"At home, his grandfather was a bookworm, usually just reading at home and didn't go anywhere. Are you from Yangzhou?"

  "Hmm," Guo Sheng responded with a somewhat ambiguous "hmm", slapping his fan against the palm of his hand, sounding slightly regretful. "I forgot to ask before I came, and I don't know how old the young master's child is, whether it's a boy or girl... just look at me, really."

  "Mr. Zhao doesn't have any children yet." The woman smiled, "The Zhao family has few people, just an old lady, Mr. and Mrs. Zhao, and Mr. Zhao's younger sister who is only 13 this year. If you go to their house, don't mention the child too much, Mrs. Zhao has been married for over three years, almost four, but she still hasn't given birth, the whole family is worried, sigh."

  Guo Sheng understood that the one who had handed over a large sum of money from behind the door must have been Zheng Shi, Li Dalang's wife. She hadn't smiled in three years and was desperately seeking medical treatment.

  "Please sit down, sir. The master is performing a ritual which may take some time. I'll get you a cup of tea."

  Guo Sheng looked hesitant, "I'd like to take a look at the salt fields... all along the way, I've only seen this place, is there still our place on the other side of the salt fields? I have some things to ask, and I need Master Fa to enlighten me."

  "The salt fields are not far from here, this area, there is only one place, and two more, all in Yangguan County, not far from here either." The woman was a kind-hearted person, seeing Guo Sheng's furrowed brow, she got a bit anxious for him, "Why don't you go to the salt fields first, and come back later? Tonight, Master Fa will be free, he sleeps early, I'll tell him to wait for you, what do you think?"

  "This is my fault, I didn't expect to run into a Taoist priest here. I hadn't planned ahead, I had already arranged for several ships of salt at the salt yard, and tonight I have to set off. It will be a while before I can come back. This matter is urgent... Salt Official County..." Guo Sheng furrowed his brow, "I just so happen to be passing through Salt Official County, why don't you tell me, where do those two Taoist priests usually reside? Alas, this matter of mine is really urgent."

  "One family lives in Qiaodong, and the other is in Sanyang Town. Sanyang Town happens to be on the way to Yangzhou. You can go there." The woman replied hastily, finished speaking, took a breath, and seemed very happy for Guo Sheng.

  "Thank you. May I ask again, Master, is the one in Sanyang Town also available at night?" Guo Sheng's face lit up with joy.

  "I don't know then." The woman looked apologetic.

  Guo Sheng felt a little disappointed, but immediately smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, I'll send Xiao Tong to ride ahead and guard the place. Whether it's day or night, we'll definitely be able to see the master. Nanny, this is the most auspicious place for giving birth, I know that. In these years, has the master acquired any other magical powers?"

  "You mentioned this, the other day a dharma master complained that there were heaps and heaps of people coming to ask for children every day, he didn't have time to cultivate his spiritual powers... is Mr. seeking children?"

  Seeing Guo Sheng nodding, the woman smiled and said, "Sir only knows that our Wushen Church is effective in seeking children, but doesn't know the rules for seeking children? That child was born by a woman, so of course, it's also up to the woman to seek. Not to mention daily worship, every month two or three times, you have to come to our temple in person, sincerely worship the gods, and the master will perform rituals to ask the gods for children."

  "Now in this grand hall, are you going to perform a ritual to pray for a child?" A cold glint flashed across Guo Sheng's eyes.

  "It's not, it's the two sisters-in-law from the Yao family at the salt farm. The younger sister-in-law has been married for over a year but hasn't conceived, so she came to our master for help. In just two or three months, she got pregnant and gave birth to a big fat son. Then the younger sister-in-law brought her older sister over, who also gave birth, having two daughters in three years, but is anxious to have a son..."

  The woman chattered on and on, with a proud look from head to toe.

  Guo Sheng looked down at her, his eyes filled with sympathy. After listening to the woman's chatter, Guo Sheng smiled and said: "I know this rule, my wife has also come. Thank you, nanny. By the way, Old Zhao's daughter-in-law, who hasn't conceived for three years, why didn't she come here to ask Master Fa for help? Is it that she doesn't know or what?"

  "How could I not know? I've known for over two years, coming twice a month, at the beginning and middle of each month. Both Zhao Dage and his wife are very devout, kneeling in the temple for half a day every time. But this matter of descendants is all determined by karma from past lives. For those with shallow karma, the master can perform rituals and pray to the gods, and it will pass. The master has said many times that Zhao Dage's karma is too deep. Alas, this person cannot be evil, a lifetime of evil deeds cannot be repaid in ten lifetimes."

  The woman sighed, and Guo Sheng glanced at her from top to bottom, "Indeed, one can't be too evil. Thank you, nanny, it's getting late, I'll take my leave. Thank you, thank you."

  Guo Sheng turned around and walked out of the hospital gate, striding swiftly towards Xikou Town.

  He already understood what was going on in this den of debauchery.

  Back in Xigou Town, Guo Sheng took the horse from the foot store and was about to get on it to return when he suddenly stopped. The eldest daughter of Old Zhao's family is married to a family in Qiaotou Town, Yanguan County... Qiaotou Town is not far from here, and I can still make it if I go there!

  Guo Sheng rode his horse, rushing straight to Qiaotou Town. He spent more than half an hour in Qiaotou Town, which was longer than he had spent in Xiguan Town. Guo Sheng hurried back to Hengshan County City, just as the city gate was about to close. Fortunately, the old sergeant guarding the gate recognized him and shouted loudly from a distance. The old sergeant waited for him to rush through the gate before slowly pushing it shut.

  The town was still bustling, Guo Sheng led the horse to the nearest small shop near his residence, stopped at the door, ordered hot water tea soup, and instructed to send it over immediately.

  He waited until he got home and tied up his horse, hot water and tea were also delivered. Guo Sheng washed himself clean and comfortably, ate his fill, drank enough, brewed a pot of tea, moved a chair to the corridor, sipped his tea, enjoyed the breeze, and carefully sorted out the news he had gathered that day.

  Combed through it once, thought about it carefully, combed through it again, thought about it some more, made sure I'd thought of everything I could think of, before standing up and going inside to rest.

  The next day, in the afternoon, Guo Sheng was in the two rooms where old case files were stored. He kept searching until after lunch, then came out to buy two meat pies and ate a few bites before rushing back into the house to continue his search. He didn't stop until it was time for class at the rear residence, when he finally emerged to wash his hands and face, heading towards the three rooms between the rear residence and the front hall.

  Guo Sheng patiently taught Li Wenlan the book, carefully explaining several doubts of Li Wenlan's, leaving about twice as much homework as before, and instructing her to recite it within two hours.

  Li Wenlan came out of the room and walked around the old ginkgo tree in circles, reciting books loudly.

  Guo Sheng sat down in Li Wenlan's position and looked at Li Xia who was concentrating on writing, saying softly: "Miss, I've roughly figured it out."

  Lao Zhao's family in Xigou Town, the owner is Zhao Huqing. His business is doing quite well. He usually lives in Yangzhou and has a second wife there with whom he had a son and two daughters. This is what I heard from two porters who said that everyone in Xigou Town knows about it. Many businessmen are like this, so-called "two big heads".

  Complete works txt download, full text free, e-book, remember 77 reading books