Old General Fu's anxiety finally subsided, and he looked at Jin Shanyao with a smile in his eyes.
"Miss Jin, do you have any marriage proposal paper? My eldest Fu Congheng, is already eighteen years old, and no girl has yet taken a liking to him."
Jin Shanyao disagreed, saying, "Brother... a bond gained through talismans is ultimately like a pile of loose sand, easily scattered by the wind. Trust me... spending fifty taels of silver on a divination is far better than anything else."
Old General Fu thought it made sense and immediately shouted, "Go and inform Fu Congheng that I'm going to die. All he does is run around outside all day and can't even find a wife. He's nothing."
About half an hour later, Fu Congheng rushed back from outside, looking travel-worn. As soon as he entered, he asked impatiently, "What happened to my grandfather?"
The gatekeeper was completely baffled. The old general was doing well; he had just been laughing heartily.
Fu Congheng saw that the servant boy remained silent, he hurriedly ran into the courtyard. Only when he faintly heard laughter coming from the inner courtyard did he realize that his grandfather was playing a trick on him again.
This is ridiculous! The Capital Prefecture is in a frenzy, with officials trembling with fear, afraid of uncovering something. But Grandfather is still laughing and joking. He was about to turn around when Fu Congzhao grabbed him.
Fu Congzhao said with a forced smile, "Now that you're back, brother, why don't you go in and have your fortune told?"
"What kind of divination?" Before he could think any further, he was pushed inside.
When Old General Fu saw him, the smile on his face faded, and he pointed to the chair in front of Jin Shanyao, saying, "Go, let Miss Jin take a look at your marriage prospects. The money has already been paid."
Fu Congheng stopped in his tracks. "How much?"
"Fifty taels..."
Fifty taels is far too much. His monthly salary is only nine taels. Fu Congheng gritted his teeth and plopped down in a chair, spreading his left hand on the table.
Jin Shanyao, her eyes crinkling, "Young Master Fu, I don't read palms."
Fu Congheng withdrew his hand and sat up straight, bringing his face closer to Jin Shanyao's. A small, cool hand pressed against his forehead. Meng Anci said calmly, "My aunt doesn't do face reading."
Fu Congheng felt a moment of embarrassment and sat up straight, saying, "Would you like me to have your fortune told, young lady?" He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth; it made him sound like a fortune teller.
"Unpredictable Characters"
Fu Congheng, "You don't even look at palms, faces, or read characters when you do divination. How dare you ask for fifty taels?"
Jin Shanyao his birth date and time with her finger, "Child... don't put all your eggs in one basket. Remember, those who have abandoned me are gone forever. Those who have broken my heart only bring me more sorrow today."
Fu Congheng glanced at his grandfather instinctively, and seeing his displeasure, quickly retorted, "Don't talk nonsense, I don't care about anyone."
What??? This is nonsense! What's the difference between this and pointing your finger at her and calling her a liar? The sound of the Jin Shanyao suddenly rose, " Fu Congheng, you fell into the water when you were eight years old and were saved by a girl..."
"Stop, stop, stop..." Fu Congheng wished he could cover her mouth.
Jin Shanyao said coldly, "Would I be talking nonsense?"
"Don't talk nonsense, don't talk nonsense... I beg you, please stop..."
Jin Shanyao gave him a deep look. "Your pursuit of the girl isn't very good, and you're climbing the generational ladder quite quickly." Considering that he called her "Grandma," she felt she had to help him.
"I really like it."
Fu Congheng blushed and remained silent, his eyes filled with sorrow.
Jin Shanyao glared at him, "You're spineless... If you like a woman, you should fight for her, you should snatch her away."
If you don't fight for it, no one will hand it to you. If you don't grab it, it will belong to someone else. The good things in this world are earned, not waited for!
Jin Shanyao to the door and shouted, "Go! Bring her back to me! We'll consummate our marriage tonight!"
The Fu Household family members were stunned by her remarks.
Fu Congheng's morality and despicable nature clashed. "Miss Jin, that girl is already married."
"Of course I know... Animals change mates every year, there's no such thing as forever. Go ask her right now, 'Do you want to change husbands this year?' Go, don't be a coward... mmm..."
Jin Shanyao her head, but Meng Anzhi covered her mouth tightly. She looked apologetically at everyone, "I'm sorry, my aunt didn't sleep well last night."
Seeing the burning rage in his cousin's eyes, Fu Congzhao quickly shouted, "Brother, listen to me! She was so excited last night staring at the gate of the Ji Residence that she didn't sleep a wink. It's all nonsense! Don't believe her lies!"
The hatred of killing one's father and stealing one's wife? Our Fu Household family has always valued propriety and chastity; we would never do such a heinous thing!
He gripped Fu Congheng's shoulders tightly with both hands, shaking him frantically, "Big brother, big brother, answer me! Don't laugh... I'm scared!"
Fu Congxi grabbed the hand Jin Shanyao, his eyes filled with fervor, "Boss... your words have enlightened me. Women should be changed every year... Ugh... Fu Congzhao, let go of me."
Fu Congzhao disregarded the proper separation between men and women, covering his older sister's mouth with one hand and frantically shaking his cousin with the other, shouting, "Wake up... wake up..."
Fu Congxi broke free from Fu Congzhao's grasp. "Boss... I admire you, please let me follow you."
Jin Shanyao struggled to break free from Meng Anzhi's grasp, her heartless expression like that of a scumbag, "No, if you come with me, Lu Chi will cry."
"What man is more important than sisters? I cherish my eldest sister so much..." Before she could finish the word, Old Madam Fu quickly covered her mouth. She called over the maids and servants, "Quickly drag the eldest young lady out. Don't let her make such a scene and lose her composure."
Old Madam Fu wanted to tell her not to listen to these fallacies and heresies, lest they affect her mind, but with Jin Shanyao present, she couldn't point it out in public.
Jin Shanyao observed her expression and felt that Old Madam Fu said might not be the truth. She narrowed her eyes slightly and said, " Fu Congxi, I like you too."
Upon hearing this, Fu Congxi's eyes lit up, while Old Madam Fu's eyes turned ashen, as if the sky had fallen.
Jin Shanyao, revealing a smug smile! This is how life should be lived: let your thoughts influence others, instead of letting others' thoughts influence yours.
Hahaha... If I hadn't received the True Disciple of Old Madam Su, I really wouldn't have understood your implied meaning. Old Madam Fu, you have ultimately been defeated by me.
Fu Congxi clung tightly to the door, refusing to leave. A true friend like her was a rare find in life; she had to be bound to Jin Shanyao forever. "Boss, we'll always be together... no one can separate us."
Jin Shanyao shouted at the top of her lungs, "We can't be separated! No one can separate us..."
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Meng Anci hurriedly stuffed the silver notes into his satchel, gave a quick bow to the Fu Household, and took his leave.
She grabbed her aunt and ran outside, Jin Shanyao as she went, shouting, " Fu Congheng, don't be a coward... If you're going to confess your feelings, go all the way! Go ask that girl if she'd be willing to be buried with you!"
Old General Fu, carrying a cloth banner, followed closely behind. Just before leaving, he tucked the banner into Jin Shanyao's bosom, saying reluctantly, "Miss Jin, can't you really stay in the manor?"
Meng Anzhi quickly replied, "No... I've heard that Top Scholar Tower in the capital is the best restaurant. Let's stay there. If Old General Fu needs anything, he can come to Top Scholar Tower to find us."
Upon hearing the Top Scholar Tower," Fu Congxi overcame all obstacles and rushed to Jin Shanyao's side, saying, "Boss, I know Top Scholar Tower well... I'll take you there."
Old General Fu, "Yes, yes, yes... choose the best room."
Jin Shanyao glanced down at Old General Fu, "Old man... I've noticed you're two-faced."
Old General Fu skipped a beat, and he hooked his foot on the courtyard door, slowly pulling it inward. "Impossible... Miss Jin, I wish you could live in my house every day."
"Real?"
"It's really... realer than gold."
Jin Shanyao sized him up suspiciously, but before she could figure him out, Fu Congxi pushed her out. Then, with a loud bang behind her, the gate of the Fu Residence slammed shut.
Jin Shanyao pointed at the gate and asked Fu Congxi, "What did your grandfather mean?"
Fu Congxi glanced back and scoffed, "Boss, let's go... I don't want to stay here even a day longer."
Jin Shanyao: Something feels off, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Inside the courtyard, Old General Fu peeked through the crack in the door. Seeing that Jin Shanyao was completely gone, he patted his chest and exclaimed, "That was terrifying!"
Old Madam Fu couldn't help but laugh, "It's not that they're scary, it's just that we're getting old."
Old General Fu took his wife's hand and walked back. Recalling the foolish things they did when they were young, he couldn't help but laugh.
Youth is wonderful...