Jin Shanyao leaned sideways against Meng Anzhi, who was propped against the wall. Her little frame was almost being crushed out of shape, yet she flipped through the book in her hands as if nothing were amiss.
A familiar figure caught the corner of her eye. She paused and looked in that direction.
Her eldest uncle, Meng Hongde, was hiding in a corner with a man, talking about something.
She nudged Jin Shanyao's head. "Auntie, look over there?"
Jin Shanyao followed her pointing finger and frowned. Why was Meng Hongde at the county yamen?
She released her Spiritual Power, and their voices came clearly to her ears.
"Registrar, my nephew is all alone, with no one to depend on. He's truly pitiful. I want to transfer his household registration under my name, so he'll at least have a home."
Registrar Sun said, "He won't even acknowledge you anymore. Why bother with him?"
Meng Hongde smiled bitterly. "He's my younger brother's flesh and blood, after all. He may refuse to acknowledge me, but I can't refuse to acknowledge him."
Meng Hongde's eyes reddened slightly. The tall man hunched his back, a sight moving enough to stir some sympathy.
Registrar Sun was in a bind. Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi were on the same household register.
If Meng Anci moved his registration, only Meng Anzhi would be left. Could they really let a six-year-old establish a household of her own?
Jin Shanyao's expression flickered, and she couldn't hold back a quiet laugh. Meng Anzhi asked in confusion, "Auntie, what are you laughing at?"
"Want to watch a show?" Jin Shanyao pulled the book from her hands and tossed it onto an ox cart nearby.
She led her into hiding in a corner and flicked her fingers in Meng Hongde's direction.
The Truth Incantation struck Meng Hongde like a sharp arrow.
Meng Hongde felt his tongue go stiff, and a bad feeling suddenly surged in his heart.
He instinctively raised a hand to cover his mouth, but the words hidden in his heart still spilled out beyond his control.
"That little brat actually went to the academy. My son hasn't even started studying, so what gives him the right? Doesn't Jin Shanyao know how to make money? As long as I transfer Meng Anci's household registration under my name,
"Hmph... Jin Shanyao will have to pay for my son's schooling. If she won't cough up the money, I won't let Meng Anci take the imperial examinations."
The words came pouring out of Meng Hongde's mouth. There was no smugness on his face, only terror and dread. A surge of anger rose in Registrar Sun's heart.
"Meng Hongde, I wanted to help you for the sake of our childhood friendship, but I never expected your intentions to be so vicious. Leave. From now on, you and I will have nothing more to do with each other."
Registrar Sun swung his sleeve and strode into the county yamen.
Bang! The tremendous sound of the door slamming jolted Meng Hongde awake. "Brother Sun, listen to me!" He moved his tongue and found it worked again.
A cold sweat broke out all over Meng Hongde. He looked fearfully around and swallowed.
He addressed the empty air. "Third Brother, is that you playing tricks?"
Jin Shanyao was seized by a playful urge. A gust of cold wind slipped down Meng Hongde's neck and into his clothes, and the bone-chilling cold made him shiver.
The bustling street fell silent in an instant. Not a sound could be heard. Thump, thump, thump... His heart beat faster and faster, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.
He pressed his palms together and bowed wildly in every direction, muttering, "Third Brother, I was wrong. Please show mercy and stop haunting me."
Meng Hongde begged for mercy as he ran home. He turned a corner too sharply and crashed headfirst into a wall. Blood streamed down his cheek, but he didn't stop to wipe it away. Clutching the wound, he ran home.
Hiding in the corner, Meng Anzhi clamped a hand tightly over her mouth. Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her face.
She turned her tear-streaked little face toward Jin Shanyao. "Auntie, has Papa come back?"
Jin Shanyao was speechless.
Damn it, I've been learning to curse lately and forgot to learn how to comfort "people."
But there's nothing to fear... Like I said, I'm not the Jin Shanyao I used to be. I'm frighteningly clever now.
The more I say, the more mistakes I'll make. Say nothing, and I won't make any.
Jin Shanyao gave an extremely soft "mm."
Meng Anzhi's eyes lit up at once, and her little body shot out of the corner. Standing in the street, she shouted at the empty air.
"Papa, have you come back? Papa, can you see me? Papa... how come I can't see you?"
Meng Anzhi received no answer. She squatted down, curled into a ball, and burst into tears.
Jin Shanyao went up to her, gathered her into her arms, and gently patted her back.
She didn't even dare say "mm" anymore...
A faint warmth came from her abdomen. Jin Shanyao hurriedly used her Spiritual Power to check and found that her inner core was coated in a golden glow. The crack Taishang Laojun had split into it had been completely repaired.
There was also a faint blessing of merit upon it. So doing good deeds could not only repair her inner core but also increase her merit. That was something immortals dreamed of obtaining.
A commotion came from the distance. Constable Wang came striding back, escorting the murderer. When he saw Jin Shanyao standing in the middle of the street, he nodded to her, then took the prisoner into the jail.
In the time it took Jin Shanyao to turn her head, a crowd had surrounded her.
What's going on? Jin Shanyao looked utterly bewildered. She hurriedly sheltered Meng Anzhi in her arms and used her arms to hold the crowd back.
"What are you doing? Stop crowding around me."
One man pushed harder than anyone else. "Master, Master, please tell my fortune."
Before he had finished speaking, someone pulled him out of the way.
"Master, tell my fortune and see when I'll escape poverty."
"Master, Master... look at me. The space between my brows is full. Does that mean I'm destined for great wealth and honor?"
A gate attendant stood outside the crowd, unable to squeeze in. He stamped his feet anxiously. "Make way! Magistrate Yang is receiving the master. Anyone else who obstructs official business will be charged with a crime."
Only then did the crowd reluctantly disperse. But they didn't leave. They waited around the yamen entrance, planning to have Jin Shanyao tell their fortunes when she came out.
Zhang Banxian squatted in a remote corner of the street, angrily tearing at his cloth banner.
When they needed him, they called him Banxian this and Banxian that. When they didn't, they wouldn't even give him a proper look.
The world blows hot and cold, and people's hearts are fathomless... None of them are good people.
The gate attendant respectfully ushered Jin Shanyao into the main hall. Magistrate Yang was no longer the picture of dejection he had been.
"Oh my... Master, we've finally managed to invite you in." Magistrate Yang practically wanted to kowtow to her. Several murders had occurred in succession under his jurisdiction.
If he couldn't catch the murderer, his official career wouldn't merely come to a halt. He feared he might not even be able to keep his official's hat.
He no longer saw Jin Shanyao as an ignorant woman or child. She was a living bodhisattva, shining with light. How could anyone be so outstanding? She had found the murderer after telling a single fortune at the crime scene.
Magistrate Yang rubbed his hands, unsure how to express his joy, and could only keep calling her "Master."
Jin Shanyao waited a long while without seeing any reward money. She cleared her throat. "Fifty taels."
"What?" Magistrate Yang stared.
What do you mean, what? The reward is fifty taels. He wouldn't be thinking of welshing, would he? Jin Shanyao looked at Magistrate Yang in disbelief. She didn't want to incur that karma.
The gate attendant caught on and leaned close to whisper in Magistrate Yang's ear.
Magistrate Yang slapped his forehead. "Oh! Quick, have the accounts office bring a banknote for fifty taels of silver."
As he spoke, he motioned for Jin Shanyao to sit. "May I ask what I should call you, Master?"
"My lord, important people are so forgetful. I argued a case before you just a few days ago. My name is Jin Shanyao."
At her reminder, Magistrate Yang suddenly remembered. No wonder he had thought she looked familiar; they had met before.
"Haha, so it's Miss Jin. Forgive me for not recognizing you."
At that moment, the gate attendant handed Magistrate Yang a banknote for fifty taels. Magistrate Yang took it and passed it straight to Jin Shanyao.
"Thank you for your help, Miss Jin. If there are similar cases in the future, I'll have to trouble you again."
"Of course," Jin Shanyao said with a smile. If she had a chance to gain merit, she was naturally willing.
The entrance to the county yamen was packed with people, so Jin Shanyao took Meng Anzhi by the hand and left through the back gate.
After leaving the yamen, Jin Shanyao glanced at the sky. It would be a hassle to return to Little River Village now and come back for Meng Anci that evening, so she decided not to go back.
"Come on, let's pick up your younger brother and go eat."
The academy had a dining hall where students who didn't go home could eat.
When Meng Anci's lessons ended, he carefully put away his books and planned to eat at the dining hall.
"He's coming, he's coming!" Shiyan led a group of five- and six-year-old children to surround Meng Anci.
"Oh my... Let me have a look at the little pauper. Tsk, tsk... Even my family's servants wouldn't wear those clothes."
Meng Anci dodged Shiyan's groping hand. These were the best clothes he had ever worn.
He had been so excited about starting school that he hadn't slept a wink the night before, yet the moment he entered, he ran into this fool.
Meng Anci slipped past the children blocking his way and headed outside.
Shiyan refused to let it go and charged at Meng Anci, intending to elbow him, only to crash headfirst into the teacher.
They stared at each other, wide eyes meeting narrow ones.