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The incident of Sun Shi’s threatened miscarriage did not die down quietly within the Shen family. The whole village became aware of it, as they had gone all out to fetch the midwife and doctor that day. Some curious villagers had followed along, witnessing the chaotic scene. The Shen family members were so preoccupied that they didn’t notice being observed throughout the process.
To preserve Shen Ziju’s reputation, Shen Zhang shi strictly forbade any discussion of the matter outside the family. If anyone inquired, they were only to mention it was an accidental threatened miscarriage, avoiding any further details.
One day, a fortune-telling Taoist priest arrived in the village. He had an ethereal appearance, with white hair and a pleasant countenance that belied his age, appearing to be around forty, not quite youthful but still maintaining a certain charm.
“This Taoist priest is truly extraordinary. My wife lost her hairpin, and after searching in vain, the Taoist immediately pointed east, saying it was under a tree by the river. Lo and behold, we found it right under the big willow tree east of the village. It’s truly miraculous!” exclaimed a villager, his excitement evident, showing unwavering faith in the old Taoist.
The villagers marveled at the tale, as the speaker was a respected member of the community known for his honesty and integrity. If he said it happened, then it must have truly occurred.
A woman exclaimed, “This Taoist priest is truly miraculous! Yesterday, he warned me about an impending accident for my husband, but I didn’t believe him. Yet, my husband was indeed struck by a stone thrown by a child. I’ll make sure to catch the culprit, even if it’s someone’s child; no one will be spared!”
“He’s incredibly accurate!”
“He’s a true immortal! Just look at his ethereal presence; how could he not be accurate?”
“Yes, absolutely. I want the Taoist to predict whether my wife will give birth to a boy or a girl…”
“I need to ask the Taoist whether we should build the pigsty on the east or west side of our house!”
As more people attested to the Taoist’s abilities, listeners became firm believers in his powers. Many of them sought his divination services, each session costing just one coin—a bargain. The Taoist explained that he was passing through the area, captivated by the villagers’ simplicity and sincerity, prompting him to stay a day or two to offer his services. He even mentioned that if it weren’t for his need for sustenance, he wouldn’t have charged even a single coin.
The villagers admired the Taoist’s praise for their village and his willingness to charge only for meals, viewing him as an otherworldly figure who regarded money as insignificant, making his divinations surely accurate!
The village where the Shen family resided was called Riverside Village, named after the river adjacent to it. With over two hundred households, it was considered a sizable village. However, the villagers never doubted their knack for spreading rumors. The Taoist had arrived a few days prior, conducted several divinations, and proved exceptionally accurate, with his reputation spreading rapidly throughout the entire village.
Today, a group of children from the Shen family finished gathering fodder for the pigs and, intrigued by the crowd, joined in. Among them were mischievous children like the Shen family’s third grandson and Shen family’s fourth grandson, who, unable to resist stirring up trouble, elicited loud scolding from the onlookers.
“Elder Immortal, can you tell me my fate? I don’t want to gather fodder or farm; I want to earn lots of silver. Can you predict what I’ll do in the future? Is that possible?” The Shen family’s third grandson squeezed into the crowd and addressed the Taoist, handing him a coin.
The Shen family’s Eldest and second grandson exchanged a glance, wondering when their Third Brother had ever managed to keep a coin in his possession. He always spent whatever money he had on food! Besides, under normal circumstances, he would have tried to get a free fortune reading, so why was he willingly paying now?
The villagers, seeing young lad Shen seeking a fortune reading, hoping perhaps for a stroke of luck leading to wealth, chuckled and egged him on, then fell silent to listen.
The Taoist scrutinized Shen family’s third grandson, studying his face carefully, furrowing his brow, then asked him to extend his hand to examine the lines in his hand then stroked his eyebrows before sighing.
Seeing the Taoist’s concerned expression, the child’s grew anxious and asked, “Elder Immortal, is my fate bad? You must tell me! I don’t want to gather fodder or farm for the rest of my life! I even gave you a coin!”
Onlookers, initially concerned about Shen family’s third grandson’s potential misfortune, couldn’t help but chuckle upon hearing his words, realizing he was indeed the child of the Shen’s Third daughter-in-law and Shen Ziping – their lazy and miserly traits evident. Did he really expect a fortune for a mere coin? The Taoist paid no heed to that insignificant sum!
The Taoist, with a solemn expression, looked at Shen family’s third grandson and said, “Seeing a child like you willing to offer your one coin for a glimpse into the future, I will certainly read your fortune thoroughly. Your face and hands indicate a life of smooth sailing. While you may not become immensely wealthy, you’ll never lack for necessities…”
Thrilled by this assessment, The child couldn’t contain his joy, almost dancing with excitement. He proudly glanced back at his brothers and exclaimed, “See? I have a fortune of immense wealth! I won’t have to cut fodder or toil in the fields anymore!”
The Shen family’s second grandson, who usually disliked his Third Brother’s cunning ways, sneered, “Then sit at home and wait for money to rain down on you like manna from heaven. You won’t even need to eat; a life of abundance is guaranteed, with rice falling from the sky, and perhaps even roasted chicken!”
The onlookers burst into laughter.
Flushed with anger, the Shen family’s third grandson, the younger of the two, felt indignant. Despite being the younger sibling, he couldn’t stand feeling inferior to his older brother. Their relationship had always been strained, with others praising his Second Brother for his cleverness and promising future, fueling his resentment. Finally hearing someone predict a better fate for him than for his Second Brother was a vindication he couldn’t pass up.
“You’re just envious of my good fortune! Even if you’re jealous, it won’t change a thing. You’re doomed to a life of mediocrity as mud-leggers and will perish in obscurity!” he retorted, determined not to let his Second Brother belittle him any longer.
As his words left his mouth, not only did his Eldest and Second Brother’s expressions change, but nearly all the villagers in Riverside Village were affected. Being born and raised in the village, all of them were field laborers – essentially “mud-leggers.” The child’s remark was a direct insult to their way of life, branding them all. Moreover, he cursed his own elder brother, even going as far as wishing death upon him, showcasing a severe lack of manners. Some thought that not only was the Shen family’s third grandson arrogant, but also malicious for cursing his own kin. They believed that someone who could curse their own brother would surely not turn out to be a good person, destined to be avoided whether rich or poor.
The Shen family’s third grandson certainly didn’t anticipate alienating the entire village with a single statement, tarnishing his image in everyone’s eyes, regardless of the predicted fortune of great wealth. Of course, there were a few with ulterior motives who began considering the Shen family’s third grandson for their unmarried daughters.
“Who are you talking to? I’ll smack that mouth of yours!” the Shen family’s second grandson shouted, ready to charge to his Third Brother. However, his Eldest Brother restrained him, his face stern as he said, “Second Brother, why bother with someone like him? Whatever he says about your fate, that’s what it’ll be? I believe you’ll surpass him in the future. If he has a mountain of silver, we’ll have a mountain of gold. Let’s see who comes out on top!”
Shen family’s Eldest grandson had always been composed, but being just eleven years old and deeply fond of his younger brother, his words, though restrained, carried a sting.
Shen family’s third grandson, still wary of his Eldest Brother’s disapproval, shrank back upon seeing his stern gaze, then shifted his attention back to the Taoist, flashing a smile and saying, “Elder Immortal, thank you. If I strike it rich in the future, I’ll definitely treat you to fine wine and meat.”
The Shen family’s fourth grandson chimed in, “I want to eat too! Brother, are you only treating the Elder Immortal? I’ll go be a little immortal, and you’ll treat me too!”
The onlookers erupted in laughter once again.
Mocking from the sidelines, the Shen family’s second grandson teased, “You fool! With your attitude, you’ll need to sit at home waiting for money to fall from the sky to become wealthy. When that happens, make sure to build a temple for this gluttonous brother of yours.”
Just as the Shen family’s third grandson was about to retort, he heard a sigh from the Taoist and quickly turned to see what had caught his attention.
The Taoist stroked his white beard, shook his head, and sighed, “Child, listen to me carefully. Originally, you had a destiny of wealth and prosperity. However, now your forehead darkens, surrounded by a black mist, suppressing your good fortune. If that dark mist isn’t dispelled, you’ll lead a life of poverty forever.”
The Shen family’s third grandson was dumbfounded, shocked to hear that his fortune had suddenly turned from prosperous to impoverished. The onlookers were equally intrigued.
“Elder Immortal, you must know how to break this curse. Please, tell me how to dispel it. I’ll have my mother give you silver! She has plenty of it!” the third grandson exclaimed.
Shen family’s third grandson interjected, “Third Brother, you’re lying. Your mother’s silver was taken by Grandma long ago.”
“My mother still has some!” the Shen family’s third grandson blurted out in a panic, revealing his mother’s remaining silver. He had witnessed Sun Shi counting silver before and knew that the amount his mother had shown during that incident was only half of what she actually possessed!
The Shen family’s Eldest and second grandson exchanged glances, both anticipating more drama unfolding.
As the Shen family’s third grandson continued pleading with the Taoist, the onlookers watched. His earlier remarks had left them uncomfortable, so they had no sympathy for him now, thinking it would serve him right to be poor for the rest of his life!