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A Prophet - Chapter 10 (Part 2)

Chapter 2 - Zhang Zizhan's Matchmaking

Inside the "Crossing Begonias," everyone was a female Abao. Grandfather's concept of a match of equal social standing had two layers of meaning: first, the bride had to be a descendant of the "Jiangxiang Faction," otherwise complications would easily arise; second, the woman also had to be gifted with both talent and beauty—clueless, awkward, or dull-witted girls simply would not do. After turning it over in his mind, Grandfather decided this person could only be found among the "Crossing Begonias."

At that time, Jiang Feiyan had not yet established the sect rule that "female Abao shall not marry for life," and her thoughts happened to coincide with Grandfather's. Grandfather's arrival made Jiang Feiyan beam with joy; she still had not had the chance to thank him for his brilliant defeat of Nishida 美子 (Meizi) to rescue the branch hall last time.

In all the years Grandfather had presided over the "Muzi Lotus," he had also visited the "Crossing Begonias" a few times, but unluckily, Jiang Feiyan was never present at the branch. During the annual gatherings of the four major branch halls, the person left behind to guard the headquarters was usually the senior dam head of that branch, so the two of them had never crossed paths at major guild meetings either. Jiang Feiyan had only heard rumors that the Eastern Faction had produced a rising star, yet she never had the opportunity to meet him. Finally, after the death of her own master, Qiao Wumei, Jiang Feiyan got to see this elusive and legendary figure.

Jiang Feiyan smiled and said, "What brings Grandfather to my humble door? Do you have any instructions for us?"

Grandfather smiled and replied, "Sister Yan, you are too polite. This time, I have come to propose a marriage."

Jiang Feiyan's face flushed: "Propose a marriage?"

Grandfather said, "I have a brother in my branch who is over sixteen years old, supremely intelligent, and blessed with a striking appearance. I have been pondering over finding him a bride of equal social standing, and after much thought, I still believe the people under Sister Yan's command are the most reliable. Therefore, I have come uninvited this time, haha..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Feiyan laughed: "Grandfather is truly righteous, looking after the marital affairs of your sworn brothers to such an extent."

Grandfather said, "Not at all, not at all. I must ask Sister Yan to put in a good deal of effort for this." With that, he turned and called Zhang Zizhan over, saying, "Zizhan, come pay your respects to the Great Master Sister."

Zhang Zizhan hurried over to Jiang Feiyan's side and bowed: "Grand Master Sister above, please accept this junior's bow."

Jiang Feiyan smiled and said, "Quickly rise, quickly rise."

Looking at the dashing and talented Zhang Zizhan, Jiang Feiyan turned things over in her mind and thought of a disciple in her own branch named Huang Farong. This person was a rather good match for the young man standing before her.

Huang Farong was yet another legendary figure. She was born in the fourth year of the Republic of China, with her ancestral home in Jiaozhou, Shandong, making her one year older than Zhang Zizhan. Four years earlier, she had encountered Jiang Feiyan in Fujian and was taken into Jiang Feiyan's branch. Later on, almost every major "swindling" operation was connected to her. She challenged the "Plum Blossom Society," subdued the "Taiji Gang," cleared out the "Central Plains Five Tigers," and eliminated the "Jiaozhou Zheng the Half-Immortal," commanding the winds and summoning the rain to reach the absolute pinnacle. She was calculating and manipulative, even testing Grandfather's bottom line repeatedly. She was far too intelligent, but since ancient times, cleverness and true wisdom have never been the same thing. Historical experiences have repeatedly proven that the cleverer a person is, the more miserable their ultimate end tends to be—ruined by the very cleverness they relied upon!

Huang Farong had always played the role of a "spiritual medium" within Jiang Feiyan's branch. Those with supernatural affinities must possess supernatural appearances; this girl's eyes were large and bright, and her deep gaze always revealed a trace of the uncanny and the esoteric. Some said she could see ghosts, while others claimed she could see right through a person's internal organs. Within the "Crossing Begonias," there was a saying: "All heavenly secrets are calculated by the ghost sister; King Yama investigates matters by asking Farong." This was sufficient to demonstrate Huang Farong's status and capability within the branch. When all was said and done, this Huang Farong was still a genuine "driller." "Driller" was insider slang within the Abao circles, corresponding in opposition to the "pullers." Among those who mixed in the Abao world, some possessed genuine skills, understood the Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, and possessed a certain foundation in the studies of change; these were called "drillers." Others relied entirely on deception; these were called "pullers." Of course, most people within the Abao circles were merely "pullers."

Huang Farong's skills as a "driller" were all taught to her by her grandfather. Huang Farong's grandfather, Huang Daocheng, was a renowned fate-calculation scholar in Jiaozhou. When Huang Farong was born, Huang Daocheng proudly declared, "The day my granddaughter was born is auspicious indeed! Her destiny carries the Three Anomalies, the Canopy of Heaven is unobstructed, the General Star accompanies the moon, and the Scholar Star enters her destiny. In the future, she will surely be a generational prodigy!" Therefore, ever since Huang Farong was a little girl, Huang Daocheng continuously imparted the esoteric arts of the mystical gates to her.

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