Chapter 8: Loyalty is not exclusive to one's own kind
Not knowing how much time had passed, the little carpenter lying on the wooden bed opened his eyes for a moment, then quickly closed them again. After that, his ears twitched, and the eyeballs beneath his eyelids seemed to be rolling around. Soon after, a voice came from the courtyard outside: "Does this little fellow really not know about the Book of Lu Ban?"
This person is not simple
That person became interested and said, then calculate for my family
He said, and then asked: "Back in the day when Zhang Xianzhong entered Sichuan, the population of millions was reduced to only a few hundred thousand, with corpses strewn across a thousand miles, blood flowing like a river, and countless wronged souls. Therefore, the land of Sichuan is full of treachery. If you can learn the skills of your master, even if you do not work, you can still live quite comfortably"
After saying this, he began to regard Wu Bansian with a new perspective, asking a few more questions. Once the conversation concluded, Boss Liu informed Wu Bansian that this individual was a newly appointed official from the local militia, who had come from Tanzhou
The little carpenter followed Wu Bansian to Qiancheng County, kept watch for a day, and when dusk fell, he still did not notice anything unusual, so he hurried back ahead of him
The little carpenter looked bewildered and shook his head, saying: "I have never even heard of it. Is there really such a thing in this world?"
However, the little carpenter began to have some doubts about this person
Wu Bansian recalled: "The Qu family of Luxian, I know, there are three prominent families in Xichuan: the Tang Clan of Kaixian, the Shangguan family of Yibin, and the Qu family of Luxian. The Tang Clan of Kaixian, also known as the Huangling Sect, is the foremost among the Five Flowers of Emei. The others, such as the Dianyi Sect of Fuling, the Qingcheng Sect of Dujiangyan, the Tiefo Sect of Tongjiang, and the Qingniu Sect of Fengdu, are not as notable. Over the years, Aunt Tang has gained considerable fame. It is said that the Shangguan family of Yibin consists of disciples from Qingcheng, inheritors of the Sword Immortal. As for the Qu family, the God of Wine, Qu Tianxia, is renowned throughout the Southwest. Unfortunately, the massacre five years ago led to the complete disappearance of the once-great Qu family. I fear that your childhood playmate may not have survived either"
The middle-aged man with a horse face said: "Yes, my mother was seriously ill for two years, and she passed away not long after."
The person coldly said, "Since this is the case, keeping him is of no use. Hand him over to me, and let us kill him and bury him in the wilderness."
That person said: "I joined the army at the age of 19 and took charge of affairs at the age of 21"
Wu Bansian took a fan, shaking it while saying: "Your master is truly a person of great ability. It is indeed a pity that you have not learned these things from him—I have heard that in the Lu Ban sect, there is a remarkable book called the Lu Ban Book. He continued: 'Your master is truly a person of great ability. It is indeed a pity that you have not learned these things from him—I have heard that in the Lu Ban sect, there is a remarkable book called the Lu Ban Book. This Lu Ban Book is said to have been written by the ancestor of craftsmen, Lu Ban, after deciphering the wordless heavenly book, and it is a transmission of the "Lu Ban Classic." Of course, this is just a rumor. The "Lu Ban Classic" is divided into the upper volume of the Lu Ban Book, the lower volume of the Lu Ban Book, the middle volume of Lu Ban (with preface and teachings), and the four parts of the return to the source of all methods. Since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it has been a remarkable classic that has been written and improved by Taoists and circulated among the carpenter community. It has been passed down through the ages, but later in the mid-Qing Dynasty, the Qing court purged the White Lotus Sect and suppressed folk magical groups, leading to its gradual loss. Did your master ever see this book when he was in the Lu Ban sect?"
Wu Bansian asked: "After three years of building the house, the family business is indeed substantial... What is the name of your playmate?"
Gan Shisan said: "When disaster struck his family, he was not present. Over the years, he has wandered everywhere and even traveled to the South Seas."
It is precisely because of this genuine skill that one can thrive and prosper in Qiancheng County and even in the entire Xiangxi region
This world is exceedingly chaotic, yet chaos also has its advantages. As people raise their heads to the sky, surrounded by dimness and gloom, it becomes easier for them to place their thoughts and hopes in the realms of deities and the ethereal.
As a man of considerable status and reputation, he has a private room facing the street at the Qingshui Teahouse in the eastern part of the city. On ordinary days, whenever someone encounters a problem, they would come here to seek him out. Wu Banjian would brew a pot of tea, prepare some sunflower seeds and boiled peanuts, and sit there for an entire day
Returning to the thatched cottage, the mute saw him, gestured, and asked him if he had eaten
The mute prepared food for him; the little carpenter had not eaten all day and was so hungry that his stomach was pressed against his back. At that moment, he was also unreserved and ate every single grain of rice.
Despite his apparent caution, the recent indirect hints directed at the carpenter have caused him to feel an involuntary sense of panic
The little carpenter shook his head and said no
Upon hearing this, Wu Bansian sighed and remarked that if this were the case, it could still be considered fortunate—having spent a lifetime doing good deeds, leaving behind a legacy today could be seen as a form of good cause yielding good results
The little carpenter did not continue carving, and Wu Bansian, noticing that he had interrupted the other's work, asked: "Is this child the former you?"
Having said this, Wu Bansian shook his head and sighed: "A thousand acres of fertile land yield but one sheng of rice a day; a thousand spacious houses provide but eight chi of sleep at night—such is the way of the world, where prosperity reaches its peak and then declines, nothing exemplifies this better."
This old man is quite well-known in Qiancheng County, and he is genuinely skilled. Whether it is helping people with naming, interpreting dreams, fortune-telling, or resolving dilemmas, he does it all with great expertise and ease, and his predictions are generally very accurate. For instance, a middle-aged man with a horse face, who is a friend of Boss Liu from the cloth business, initially did not believe in him. However, Wu Bansian remained calm and inquired about the man's birth date and time.
There is something suspicious about this
Wu Bansian seems very eager to know the whereabouts of Lu Da at this moment, and he is even more anxious than the little carpenter
Wu Bansian said: "You are following the Gregorian calendar, while I am referring to the lunar calendar, so there is no mistake."
As soon as these words were spoken, the young carpenter immediately felt a chill run down his spine, fully awakening from his stupor
Wu Bansian nodded and said it was true, Yucheng is a large place, a vital thoroughfare of the Yangtze River, where merchants gather, with a large population, there will always be a need for housing, people will not go hungry, and moreover, your skills have been truly passed down from your master, even if you do not build houses, making furniture will always be top-notch, heaven does not let craftsmen go hungry
The little carpenter snapped back to reality from his concentration. When greeted by him, Wu Bansian waved his hand and said it was unnecessary, telling him to continue with his work
He walked into the grass hall, shouting as he went: "Black cow, black cow, you son of a turtle, come here and bring me hot water."
I do not know why, but this day is particularly conducive to sleep; as soon as I close my eyes, it feels as if I have entered the realm of dreams
Wu Bansian did not go to the countryside this time, but instead set up a stall in the county town
Wu Bansian said, weren't you quite impressive that night
Although the young carpenter may appear simple-minded, he has been following his master around the docks since childhood, gaining experiences that far surpass those of his peers. Therefore, as soon as Wu Bansian showed even a hint of something amiss, he immediately sensed it.
It is precisely for this reason that Wu Bansian's business has been relatively good, with people coming to him one after another to inquire.
He chatted with the little carpenter for a few moments, then asked: "Life is bound to have changes; if your master remains uncontacted, what are your plans?"
Why is that
The young carpenter said: "I am merely assisting; whatever the master says, I will do. If I were to take charge on my own, I fear I would have perished long ago"
Wu Bansian drank alcohol, yet he was not intoxicated. He moved a bamboo chair over to watch the young carpenter carve.
He did not continue to ask, but instead let out a burp, then stood up with a lack of enthusiasm and said: "When one drinks too much, the mind becomes a bit muddled— you should go to bed early and stop working so hard."
Under the roof of others, the young carpenter did not dare to act recklessly. After tidying up, he returned to his room to rest
Gan Shisan said: "I do not remember his full name, only his nickname, which is Qu Laohu. He is the eighth child in his family, and sometimes I also call him Qu Laoba."
Wu Bansian stared at him intently for a while, then smiled and said: "This thing has been passed down for a long time, and the older generation has spoken of it from mouth to mouth, so it should be true, right? But who knows for sure?"
Wu Bansian asked him: "Oh, so your skills were learned under that martial artist's tutelage?"
Wu Bansian said: "I just mentioned that your childhood was extremely unstable. From your Ba Zi, I cannot see any positive influences, only partial luck, indicating a lack of maternal support. Especially during the years when you were six or seven, your maternal fortune was particularly poor. You must have been raised by a female elder, such as an aunt or a maternal aunt, correct?"
Look, Wu Bansian is truly capable; he is not like the ordinary fortune-tellers who deceive people.
The young carpenter shook his head and said that he was of dull aptitude and had a weak fate. If it were not for his childhood practice of strength, he might have perished long ago. Therefore, his master had not taught him the methods to ward off evil spirits and ghosts.
The carpenter thought for a moment and said: "I have considered it and plan to stay here in Qiancheng for a year and a half. If there is still no news by then, I will prepare to go to Yucheng—my master and I have worked there before, and I know some people. I have heard that there are many job opportunities there. I have learned the craft from my master, and with plenty of work available, I will not starve."
It was dark when Wu Bansian returned. He saw the little carpenter working alone in the yard, carving wood by the light of the moon. The wood carving was the same one that Liu Xiaoya had seen last time, and it was nearly finished. It depicted a chubby boy about five or six years old, brought to life through the little carpenter's meticulous craftsmanship
Gan Shisan nodded and said yes
A few seconds later, the little carpenter heard Wu Bansian's hoarse voice: "Yes, I have tested it several times; he should be unaware."
Then Gan Shisan shook his head and said, "No, he was a playmate from my childhood—he was the son of a wealthy family in Eastern Sichuan. At that time, my master was building a house for his family, and it took more than three years. I had just started learning from my master and had no skills, so I couldn't help out. Their family had invited a martial arts teacher to teach him martial arts, and my master let me stay by the side to learn and pass the time. Gradually, we became friends.
In front of that person, Wu Bansian arranged the Eight Characters, Great Luck, and Annual Luck, and said: "From your birth date, I can see that your first major fortune is Ren Yin, and your second major fortune is Gui Mao, both of which are associated with the elements of water and wood. However, your Eight Characters indicate that you should avoid water and wood. It seems that your childhood was quite difficult, marked by hardship and instability, and your academic luck was also poor. You left home at the age of 18, but by the age of 20, you entered a period of official fortune—therefore, I deduce that at 18, you must have joined the military, and by 20, you gained some recognition, leading to a smooth path thereafter, am I correct?"