Proud Feather

Chapter 13 Monk
The Dahuai Temple is bustling with activity. In fact, because people are not allowed to feast or have fun, it is even more lively than usual.

The busiest place is undoubtedly the fortune-telling area in the side hall, where there is a long line of people, from white-haired grandmothers to teenage girls.

Tian Huier wanted to find the receptionist to cut in line, but was stopped by Chu Ling.

"It's okay anyway, let's take a look first."

Tian Hui'er flattered: "The princess doesn't want to alarm the people, she is truly kind."

Chu Ling accepted her compliment and raised a finger: "If you know, don't let anyone hear it. Call me something else."

"Okay." Tian Hui'er said softly, feeling a little uncomfortable, "A-A Ling."

Tian was originally a commoner, and rose to prominence because of Concubine Shu. Now she is only given a casual official position of Chengyilang, and is said to be treated like cousins. However, Tian Huier is different from Feng Lingwei, the daughter of a proper duke.

Chu Ling asked the palace maids to line up and walked over by himself.

This side hall is dedicated to Guanyin, and there is a fortune stick in front of the altar, where you can draw your own fortune sticks. As for how to interpret the fortune sticks after drawing, it depends on your personal preference.

There are many fortune tellers outside the hall. This is because Dahuai Temple spilled some soup after eating meat, so as to avoid disputes at home.

Today, a small table was placed in a corner of the Guanyin Hall, and a monk was sitting on the table.

The monk was young and handsome, with a fair and clean face, an upright posture, clear eyes, a straight nose, and a faint smile at the corners of his mouth. He was like a Bodhisattva in a high position, compassionate and Buddha-like.

Tian Huier exclaimed in surprise and whispered, "No wonder..."

Feng Lingwei didn't understand: "No wonder what's wrong?"

Tian Huier pursed her lips, a little embarrassed: "Don't you think this monk is very handsome?"

"Oh!" Feng Lingwei understood. "So they're here to see people, not to get autographs!"

Her voice was a little louder, immediately attracting everyone's attention. The girl was too shy to respond, but the older women, no matter how cautious, retorted, "What do you know, little girl? Master Jinghui is the most accurate in interpreting divinations. My third aunt's daughter-in-law's older sister was possessed by a ghost, so she came to pray and ask for a fortune. Who knew the master's prediction was right? She went back and burned something for her deceased sister, and she was cured the next day!"

"Yes, yes, our neighbor Lao Wang has been unlucky lately. He either breaks his leg or hits his head. The master said he has too many karmas and told him to pay off his debts quickly. Sure enough, he is fine after paying them off."

"There's also a girl from our village whose marriage was already arranged, but the master said their horoscopes wouldn't be compatible, and sure enough, something went wrong with her fiancé's family..."

The believers talked one after another, leaving Feng Lingwei speechless.

"Is it really that accurate?" She murmured softly, half believing and half doubting.

"Of course it's fake." A voice next to him suddenly interrupted.

Feng Lingwei turned around and called out, "Zhang Suniang!"

Outside the palace, several young ladies, accompanied by servants, arrived in a group. The leading girl was slightly older than the others, with delicate features and a cold gaze. Her plain clothing made her look even more aloof and proud.

Chu Ling was slightly stunned, and suddenly remembered that he had such a "mortal enemy" when he was young.

Zhang Suniang was the daughter of Zhang Ji, the Imperial Censor. She loved reading poetry and had a reputation for talent since childhood. Perhaps due to her family's influence, she was particularly stern and upright. Zhang Ji couldn't stand her lack of knowledge and was always trying to persuade her.

Chu Ling, spoiled and unruly since childhood, wouldn't listen to her, and so a grudge was born. The imperial court ladies in the capital were divided into several groups: noble ladies like Feng Lingwei and Tian Huier were one, and noble officials like Zhang Suniang were another. In the past, everyone respected the princess, and things were balanced. But after this incident, there was a certain tension between the two sides.

Zhang Suniang brought in a few sisters. She was still calm when she saw Feng Lingwei and Tian Huier first, but when she saw Chu Ling, her brows furrowed.

She bent her knees and said, "Ms. Chu, I heard you were not feeling well. Are you feeling better now?"

Chu Ling replied calmly: "It's fine now."

"That's good. We are all deeply saddened by the tragedy that has befallen your family. Please take care of yourself."

Seeing that she was sincere, Chu Ling smiled faintly: "Okay, thank you very much."

This smile made Zhang Suniang stunned for a moment. She hadn't seen the princess smile in a long time. Ever since their last unpleasant parting, the princess had always looked disgusted. Although she didn't care, it was always good for the princess to improve her attitude.

As they exchanged pleasantries, the believers nearby could no longer wait. The older woman, who had been talking excitedly earlier, shouted, "Wait a minute, young lady! What are you talking about? Nonsense is not acceptable when it comes to Bodhisattva matters!"

"That's right," the old woman next to him said, "These things really happened. How could they be fake?"

"That's right! We can't offend the Bodhisattva."

Tian Huier took the opportunity to say, "Miss Zhang, we know you're well-read, but you don't understand the matters of gods and Buddhas. Don't you say you shouldn't talk about things you don't understand? Isn't that what you said?"

Feng Lingwei nodded and said, "Yeah! You didn't come here to spoil our fun just because we were here, did you?"

Hearing them singing along, Chu Ling wanted to hide her face. These two girls were truly foolish. Who was Zhang Suniang? If she wasn't sure, she wouldn't say anything. Wouldn't that just be asking for a slap in the face?
As expected, Zhang Suniang glanced at him calmly and said, "I have my own reasons for saying this, and it has nothing to do with you."

She walked over and said to the first aunt, "Have you heard of the art of warding off evil?"

The aunt was confused: "What is it?"

"For example, there are coins with words like 'Long Live a Hundred Years' and 'Promotion to a Higher Position' engraved on them."

"Oh!" The aunt understood. "What does this have to do with what you said?"

"This is yinsheng money," Zhang Suniang explained. "Yansheng is a way to pray for blessings and also to ward off evil. When someone is possessed by a yin, it's often because they have something on their mind. The aunt you mentioned already had something on her mind, and once someone asked her about it and she talked about it, her worries went away, so she felt better, didn't she?"

"..." The aunt was speechless and could only mutter, "Can it be calculated like this?"

Zhang Suniang looked at the second person and said, "As for what you said, mother-in-law, this Uncle Wang has so many debts outside, it would be strange if he didn't cause trouble."

The mother-in-law argued: "He fell for no reason. Isn't this a ghost?"

Zhang Suniang just smiled and didn't argue with her. She then went on to say the third person, "...There are only so many people in the village, and news spreads quickly. You've probably heard of the reputation of that girl's in-laws, right? Everyone knows whether the marriage is a good one or not. If this master just asks more questions and listens more, won't he know everything clearly?"

She was eloquent and her reasoning was clear. She explained each point one by one, leaving the believers speechless and Tian Huier so anxious that she stamped her feet.

Seeing that the stall was about to be smashed, the master finally stood up.

He clasped his hands together, bowed with a smile and said, "Amitabha, your advice is profound. I appreciate your guidance."

(End of this chapter)