Chapter 0291: The Reputation of Virtuous Fish Immortal Master Soars Once Again

The Taoist priest handed over the divination slip. From beneath the veil of the conical hat, slender pale fingers emerged, translucent and flawless as jade. After taking the slip inside the hat, the Immortal Master lowered his gaze momentarily before slightly raising it. His serene, unfathomable eyes paired with an utterly captivating gaze perfectly embodied the celestial grace and divinity of a heavenly being.

Then an ethereal yet compassionate voice resonated:

“Long have you yearned for offspring as years slipped away,

Your heart aflame with anxiety, peace hard to sway.

Lament not the springs that come and pass each day,

For late spring’s blessings will come your way.

This year, sincerity shall bring heaven-sent joy,

With household celebrations all hearts will deploy.”

The Immortal Master gently flicked his sleeve. “Hu Tong, fetch the immortal water.”

Zheng Xian and his wife watched bewildered as the Taoist priest who had just left quickly returned carrying a bronze bowl filled with what appeared to be clear water. The Immortal Master extended his jade-like index and middle fingers, skimming the water’s surface like a dragonfly touching down. “Madam, please step forward.”

The wife gently advanced several steps until she stood before the Immortal Master. Up close, she could even detect a faint floral scent clinging to his robes. Through the veil, she felt his beautiful eyes resting on her face – though expressionless, they somehow made her dizzy and sent her heart racing.

Then she felt a light touch on her forehead.

A cool droplet of water landed between her brows as he declared, “I grant you a child,” before withdrawing his hand and falling silent.

The Taoist priest nearby gestured, “Honored patrons, please.”

After leaving the area, the wife couldn’t help asking, “Priest, what was that about just now?”

“Our Immortal Master has bestowed upon you a child,” the priest stroked his beard. “Avoid unusual foods these coming days. If morning sickness occurs, promptly consult a physician.”

The wife glanced at Zheng Xian and unconsciously touched her forehead.

Upon leaving Xian Ju, the wife remarked, “I feel like we’ve been deceived.”

She had never heard of simply touching someone’s forehead to grant a child – wasn’t this pure deception?

“Perhaps the Immortal Master differs from the Taoist priests at the temple,” Zheng Xian pondered. “Storybooks often speak of immortals possessing celestial powers.”

The wife remained unconvinced.

She still believed it was all a scam.

Until three days later.

“Urgh—!”

“Urgh! Urgh—!”

Zheng Xian leaned over the spittoon, vomiting violently. “Urgh—!”

His wife anxiously patted his back. “What’s wrong with you? Did you eat something bad?”

“Impossible, I’ve been eating normally.” Zheng Xian retched several more times before weakly collapsing into his wife’s arms. “My dear, I feel terrible…”

“Let’s call a physician.”

The concerned wife sent a maid to summon a doctor. Upon arrival, the physician felt his pulse and declared, “This is morning sickness.”

Zheng Xian and his wife: ???

“Physician!” Zheng Xian weakly protested, “I’m a man! What morning sickness?!”

The doctor calmly glanced at him before gesturing for the wife to extend her wrist. “Though rare, it’s possible for husbands to experience sympathetic morning sickness.”

Zheng Xian stared blankly for a long moment before his eyes widened in realization. Holding his breath, he stammered, “Physician, you—you mean—!”

After completing the pulse reading, the physician nodded. “Indeed, your wife shows the pulse of pregnancy. Congratulations.”

Zheng Xian: !!!

“Ahhh—! Huan’er! Huan’er! We’re going to have a child!” Zheng Xian screamed, leaping up directly, hopping around the room in excitement, before dizziness overwhelmed him and he rushed toward the spittoon. “Urgh—! Urgh—!”

Damn it! This feels awful!

But it’s morning sickness born of happiness!

He’s a man—he can endure this bit of suffering!

—

The news that the young mistress of the Zheng family had been blessed with a child by the immortal master quickly spread through the streets and alleys.

Fearing his devotion might be insufficient and the immortal master might revoke this blessing, Zheng Xian vigorously promoted the immortal master’s divine power, recommending all his business associates and local gentry to visit.

No one is without desires or needs, and soon the entrance to Xian Ju became bustling with activity.

Xie Chengze and Hu Lai, holding storybook pamphlets, finally selected several highly reputable local gentry and officials.

Working in perfect synergy, they used gathered intelligence to devise flawless deception plans—oops, slip of the tongue—blessing plans for them.

For instance, the matriarch of the Luo family had married into the nearly destitute Luo family in her youth, only to have her beloved husband die in battle far from home. She had diligently and painstakingly supported the Luo estate, using her own dowry to pave the way for the Luo children, and even opened granaries during a city famine, earning extremely high prestige among the common people.

Hearing that the young mistress of the Zheng family had become pregnant after one visit to Xian Ju, she came to pray for marital happiness for the newlywed daughter of the second branch.

Unexpectedly, the immortal master gave her a faint glance and said:

“The wind sweeps clouds away, never to return; the lord feigned death, chilling his wife’s heart.

Warm shadows laugh in new love’s tent, while the old waits alone beneath the eaves.

Wealth stealthily flows to private coffers, whispers and chuckles mock the rightful spouse.

The millet dream ends with due retribution, karmic ties scatter to reveal life’s vicissitudes.”

The Luo matriarch stood stunned for a long time, her eyes—already touched by wrinkles—unable to suppress the trembling in her hands as she stared blankly at the immortal master. “What does the immortal master mean by this?”

The immortal master instructed Hu Lai to break a willow branch, dip it in water, and sprinkle it over Madam Luo.

Concisely, he said, “East.”

After leaving the lakeside pavilion, Daoist Hu enlightened the Luo matriarch. “The immortal master has divined that your husband did not pass away but has established a family… somewhere to the east.”

The Luo matriarch could hardly believe it, stumbling back a step as she shook her head. “How… how can this be?”

If this were true, how utterly ridiculous her life would have been!

She had burned through almost everything she had to preserve this home for him! Yet he hadn’t died—instead, he’d set up a family elsewhere? Even secretly funneled the Luo estate’s money?!

The Luo matriarch returned to the Luo home in a daze. After the truth was revealed by the daoist, she regarded everyone in the estate with deep suspicion.

How much did they all know?

Did Mother know?

Who had been sending money to Luo Cheng?

After a long while, she steadied herself and summoned her most trusted aide. “Bring the account books. I wish to review them again.”

Three days later, news spread through the streets and alleys: it was said that the Luo family’s eldest son, who had supposedly died in battle, was not dead. Instead, he had faked his death and gone to the eastern suburbs, where he had lovingly started a family and had children with another woman.

Moreover, the Luo family’s elderly mother had known about this all along but never informed the Luo matriarch, even using the matriarch’s dowry and business earnings to secretly support the illicit couple’s living expenses for over twenty years.

Now that the Luo family matriarch was determined to divorce and demanded the return of her dowry, the completely unaware second and third wives dared not utter a word. The children from all branches also sided with the matriarch. Even when the Luo family’s elderly mother knelt and begged for forgiveness, it did not change the matriarch’s resolve.

Seeing that the Luo family matriarch was unwavering in her decision to divorce, the second and third wives expressed their reluctance to lose her. Over the years, the matriarch had gotten along quite harmoniously with the second and third wives. These two branches had never caused her trouble and had personally cared for her during her illness. The matriarch was also reluctant to part with them, let alone the filial and sensible younger generation.

In the end, the group began considering dividing the family assets.

After tallying the family’s farmlands and shops, the Luo family matriarch took the largest share, while the second and third wives also received substantial portions. Luo Cheng was left with only a small portion, and to claim even that, he had to bring his unofficial mistress back to the Luo residence, never to return to the small house in the eastern suburbs.

The Luo family’s elderly mother was assigned to Luo Cheng’s care. Bound by his mother’s years of support, Luo Cheng had no choice but to grit his teeth and accept the arrangement.

“I heard that after Luo Cheng brought his mistress back to the Luo residence, their lives became miserable! No one in the entire Luo residence gave him or that mistress a friendly look!”

“Tsk, tsk, serves them right! The Luo family matriarch is such an open-hearted and kind person—how dare Luo Cheng do this to her!”

“If it were me, I would’ve drowned the two of them in a pig cage long ago! Ugh! What a despicable pair!”

The reputation of Virtuous Fish Immortal Master soared once again.