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“Young man, don’t be afraid,” Xun Yuanbai hurriedly reassured. “I have no ulterior motives. I simply need your help.”
“Help with what…” The words slipped out, but Song Jingyun felt that something was amiss and quickly corrected himself, “Why are you asking for my help? Is there some kind of scheme?”
His wife had told him that when a stranger sought help, they usually chose someone strong and robust. Someone like him, slender and frail, was typically not their first choice. He knew he needed to be cautious when someone asked for help to buy food or deliver it to a specific location, and not easily fall for such requests.
This person had approached him twice, and this time he had come specifically. Something was definitely off.
“No, no,” Xun Yuanbai hastily waved his hands. “I just wanted to seek your advice, nothing more…”
Song Jingyun found the man before him even more suspicious. He didn’t know this person, and it seemed the stranger didn’t know him either. So why would he seek advice from him? Moreover, he was completely ignorant in this situation and couldn’t offer any advice.
“I don’t believe you,” Song Jingyun said as he continued walking towards the river with the shoulder pole and water buckets. “I don’t know anything and can’t help you.”
“Don’t be like that. You really can help with this matter…” Xun Yuanbai continued to follow, chatting away. “Let me tell you, I’m not a bad person, and you don’t have to be afraid. I am a Daoist priest, you know what that is, right?”
“I don’t know,” Song Jingyun shook his head firmly.
He truly didn’t know.
Xun Yuanbai: “…”
“I’m talking about the most favored and trusted person by the Emperor, who can divine the country’s fortune and read the life and destiny of the royal family. I’m really good at divination. At a glance, I could tell that you have exceptional luck, so I wanted someone with such exceptional luck to give me some advice,” Xun Yuanbai explained.
Divination?
Song Jingyun paused in his water-fetching movements. He had heard of such things and had seen practitioners in town. His wife had mentioned that these were all charlatans, pretending to have supernatural powers and conning people for food and shelter.
Since this man claimed to be a diviner, he couldn’t be a good person.
“If you’re a diviner, then tell me, what did I have for breakfast?” Song Jingyun scoffed.
Xun Yuanbai: “…”
“Charlatan,” Song Jingyun snorted, hoisted the water-filled buckets onto either end of the shoulder pole, and headed back with measured steps.
The shoulder pole creaked, and the buckets swayed, but due to Song Jingyun’s practiced skill, not a drop of water spilled from the buckets.
“I really am not a charlatan…” Xun Yuanbai persisted. “I’m facing a serious crisis, a matter of life and death. Helping me would be saving a life, which is a great deed, isn’t it?”
Ignoring him, Song Jingyun continued on his way, mentally blocking out the charlatan’s words.
If it weren’t for needing a hand to steady the shoulder pole, he would have covered his ears to avoid being swayed by this charlatan.
Xun Yuanbai was getting desperate. He wasn’t a charlatan; he really was a Daoist priest. Moreover, he was truly facing a life-threatening situation.
The Emperor wanted him to divine his lifespan.
Xun Yuanbai foresaw that the Emperor had only five more years to live, and his death would be highly undignified. However, the Emperor was in the prime of life, barely in his thirties, and his eldest son was only thirteen. If he told the truth, not only would the stability of the court be jeopardized, but the Emperor might even dispose of him in a fit of rage. On the other hand, if he didn’t tell the truth or twisted the truth, his reputation as a Daoist priest would be ruined, and he would be labeled as a charlatan, likely meeting a bad end.
Caught in this dilemma, he informed the Emperor that resolving this matter required finding a spiritually gifted person and waiting for an auspicious astrological moment. Taking advantage of this, he slipped out of the capital and sought the counsel of an old acquaintance, Master Huizhi, at Deyin Temple.
However, Master Huizhi couldn’t offer any better advice, and the Emperor’s envoys were pressing him relentlessly.
In a state of extreme anxiety, Xun Yuanbai saw Song Jingyun at Deyin Temple. He perceived him as a person exuding an aura of good fortune.
Xun Yuanbai considered himself as a doomed individual, able to discern celestial secrets, and likely to meet a bad end. Encountering someone with such a radiant aura, he saw a chance for a turnaround.
Regardless, he needed to absorb some of this auspicious energy. Even if he didn’t have a good ending, he needed to survive this ordeal to accomplish more important tasks in the future.
“Can you please help me?” Xun Yuanbai panted as he struggled to keep up with Song Jingyun’s swift pace, being older and shorter of leg.
“If you are a diviner and a Daoist priest with such great powers, akin to immortals, then there should be nothing you can’t handle. Why do you need an ordinary person like me to save your life?”
Song Jingyun, feeling irritated by Xun Yuanbai’s persistence, spoke curtly.
“What immortal? You’re just…” He paused, realizing the implications of his words.
Immortal… Ordinary person…
Yes, immortal and ordinary person.
He couldn’t reveal the lifespan or the cause of death, but he could say that the Emperor had celestial potential and was destined to ascend to the heavens and become an immortal.
If the Emperor was to become an immortal, then it was understandable that his lifespan couldn’t be clearly discerned. He could simply say that the Emperor exuded an immortal aura and likely had only a few years left.
As for an ignoble cause of death…
If a mortal was to become an immortal, shouldn’t they endure some tribulations?
The explanation worked!
He could simply say that this young man was surrounded by auspiciousness and would certainly help him overcome this crisis!
Xun Yuanbai suddenly felt as though a new world had opened up to him. His eyes sparkled as he quickened his pace to catch up with Song Jingyun. “Thank you so much for your guidance, young man.”
“I now know how to handle this matter. Young man, today you’ve saved my life, and in the future, I will surely repay your great kindness…” Xun Yuanbai began, feeling emotional.
Song Jingyun was taken aback. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.” He was utterly perplexed. When had he provided guidance and saved someone’s life?
Looking bewildered, he continued, “You’ve been speaking in riddles this whole time, and I don’t understand what you’re trying to do. I need to go home now. Please don’t bother me anymore, or else I’ll…”
“I’ll call my wife! She’s really strong, she could beat a cow, a cow!”
Divination matters couldn’t be explained too clearly. They needed to be obscured, so others wouldn’t understand. If they didn’t understand, they would speculate and guess randomly. If any issues arose from that, it wouldn’t be his concern.
Furthermore, he couldn’t reveal too much. If others pried, he could always claim that celestial secrets couldn’t be disclosed.
How profound, truly profound!
Almost moved to tears, Xun Yuanbai gestured a thumbs-up to Song Jingyun. “Young man, you truly are an extraordinary master!”
Extraordinary?