The master feigned stroking his beard, adopting a guise of profound wisdom, which thoroughly charmed Li Kun. He quickly rose to fetch a chair and tea, bowing and serving the master solicitously.
“Another charlatan, claiming to be a master with such meager skills. They must have never met a true master. The one who divined for Han'er back then was a real master. They calculated that your fate was most compatible with Han'er's, and look, it's true. Ever since you married Han'er, his fortune has been soaring.”
Feng Jin'er's mind immediately recalled being forced into marriage by Madam Sun. It was precisely because of this so-called master's calculation that her fate was compatible with Ling Mo Han's, which indirectly led to her being coerced into marriage.
The original owner of this body had also been forced by Madam Sun to marry the dying Ling Mo Han, leading her to despair and jump into the river, allowing Feng Jin'er to accidentally transmigrate into her body.
If it weren't for this damned master's divination, she would still be in modern times, sipping coffee and enjoying air conditioning, basking in the adoration of countless admirers.
Now, to be alive in this materially scarce ancient era, not to mention living in constant fear of losing her life any day.
All these bitter hardships were thanks to this master. The thought filled Feng Jin'er with an inexplicable hatred for these pretense-filled masters.
And this one before her, who was clearly a swindler, was even more detestable.
“Grandfather, how could you tell he's a swindler? If he didn't have some real skill, would Master Li trust him so much?”
“These swindlers have many ways to make people believe them implicitly. But a fake is always a fake. No matter how thorough their preparations, there will always be a slip-up.”
From the moment this master entered, he had already seen through him. He wanted to see how this fake master would continue his act.
Feng Jin'er's gaze continuously appraised him, her brow furrowed. After a long, careful observation, she couldn't discern anything amiss.
This person's disguise was too good; she couldn't see through it for a moment.
“Is it this young lady who caught the bridal bouquet?”
“Yes, Master. It is this young lady. Master, you must find a solution.”
Li Kun pleaded with a face full of worry. He took out a gold ingot from his robe and placed it on the table beside the master: “Master, please trouble yourself further.”
“Master Li, rest assured, this humble Taoist will devise a complete plan.”
Upon seeing the gold ingot on the table, the master's lips curved into a smile. He subtly pocketed the gold.
He flicked his horsetail whisk, closed his eyes slightly, and tapped his fingers. After a moment, he opened his eyes, fixed his gaze on Feng Jin'er, and cleared his throat, saying, “Are you already married?”
Feng Jin'er rolled her eyes and nodded. Her hair was already styled up; anyone not blind could see she was married.
“Then it's troublesome,” the master said, his brow furrowed, feigning difficulty.
Only by making the matter seem more difficult could he make Master Li feel that the money spent was worth it.
“Master, as long as you can save the lives of my entire family, no amount of money is too much.”
“The main issue is that this young lady is already married. If she were unmarried, there would be a solution. But since she is married, everything changes. Resolving this matter now becomes quite tricky…”
The master put on a distressed expression, making Li Kun's heart churn with anxiety.
Feng Jin'er sat on a nearby chair, quietly watching him boast. She wanted to see how far he would go.
Could he boast his way to the heavens? Such crude tactics, and yet some foolish people would fall for it.
“However, there is one method to resolve it, but this method severely damages one's good karma… perhaps we should forget it.”
“Master, as long as you tell me, I will do it. You will certainly not be treated unfairly.”
“Master Li, this is not about fair treatment. It is that this method is the absolute worst resort, truly inadvisable. Allow me to ponder for a few more days; perhaps there will be another way.”
Li Kun immediately broke out in a sweat: “No, Master, the date is approaching rapidly, and time is of the essence. Master, please tell me this method first. We can discuss its feasibility later. It's much better than us being helpless now.”
After hesitating for a long time, the master slowly spoke.
“Since it was this young lady who caught the bridal bouquet, it is fate. It is destined that the young lady and this young lady are to become family. If the young lady were unmarried, she could become sworn sisters with this young lady…”
“But the current difficulty is that the young lady is already married, which makes things much more complicated. However, there is no unsolvable problem.”
Feng Jin'er's eyebrows twitched slightly. What new trick was he concocting now? “Master, just say what you have to say. Let us hear what solution you have?”
“Since the young lady is already married, the only way to break this calamity is for the young lady and this young lady to become family.”
Upon hearing this, Feng Jin'er finally understood. Was she being used as a shield, a tool to avert disaster?
Did he really think she was a pushover and would actually do such a thing?
“Master, tell me how to become family?” Feng Jin'er asked calmly, pressing him.
“This is precisely what I found difficult to articulate earlier.” The master sighed and turned his gaze to Li Kun: “Master Li, for the sake of the safety of hundreds of people in the Li family, I am speaking this at the risk of damaging my own karma.”
“Master is noble. The kindness you have shown my Li family will be remembered forever. Master, please speak directly.”
Li Kun felt immensely grateful for everything the master had done. He was almost moved to tears. He was deeply touched by the master's actions.
“Then I shall speak…” The master hesitated for a moment before continuing: “This matter is simple in one sense. It only requires the young lady to marry this young lady's husband as a concubine. Throughout history, it has been common for the primary wife to take concubines for her husband.”
“The young lady catching the young lady's bridal bouquet signifies the acceptance of taking a concubine. In this way, the matter becomes legitimate.”
Feng Jin'er was stunned. She nearly choked on her own saliva. What kind of absurd talk was this? Could a cultivator really say such a thing?
She had never imagined that merely bending down to pick up a bridal bouquet would lead to taking a concubine for Ling Mo Han. She wondered how Ling Mo Han would react if he knew about this.
Before Feng Jin'er could voice her refusal of this preposterous proposal, Old Master Ling stood up in a furious rage and objected: “No, this is absolutely impossible. The master also divined for my grandson. He can only marry this one granddaughter-in-law in his lifetime. Marrying anyone else would be detrimental to his future fortune. Your proposal is utterly unworkable. Find another solution quickly.”