"Young lady, please calm down first and hear me out."
Lou Yingyu folded her arms and glanced at him. "I have nothing to say to a charlatan like you."
"Well, I just counted on my fingers and divined-"
Tong Aning looked at his hands. "You didn't even raise your hands."
The Daoist said, "Mental calculation, mental calculation."
Tong Aning: "...?"
Fortune-telling can be done through mental calculation now?
Lou Yingyu tugged at Tong Aning's sleeve and raised her chin. "Let's see what tricks he has up his sleeve."
Then she added in a low voice, "If it isn't accurate, I'll throw him into the river to feed the fish."
Tong Aning: "..."
Although Lou Yingyu always said that, she had never actually thrown anyone in.
The Daoist watched them whisper with a cheerful smile. When Lou Yingyu looked over, he even narrowed his eyes, making himself look still more kindly.
Azhu said, "Could this be a scam?"
"What's there to fear? We have a chancellor's daughter, a marquis's daughter, and a tigress from a military family here. Any one of us could scare him to death."
Azhu was not reassured at all. She even wanted to say she was no tigress from a military family.
"Young lady..."
"Stop right there. I'm already as clever as ice and snow. I don't need to be any cleverer."
"What I mean is, would you like your parents to obey your every wish?"
Lou Yingyu's eyes lit up. "How?"
The Daoist held out his hand and indicated a number. "It'll only cost this much."
Lou Yingyu readily agreed. "Done."
Only five thousand taels to buy her parents' complete obedience. What a bargain.
Lou Yingying eagerly told her maid to fetch the money.
Tong Aning and Azhu exchanged a look, each seeing helplessness and shock in the other's eyes.
This Daoist even tailors his scams to the victim's ailment?
The Daoist accepted the money and promptly handed Lou Yingyu a paper talisman.
Holding the talisman, Lou Yingyu asked, "How do I use it?"
Then she added excitedly, "Do I stick it on my parents' backs?"
Tong Aning: "..."
What a filial daughter.
This was the second time the Daoist had encountered such an enthusiastic customer. The first had been the current chancellor, who had been plagued by headaches over his daughter.
The Daoist said, "No need. Just keep it with you."
"All right."
She put away the talisman and started chatting with the Daoist.
The Daoist was quite willing to chat with her, probably thinking Lou Yingyu was an excellent customer. Perhaps with a little effort, he could earn another five thousand taels.
Or perhaps-the Daoist glanced at Tong Aning and Azhu-weren't there two more customers right here?
Tong Aning and Azhu turned their faces away in unison.
Lou Yingyu asked curiously, "Have you done business with anyone else?"
"Yes. Marquis Ningyuan's Residence."
Isn't that Feng Chu's family?
Tong Aning pricked up her ears. Was Feng Chu scammed too?
Tong Aning thought it over. If Chancellor Lou was scammed because he wanted his daughter to obey him, and Yingyu was scammed because she wanted her parents to obey her, then Feng Chu was scammed... because he wanted my third brother to obey him?
Hearing Tong Aning's thoughts, Lou Yingyu was delighted beyond measure. Even Azhu's face held a hint of a smile.
Never afraid of making a spectacle bigger, Lou Yingyu asked, "What sort of business?"
"Marquis Ningyuan's second son bought an obedience talisman from me."
"Feng Ying? Who did he want to obey him?"
The Daoist stroked his beard. "That, I wouldn't know."
After all, only by protecting his customers' privacy could his business last.
As they spoke, Tong Aning suddenly heard Feng Chu's voice.
Tong Aning leaned out over the railing and discovered that Feng Chu was chasing Feng Ying, while Feng Ying was chasing a monkey.
As he ran, Feng Chu cursed furiously, "Feng Ying, do you have a death wish? If I were Father, I'd definitely kill you."
Feng Ying shouted, "Cui'er, don't run! Cui'er-"
The two disappeared around a corner. Lou Yingyu asked, "Who's Cui'er?"
Tong Aning shook her head.
Cui'er is actually that monkey's name?
Feng Ying went out a few days ago and bought this monkey from a performing troupe. But after the monkey came into his hands, not only did it refuse to eat or drink, it also scratched him all over.
Feng Ying was terribly dejected. He went out and couldn't work up any interest in anything. As it happened, someone wanted to curry favor with him and introduced him to a Daoist.
All three glanced at the Daoist, who remained seated where he was, calmly drinking tea.
Feng Ying wanted the monkey to obey him. The Daoist said he could do it and asked for three thousand taels. Even selling Feng Ying wouldn't have fetched that much. He pestered and wheedled Yang Rong but only managed to scrape together two thousand taels. Finally, he gritted his teeth and sold his father's vase.
This morning, clutching the obedience talisman, Feng Ying happily unlocked the chain restraining the monkey. The monkey leaped at him, scratched his face bloody, and swaggered off.
Lou Yingyu muttered, "I've seen stupid people, but never anyone this stupid."
Tong Aning nodded.
Feng Ying and Feng Chu appeared around the corner.
Feng Chu had Feng Ying by the ear, and Feng Ying hung his head dejectedly.
Lou Yingyu walked up to the Daoist and tapped the table. "Still drinking, Daoist? You're about to be in big trouble."
The Daoist replied serenely, "I am an immortal blessed by heaven. Trouble cannot touch me."
"You damned Daoist!"
Feng Ying spotted the Daoist from the first floor and charged upstairs menacingly, looking ready to take his life.
The Daoist nimbly ducked behind Lou Yingyu.
"Young lady, you must save me!"
Lou Yingyu pretended to be troubled. "How about this? Give me ten thousand taels, and I'll settle this for you."
The Daoist was still a little hesitant at first.
Tong Aning said, "Feng Ying seems to be looking for a knife."
The Daoist shuddered and handed Lou Yingyu ten thousand taels. "Save me."
"Don't worry."
Once she had the money, Lou Yingyu stepped aside and shoved the Daoist out.
The Daoist: "..."
That shove sent the Daoist straight into Feng Ying's arms. Feng Ying grabbed his beard and shouted furiously, "Give me back my Cui'er! Give her back!"
Lou Yingyu nudged Tong Aning's arm and asked incredulously, "He's this angry just because his monkey went missing?"
Tong Aning nodded.
After all, he fell in love with the monkey at first sight.
A chill of revulsion swept over Lou Yingyu, and she pulled Azhu back a little as well.
Feng Chu pulled Feng Ying away. "You've got the damn nerve to throw a tantrum here? You'd better think about how you're going to pay Father and me back for our things first."
"Big Brother..." Feng Ying's lips trembled.
"Begging me won't help."
"Big Brother, my monkey is missing. That's my Cui'er!"
Feng Chu: "..."
Yang Rong had been clever all her life. How had she given birth to a son like this?
Feng Chu looked up. "Oh, you're here too."
He stepped forward, and Tong Aning and the others backed away.
Feng Chu: "?"
After looking him over, Lou Yingyu said, "Your brother likes monkeys. You don't also..."
Feng Chu: "...I like tigers."
Tong Aning said, "I'm telling my third brother about this."
Feng Chu: "..."
Feng Ying was still wailing to heaven and beating the earth, crying so hard that Feng Chu's ears hurt.
That Daoist was actually trying to sneak away.
Feng Chu caught him by the collar. "Where are you running? Give the money back."
With trembling hands, the Daoist once again returned the three thousand taels he had swindled from Feng Ying.
He hurried down the stairs. Only after reaching somewhere safe did he beat his chest and stamp his feet. "What a bitter lot! What a bitter lot!"
The Daoist turned around and was promptly arrested.
The Daoist was dumbstruck.
Well, there goes his life too.
Hearing that familiar voice, Xue Lin looked up.
Tong Aning smiled and greeted him. "Hello, Your Highness."
Xue Lin said, "...Hello, Miss Tong."
Tong Aning and the others came down from the second floor.
Tong Aning said, "I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet."
By solving the missing persons case and, moreover, sealing Prince Jing's Residence with thunderous force, Xue Lin had gained considerable prestige among the common people.
He was now not only the Heir of Prince Yong but also the deputy prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture.
"My imperial uncle said it's only temporary."
"Even temporary is good."
Xue Lin paused. Looking at Tong Aning's earnest expression and genuine happiness for him, he nodded involuntarily. "It is."
"Your Highness, Your Highness, my Cui'er is missing, Your Highness." Tears and snot streamed down Feng Ying's face. Like a desperately ill man seeking any doctor, he was now turning to anyone for help.
Xue Lin waved a hand, and a monkey was brought forward. He asked, "This one?"
The monkey bared its teeth and brandished its claws, trying to gouge out his heart.
Feng Ying took a step back. "...That isn't my Cui'er."
"This is your Cui'er. Your Cui'er stole quite a few people's belongings. You'll have to compensate them."
Feng Ying was terrified. "It wasn't originally mine."
"If you won't honestly tell me whose it originally was, I'll have no choice but to hold you responsible."
Feng Ying recounted everything in full.
Xue Lin nodded and left with the monkey, the Daoist, and Feng Ying.
Tong Aning asked Feng Chu, "Aren't you going?"
"I've already sent someone to notify Yang Rong. She'll probably be furious enough to die."
Feng Chu was rather enjoying her misfortune.
After some thought, Feng Chu kept all three thousand taels he had just recovered from the Daoist. After all, that monkey had scratched up an entire screen of his.
After Feng Chu left, Lou Yingyu waved the banknotes in her hand triumphantly, swaying her head as she did.
Tong Aning said guiltily, "Yingyu, I owe you an apology."
Lou Yingyu was puzzled. "Why apologize out of the blue?"
"I thought you really had been scammed."
"Well, you weren't wrong."
"Then you..."
"If the obedience talisman doesn't even work on a monkey, would it work on my father? He's a great big stubborn mule."
Tong Aning: "..."
Azhu burst out laughing.
Lou Yingyu said unhappily, "What are you laughing at, you heartless little thing?"
Then Tong Aning started laughing too.
Looking at the two of them, Lou Yingyu's lips curved as well. She gave each of them one of the banknotes in her hand, a thousand taels apiece.
Having unexpectedly acquired some spending money, Tong Aning went to a nearby shop and bought a newly released set of head ornaments.
Tong Aning was thoroughly satisfied.
Who could have known that the very next day, her father would be impeached at court?
He was accused of indulging his children's extravagance and wastefulness.
Tong Aning: "..."
Eunuch Wang came to summon Tong Aning to confront the accusation before the throne. Before they entered the hall, he quietly reassured her, telling her not to be nervous.
The young girl with her rosy face and peach-blossom cheeks smiled, her eyes curving. "I'm not nervous."
Eunuch Wang was reassured.
Afterward, the man who had impeached Tong Aobai wished desperately that time could turn backward. Why had he gone and provoked the Tong family for no reason?
Now look what had happened. It had all been shaken out into the open.
Author's note: Darlings, tomorrow's update will move to eleven at night. My next novel will be "The Palace Maid Is Eating Melons Again Today." If you're interested, darlings, you can take a look on my author page [scattering flowers][scattering flowers][scattering flowers]