Chapter 6 Squared Opportunity
“There was once a scholar who shared a lifetime’s fate with her.”
The plump diviner leisurely ate his meat, enjoying the candied hawthorn without feeling greasy.
A Liu, beside him, was so anxious he was on the verge of tears. He’d made a terrible mistake.
Why had he inexplicably brought in this fat old man?
Wu You (the diviner) licked his lips, contentedly put down his chopsticks, and looked at A Liu with a smug expression. “Young man, why are you crying? I said you wouldn’t lose out.”
He waved his tattered sleeve, and A Liu felt he could move again. He opened his mouth to shout, but couldn’t make a sound.
The fat old man pulled him out, wanting to see his room.
A Liu understood; the old man was a master; it wouldn’t have mattered if he hadn’t let him in.
He would say some nice words; the old man probably wouldn’t make things difficult for an ordinary person like him.
A Liu’s room was simple: a large kang (heated bed), a table, and two chairs—all left by the previous tenant.
Diviner Wu You subtly shifted the chair and the curtain, then instructed, “Keep the window open; try not to close it.”
A Liu nodded obediently.
Wu You lay down on the kang, closed his eyes, and slowly said, “Boy, would you like to be my apprentice? I’ll teach you some skills.”
The fourteen-year-old boy’s eyes lit up; he wanted to agree.
At least, if he learned how to immobilize and silence people, he could deal with petty thieves.
But then he sadly shook his head.
The fat old man, frowning, sat up and waved his sleeve, allowing A Liu to speak.
A Liu stammered, “I… I only listen to my young master.”
He didn’t say no; the boy was willing.
Wu You smiled, oil still glistening on his lips, and got up to leave. A Liu quickly stopped him. “Don’t go to my young master.”
“Boy, the first lesson is to talk less.”
Then A Liu fell asleep; Wu You snapped his fingers, closed the door, and left.
Zhan Qiyu had just fallen asleep when he heard a noise. Instead of rushing up, he calmly lay there to observe.
He had planned how to deal with the intruder.
But the person looked around, not rushing to do anything.
“You’re quite composed. Get up; I want to tell you something.”
The old man sat in Zhan Qiyu’s reading chair; the armrests were uncomfortable, but he had to make do.
Sensing no malice, Zhan Qiyu got up. There was no lamp, only moonlight.
A mosquito buzzed annoyingly.
The mosquito approached the old man, fell to the ground instantly.
“Speak; I’m listening.”
Zhan Qiyu, with black hair hanging down, listened attentively.
“Do you know who lived in this house before?”
Wu You answered himself, not being coy.
“Also a scholar, but he’s deceased.”
Wu You lamented the fall of such a talented youth, a pillar of the nation.
Zhan Qiyu inexplicably felt tense. He clutched the blanket, listening carefully.
Wu You began to tell a scholar’s story.
The scholar who once lived here had an unusual surname: Gongliang.
He was estranged from his family, even his parents disliked him. Yet, he possessed divination skills, knowing of his great destiny and his lifetime’s fate with the neighboring lady.
For some reason, the scholar discovered something and ended his life—perhaps seeking something.
Zhan Qiyu didn’t quite believe in divination, but since it involved Mu Jiaojiao, he had to consider a connection.
While he was lost in thought, Wu You saw his worry. “Boy, will you fulfill his wish?”
To tempt him further, he added a factor.
“You also have a destiny; with more opportunity, you’ll be celebrated in history.”
The handsome youth in the darkness sat straight; after several clenched fists, he asked, “Then… me and her…”
The old man knew what he was asking. Wu You patted his bald head, confidently saying, “With enough skill, anything is possible.”
“I just want to protect her.”
Wu You had somehow guessed Mu Jiaojiao’s identity, but couldn’t reveal it, leaving their future unknown.
He rummaged through his belongings, found an unbound book, and tossed it on the table.
“Read this; it might help. I want to take your apprentice as my disciple, but I must ask you.”
He never forced anyone, so he needed permission.
The young master, thinking similarly, said to let A Liu decide.
Wu You dramatically left.
He needed a disciple, and A Liu couldn’t escape his fate.
In the previous life, Mu Jiaojiao hadn’t paid attention to this follower, who later unexpectedly became Wu You’s disciple. A Liu became a heroic knight, helping the poor.
Only with sufficient merit could he give his most cherished person a new beginning. His young master shouldn’t have died that way.
Wu You smiled at his destined disciple and began his unconventional training.
A Liu’s hell had arrived.
Zhan Qiyu lit a lamp in his room, carefully examining the ancient book; despite its tattered condition, its contents were intact.
It contained not only geomancy but also lost ancient formulas, including fake death medicine and plague remedies.
He didn’t believe it was a random gift. A formula for water management quickly fascinated him.
Thus, Zhan’s two men remained indoors, doing something unknown. Zhan’s mother, unable to find out what they were doing, focused on her tasks.
Any middle-aged woman would seek harmony with neighbors, so she integrated into the alley, learning things.
“I’m telling you because we’re close. Someone died in your house before.”
“Yes, I saw the officers, but it was apparently dropped.”
Zhan’s mother smiled, saying she knew, but felt uneasy, not daring to tell her son; the house was comfortable.
Supernatural matters weren’t easily explained. Zhan’s mother liked the young lady and quickly reconciled with her.
However, Mu Jiaojiao, who hadn’t gone out for days, couldn’t reconcile. She was trying to recall things.
Mu Huan returned with his new fighting cricket.
“Jiaojiao, look at my beloved general.”
A black cricket chirped like a drum.
Mu Jiaojiao poked it with a straw and asked her brother, “Brother, do you know any famous scholars?”
The handsomely dressed young man was stunned, understanding only after a while.
“Sister, if you ask about crickets, Brother is an expert. If about studying, ask someone else.”
He carefully covered his cricket and started towards his room, but Mu’s mother called.
“Huan! Tell Mother again!”
Mu Zhou was helpless with her unmotivated son; she’d beaten and scolded him, but he wouldn’t improve.
All he did was fight crickets. She was worried.
When sent to school, he ran away to find crickets and was sent home.
She decided to find him a strong wife; otherwise, he would be a disaster.
Even if he got a leisurely job, he needed to quit his bad habits.
An older unmarried man with no supervision was a problem.
Even if not a job, he could help with the business; he couldn’t always rely on his father.
Mu Huan shrunk his neck and looked at his sister for help.
For giving her brother many things, Mu Jiaojiao hugged her mother, saying, “Brother is joking; he wants to study under a famous scholar. Mother, do you know of any famous teachers here?”
Using her brother as a guise worked. Mu’s mother looked at her son and asked, “Are you serious?”
Mu Huan wouldn’t contradict her, hiding the cricket, saying, “Mother, I am serious.”
He didn’t want to meet a famous scholar, so he agreed.
Though skeptical, Mu Zhou nodded. “Another chance, but don’t delay marriage; I’ve found someone for you.”
This was a thunderbolt for the siblings. Mu Huan didn’t want to marry; Mu Jiaojiao feared another woman like the one who harmed her family.
She needed to pay attention to her brother’s marriage to prevent another disaster.
Mu Jiaojiao noted this down.
Mu’s mother soon found a master, a fortunate coincidence. When Mu Jiaojiao heard, she celebrated with Shan Cha. There’s always a way.