Girl?
Li Qi didn't react immediately.
But after half a second of thought, he realized Shen Shuibei was referring to the blind old woman.
Well, it made sense. Although she looked young, Shen Shuibei was likely over a hundred years old, possibly even a thousand. Calling her a "little girl" wasn't entirely inappropriate.
"Why does it matter if she's a diviner?" Li Qi asked, puzzled.
Shen Shuibei usually didn't comment much, so her sudden remark must have had an underlying meaning. However, despite being smart, Li Qi lacked education and couldn't discern her deeper implications.
"Diviners are skilled in divination. Ancient texts say: 'Diviners handle the four omens on turtle shells: one is the square omen, two is the merit omen, three is the righteousness omen, and four is the bow light. For all divinations, observe the high points, ignite fire to crack the shell, and mark the cracks. Distinguish the upper, lower, left, right, yin, and yang sides of the shell, and present them to the person seeking divination, advising them accordingly. Before sacrifices, divinations are conducted; if there are sacrificial rites, the diviner carries the turtle shell. First divination, then augury, to determine auspiciousness or inauspiciousness,'" Shen Shuibei recited from memory.
"She should be able to use turtle shells for divination, distinguishing omens. But look at her house—it's full of ominous energy. This isn't what a diviner would arrange for themselves."
"Moreover, notice that he bought your turtle shell among the bones. Maybe everything else was just a cover. He might be preparing something harmful for you," Shen Shuibei added.
"Harmful to me?" Li Qi frowned.
He had read about such practices in the Book of Zhu—using mediums and rituals to transfer misfortune or disasters to others.
"But he didn't seem to perform any ritual, and I didn't participate. If there was any medium or method to transfer harm, it would only be this." Li Qi took out the small piece of gold from his pocket.
"That's probably it, but… I'm just sensing it, not sure…" Shen Shuibei played with her hair, speaking softly.
Li Qi felt nothing himself. While it seemed somewhat eerie, he didn't think it was that serious.
But Shen Shuibei said it was possible…
Though her deduction might not be reliable, her intuition was trustworthy!
So, he pondered his next move carefully.
"No matter what, rich people hold power in the city. Poor folks can't compete, but we can't ignore this either," Li Qi stroked his chin, thinking.
The simplest solution was to spend the money, but how to do it required careful consideration.
Li Qi wouldn't give it to innocent passersby. If it truly was a harmful medium, he'd feel too despicable.
In his heart, he wasn't exactly a good person, but definitely not evil.
He wouldn't sacrifice his safety or property for good deeds, nor would he harm others for personal gain unless they were enemies.
Under normal circumstances, he aimed to be moral and ethical, following laws and doing good without hesitation unless forced otherwise.
But all this depended on maintaining his safety.
If faced with saving ten thousand lives versus his own, Li Qi would choose his own life without hesitation.
Thus, with potentially risky gold, he wouldn't casually pass it off to someone else. If he could solve it himself, he would.
"If not, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Let's go buy clothes first," Li Qi said, leading Shen Shuibei to the tailor.
This time, Li Qi planned to get two sets of clothes—one for traveling and one for meetings.
He couldn't always wear these hemp clothes. Though cheap, they weren't suitable for important matters and made him look like a rustic.
Although he was indeed poor.
In the future, he needed to prepare for various events, possibly even large religious ceremonies, requiring decent attire.
After some haggling, he spent three thousand qian on new cotton outfits for both him and Shen Shuibei. The clothes were mostly cotton with silk patterns, typically worn by middle-class families as their best outfits.
These clothes weren't shabby anymore. Even when attending banquets, they'd only appear "not overly wealthy."
Li Qi also spent two hundred qian on ordinary coarse cloth clothes, less dignified but better than hemp. His current hemp outfit, worn through hunting and battles, was worn out and suited only for rough outdoor use.
Two hundred qian used to feel expensive, but now it seemed cheap.
Indeed, having skills made earning money easier.
Carefully storing the silk clothes and changing into the coarse cloth, Li Qi completed his wardrobe update.
Silk clothes would only be worn when necessary, given their cost of fifteen hundred qian each.
Shen Shuibei directly changed into the silk clothes.
Being an unblemished body, her clothes remained clean and new even without washing. Her current hemp clothes, though unwashed, still looked brand new!
Her clothes wouldn't get dirty, worn out, or damaged unless forcibly torn.
Li Qi marveled at how Daoist hermits could live carefree lives without worrying about daily chores. Only someone like Shen Shuibei, a perfect beauty, could stay ethereal and untainted after a century in the mountains.
While Li Qi pondered, Shen Shuibei finished changing.
The tailor stared wide-eyed.
"My goodness, this girl… is incredibly beautiful," the tailor murmured, stunned.
Her flowing robes fluttered gracefully, her every glance radiating charm, her breath as fragrant as orchids.
In an instant, her beauty dazzled, shining like the morning sun illuminating the beams of a house, bright as the moon spreading its light, her eyes sparkling with clarity and beauty.
Without makeup, her eyebrows and eyes exuded a captivating allure.
From rough hemp clothes to neat silk dresses, with her hair properly arranged, Shen Shuibei's appearance brightened the entire tailor shop.
Li Qi slapped his forehead, sighing deeply.
Trouble.