V. Divination

The four of them walked for a while, and all around them were overgrown grass and graves. Suddenly, some small green flies flew out from somewhere, buzzing around the group. Although they did not bite, they were quite annoying. Everyone was busy trying to swat the flies away when Xiao Yan suddenly burst into laughter. Xu Guanquan asked, "What is so funny now?" Xiao Yan replied, "I just remembered how Sister Fan Yun called butterflies in Kuizhou." Xu Guan said, "What is so funny about calling butterflies?" Xiao Yan responded, "I find it amusing that she can call butterflies, while Young Master Xu has attracted flies instead." Upon hearing this, Xu Guan also chuckled. Nearby, Ma Zhou, who overheard their banter, interjected, "Isn't it likely that the first one you attracted, Brother Xu, is Miss Xiao Yan?" Hearing him tease her, Xiao Yan's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and just as she was about to retort, they heard Guo San shout from ahead, "Everyone, be careful!"

Note: The "Old Book of Tang - Biography of Ma Zhou" records: "(Ma Zhou) passed away in the twenty-second year, at the age of forty-eight. Emperor Taizong mourned for him, posthumously awarded him the title of Governor of Youzhou, and buried him alongside the tomb of Emperor Zhao. When Emperor Gaozong ascended the throne, he posthumously awarded him the titles of Right Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Duke of Gaotang County"

As the four of them stepped out, Guo San smiled and said, "What a position to be among the three dukes, Brother Bin Wang. Just based on this statement, we should drink a few more cups together." Ma Zhou joyfully replied, "That would be best." The two of them linked arms and hurried forward, turning around several corners, while Xu Guan and Xiao Yan gradually fell behind. Xu Guan softly asked, "What is this matter of seeking relatives you mentioned? Why have you never brought it up before?" Xiao Yan's eyes reddened as she replied, "It's nothing much, just looking for a relative." Seeing that she was unwilling to say more, Xu Guan did not press further, thinking to himself, "Since we met, she has always appeared carefree and joyful, yet I do not know what worries she harbors. I must find an opportunity in the future to help her relieve it." Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard Xiao Yan call out loudly beside him, "Xi Meng, how come you are here too?" Looking up, he saw a plainly dressed woman standing in front of Xiao Yan, with long eyelashes and beautiful eyes, a straight nose, and a remarkably stunning appearance. However, her forehead was glistening with sweat, and her little boots were covered in mud, indicating that she had traveled quite a distance.

The slender man was about to respond when suddenly a high-pitched, desolate long song echoed from the shore. The singer could be heard singing: "In youth, strong and fierce, I wander alone with my sword. Who says wandering is near, from Zhangye to Youzhou. Hungry, I eat the wild vegetables of Shouyang, thirsty, I drink from the flowing waters of the Yi..." Looking up, the person singing was sitting by the shore, surrounded by many people. The young girl on the painted boat called to the boatman to bring the boat closer, and the singing grew nearer, carried by the wind: "... I see no familiar faces, only ancient mounds. Two high graves by the roadside, those of Bo Ya and Zhuang Zhou. Such a man is hard to find again, what do I seek in my journey?" As the boat approached the shore, the girl on the painted boat called to the boatman to bring the boat closer, and the singing grew nearer, carried by the wind: "... I see no familiar faces, only ancient mounds. Two high graves by the roadside, those of Bo Ya and Zhuang Zhou. Such a man is hard to find again, what do I seek in my journey?" The boat drew near, and I saw that the singer was dressed in a cloth robe, sitting on the ground, approximately twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, with thick eyebrows, narrow eyes filled with laughter, and two strands of beard on his upper lip, a small black gourd tied around his waist. In front of him lay an iron sword, its scabbard quite old, and beside him were many cups and wine vessels scattered haphazardly, upon closer inspection, they were all wine cups floating down the water. At that moment, another wine cup drifted by, and the man waded into the water, bent down to pick up the cup, raised it, and drank it all in one go, feeling quite pleased.

The painted boat traveled a bit further, and a gentle breeze blew across the river. Ma Zhou felt a bit more sober and asked the boatman, "What place is ahead?" The boatman replied, "We have arrived at the South City Shengdao Fang." Ma Zhou said, "I have heard that outside the Longhua Nunnery at Shengdao Fang lives a diviner named Wang Zizhen, who is exceptionally skilled in divination, predicting good and bad fortunes as if they were visible. Brother Xu, you will be taking the imperial examination in a few days; why not go and inquire about your future? Brother Guo, you should come along as well." In the Tang Dynasty, after passing the imperial examination, one had to go through the Ministry of Personnel's selection, known as the "guan shi," before being eligible for official positions. There were indeed many who had passed the examination but had not yet been appointed to office, thus newly minted jinshi still needed to "inquire about their future." Upon hearing that Ma Zhou wanted to seek divination from Wang Zizhen, the boatman exclaimed, "Recently, it has been said that there are ghosts and monsters appearing at Shengdao Fang; it would be better for you not to go there." Ma Zhou, feeling agitated, retorted, "In broad daylight, where would there be ghosts and monsters? If there truly are, it would be perfect to catch one for drinking." Seeing that he was drunk, the boatman shook his head and dared not say more. Xu Guan and Guo San could not dissuade him, so they instructed the boatman to dock the painted boat. The boatman, alarmed, quickly rowed the oars, not daring to look back, and steered the boat away.

The beautiful woman known as Ximeng said: "I heard that there is a semi-immortal named Wang Zizhen living in Shengdao Fang, and I came here to visit him." Xiaoyan laughed and replied: "Good sister, you are late; otherwise, you would not have met the semi-immortal, but there is indeed a pack of wolves here." Ximeng asked: "In broad daylight, where would there be wolves? By the way, Xiaoyan, why have you come here?" Xiaoyan said: "To be honest, we just met that Wang Zizhen, and his predictions are not always accurate. What do you want to consult him about? Why don't I give you a reading first?" Ximeng replied: "You are teasing me again. By the way, Xiaoyan, why have you come here?" Xiaoyan said: "To be honest, we just met that Wang Zizhen, and his predictions are not always accurate. What do you want to consult him about? Why don't I give you a reading first?" Ximeng replied: "You are teasing me again. If you can read fortunes, then I can forge iron. " Xiaoyan said: "You do not know, I am even more accurate than Wang Zizhen. Sister, what you want to consult today is called 'The Matters of Marriage Outside the Xuan Du Temple', is that right?"

Everyone was taken aback and exclaimed in unison, "You are Wang Zizhen?" Xiao Yan said, "Wang Zizhen is a master of astrology, able to discern people's fortunes and misfortunes; how could it possibly be you?" The short, stout man replied, "Wang Zizhen is... I, I... I am Wang Zizhen. I impersonated him to... to... to...!" He became anxious, his two mustaches curling up, and he stuttered even more, unable to finish the phrase "to do what." I impersonated him to... to... to...!" He became anxious, his two mustaches curling up, and he stuttered even more, unable to finish the phrase "to do what." However, Xiao Yan persisted, saying, "It is said that a fortune-teller must have a dignified appearance and articulate speech; how could you possibly fit that description?" The short, stout man snorted, raised his head, and scrutinized Xiao Yan for a moment, saying, "You are a girl born on the fifth day of the first month, who has been separated from her parents since childhood, and you are most fond of strange... strange arts, am I right?" Xiao Yan was astonished and momentarily speechless, but in her heart, she already believed him to be seven or eight parts true. The short, stout man then glanced at Ma Zhou and said, "You were born at the hour of the rat on the fourteenth day of the sixth month, fond of wine and quick-tempered, possessing a wealth of knowledge and ambition, yet unable to achieve your aspirations, is that not so?" Ma Zhou, upon hearing this, dared not speak further.

Xiao Yan said: "That villain is called A He Mang, with a leopard-like head and round eyes, a beard like a goat, and a copper ring in his ear?" Prince Zhen replied: "Exactly, could it be that you... you recognize that person?" Xiao Yan said: "To be honest, that person is actually my disciple's descendant. When he sees me, he will have to bow down. If he comes again, I will definitely be able to persuade him to change his mind and no longer disturb us." Xu Guan pulled Xiao Yan aside and said: "When did A He Mang become your disciple's descendant?" Xiao Yan laughed and said: "I still have a lot of flower powder left unused. If he dares to come, this disciple cannot avoid it." Prince Zhen thought she was joking and said to Guo San: "If you want to divine the future, the most effective method is to use a turtle... turtle divination, but I saw blood today, so we cannot use that sacred turtle, we can only let my son do the divination." After saying this, he called Wang Yu out and said to Guo San: "If you want to divine the future, the most effective method is to use a turtle... turtle divination, but I saw blood today, so we cannot use that sacred turtle, we can only let my son do the divination." After saying this, he called Wang Yu out, laid a sand tray on the stone table, poured in five colored powders: cinnabar, realgar, clam gray, verdigris, and charcoal black, and then placed the turtle shell. Wang Yu, who looked quite endearing, appeared pitiful when being scolded by his father, but unexpectedly, when he held the turtle shell, he seemed like a different person, calm and composed, dignified and generous, exuding an air of nobility.

Ma Zhou chuckled, "This boatman is truly timid." Xiao Yan, who was nearby, remarked, "That may not necessarily be the case; this place does indeed seem like a haunt for ghosts and monsters." The group looked around and noticed that human presence was scarce, with a few distant graves visible. Xu Guan suggested, "Since the boatman hasn't gone far, we might as well call him back to take us back." Ma Zhou thought to himself, "If we return like this, we will surely be ridiculed by that boatman; how can that be acceptable?" He replied, "Since we are here, we should at least consult an oracle. Do not worry, my dear brother; if there are indeed any demons or monsters, you can hide behind me and watch as I capture them one by one." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan pouted and said with a smile to Xu Guan, "At that time, you can hide behind him, and I will hide behind you."

The girl Ximeng has bid farewell and does not wish to speak of it. Xiaoyan shared this matter with Xu Guan, Guo San, and Ma Zhou, and upon hearing it, the three exchanged glances. Ma Zhou said: "If it is a matter of literary finesse, then it is within the realm of me and Brother Xu; if it involves fighting and killing, you and Brother Guo are the experts. However, this girl Ximeng has deceived her lover by claiming her family is of high status. I, Ma Binwang, am a poor wretch and do not know any dignitaries, so how can I assist?" Xiaoyan then asked: "Xu Guan, what do you think?" Xu Guan replied: "A gentleman helps others achieve their goals. I certainly wish to assist to the best of my ability, but..." He hesitated to continue, clearly feeling that there was no feasible solution to this matter. Xiaoyan said: "I have an idea; we have enough people, but we will need your loquacious wealthy friend to contribute some effort." Xu Guan asked in surprise: "Are you referring to Master Lu Huai? What do you want him for?" Xiaoyan replied: "Consider it his good fortune; we need him to recognize Ximeng as his daughter." Both Xu Guan and Ma Zhou were puzzled by her meaning, while only Guo San vaguely understood and laughed, saying: "Are we to act in a play to deceive her lover?"

Wang Zhen led the way ahead, passing through several vegetable plots, and arrived at a small residence outside Longhua Ni Temple. Wang Zhen pushed the door open, and everyone saw that there was a stone table and stone benches in the courtyard. On the table were baskets of fruits, and sitting on the bench was a child about eight or nine years old, chubby and with features resembling those of Wang Zhen. The child was holding a white pear in his chubby hands and was munching on it with great enjoyment. Upon seeing this, Wang Zhen angrily knocked the half-eaten pear from the child's hands onto the ground, scolding, "Are you a hungry ghost reincarnated? All you know is to eat all day long. Even if you eat, you don't know to wash it first. Do you think the vendor who sells fruits would not fish them out of the stinky ditch if they fell in?" The child turned red in the face and did not dare to make a sound. Wang Zhen then asked, "Did you review the 'Yellow Emperor's House Classic' I gave you yesterday?" The child shook his head, and Wang Zhen, furious, said, "Why don't you go back to my room and review your studies?" He sent the child away, who did not dare to breathe a word. Wang Zhen, while inviting everyone to take their seats, said with a hint of displeasure, "Do not laugh; that is my unworthy son, Wang Yu." He continued, "You may not know, but over ten days ago, a tall Hu man came to find me, saying he had lost a precious vase and asked me to divine its location. I divined for him. " Xu Guan and Xiao Yan knew that this tall Hu man must be Ah He Mang. Xiao Yan held Xu Guan's hand and whispered, "So he has also arrived in Chang'an. The masked man we encountered at Yanwan Garden a few days ago, who wielded a hammer, must be him." Xu Guan thought for a moment and said, "Indeed, he fled when he saw you as his opponent. No one else could wield that big iron hammer."

Time flies swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, it is the third day of March, the Shangsi Festival. The banks of the Qujiang River in the southeast of Chang'an are adorned with blooming flowers and lush willows, the misty waters are bright and beautiful, and people are continuously flocking to enjoy the spring and the greenery. During the Shangsi Festival, there is a custom of floating wine cups on the winding waters; the public tosses their cups upstream, and as the clear stream flows, the wine cups drift along with the current. At times, young men and women walk hand in hand, singing and dancing as they reach the water's edge. When they encounter the passing cups, they take one and drink it in one go, adding a unique charm to the occasion

A gentle breeze wafted by, and a melodious song floated across the water: "Remembering the plum blossoms beneath the western isles, I send plums to the north of the river: a single shirt of apricot red, and the color of crow chicks in my hair. Where is the western isle? At the ferry by the two oars. As dusk falls, the oriole flies, and the wind rustles the black locust trees. Beneath the tree is the entrance, and within the door, the emerald hairpin is revealed. The young man does not come, so I go out to gather red lotuses. Gathering lotuses in the southern pond in autumn, the lotus flowers rise above people's heads. Bowing my head to play with the lotus seeds, the lotus seeds are as clear as water." This song came from a painted boat, where two young men and a young girl sat. A slender young man clapped his hands in praise and said: "Among the Southern Dynasties' music, this piece 'Song of the Western Isle' is the most delightful. But this song is only half done; why not sing the rest?" The girl smiled and began to sing again: "Placing the lotus in my sleeve, the heart of the lotus is completely red. Remembering my beloved who does not come, I look up to see the flying swans. The swans fly over the western isle, looking for my beloved in the high pavilion; the pavilion is tall and cannot be seen, all day long at the railing. The railing has twelve curves, my hands hanging down like jade. The curtain rolls up to the high sky, and the sea water sways green in the air. The sea water dreams endlessly, you are troubled and I am also troubled, the southern wind knows my thoughts, blowing dreams to the western isle." This is indeed the latter part of the song, expressing the woman's lingering feelings of longing. The girl sang it gently, her tone harmonious, her voice swaying, and when the song ended, both young men were entranced. After a while, the slender young man said: "The southern wind knows my thoughts, blowing dreams to the western isle. Unfortunately, there are no lotuses to gather at this time; otherwise, it would truly match the scene in this song." The girl replied: "There are lotus flowers planted in the Qijiang River; we can come back in summer to see them."

The short and stout man glanced at Guo San again. Before he could speak, Guo San had already bowed and said, "Mr. Zi Zhen, your divination skills are indeed well-deserved. We have come to seek a future for our brother Xu Guan, who has just passed the imperial examination. I mistakenly injured you earlier; let me treat your wound first, and then we can discuss further." After saying this, he swiftly stepped forward, unwrapped the bandage from the wound, and applied ointment. Guo San's actions of unwrapping the bandage, applying the medicine, and re-wrapping the injury were so quick that it was hard to imagine. Before Wang Zi Zhen could react, the wound on his shoulder had already been re-bandaged. Wang Zi Zhen felt a cool sensation at the injury site, realizing that a high-quality healing ointment had been applied. He looked at Guo San and said, "You are the one who injured me with your sword. You know swordsmanship; are you from the Mao... Mao Mountain sect?" Guo San replied, "My name is Guo San, and I am indeed a disciple of Mao Mountain. I apologize for the offense earlier." Wang Zi Zhen said, "Oh. I won't blame you for wearing wolf skin..." At that moment, a "gurgling" sound suddenly came from Guo San's black gourd. Guo San shook the gourd, removed the wooden stopper, and glanced inside, then asked Wang Zi Zhen, "Why do a few wolves emit such a strange odor that even the gluttonous beast refuses to eat?" Wang Zi Zhen replied, "In the wolf pack, there are a few... a few stinky wolves that have grown up eating wild boar dung. Their skin and flesh are quite foul..." Guo San grimaced and sighed, "Poor gourd of mine." Wang Zi Zhen lowered his head and muttered to himself, "Disciples of the Mao Mountain Taoists should not be evil people..." After thinking for a while, he raised his head and said, "Well, on account of Mao... Mao Mountain, if you wish to inquire about divination, come with me."

The slender man on the boat, seeing the singer drinking merrily, walked to the bow and said aloud: "Sir, you raise your cup and drink heartily, your spirits are high, but this flowing cup has its limits, how can we fully enjoy ourselves? We have fine wine on our boat, how about coming over for a drink?" The man smiled and replied: "Are you inviting me to drink? Then I shall not impose on you." After saying this, he picked up his iron sword, slung it over his back, and slowly stood up, stepping onto the boat. The slender man, having exchanged pleasantries, said: "This young gentleman's surname is Xu, given name Guan, and beside him is Miss Xiao Yan. I am Zhou from Qinghe, may I ask for your esteemed name?" The man replied: "My surname is Guo, I am the third in line, and everyone calls me Guo San." Zhou said: "Just now, the song you sang, 'Imitation of the Ancient' by Master Wuliu, was passionate and stirring; even from afar, it stirred one's emotions." Guo San chuckled and said: "I came to Chang'an seeking someone but found no one, so I drank by the water to ease my feelings. I lost my composure for a moment, please do not mind. Are you all here specifically to enjoy the spring at Qujiang?" Zhou replied: "Indeed. This brother Xu has just passed the imperial examination, and we have come here to Qujiang to drink in celebration according to the old custom on the Shangsi Festival." Guo San said: "Since there are joyful events in life, we should raise a large cup in celebration." Xiao Yan arranged the cups and plates, laid out fruits and dishes, and the four of them sat down to drink a few cups. Xu Guan and Xiao Yan could not handle the wine well, while Zhou and Guo San were both good drinkers, and the two kept exchanging cups and drinking non-stop. Zhou began to discuss the major affairs of the world, laughing heartily when he spoke of the time during the Wude era when Wei Chi Jingde defeated the Turks at Jingyang, and sighed deeply when recounting how Gaozu had to pay tribute to the Turks when he raised his army, and how Taizong was forced to form an alliance at Weishui. Unknowingly, they had already drunk over thirty cups.

After listening, Xiao Yan fell into deep thought and remained silent. Xi Meng, seeing her speechless, said sadly: "I have thought long and hard, and I know this matter is ultimately as fleeting as a dream. If there is no way to resolve it, I shall not see him again and will bury this heartache beneath the peach grove." Xiao Yan, seeing her on the verge of tears, felt a pang of sympathy and said: "Very well. As the saying goes, 'No lie, no matchmaker.' You should take it easy. When that Young Master Li arrives, just arrange to meet him. We are sisters after all, and I will take care of everything else." Xi Meng asked: "Is this true? Are you not joking with me?" Xiao Yan replied: "Do not ask for divination anymore; if the outcome is unfavorable, it will only cast a shadow in your heart. As the saying goes, 'No lie, no matchmaker.' You should take it easy. When that Young Master Li arrives, just arrange to meet him. We are sisters after all, and I will take care of everything else." Xi Meng asked again: "Is this true? Are you not joking with me?" Xiao Yan replied: "Do not ask for divination anymore; if the outcome is unfavorable, it will only cast a shadow in your heart. You should return to Yan Wan Garden and wait there. When the time comes, just listen to my arrangements."

The pack of wolves dared not linger any longer, having long since scattered in flight, disappearing into the vast wilderness. Suddenly, Guo San let out a sound of surprise, and everyone followed his gaze to see that although the wolf pack had dispersed, one wolf remained lying on the ground, unwilling to flee. Guo San shouted, "Why aren't you leaving!" He hurled his iron sword, and a beam of sword light shot straight up into the sky, swiftly aimed at the lone wolf. The sword energy sliced through the air with a hissing sound, leaving a deep crack in the ground, seemingly about to pierce through the wolf. Just then, Xiao Yan suddenly called out, "Wait! That is a person, not a wolf!" Guo San furrowed his brow and shouted again, "Why aren't you leaving!" He hurled his iron sword once more, and the beam of sword light shot up into the sky, aimed at the wolf. The sword energy broke through the air with a hissing sound, leaving another deep crack in the ground, and it seemed poised to penetrate the wolf. Xiao Yan suddenly shouted, "Wait! That is a person, not a wolf!" Guo San frowned slightly, and with a flick of his left index finger, the iron sword flew back to him. Guo San caught the sword in his hand and shook his head, saying, "It seems we have still injured it; let us go take a look."

Xiao Yan said: "Exactly! Considering that the Li family father and son are officials in Liangzhou, they will not stay long in Chang'an. We just need to deceive them for a while, and let Xi Meng marry over there. With a distance of a thousand miles, the Li family may not necessarily know the details. Moreover, the two of them are in love, so even if they find out later, it won't matter." Ma Zhou said: "You make it sound easy, but how can we deceive them? Where can we find a large residence to serve as a mansion? And where can we find an official and several brothers who are high-ranking officials or generals?" Xiao Yan replied: "We need not worry about the mansion. There is a clean and elegant small courtyard in Yanwan Garden of Chang Le Fang that has been vacant for a long time, which is just right for inviting the Li family father and son. Moreover, the two of them are in love, so even if they find out later, it won't matter." Ma Zhou said: "You make it sound easy, but how can we deceive them? Where can we find a large residence to serve as a mansion? And where can we find an official and several brothers who are high-ranking officials or generals?" Xiao Yan replied: "We need not worry about the mansion. There is a clean and elegant small courtyard in Yanwan Garden of Chang Le Fang that has been vacant for a long time, which is just right for inviting the Li family father and son. The official will be that Lu Huai Yuanwai, and as for Xi Meng's several brothers, we will have to trouble you all." After saying this, he fixed his gaze on the three of them. Guo San quickly said: "Good, good. There is fine wine in Chang Le Fang, and it has been a long time since I have tasted the clear wine of the officials. With good wine to drink, it doesn't matter if we pretend to be brothers or younger brothers." Xiao Yan glanced at Ma Zhou again, seeing him hesitating and silent, he said: "If you are afraid, you need not go." Ma Zhou angrily said: "A man stands firm; if he is not afraid of death, what is there to fear? But..." Xiao Yan said: "But what?" Ma Zhou replied: "I think that although Li Daliang is the governor of Liangzhou, he must know some officials in the capital. If we are to pretend to be officials, we need to impersonate someone he does not know." Xiao Yan laughed and said: "This will require Brother Bin Wang to think about it." He then asked Xu Guan: "Shall we go find Lu Yuanwai? Where is he now?"

The crowd felt a gust of foul wind, and from a distance came the sounds of several beastly roars. In an instant, six or seven wolves rushed out, surrounding a few people in the middle. Ma Zhou looked around and saw pairs of glistening green eyes everywhere, causing his face to change color in fear. Xiao Yan said, "Everyone stand back to back; I will deal with these beasts." Before her words fell, the golden snake whip was already in action, striking one wolf on the flank. The wolf fell to the ground, whimpering a few times, then jumped up and pounced again, seemingly uninjured. Xiao Yan exclaimed, "You are quite formidable!" With nine-tenths of her strength, she flicked the whip like a snake, this time striking the wolf on the top of its head. The wolf let out a yelp and collapsed, unable to move again. Two more wolves charged from the side, but with a flourish of her whip, Xiao Yan sent them tumbling away, landing several feet away. The remaining wolves, seeing this, turned and fled. Ma Zhou, startled, sobered up completely; witnessing Xiao Yan fighting the wolves, he thought to himself, "How shameful. Here we are, a few big men, relying on this young woman for protection." As the wolves retreated, Xiao Yan finally let out a sigh of relief and teased Xu Guan, saying, "Oh? Brother Bin Wang, do you only catch ghosts and not wolves?" Ma Zhou's face flushed red as he bowed to Xiao Yan, saying, "Thank you, Miss, for saving my life. I, Ma Zhou, was boasting after drinking, and here I am to apologize to you." Seeing Ma Zhou bow so low, Xiao Yan felt a bit embarrassed and hurried to help him up, saying, "Brother Bin Wang, I was just joking with you; please don't take it seriously." At that moment, a rumbling sound like distant thunder mixed with the cries of beasts came roaring from afar. Xiao Yan looked up and couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

Ximeng, with a face full of blush, pulled Xiaoyan aside and said, "Good sister, how did you know?" Xiaoyan replied, "I have said that I can read faces and tell fortunes, but you did not believe me. Why not go and forge some iron for me to see?" Ximeng said, "Since you know my heart's ailment, if there truly is a remedy, please have some compassion for your sister. How can you just make fun of me?" Xiaoyan giggled and said, "I was just joking, yet you took it seriously. Alright, alright, your matter, A Qiao has also told me a bit. You can start from the beginning, and if I can be the doctor to cure your heart's ailment, I will do so." Ximeng sighed and said, "It all started last October. That day, Xiaocui mentioned that the chrysanthemums at Xuandu Temple were blooming beautifully. I went with her to the temple to pay respects and enjoy the flowers. After making my wish, we rested in the peach grove outside the temple, and unfortunately, I ran into an old adversary." Xiaoyan laughed and said, "This Xuandu Temple is indeed quite effective! Just after making a wish, it was answered. If I were you, I would immediately go back to fulfill my vow." Ximeng, annoyed, said, "If you keep joking, I won't say anything more." Xiaoyan urged, "You must tell me! After making your wish, you rested in the peach grove outside the temple, and unfortunately, you ran into an old adversary." Xiaoyan laughed again, "This Xuandu Temple is indeed quite effective! Just after making a wish, it was answered. If I were you, I would immediately go back to fulfill my vow." Ximeng, irritated, said, "If you keep joking, I won't say anything more." Xiaoyan insisted, "You must tell me! Was that young man exceptionally handsome? Which family does he belong to?" Ximeng replied, "He was indeed quite handsome, but not necessarily extraordinary. I just felt he looked familiar, as if I had seen him before, and I couldn't help but steal a few more glances. Who would have thought that the young man would actually get angry and kick someone to the ground?" Xiaoyan asked in surprise, "You looked at him a few times, and he got angry? Why did he kick that person?"

Once again, Ma Zhou asked, "How did you interpret it, sir?" Wang Zizhen replied, "According to the hexagram, that precious vase does not belong to him. If he insists on claiming it, it would be in vain... I spoke the truth. Who would have thought that the barbarian would not accept it and insisted that I help him find it? I had no choice but to postpone and say I would consult again tomorrow... Perhaps a divination might reveal the whereabouts of the vase... it is uncertain. The next day, when I saw that he had come again, I had to consult once more... Who would have thought that the barbarian would not relent and insisted that I help him find it? I had no choice but to postpone and say I would consult again tomorrow... After divining, the hexagram indicated that to uncover the secrets of the vase, one must... must head northwest. Who would have thought that the villain would be enraged upon hearing this, saying... saying he had come from the northwest and lost the vase in the Central Plains... how could he be asked to return? This time, as the villain left, he even threatened, saying if I could not divine the whereabouts of the vase again, he would set fire to... to burn down my house." Upon hearing this, Ma Zhou slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "This fellow is truly unreasonable!" Wang Zizhen continued, "I originally planned to move... This time, as the villain left, he even threatened, saying if I could not divine the whereabouts of the vase again, he would set fire to... to burn down my house." Upon hearing this, Ma Zhou slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "This fellow is truly unreasonable!" Wang Zizhen continued, "I originally planned to move... to relocate to avoid him, but it is hard to leave my homeland. I was unwilling to leave my home for the sake of a villain. Later, I remembered that in my youth, I had learned some animal taming techniques, so I gathered some wild wolves here and spread the word that there were ghosts and monsters in Shengdao Fang, hoping to scare that villain away, but unexpectedly, I encountered you all."