Misfortune leans upon fortune; fortune hides misfortune. The outcome of misfortune and fortune was changing. Misfortune and fortune depended on each other. For now, he would wait and see.
Divination Sign Eleven: You cast and divine; the body bore no words of misfortune. Go to the Marriage Agency. The guidance you received was "fortune."
"Marriage Agency?"
At the sight of this place, Zhao Huai froze instinctively.
This Marriage Agency was an institution representing the ancient authorities in matters of marriage between men and women. There were many matchmakers inside, specializing in arranging marriages for people. It was also known as the official matchmaking office.
Put in modern terms, it was a place for blind dates and introductions.
You cast and divine; the body bore no words of misfortune.
This divinatory phrase came from the Book of Songs, and its meaning was obvious—it was telling him to prepare for marriage.
Zhao Huai immediately gave a bitter smile.
A hot-blooded young man in his early twenties was actually going on a blind date? But after thinking it over, he accepted it. So be it. He was not really here to find a match; he was here to avoid disaster. He would just treat it as broadening his horizons.
At the same time, a streak of blue light slipped from the copper coin into Zhao Huai's mind.
This meant that another new fate trait had joined him.
Full of anticipation, Zhao Huai examined the blue orb. As the starlight scattered, a line of text emerged.
Dragon Seeking and Wilderness Exploration (Yellow-Grade Low-Rank): Seek dragons, divide gold, and read the winding mountains; every winding ridge is a pass. Whoever possesses this fate trait would have a clear and tranquil mind, could not enter ghost walls, and would never lose their way.
"Damn, how could this seem useful and useless at the same time?"
Zhao Huai muttered under his breath.
He had divined countless paths—this one led to disaster, that one to fortune—and in the end, he got a fate trait for finding his way?
Still, it was worth celebrating. Great Luck Overhead had truly taken effect. In the past, getting even a Yellow-Grade fate trait would not have been so easy.
After glancing at the sparsely populated street, Zhao Huai did not linger any longer and hurried toward the Marriage Agency.
The Marriage Agency was located in the northwestern corner of Jin Province City, nestled among the streets and alleys of wealthy merchants.
There were many rich people in this area, making it a place where matchmakers were exceptionally active.
If they successfully arranged a marriage for one of these wealthy merchants, the commission they could take would be several times greater than what they earned from ordinary commoners.
At the entrance to the Marriage Agency, a matchmaker of no more than sixty, dressed in a purple-padded jacket with streaks of gray in her hair, was about to close the ornate red-lacquered doors.
The authorities had just issued a notice. For some inexplicable reason, the city was to be placed under restrictions for a day. Business had become difficult enough already; it was infuriating.
"Not a single marriage arrangement today, and now I have to turn away guests. What rotten luck!"
The purple-clad matchmaker grumbled to herself. As she turned her head, a figure unexpectedly entered the corner of her eye.
The figure wore a long black robe. The fabric could not be called luxurious, but it was spotless, and it carried an indescribable air of nobility.
As he drew nearer, she could finally see his features clearly. He was a handsome young gentleman.
The faint smile on his face carried a trace of carefree ease, while every gesture radiated the words refined and approachable.
That aura, held within yet impossible to conceal, gave the experienced purple-clad matchmaker a premonition.
This was a big fish.
"This young gentleman looks most distinguished. You came to the Marriage Agency for the great matter of your lifelong union, did you not?"
The purple-clad matchmaker's face was piled high with smiles.
Such a handsome young gentleman would surely be popular with many noble young ladies. If she made this match, would she not strike it rich? She absolutely could not let such an opportunity slip away.
"Uh, no rush. I'll look around first."
Zhao Huai touched his nose and put on a calm, unruffled appearance, as though he were an old hand who had weathered countless battles.
Even though he had lived two lives, blind dates were something he had never experienced in either one!
Besides, he had only come to avoid the limelight. How could he possibly be here to truly seek a match?
He would just take a casual look, and that would be that.
Zhao Huai could not help comforting himself this way.
"Of course, of course."
Smiling, the purple-clad matchmaker invited Zhao Huai into the residence and conveniently pulled the front doors shut behind him.
Zhao Huai himself did not even know how he had ended up seated at a table in the reception hall, flipping through portrait after portrait in an album.
Before he began looking, the matchmaker had specially asked about Zhao Huai's household circumstances.
"Young gentleman, what are your household conditions like? That way, I can better explain the options to you."
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Huai gave a modest figure.
"My residence is three hundred square meters, I have a hundred mu of farmland, carriages and horses alike, and I run a pawnshop. My household wealth may not exceed ten thousand strings, but having more than a thousand should be more than enough."
Though that was what he said, Zhao Huai's wealth in the Mortal World was probably far greater than that. The gold, silver, and jewels in his warehouse alone could rival those of a wealthy merchant from the Liangjiang River Basin.
The main point was that having too much money in the Mortal World was useless. As long as he had enough, that was fine. His goal was cultivation, so he had never put much thought into making money.
"It seems this young gentleman's conditions are quite good."
After hearing this, the purple-clad matchmaker secretly rejoiced. As expected, her eyes were keen as torches. This young gentleman before her was indeed a big fish.
Only then did she feel at ease pointing to the album and introducing the candidates page by page.
"Young gentleman, look at this first one. She comes from a family of master craftsmen, with wide hips and a plump figure. Children born to such a woman are sure to be clever!"
"Uh, forget it. She's a little too plump."
Looking at the round cheeks in the portrait, Zhao Huai showed an apologetic smile.
"Then what about this one? Full breasts and a slender waist, from a prominent household. She is a noble young lady with a wealthy merchant for a father, and she has many suitors."
Zhao Huai rested a finger against his chin and considered. "She looks a little too old."
"She will definitely meet your requirements, young gentleman. She is about your age, with long legs and a shapely rear. Her father once passed the provincial examination as a juren, and he now holds an official post."
An official's daughter? That would be a disaster!
If he married her into the household, would that not be tying his own hands and feet?
Even if he truly had to choose someone, he could not choose this one. Besides, he was only looking.
Zhao Huai shook his head outright and gave his answer.
"She is beyond my reach."
After that, the matchmaker introduced more than a dozen women of different styles and family backgrounds, including their conditions, strengths, and weaknesses.
Yet Zhao Huai rejected every one of them for one reason or another.
When faced with a customer like Zhao Huai, an ordinary person should have grown discouraged and then shown him a sour face.
But this matchmaker was not discouraged in the slightest. Instead, she looked more energized than ever, pulling out a thick stack of albums and slamming them down before Zhao Huai with a bang.
"There are actually this many?"
Zhao Huai asked in astonishment.
In such a short time, he had seen so many women that his eyes were nearly dazzled. Zhao Huai had truly broadened his horizons.
So there were so many unmarried girls, all waiting for blind dates.
People said that in ancient times, marriages were arranged by matchmakers' words and parents' commands, but in Zhao Huai's view, this Marriage Agency was far better than an introduction from one's parents.
The purple-clad matchmaker smiled and explained, "Young gentleman, you do not come here often, so it is normal that you do not know. Besides albums for women, we also have corresponding albums for men. Their family elders bring them here, all hoping to find the best possible match. Thus, the Marriage Agency has collected records of unmarried men and women from Jin Province and the surrounding prefectures and counties, all so that lovers may eventually become spouses and find their finest other half."
"There are also often ladies and young gentlemen with nothing to do, lingering here and flipping through the albums, simply waiting for someone fated. When the time is right, the Marriage Agency sends a matchmaker to notify them and visit their homes to propose marriage. Everything then falls into place as naturally as water flowing into a channel."
Hearing this, Zhao Huai nodded slightly. He now had a deeper understanding of this profession.
"So what kind of woman does this young gentleman truly like? This old woman can help you search."
After introducing so many candidates and seeing that this young gentleman still remained unmoved, the matchmaker felt somewhat helpless.
Yet Zhao Huai had clearly come to pass the time and avoid misfortune. With the matchmaker recommending candidates so enthusiastically, he began to feel a little embarrassed.
He was exactly like those freeloading spectators who only looked and never bought.
Zhao Huai thought that he might as well casually pick someone to talk to and spend the afternoon. In the end, he could simply use incompatibility as an excuse.
Thus, bracing himself, he pointed to a woman who was fairly pleasant-looking and said softly:
"How about this one?"
The matchmaker looked rather surprised. "This one? Though she is fairly pretty, delicate like a small household's daughter, her circumstances and temperament are both inferior to those previous candidates. She is rather ordinary."
That would be perfect. If she were too outstanding, it would only make her harder to reject.
Zhao Huai thought to himself.
"Then this one."
Before you continue