Chapter 51 The Manifestation He had to admit, when it came to charlatanry...
This person was none other than Qingduo. Seeing that the big fish had taken the bait, she said without any politeness, "In that case, we'll be inconvenient with you."
After saying that, she turned around to get into the sedan chair, but suddenly stopped and turned back to instruct the man behind her, saying, "Little Yizi, you'd better stay close!" She winked at him.
Zhu Yi was very dissatisfied. He had racked his brains to come up with a name that sounded like that of a hermit: "Xuanhe." They had clearly agreed on it yesterday. Why did she change her name at the last minute? And even gave him a eunuch's name?
He glanced at Dong Wenyuan, afraid of saying anything that would make him realize what was going on, so he could only swallow his anger and play the role of "Little Yizi".
The one who stole the book written by Wu Yan's husband was Dong Wenyuan. Qingduo and the others wanted to help her get back the writing fee, but if they went to her door like Wu Jiang did, they would probably leave empty-handed. So, this matter can only be resolved through strategy, not by brute force.
Fortunately, Qingduo got the news from Zeng Zhengqing that the young master of the Dong family liked to listen to stories and was superstitious. So Lu Nong came up with a plan. She first wrote a story to make Dong Wenyuan believe in fortune tellers. Then Qingduo would play the role of a fortune teller to get close to him. After that, things would naturally fall into place.
When Qingduo saw the story written by Lu Nong, the smile on her face vanished instantly, and her expression turned serious.
"What's wrong? Is there a flaw somewhere?" Lu Nong asked nervously when she saw Qing Duo's appearance. "No matter how well we disguise ourselves, there may still be loopholes. That's why I specially designed an extraordinary person based on you. An extraordinary person will naturally have an extraordinary appearance, so it will not be easy to arouse suspicion!"
"Haha," Qingduo forced a smile, "Sister Lu Nong is so meticulous. But... how did you come up with this story?"
"This isn't something I made up. It's a shocking case that shook the world. My dad told me about it when I was little, but I don't remember it very clearly. I suddenly remembered this while writing it, so I incorporated the character of the fortune teller and adapted it a bit. Is there a problem?" Lu Nong asked worriedly, seeing Qing Duo's pale face.
"No, it's fine." Qingduo put down her manuscript, turned around and walked outside. "I'm going to try on that fortune teller's costume!"
"Hey, Qingduo..." Lu Nong looked at her back and felt very uneasy: Qingduo had just tried on clothes!
The three clarified their respective responsibilities: Lu Nong would stay at the Yuqian Tea House, bribe the storyteller to tell the stories she had written, and make timely adjustments if anything was amiss; Qing Duo was clever and quick-witted, and she would play the role of the Child-Faced Sorcerer; while Zhu Yi would play the role of Qing Duo's attendant, responsible for protecting her safety.
Everything proceeded according to plan. Qingduo and Zhu Yi entered the Dong residence, and Dong Wenyuan led them to his study.
As soon as Qingduo entered the room, she saw the shelves full of books and a few doubts arose in her heart. Could this guy really have some real knowledge, and was Qingqing's information wrong? Taking advantage of the time when Dong Wenyuan went out to give instructions to the servants, she quickly slipped to the bookshelf and randomly pulled out a copy of "The Analects of Confucius". She noticed that the cover was faded and the corners were curled up.
"He's quite diligent," Qingduo thought, opening the book and almost bursting out laughing. The cover was of the *Analects*, but inside was an illustrated book of unknown title. It depicted a shrimp-headed monster wielding swords and spears, battling a fish-headed monster with lifelike detail.
Footsteps sounded outside. She hurriedly stuffed the books inside, then turned around with a forced smile, insincerely praising, "Young master has a vast collection of books. You must be a well-read person. I admire you!"
"Not at all," Dong Wenyuan said modestly, "I only know a little bit about it."
He invited Qingduo to take a seat, and Qingduo sat down casually, with Zhu Yi sitting to the side. A servant brought out some iced cheese, and Dong Wenyuan placed it eagerly in front of Qingduo. Afraid of giving herself away, Qingduo lifted her beard to cover the bowl, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in her mouth.
The cool, refreshing milky aroma filled her mouth, instantly invigorating Qingduo. She didn't forget her purpose, asking Dong Wenyuan's birth date and time. Extending her left hand, she gestured with her thumb from her index finger to her little finger, then back again, pretending to calculate for a while before laughing, "Oh dear, young master, don't be so modest. When I first met you, your brows revealed a scholarly air; you seem destined for calligraphy and painting!"
Upon hearing this, Dong Wenyuan's eyes shone like a wolf's in the night. He slapped his thigh and said, "The master is indeed a master. You are right. I have indeed written a few stories, but unfortunately, apart from one that is passable, the others... sigh, in the end, I just haven't met anyone who knows how to appreciate them."
When Qingduo heard him mention a special book, she immediately became alert, but her face remained calm as she asked, "What's so special about that book?"
"Well..." Dong Wenyuan glanced at Qingduo but didn't continue.
Seeing that he remained silent, Qingduo became even more certain that what Wu Yan had said was true. Although he didn't want to talk about it now, Qingduo was confident that she could guide him to speak on his own initiative.
She slowly ate a few more spoonfuls of ice cream and said, "Young master, according to my calculations, the reason your other books haven't 'met' anyone who can appreciate them isn't the books themselves, but rather..."
"And what is it?" Dong Wenyuan leaned towards Qingduo and asked urgently.
"Instead, you are entangled by karmic debts. Today, I, an old man, have the opportunity to meet you. I am willing to use the method of spirit writing to ask the immortals to eradicate these karmic debts for you, so that your future will be bright and you will make a name for yourself. What do you think?"
These words made Dong Wenyuan eager to try, and he said impatiently, "I'm willing, of course I'm willing! After so many years, someone has finally broken my deadlock, I couldn't be happier!"
“Alright,” Qingduo put down her spoon and made up a story in a serious tone, “The so-called spirit writing requires inviting a spirit to possess one’s body. My little Yizi is a spirit medium. Once the spirit enters his body, the questions you asked will be answered.”
"But do you want a first-class immortal, a second-class immortal, or a third-class immortal?"
Dong Wenyuan was completely bewildered: "What...what's the difference?"
“The difference is huge,” Zhu Yi said. “A first-class immortal is thirty taels, a second-class immortal is three taels, and a third-class immortal is thirty coins.”
"We're not doing this to make money for ourselves; these are all offerings to the Immortal Lord afterward," Qingduo said with a smile.
“Of course I understand. With such a large price difference, how effective are they…” Dong Wenyuan hesitated.
“Well, I’ll explain it to you now,” Qingduo pointed to the ice cream in front of her. “Like this bowl of ice cream, it’s all made from milk, so why are the prices different? That’s because the milk’s concentration is different.”
"As for me, who am classified as A, B, or C, the 'intensity' of the immortals I attract varies. Class C is very likely to attract wandering ghosts; Class B may attract immortals whose spiritual power is insufficient to unravel the mysteries of heaven; only Class A offers the wonderful experience of having every question answered!"
Without further hesitation, Dong Wenyuan shouted, "A! A! A!"
He clapped his hands, and a clever servant presented him with silver. With the money in hand, the matter was half settled. Zhu Yi couldn't hide his excitement. Qingduo walked over and handed him the silver, giving him a wink. Zhu Yi lowered his head, concealing his expression.
Zhu Yi stood up and took out a T-shaped peach wood planchette from his satchel, with a calligraphy brush tied to it. Qing Duo asked someone to bring a sand tray and placed it under the brush. She then put her hands into her sleeves and took out a small peach wood sword with a bell tied to it. She untied the bindings, and the bells immediately jingled.
She said with a serious expression, "I will be inviting the immortals to descend in a moment. There will only be the three of us in this room. Remember not to panic. If we disturb the immortals, all the previous arrangements will be in vain."
Dong Wenyuan immediately waved for the servants to leave, then personally closed the door. When he turned around, he stared nervously at Qingduo, his body stiffening on the spot, not daring to even breathe, for fear that the slightest movement would disrupt the ceremony.
"Oh, right, there's one more thing I need to tell you," Qingduo said, raising the peach wood sword with both hands, "You can't lie to the gods!"
Before Dong Wenyuan could even respond, she began violently shaking the peach wood sword in her hand. As if the bell wasn't loud enough, she also made "whoosh whoosh whoosh" sounds.
Dong Wenyuan held his breath as well. Suddenly! The "master" began to move his arms wildly, drawing rapid circles that overlapped and blurred, as if it were the thousands of arms of Guanyin flying up and down. The sound of the bells was like countless pebbles bouncing from the ruts of carts, densely hitting people's hearts, making them panic.
Zhu Yi sat on the stool, his hands gripping the spirit tablet, but he secretly pinched his arms hard to keep from laughing out loud. This wasn't the first time he'd seen Qing Duo's self-designed "Summoning Immortals Dance." She had practiced it several times in front of Lu Nong's family. But each time was different. As the saying goes, "one step at a hundred feet, one must strive for further progress," and Qing Duo's "Summoning Immortals Dance" continued to advance step by step down the path of madness.
He had to admit that Qingduo was exceptionally talented and outstanding in the art of pretending to be a ghost.
Dong Wenyuan clutched his chest, rubbed his eyes, and tried to keep up with the "master's" rhythm. He saw the "master" change her posture again; she held a peach wood sword, thrusting left and right, poking up and down, chanting incantations:
"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, but none can match the divine intervention of the fairy. The wicked and treacherous have set traps; how can such evil and injustice be tolerated?"
"The sky is blue, the earth is clear, summoning a fairy to reveal her power. My pen and ink are covered in dust, my talent and reputation are ruined, only by washing away the stain can my heart find peace."
"The sky is bright and the earth is clear; the fairy will soon appear. The wronged will have their culprits, the debtors their debtors; right and wrong will be clearly distinguished!"
Perhaps it was because the room was poorly ventilated, but as the "master" mumbled a long passage, Dong Wenyuan felt his heart pounding and his whole body drenched in sweat. He clutched his chest and took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. What "loss of talent and reputation," "tarnished," "stigmatized"—the more he listened, the more uneasy he felt.
At this moment, Master Qingduo finished her poking and pricking. But she wasn't done yet. Like a wasp whose nest had been disturbed, she jumped around erratically for a moment, then suddenly withdrew her spiritual power, crossed her two swords and raised them high: "Aren't you going to welcome Immortal Duo?"
Dong Wenyuan immediately lifted his robe, knelt on the ground, and sincerely bowed: "This humble one, Dong Wenyuan, respectfully welcomes the arrival of Immortal Duo!"
But what kind of fairy is "Duo Xian"? I've never heard of her before.
*
The thought had barely crossed his mind when Dong Wenyuan immediately cursed himself for being disrespectful to the gods. He glanced up furtively and saw the master staring devoutly at the crossed sword tips, as if those were the unseen gods. Feeling guilty, he lowered his head, fearing that the master and the gods would discover his little scheme, and then respectfully kowtowed three times to the master.
Qingduo, with an air of nonchalance, held up two swords and moved sideways towards Zhu Yi like a crab. Zhu Yi knew it was his turn to step in. He solemnly raised his hands, palms up, eyes closed, ready to receive "Duo Xian".
"call out--"
A sharp pain shot through his chest, and Zhu Yi abruptly opened his eyes. Looking down, he saw two peach wood swords embedded in his body.
He was shocked to meet Qingduo's eyes. The latter, with her back to Dong Wenyuan, even had the nerve to wink at him!
Just as Zhu Yi was about to reprimand her, he suddenly noticed Dong Wenyuan looking up at them blankly. He closed his eyes, swallowed his anger at Qing Duo for once again deviating from the plan, and repeatedly reminded himself: Put the big picture first, put the big picture first!
Then, Zhu Yi let out a cry and his whole body convulsed, as if he were trying to shake something off. His eyes suddenly widened and stared straight ahead, making strange "hoarse" sounds in his throat. He covered his neck with both hands, as if trying to pull something out.
Qingduo looked at him with disdain. The acting was terrible. She had personally instructed him, but Zhu Yi's performance was as if he had been poisoned by drinking poison!
Seeing this, Dong Wenyuan collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. At this moment, Zhu Yi steadied himself and stopped shaking, but his eyes still lacked any luster. He placed his hands on the spirit tablet, looking ready for action.
Qingduo cleared her throat: "Young Master Dong, the fairy Duo has possessed you. Ask her any questions you have, because she'll be leaving soon."
"Yes, yes." Caught off guard by the sudden question, Dong Wenyuan hesitated for a moment before asking his first question, "The master said I'm possessed by evil spirits. Where did this come from?"
Zhu Yi, supporting the planchette, haphazardly drew on the sand table. Qing Duo studied it for a while with great interest and then interpreted it as, "Huh? Fairy Duo said that you stole something from someone else, so that person has come to collect the debt from you."
Dong Wenyuan's face was full of confusion: "I have never taken anything from anyone! My mother and I have always been good people, and our family often gives alms!"
He'd refused to talk much about his special book before. Even though Qingduo warned him to speak the truth to immortals, he still wouldn't utter a word. Hmph, I'll just have to be even clearer and see how he plays dumb!
"Hmm... what character is this?" Qingduo stared at the irregular symbols drawn on the sand table, pretending to ponder, and said, "It's the character 'book,' that's right, it's 'book.'"
She looked at Dong Wenyuan and said coldly, "Duo Xian said you stole someone else's book!"
Dong Wenyuan's face immediately turned bright red, and he retorted, "I didn't steal it! He clearly stated the price! I bought it at a high price!"
*
Qingduo was taken aback, and Zhu Yi also stopped scribbling. However, he quickly realized what was happening and continued to practice his divination with a blank expression and a dazed look.
Qingduo sternly reprimanded, "I'm warning you, if you dare lie to Duoxian, she'll be heading back to the Celestial Palace! You can't gamble with your future!"
"I'm not lying!" Dong Wenyuan hurriedly defended himself. "Even if I don't care about my own future, I wouldn't dare to deceive the gods!"
Qingduo's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that it wasn't Dong Wenyuan who was deceiving them, but Wu Yan? But she really didn't want to associate the poor orphan and widow with a swindler, so she said, "But Fairy Duo only saw you take someone else's book. What's the secret? Explain it to Fairy Duo quickly!"
Dong Wenyuan knelt on the ground again, clasped his hands together respectfully, and said, "By the grace of Fairy Duo, I, Dong Wenyuan, dare not lie. This matter... this matter..." He glanced at Qingduo, then stopped speaking.
"Don't you trust an old man like me? Or should I just withdraw my spirit now?" Qingduo rolled her eyes at him.
“That’s not it,” he quickly explained, sighing, “Alas, it’s a truly disgraceful matter!”
“I wrote several stories, but they all sank without a trace, leaving me extremely anxious and wondering when I would finally get ahead. One day, while chatting with a friend, I couldn’t help but confide my worries. After listening to me, he introduced me to a bookstore called ‘Shouzhentang,’ saying that the shopkeeper, Mr. Sai, had connections and that he might be able to help me become famous quickly.”
"I guess I was just grasping at straws! I went to that bookstore, and the owner, Mr. Sai, was indeed a 'capable man'! Knowing that I liked supernatural tales, he found me several books, one of which was exceptionally well-written! I read it and kept praising it, then sighed, 'It's a pity I can't write such a masterpiece!'"
"He smiled and said, 'Why not?' I was puzzled. He then told me that I could buy the book, put my own name on it, which would be equivalent to buying out the author's story in one go. However, the author's initial asking price was high and there was no room for negotiation."
"When I heard that this book could earn me prestige, I was immediately tempted and gave him one hundred taels of silver to buy it."
Qingduo was surprised. She and Zhu Yi quickly exchanged glances. This explanation was completely different from Wu Yan's; both sides had their own version of events. Even if Sai Linfu took his cut, a hundred taels should still be a considerable amount left. If Wu Yan had taken the money, why had she ended up in such a predicament? How could her husband have been beaten and died from illness while trying to collect the money? Why had they repeatedly gone to the Dong family to demand it? Wu Yan didn't seem like the kind of person who would resort to such shameless tactics!
"This book is indeed wonderful, and it has brought me some fame. But it has also brought me some trouble. Originally, we agreed that I would buy it all at once, but this family has been clinging to me like leeches, constantly asking for money. Sigh, poor people are just so greedy!"
"Hmph! I won't let them have their way! Five taels today, ten taels tomorrow! They'll only push their luck and never stop! They want me to spend more money? No way!"
Before the gods, Dong Wenyuan wouldn't lie. If what he said is true, that he spent money, and Wu Yan's family didn't seem to receive any, then where is the money?
Sailinfu!
The image of Sailinfu's sinister smile and those two shrimp-like whiskers flashed before her eyes. Qingduo wanted nothing more than to rush up and grab his whiskers, then give him a good beating. She also saw anger in Zhu Yi's eyes, and stepped forward to stand in front of Dong Wenyuan, trying her best to calm herself down, saying, "But Fairy Keduo can't be wrong! Have you asked if that Manager Sai has given the money to the author?"
"If Manager Sai embezzled the money and the author didn't receive the silver, in the eyes of the gods, it would be that you and Manager Sai conspired to steal the author's manuscript!"
"Huh? This..." Dong Wenyuan started sweating again.
Qingduo turned around and glanced at the sand table, pretending to be serious, and said, "Duoxian said that if you don't solve this problem, you'll never get ahead in your life!"
Dong Wenyuan said regretfully, "Manager Sai has ruined my life!"
"That's enough for today! We'll continue when you've sorted this out." Qingduo patted Zhu Yi, who swayed slightly, then feigned sleep, asking knowingly, "Duoxian is gone?"
"But Master, after I finish dealing with this matter, will I be able to see you again?"
"Didn't I tell you? I'm destined to meet you, and you'll naturally run into me when things happen!" Qingduo led Zhu Yi outside.
Zhu Yi whispered, "It's done already?"
Qingduo smiled slightly: "Not only did it work out, he also has to thank me!"
Sure enough, they hadn't walked far when they heard Dong Wenyuan's grateful shout from behind: "Thank you for your guidance, Master! Thank you for the arrival of Fairy Duo!"
Qingduo didn't turn her head, but simply raised her right hand. What did she mean? It was a trivial matter, not worth mentioning!
*
Having easily earned 30 taels, Qingduo and Zhu Yi went to a secluded spot, quickly took off their clothes, put away their banners, and casually blended into the crowd.
Zhu Yi was thrilled that his plan had succeeded, muttering to himself, "Hey, he'll definitely cause trouble for Serinfu this time. I want to see how Serinfu explains himself!"
Qingduo remained silent. Zhu Yi found it strange, noticing that Qingduo showed no excitement whatsoever, completely unlike her usual self. He asked curiously, "Little Qingduo, what's wrong?"
Qingdao shook her head and said, "Brother Zhu, please take the money to Sister Wu Yan. I'm a little tired, so I'll head back first."
Zhu Yi looked at Qing Duo's retreating figure and scratched his head. What's wrong with this girl? Usually, she's more excited than anyone else when she accomplishes something, and she can't wait to run to the local earth god to claim credit. Why is she so listless now?
*
As soon as Zeng Zhengqing stepped into the courtyard, he saw Qingduo hunched over the table by the window, holding a paintbrush, seemingly engrossed in her painting. With a smile on his lips, he tiptoed into the house, intending to startle her, but from a few steps away, he saw that she was fast asleep. He figured she had only finished half of her painting when she became too tired and fell asleep without even putting down her brush.
He felt a pang of heartache watching her suffer. His wife had been working tirelessly for the victims while also practicing her painting; she must be incredibly exhausted. He went over to her, intending to take the brush from her hand and carry her to bed. But when he caught a glimpse of the painting on the table, he abruptly stopped, his face filled with shock.
The lady in the painting holds a silk fan and stands sideways. Her face is beautiful, but etched with an unyielding melancholy. Her eyes gaze into the distance. The scene is quite empty, with only a few sparse bamboo stalks standing in a corner, which further emphasizes her solitary figure.
The lady's painting skills had improved again. But that wasn't what surprised Zeng Zhengqing. What truly astonished him was the sorrow conveyed in the painting. He wasn't unfamiliar with Qingduo's sad side, but this helpless despair was like a knife, piercing his heart.
What happened?
He couldn't help but gently pat her to wake her: "Madam."
Qingduo slowly woke up and, seeing Zeng Zhengqing, said in surprise, "Qingqing? You're back? Huh, how did I fall asleep?"
"You're too tired," Zeng Zhengqing said gently. "Get some rest early tonight."
He tentatively asked again, "Did things go smoothly for you today?"
"Successfully!" Qingduo explained Lu Nong's plan and her actions with Zhu Yi.
Zeng Zhengqing initially couldn't help but chuckle as he listened to their plan, but when Qingduo recounted the details of Lu Nong's story, his smile vanished instantly, his expression turned serious, and worry filled his eyes. He gazed at Qingduo, watching her feigned ease, feeling a pang of sadness and heartache, his eyes brimming with tenderness.
I see.
He couldn't help but ask, "Miss Lu Nong, what made you suddenly decide to write this story?"
Qingduo shook her head: "Sister Lu Nong doesn't know. She just thought of this story by chance." Then she looked around, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation: "I'm so hungry! I wonder what delicious food the kitchen has prepared tonight."
“Madam!” Zeng Zhengqing pulled her into his arms, holding her trembling body and gently stroking her back to comfort her. He whispered to her, “You don’t need to hide yourself from me.”
Qingduo remained silent, slowly reaching out to hug him back, holding him very tightly. She understood what he meant; if there was anyone in this world who could empathize with her, it would be Zeng Zhengqing.
"Qingqing".
"Hmm?" he responded gently.
“My dad didn’t cheat.”
Qingduo's voice was very soft, yet each word was clear and distinct, conveying an undeniable firmness:
"My father...would never cheat!"
-----------------------
Author's Note: My tenosynovitis flared up again. I tried to tough it out, but the more I wrote, the more it hurt. Now I can't even hold chopsticks, and I'm making a lot of mistakes with my voice input, so I have to type most of them. Therefore, I'll be slowing down my updates for now (although I've been updating quite slowly all along...).
After all, I created Qingduo, so this article must be completed.
Hopefully, after a short rest, I can get a good hand again.
Thank you to all the readers who have supported and followed Qingduo. Every click, comment, and favorite gives me tremendous motivation. [Pink Heart]
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