Who in the world does not know you?

Chapter 66 Dying Without Regret

Watching the two bickering, Ning Qi couldn't help but laugh out loud, yet he also felt a pang of regret.

"It's a pity that the fourth brother isn't here. If he were, the Chun Ning Lantern Festival would be even more lively."

Upon hearing Ning Qi mention Wen Zhao, that troublemaker, even the usually unruly Qing Chuan couldn't help but shake his head helplessly.

"Come on, that year someone was performing breaking a boulder on their chest on stage, and she insisted that the boulder they prepared was fake. She then grabbed a real boulder from the side and placed it on the unfortunate guy's chest. Before the hammer even hit him, the guy started vomiting blood. She even squatted down next to him and asked if the blood was fake too. Later, when she realized the guy was dying, she panicked and dragged a few of us to carry him to the hospital..."

"If you speak ill of her and she hears you, she'll chase after you and beat you up again."

"I'm not saying anything bad about her, I'm just stating the facts..."

As Qingchuan spoke, he couldn't help but turn around and look.

Not far away, Luo Xin was happily eating meatballs at a stall.

Seeing Qingchuan's hesitant expression, Ning Qi unusually showed a clear and insightful side.

"Alright, stop going through the formalities and hurry up. It's the same every year. Anyway, the fourth brother isn't here this year, so one more or one less won't make a difference."

"Sigh, there's nothing I can do. She can't live without me, and I'm so understanding. It's really a headache..."

Qingchuan's feigned helplessness was noticed by the three people beside him, but none of them called him out on it.

He casually pulled a silver note from his pocket and stuffed it into Ning Qi's hand, then strode towards Luo Xin's direction.

Looking at the silver notes in Ning Qi's hand, Yun Luobai couldn't help but sigh.

"This is way more profitable than fortune telling..."

"Second brother, how about we keep it there?"

"Come on, I'm afraid of attracting thieves. Ouch..."

The sharp pain in her waist made Yun Luobai obediently shut her mouth.

The Spring Lantern Festival in Ningzhou Prefecture is a grand celebration.

Brightly colored carp and dragons swam through the streets as people danced around them. Everywhere was filled with lively shouts of vendors, and the aroma of snacks filled the air. Yun Luobai even saw a fortune-telling stall.

"Look how dedicated they are, unlike you..."

Holding red bean rice cakes, candied hawthorns, crispy lotus root meat cakes, and plum juice leaves in her hands, she ate and talked, which made Ning Qi and Yun Luobai look at each other in bewilderment, but then they couldn't help but laugh.

"Just eat yours..."

"I'm eating it! This crispy lotus root and pork patty is so fragrant, even more fragrant than any I've ever had before..."

Yun Luobai turned to look at the fortune-telling Taoist priest's stall, and thought to himself that the other party was dressed in Taoist robes and looked much more professional than him.

"Brother, how about we let him tell your fortune?"

"Why would I waste my money on this? If I really want a reading, I can just ask you to do it for me, right?"

"It's no use arbitrarily, since someone's paying for it anyway."

"Alright, let's just treat it as fun..."

Ning Qi sat down in front of the Taoist priest with a smile. The latter looked up at Ning Qi, who was dressed as a constable, and trembled with fright.

Ning Qi scratched his head and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Don't be nervous, I'm here to have my fortune told."

"So, sir, how would you like to calculate this? By drawing lots, interpreting characters, or looking at one's palm?"

Hearing the Taoist's question, Ye Zi, who was enjoying her meal, turned her head to look at Yun Luobai beside her.

"Why is his fortune-telling method different from yours?"

"Thieves have many ways to steal; as long as they can steal the silver in the end, that's all that matters."

"Okay, I like your analogy. You finally admit that all you fortune tellers are swindlers."

"I didn't say that."

Ning Qi thought about it for a while and finally chose the simplest way.

"Let's have your palm read."

Ning Qi spread his right palm in front of the Taoist priest, who held Ning Qi's broad palm with both hands and carefully examined the palm lines before asking a question in a soft voice.

"What does Your Excellency wish to calculate?"

"Just do a quick calculation, it's fine."

"You've had a smooth and successful life since birth, and you should be very satisfied with your life."

"Yes, that's right."

"Everyone else is calculating backwards, but he's calculating forwards... You should learn from him, so you can have more ways to scam money in the future..."

Yun Luobai raised a finger to her lips, signaling Ye Zi to be quiet.

The fortune teller frowned as he looked at Ning Qi's palm, then suddenly sighed.

"Alas... but you may face a great calamity in the future, one that is extremely dangerous."

Ning Qi was taken aback upon hearing this and couldn't help but turn around to look at Yun Luobai standing behind him.

Yun Luobai calmly reached into his money bag, took out a silver ingot, and placed it in front of the fortune teller.

Upon seeing the silver, the fortune teller dressed as a Taoist priest's eyes lit up, and even his tone of voice became much more excited.

"But you will surely find a way out of this desperate situation and turn danger into safety!"

Seeing this, Ye Zi couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

When Ning Qi got up, the fortune teller was still bowing and thanking him.

"Second brother, didn't you say you were going to use the money the third brother gave me to settle this?"

"It's not a big deal. I paid for the money to help my elder brother change his fate. If that young master of the general's mansion finds out, he'll be furious."

Ning Qi just grinned and then straightened his clothes.

"Brother, he said you might face a great calamity in the future. Aren't you worried?"

"In our line of work, it's normal to die at the hands of a formidable thief if we encounter one day. Protecting the peace of the people is our duty as constables. We eat the government's rice, so if it really comes to that, it's a worthy death."

"It's alright, brother. I gave him the money. Didn't he say you would definitely escape danger and turn your life around?"

"Second son."

"Um?"

"If I can see you return safely in my lifetime, I can die without regrets."

The clouds fell silently.

Ning Qi's words revealed a simple sincerity, instantly shattering all his previous suspicions about Ning Qi.

Distracted, Yun Luobai turned and walked into a quiet alley.

Colorful lanterns were hung on both sides of the alley, and people could be seen coming and going on the other side of the street from a distance.

"Wrong way..."

Yun Luobai stopped in her tracks, but Ning Qi, who was beside her, gently patted her back.

"It's alright, just go through to another street. The vendors there sell items that aren't commonly seen in the Central Plains, so go check it out."

Ye Zi didn't care. She had finished all the food and drink in her hands and was thinking of going to the other side of the street to see if there were any other snacks when she suddenly heard a whooshing sound from above.

Before she could react, a figure landed from mid-air, blocking the three of them's path.

The monk, dressed in a light blue robe, smiled broadly and bowed to the three of them.

"Amitabha... This humble monk Shenming begs the three of you to die."

A chilly evening breeze blew through the narrow alley, where the sound of a sharp blade being drawn echoed.

Ning Qi gripped the knife in one hand, using his other arm to shield Yun Luobai and Ye Zi behind him.

"Second brother, grab Ye Zi and run!"