Chapter 0289: The Script of Fate I Can Decipher, Heavenly Secrets Revealed Upon the White Tiger Throne

The city gate captain stared at the white tiger, too afraid to approach. Fortunately, a plainly dressed female attendant stepped forward and calmly addressed him, “The immortal master wishes to enter the city to spread teachings and relieve the suffering of its inhabitants. Quickly inform the prefect to grant us entry.”

As she spoke, she drew a letter from her long sleeve and handed it to the captain, discreetly slipping two silver ingots into his hand. “When the prefect opens this, he will understand our purpose.”

Unaccustomed to such grand gestures, the captain weighed the silver in his sleeve and promptly replied, “Please wait a moment, Immortal Master. I shall notify the prefect at once.”

Upon entering the city, the captain immediately mounted his horse and galloped toward the prefect’s office. When he met with the prefect and presented the letter, he watched as the official’s expression turned grave upon reading its contents.

Observing the prefect’s reaction, the captain cautiously inquired, “Your Excellency… shall we permit their entry?”

The prefect cleared his throat and tucked the letter into his sleeve. “Of course. Moreover, I shall personally welcome them.”

It wasn’t that he undervalued his official position—it was simply that the contents of the letter were far too generous! Five hundred taels in silver notes—equivalent to an entire year’s salary!

He had to see which esteemed personage showed such compassion for the common people.

When the prefect reached the city gate and saw the revered figure seated upon the white tiger, he nearly fell to his knees in terror upon recognizing the face.

Was this not the Second Prince, whose passing had been publicly announced to the entire realm?

As it happened, this prefect had once traveled to the capital for official duties and had seen the Second Prince with his own eyes. To suddenly encounter a “dead man” was utterly terrifying—especially when the other’s faint glance seemed to penetrate one’s very soul, leaving the prefect trembling and stammering.

Had he stumbled upon some earth-shattering secret? Would he lose his head for this?

The prefect never doubted his recognition—after all, who in the world could rival the Second Prince’s peerless elegance?

The plainly dressed woman who had spoken with the captain now stepped forward again. “The immortal master wishes to enter the city to spread teachings and relieve the suffering of its inhabitants. Does the prefect welcome us and arrange for our lodging?”

How could the prefect refuse? He hurriedly nodded and instinctively bowed. “Of course, of course. For the immortal master to spread teachings here is a great blessing for the people of Dezhou.”

The woman nodded in satisfaction, then glanced toward the immortal master seated on the white tiger, who wore an ornate golden veil. Seeing the master’s slight nod, she proclaimed in a clear voice, “The immortal master enters the city—!”

The master patted the white tiger’s head, and the beast lowered its paw, striding proudly toward the city gate.

Witnessing the prefect’s respectful demeanor, the common people grew more convinced of the immortal master’s divine status. Some had even overheard that this master had come to alleviate their sufferings…

To reveal heavenly secrets, to reveal heavenly secrets…

Could it be that the master intended to offer them guidance?

“The immortal sovereign descends upon the nine realms—! Sacred virtue illuminates distant shores—!”

“Talismanic spirits ascend to the heavens—! Auspicious blessings endure eternally—!”

As the white tiger advanced and attendants scattered flowers, some citizens bent to pick up the yellow talismans fallen on the ground. The talismans bore intricate crimson patterns—twisted, fierce, and ugly as ghostly symbols.

The uglier, the more potent.

Many secretly tucked the yellow talismans into their garments.

…

The news of an enlightened immortal master arriving in Pingcheng quickly spread through every street and alley. Many people flocked to the place where the immortal master had settled, hoping to glimpse celestial secrets and obtain what they desired.

They eagerly inquired about when the immortal master would begin preaching, and finally, attendants from Xian Ju posted a notice at the entrance of the prefect’s office.

[The immortal master, with a grand aspiration to aid the world, wishes to establish the “Virtuous Fish Sect” among the common folk. Anyone who offers two taels of salted fish may enter the sect, behold the revered countenance of the immortal master, and listen to his enlightening teachings. Out of compassion, the immortal master promises to periodically select outstanding and virtuous members of the sect to resolve their doubts, connect them with the subtle mysteries of the divine, hear the silent revelations of heaven, fulfill their wishes, and bestow enduring blessings.]

In plain terms: Offer two taels of salted fish to join the sect, and you’ll have a chance to consult the immortal master for divination and gain what you want.

The common folks scratched their heads—fish was a rare commodity. Fortunately, Dengzhou, two towns over, regularly transported salted fish to the area, and there were also local river fishermen. Salted fish was cheaper than live fish, so with a bit of effort, they could afford it.

Many who had some extra money excitedly bought two taels of salted fish and headed to Xian Ju to join the sect. From a distance, they caught a glimpse of the immortal master’s face beneath his veil. Though unclear, the sight was dazzling, as if they had seen a radiant Bodhisattva, deepening their reverence and devotion.

But why could they only join the sect between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.?

After 3 p.m., inside Xian Ju:

Wuhen diligently polished the highly reflective bronze mirrors placed throughout the courtyard, while Wuji snacked on melon seeds and shouted, “It’s crooked! The light isn’t focused!”

Wuhen frowned. “This is the mirror alignment for tomorrow at 9 a.m. Don’t give orders if you don’t understand.”

Wuji stuck out his tongue. “How boring.” He tossed the melon seed shells into a basket and ran off to find his immortal master.

In the bedchamber, Xie Chengze, clad in precious robes, and Hu Lai were discussing whom to target first.

Indeed, the enlightened immortal master preaching to the masses was none other than Xie Chengze himself. Holding a storybook in his left hand, he pointed with his right at a name in Hu Lai’s register and said gravely, “Him first. The continuation of one’s lineage has always been of utmost importance throughout history. Using this as our entry point will surely attract the attention of wealthy gentry and merchants.”

Hu Lai scratched his head, puzzled. “But Your Highness, you don’t actually practice divination. How can you guarantee you’ll accurately predict whether someone can conceive a child?”

Could it be related to the storybook His Highness had consulted, which recorded the dates this person had intimate relations with his wife?

Xie Chengze replied solemnly, “Exactly.”

The people of Jian’an had no concept of fertile and safe periods.

According to the storybook, a local gentry named Zheng Lai had a son, Zheng Xian, who, despite being in good health, had failed to conceive a child with his wife after a year of marriage. Anxious, Zheng Lai had sent his daughter-in-law to numerous Taoist temples, yet there was still no sign of pregnancy.

Xie Chengze had Hu Lai bribe their maid to obtain the dates of the wife’s menstrual cycles and the couple’s intimate encounters, allowing him to roughly calculate her cycle.

He discovered that over the past year, the couple had almost always been intimate during her safe period, narrowly missing the fertile window each time.

However, their most recent encounter happened to fall on the day most likely for conception.

By his calculations, she would likely experience morning sickness in a few days.

Of course, biological science alone wasn’t enough to make Xie Chengze fully confident—after all, nothing was one hundred percent certain. The reason he dared to gamble was because, according to Hu Lai’s intelligence, Zheng Xian’s mother had consulted a fortune-teller who swore that her daughter-in-law would bear a son in late spring.

The end of science is metaphysics.

Combine science with metaphysics, and it becomes an unstoppable force!

He’d take the bet!

If she wasn’t pregnant, he’d just claim her heart wasn’t sincere enough, then charge extra incense money and stall!

Nothing could stump him, the leader of the Virtuous Fish Sect!