The mental torment led to physical exhaustion, and Zhang the butcher was now listless, his eyelids drooping several times before he could no longer stay awake and finally gave up.
Li Xi and Meng Zhelan knew their plan had succeeded when they saw the dark circles under his eyes.
Li Xi shouted, "Boss, give me three catties of pork ribs, two catties of pork belly, and half a catty of offal."
Butcher Zhang woke up with a start, realizing he had dozed off again. "What would the young man like?"
Li Xi pretended to be a little angry and said, "I said I want three catties of pork ribs, two catties of pork belly, and half a catty of offal."
While Butcher Zhang was busy at work, Li Xi pretended to be casual and spoke to Meng Zhelan.
“Junior sister, do you know? My uncle was possessed by an evil spirit a while ago. He sells mutton, and I don’t know if it’s because he slaughtered so many sheep that it’s psychological, but he said that for several nights he dreamed that Taotie turned him into a sheep and then chopped him up like he usually does when he slaughters sheep. After a few days, he was so scared that he fell ill and talked nonsense all night long.”
"Oh, what happened? He's usually perfectly healthy, isn't he?" Meng Zhelan feigned surprise.
“Sigh, so everyone in my family says he’s committed too many killings and has been possessed by an evil spirit,” Li Xi sighed, shaking her head.
"How is he now?" Meng Zhelan asked worriedly.
"Later, my aunt heard that there was a Taoist named Lingxiao who was proficient in Qimen Dunjia (a form of divination and divination). He usually appeared at the market in Qingyuan Town. Last time, my aunt took my uncle to look for him, and they found him. The Taoist Lingxiao looked at my uncle and aunt's birth charts and calculated that their charts were compatible, which, in theory, could ward off evil and disaster, ensuring their safety. Unless there are other external factors..."
Before she could finish speaking, Li Xi saw that the pork was already packed and prepared to pay and leave.
When Butcher Zhang saw that the two women were about to leave, he became anxious. "Hey, ladies, why don't you finish what you're saying? I'm really enjoying this, hehe."
Seeing Zhang the butcher's feigned composure coupled with his anxious expression, Li Xi knew he had taken the bait.
He cleared his throat and said, "It's nothing major. The fortune teller asked my uncle if he was planning to bring someone into the family recently. My aunt said, 'How did you know, fortune teller? This shameless old man wants to take a concubine as soon as he has a couple more copper coins in his pocket.' The fortune teller asked for the woman's birth date and time, and after some calculation, said that the woman's birth date and time were incompatible with my uncle's. If he were to marry her, it would ruin the family's fortune and affect his wealth and health in the long run. Now that he has started to contact the woman and exchanged birth dates and time, it has begun to affect him. My uncle was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat. What the fortune teller said was true. After meeting the woman, he started having nightmares that night, and he felt increasingly unlucky. Then my uncle gave up the idea of taking a concubine. After a long period of no contact, my uncle did not have nightmares anymore and returned to his old self."
Zhang the butcher broke out in a cold sweat after hearing this; how come this was so similar to his situation?
He exchanged betrothal gifts with Ling'er from the Chen family in Yadi Village, and after choosing an auspicious day, they formally proposed marriage.
He secretly decided to go to the market in Qingyuan Town in a few days to look for Master Lingxiao.
Seeing Zhang the butcher's serious expression, Li Xi knew he had taken it to heart. "Oh, I think it's just a coincidence. There aren't that many ghosts and gods around."
Butcher Zhang laughed and said, "That's right, hehe." Li Xi didn't say anything more and left with Meng Zhelan.
The two strolled leisurely along the quaint streets, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
The town is incredibly charming. The cobblestone paths are quaint and charming, and the calls of vendors along the way are so lively that they make you want to stop and watch.
Before dark, Li Xi and her friend, carrying their spoils from their shopping trip, rode an oxcart back to the village. It's so good to have money in your pocket; no matter the era, money can always solve most problems.
Li Xi used some plain-colored cotton and linen fabric to make a Taoist robe that looked elegant and otherworldly.
Based on the clothing habits of the ancients, she combined some simple modern designs with traditional Hanfu.
The design appears to be a normal Hanfu style at first glance, but the actual details are based on the simplicity of modern clothing.
Although there is no zipper, the pants are still similar to modern casual pants, with a few clever tricks to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions.
She wouldn't wear underwear anymore, so she opted for simple bellybands and shorts, prioritizing comfort.
After two busy days, I finally finished making several sets of clothes to change into.
With the help of Meng Zhelan and Ling'er, the props needed for the live-action performance were prepared.
The three of them hurried to the Qingyuan Temple Fair in the neighboring town as dawn was breaking.
In ancient times, when people exchanged goods, there were no fixed times or places, nor were there unified standards, which often led to unfair transactions.
Therefore, people hoped for a fair and reasonable place where goods could be exchanged regularly.
In rural areas, market days are trading days for all farmers, and they are also days that all farmers value highly.
People would bring their own farmed crops to the market to sell, and also buy household supplies at the same time.
In the market, there are also special places for trading livestock, such as pig markets, cattle markets, and horse markets.
The three of them went to the market and, before their stall was even full, they found a secluded corner to set up.
A simple table is covered with a worn tablecloth, bamboo poles are hung, and banners are tied on, with the four characters "Lingxiao Zhenren" standing out prominently.
In those days, it was common for women to go out and about, whether it was doing business or farming.
Although women did not hold official positions in the court, female officials were prevalent in the imperial harem, assisting the empress in managing palace affairs.
Ling'er found a place to hide, while Li Xi and Meng Zhelan sat and chatted, waiting for Butcher Zhang to come over.
Li Xi was dressed in a Taoist robe, and was tall and slender, with a somewhat otherworldly air about her.
She leveraged the advantages of modern people, mastering makeup, one of the four great Asian sorceries, which was a piece of cake for her, given her background in fine arts. She even practiced with various bloggers for several years.
After makeup, she looks like a completely different gender; she now appears to be a man in his forties. Race can be changed, but there's no need for that right now.
Under Li Xi's influence, Meng Zhelan became a handsome young disciple of fourteen or fifteen years old, and the two chatted aimlessly.
When people occasionally come to ask about feng shui, wealth, or love luck, Li Xi remains unperturbed.
She could speak without hesitation. Back then, her mother's condition was so serious that even the doctors were helpless. Desperate, she went to many fortune tellers and temples to have her mother's fortune told and consult oracles.
Although it didn't have much effect, I did learn quite a few of those terms.
When Butcher Zhang arrived, he had just managed to swindle a woman away.
Observing his complexion, Li Xi pretended to be serious and said, "A dark complexion on the forehead indicates misfortune and trouble is coming your way."
Zhang the butcher was shocked and cried out, "Master, please save me! I've been having a lot of bad luck lately, with a lot of worries and nightmares every night. In my dreams, monsters say they want to kill me."
"Judging from your appearance, you must be a butcher. You have a strong bloody aura and a heavy history of killing."
Li Xi asked for the butcher's birth date and time, and then, counting on her fingers with her eyes closed, she calculated for quite a while.
He pondered for a moment and said, "Judging from your birth chart, you are destined to be wealthy. Although you will not be extremely rich or noble, you will not have to worry about food and clothing, and your life will be stable, without pain or disaster. However, I see that the dark cloud on your forehead has only recently appeared. It seems that your situation has changed recently, or you have attracted the influence of outsiders. The dust has been disturbed, and your fate will inevitably fluctuate."
Butcher Zhang said, "Master, I'm planning to take a second wife recently, but I had our birth dates checked and they said we're a match made in heaven, so it shouldn't be..."
"It's hard to say. They may seem compatible on the surface, but that might not be the case in reality. Let me calculate the woman's birth chart."
Li Xi calculated for a moment and said, "This woman has an extremely good destiny. Although she may experience some setbacks in her early years, things will only get better as she gets older. On the surface, she does seem to be a good match for you. However, she has recently received help from a benefactor, and her luck will suppress your wealth and destiny in the future. Look at you; you haven't known her for long, and now your face is already dark, and your luck is in complete disarray. If this woman marries you, I'm afraid it will affect you in the long run..."
Zhang the butcher broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that everything the master had said was true, and quickly asked how to resolve the situation.
"That's simple, just cancel the engagement. The dark clouds will clear up in a few days. Go back and think it over carefully."
Butcher Zhang put down the silver, bowed to the master, and left.
After Butcher Zhang had gone far away, Ling'er returned.
She asked worriedly, "Xi'er, do you think he'll believe it?" Li Xi smiled and said, "He will. Otherwise, I'll just use some stronger medicine."
After hearing this, Meng Zhelan laughed: "Xi'er, you're getting more and more mischievous, but you're absolutely right. If Butcher Zhang doesn't listen, then I'll go and concoct an even stronger one..."
The three packed up their stall and ate and drank at the market. Who doesn't enjoy shopping? Before long, they returned to Yadi Village.
Let's see if Butcher Zhang comes to break off the engagement in the next few days. If not, we'll have to make other plans.
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