Qin Liuxi slept through lunch, not waking until the mid-afternoon hour of Shen. She opened her eyes, collected herself, and sat up in the carriage.
"Master, you're awake." Chenpi, who had been dozing off, quickly got up upon hearing movement, pouring tea for her while asking, "You slept deeply. I didn't want to disturb you. Lunch is warming in the food box. Would you like that or some snacks?"
Accepting the tea, Qin Liuxi inquired, "What time is it?" She furrowed her brow as she looked at Chenpi.
"Master, what's the matter?" Chenpi asked.
Qin Liuxi said, "Where are we? You have a disaster omen."
"Huh?"
Frowning at the faint blood aura on his face, Qin Liuxi could see the blood, but it wouldn't endanger his life. She asked, "Do you have any copper coins?"
Knowing her habit, Chenpi quickly retrieved several copper coins from his sleeve and handed them to her.
Qin Liuxi took them, casually tossing them while
calculating with her fingers. After a while, she stopped and said, "Stop, we can't proceed further."
Without a word, Chenpi opened the carriage door and called for a halt.
Fire Wolf rode up, asking, "Little Chenpi, what's the matter?"
"Stop, my master says we can't go any further," Chenpi replied.
Fire Wolf paused momentarily, then said, "Wait here." He rode over to Qi Qian's carriage to report.
Qi Qian, who had been dozing with his hand supporting his forehead, listened to the report and glanced at the time shown on the sundial, saying, "Stop."
He got off the carriage, followed by Yingnan, and asked, "Master, why can't we proceed?"
Qin Liuxi had also alighted from the carriage, surveying the surroundings and the sky. They were currently on an official road surrounded by mountains. According to the guards, they were about to enter a narrow pass.
"Doctor Qin." Qi Qian turned to her.
Seeing a red mark on one side of Qin Liuxi's face, giving her complexion a rosy hue, Qi Qian couldn't help but avert his gaze, asking with a bow, "I heard you called for a stop?"
"Yes," Qin Liuxi said. "There will be heavy rain within half an hour. It's urgent, and it will be dangerous to pass through the gorge. Let's stop here and find a place to take shelter from the storm temporarily."
Qi Qian and his entourage were all stunned.
Yingnan looked up at the sun in the sky and couldn't help but say, "But Doctor Qin, the sun is still blazing. Are you sure about the rain?"
Was she teasing them?!
Qi Qian hesitated for a moment. Although his grandmother's illness wasn't critical, returning home a day earlier would spare her some suffering. So, the sooner they departed, the better.
"Yes, I said it will rain. If you want to go, feel free." Qin Liuxi glanced at him, smiling. "But I see scars on your heavenly court, scars on your nose, and a dull complexion. It's an omen of financial loss and career setback. Your career might not be smooth lately. Furthermore, your forehead is darkening, and the blood aura is spreading. If you continue, you'll be the unlucky one! It's fine if you're unlucky, but it's not acceptable to drag us down. Chenpi, bring our luggage."
"Alright."
Yingnan, being criticized by Qin Liuxi about his appearance, was so infuriated that smoke seemed to come out of his seven orifices. He almost jumped in front of Qin Liuxi to argue, but Fire Wolf, with a change in his expression, quickly pulled him away.
"Didn't you lose your money pouch yesterday?" Fire Wolf reminded him quietly. "And the master scolded you, asking you to go to the Eagle Hall."
Yingnan's body stiffened, his fingertips tingling. Being scolded by the master, he couldn't help but feel unsettled. When he went to handle his tasks, he lost his money pouch. Qin Liuxi couldn't have been following him the whole time, could she?
Most importantly, Qin Liuxi came from a Taoist temple, and her observations were accurate.
So, was he really the unlucky one?