Chapter 58: Disc-Reading Fate

The sea waves surged under his feet, and water splashed everywhere.

Zhang Gui took half a step back.

He looked back at the old man behind him, who was wearing bloated brocade thick cotton clothes and a thick leather hat.

He was as thin as a stick, with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, seeing only clothes and no person, and asked strangely, "Who is the old man?"

"Liu Wuchang, a fortune teller."

This answer still left Zhang Gui confused.

The thin old man continued: "I met you on the road a few days ago and heard you say,"

"'Leisurely watching the years of the human world fade, slowly tasting the rich fireworks of the marketplace'."

"It felt like it had some flavor, so I kept it in my heart."

"Just now, seeing others watching the play in a lively manner, but you were alone blowing the wind by the sea."

"So I came to ask what you are thinking about, and if you have encountered anything sad?"

Zhang Gui then heard that the old man was kind-hearted.

Although he didn't need it, he had always treated kindness with kindness.

"Thank you for your concern, old man."

"I just felt stuffy from the crowd watching the play, so I came out to relax."

The thin old man nodded, "Is that so."

"Then let me tell your fortune."

Zhang Gui was stunned, "Is it so sudden?"

"It's not sudden."

"I'm quite good at telling fortunes, so I was invited by the master of this town to calculate the fortune."

"Because I asked for a bit more remuneration, and promised that as long as enough money was given, it would be a bulk payment."

"I don't count how many, before the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month, I calculate as many as they want me to calculate."

"Today's turn includes you."

Zhang Gui pointed to the tip of his nose with his backhand, "Me."

"In the Pingyang Zhang family, I'm not a character, who would ask you to calculate my fortune?"

The thin old man laughed, "Kid, your luck has started."

"You know how to work hard and improve yourself, have timing and talent, and have met a noble person..."

"Wait, old man," Zhang Gui's heart moved, "Could it be that Zhang Jiujiang spread the news of my entering the Dao to the adults in the clan?"

"Someone was moved and asked you to come and look at me."

"What a sharp brain, that's exactly it," the old man clapped his hands and laughed.

At the same time.

In the 'Inner Secretary Room' of the Pingyang Zhang family's main residence, in a side room near the side door.

Zhang Qiguan, the elder brother, was holding Pu'er tea and talking about fate with his younger brother, Zhang Qitong.

The Inner Secretary Room manages personnel.

Although these two brothers were only managers, according to the clan rules, decent people were still resting before the fifteenth day of the first month, but they had to work.

But they actually held important positions, low in rank but high in power.

They might not be able to move the direct descendants, but changing the fate of ordinary clan members with a pen was no exaggeration.

After drinking tea and smoothing his breath, Zhang Qiguan reached out and picked up the charcoal tongs, threw a few pieces of charcoal into the fire basin, and said casually:

"That Liu Wuchang, with the appearance and conduct of a rat spirit."

"Relying on the name of the 'Hall of Merit', he stubbornly cheated our family out of five thousand taels of silver."

"I really don't know what the family head is thinking."

"What is he thinking? He was just trapped by words at the time and couldn't get off the stage."

"After coming back, he regretted it, otherwise he wouldn't have handed the person over to our family elder, using Liu Wuchang like a donkey pulling a mill."

"If it were really like what the 'Hall of Merit' said, helping people break their fortune would damage their blessings and shorten their lives."

"But just the fortune he has broken in these few days is enough for this old rat spirit to be struck by lightning and turn into flying ash."

Hearing his brother's interesting words, Zhang Qiguan laughed like a duck, "Exactly, exactly."

"I heard that this old rat spirit loves gambling most in his life, and loses every time he gambles."

"Internally, he is looking for people everywhere in the 'Hall of Merit' to borrow money to pay off debts."

"Externally, he cheats and swindles, making people hate him."

"Only Tai would fall for his tricks."

"Similarly, only our family elder has good conduct and is willing to take on such a rotten thing before the fifteenth day of the first month."

Tai is the childhood nickname of Zhang Qitai, the new head of the Zhang family.

After taking office, to be called this behind his back by two mere managers, one can see how low his prestige is in the clan.

The two brothers laughed for a while again.

Zhang Qitong suddenly said: "Does the elder brother still remember Zhang Bashan?"

"I don't remember." Zhang Qiguan's eyelids drooped, and he shook his head.

Zhang Qitong chuckled twice, "Have you forgotten your old classmate?"

"I remember he was thirty-three years old, and he passed the imperial examination before he was thirty..."

"Nonsense, this son was thirty-six years old, and he passed the imperial examination when he was thirty."

"Hehe, elder brother, you remember so clearly, why did you just say you forgot?"

"Don't joke, speak quickly if you have something to say, and let it go if you have a fart," Zhang Qiguan was flushed by his brother's teasing and said angrily.

Zhang Qitong knew his brother's temperament, smiled and explained slowly,

"Don't be angry, elder brother."

"I mention this person because there is a tortuous and bizarre story I want you to know."

"Among the people Liu Wuchang calculated today, one is the illegitimate son of Zhang Bashan, named Zhang Gui..."

"Zhang Bashan is very hypocritical, but because he is afraid of his wife, he is very harsh to this illegitimate son, and I heard he didn't give a single penny for his upbringing..."

"As a result, I didn't expect that child to be a small dragon python at the bottom of the well..."

"Arrived at Blackwood Town, because of the face of Zhang Jiujiang, the younger brother of Zhang Jiuqing, he became a manager..."

"Didn't Zhang Yan let all the clan descendants on the island look at the 'Zongheng Book' when he made his move..."

"After Zhang Gui fainted for no reason, his mother couldn't move the town doctor, and went straight to Zhang Bashan's house, almost burning his house..."

"Waiting for Zhang Gui to wake up, he unexpectedly entered the Dao due to misfortune..."

"Zhang Jiujiang is truly a good friend and a good brother, and he reported this matter to the adults in the clan immediately..."

"Today, our family elder pointed at the old rat spirit to calculate Zhang Gui's fortune..."

"You say it's bizarre or not."

This story made Zhang Qiguan angry, happy, frowning, and laughing, and finally pondered:

"So Zhang Bashan's illegitimate son has both ability and noble people, and has received the attention of the adults in the clan."

"Eighty percent he is going to turn over."

"And the more glorious he is after turning over, the more eye-catching the story that happened to him will be."

"The bastard things Zhang Bashan did that ignored human relations will be scolded more, right?"

Zhang Qiguan nodded repeatedly and said:

"Exactly."

"That's why I told you to make you happy."

As the words fell, someone knocked on the door outside.

The two brothers in the side room straightened their expressions.

Zhang Qitong raised his voice and said: "Come in."

As the words fell, a small clerk with a crooked face walked into the door on tiptoe,

"Uncle Qitong, the family elder is calling you."

The superior who skipped a level called the younger brother, not the older brother.

And it was also obvious that Zhang Qitong's news was better informed during the conversation.

The narrow-minded elder brother felt inexplicably unhappy, but couldn't vent it, so he could only vent his anger on the small clerk,

"Zhang Ba-hu, look at your thief-like appearance, can't you walk upright and straighten your waist?"

The small clerk was listless and didn't make a sound.

Zhang Qitong knew his brother's temperament and smiled:

"Alright, alright, elder brother, Ba-hu will remember your lesson."

He got up and greeted the small clerk, walking out of the door leisurely.

The two walked one after the other, passing through two courtyards with straight bluestone roads and pear trees planted on the side.

Walking into a courtyard that looked significantly wider than the one they had just passed.

The main hall of the courtyard was carved with beams and painted buildings, which was very imposing, and the green pines on the ground were lush and pleasant.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 59 =====