Lady Zhang was hoping for a trace of luck, and at the very least, she believed that Yan Daopo’s medicine wouldn’t harm anyone.

Even knowing it was a scam, people still fall for it. In fact, many deceived people have similar mindsets, and it leaves others helpless.

"Mother, no matter what happens to us, it’s fine, but regarding Third Aunt’s matter, it can’t be like this." Lian Manman had to say, "Although my Third Aunt’s health has improved somewhat, she is still not as robust as the average person. What if she can’t take this medicine? Then wouldn’t you have done a good deed that turned bad?"

"Besides, it’s been so many years, a few more days won’t matter. Let’s just wait until my Third Aunt comes to the Prefecture City, see it with our own eyes, then whatever needs to be done can be discussed then, right?"

When Lian Manman spoke like this, Lady Zhang recalled what Yan Daopo had said. Yan Daopo mentioned that she hadn’t seen Lady Zhao and didn’t know if Lady Zhao had the fortune and destiny. By considering Lady Zhang’s face, she had given the medicine and performed the ritual, perhaps at the cost of Yan Daopo’s own life.

Thinking this way, Lady Zhang hesitated.

Seeing Lady Zhang’s grip on the medicine packet loosen a bit, Lian Manman took the opportunity to take the packet from her.

"I’ll hand it over to my brother later, let him take it to the pharmacy to find someone to have a look." Lian Manman murmured to herself.

"It’s not just about the medicine, the essential part is doing the ritual." Lady Zhang saw Lian Manman take the medicine but thought, for now, she would let it go. "She wouldn’t dare harm anyone."

"Mother, don’t you usually detest those who use flowery speech? Yan Daopo’s words are more divine than a village matchmaker’s, how is it that you find her agreeable?" Lian Manman said in confusion, "Mother, have you seen those operas with the meddling matchmakers? They are often the root of trouble."

"She has no other means, otherwise, how would she survive?" Lady Zhang sighed, "That person, she’s a woman of misfortune too."

Lady Zhang then started recounting Yan Daopo’s backstory to Lian Manman. It turned out Yan Daopo was originally the daughter of a small merchant family, and later married. Within a year of marriage, her husband died. At that time, Yan Daopo was already pregnant and gave birth after her husband’s death, but it was a stillborn.

Her in-laws saw it as unlucky, claimed Yan Daopo brought misfortune to husband and child, and almost subjected her to family punishment. At that time, Yan Daopo’s parents were still alive, they managed to take her back home with much persuasion.

Later, Yan Daopo remarried, this time in a mountain valley to a poor but robust hunter. Yan Daopo thought she could finally live a good life.

However, less than half a year after their marriage, her second husband was out hunting and was gored to death by a wild boar. Yan Daopo was heartbroken, and the man’s parents were in deep grief. This family only knew that Yan Daopo was previously married and her first husband died of consumption. Someone leaked the details of her first marriage.

This solidified the belief that Yan Daopo brought misfortune to husbands and children. The second husband’s parents disapproved, and upon hearing the words of a shaman, claimed Yan Daopo was a calamity star incarnate. Their son, tormented by her, could find no peace even in death unless rituals were performed to suppress her spirit.

That couldn’t be tolerated. The elderly couple, out of love for their son, resented Yan Daopo deeply and spent money to have the shaman perform rituals. Yan Daopo was stripped naked, inflicted with wounds by the shaman, and finally tied in a mountain frequented by snakes and wild beasts.

After three days and nights, people went to the mountain to find her. By the tree where Yan Daopo was tied, there were only a few pieces of blood-stained cloth left, and Yan Daopo was nowhere to be found. The shaman claimed that the ritual was complete, the calamity star suppressed, and the deceased hunter could finally reincarnate into a good life.

Those who understood inferred that Yan Daopo was surely eaten by beasts, and the matter was thus closed, never mentioned again.

Three years later, Yan Daopo reappeared in the marketplace.

According to Yan Daopo, she was carried away by a tiger and thought she was doomed. Instead, she was taken to an immortals’ cave and became a disciple of an immortal master. The master said she was a celestial star descended to undergo trials, and now that her trials were over, she must save the common people, do good deeds, and only then could she return to the celestial realm.

Lady Zhang believed Yan Daopo was cursed by fate and hence didn’t believe she would do evil.

"The meddling matchmakers in the plays are vile, but not everyone is like that. Look at Yan Daopo, hasn’t she always been proper whenever she comes? If she truly did something evil, the people of Prefecture City wouldn’t allow her to be around until now."

"If others let her come around, and we don’t, it looks like we’re the odd ones out." Lady Zhang added, particularly as a way to persuade Lian Manman, for Manman had once hinted that she didn’t want Yan Daopo to visit. "Wherever we are, we have to blend in with people. Besides, she just wants to earn some money; let her earn it, it’s not a big deal. When we make offerings, whichever temple head we offer to, we are worshiping the same deities."

"Mother, I won’t stop you from spending money, but don’t believe everything she says. Treat her words as something amusing to listen to, an entertainment, but don’t take it as truth. And never use or consume anything she gives, not for us, not for others." Lian Manman knew that Lady Zhang was devout, and this was a form of spiritual support for her, so she took a step back.

"Alright, alright then." Lady Zhang hesitated for a moment, lowered her eyes, but eventually agreed.

Lian Manman finally felt slightly relieved. Just at that moment, a young maid came in to report that a messenger arrived from the Thirty Mile Camp.

...

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