Chapter 199

That's right, seventeen years have passed without knowing it.

She has also gone from being a middle-aged woman to having gray hair, and there aren't many days left to waste.

"Thanks to the Bodhisattva's blessing, this old bone is still healthy." Old Madam Du says with a smile, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes appearing and disappearing.

Abbess Miaoyuan nods and asks straight to the point: "Madam came here today, presumably for the sake of your granddaughter, right?"

Old Madam Du doesn't beat around the bush either. "Yes, to tell you the truth, Abbess, I have lived in seclusion for these years, just waiting for a result."

Now, the time has finally come.

Seventeen years ago, Abbess Miaoyuan didn't have this name; she was called Wan Yihuan, a poor woman being hunted by enemies.

By chance, Old Madam Du saved her and secretly placed her in this pure land of Buddhism.

She originally thought it was just doing a good deed, but she didn't expect an unexpected harvest.

Wan Yihuan is not an ordinary person, but comes from the Heavenly Secret Palace, one of the three great holy lands.

The three great holy lands, besides the Medicine God Valley and the Moon Shadow Tower, are the Heavenly Secret Palace.

The Medicine God Valley goes without saying; the valley master, Divine Doctor Jun, has medical skills that reach the heavens, can revive the dead and flesh the bones, and among his seven great disciples, except for the youngest, Gu Yunzhou, everyone is a master of medicine.

The Moon Shadow Tower is much darker.

It is the world's premier assassin organization.

And it never misses!

Once targeted by the Moon Shadow Tower, the best way to deal with it is to immediately go home, pick a geomantically auspicious place for yourself, and lie down and wait for death.

The Heavenly Secret Palace, which can be ranked alongside these two mysterious organizations, is naturally not weak.

Divining good and bad luck, peeking into the secrets of heaven, is their specialty.

Even the National Master, who is deeply respected by the Emperor, comes from the Heavenly Secret Palace.

To repay Old Madam Du's life-saving grace, Wan Yihuan promised her that she could unconditionally calculate a hexagram for her or her family.

With such a good opportunity, Old Madam Du naturally wouldn't let it go, and the first person she thought of was her son, Du Ren Mei.

Du Ren Mei had just divorced his original wife, Zheng Shi, and married the Marquis's daughter, Jiang Yunluo, as his wife.

Old Madam Du was very unhappy about this.

Zheng Shi was the flower of Xinglin Cun back then, and there were countless young men who came to ask for her hand; she had finally snatched this marriage.

Since marrying into the Du family, Zheng Shi had been filial to her mother-in-law, and loved her husband Du Ren Mei from the bottom of her heart. To earn money to support his studies, she had done all kinds of dirty and tiring work, never complaining once.

Old Madam Du was one hundred percent satisfied with such a good daughter-in-law.

But she also understood her son.

Ten years of hard study, wasn't it just to one day leap over the dragon gate and bring honor to his ancestors?

With her son's mere status as a scholar, even if he waited ten or twenty years, he probably wouldn't get a chance to fill a vacancy.

So, Old Madam Du tacitly approved of her son wanting to take a shortcut and rely on the big tree of the Beian Marquis Mansion.

But she also had her own wishful thinking.

She thought that since Jiang Shi was from the Marquis Mansion, she must be the legal wife.

But Zheng Shi had to stay; Zheng Shi was always easy to talk to and had deep feelings for her husband, so for her husband's future, she would definitely be willing to wrong herself and be demoted to a concubine.

Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

Old Madam Du thought very well.

It's just a pity that her plan didn't work out. Jiang Shi agreed on the surface, but turned around and slandered Zheng Shi for pushing her, nearly causing her to lose two lives!

Old Madam Du and Du Ren Mei both knew Zheng Shi's character very well; she absolutely couldn't do such a thing.

In other words, Jiang Shi couldn't tolerate Zheng Shi at all.

If Zheng Shi had to be kept in the mansion, she would probably fall victim to Jiang Shi's poison sooner or later.

To coax Jiang Shi to be happy, and also for Zheng Shi's safety, Du Ren Mei had no choice but to harden his heart and drive her back to her maiden home, parting ways from then on.

She originally thought the matter ended there, but who knew that not long after Zheng Shi returned, she actually discovered that she was already several months pregnant!

Not long after, she gave birth to a daughter.

Old Madam Du's mood was very complicated. If it were a boy, she would have brought him back to raise herself without saying a word, ensuring his safety.

If it were a girl...

What was the use of bringing her back?

After all, it was her own granddaughter, so Old Madam Du still had some feelings for that child. After thinking about it, she gave that calculation opportunity to her.

If this child had a good life, she would take her back to the Du Mansion.

If it were a bitter life, then forget it, saving the effort.

Old Madam Du took the child's birth date and a few strands of hair to Wan Yihuan.

The result came out quickly.

But it was beyond her expectations.

"Eh, this child's fate is a bit strange..."

Wan Yihuan's expression was very solemn, as if she had encountered something she couldn't figure out. "Disasters before seventeen, life bitterer than coptis; after the midsummer of seventeen, the fortune suddenly rises, and in the future, it will be indescribably noble."

Indescribably noble?

In today's world, besides the Empress Dowager, Empress, and Noble Consort, which woman can afford these four words?

Old Madam Du was excited at the time and was about to go and bring the child home.

But Wan Yihuan poured a basin of cold water on her again.

"She is destined to have a great calamity at the age of seventeen. If she can't pass it, it's a dead end; if she passes it, she will be indescribably noble. If Madam intervenes now, I'm afraid it will change her fortune. Although it can ensure her a lifetime of peace, it will also be a lifetime of mediocrity."

"Whether you want peace or wealth, Madam can decide for yourself."

Old Madam Du chose the latter without hesitation.

Wealth is sought in danger. Although this child might die at seventeen, as long as she survives, it will be another world.

No matter what, gamble!

Facts proved that she bet right.

Now that midsummer has passed, Aman is still fine, and her fortune is indeed getting better and better, which shows that Wan Yihuan's calculation was accurate.

Next, she only needs to repair this grandmother-granddaughter relationship, and the Du family will naturally be able to fly high by relying on this granddaughter in the future!

However, Old Madam Du still confirmed: "Abbess Miaoyuan, has Aman's calamity passed?"

Abbess Miaoyuan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "It has indeed passed."

Hearing this, Old Madam Du finally set her mind at ease.

Great, then she can let go and do it, without having to watch Jiang Shi and her bastard child poison Aman like before, but only being able to choose to turn a blind eye.

"By the way, Abbess, I want to ask, does Aman's indescribable nobility come from the Jiang family? Or rather, is it related to her husband Jiang Li?"

In other words, the so-called wife relying on the husband's nobility.

Abbess Miaoyuan recited a Buddha's name. "Amitabha, the secrets of heaven cannot be leaked."

Old Madam Du wanted to ask two more questions, but the novice nun came in, holding two banknotes in her hand and handing them to Abbess Miaoyuan. "Abbot, there is a female benefactor outside who added one hundred taels of silver for incense oil."

One hundred taels of silver is so much that according to the rules, it must be recorded in the merit book, and then scriptures will be chanted to pray for these people during morning lessons.

"Since that's the case, wait for me to go out and see." Abbess Miaoyuan said, getting up.

Old Madam Du had no choice but to bid farewell tactfully.

Suyin waited outside the door, and seeing her come out, she hurriedly stepped forward to support her.

The two walked from the side aisle to the front of the main hall. Old Madam Du looked up at the sky. "It's still early, I haven't been out for a long time, the scenery in this temple is getting better and better. Let's go, let's go worship the Bodhisattva and stroll around by the way."

At this time, Du Ruo and Zheng Shi were being led by the novice nun to the inner hall.

Seeing Du Ruo, Abbess Miaoyuan was slightly stunned and smiled. "Female benefactor has a good appearance, she is a blessed person."

Du Ruo bowed to her, her eyebrows curving. "If someone else said this, I would definitely think they were flattering me; but since the Abbess said so, I believe it."

Abbess Miaoyuan couldn't help but smile.

This young lady is likable and very much to her liking.

She opened the merit book, picked up a pen, and asked: "The female benefactor's maiden name is..."

Before Du Ruo could speak, Zheng Shi hurriedly replied: "My daughter's surname is Du, name Ruo, nickname Aman, born on the sixth day of the second lunar month in the sixteenth year of Fengxi, year of the Tiger."

Du Ruo? Abbess Miaoyuan's pen paused.

It's actually her!

Only stunned for a moment, Abbess Miaoyuan returned to normal, and then solemnly wrote Du Ruo's name in the merit book.

After writing, she put down the pen and looked at Du Ruo lovingly. "May I see the female benefactor's palm?"

Du Ruo immediately stretched out her little chubby claws without the slightest hesitation.

For some reason, she had an inexplicable trust in this Abbess Miaoyuan, the kind of... how to say... very special, natural closeness.

Probably because she is a monastic, with her own Buddha nature.

Abbess Miaoyuan held Du Ruo's right hand, lowered her head to carefully examine her palm lines, first frowning, then suddenly realizing after a while, and then looking relieved.

"The female benefactor's fate is indeed precious." She let go of her hand and smiled. "However, this poor nun has two sentences she wants to give to the female benefactor, just as encouragement."

"The female benefactor's fate is plagued by villains, so you must often guard against villains making trouble; there is another sentence, the phoenix nirvana, only through fire can it be reborn, don't be afraid."

Du Ruo is a bit confused.

She understands the first sentence; villains, since she crossed over, she doesn't know how many she has encountered.

But what does the second sentence mean? What rebirth through fire? She was reborn, but it wasn't through fire, it was clearly through water.

She was drowned in her previous life.