheng listened for a while and only half understood what was said. He couldn't help but ask, "Master, how much does this set cost?"
Master Zhang remained silent, stretched out his hand, made an eight gesture, and paused twice.
Huo Cunsheng asked, "Eighty-eight thousand?" He had already tried to guess higher.
Master Zhang rolled his eyes. "Eight hundred and eighty thousand, for the entire renovation plan, the peach wood warding off disasters, and the altar ceremony."
This price is too high. It's like treating people as fools. Huo Cunsheng's mouth was so wide open that he couldn't close it.
Luo Siwei's eyes also changed when he looked at Master Zhang.
He could have just robbed it, but he actually gave decoration advice and some free gifts.
Only Guo Zhengyao and Chi Li remained calm.
One of the two men was wealthy, and the other was calm and composed. He stood in the back and waited calmly for them to continue talking.
"My friend didn't tell me it was so expensive when he introduced it to me." Huo Cunsheng blurted out, "Can I get a discount?"
He was just bargaining as a laboring man. Unexpectedly, Master Zhang's face darkened when he heard this.
"I took this job because I saw you were introduced by someone I know. Your ex-wife's horoscope, combined with the date she chose to commit suicide, is extremely dangerous."
"Moreover, the location of your house conflicts with your five elements. There is also the "Crossing Hall" evil in your home. Your bedroom is the entrance to the underworld."
"Honestly, if I didn't save you today, you would have died suddenly in a year or two!"
Master Zhang spoke at an extremely fast speed, using a bunch of professional Taoist terms, with the purpose of scaring people.
Huo Cunsheng cooperated very well when he heard this and cried out in fear.
Seeing that the threat worked, Master Zhang became even more proud and continued to discuss this business from an economic perspective.
He banged his hands on the table, making a clanging sound.
"Boss Huo, how much did you spend on buying the villa and renovating it? A perfectly good house, but without any intervention, it's become a haunted house. Our small business is only a fraction of your house price. Besides, Boss Huo, don't you think your life isn't worth that much money?"
It seemed to make sense. Huo Cunsheng felt that he was about to be convinced. He waved his hand and said, "Master Zhang, I don't mean to stop doing it. You have to give me some time to think about it."
"I only do business with people who are destined to be with me, and I don't have that much time to wait for you." After saying a set of PUA routines, Master Zhang bowed and pretended to leave.
Seeing that the conversation was about to explode, Huo Cunsheng quickly took out his salary card with only 800 yuan in it and stopped the master: "Alright, I'll go swipe the card later, but Master, you still have to let us hear the detailed plan and see the things."
Luo Siwei also acted coquettishly at the right time: "Master, the one who dislikes the goods is the one who buys them. If you let us understand clearly, we will definitely ask you to save our lives."
Master Zhang really gave them a way out and was coaxed back after a few words. He sat on a chair and began to introduce the functions of his own magic tools to them. At the end, he added: "I don't have any ordinary items here."
"Let's just go by the price the master said." Luo Siwei said softly, "As long as it can turn a disaster into a good one, the money spent is worth it."
Huo Cunsheng also started to say something like he felt like he had known Master Zhang for a long time when he first met him, and that the master was an otherworldly sage and that he shouldn't be on the same level as a vulgar person like him. In short, he kept praising Master Zhang.
Master Zhang was so happy that his complexion gradually improved.
With the groundwork laid and the truth of the matter largely ascertained, Luo Siwei finally brought the topic back to talismans. "Master Zhang, I have another matter to trouble you with. Ever since that incident, I've had trouble sleeping, nightmares, and even sleep paralysis. I've heard that your talismans are incredibly effective, so could you draw one for me to dispel the evil spirits?"
Master Zhang was in high spirits after completing the deal: "This isn't a difficult task."
As he spoke, he took a piece of yellow paper from the table and opened a box of cinnabar. He picked up a brush from the table, dipped it in cinnabar, and began to draw on the paper: "I only give this talisman to those who are destined to receive it. I don't draw it easily."
As he spoke, the brush began to move across the paper, outlining the basic shape of the talisman.
Luo Siwei and Huo Cunsheng looked down, both feeling a little nervous. They had just put on a show, and if they discovered that the evidence didn't match after putting pen to paper, all their efforts would be in vain.
As he drew stroke by stroke, the talisman paper in front of him was exactly the same as what Zhou Zitu had described, from its size, paper, material, to the patterns and text on it. Even some details and brushstrokes were exactly the same.
Seeing this scene, Huo Cunsheng's frown relaxed, and a rare smile appeared on the corner of Luo Siwei's mouth. Guo Zhengyao pretended to lean forward to look at the talisman, ready to take action at any time. Chi Li also moved slightly to the side, blocking Master Zhang's retreat.
The talisman was complicated. As the master was drawing it, Luo Siwei asked, "Master, if I really encountered a ghost, how should I use this talisman?"
Master Zhang said, "If it's a normal situation, just fold the talisman and put it under your pillow."
Luo Siwei asked, "What if the ghost is extremely dangerous?"
Master Zhang fell for it and taught her the method seriously: "Then you can hold the talisman in your mouth. I can also teach you a six-word mantra. If you recite it silently in your heart, the evil spirit will be driven away."
Luo Siwei asked delicately, "What if the evil ghost doesn't leave?"
Master Zhang said, "Then you can swallow this talisman, and the Vajra Dharma King will protect you and help you safely overcome the calamity."
"Please pay by credit card." Having said that, Master Zhang put a few dots of cinnabar on the lower corner of the talisman, which looked like the shape of a flower.
This just proves that the talisman painted by this master and the one Zhou Zitu had mentioned before were from the same family. It also explains why the police found the talisman in Zhou Zitu's mouth.
More importantly, they confirmed the master's criminal facts of promoting superstition and attempting to defraud.
"Thank you for troubling me tonight, Master." Luo Siwei said as she turned her head to look back at Guo Zhengyao. Guo Zhengyao nodded slightly to her. Everything that had just happened had been recorded by the law enforcement surveillance camera on him.
Now all they have to do is catch the turtle in the jar.
Now that the road has been explored, there is no need to continue the drama.
Luo Siwei reached out and pulled out the talisman paper, folded it several times, and put it into an investigation bag. Then she opened her handbag, and inside the exquisite handbag was a pair of silver handcuffs.
Huo Cunsheng put away his bank card, took off his troublesome suit jacket, smoothed his hair back, and clenched his fists.
Master Zhang was stunned and looked up at them: "What are you doing..."
Chi Li raised his hand and waved his police ID: "Police."
Master Zhang finally realized that something was wrong and stood up to escape, but Guo Zhengyao had been waiting for him and pushed him down on the table with a backhand.
Luo Siwei smiled faintly and leaned forward: "Master Zhang, have you had your fortune told recently? I see that your forehead is dark, and you are going to have bad luck soon."
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