Bai Qiuyu took a deep breath and said, "A noble person has come from the Capital City, and in terms of status, none here can match."
"Oh?" Zhu Huai'an's eyes flickered, and he feigned indifference, "Sir, do not speak lightly, how could you discern my nobility at a glance?"
Bai Qiuyu pointed to a wooden plaque on the fortune-telling stall, which read, 'Three fortunes a day, no more after the time.'
"I only tell three fortunes a day, come rain or shine, never more."
"Yet today, you've compelled me to tell one more."
As he spoke, Bai Qiuyu casually drew a stick from the fortune jar, revealing a red-headed stick of the highest fortune.
With the red-topped stick in hand, Bai Qiuyu picked up a brush and wrote the number three on the table.
"The stick was drawn vertically, and adding one vertical line to three creates the character 'king'."
Bai Qiuyu continued, "My surname is Bai, and the noble seeking my fortune results in 'king' added to 'Bai'."
King plus Bai...
The onlookers whispered among themselves, and those literate abruptly changed their expressions, yet looked at Zhu Huai'an with doubt.
Impossible, what merit do they have to witness the visage of the founding Emperor here?
Either the fortune was wrong, or they misunderstood; 'king' plus 'Bai' might form another word...
However, the next moment, everyone saw Bai Qiuyu bow deeply, saying:
"Besides the divination, the noble has a dragon's gait, eyes holding the sun and moon, this is..."
Zhu Huai'an immediately raised a hand to stop him, ordering his attendants to disperse the crowd. Once they were alone, he asked, "This is what?"
"This is the aspect of the nine-five."
"A humble Bai of the mountains greets Your Majesty."
Not only Zhu Huai'an was astonished, but even his guards were taken aback; this person truly had some insight.
"Sir, with divine calculation, you indeed have the ability to foretell!"
Zhu Huai'an's eyes couldn't hide their brightness, yet he still harbored doubts; he was the ruler of a dynasty, seen by tens of thousands.
If he had been seen before, now the mystery could just be theatrics...
Zhu Huai'an suppressed his thoughts and continued, "Since you know my identity, you should understand my words earlier; they carry the weight of gold!"
"Today, I decree here, granting you leave to divine one more fortune for me!"
Bai Qiuyu frowned slightly, recalling the foundation the Sect Leader laid for her, yet not wishing to cause trouble for the Sect Leader and owe more favors...
After pondering for a moment, Bai Qiuyu cautiously asked, "Just this one fortune?"
"Just this one fortune!"
Bai Qiuyu sighed in relief, returned to the stall, and asked, "What does Your Majesty wish to inquire about?"
Zhu Huai'an pondered, "I have heard a rumor of a demon in the White Cloud Cave, Yunmeng Mountain of Quyang County. Is it true, and if so, could I dispatch a strong army to eradicate it?"
"..."
Bai Qiuyu blinked repeatedly, her mind racing.
After a while, she made a hand gesturing calculation, saying, "Heaven and earth are yet undecided; this demon is born from nature's transformation and has its own destiny. If Your Majesty insists on using force..."
"It would cost Da Yan twenty years of national fortune to suppress it again. However, the Dao values life, and there is merit in dispelling evil to protect the Dao; perhaps a small reward may return, but fortune is unpredictable."
Zhu Huai'an frowned deeply.
This was evidently a gamble. At the worst, he could eradicate the demon for Xu Qing, gaining a capable minister but at the cost of twenty years of the land's fortune...
On the other hand, without Xu Qing, how would he have his empire?
"Yet, a sacred ruler rules by law and not by intellect, by public spirit and not private. As one who governs a nation, how can I not hold the world in the public trust..."
Zhu Huai'an's expression was solemn, and he remained silent for a long time.
Only when the fortune-teller was preparing to close up and leave did Zhu Huai'an return to his senses.
"I observe that sir has a talent for great matters. May I invite you to the Capital City? I could offer you the position of Imperial Astrologer to oversee heavenly changes and divine omens..."
To the Capital City?
Bai Qiuyu shook her head and waved her hands. She lived well at the Cat Immortal Hall, enjoying good food and clothes made by a ghost seamstress, with no worries, receiving incense salary monthly from the Immortal Hall, and might even get additional rewards at year-end if deemed an excellent immortal.
Why give up such a life for some insignificant position in the Capital City?
No, no!
She was still waiting for the Sect Leader to explore her own Qingqiu Ruins!
Zhu Huai'an was reluctant to give up, but right as he was about to exert both grace and authority, two monks walked over from the bridge.
One monk had tattered clothes and shoes that exposed his toes, while the other, around twenty years old, had a flat head, broad forehead, sharp eyes, and graceful appearance, with extraordinary looks!
Zhu Huai'an glanced and instinctively ignored the Mad Monk, focusing solely on the young monk with saintly features.
"This person truly is remarkable!"
Even Zhu Huai'an, who had seen countless people, couldn't help but pay extra attention.
Beside him, Bai Qiuyu noticed the emperor's shifting attention and seized the opportunity to redirect the trouble.
"Chen Liu'Er!"
The youthful and handsome Chen Liu'Er looked toward the source of the voice.
"Master Bai?"
Chen Liu'Er often played in Underground Street when he was young. Shiyue, a daughter of an embroiderer, was also a friend of his, knowing everyone there.
But as he grew older, he formally shaved his head and followed Monk Xinyuan into Buddhism.
Xinyuan always had hostility toward Underground Street, often saying mysteriously that the place was inauspicious and incompatible with him, usually reluctant for Chen Liu'Er to return there.
Yet, Chen Liu'Er's feelings were opposite; he found the people of Underground Street to be highly amicable, especially the often-playful Mr. Xu.
Unfortunately, Mr. Xu had been gone for ten years until he recently heard of his return.
Today, he intended to visit Mr. Xu in Underground Street.
Holding the packed-up simple fortune-telling stall and leaning on the divine fortune banner, Bai Qiuyu, seeing Chen Liu'Er approaching, quietly asked Zhu Huai'an:
"Your Majesty, do you have an interest in Buddhist teachings?"
Recalling his past monastic life, Zhu Huai'an firmly shook his head, "No interest!"
Bai Qiuyu raised an eyebrow and approached before Chen Liu'Er could, "Good nephew, let me introduce a noble person to you; see this layman here, he claims no interest in Buddhism, doesn't believe — and you can accept this?"
"..."
Beside them, Monk Xinyuan was watching Zhu Huai'an with suspicion. Hearing Bai Qiuyu's inflammatory words, his face turned dark instantly.
This fox clearly had bad intentions!
"Disciple, quickly return with me; let's not visit friends!"
Xinyuan reached to pull his disciple away, but it was too late.
"May I ask the venerable titles of the two mages?"
Zhu Huai'an, intrigued, looked at Chen Liu'Er. He didn't like recalling his monastic past, but he couldn't deny Buddhism's protection, allowing him to overcome many hurdles and reach the northern frontier.
Now, with the Celestial Master's Mansion monopolizing divination, blessings, and rituals, Zhu Huai'an had long wanted to curb their power.
Perhaps he could leverage his monastic experience to claim Buddhist protection, supporting the monks, establishing Buddhist teachings nationwide, and making them the model for all temples...
Seeing Zhu Huai'an's inquiry, Chen Liu'Er bowed and said, "This humble monk Sange, greets Your Majesty."
"..."
Zhu Huai'an was momentarily speechless; how was it in Linjiang County that everyone could discern his identity?
"Mage, have you seen me before?"
Chen Liu'Er shook his head.
Zhu Huai'an squinted, "Then how dare you assert my identity?"
Chen Liu'Er smiled, "Monks do not lie; although I have not seen Your Majesty, your brow emanates authority, surrounded by purple aura, a true dragon's aspect. I have studied physiognomy for years, hence I could discern."
Zhu Huai'an's eyes sparkled; this small Jin Sect truly hid talented individuals.
Last year, he promoted Quyang Prefect Chen Guangrui as a remarkable and unparalleled talent.
Now, besides Xu Qing, there's this exceptional, wise monk and one who can calculate divinations...
Remembering the fortune-teller, Zhu Huai'an hurriedly searched around, but she was nowhere in sight!
Searching everywhere, he finally spotted her at the street corner, hastily leaving.