Chapter 18

Every single thing had been accurate!

Song Jianshuang’s heart tightened, and she could not help asking, “Then how should this calamity be resolved?”

“You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? Hurry and have the carriage stop. Let’s not leave this county town today.” Qiu Liang expressed that she was helpless. After all, for that hexagram just now, she had only asked about the reason.

And she had indeed figured out why Song Jianshuang had returned to her hometown. Surely this woman could believe her now, right?

Unfortunately, before seeing those images, if she could make Song Jianshuang believe her, she probably would have been happy. But now…

To be honest, at this very moment, she wanted nothing more than to jump straight off the carriage. She had no desire to go to the capital and jump into that massive pit.

Song Jianshuang had astonishing insight. Now that she was staring directly at Qiu Liang, she instantly noticed the change in Qiu Liang’s eyes.

This person was probably thinking of avoiding her at all costs.

That made sense. Since Qiu Liang could calculate these things, there was probably not much she could hide from her anymore.

It was human nature to seek benefit and avoid harm. She understood.

“I…”

Song Jianshuang hesitated, then simply instructed the coachman not to leave the city Read on BaiLianTales for now and to find an inn where they could rest for half a day. Such an important matter needed to be discussed slowly while seated.

They had currently arrived in the neighboring county, Shouchun County.

After leaving Shouchun County and traveling west for another day, they would enter the imperial capital’s territory.

Once they reached the capital’s jurisdiction, they would be safe. Beneath the Son of Heaven’s feet, inspections were strict, and ordinary people did not dare stop travelers or commit crimes there.

The coachman asked, “There’s a small inn up ahead. It’s economical and affordable. What do the two young ladies think?”

Song Jianshuang thought for a moment, then instructed, “Please go straight to Loushanglou.”

“Very well. Sit tight, ladies. Loushanglou is just past this street.” The coachman agreed readily, thinking that these two young ladies in the carriage looked quite unassuming, yet unexpectedly, they were not short on money.

What kind of place was Loushanglou? As a coachman who often traveled far and wide, of course he understood.

The court had always encouraged commerce, but it was strict in reviewing qualifications for imperial merchants. Since the founding of Baiyue, there had only been two imperial merchant families, and one of them was Loushanglou.

It was said that Loushanglou’s ancestors had rendered meritorious service in helping the founding emperor rise to power and had been protected by the imperial family for generations. Its main branch was located on the most prosperous Zhuque Street in the capital, and it had branches in every prefecture and county.

Because of this, local government offices took good care of Loushanglou. After all, it was not only one of the top taxpayers, but also an imperial merchant highly valued by the court. Ordinary people did not dare go to Loushanglou to make trouble.

Because Loushanglou was not only secure—it was also expensive.

Whether it was food, daily necessities, or lodging, [read the original at bailiantales.com]its conditions were the best under heaven. Ordinary people could, at most, grit their teeth and eat one meal in the main hall. Staying there was basically beyond what they could afford.

Those who could stay at Loushanglou either had power or money. No one had the nerve to cause trouble in such a wealthy and noble den.

Song Jianshuang had also chosen it for this reason. Since she now knew this journey was not very safe, out of caution, she could only spend more silver to buy peace of mind.

The carriage soon stopped outside the Loushanglou branch in Shouchun County. Naturally, the coachman was reluctant to stay in such a refined and expensive place. After agreeing on the time to set out tomorrow morning, he turned and headed toward the small inn from earlier.

The fine rain continued. Song Jianshuang carried the small bundle in one hand and the food box in the other, quickly walking into Loushanglou and asking for a private room.

Qiu Liang dragged the large bundle along, inching forward step by step. In her heart, she had already cursed Song Jianshuang bloody.

She really owed this woman. The moment she got off the carriage, she became manual labor.

Although Loushanglou was expensive, it had its reasons. As long as they paid for tonight’s lodging, both dinner and breakfast were included. Hot water would be delivered whenever requested, and there was also a bathing room specially provided for guests.

Naturally, Song Jianshuang had hot water brought to her room for bathing. As for Qiu Liang, she was led by a waiter to the bathing room.

After bathing and changing clothes, Song Jianshuang ordered food and wine, then patiently waited for Qiu Liang to return.

How should she speak to that fool next?

Should she lay everything out openly, or only say enough to make the point? She wanted to leave herself some room, but if she spoke vaguely and Qiu Liang ended up calculating everything anyway, wouldn’t that only make things awkward?

This was a problem.

While Song Jianshuang hesitated, Qiu Liang had already finished washing and returned.

“Miss Qiu, please sit. Let’s eat and talk.”

Qiu Liang raised her brows. This time, she was calling her Miss Qiu again. She was much more polite than before.

Qiu Liang was not restrained either. She sat down and started eating.

She ate and ate until she was full, yet Song Jianshuang still had not spoken.

Qiu Liang was speechless. What happened to eating and talking? This Eldest Miss Song truly followed the rule of not speaking while eating. No matter how Qiu Liang questioned her with her eyes, Song Jianshuang only ate slowly and unhurriedly.

Only after Song Jianshuang set down her bowl and chopsticks, drank some tea, and began pouring wine did Qiu Liang sit up properly.

Here it came. The moment to show their cards had come.

Song Jianshuang organized her thoughts and slowly said, “Miss Qiu calculated correctly earlier. My father is indeed the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Observing celestial phenomena and measuring good or ill fortune are his household skills. Although I have not studied them deeply, after being exposed to them for so long, I can still perform basic divination to ask about fortune and misfortune.”

Qiu Liang nodded. She knew all of this already. And then?

Song Jianshuang paused, then made a decision in her heart. In dealing with others, what mattered most was sincerity.

Besides, even if she did not say it now, she would have to say it after entering unauthorized copy the capital. It would be better to speak frankly.

“As you said, my father is trapped in prison. His Majesty has suppressed the matter without acting, and we do not know what he intends. This time, I returned to my hometown to take refuge, but also to search for a person.”

Qiu Liang understood. “That person is me?”

“Exactly. After Father was imprisoned, he once cast a divination for our Song family. The hexagram showed that a variable had appeared in our ancestral home, Song Family Village. This variable is a person, someone who possesses a divine ability, and this person can resolve this calamity.”

Her father was not only skilled in divination, but also proficient in Plum Blossom Numerology. When combining the two, the matters he calculated had never once been wrong. That was why he had been able to sit in the position of Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Unexpectedly, this time, he had been schemed against by the friend and subordinate he trusted most.

As Song Jianshuang spoke, she observed Qiu Liang’s expression. Seeing that Qiu Liang looked calm, she knew this person had probably already calculated it.

Choosing to treat her sincerely had been the right move.

Although Qiu Liang had seen those images, she still did not understand. “How did you confirm that person is me?”

Before she transmigrated here, the original owner had been a half-foolish, half-dazed mute. What divine ability could she have had?

Wait. Variable…

Could it be referring to her transmigrating here?

Song Jianshuang shook her head. “I don’t know the specific circumstances either. I only secretly returned to my hometown according to Father’s arrangements. Father said the person who answered the hexagram would naturally appear.”

Director Song’s exact words had been: That variable has some connection to you. If there read the original at bailiantales.comis fate, that person will naturally come to your door.

Song Jianshuang did not know what connection she and Qiu Liang had, nor did she know what fate existed between them, but Qiu Liang had indeed answered the hexagram.

Now that she also knew Qiu Liang had the divine ability of face-reading, she was even more certain she had not found the wrong person.

Qiu Liang was speechless once again. After all that, it still came down to “I don’t know.”

“Eldest Miss Song, why not speak plainly? What exactly do you people plan to have me do?”

What could she do to resolve Director Song’s predicament?

Read faces?

For a matter concerning people’s lives, were they really placing their hopes on her reading faces and making things up? Wasn’t that a little too casual?

Song Jianshuang shook her head again. “I don’t know either. Father only instructed me to bring you back to the capital.”

“What if I’m unwilling to enter the capital with you?”