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Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Half-Baked Feng Shui Master
It turned out that the man who sought my advice on Feng Shui was named Zhao. He took me to his father's Yin Zhai, where I saw the grave situated on a half-island between two rivers. It required a long detour to cross the river. After examining the Feng Shui, I said, "Did the person who moved your father's grave say this place is called White Crane Spreading Its Wings?"
Lao Zhao was taken aback and then nodded vigorously, saying, "Yes!"
I sighed and said, "The person you hired may understand spiritual techniques and have extraordinary divination skills, but their knowledge of burial geography is quite ordinary. This Feng Shui is not White Crane Spreading Its Wings; it is actually Double-Bladed Abdominal Point. One person dies each year after burial; if it has been two years, then two people have died. How many years has it been since the burial?"
Lao Zhao was startled and replied, "This is the third year!"
I said, "Then your family has already lost three people. If you don't move the grave, more will die next year. If you don't believe me, dig up the urn and check; it should be filled with clear water, and only two large knee bones will remain."
Lao Zhao nodded vigorously, looking both shocked and terrified, exclaiming, "It really is because of the Feng Shui!"
At that moment, I suddenly glanced at the gravestone and noticed that it was inscribed with Liu Gong. I was puzzled; this man claimed to be named Zhao, so how could he say this was his father? I asked him, "Is this Yin Zhai not your father's?"
Lao Zhao nodded and finally said helplessly, "This is not my family's Yin Zhai; it's a Yin Zhai I selected for someone else. I just... I thought this was a Feng Shui site called White Crane Spreading Its Wings and didn't expect it would harm someone."
Thus, Lao Zhao recounted the events to me.
A few years ago, Lao Zhao was a Yin Yang Master with exceptional Yin-Yang Techniques and an understanding of spiritual techniques. His divination skills were remarkable, but his knowledge of burial geography was quite ordinary.
Because some of Lao Zhao's predictions had been accurate, he gained considerable fame. Many people sought him for Feng Shui advice, and he readily agreed. Three years ago, a man named Liu approached him to assess the Feng Shui of his father's Yin Zhai.
The head of the Liu family led Lao Zhao to his father's grave to examine the Yin Zhai. Lao Zhao stated, "This grave has reached its time; the gravestone is soaked in water. You need to move it quickly; otherwise, misfortune will follow!"
Upon hearing this, the head of the family felt uneasy and couldn't make a decision. Unable to find the previous Dizhi who had established the Yin Zhai for him, he reluctantly trusted Lao Zhao's suggestion to find a better location. They arrived at a site where two rivers converged into one stream. Lao Zhao declared this land to be ideal for burial and assured them it would be better than before.
Lao Zhao performed rituals to select an auspicious day and moved Liu's father's grave. However, after the relocation, the Liu family faced continuous misfortunes at home. A hundred days after the reburial, their eldest daughter suddenly developed a fever and soon passed away. The following year, their eldest son unexpectedly contracted pneumonia and died despite all medical efforts! By the third year, their second son also fell ill with a strange disease that no remedy could cure before he joined the Yellow Springs. The series of calamities all resulted in losses within their family line. Lao Zhao became frightened and hurriedly sought me out to see if there was an issue with the Yin Zhai.
I was astonished; I hadn't expected this man before me was also a Feng Shui Master and that this Double-Bladed Abdominal Point was his selection for someone else. I sighed; a half-baked Feng Shui Master truly harms both others and himself.
At that moment, Lao Zhao suddenly knelt in front of me and pleaded, "Sir, I have been afflicted by the Three Killers God. Please help me."
This came as a surprise, and I was taken aback. The Three Killers God? That is a malevolent spirit that only appears in auspicious Feng Shui locations, also known as the guardian spirit of such places. This area is the Double-Bladed Abdominal Point, which is a dangerous site; how could there be a Three Killers God here? So I said, "Lao Zhao, are you mistaken? This place cannot possibly have the Three Killers God."
Lao Zhao shook his head and said, "No, the Three Killers God that has afflicted me comes from another Yin Zhai. I know how to interpret divination; if no one helps me dispel this evil, I will only have three months left to live. Your skills are so powerful; you must be able to resolve this evil. I beg you to save me!"
I immediately asked him, "Did you disturb someone else's Feng Shui location?"
Lao Zhao sighed with regret and began to explain the situation.
In the countryside, anyone referred to as "Sir," such as a geomancer, Yin Yang Master, or fortune teller, is somewhat akin to today's educated elite and possesses unique characteristics. These gentlemen are not very enthusiastic about receiving rewards; generally, after completing their tasks satisfactorily, they accept whatever the host offers without complaint. The wealthy give generously while the poor offer what they can, without keeping score, as being too calculating would tarnish their reputation. However, these gentlemen care deeply about being "respected" by their hosts; this aspect cannot be overlooked. If you show proper respect to them, it will benefit you greatly. But if you neglect to show respect even slightly, it could lead to dire consequences. No matter how thick your red envelope is, they may not cooperate; in severe cases, they might secretly sabotage you, leading to endless troubles.
Ten years ago, Lao Zhao had helped a family with the surname Zheng select a Feng Shui site for burial. The Zheng Family treated Lao Zhao with great warmth and hospitality, so he was very attentive while assessing their Feng Shui. He quickly found a dragon vein next to a spring. Holding his compass and turning it left and right, he finally stopped and told the Zheng Family, "This is it! This Feng Shui is good. It is called Moonlit Azure Dragon and signifies great wealth."
The Zheng Family was quite pleased. After a moment of happiness, they asked, "Sir, what signs will there be after burying here?"
Lao Zhao replied, "There will be! This spring will dry up."
The Zheng Family looked ahead at a large ridge filled with fields. They noticed the spring was clear and nearby were several bowls and shiny stones, indicating that people often came here to drink water and rest. The Zheng Family thought for a moment and said to Lao Zhao, "Sir, there isn't any good water around here. If the spring dries up and the villagers working here get thirsty, what will we do? They will blame us for it. Perhaps we shouldn't bury here after all; please find another location."
Lao Zhao felt a bit displeased but didn't take it to heart; after all, he was a gentleman.
Soon after, he found another spot and carefully examined his compass before speaking: "The food god generates wealth; fire refines autumn gold... This is it! This Feng Shui is good; it is called Rooster Crows at Dawn and signifies great fortune."
The Zheng Family was delighted again. After some time of joy, they asked, "Sir! What signs will there be after burying here?"
Lao Zhao replied, "There will be! Not far from here around the bend is a temple; after burying here, the Mountain Deity will no longer come by, and the temple will fall into disrepair."
The Zheng Family knew about the mountain temple; their village along with several neighboring villages relied on it for blessings from the Mountain Deity for various matters. Since this was the only temple in the area, they thought for a moment and said to Lao Zhao: "Sir, all the surrounding villages depend on this Mountain Deity's protection. If it falls into disrepair, what will happen to the villagers' fortunes? They will blame us for it. Perhaps we shouldn't bury here either. Please find another location; you've worked hard for us—I'll make sure to give you extra compensation later."
In truth, what the Zheng Family said was merely polite conversation without any ulterior motives; asking for burial sites can be exhausting work for geomancers like Lao Zhao who had already searched three locations without success. It was only natural that they would offer additional compensation for his efforts.
Unexpectedly, Lao Zhao became furious upon hearing this: "Damn! Are you trying to play me for a fool? Do you think having money is enough? What do you take me for? Running around the mountains with you? Do you think Feng Shui is something you can just pick up anywhere? You don't want proper Feng Shui, fine! I'll choose a good place for your dead old man right now."
Lao Zhao was secretly plotting something sinister while maintaining a blank expression. He led the Zheng Family directly to a barren hilltop and pointed at the scattered rocks, saying to the surprised Zheng Family, "This place is the best! This is Seven Stars Surrounding the Moon! Great wealth and nobility await! If you want to know what signs there will be after burial, let me tell you: favorable winds and timely rains, everything will be as usual, just rest assured."
Although the Zheng Family did not understand Feng Shui, they felt uneasy looking at the rocky ground before them. Lao Zhao noticed their apprehension and said, "As the Tao Te Ching states: The way that can be told is not the eternal way..."
The Zheng Family, being mere farmers, had great respect for the scholar's knowledge and could not fathom any deeper mysteries. They soon felt reassured. Lao Zhao then asked, "Are you satisfied?"
The Zheng Family hurriedly replied, "Satisfied! Satisfied! Thank you, sir!"
While Lao Zhao exchanged pleasantries with a smiling face, he turned his head away, revealing a hint of a cold smile. Soon after, the Zheng Family built a Yin Zhai on that rocky ground for their father to reside in. Once everything was settled, they hosted a banquet and presented gifts to thank the geomancer Lao Zhao, who then took his leave.
Hearing this, I was filled with anger towards Lao Zhao. Clearly, this man had ill intentions and was scheming. However, I was curious and asked him, "But won't this lead to harm from the Three Killers God?"
Lao Zhao told me not to rush and that he would explain slowly.
Regarding the so-called "Seven Stars Surrounding the Moon" at the rocky ground, it was actually a fabrication of his. In reality, that hilltop was not called "Seven Stars Surrounding the Moon" but rather "Seven Kill Absolute Land." A burial there would lead to severed descendants and no trace left behind; it was an extremely ominous site. Lao Zhao harbored malicious intent, wanting to wipe out the Old Zheng Family completely.
Ten years passed in the blink of an eye. Just three months ago, Lao Zhao happened to pass by Zheng Family Village and suddenly remembered the Old Zheng Family. He thought it must have fallen into ruin by now and decided to take a look! With that thought in mind, he found his way to the Old Zheng Family's home. Coincidentally, Old Zheng was at home and welcomed him inside.
Upon entering, Lao Zhao found it strange that there were no signs of decay; on the contrary, it was even more prosperous than ten years ago.
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