Chapter 14: The Jinx

The Shen’s Third grandson tightly grasped the Taoist’s robe, almost on the verge of kneeling down, pleading earnestly. The thought of losing days filled with fish and meat without having to work made him anxious.

“Elder Immortal, please tell me how to get rid of this bad luck, I beg of you,” he implored.

The Taoist, observing the Shen’s Third grandson and stroking his beard, was soon approached by the Fourth Brother, who also pleaded with him. Worried that if his Third Brother had bad luck, there would be no more good food for him either. The Taoist nodded and said, “Since I have read your fortune, it is fate that I help you dispel this misfortune. I can only tell you that the dark mist above your head is due to someone around you carrying misfortune, affecting those nearby.”

“Isn’t that the jinx?” a voice interjected from the crowd, sparking discussions among the onlookers. Eventually, the conversation shifted to the new bride in the Shen family who is very ill. Since her arrival, the family had spent a lot on doctors and medicine. Additionally, Third Daughter-in-law in the Shen family had suffered a  threatened miscarriage. Now, with the Taoist revealing that the Shen’s Third grandson fortune had turned from wealth to poverty due to someone’s influence, all fingers pointed to the new bride. Soon, Su Zhi was portrayed as a jinx in their discussions, believed to bring misfortune to others, a tale spun with vivid details.

Upon hearing someone mention that his Fourth Uncle’s newly-wedded wife was the jinx affecting his good fortune, The Shen’s Third grandson  immediately pushed through the crowd and ran back home, followed by  his Fourth Brother.

The Shen’s Eldest and second grandson exchanged worried glances and followed suit.

The Taoist watched as the children followed behind, a sly smile playing on his lips. Unfortunately, no one noticed, or if they did, they would likely interpret the Taoist’s demeanor as a mysterious and enigmatic smile. In reality, he was hired by Shen Ziping, and all the recent events he “predicted” in the village were orchestrated by Shen Ziping and his accomplices. For instance, the lost hairpin incident where Shen Ziping had stolen and then tossed it under the big willow tree. Similarly, the incident involving the villager with the “blood omen” was not caused by a child throwing a stone but by Shen Ziping himself. The Taoist was adept at deception, using his smooth tongue and cunning to easily dupe the villagers.

This was all part of the scheme concocted by Shen Ziping and Sun Shi. They aimed to portray the fourth daughter-in-law as a jinx, ensuring that they would be ousted from the family and the villagers would fear the woman, ultimately leading to their expulsion from the village.

Upon returning home, The Shen’s Third grandson immediately sought out his parents, crying and demanding that they expel his Fourth Aunt, recounting the events.

Shen Ziping and Sun Shi were pleased that their plan had succeeded. Shen Ziping sternly warned his son not to reveal the incident where he paid for the fortune-telling services, as it might lead others to believe they were trying to drive someone out. This could potentially cast doubt on the belief that Zhao Xiaomei (the name of the original owner of Su Zhi’s body) was a jinx, thereby turning their good fortune into bad luck.

The Shen’s Third grandson nodded quickly, realizing that his father instructing him to pay for the fortune-telling was all part of a prearranged act. Therefore, he began to doubt if his fortune was truly as the Taoist had predicted. Despite this, he had wholeheartedly believed in the Taoist’s words.

In reality, Shen Ziping had intended to go for the fortune-telling himself. However, he had been feigning back pain in recent days, and sending a child like Third Brother instead made the story more believable.

Sun Shi instructed Shen Ziping to continue pretending he couldn’t walk, while Chunhua helped her to the main room where, in tears, The Shen’s Third grandson recounted the entire scheme from beginning to end.

“Father, Mother, now the Elder Immortal said there’s a jinx in our house! I always wondered why we were so unlucky. My son’s father can’t walk due to back pain, I almost had a miscarriage, and Eldest Brother recently fell down a hill and injured his head. Second Brother went to the city for work and got cheated out of his wages. Even Second Sister-in-law, despite praying to the Child-bestowing Goddess and spending a significant sum, hasn’t conceived this year. I did conceive, but this bad luck is overwhelming. My poor child! Why do we have so much misfortune? It turns out someone has brought all this misfortune to our Shen family!”

Li Shi’s face paled. After giving birth to three daughters in a row, her stomach remained still. Not having a son weighed heavily on her heart. Sun Shi’s words stirred up deep emotions within her.

Li Shi’s eldest daughter, Chunyue, couldn’t bear to see her mother upset by Third Sister-in-law’s words and whispered, “My mother didn’t conceive, but it seems Third Sister-in-law did. The child in her womb seems extraordinary; I wonder where it comes from.”

“What do you mean by ‘where it comes from’? What do you mean?” Sun Shi grew agitated upon hearing Chunyue’s tone. She exclaimed, “Of course, it’s a blessing! How else could we resist the jinx? You, a young girl, have no business discussing pregnancies. Show some restraint and modesty!”

Chuncao, being older, stared and said, “You’re not allowed to scold my sister. It’s you who lacks restraint and modesty!”

Chunyun, being younger, began crying loudly upon seeing her sister being scolded.

Li Shi held Chunyun, her eyes moist with tears, and turned to enter the house. Chunyue and Chuncao gave Sun Shi a stern look before following to comfort their mother.

Shen Zhang shi glared at Sun Shi and remarked, “Stop meddling in others’ affairs. Be careful not to harm the blessings of the child in your womb!” Shen Zhang shi was dissatisfied with Li Shi for not bearing a son, but she kept her discontent to herself. Despite Li Shi’s shortcomings, she was hardworking and capable, much more so than Sun Shi. Shen Zhang shi didn’t want Sun Shi to upset Li Shi.

Sun Shi, flustered, insisted, “I’m speaking the truth. It must be because of the jinx in our house that Second Sister-in-law hasn’t conceived this year. She wasn’t destined to have a son, and now it’s even less likely. It’s my son’s destiny that’s allowing us to withstand this. But didn’t I almost miscarry as well? Father, Mother, there’s definitely a jinx in our house, and it must be the fourth daughter-in-law! Look at her illnesses; it’s surely divine retribution punishing her as a jinx, radiating negative energy! I dare not stay with her any longer!”

Shen Zhang shi was contemplating the idea of driving Shen Zi’an away; having a non-biological son around was always a bother, regardless of his ability to earn and work. However, local customs dictated that unless a child was unmarried and hadn’t committed a major offense, they couldn’t be expelled to avoid causing a scandal. Moreover, as she wasn’t his birth mother, it could lead to gossip. Shen Zi’an marrying and choosing such a woman only fueled her desire to see him leave. Yet, for the sake of Shen Ziju’s reputation, she couldn’t drive away a sick daughter-in-law. Now, a ready-made reason had presented itself!

“Husband, what do you think we should do about this matter?” Given the gravity of the situation, especially concerning Shen Zi’an, she left the decision to Shen Youfu but would offer her input.

Furrowing his brow, Shen Youfu inquired, “What about the Taoist?”

The Third Grandson interjected, “He’s nearby, Grandpa. I’ll go fetch him!” With that, he dashed outside. Upon reaching the doorstep, he encountered the Taoist, who had come to ensure that the young man(referring to the third grandson)hadn’t been misunderstood.

The Taoist was welcomed into the Shen household, where Shen Youfu and Shen Zhang shi seated him and inquired about the presence of an ominous star within the family. After scrutinizing their faces, the Taoist gravely nodded, noting a dark aura around them. This revelation struck fear into the hearts of the Shen family members. After all, no one wanted to be plagued by bad luck.

“Father, Mother, it seems it really is Fourth Sister-in-law,” Shen Zhu interjected, “Perhaps we should have the Taoist take a look. If it’s not her, we won’t wrong her, and if it is, we can prepare accordingly.”

The Taoist was escorted to the backyard, but before reaching the fence of the thatched house, his stern expression and furrowed brow further convinced the Shen family members that the jinx was right ahead. Some curious villagers who had followed inside began whispering among themselves, their faces filled with fear, all eyes fixed on the thatched house. No one dared to step forward.

As they stood ten meters away from the house, everyone came to a halt.

Sun Shi called out loudly, “Zhao Xiaomei! Open the door! I have something to say to you!”

Inside the house, Su Zhi was mending Shen Zi’an’s clothes after they were torn while working. Hearing someone calling her, she raised an eyebrow, puzzled since usually, people would avoid her, refusing to even acknowledge her presence. Why were things suddenly different today? She instinctively sensed trouble, steadied herself, and walked out.

As the gate opened, Su Zhi’s face appeared before the onlookers, startling everyone. This only reinforced their belief that she was indeed the jinx, especially considering the misfortunes she had faced, seemingly as a divine punishment.

“Her luck doesn’t seem too good,” remarked the Taoist, taken aback by Su Zhi’s appearance. However, he relaxed, thinking this would make it easier to deceive others. With just that one statement, he cleverly avoided any blame in the future. He hadn’t explicitly called Su Zhi a jinx, only commented on her unfortunate destiny.

Yet, the bystanders misinterpreted his words, and Su Zhi was instantly labeled as the jinx!