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With enough money in hand, the Taoist priest didn’t waste any more words. He immediately started to calculate the old woman’s fortune.
“Old lady, give me your birth date and your son’s,” said the Taoist priest.
The old woman immediately gave him her son’s birth date.
Qingli watched his actions and the compass, and she didn’t think he was entirely a fraud.
She just didn’t know if his calculations were accurate.
With the birth dates in hand, Qingli also calculated the old woman’s fortune. Then she waited for the Taoist priest’s answer.
After a while, the Taoist priest stroked his beard and said with a feigned air of wisdom, “Old lady, it seems you and your son will not be able to meet again. He is alive, but you are not long for this world. You have little time left and won’t be able to wait for him.”
As soon as the Taoist priest said this, the old woman stumbled back, her heart filled with disappointment.
“Really? We won’t be able to see each other?”
Her voice was filled with sadness. It seemed as if she had lost all her strength. Her condition looked even worse.
The Taoist priest remained expressionless and nodded faintly. “Yes, you won’t be able to see each other. The divination is complete. Please leave, old lady.”
Then he turned to Qingli. “Miss, I see blood misfortune in your future. Do you need to seek a solution?”
Hearing his words, Qingli couldn’t help but scoff.
“Oh really? Taoist Master, I can also tell fortunes. I see blood misfortune in your future too!”
The Taoist priest smiled helplessly. He clearly thought that Qingli was unhappy with his prediction of blood misfortune and was throwing a tantrum.
His tone remained gentle. “Miss, I’m telling the truth. You can ask around. In this area, my divinations have never been wrong. I’ve been setting up my stall here for quite some time.”
The old woman, lost in her grief, was about to leave. Qingli stopped her, saying, “Old lady, don’t go yet. This Taoist priest is wrong. You will see your son, and you will see him soon.”
The old woman didn’t believe Qingli’s words. She thought Qingli was just trying to comfort her and remained dejected.
The Taoist priest heard her words and couldn’t help but snort.
This little girl, who dared to claim she could tell fortunes, was truly overconfident.
“You look like a good girl, how can you be a liar?”
The Taoist priest looked at Qingli with disdain.
Qingli sneered, “Taoist Master, are you truly from the Jiuli Temple?”
A flicker of guilt crossed the Taoist priest’s eyes, but he quickly raised his voice, “Of course I’m from the Jiuli Temple. What do you mean?”
Qingli scoffed, “I thought the people of the Jiuli Temple were very powerful. It seems they are just charlatans like you.”
Hearing this, the Taoist priest immediately said fiercely, “What do you mean?”
Qingli chuckled, “Nothing, just that I’ve always heard people say the Jiuli Temple is so powerful, so powerful. But today I see, they are just a bunch of swindlers.”
Qingli continued to provoke him. Even though the Taoist priest found her beauty captivating and wanted to be patient, he had now lost his temper.
“You call me a swindler? Fine! You’d better prove it! If you can’t, then you’ll come with me. Your life will be mine. If you can prove it, I’ll kneel down and apologize to you.”
The Taoist priest didn’t want to let her go. He had never seen such a unique beauty.
Qingli nodded slowly. “Alright, let’s see who’s right. You said the old lady won’t see her son. You were wrong. The old lady will soon reunite with her son. I also see that the old lady’s son is now very wealthy. Moreover, the old lady will not only see her son, but also her grandson.”
The Taoist priest burst into laughter, his eyes full of mockery. “This girl, you may be beautiful, but why are you so fond of talking nonsense! If what you said is true, I will not only kneel down and apologize to you, I will also call you ‘Grandmother’ and follow your every command.”
The Taoist priest spoke with absolute certainty, full of confidence.
Qingli smiled. “Alright, that’s settled then.”
The old woman, hearing Qingli’s words, couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope.
“Miss, thank you. Even if it’s not true, hearing you say this makes me happy.”
The old woman was about to leave when Qingli stopped her. “Old lady, wait a moment. There will be a surprise!”
The old woman was puzzled but, recalling Qingli’s earlier assistance, sat back down.
The Taoist priest frowned. “Miss, aren’t you going to prove I’m a swindler? Just sitting there won’t prove anything.”
Qingli replied calmly, “Don’t rush. It won’t be long. Just wait a moment.”
Seeing her nonchalance, the Taoist priest couldn’t help but mock, “What are you waiting for? For this old lady’s son to arrive?”
After saying that, the Taoist priest burst into laughter.
The people around began to murmur. The Taoist priest’s reputation was quite strong in the area, and most of them believed in him.
Some started advising Qingli not to provoke this man. Although the Taoist priest charged a lot, he had always been accurate in his predictions, and they had never heard anyone say he was wrong.
Seeing that Qingli was just a young girl, the crowd feared she might be taken advantage of and urged her kindly.
Qingli sensed their goodwill and felt pleased, thanking everyone. “Thank you all! Good people will be rewarded. You are all good people. But I really can tell fortunes; I’m not just joking. There’s no need for further advice.”
Upon hearing this, the crowd thought she seemed even more naïve and intensified their persuasion.
The Taoist priest looked at Qingli with a smug expression, waiting for her to come with him.
Soon, a young man pushed through the crowd, calling out anxiously, “Mother, mother, where are you? I’m back, mother!”
His voice was frantic, and his eyes searched everywhere.
Not seeing anyone, he randomly grabbed a person and asked, “Excuse me, is Master Zhu’s stall here? Why can’t I find it?”
The man’s voice was urgent, filled with worry. He had just been directed to this spot by a neighbor from the village!
The person pointed ahead, saying, “It’s right here.”
Hearing this, the young man continued to push through the crowd.
“Excuse me, coming through.”
He squeezed in and finally saw the Taoist priest’s stall.
He rushed over and asked, “Are you Master Zhu? Where’s my mother? The villagers said she came to find you for a fortune-telling. Have you seen her?”
Master Zhu felt bewildered. Today was truly unlucky; he was encountering all sorts of strange people.
He waved the young man’s hand away and said indifferently, “Many people seek me for fortunes every day. I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
The old woman, who was blocked by Qingli, heard this familiar voice and felt a surge of emotion.
She excitedly reached out, but her hand only touched Qingli’s arm.
“Son? My son?”
The young man heard the old woman’s voice and shouted, “Mother, mother? Where are you?”
Qingli stepped aside, and the young man finally saw his old mother.
The old woman, with her hair completely gray and face lined with wrinkles, had vacant eyes. Her trembling hands flailed in the air, and she wore ragged clothing, looking very pitiful.
Seeing his mother in this state made the young man’s eyes turn red instantly.
“Mother!”
He cried out, tears streaming down his face as he knelt down.
The old woman couldn’t see and couldn’t confirm it was her son. Doubtful, she asked hopefully, “Son? Is it really you? I… I’m not dreaming, am I?”
Trembling, she stretched her arms forward.
The young man crawled on his knees, rushing into his mother’s embrace, his red-rimmed eyes filled with guilt and regret. He held his mother tightly, crying out loud.
A grown man, at this moment, cried like a child, sobbing as he lay before his mother.
Everyone was stunned!
Just moments ago, the Taoist priest had said the mother and son wouldn’t meet, but now, they were reunited in an instant.
Everyone turned to look at Qingli, realizing her prediction had indeed come true.
The Taoist priest couldn’t believe it, frowning as he glanced at the scene with a hint of guilt.
The sight of the mother and son embracing and weeping moved everyone around them, evoking deep sympathy.