Chapter 211 Haiti Auspicious Clouds and Double Crane Furnace
The Taoist priest stood on the steps, wearing a gray-blue linen robe with a few ink stains on the hem. His sword-like eyebrows were frosty, and his eyes were calm and undisturbed.
The bronze incense burner was ancient and simple, with wisps of smoke rising from it. The person twirled the Three Pure Ones Bell in their right hand while chanting incantations.
"Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~"
The sound was interspersed among the gongs and drums of the folk performance, subtle yet crisp.
"What's that Taoist priest doing, cultivating?" Gu Ming leaned closer, blinking his big eyes. "I must say, he has quite the air about him, really like a master."
Lin Sicheng remained silent.
Indeed, it's quite true; to say he has the bearing of a sage and the graceful appearance of a pine tree wouldn't be an exaggeration.
But true masters don't come here, and the forced atmosphere wouldn't be so overpowering: deafening gongs and drums, fireworks everywhere, and you're here burning incense, ringing bells, and chanting sutras?
The saying goes, "Jiang Taigong fishes, and those who are willing will take the bait..."
Looking at the furnace in the Taoist priest's hand, Lin Sicheng thought for a moment and said, "Mingwa, do you believe it or not, as long as you dare to talk to him, he can definitely trick you into having your fortune told!"
"Impossible!" Gu Ming scoffed. "I'm not stupid!"
It has nothing to do with being stupid, but rather with psychology and rhetoric.
Judging from the Taoist priest's incense burner and bell, he probably has some Taoist skills.
The key point is that it looks really good.
So I'm not afraid you won't fall for it, I'm just afraid you won't be curious. As long as you dare to go over, it will only take seven or eight sentences to get most of your information out of you, and then I'll turn around and fool you.
Lin Sicheng rolled his eyes: "If you don't believe me, let's make a bet. Whoever loses treats everyone to a feast!"
Gu Ming glanced sideways: he suspected Lin Sicheng was trying to frame him.
Because from childhood to adulthood, I've done so many things that I can't even count them all.
But I was also very curious: why could the Taoist priest let me tell his fortune as long as I dared to talk to him?
He thought for a moment: "I'll bet!"
As he spoke, he walked over.
The three girls slowed down a bit, and before they knew what the two had said, they saw Gu Ming walk towards the Taoist priest.
Li Xinfang glanced at them: "Lin Sicheng, what's Gu Ming doing?"
"Fortune telling".
What?
Didn't you want to calculate it? How did it become Gu Ming's turn?
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "I made a bet with him!"
"Huh?" Li Xinfang was startled. "Won't he fall for it?"
"Yes!" Lin Sicheng said confidently, "but it won't be very big, at most a hundred or two hundred yuan!"
Li Xinfang was speechless: You knew he would fall for it, yet you still fooled him?
Zhuang Yi was skeptical: "Isn't that unlikely?"
Just like Gu Ming himself said: He's not stupid, is he?
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "Look!"
The three girls all looked up at the same time.
On the steps, Gu Ming took out his wallet, pulled out a hundred-yuan note, and handed it to the Taoist priest. The Taoist priest bowed, stuffed the money into his sleeve, and then patted Gu Ming's shoulder and the back of his neck.
Then they held hands and looked at each other for a while, then pinched each other, and said something, but Gu Ming's mouth kept opening wider and wider.
Then she took out her wallet and gave the Taoist priest another hundred yuan.
Li Xinfang and Zhuang Yi looked at each other in bewilderment: Lin Sicheng said that Gu Ming would be fooled, and sure enough, Gu Ming fell for it.
Lin Sicheng said it would be at most one or two hundred, and it really was one or two hundred.
No... who exactly is the fortune teller?
Just as they were filled with astonishment and doubt, Gu Ming came running back, looking like he had never seen anything like it before and was amazed: "I've really opened my eyes, Chengwa, that Taoist priest really can tell fortunes..."
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "What's the big deal?"
"He actually figured out that I'm a policeman? He even figured out that I was born in the Year of the Ox, that I'm 23 this year, and that my surname is Gu..."
Gu Ming pointed at Li Xinfang: "He also figured out that Xinfang is my girlfriend. He even figured out that my relationship with you is not ordinary..."
"Then, they said that my family affairs were going smoothly, everything was going well, and I had just found my true love (marriage). The only thing that was going wrong was my career... I thought to myself, I failed the police joint exam and I failed the physical fitness test, so it's just that my career is not going well and I have some setbacks?"
Gu Ming opened his palm: "So the Taoist priest got me a Wenchang talisman and told me to wear it day and night, saying that within three months, my luck would definitely turn around..."
Lin Sicheng glanced at the talisman folded into a triangle in his palm and sighed inwardly.
Even though Mingming told Gu Ming that the Taoist priest was just spouting nonsense, Gu Ming still fell for it. He's really incredibly stupid.
Actually, that's not true. Gu Ming wasn't smart enough to get into Jiaotong University; it was because he lacked experience and knowledge.
If it were Li Xinfang and her best friend, they would have fallen for it just the same way.
Look at their expressions: Lin Sicheng, didn't you say that Taoist priest was a fraud? How come he was so accurate?
Because that old Taoist priest was indeed very skilled, and most likely also knew traditional Chinese medicine: the way he felt Gu Ming's bones was clearly a pulse diagnosis technique.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to feel the bones, I checked the pulse: the palms were cold, the pulse was thin and rapid, and there was almost no pulse at the two feet... This kid looks as strong as an ox, how did he become so weak?
Then observe the qi: a dull complexion and a flat philtrum... This is a typical case of excessive indulgence and weak kidney qi.
Then, observing his attire and demeanor: dressed in designer brands, yet haphazardly mixed and matched, clearly indicating a humble background and recent wealth. Combining this with his pulse diagnosis, the Taoist priest had a general idea of how Gu Ming had acquired his wealth.
Just take another look over here, and see which of the three girls has the most focused expression; that's the culprit.
As for the police: Knowing that Gu Ming wanted to take the police exam, Uncle Gu made him a police auxiliary officer and trained him whenever he had free time. After more than half a year of training, Gu Ming was almost driven crazy by it.
Whether sitting or standing, speaking or speaking, a hint of something will inadvertently be revealed, and anyone who pays close attention can see it.
Then, when asked about his career, the Taoist priest could tell from Gu Ming's expressionless face that he had failed the civil service exam in January.
The so-called ability to read faces and expressions, combined with several other factors, and a seemingly incisive yet ambiguous statement, stunned Gu Ming: "Wow, this guy is a real expert!"
Let's just consider him a master...
"Is it really that accurate?" Lin Sicheng glanced at it. "Then I'll go try it too..."
As he spoke, he walked over.
What does "consider" mean?
Gu Ming mumbled something, then looked up and paused for a moment.
"Cousin Ye, what's wrong?"
Ye Anning glanced at Gu Ming, then hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Gu Ming, do you know that Lin Sicheng tricked you into paving the way for him?
Well, let's investigate. Although Gu Ming was cheated out of two hundred, he earned enough for a banquet, so it's not a complete loss.
Moreover, having been deceived by Lin Sicheng since childhood, he's probably used to it by now...
She sighed inwardly and turned her head away.
Lin Sicheng and the Taoist priest stood on the steps and talked for a while. It was too far away to hear clearly, but they didn't seem to feel his bones or look at his face.
After a while, Lin Sicheng waved his hand and said, "Come in first, have a cup of tea with the Taoist priest, and I'll have him do some calculations!"
Li Xinfang and Zhuang Yi looked at each other strangely: Is it really that accurate?
With suspicion in their eyes, the group entered the shop.
Although the storefront is small, the interior is surprisingly spacious. The small meditation hall has everything you could need, including a shrine, altar, merit tablet, scripture offering platform, and so on.
At the head of the altar are three bronze statues of deities, with shrines placed in front of them. From left to right, they are the True Man of Niangu, the True Man of Zizai, and the True Man of Xianliu.
Gu Ming glanced at it, trying hard to recall, but couldn't remember anything.
Looking at the scriptures on the stage: "Nine Essentials of Cultivation", "Passage to Success", "Compass"... I've never even heard of them, let alone seen them.
Looking at the other side: "The True Principles of Divination", "Six Ren", "Jade Tube Divine Illumination Bureau", "Yuan Hai Zi Ping", "Dripping Heaven Essence"... These should be classics of divination and physiognomy, but I've never heard of them before.
The two stood side by side, Gu Ming looking around, and Lin Sicheng looking around too. After a quick scan, Lin Sicheng's eyes lit up when he saw the bronze statue and the divination texts on the altar:
I didn't realize that although this Taoist priest was a fraud, he had a real background, and his lineage had been passed down for at least two or three hundred years.
Looking at that incense burner, one can tell that the ancestors must have been wealthy; they might even have been the head of a sect.
Of course, the mountain gate has long been dilapidated, probably on the verge of losing its lineage.
The Taoist priest brewed tea and gestured for Lin Sicheng to sit down. He then picked up the teacup and handed it to him.
The Taoist priest placed it on the table, leaned back, and stared intently at Lin Sicheng's face.
"Just as I said outside the door, I don't know a lot, but I don't know a little either. It depends on what you want: wealth, official position, fortune, riches, marriage, future prospects, luck, longevity."
Lin Sicheng thought for a moment: "Luck!"
Taking a sip of tea, the Taoist priest raised his head: "From my observation, the patron's Jia and Yi directions are wood and metal, and the day pillar's stem and branch are of the same element. This is called the Azure Dragon in hiding, a noble configuration with the Direct Seal protecting the body, indicating both wealth and official rank, and a long and prosperous life..."
Lin Sicheng thought to himself: Will the next line be a sigh followed by a regretful remark?
Sure enough, the Taoist priest let out a long sigh: "What a pity!"
Lin Sicheng paused for a moment, then put down his teacup: "Daoist Master, what's the pity?"
"Unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable, and fortune can change in an instant. The benefactor is robbed of food by the owl god, and the robbers fight for wealth. Two of the four Kui gods have offended Kui..."
After a brief pause, the Taoist priest closed his eyes and began repeatedly pinching his knuckles with his right thumb: "Yi Si, Bing Wu, Ding Wei, Wu Shen, Ji You, Geng Xu... Gui Mao, Jia Chen, Yi Si, Bing Wu, Ding Wei, Wu Shen..."
While pinching and muttering to himself, the Taoist priest finally opened his eyes after a while: "According to my calculations, you, my esteemed guest, have recently experienced some minor setbacks. Judging from your fortune, you should have encountered a year of punishment on a day when heaven and earth were in harmony and yin and yang were in union."
Although there was no real danger, there are still three years left. The first is a period of destruction, the second is a period of harm, and the third is a period of conflict. If these are not resolved, legal troubles and entanglements are inevitable… If this continues, there will inevitably be punishment, conflict, destruction, and harm; wealth will be lost, luck will be gone, and troubles and setbacks will be endless…”
Gu Ming was stunned, and even Ye Anning was taken aback.
The day when heaven and earth are in harmony and yin and yang unite is New Year's Eve.
The punishment for a person's life is imprisonment. Lin Sicheng spent most of the day at the police station on New Year's Eve.
It was a close call, but the trouble is considerable. It's been ongoing, on and off, and is still not completely resolved…
Lin Sicheng sighed inwardly: What is punishment for a criminal year? What is official misconduct?
Whether it's a matter of death or imprisonment, or a matter of gossip or disputes, the specific type is up to the Taoist priest to decide.
What then constitutes the harmony between heaven and earth, and the union of yin and yang?
According to fortune tellers, any day of the year is acceptable. Even if you pry, they can give you a plausible explanation.
The saying goes, "First, surprise; second, deception; third, observation; fourth, fraud," and it all relies on meticulous attention to detail and keen insight into human nature. That's why it's called "the art of manipulation."
Even the Taoist priest didn't need to look at his own expression; he only needed to look at Gu Ming. The clueless kid's expression practically screamed: How could he be so accurate again?
Now the Taoist priest should be even more convinced: I'm not afraid you won't believe me, I'm just afraid you won't doubt me.
Sure enough.
The Taoist priest slowly leaned back and picked up his teacup again.
Lin Sicheng played along, feigning surprise: "Taoist Master, how can this be resolved?"
"It's difficult in some ways, but simple in others..."
The Taoist priest took a leisurely sip. “I have two methods: one slow, one fast… The slow one involves offering incense and requesting talismans, inviting one Jiazi (the Grand Duke Jupiter) every six days. Sixty Jiazi can protect you for a year. If you continue to be protected for three years, the calamity will be completely eliminated…”
Lin Sicheng held his teacup and glanced at the old Taoist priest.
At first glance, the Taoist priest saw that he was well-dressed and looked healthy, so he assumed that he must be very rich and wanted to fleece him for three years.
Actually, that's not the case. The old Taoist priest was just throwing stones at the problem; the main event was yet to come.
He secretly wondered, "May I ask, Master, how much merit have I accumulated in sixty years?"
The old Taoist priest said casually, "Not much, just one stick of incense will suffice!"
How much does a single stick of incense cost?
The inscription on the merit tablet below the altar reads: "Layman Liu Hai offers three sticks of incense and donates 3,000 yuan as a token of his respect."
One pillar costs 1,000, so 60 pillars would be 60,000. Gu Ming, who works as a police auxiliary officer, only earns 400 a month…
"What about the faster ones?"
"We will perform rituals to exorcise evil spirits and ward off misfortune... but my old Taoist priest's power is weak; I can only protect you for a time, not forever. For a long-term solution, we can ask our master to consecrate a ritual implement to suppress the evil spirits..."
Sure, the ritual implements are easy to handle, but even the Dharma image has appeared?
Lin Sicheng pointed to the incense burner beside the Taoist priest: "This?"
The Taoist priest paused for a moment, then said, “You have excellent taste, sir. This is a ritual implement used by my founder to establish this sect. However, it is perfectly acceptable to offer it to you to ward off evil spirits!”
Huh? I was just asking casually, you're actually selling it?
Lin Sicheng remained calm: "What is the extent of your merit?"
"One stick of incense must be offered daily for three consecutive years!"
If you do the math, it's over a million... Sure enough, the main event is yet to come: the Taoist priest started treating him like a god of wealth.
At first glance, it seems quite ridiculous—daring to ask for millions without even asking. But that's how con artists are: they take the plunge regardless of whether they have the chance or not, and try to squeeze as much money as possible out of everyone they can.
Besides, there are cheaper options too. If you think one million is too expensive, we've prepared a sixty thousand option for you.
Believe it or not, the old Taoist priest is at least 70% certain that, apart from Gu Ming, the other four people receive more than this amount of pocket money per year.
After pondering for a moment, Lin Sicheng turned his head and exchanged a glance with Ye Anning.
Then, the two of them looked at the incense burner on the long table.
Historical records state that in the eighth year of the Yongzheng Emperor's reign, the emperor fell seriously ill, and the imperial physicians were at a loss. Li Wei, the governor of Zhejiang, secretly reported to the emperor that Jia Shifang, a Taoist priest from Henan, was known as a divine being and could use his magical arts to try to diagnose His Majesty.
After Jia Shifang entered the capital, he used some unknown method, and Emperor Yongzheng gradually recovered. However, Haiwang, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, discovered that Jia Shifang had secretly cast a curse on Emperor Yongzheng, and subsequently had Jia Shifang secretly executed.
After that, Emperor Yongzheng extensively sought out Taoist alchemists and built altars in the palace to refine elixirs. These included the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Palace of Cleansing, the Pavilion of Clear Auspiciousness, the Hall of Imperial Peace, the Shenliu Study, the Yonghe Palace, and many others.
From then on, Yongzheng sought elixirs and inquired about Taoism, practicing Taoist methods in seclusion until his death, a practice historically known as "the World Honored One's Reverence for Taoism".
All the altars and offerings were custom-made, including the incense burner used for burning incense to purify the mind. This particular model was used for all the decorations, which were inlaid with gold, featuring cranes, ancient pines, ocean waves, and auspicious clouds.
This type of incense burner, modeled after the Xuande incense burner, has a special name: Haiti Auspicious Clouds and Double Cranes Incense Burner.
Look closer: Yes, it's this one.
The old Taoist priest was indeed ruthless, asking for millions without hesitation. But Lin Sicheng and Ye Anning knew perfectly well that this furnace was worth far more than three million…
After looking at it again, Lin Sicheng sighed: Old Taoist, since you want to trick me, then don't trick me too!
He tapped the table: "Thank you for your hard work, Daoist Master..."
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