Yun Qingzi, who had cast fortunes for Nan Yuan'er and Nan Shiying back then, returned to Qing Shan Monastery.
"Uncle-Master, you're back!"
Dao Wu, a young disciple of Qing Shan Monastery, pushed open the monastery gate. Meeting the morning mist, he caught sight of a figure gradually emerging from the thick fog. Recognizing the person, Dao Wu exclaimed excitedly.
Yun Qingzi shook off the thin mist clinging to his robes, raised a hand, and ruffled Dao Wu's head. He vaguely recalled that when he last saw him, the boy was barely a meter tall, a little radish. Over a decade had passed in a blink. He had traveled for half his life, and before dying, he had to return to his roots.
Dao Wu's head was no longer as pleasant to touch as before. Yun Qingzi found the feel lacking. His hand slid down the boy's head, and he patted his shoulder. As he walked into Qing Yun Monastery, he asked, "Has the monastery been well these past years?"
Dao Wu followed Yun Qingzi inside, half a step behind, and replied, "The monastery has been alright, but lately, our Qing Yun Monastery has had far fewer visitors."
"Why?" Yun Qingzi was puzzled.
Qing Yun Monastery had a history of nearly a hundred years. By rights, there shouldn't be a sudden decrease in believers.
Dao Wu glanced at Yun Qingzi, stammered for a long time, and couldn't vocalize the reason. Yun Qingzi stopped and looked back at him. Seeing his expression, he asked with confusion, "What is it? Is there something you cannot tell anyone?"
Dao Wu scratched his scalp. "Not exactly, it's just… it's related to you."
"Me?"
Yun Qingzi never dreamed he would hear such an answer, and his confusion deepened. "How could it be related to me?"
"Uncle-Master, do you remember that you cast fortunes for the two young ladies of the Nan Mansion over ten years ago?" Dao Wu asked.
Yun Qingzi naturally remembered. It was difficult for him to forget such fates. "Of course, I remember. I recall that one of the young ladies had a fate of immense nobility."
"And do you remember what fate you cast for the other one?"
"I do!"
How could he not remember? They were both young ladies of the Nan Mansion, but their fates were as different as night and day, utterly incomparable. When he cast their fortunes back then, he had actually embellished the fate of the other young lady slightly. However, matters of fate were predetermined at birth; there was truly nothing that could be done.
He had also instructed Prime Minister Nan to the effect that although that young lady's fate was not auspicious, if she encountered good fortune, she could ascend to great heights. He implored that she must not be mistreated. Yun Qingzi also feared that due to his divination, the young lady might suffer unfair treatment.
"The problem lies here," Dao Wu said. "That young lady married the Regent."
"Ah?" Yun Qingzi was momentarily stunned.
That young lady's fate… it shouldn't be like this!
Her fate, how to put it… she carried a malevolent aura, destined for a grim end, suffering myriad torments with only a sliver of vitality. And that sliver of vitality was the good fortune he had mentioned earlier.
Fate first, then fortune, then Feng Shui. One could say that fate was the most important thing in a person's life. However, sometimes, with the aid of great fortune, one could indeed change their fate.
But could that young lady's fortune be this prosperous? To the extent of overturning her inherent fate!
"Is it just because of this?" Yun Qingzi still felt it was unlikely. He had already instructed Prime Minister Nan that his daughter's fate could be reversed if she encountered great fortune.
Dao Wu sighed and said, "Uncle-Master, the Prince had sent people to look for you."
Yun Qingzi frowned. Why was this troublesome child so erratic in his speech? How did the Prince suddenly come into the picture?
"So?"
"These years, because of your divination, the Princess Consort suffered greatly in the Nan Mansion, living a life worse than death."
Yun Qingzi: "..."
Yun Qingzi almost felt he had let down his ancestors and activated his profanity skill. "I clearly instructed the Prime Minister that if his daughter's fate encountered great fortune, she could soar!"
"Clearly, the Prime Minister did not listen."
"So it was the Prince who caused the current situation?" Yun Qingzi's expression turned slightly cold.
Dao Wu scratched his scalp. "That's not it!"
"It seems that the young lady whom you predicted to have an extremely noble fate had some misfortune recently, ruining her reputation. Moreover, His Majesty has shown no intention of marrying her all these years. Coupled with the current noble status of the other young lady, they felt that our Qing Shan Monastery was inaccurate in its predictions."
They could say anything about Yun Qingzi, but to say his fortune-telling was inaccurate? That was simply outrageous!
Yun Qingzi turned and walked outside.
"Uncle-Master, where are you going, Uncle-Master?" Dao Wu quickly chased after him.
"To the capital!"
"I want to see for myself what changes have occurred in the fates of those two. Inaccurate? Saying my fortune-telling is inaccurate, hmph~"
Despite Yun Qingzi's age, his legs were agile. The swiftly moving Dao Wu couldn't catch up.
Seeing his Uncle-Master rushing towards the capital in a fit of rage, Dao Wu slapped his own forehead. How could he forget this old man's sore spot? This was a complete mess!
He quickly turned and ran back into the monastery to find his master.
This was bad, Uncle-Master was heading to the capital!
...
Yun Qingzi had not returned for over ten years. Looking at the prosperity of the capital, his anger had somewhat subsided. Although a person's fate was predetermined, it couldn't withstand the influence of fortune and Feng Shui. His predictions back then were undoubtedly correct, but sometimes Heaven was like a mischievous child, always bestowing miracles or trials upon life.
Knowing one's destiny in advance could conversely cause things to develop in the opposite direction. This was the charm and surprise of life.
After finishing his day's teaching, Nan Shiying left Tongji Pharmacy. Passing by a stall selling clay figurines, she decided to ask the vendor to sculpt a small fox. Ever since Xiao Hua left, Xiao Man had been quite unhappy. Since the tribute procession wouldn't arrive anytime soon, and she couldn't send a real one, a small trinket would have to suffice for now.
She stopped at the stall and described Xiao Hua's appearance for the vendor to sculpt. Yun Qingzi, who had already walked past, turned back and returned to the clay figurine stall, standing beside her.
"What would this Daoist priest like?" the vendor asked, looking up quickly, then lowered his head to sculpt diligently. Yun Qingzi was not interested in clay figurines; his interest lay in the person beside him.
This person was handsome and elegant, but what attracted Yun Qingzi was not her appearance, but the aura of purple tinged with gold that enveloped her.
This was not something an ordinary person could possess.
"Young man, what is your name?" Yun Qingzi ignored the vendor's inquiry and looked at Nan Shiying with a smile.
Nan Shiying turned and glanced at the Daoist beside her.
He wore a grey Daoist robe, his silver-white hair casually tied up with a wooden hairpin. He was slightly plump, and when he smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes extended to his temples.
Given the events that had transpired, Nan Shiying did not have a particularly good impression of Daoists. However, this person before her exuded a sense of detachment from the world, not in his appearance, but in his demeanor.
"Feng Luan!"
Nan Shiying replied.
The vendor blinked slightly. When he looked up, his face was filled with surprise. "So you are Divine Physician Feng!"