Old Wang stumbled, tilted his head, and leaned closer to Jin Shanyao.
"Child... I'm hard of hearing, what did you just say???"
Ignoring Old Wang, Jin Shanyao asked Constable Wang directly, "Didn't they say that setting up stalls in front of the examination hall wasn't allowed? Why did you let him set one up?"
Constable Wang chuckled, "He didn't take any money, so it doesn't count as setting up a stall..."
... Fine, fine... You're trying to play these games with me? Trying to steal my territory and business, are you?
Jin Shanyao glared at Old Wang with a fierce expression, "Go set up your stall somewhere else..."
"Huh... what did you say?"
Meng Anzhi truly thought the old man couldn't hear her, so she leaned close to his ear and shouted, "Grandpa Wang..."
"Oh dear... why are you shouting so loudly, kid?" Old Wang glared at her reproachfully. "Fortune telling is my hobby, but unfortunately, I'm inaccurate ten out of ten times, so it's hard to charge money."
Jin Shanyao stared at him in shock, "You're a fraud?"
"Tsk... What are you saying? I didn't take any money..."
Old Wang, trembling, tried to sit down at her feet, but Jin Shanyao grabbed him and pulled him up. Before he could utter any harsh words, Old Wang held his wrist tightly.
He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Aaaaah... you're going to break my arm! Everyone come quick, someone's hitting an old man!"
Jin Shanyao her teeth in anger, "Stop shouting..."
Old Wang tilted his head and moved closer to Jin Shanyao, "Ah... what did you say?"
Constable Wang quickly added, "Grandfather... she said you must stay by her side and not go anywhere."
"I'm not going... I'm not going anywhere. I've heard that Manager Anzhi Hall is amazing..." Old Wang gave Jin Shanyao a thumbs up and pulled her arm, sighing with admiration.
"My grandson... is the most successful person in our Wang Household. If he hadn't carried me here, I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you. Please help me sit down."
Constable Wang not let Jin Shanyao him up, so he quickly grabbed Old Wang's arm and helped him sit down on the ground.
After settling down, Old Wang slapped the ground repeatedly, looked up at Jin Shanyao, and laughed, "Come, sit here... let this old man broaden his horizons..."
Oh my god... This is blatant provocation! Jin Shanyao up her sleeves, ready to serve the old man noodles.
Meng Anzhi quickly grabbed her, "Auntie, how about we switch seats?"
"No change... He wants to broaden his horizons, so I'll let him learn properly." Jin Shanyao the banner and unfurled it, then forcefully shoved the bamboo pole into the ground, startling Old Wang.
He subconsciously looked at Constable Wang, Constable Wang gave him a reassuring look.
Old Wang swallowed hard, instinctively Jin Shanyao. Unexpectedly, Jin Shanyao down beside him. "Old man... if I make you happy today, I'll admit defeat."
Old Wang chuckled twice, took out the divination tube, and then placed three copper coins on the ground.
Jin Shanyao inwardly, thinking, "There are quite a few intimidating fellows indeed."
Constable Wang remained standing beside Jin Shanyao, his eyes sharp as a leopard as he maintained order in the examination hall. However, after a short while, some curious people approached.
Before she could speak, Old Wang interrupted, "Fortune telling is free."
Upon hearing this, the man squatted down in front of the old man, stretched out his hand, and said with a smile, "Then help me calculate when I will become rich."
Old Wang looked at him intently for a long time, then said, "Child, your good fortune is yet to come, listen to me..."
Jin Shanyao sideways at the two of them, his ears perked up.
Old Wang continued, "Small fortunes come from diligence, large fortunes come from virtue... What you need to do now is..."
Before she could finish speaking, Jin Shanyao in dissatisfaction and said, "According to you, all the poor people in the world are lazy and immoral?"
You... Old Wang choked, unable to speak for a long time. The man's face also darkened. He had only asked for a divination out of curiosity, and he had been scolded.
The man quipped, "No wonder I don't want money..." and then turned and left.
Jin Shanyao and gave Old Wang a provocative smile... "You old rascal, you're really wicked..."
Old Wang, known far and wide for his sharp tongue, was humiliated by Jin Shanyao's words, instantly igniting his competitive spirit. His hearing and eyesight improved, and even his body stopped trembling.
He called out to a passing woman, "Hey... Madam, would you like a free fortune telling?"
"Free... really free?" the woman hesitated.
"It's really free..."
Thinking of her own troubles, the woman squatted down and said to Old Wang, "My husband's family has four sons, and my father-in-law is about to pass away... My husband and his brothers are fighting fiercely over the inheritance. I want to ask if there's any way to resolve this?"
Old Wang caught a glimpse of Jin Shanyao peeking at him out of the corner of his eye, and an idea formed in his mind. He picked up a bamboo skewer and said to the woman, "Brothers are like this bamboo skewer. One is easy to break."
He snapped the bamboo skewers in half with a snap, then took out a large handful more. "If brothers are united as one, they won't be broken."
The words had barely left his mouth when Jin Shan snatched the Jin Shanyao skewer from Old Wang's hand. With a forceful pull... crack, it snapped in two.
Old Wang stared at Jin Shanyao in disbelief, nearly fainting from King of Hell. He pointed at Jin Shanyao, his voice trembling.
"Pay up, pay up..."
Jin Shanyao scoffed, took the divination stick container she had brought, and placed it with a thud in front of Old Wang.
He said coldly to the woman, "Dividing the family property is an internal conflict, breaking bamboo skewers is an external conflict. This old man is trying to fool you. If you compromise... you'll definitely be the one who suffers."
The woman was suddenly enlightened. She stood up abruptly, pointed at Old Wang, and said, "Well... I almost fell for your trick. No wonder you didn't take the money; you were afraid of being beaten to death." With that, she stormed off.
Old Wang's face was ashen, and he was trembling violently—this time, he was truly shaking...
Fearing something might happen, Meng Anzhi quickly took out some pills from her purse. "Grandpa Wang... these are ginseng pills, please take one."
"No need... I don't believe it. I can't argue with a young girl," he waved his hand to block Meng Anzhi, his eyes gleaming coldly as he looked at Jin Shanyao.
Fearing for his safety, Constable Wang advised, "Grandfather... why don't you wait for me at the yamen gate? The event will be over soon, and I'll take you home."
"Don't speak... Just focus on your post and watch me slaughter her without leaving a single survivor."
Old Wang was filled with murderous intent; this was no longer a matter of grandsons. This was a battle for honor; otherwise, his reputation for sharp tongue and iron wit would be undeserved.
A great war is about to break out...
Old Wang, Jin Shanyao, turned his eyes to the parents outside the examination hall, startling them into silence for a moment.
Old Wang pointed to the boy closest to him, "You... come here."
The boy swallowed hard. "I came with my brother, I don't do fortune telling..."
Old Wang gritted his teeth, "No, you must..."
The young man glanced at Constable Wang, and said reluctantly, "Then calculate it however you like."
"No... I need to address a problem."
The boy felt uneasy under the stare and timidly asked, "Then, will my brother be able to pass the imperial examination?"
Old Wang was stunned... Was it really that big??