Chapter 67: Delusion

Jiyuan, sitting in the corner, had actually drawn some attention. Many people had seen the waiter lead him to that secluded spot.

Jiyuan and the waiter spoke quietly, making their conversation inaudible to others. Consequently, most people interpreted the situation as follows: a disheveled and penniless man entered the Huike Restaurant, intending to eat. Concerned about their business, the staff eventually escorted him to a corner table.

Based solely on his appearance, no one would have imagined Jiyuan ordering a large spread. They likely assumed he would opt for something simple, like steamed buns with hot water, perhaps with a side of pickled vegetables at best.

Naturally, some patrons quietly discussed Jiyuan, often using terms like "pitiable" or "strong odor."

Jiyuan paid no mind to this. "You eat your food," he thought. "I'm not interested in your leftovers. My dishes, once served, might even surprise many."

While waiting, Jiyuan also observed some interesting things. A few tables away, a man in a Taoist robe, carrying a whisk and a bamboo scroll holder, sat with a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, dressed as a Taoist acolyte.

This was Jiyuan's first time encountering Taoists in this world. Of course, they were secular Taoists, not powerful cultivators.

The two seemed to be facing a slight predicament.

The acolyte was chugging a bowl of water. After finishing, he wiped his mouth and asked the Taoist beside him with a worried expression,

"Master, our travel money is almost gone. For this meal, we can only afford steamed buns and cabbage. When can we return to Duyun Temple?"

"Don't worry about the travel money," the Taoist replied, drinking water to fill his stomach. "After this meal, I'll find a street corner to set up a fortune-telling stall. We'll earn enough for food, and returning home will just have to take time."

The Taoist, also drinking water to ease his hunger, responded to his disciple's complaints. However, upon hearing about the fortune-telling stall, the acolyte immediately grew anxious.

"Master, are you going to set up a fortune-telling stall again? Please don't... Last time in Qingliu County, they overturned our stall and beat us up. Haven't you learned your lesson?"

"Oh, oh, don't mention that again," the Taoist hastily said. "This time, I've learned my lesson. I'll only say what's appropriate, choosing my words carefully. I'll keep quiet about anything negative. I'll definitely know when to quit and prioritize making money. If people are aggressive, I simply won't tell their fortunes."

The Taoist seemed a bit embarrassed by past events, his earlier confidence noticeably diminished.

"You always say that..."

The disciple mumbled softly, likely unheard by the Taoist, but Jiyuan heard it clearly and a smile touched his lips.

Interesting. They looked like two clowns, or rather, one big clown and a constantly worried disciple.

"Sir, here are your steamed buns and stewed cabbage. Your food is all here, please enjoy!"

A waiter approached with a large wooden tray, placing the buns and cabbage belonging to the master and disciple on their table, then moved on to serve other tables.

The Taoist and the acolyte clearly fixated their gaze on the meat dishes on the waiter's tray. Only after the waiter had left did they reluctantly shift their attention back to their own table.

"Sigh... let's eat..."

"Mmm..."

Both sighed, looking utterly dejected, like frosted eggplants.

This greatly amused Jiyuan. It wasn't that he was unkind; it was simply that the situation had a strong comedic effect.

"Sir, your dishes are here! This is braised pork hock, steamed flour cakes, boiled cabbage, stir-fried greens, and pickled radish. The old hen soup and braised three delicacies take more time, so please wait a moment longer."

The waiter announced the dishes as he placed them one by one onto Jiyuan's table.

Waiters at Huike Restaurant had a custom: for tables ordering substantial dishes, they would announce the names loudly, as if wanting everyone in the hall and even those on the street outside to hear. For the Taoist master and disciple, however, the serving was much quieter.

Given Jiyuan's initial appearance, the dishes he ordered created a stark contrast. While many patrons maintained composed expressions, they were inwardly quite surprised.

After placing the last dish of pickled radish, the waiter was about to leave when Jiyuan called out to him, looking towards the master and disciple.

"Waiter, please tell those two Taoist priests over there that I'd like to invite them to dine with me."

As he said this, Jiyuan glanced at his own appearance and added,

"Assuming they don't mind, of course."

Just for the amusement they had provided, Jiyuan was willing to extend the courtesy of a meal. Moreover, from their earlier conversation, it seemed the Taoist wasn't a complete charlatan when it came to fortune-telling.

"Uh... alright, I'll go tell them!"

The waiter, carrying his wooden tray, hurried over to the table where the Taoist master and disciple were nibbling on their buns and cabbage.

"Excuse me, sirs, the gentleman in the corner says that if you don't mind, you're welcome to join him for the meal over there. Yes, the one smiling this way."

The two Taoists, one old and one young, looked in the direction the waiter was pointing.

"Him? Can he even afford it? ...Never mind whether he can or not, Xiao Wen, let's go!"

The Taoist mumbled, flashed a smile at the waiter, and quickly led his disciple toward Jiyuan's table, not forgetting to bring their steamed buns and stewed cabbage along.

As he pulled up a long bench and sat down, the Taoist introduced himself.

"Ah, ha ha ha... May I ask your name, sir? My name is Qi Xuan, and I am known as Taoist Qingsong. This is my disciple, Qi Wen. May I ask why you wish to treat us to a meal?"

The acolyte, meanwhile, remained silent, simply sitting and staring intently at the dishes.

"I am Jiyuan. I've simply rarely seen Taoists and thought it would be interesting to invite you to share a meal."

Neither party bowed; they simply conversed casually.

"Oh, inte..."

The Taoist suddenly froze mid-sentence. He noticed that while Jiyuan's eyes were bright, they had a pale hue. The question "Are you blind?" almost escaped his lips, but he managed to swallow it back.

"Alright, let's stop chatting for now. Let's eat before the food gets cold."

Jiyuan knew that if he didn't speak, the master and disciple would remain reserved and wouldn't start eating on their own.

"It works out perfectly; you have steamed buns, and I forgot to order rice. A perfect complement!"

As he spoke, Jiyuan took a bun and bit into it first, then reached for a dish with his chopsticks. The master and disciple, unable to resist any longer, also began to eat.

Although their situations were slightly different, all three had not tasted such fine food in a long time. They ate with great relish, unable to stop.

Jiyuan's table manners were quite good; he had developed habits over several months. He ate with a certain elegance, pulling back his sleeve, picking up food, chewing, and swallowing, all while maintaining a surprisingly fast pace.

The master and disciple, on the other hand, ate ravenously, almost devouring their food. It was a miracle they didn't choke.

In stark contrast, patrons at nearby tables who were observing them experienced a peculiar illusion: the scruffy, dirty, and smelly Jiyuan seemed to possess an extraordinary demeanor, while the two Taoists, one large and one small, appeared more like down-and-out beggars.

As the remaining dishes arrived, Jiyuan ordered two more small side dishes and three large bowls of rice. The three of them ate heartily, clearing most of the food from the table.

Towards the end, the master and disciple each managed to drink half a bowl of old hen soup before they were absolutely full.

Jiyuan smiled, watching the two Taoists rub their stomachs with satisfied expressions.

"Are you two Taoists done eating?"

"Oh, *burp*... full, I'm full..." "Can't eat another bite! I'm stuffed..."

"Haha, alright then. I'll finish the rest."

After that, Jiyuan single-handedly devoured the remaining dishes on the table with astonishing speed, leaving nothing, not even the chicken soup, which left the master and disciple slightly stunned.

Once Jiyuan finished his last bite of cabbage, he put down his chopsticks and called out towards a part of the restaurant.

"Waiter, we're ready to pay the bill here!"

"Coming right up, sir!"

Hearing the word "bill," the swiftest staff member arrived. The meal cost over a hundred copper coins, and counting them would be too troublesome, so Jiyuan handed over a small piece of silver, instructing the waiter to take it to the counter for weighing and payment.

Seeing that Jiyuan actually had money to pay, both the master and disciple breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sir, Taoists are just people with a head, two hands, and two legs; you could observe us from afar if you wished. You've been very kind inviting us to this meal. Perhaps I could tell your fortune?"

"Fortune-telling? How interesting. Master, will you be analyzing my Bazi, or reading my face and palm?"

"Bazi would be best, but face and palm reading are also fine."

"Very well, let's start with my Bazi then."

Jiyuan smiled and recited his Bazi from his previous life. Thanks to his grand-uncle, the younger Jiyuan had known his Bazi, and back then, fortune tellers had all praised it as very auspicious.

Upon hearing the Bazi, the Taoist squinted, pondering and calculating meticulously, looking quite professional. However, before long, Taoist Qingsong's brows furrowed deeper and deeper until, finally, he looked up at Jiyuan.

"You're lying, aren't you? Is this really your Bazi?"

"Absolutely genuine!"

Jiyuan replied naturally. He didn't know his Bazi for this life, but surely the Bazi from his previous life was still his own, right?

"You're lying! If this were your Bazi, you would have died long ago!"

"Master!"

The disciple, panicking, started sweating profusely, worried that his master had once again blurted out an offensive remark.

"Uh... oh, oh, I, just now, I misspoke, misspoke..."

Before he could even finish the word, the Taoist already felt dizzy and overwhelmingly suffocated in his chest. Eventually, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

Amidst the spinning world...

"Pfft!"

A large mouthful of fresh blood splattered across half the table, and Taoist Qingsong directly fainted onto it.