The Husband I Snatched Is Not Right!-Chapter 260 - 257: Unorthodox Sorcery

Such words were indeed strange.

Although they sounded mysterious and baseless, making them hard to believe, yet...

When Yu Tingwan looked again at Mr. Zhu, who was smiling like a spring breeze at the entrance of the Goddess Temple, she couldn’t help but feel a chill down her spine.

Wei Zhao’s hand fell on her shoulder, carrying a sense of reassurance, his eyes coldly landing on the Daoist.

The Daoist was not afraid that Wei Zhao would twist his neck.

The hands of this noble person before him had killed countless people, yet his body was filled with boundless merit.

"This humble Daoist is not a charlatan and never speaks lies."

"The yang energy has left his body, yet he lives well; there must be something strange about it." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The Daoist said, "Remarkable, interesting."

He wasn’t making things up.

Mr. Zhu’s face showed no sign of romance.

He could see clearly that...

The Daoist distastefully remarked, "A face destined for financial loss."

Losing money was one thing, but his life wouldn’t last long, and if he did evil deeds, he would surely face the consequences himself.

He wanted to say more, but his voice was drowned out by the beating of gongs and drums in the front.

Soon, a loud voice rang out.

It was the steward behind Old Master Zhu.

Standing on a high platform, he spoke kindly, "Everyone knows our young master has deep ties with the Goddess Temple. Therefore, over the years, the Zhu Family has been grateful for the Childbearing Goddess’s grace."

"The funds for the annual temple fair and the expenses for repairing the Goddess Temple all come from the Zhu Family. We only wish for the young master’s good health."

"The auspicious time has come. As per the old tradition, two children will be selected this year. Boys aged ten to twelve."

He looked around, and there were quite a few boys this year, which made him rather pleased.

"If you are willing, please come this way."

No one found it wrong that boys were specified. In their eyes, boys were more precious than girls!

As soon as the words were spoken, the crowd erupted into a din. People dragged their children and rushed forward like mad, afraid of being beaten to it by others.

"Old Master Zhu, Old Master Zhu, look at my eldest son; he’s the right age. Here are his birth details, take a look."

"Hey, don’t push. Being selected by the Zhu Family is one in ten thousand; your child has a face full of pockmarks and is so ugly, how can you be so bold as to bring him here? Aren’t you afraid of scaring the temple gods?"

"Old Master Zhu, my third son has a proper appearance. I just checked, and there’s no one better looking than him. This child is clever and everyone who sees him says he will do great things in the future."

It was the first time Yu Tingwan had seen such a scene.

She had no thought of fortune-telling and looked around curiously.

There were even some who knelt down, with tears streaming down before they could speak.

"Old Master Zhu, my fifth son is frail and really can’t make it. We’ve seen all the doctors, and he’s taken countless medicines over the years, which have made our family poor, yet the child hasn’t improved."

The frail woman held tightly onto the little boy nestled in her arms.

She really had no other option.

"Please, Old Master Zhu, select my fifth son."

"Since he fell into the water once and got hit on the head by a stone, he hasn’t been well."

In the face of these pleas, Old Master Zhu looked troubled.

"I know all of you want to be chosen, but there are only two spots, so please don’t be anxious."

Yu Tingwan was puzzled.

"What is this?"

She looked at Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao said, "I don’t know."

The stall next door was selling food, and in recent years, they had come over; the money made from setting up a stall at the Goddess Temple for a day was more than half a month’s worth on other days.

He was particularly grateful to the Zhu Family and took a moment to say, "You don’t know? The Zhu Family took Mr. Zhu around seeking medical help when he was a child."

"Actually, praying for safety in this Goddess Temple is much more effective than praying for children."

"Back then, the Zhu Family not only frequently invited doctors but even bought a coffin, fearing the worst."

Many people said that heaven was blind, that the Zhu Family, after spending all their wealth and being so kind, couldn’t even keep a child.

Until...

"After the temple fair began, the Zhu Family got enlightened by a high monk."

He pointed a finger.

"See, eight out of ten people here today want to offer incense. With so many people, the incense ash will be useful for the Zhu Family later."

"After sunset, Mr. Zhu will gather the incense ash into a pile, scoop it with both hands into a new incense burner, wrap it in red paper, and finally offer it in the temple."

Yu Tingwan became increasingly confused.

"Nobody has any objections?"

People believed these things most; the incense and paper money they burned were their respect and intentions to the gods, yet Mr. Zhu would benefit from them—how could that be agreeable?

"How could it be?"

The vendor said, "If you walk around our city, the prices at those incense stores are fifty percent cheaper than outside, all subsidized by the Zhu Family privately."

"Moreover, the Zhu Family is charitable. Over the years, if any family had a problem, they would always help when possible. We all remember that and owe them our gratitude. With so much incense ash gathered, enough to fill several baskets, how much could Mr. Zhu use? Nobody would deliberately grab someone’s burnt offerings."

Yu Tingwan was left dumbfounded.

Wei Zhao remained expressionless, whether he was listening or just spacing out was unclear.

Oh.

He was thinking.

The Zhu Family indeed had a lot of money.

He had set his eyes on it.

It would be his.

The stall vendor couldn’t stop: "Mr. Zhu stays overnight in the Goddess Temple, and the high monk chants for him. When the incense burner is filled with incense ash, he places incense on top of it. He must watch at all times, replacing one stick with the next as soon as it burns out without any interruption to show sincerity."

"Since then, his health has gradually improved. Who wouldn’t be amazed to see that?"

But not every family could afford to spend as the Zhu Family did.

"Later, Old Master Zhu, sympathizing with parenthood’s burdens, decided to select two children to enter with him, hoping for Guanyin’s blessing."

He spoke with special regret.

"It’s a pity, my son is of the right age, but his birth details conflict with Mr. Zhu’s."

"I wonder which lucky family will be chosen."

He thought for a bit.

"In the past, some gravely ill children were chosen. Old Master Zhu is kind; three years ago, a boy whom doctors said wouldn’t survive three months was selected and lived for four more months. No wonder that woman who knelt so fervently earlier prayed like that—I guess her son has a high chance of being chosen."

He spoke himself hoarse but still remembered to advise.

"If anyone in your family or relatives meets the Zhu Family’s requirements, you can bring them over. Perhaps they’ll receive some good fortune."

Yu Tingwan: ...

No.

If there were, they wouldn’t be brought.

It sounds dubious.

The Daoist continued to disdain.

With all those dark energies...

He sneered, "Who knows what sort of sorcery is at play."

Vendor: ??

He was displeased immediately.

"Hey!"

"What are you saying, you rotten Daoist!"

"If you slander the Zhu Family again, I..."

"What will you do?"

The Daoist looked at him with contempt: "Your face doesn’t look like someone who has a son."

Vendor: ???

He laughed.

"My eldest son is already eleven. If you’re going to cheat, at least think it through. Aren’t you afraid that..."

The Daoist: "Is it possible..."

He smiled, "That your wife had a son with someone else?"