Chapter 427 - 224: Blind Man’s Bone Reading

Chapter 427: Chapter 224: Blind Man’s Bone Reading

As he watched the Monk’s dashing departure, Zheng Xiu felt a faint pang of sorrow.

"Walk with me."

Zheng Xiu beckoned to Feng Bei.

Feng Bei nodded.

She was feeling melancholic, and wasn’t sure if she was accompanying him or the other way around.

The two walked along the bustling city streets. Zheng Xiu was the number one celebrity in the Imperial City. As they went, many people greeted him, affectionately calling him Master Zheng.

News about Feng Bei had somehow spread. The more perceptive onlookers would brazenly call out, "Madam Zheng." Under the barrage of "Madam Zheng," Feng Bei, who had been in a foul mood, had no time for her own thoughts and was exhausted just trying to respond to everyone.

"How have I suddenly become ’Madam Zheng’ to everyone?"

Dragging Zheng Xiu away from the crowd as if her life depended on it, she found a secluded spot, glared at him, and demanded an answer.

Zheng Xiu held up his hands. "Don’t ask me. I’m innocent."

"You did this on purpose again?"

"This time, I swear it wasn’t me." Zheng Xiu raised three fingers, ready to swear an oath. Seeing this, Feng Bei sighed softly. "Fine, it was on purpose then. Whatever."

She resigned herself to it.

Before they knew it, they had crossed nearly half the Imperial City and were passing the Jing Family residence. Zheng Xiu suddenly recalled something and politely went up to knock on the door. A young maidservant answered. When Zheng Xiu gave his name, the color drained from her face. A commotion erupted inside, and soon after, the Jing couple, who had so "painfully lost" their beloved daughter, emerged. Their daughter, Jing Xuemei, a proper young lady, had been bound by Zheng Xiu to a massive indenture contract, forced to work as a maid and a Geisha, and had even severed ties with her parents. It was no surprise the Jing couple didn’t look happy to see him.

"There’s a spirit tablet for an old friend of my father’s in your ancestral hall," Zheng Xiu said languidly, not waiting for the Jing couple to speak. "Let me go inside for a look. I’ll just be a moment. I remember the Jing Clan is in the textile business. In return, I’ll have my drapery sign a long-term supply contract with you."

Lady Jing flew into a rage, about to snap, ’Who do you think we are?’ But Elder Jing’s eyebrow twitched. He quickly pulled his wife back, let out a hearty laugh, and cupped his hands. "This way! Please, come in! For Master Zheng to grace our humble home, it is truly an honor!"

With a few simple words, years of minor friction with the Jing Clan were smoothed over. Zheng Xiu couldn’t help but admire the usefulness of money. He entered the Jing Clan’s ancestral hall. Just as he remembered, there stood a spirit tablet that was completely out of place with the others—"The Spirit Tablet of Xiaotao of the Gongsun Jing Clan."

Feng Bei looked at the spirit tablet, her heart filled with questions, but she said nothing in front of their hosts. After Zheng Xiu calmly paid his respects, they were invited to a tea room. Zheng Xiu pretended to ask about the tablet offhandedly, and Elder Jing answered truthfully. He explained that his own great-grandfather had been childless and had adopted a daughter named Xiaotao. After Xiaotao passed away from an illness, his grandfather was unexpectedly born to the old man, thus continuing the Jing Clan’s lineage. The ancestors concluded that Xiaotao’s spirit in Heaven must be protecting the Jing Clan and commanded their descendants to never remove her tablet.

"I see."

With that matter settled in his mind, Zheng Xiu bid farewell to the Jing couple. Over a cup of tea, the hatchet between the Zheng and Jing Clans was buried. It didn’t take long for Lady Jing to come around. Her daughter’s reputation was already in tatters, but if she were to be loyal to one man and follow Master Zheng, she might be able to help the Jing Clan. And so, she subtly inquired if Zheng Xiu was in need of a concubine, hinting that their well-read and gentle Jing Xuemei would be a perfect choice to warm his bed.

This blatant use of their daughter as a bargaining chip for the family’s future disgusted Feng Bei. As they left, Zheng Xiu said to her, "This is just how the world works. You get used to it."

Feng Bei nodded. She had wanted to ask about Xiaotao’s spirit tablet, but on second thought, she just smiled with relief. ’It was all just a long dream,’ she thought. ’He’s not Gongsun Mo, and I’m not Xie Luohe. Why should I be so concerned?’ And so, she buried the question in her heart and said no more.

The Monk’s words had certainly eased some of Feng Bei’s inner turmoil, but coming to terms with everything completely wouldn’t happen overnight. Zheng Xiu, for his part, was in no hurry.

They wandered for a while, and by the time they started heading back to the Zheng Residence, it was nearly noon. Passing an alley, they saw a crowd had gathered.

Zheng Xiu was curious. It didn’t seem to be one of the Zheng Clan’s businesses. He went to ask and learned that a blind youth named Chen Wei was at the mouth of the alley. He knew a bit of the Bone-Touching Skill, and his readings were so accurate that he had made quite a name for himself in the Imperial City recently.

The word was, he had one rule for his bone-touching: accurate or not, he only charged a single copper coin. Just one.

"Blind? Young? And named Chen Wei?"

Zheng Xiu and Feng Bei exchanged a look, each seeing a flicker of surprise in the other’s eyes.