Chapter 16

Song Jianshuang gave a soft laugh. “Oh? You think I bear ill will toward you?”

She had always convinced people through virtue.

That was right. Song Jianshuang considered herself someone who convinced others through virtue and absolutely never forced anyone to do what they did not wish to do.

A willing transaction on both sides, paid for with silver, was also convincing people through virtue.

Who told Qiu Liang to be a fool? Even if she was only pretending, she had still been trapped tightly by the Qiu family.

However, no matter how unwilling the Qiu family was to give up, their hands could not reach all the way to the capital. Although the Qiu family had not acted kindly, up to now, they had not done anything truly illegal. Song Jianshuang had no need to make things difficult for them.

Qiu Liang: “Ah-ba, ah-ba…” Ask again and it costs extra.

Song Jianshuang closed her eyes. She was a little worried that the banknotes left on her might not be enough to make this fool speak. One sentence required one payment. Who exactly was the master here?

Since she knew what the question was, she could simply interpret the hexagram. Never mind that the hexagram itself was one of great fortune; she had never truly had any ill will toward Qiu Liang to begin with.

Strictly speaking, she was the one asking something of Qiu Liang.

Song Jianshuang stopped asking. But now Qiu Liang was the one who could no longer sit still. This woman should keep going. Give her silver.

After a moment of silence, Qiu Liang could not help [stolen content]breaking it. “I suddenly want to cast a hexagram.”

Could this woman’s purpose really be to seduce her? To end up marrying her?

The more Qiu Liang thought about it, the more unreliable it sounded. She was also a little curious about Song Jianshuang’s identity.

Bah. She was not curious about this woman.

Sigh. She had fallen…

Song Jianshuang was also very curious about Qiu Liang’s abilities. Could this fool really resolve Father’s predicament?

“What do you want to ask?”

“Whether this journey will be safe.” Qiu Liang casually made up a reason.

At some point, a fine drizzle had begun outside. The autumn wind stirred the carriage curtain, bringing in threads of coolness.

Inside the carriage, Song Jianshuang opened that yellow-covered book and looked at the hexagram Qiu Liang had cast.

The third hexagram: Difficulty at the Beginning.

Difficulty meant hardship. To encounter trials, dangers, and obstacles—an unfavorable omen.

Song Jianshuang could not help frowning slightly. Could it be that this journey unauthorized copy would not go smoothly?

Seeing her frown with a puzzled expression, Qiu Liang teased, “You figured it out? Don’t tell me it’s great misfortune.”

“Divination cannot be fully believed.” Song Jianshuang closed the book, her expression indifferent. Father had said that hexagrams were often only half guidance and half uncertainty. One should do all one could and leave the rest to fate. They could not be overly relied upon.

They were so close to returning to the capital. Could they really run into bandits and robbers along the way?

That should not happen. Weitian Prefecture, where Cangjia County was located, bordered the capital. Heading west, they could reach the capital in two or three days at most. The road was mostly official roads as well, and public order had always been very good.

Qiu Liang’s heart jolted. What was going on? It couldn’t really be an omen of great misfortune, could it?

Whether Song Jianshuang’s divinations were accurate or not, Qiu Liang knew better than anyone. After the previous few times, how could she not believe it?

It was reasonable not to believe completely, but there was also a saying that one could not disbelieve completely either.

Qiu Liang felt a little panicked. Her gaze swept over Song Jianshuang’s face again and again.

Being stared at like this, Song Jianshuang’s usually excellent composure was tested once more. Her expression nearly collapsed. What was this fool staring at her for?

Was there a flower on her face?

“There’s an oil stain on your face.”

As soon as the words fell, before Song ​read the original at bailiantales.com​Jianshuang could react, Qiu Liang’s hand had already touched her chin.

Images flashed before Qiu Liang’s eyes, making her heart pound with alarm.

“Impudent!” Song Jianshuang shoved Qiu Liang’s hand away. This fool really did still covet her beauty.

What oil stain? Could she not wipe it herself?

Even if Qiu Liang was helping her wipe it off, who had ever seen someone touch another person’s chin and remain motionless like that? This was clearly taking advantage of her.

This fool—no, this outrageously lustful scoundrel—had gone too far!

Song Jianshuang’s eyes accused her, anger coloring her brows.

Qiu Liang felt bitter inside, but Qiu Liang did not know how to explain.

She had seen that after nightfall, the carriage stopped outside a small courier station.

The night was dark, and the wind was high. Two masked people rushed into the room. After knocking the two of them unconscious, they carried Song Jianshuang away.

As for her, she was still unconscious on the bed.

The masked people were clearly targeting Song Jianshuang. She was just an innocent fish caught in the disaster and simply remained unconscious.

Fine, unconscious was unconscious. But Song Jianshuang [read the original at bailiantales.com]had her household registration and deed of sale on her. Could these people please consider her situation a little?

“Qiu Liang, you had better explain yourself clearly.” Song Jianshuang’s expression was icy. Even at a time like this, this fool was still pretending to be stupid. This fool would anger her to death.

“I’m not called Qiu Liang. I’m called Liangliang.”

Qiu Liang was still shaken by the images she had just seen. When she heard Song Jianshuang’s voice, her brain did not process it properly. She only caught her own name and instinctively said this.

Song Jianshuang’s expression stiffened. “Stop playing stupid. You have taken liberties with me again and again. What exactly are you plotting?”

Before, she had secretly touched her neck. Now she dared to openly touch her face. She truly did not know whether she lived or died.

Qiu Liang raised her eyes. “Um, can you let me hold onto my deed of sale and household registration first? Just for one night.”

Better a fellow daoist die than this poor daoist. When the time came and Song Jianshuang was carried away, Qiu Liang would still not have her freedom. Who would she go to for justice then?

Song Jianshuang froze. Were they discussing the deed of sale right now?

However, no matter which matter they were discussing, she would not let this fool get her way.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Fine. The fellow daoist was dragging this poor daoist into ascension with her.

Qiu Liang sighed inwardly. She had known this woman would not agree. What a pointless question.

Song Jianshuang was still thinking about what had just happened. “Explain yourself clearly…”

“Listen to me first.” Qiu Liang cut her off, her expression solemn. “You said before that you had guards secretly following you. Was that true or false?”

Hearing this, Song Jianshuang could not help straightening her back. “Of course it’s true. You had better behave yourself.”

Qiu Liang lifted the carriage curtain and looked around. Rain came with a brisk wind. On the official road, aside from their carriage, there wasn’t even a ghost’s shadow to be seen. Where were the guards?

“If there really are guards secretly protecting you, have them show themselves. From now on, I promise I’ll listen to you. If you tell me to go east, I absolutely won’t go west.”

“I am your master. You should listen to me at all times.”

“Where are your guards?”

Song Jianshuang’s expression did not change. “You say they should show themselves, so they should? If they appear, can it still be called secret protection?”

Qiu Liang had only one sentence. “Enough with that. I want to see your guards.”

…Song Jianshuang fell silent. She did not understand why this fool was suddenly fixated on her guards.

“They’re busy. They can’t arrive for the moment.”

Qiu Liang’s breath caught. She truly ​bailiantales.com​wanted to thank her. Busy? More like they did not exist at all.

Thinking of the images she had seen, Song Jianshuang had been knocked unconscious and carried away, and no guards had appeared then either.

It seemed they could not count on guards. Then they could only avoid it.

Avoid that courier station. Avoid spending the rainy night outside the city.

But would this woman listen to her?

Qiu Liang was not confident. She could only try to suggest, “Look, it’s raining outside. Why don’t we go to the county town up ahead and find an inn to rest at? We can wait until the rain stops before leaving.”

“No.” Song Jianshuang rejected her without even thinking. The rain was not heavy. It was only drizzling, and who knew when it would stop? If they entered the city and found an inn, then rested and ate, it would already be evening. They would lose at least half a day of travel.

She remembered clearly that after passing this city, there was a courier station about ten li away. By then, it would just be dark. They could rest there for one night and continue the journey, so they could reach the capital a day earlier.

Qiu Liang took a deep breath and said seriously, “My stomach feels uncomfortable.”

“Hold it in.”

“I might have been poisoned. There was something wrong with those pancakes this morning.” Qiu Liang gritted her teeth. This woman was truly difficult to communicate with. She had never seen someone so eager to send herself to her doom.

“They won’t poison you to death.” Song Jianshuang’s face showed no room for negotiation. Qiu Liang poisoning herself to death with pancakes she had made herself? Song Jianshuang did not believe that.

However, why was this fool so determined to enter the city?

There was something strange. Could it be that she did not want to return to the capital with her and wanted to escape?

Song Jianshuang felt she had discovered the truth. After all, Qiu Liang had just asked her for the deed of sale earlier. That made it even more impossible.

Left with no choice, Qiu Liang could only speak half-truthfully. “Actually, you and I can be considered half from the same school. I know how to read faces.”

Song Jianshuang was noncommittal. Keep making things up. It would be strange if she believed her.

Seeing that Song Jianshuang clearly did not believe her, Qiu Liang did not grow discouraged. She continued making things up. “I observe that your forehead is dark, and the space between your brows is red. I fear the road ahead is dangerous. You’d best listen to me and change the itinerary. Otherwise, tonight, you will definitely encounter trouble.”

Song Jianshuang let out a scoff and was just about to retort when she suddenly froze.

A dangerous road ahead, encountering trouble…

Wasn’t that the wording of the hexagram from just now? This fool had asked whether the journey would be safe, and Song Jianshuang had not told her the divination words.

“You can interpret hexagrams?” This fool recognized the hexagram and could interpret the words without even flipping through the book?

Qiu Liang honestly shook her head. “No. I only know how to read faces. I was born with it.”

Song Jianshuang stopped speaking. This fool knew how to read faces?

And she was exceptionally gifted, born knowing it without a teacher?

Why did she believe it even less now?

Out of nowhere, she remembered her father’s words: the person who could resolve the crisis possessed divine ability…

Song Jianshuang’s heart became uncertain. Could this fool actually be telling the truth?

Seeing her fall silent, Qiu Liang grew anxious. “Really. I can even read that tonight, you’re planning to stop at the courier station outside the next city. You’ll be wearing goose-yellow inner clothes and holding a hairpin in your hand while you sleep.”