A master of metaphysics is farming.

Chapter 154 Fang Huashan 2

Inside the small Chang Le Pavilion, several young ladies exclaimed in surprise, some even showing signs of fear.

"Is this real? Are there really ghosts... disguised as humans?"

Xiang He was still folding talismans in his hand, and nodded slightly. "That's called a Painted Skin Ghost. It takes on human form and bewitches men to absorb their yang energy."

"Is it really as mysterious as you say? Or is it... a hoax..."

Xiang He placed the amulet on the table, her eyes darkening with a deep, unfathomable look as she looked up. "If Miss Fang doesn't believe me, would you dare let me read your face?"

A flicker of panic crossed Fang Huashan's eyes. She darted her eyes left and right, bit her lip, and tilted her head back. "Let's see if what you're saying is right..."

"it is good."

The young lady next to her looked on curiously, and Xiang He scrutinized Fang Huashan's face from left to right. Being stared at like that, Fang Huashan felt a little uneasy.

"You...you haven't decided yet?"

Xiang He nodded and smiled, "Miss Fang, your forehead is gray, your nose is surrounded by black mist, and your ears are covered in dust. These are signs of a downturn in your fortune. You must have a lot of worries lately, right?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Huashan scoffed, "Your rhetoric is the same as that of a wandering sorcerer. Besides, I do have some troubles at home, which everyone can find out by asking around. Your statement is too vague."

The implication was obvious: she was being called a fraud, and these rhetoric came easily to her, though they weren't necessarily genuine.

Fang Huashan's gaze fell on the talisman, and the mockery on her lips subsided slightly. "I'm not saying that your talisman is fake, but whether it really has the ability to judge people is another matter."

Xiang He did not refute her words, but simply smiled and said, "Miss Fang, have you been experiencing headaches and chest tightness lately? You seem to have a bad temper and are often feeling anxious, but I don't know why?"

She dismissed it, "So what if it is? What, are you starting to care about the illness?"

Do you often have nightmares at night? In your dreams, you often hide, right?

Xiang He leaned forward, getting closer to her, and said softly, "And in your dream, countless eyes are watching you, leaving you nowhere to hide."

Xiang He's voice was somewhat low, as if it had awakened a scene from a dream. Fang Huashan's face turned pale instantly, her lips trembled, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her back.

"How...how did you know..."

Xiang He straightened his back and placed the amulet in her hand. "How do you feel?"

The talisman in her hand was very light, but the moment it touched her palm, she felt a slight warmth in her palm, and the coolness on her back instantly dissipated. The nameless anger in her heart was dispelled, and her shoulders slowly relaxed.

When the five fingers twitched slightly, they suddenly clenched tightly, and the color returned to the face visibly.

The young ladies looked on in surprise, "It seems to really have a miraculous effect!"

Yuan Qingqiu remained silent, her eyes shifting between Qin Fuhua and Xiang He. She instantly understood their deeper meaning, and a smile flashed across her eyes as she lowered them, but she quickly suppressed it.

Fang Huashan, whose chill had been dispelled by the talisman, looked apologetic. "This talisman is truly effective. You knew so much just by looking at my face?"

“A person’s fortune is reflected on their face. Miss Fang has recently been haunted by evil spirits, so I’m giving you this amulet as a talisman.”

"A malevolent object?!"

Several voices exclaimed softly at the same time, and Xiang He nodded, "Yes, this talisman won't last long either."

These words frightened Fang Huashan, making her nervous. "Is there...is there really no cure? I have such terrible nightmares every night. What is it that's haunting me..."

The hook was caught, and Qin Fuhua gently stroked the edge of the talisman with his fingers.

Xiang He looked troubled. "Can't we tell where Miss Fang has been staying lately?"

"I've been staying at home all day, but today I felt like going out for a walk... and I just happened to run into the princess..."

Xiang He placed the large umbrella on the table and lightly tapped the ribs with her finger. "That evil spirit can only exist in your home. How have your family members been lately? Have they suddenly fallen ill, become weak, or been bedridden?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Huashan nodded vigorously, "My mother suddenly fell ill a few days ago, and even after seeing a doctor, she hasn't gotten better. Could it be that..."

"Maybe." Xiang He took out a few more talismans and folded them up. "These are for you. Keep them close to your family members. Don't lose them, and make sure they don't get wet."

She nodded repeatedly, clutching the talisman in her hand. "Thank you so much, young lady. I... I didn't believe you at first, and I was a bit too aggressive with you..."

Xiang He waved his hand dismissively, "I told you you've been in a bad mood lately, that's normal."

She held the item close to her body as if it were a precious treasure, her face showing embarrassment. "My father doesn't really believe in these things. I'll persuade him and then invite the girl to come over for a meeting!"

“It’s alright,” Xiang He changed her finger from nodding to drawing a circle, “Although it is true, it is true if you believe it and it is not if you don’t. It is normal to let things take their natural course.”

Fang Huashan forced a smile, "Fortunately, you helped me today, Your Highness. Please forgive my rudeness, I must return to my residence first, as my mother is still bedridden."

Qin Fuhua waved his hand with concern in his eyes, "Go quickly."

As she and her maid walked away, the other three young ladies looked on expectantly. Yuan Qingqiu couldn't help but laugh when she saw their expressions. "Miss, why don't you give us some amulets too?"

"of course can."

Xiang He deftly folded the talisman paper with her fingers, while Yuan Qingqiu looked at Qin Fuhua with a smile, who immediately stuck out her tongue and grinned mischievously.

The women chatted and laughed for a while longer, until the midday sun was dazzling, at which point the three young ladies finally left.

After they had gone some distance, Yuan Qingqiu, holding the amulet between two fingers, laughed and said, "Did the princess and the young lady set up this scheme just to get into the Fang family?"

Qin Fuhua shrugged and reached out to cover her mouth, "Keep your voice down!"

“They’ve all gone far,” Yuan Qingqiu said with a smile. “What exactly are you two plotting? Why are you suddenly scheming against her like this?”

Xiang He raised an eyebrow slightly. "How could it be scheming? I'm helping her."

"Help her?" Yuan Qingqiu covered her mouth and chuckled. "You're actually helping yourself, aren't you? Recently, the Vice Minister of Works has been implicated in a case, but no substantial evidence has been found. You're on good terms with Young Master He, so you want to visit him again to look for him?"

"It seems Miss Yuan doesn't believe I understand Taoist arts."

"I don't really believe in these things."

Her expression was very humble and gentle. Xiang He saw this and said softly, "Miss, your happy event is approaching, but you are not very happy about this good thing."

Qin Fuhua, standing to the side, asked curiously, "What happy event? Is there anything I don't know?"

Compared to Qin Fuhua's curiosity, Yuan Qingqiu's astonishment was quite obvious.

But the initial shock was quickly masked by bitterness. "I believe it. The young lady truly has a talent for physiognomy."

"What's going on?"

Qin Fuhua urged, and Yuan Qingqiu's eyes showed even more bitterness, "My father told me that His Majesty intends to choose my Princess Jin, to marry Princess Dayu, as a bride. Only His Majesty, my father, and I know about this..."

"What?!" Qin Fuhua grabbed her hand. "Is this true? Is this still unconfirmed?"

"I don't know..."

Judging from Qin Fuhua's nervous appearance, the two seem to have a good relationship.

Xiang He, however, was puzzled. He had just heard that the border was peaceful a few days ago, so why was there a sudden proposal for a marriage alliance?

"Miss Yuan, did your father explain why? Isn't the border fine?"

Yuan Qingqiu shook his head helplessly, "They only said it was to consolidate the friendly relations between the two countries. It was the same five years ago. During the peaceful and prosperous times, they sent a princess out for a marriage alliance."

Seeing the two people's distressed expressions, Xiang He didn't know how to comfort them.

Even with a ruler in power, one's actions are not one's own.

Yuan Qingqiu gently patted Qin Fuhua's hand, "Let's not talk about this anymore. It's still uncertain. Perhaps there will be another way out. It's already noon, we should go back."