The Treading Hexagram (中上卦)
Chapter 10, the Hexagram of Treading (履卦), a Middle-Upper Hexagram - Feng Shui Master Mr. Qian
Rong Shu gritted her teeth and watched the group leave. Unexpectedly, her tricks not only failed to make her mother-in-law look down on Rong Yan, but also made her feel powerful once again.
Xia Xiang watched as Xie Zhezhi left before she began to fawn over and comfort her master.
"Madam, please calm down." She knew that she was eager to please the Lady of the Marquis to gain control of the household affairs, but she was too impatient and let Rong Yan get the benefit, which made her furious. Today, she had to choose the nicest words to say.
He secretly thought to himself, "How did she find a way to curry favor with Madam Wang so quickly!"
She had entered the family three months earlier than her and had gone to great lengths to get Wang to think a little more highly of her. Seeing that her younger sister didn't try to please Wang, she was actually quite happy.
Unexpectedly, tonight was ruined by my own hands.
She also blamed herself for being so useless and really had terrible luck. She was in so much pain that she couldn't bear it. Otherwise, she would rather die from the pain than ask her for help.
No, if this continues, I'm afraid my status in the Marquis's mansion will gradually be surpassed by Rong Yan!
Another person who deeply regretted it was Fang's mother.
Fang's mother stomped her foot angrily and followed Wang Shi cautiously.
Rong Yan followed slowly behind Madam Hou on the cobblestone path at night. Madam Wang did not rush to talk about important matters, but instead talked about some unrelated things, "When you have nothing to do, you can come here for a walk more often. The ground is full of fine pebbles, each one polished to be smooth and round. They can help with acupoints on the soles of your feet and are very beneficial to your health."
"Yes, Mother."
"However, as the saying goes, if you don't plan for the future, you'll have trouble in the present. You may not know, but I have a lot of miscellaneous things to manage. When I was young, I was full of energy, and everyone said I managed things well. Only I know that as my youth fades, my physical strength is not what it used to be."
Rong Yan paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Mother, what are you saying? You are in the prime of your life, and when it comes to handling affairs, I'm afraid no one in the manor can match you."
Rong Yan's lips were so smooth and oily that even Madam Wang was surprised.
Judging from her usual indifferent and somewhat lazy demeanor, her way of speaking is quite eloquent and pleasant to listen to.
Little did she know that Rong Yan was terrified that she would be assigned all the miscellaneous tasks in the mansion to her, thus disrupting her carefree dream, which was why he showered her with compliments.
Wang felt a sense of relief and ease, releasing the pent-up frustration in her chest. With a forced smile, she said, "I did quite well before. My Fu Lou restaurant was no worse than Feng Le Lou. Among the seventy-two main restaurants in Bianliang, we ranked fifth. Although Feng Le Lou was number one, that was because there were five top merchants. I, a mere woman, was quite content to be able to compete with them and reach fifth place."
These words sound very proud, and he certainly has the ability to make people proud.
"My mother's contentment with what she has is truly admirable."
"But the strange thing is that strange things started happening in the building a year ago."
Actually, Rong Yan wasn't curious about what strange thing had happened at Fu Lou a year ago.
As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.
She gave a dry laugh. "Perhaps Mother is overthinking it."
She shook her head. "No, even Mr. Qian, who specializes in feng shui at Fengle Tower, examined it for us and said that something was definitely wrong. He even adjusted the feng shui of the building, and it was fine for a few months. But for some reason, it started to feel wrong again."
"Mr. Qian?"
"Oh, you're not from Bianliang, so of course you haven't heard of his name. He's a renowned feng shui master in Bianliang. Back then, Fenglelou wouldn't have become the number one restaurant without his guidance. Everyone wants to get his advice, but no one can get him to help, not even with a lot of money. If Fenglelou hadn't owed me a favor, I probably wouldn't have had that opportunity."
Rong Yan nodded, "Then he must be a very skilled feng shui master." He finished speaking with a look of admiration in his eyes.
Seeing this, Madam Wang nodded hurriedly, "That's right, he really is incredibly capable. He only made a few simple arrangements, and our Fuloulou business immediately picked up, and those petty people's affairs were also resolved. However, later on, for some reason, something would happen every three days."
Wang stopped talking, and Rong Yan had no choice but to go along with her wishes, feigning curiosity as he asked, "Is it in the third month?"
"Yes, something always happens at Fulou Restaurant every three months. At first, it's an infestation of gray rats, the well water smells bad, and people get seriously ill... But this month, someone even died."
Rong Yan feigned a shocked expression, "It's that serious? Have you asked for a talisman?"
"Alas, I went there, and it worked for a few days before it stopped working again. The abbot of Dibao Mountain gave me a blessed amulet, but it didn't work either. I wanted to ask Mr. Qian for help, but I heard that Mr. Qian went on a long trip and has been away from the capital for several months. Now I am restricted everywhere."
Rong Yan lowered his head, his expression seemingly puzzled. "Mother told me about this. Does she want me to go inside and take a look? But I'm not very capable, and I'm afraid I can't handle it."
"How could that be? I thought you were quite capable tonight, Yan Yan..."
“Mother, forgive my frankness, but among the five arts of Taoism—mountain medicine, fate, physiognomy, and divination—I am at most skilled in divination. Tonight’s matter was only divined with an excellent result, which is why I came. It was just a common burn, but I saw through it. If you want me to solve the case, that is not my forte. If I promise you something and then fail to do it, I’m afraid I will waste your time.” Rong Yan spoke slowly and sincerely.
Indeed, even the Taoist priests of Dibao Mountain couldn't solve this problem, so how could his own daughter-in-law have such ability?
She's desperate and grasping at straws.
She gave an awkward laugh. "Solve the case? You think it was man-made? No, no, no, impossible. The people in this building have been with me for many years. Sigh, I can't think of a solution. Tonight, I saw how you treated your sister, and it was quite skillful. I think there might be a turning point in the Fulou case. It's definitely not man-made; I think it's just that we've gotten involved with something unclean."
"It's a pity I can't help my mother."
Having said all that, even Rong Yan felt that Madam Wang would never ask her to go see her again.
Who would have thought that after a long silence, Wang would say as if she had made up her mind, "It would be better to go and see. Since you are a direct disciple of the Taoist Master Gouxiang, you are better than us ordinary people. If it were a common matter, we wouldn't have asked you. Perhaps only someone from the Taoist sect could solve it."
Rong Yan sighed lightly, almost imperceptibly, "I wonder if something serious has happened to Fuloulou?"
“Exactly.” Madam Wang had an expression that suggested talking to a smart person was effortless.
“One person died from eating in the building. The coroner also confirmed that the food and wine were not poisoned, but the poisoning occurred in the building.”
Rong Yan's eyes flickered, and he chuckled, "Doesn't that prove that he was poisoned because he didn't eat the food from the restaurant? The officials here are certainly good at judging cases."
The idea that misfortune always occurs in March must be a fabrication using metaphysics to create an illusion and mislead people.
"But the coroner examined the body and found that the deceased had food from the building in his stomach, and the food in his stomach was poisoned, while the leftover food on the table was not poisoned. Therefore, our building is also implicated."
"Are all the people in Mother's building trustworthy?"
Wang frowned, but didn't say anything harsh. "Of course it's impossible. The people in this building have been with me for over ten years. They would never do such a heinous thing. Besides, they have no grudge against the deceased. Why would they do something like this in the building?"
“If Mother can think of this, the magistrate will surely be able to as well. I believe that if this matter is handed over to the magistrate, the case will be solved quickly.”
Having been immersed in the business world for many years and being a master of domestic affairs, how could Wang not sense Rong Yan's intention to evade the issue?
She knew that Rong Yan wanted to protect himself, perhaps fearing that getting involved would prevent him from solving the case and damage the reputation of his Taoist sect, which was why he repeatedly declined.
At this moment, Wang Shi could not have imagined the deeper meaning, which was that Rong Yan simply did not want to meddle in other people's business.
"Since you've made it clear, then let's just forget about it."
After saying that, he patted her wrist and said, "It's getting late, you should head back soon."
Rong Yan bowed and turned to leave.
Madam Wang watched her retreating figure, who indeed left without the slightest hesitation. Suddenly, she spoke up to stop her, "I heard that you did not return to your home yesterday but went to Hebai Temple instead?"
Rong Yan seemed unsurprised that she knew, and turned around, "Yes, Mother, I do not wish to hide it from you. For me, returning home to my parents' home means returning to Hebai Temple."
Wang nodded in agreement with Rong Yan's frankness. "I've heard that Hebai Temple has been in disrepair for many years. If you're willing, I know the Shi family in the east of the city. They're highly skilled at applying putty, and no one else can get them to start the work. But I have some connections with them. What do you think?"
Rong Yan paused, pondered for a moment, then looked up and smiled, "Mother, you probably forgot. You recently instructed me to focus on serving the eldest young master, and I also ordered the Taoist temple to be closed."
Madam Wang smiled awkwardly, thought for a moment, and said, "It's just right, it can only be opened when it's closed. It's good that it's closed, we can reorganize it and reopen it at an auspicious time, at which time we can also pray for good fortune for the Marquis's mansion. I can advance five hundred taels of incense money."
Upon hearing this, Rong Yan immediately and swiftly descended the steps, smiling gently. "I don't know how to solve cases; that's the job of the officials. Since this money has been used for Hebai Temple, and my magic is not very good, I can at least do a divination for Mother. What do you think, Mother?"
Wang hesitated for a moment. She had just seen her calmly make a move in the room and thought she could judge a person's face and destiny at a glance. But she was just telling her fortune.
She only had a slight understanding of the five arts of Taoism and divination that she mentioned earlier.
Divination has always been something that only those with profound skills can accurately predict.
Wang hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Rong Yan sat down at the stone table to the side, looking ready to begin.
Wang was speechless. "Don't you need to prepare a quiet room, bathe, and burn incense before starting? Will it work that way?"
Seeing her behavior, Wang became even more skeptical of her divination skills. Divination is different from seeing ghosts and spirits; the former is not something a novice disciple can do.
Rong Yan smiled slightly, "Mother, please sit. Those are all superficial sincerity, but true sincerity only requires sincerity of the heart. Your sincerity towards me will be effective."
Wang sat down with some skepticism. He was the feng shui master of Fengle Tower. Before divining, he would always burn incense and bathe, as he believed this was a sign of respect for the spirits.
“Mother, since you are unsure about something, I will ask for your advice. Remember, be sincere.”
Wang saw her take out a creamy white cotton cloth resembling an acupuncture needle from her sleeve. She then unfolded the rolled-up cloth, revealing it filled with yarrow stalks about the length of a finger.
Wang thought she had misread it, mistaking the jade or bamboo sticks for yarrow stalks.
Upon closer inspection, I was astonished.
It really is yarrow!
Or is it just wild grass growing everywhere in the countryside?!
"This... using yarrow stalks for divination? Does that even work?"
Even the most unorthodox divination methods would never use wild grass for divination!
“Mother, you’ve forgotten that form doesn’t matter, as long as it’s in the heart, even the silver ingots used right now are just as acceptable.”
"But I've never encountered such a method of divination before. The simplest ones are the divination sticks in Taoist temples, or even just tortoise shells, but something like yours..."
“Mother, this is the Great Evolution Divination Method.”
What Wang was unaware of was that all the divination methods she had encountered before were simplified versions of this Great Derivation Divination Method.
Wang seemed somewhat skeptical, but ultimately obeyed her instructions, pressing her palms together against her forehead for a while before raising her head.
Seeing that Rong Yan mentioned the number 50, she placed one stick under her chest and began to perform a complicated divination, going through six cycles. Wang Shi couldn't understand it, but after she had been fiddling with the four sticks in a bundle for a long time, a hexagram appeared.
Rong Yan's expression became somewhat clear and transparent. For a moment, Wang Shi even had the illusion that she was like a fairy descending to earth, devoid of emotion and desire. When she was looked at by Rong Yan's clear eyes, Wang Shi suddenly shivered.
"how?"
"The upper trigram is Dui (兑), and the lower trigram is Qian (乾), which, when resolved, can achieve harmony. I wonder what is the question in Mother's heart?"
Wang seemed somewhat hesitant. "If the divination is not favorable, could we consult the oracle again?"
Rong Yan smiled and said, "The answer hasn't been found yet, and Mother is already having such thoughts. Does she not believe in me, or does she not believe in the will of Heaven? Your actions are opportunistic and should not be taken lightly."
Although Rong Yan didn't scold her, Wang Shi blushed upon hearing it.
She knew this was a major taboo in divination, but she never expected Rong Yan to be aware of it. She felt embarrassed after being told this by a junior.
"My question is, how can we turn this dangerous situation into a safe one?"
"Then congratulations, Mother. This is an extremely auspicious hexagram. As long as you make good use of the opportunity, you will be able to turn misfortune into good fortune."
"Timing? But what constitutes a good timing?"
"Judging from the divination, this matter involves a villain in the building who shows signs of colluding with powerful people. As long as this villain is caught, we can turn misfortune into good fortune, and this is the time to resolve the issue and make peace."
"Impossible. The guys in the building have been with me for over ten years; they're all my trusted confidants."
Upon hearing the explanation, Wang felt it was inaccurate. Considering everything that had happened before, she immediately realized that Rong Yan was a novice and stopped taking the divination seriously.
Rong Yan could tell from the expression on Wang Shi's face that she didn't believe it, but he didn't care. He smiled and stood up, "Of course, whether you believe it or not is entirely up to Mother, after all, my abilities are limited."
After saying that, he returned to his own courtyard.
When I returned, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and a cold wind swept past withered leaves, but a small, warm lamp was lit in front of the Qu Shen Courtyard.
The dim yellow nightlights, like weak fireflies, flickered in the night.
She didn't remember leaving a light on, but she felt quite at peace. If life could continue in this easygoing manner, that would be wonderful. Now that the two elders had been reunited, she had no regrets.
Now, all we need to do is rebuild the Taoist temple step by step in a down-to-earth manner, and that will be enough to repay our master's kindness.
As she pushed open the door, the warmth that greeted her made her sigh with comfort.
After taking off his cloak and placing it on the wooden frame, Rong Yan skillfully slipped into the warm quilt. Just as he was feeling comfortable, his back suddenly stiffened.
On the bed just a few meters away, she vaguely saw something different about Xie Chengzhi than usual.
Her breathing was shallow, as before, yet not quite the same.
She got up and took a few steps forward. Under the dim light, Xie Chengzhi's black hair was already showing signs of turning white, which shocked her.
Not only that, but they also noticed that his fingertips were a little red.
She stood by the bed for a moment, calmed herself down, and then lay back down on the chaise lounge.
Rong Yan, who was facing away from the bed, seemed to be fast asleep, but his eyes were bright. Xie Chengzhi's fingertips were clearly red from the cold.
This bright red color definitely couldn't have come from freezing inside this room!
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