For the sake of freedom, Guan Xiyue was truly going all out.
She spent a few copper coins bribing the old woman guarding the gate, then quietly slipped out through the back entrance. After hiring a donkey cart, she headed for the Daoist temple.
The temple was not nearby. It was about an hour’s journey from the county town by cart. Though the donkey cart jolted and rattled the entire way, Guan Xiyue felt fortunate.
Luckily, she had sold that recipe and had a little money on her.
Without a single coin to her name, she would not have been able to go anywhere.
At last, she arrived at the small temple, White Cloud Temple.
Nestled halfway up a mountain, the temple appeared and disappeared among the drifting mist, carrying an ethereal, immortal aura.
There were only five or six people in the temple.
Led by a young Daoist novice, Guan Xiyue offered incense before the Three Pure Ones, donated two taels of silver as incense money, and then requested an audience with the temple master.
Perhaps because the temple was so quiet and secluded, the Master of White Cloud Temple was not difficult to meet.
When Guan Xiyue saw the old Daoist, who truly possessed the bearing of an immortal sage, she clasped her hands respectfully.
“Infinite Heavenly Worthy.”
The temple master raised his eyes toward her, seemingly moved by something.
“What brings you here, benefactor?”
Guan Xiyue wondered how such an otherworldly-looking Daoist could have advised the Zhou family to take a concubine.
Did he really possess supernatural abilities?
She had always thought his words were nonsense—a scheme to make money.
The fact that Zhou Zhengye recovered after she entered the household was probably just a coincidence.
That was why she had come today.
Her original plan had been to bribe the Daoist and ask him to help her leave the Zhou family.
Yet standing before him now, she did not dare be disrespectful.
Instead, she introduced herself properly.
“I am the concubine taken in by the Zhou family—the ‘fortunate person’ you spoke of. May I ask, Daoist Master, now that the Zhou family’s young master has recovered, does that mean my mission is complete? May I now leave the Zhou family?”
The Daoist stroked his long white beard.
“Or perhaps,” he said cryptically, “it is not your mission that has been completed.”
Guan Xiyue froze.
What did that mean?
Did he mean someone else’s mission had been completed?
Had he somehow seen through the fact that a different soul now occupied this body?
A chill ran down her spine.
Surely he was not about to scatter her soul and send her into oblivion?
The Daoist continued calmly.
“All things under Heaven follow a predetermined course. A person’s fate is ordained by Heaven and cannot be altered by human will.”
Guan Xiyue could not help arguing.
“I may be ignorant, but I cannot agree. Fate is fate—perhaps three parts are determined by Heaven, but seven parts depend on oneself. Daoist Master, have you never heard the saying, ‘Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born that way?’”
A flash of light seemed to pass through the old Daoist’s eyes.
Then he resumed his usual expression of detached compassion, as though he had seen through all things in the world.
“Since you have come here, there must be a reason. In that case, go.”
With that, he was clearly dismissing her.
Guan Xiyue felt thoroughly confused.
The old man really had a talent for making simple things sound complicated.
By “come here,” did he mean coming to the temple—or coming to this world?
And by “go,” did he mean leaving the mountain now—or leaving the Zhou family?
Seeing that the Daoist clearly had no intention of explaining further, Guan Xiyue decided to make one last effort.
“Daoist Master, then it’s settled. In a few days, Madam Zhou will come to fulfill her vow. I wish to leave the Zhou family. Please lend me a hand. Just tell them that I am no longer of any use. If I succeed, I will return and donate ten taels of silver in incense money.”
Madam Zhou, the local slave broker, was leisurely drinking tea when a plump young woman came to visit.
Madam Zhou had a sharp eye for people.
At a glance, she could tell this young woman was clever.
But the moment the visitor opened her mouth, even she was stunned.
“When the Zhou family decides to sell me, how much do you think I’ll be worth?”
The young woman was quite full-figured, dressed in bright reds and greens, with fair skin and not a single piece of jewelry.
As a servant maid, her demeanor did not fit.
As a concubine, her appearance was lacking.
Madam Zhou clicked her tongue.
“You’re clever enough, but not pretty. Three taels of silver at most.”
Guan Xiyue sighed inwardly.
See?
Even if she were sold, she would not fetch much money.
She instructed the broker:
“Remember this. When the time comes, buy me. I don’t care how much you pay. Afterwards, I’ll give you an extra two taels so I can buy myself back.”
Madam Zhou immediately understood.
It was simply passing ownership through her hands so she could earn two taels for nothing.
Why would she refuse?
A few days later, Wan Shi and Yu Shi prepared to visit the temple to fulfill their vow.
Guan Xiyue volunteered to accompany them.
“Madam, why not let me come along? The Daoist Master and I share a certain affinity. I would like to personally thank him as well.”
Wan Shi thought it made sense.
It would be good to have the Daoist examine the girl’s fortune again.
Whether she truly was a lucky star would become clear at a glance.
That would also help determine how the family should treat her in the future.
After all, she was merely a concubine in her son’s room.
They could not allow themselves to be controlled by her.
After making their donation, Wan Shi requested an audience with the temple master.
“Thanks to your guidance, my son has fully recovered. I have come today to fulfill my vow. I also brought this Guan woman so that you may see whether there is anything inappropriate about her.”
The Daoist glanced at Guan Xiyue, who was subtly winking and making faces at him.
He nodded.
“There is nothing inappropriate about her. This Guan woman is indeed blessed with good fortune.”
Then he paused.
“However…”
Wan Shi hurriedly asked,
“However what?”
The Daoist narrowed his eyes.
His gaze seemed capable of seeing through everything.
“Nothing. Since entering your household, this girl has brought immense fortune. From now on, however, everything depends upon your son himself.”
He continued,
“A family should value harmony above all else. Great households that appear as solid as iron often find disaster arising from within their own walls.”
Wan Shi repeatedly pressed him for further explanation.
The Daoist refused to say another word.
Guan Xiyue secretly found it amusing.
These monks and Daoists truly knew how to maintain their mystique.
They always spoke in half-truths, saying one part while withholding another.
It preserved an air of mystery and strengthened their authority.
After returning home, Wan Shi immediately discussed the Daoist’s words with Master Zhou.
Together, they arrived at the same conclusion.
The Daoist must have meant that Guan Xiyue’s good fortune had already been exhausted.
She could no longer benefit their son, which was why he had said that everything would depend on Zhou Zhengye from now on.
As for the phrase “disaster arising within the household,” that was even more alarming.
Keeping Guan Xiyue around might invite trouble.
Without her, the Zhou family would remain secure as a fortress.
With her, internal conflict might erupt sooner or later.
That had to be what the Daoist meant.
Wan Shi’s initial thought was simply to send Guan Xiyue back to her family.
However, after discussing the matter with Yu Shi, Zhou Zhengye disagreed.
His reasoning was simple.
Guan Xiyue was infuriating.
She had possessed a valuable recipe, yet handed it to a rival business.
She repeatedly talked back to her elders.
Previously, they had tolerated her because of her reputation as a lucky star.
Now there was no need to continue indulging her.
In truth, Zhou Zhengye also harbored a secret sense of humiliation.
Even if she had been taken as a concubine to cure his illness, she was far too fat and unattractive.
Her presence damaged the image of Young Master Zhou.
Now that he had the chance to get rid of her, the farther away she went, the better.
After much discussion, the family decided to sell her.
Simply sending her home would be letting her off too easily.
Selling her would better demonstrate the authority and superiority of the master over a servant.
More importantly, it would give them the pleasure of controlling her fate.
They immediately instructed a maid to summon Madam Zhou, the slave broker.
When Madam Zhou saw a servant from the Zhou residence arrive, she was secretly amazed.
But when she learned that the person being sold was Guan Xiyue, she was no longer surprised at all.