A Prophet - Chapter 11 (Part 8)

Chapter 8 - Knowing the Face But Not the Heart

Early the next morning, Grandpa Zu suddenly issued a summons for a "food-tribute" banquet, and all the boss leaders arrived.

Grandpa Zu announced, "Regarding the dark-haired coffin affair, it is entirely thanks to Farong and Zizhan's extensive knowledge, quick wits, and ability to improvise on the spot that the reputation of our 'Plum Blossom Lotus' was preserved. Today's feast is to celebrate their meritorious achievement!"

Huang Farong and Zhang Zizhan hurriedly stood up and bowed in salute. "We owe it all to Grandpa Zu's sound instruction and the generous cultivation of all the elders present."

Second Boss Ba laughed heartily. "Zizhan, keep up the good work; Grandpa Zu won't mistreat our own people."

First Boss Ba also chimed in, "When I risked my life to rescue Zizhan back then and we even lost one of our brothers in the process, I held a deep resentment in my heart. Now, seeing that this young couple is quite capable, I feel much more at ease!"

Zhang Zizhan hastily replied, "First Elder's saving grace is something Zizhan will never forget in this lifetime."

Third Boss Ba smiled and said, "Zizhan is brilliantly talented, and in the future, he will surely attain the caliber of a top imperial scholar!"

Fourth Boss Ba, Qi Chunfu, and Fifth Boss Ba, Liang Wenqiu, exchanged a smile. "The younger generation is truly formidable! With these two high talents in 'Plum Blossom Lotus,' we old fellows can rest easy!"

Seizing the opportunity, Huang Farong raised her cup and said, "First, I toast First Elder. You braved life and death to rescue my husband; otherwise, where would Farong ever find such a virtuous husband?"

First Boss Ba laughed heartily. "Thinking of that night still makes me boiling mad. I'll drain this!" With that, he downed his cup in a single gulp.

Huang Farong raised her cup once again and said to Second Boss Ba, "Second Elder, back when Zizhan was under your wing, thanks to your care he made progress in many areas. On behalf of my husband, I toast Second Elder a cup."

Second Boss Ba was crude by nature and grinned broadly as he replied, "Back then when I wanted to take Zizhan to frequent the pleasure houses, Grandpa Zu stopped me. Turns out you were keeping him all to yourself the whole time—little sister-in-law is far prettier than any brothel girl..."

Grandpa Zu gave a stern shout: "Old Second!"

Second Boss Ba let out a wicked chuckle, tilted back his head, and finished his wine in one go.

Huang Farong then addressed Third Boss Ba: "Third Elder is well-read, highly cultured, and well-versed in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism alike—far beyond what my husband and I can hope to reach. I only hope Third Elder will bestow much guidance upon us. I have long heard of Third Elder's legendary capacity for liquor, and I kindly ask you to drink a few more cups with us."

Third Boss Ba smiled and said, "Zizhan has talent overflowing the bucket, but his liquor capacity is lacking. I never expected little sister-in-law to be such a formidable drinker." With that, he downed three consecutive cups.

Huang Farong raised her cup once again, turning to Fourth and Fifth Boss Ba: "Fourth Elder and Fifth Elder are senior veterans of the Jiang-Xiang guild and pillars across two eras. Though untalented, Farong had long heard of both your great names back when I was at the 'Crossed Begonias,' and after marrying into 'Plum Blossom Lotus,' I became even more deeply convinced of your profound mastery and undiminished prowess, which commands my utmost admiration! I ask both elders to drink this cup to the full!"

At this moment, Grandpa Zu also spoke up: "I'll accompany you all with a cup as well! Old Four and Old Five are both direct disciples of Master Zhang, possessing open minds and humble virtues, willingly yielding to younger talent. Ever since I ascended to leadership, the two elders have assisted me on both flanks without flaunting their seniority. Truly admirable!"

Qi Chunfu and Liang Wenqiu hastily stood up. "Grandpa Zu, we wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare! It is your excessive kindness that refuses to cast aside rotten wood, and we shall pledge our lives in service!"

Both Qi Chunfu and Liang Wenqiu were older than Grandpa Zu; Qi Chunfu was thirty-five, while Liang Wenqiu had already passed his fortieth year. But that mattered little—the "Jiang-Xiang Guild" did not rank seating by age, but strictly by capability.

Qi Chunfu's unique specialty was paper-doll making. The paper figures he crafted surpassed the craftsmanship of any regular paper-craft shop owner. Whether fashioning boy and girl attendants or ox-headed and horse-faced guardians of the underworld, with brilliant reds and greens matched to perfection and eyebrows and eyes meticulously painted, once placed before a coffin they looked remarkably lifelike.

Liang Wenqiu's unique specialty was carpentry, universally known as the "King of the Ink-Marker." The ink-marker was an instrument used by ancient carpenters for snapping lines and measuring. Liang Wenqiu's ancestors for three generations had all been carpenters, and he possessed profound research into the "Lu Ban Arts." In the thirtieth year of Guangxu, Liang Wenqiu's father was framed and dragged into palace political struggles because he crafted a "Hundred Treasures Cabinet" for Empress Dowager Cixi, resulting in the execution of his entire family. Hearing of this, Zhang Dancheng spent a massive sum to bribe a Manchu prince and successfully secured Liang Wenqiu's release. From that day onward, Liang Wenqiu followed Zhang Dancheng.

In his youth, Zhang Dancheng possessed immense ability. Among the four major guild branches, he was the most active and unrestrained, frequently deploying flying arts to execute major feng shui setups. Naturally, Liang Wenqiu's Lu Ban school of feng shui techniques found its proper application.

Having made the rounds with her toasts, Huang Farong's face had flushed a bright rosy red. Although the "Thousand-Cup Sobriety Powder" was effective, having fiery sorghum liquor poured down one after another meant she inevitably felt somewhat dizzy.

According to proper etiquette, the boss leaders were all required to toast Grandpa Zu in succession, after which they would toast one another. After going through several rounds like this, everyone at the table except for Zhang Zizhan had already consumed over a dozen cups. The wine cups of that era were quite large, each holding at least one liang; a dozen cups down meant the equivalent of a full catty of liquor consumed.

Riding the wave of the alcoholic cheer, Grandpa Zu spoke up again: "Today we have yet another cause for celebration!"

All the boss leaders cast their gazes toward Grandpa Zu.

Grandpa Zu stated, "Master Xuanzi's setup of lighting ghost lanterns by the river has already been broken!"

Everyone was startled. Just yesterday, Grandpa Zu had been so angered by this very matter that he coughed up blood, and today the setup was already broken?

Huang Farong feigned puzzlement and asked, "How was it broken?"

Zhang Zizhan glanced at Huang Farong, thinking to himself, Go ahead and put on your act.

Grandpa Zu burst into hearty laughter and declared, "Master Xuanzi, oh Master Xuanzi, you only knew how to deliver ghosts by the river, yet you didn't realize there was a ghost right by your own side!" Following this, he erupted into another wave of laughter. "Old Plum's next moves are already entirely within the palm of my hand! I am going to strip Master Xuanzi of his false facade and reduce him to his original form!"

Second Boss Ba asked anxiously, "Please enlighten us, Grandpa Zu!"

Withdrawing his smile, Grandpa Zu said, "You need only act strictly according to my instructions. 'Plum Blossom Lotus' is going to take the Shanghai Bund in one fell swoop and firmly establish our footing across the entire Jianghuai region!"

The boss leaders looked at one another in dismay.

Grandpa Zu raised his cup. "Drink! 'Plum Blossom Lotus' will surely triumph!"

Everyone raised their cups and shouted in unison: "Grandpa Zu's wisdom is boundless! We pledge our lives in service!"

After finishing his drink, Grandpa Zu suddenly shifted the conversational tone and asked Zhang Zizhan, "Zizhan, what are the three major taboos of the jianghu underworld?"

Zhang Zizhan was taken aback, having no idea what kind of medicine Grandpa Zu was selling in his gourd. Yesterday after returning home, Huang Farong had told him that today Grandpa Zu was setting up a scheme to flush out the mole, instructing him to keep quiet and stay out of the way while present. Therefore, even though Zhang Zizhan clearly knew Huang Farong was the one who broke the ghost-lantern setup, he did not expose it on the spot. He never expected Grandpa Zu would suddenly pose this question at this moment.

Zhang Zizhan answered in a low voice, "Cuckolding a sworn brother, colluding with foreign thieves, and betraying one's brothers."

Grandpa Zu asked again, "According to the rules of the 'Jiang-Xiang Guild,' what crime is committed by violating these three taboos?"

Lowering his head, Zhang Zizhan replied, "A thousand cuts of a blade, execution without pardon."

Grandpa Zu let out a cold laugh. "Indeed, a thousand cuts. In these next few days, I will ferret out the mole, and all you brothers present should prepare yourselves so you won't find it hard to act when the time comes."

Hearing this, the boss leaders were frightened out of their wits. Who on earth was about to be dealt with? Originally all of them had been half-drunk and muddled, but now every single one of them was instantly sobered up.

Grandpa Zu surveyed the crowd and announced, "The banquet is dismissed!"

Looking at one another in silence, everyone quietly dispersed.

Grandpa Zu possessed a discerning eye, and for many years he had maintained absolute confidence in his own perceptive powers. He had wanted to use the pretext of the "food-tribute" to have all the boss leaders drink themselves into a semi-conscious state, and then, once they were sufficiently intoxicated, suddenly deploy the "Yingyao" technique—making a feint to the east while striking to the west, observing expressions and reading reactions—in hopes of unearthing some clues.

"Yingyao" represents the grand synthesis of deceptive psychological tactics. The psychological deduction techniques recorded within the Treatise on Yingyao are top-tier psychological warfare strategies, naturally incorporating genuine principles of physiognomy. Externally they serve to conquer marks, while internally they settle domestic traitors. This methodology was originally founded by Tang Yonghe, the martial heroine and progenitor of the "Crossed Begonias." Later, as the four major guild branches gradually merged and coalesced, many of these techniques were shared among all branches, becoming the common textbook for all confidence tricksters. Yet the absolute top-tier techniques remained firmly controlled within the hands of the successive grandmasters of the "Crossed Begonias"! Because Zhang Dancheng maintained a close relationship with Qiao Wumei, she had privately shared these methods with Zhang Dancheng, and before his death Zhang Dancheng imparted all his techniques without reservation, allowing Grandpa Zu to master the supreme art of Yingyao.

The chapter On Knowing the Heart within the Treatise on Yingyao records the exact methods for observing human psychology:

How to know if a person is benevolent?

The spirit is clear and the eyes do not wander.

How to know if a person is treacherous?

They cast sideways glances and shift abruptly.

How to know if a person is foolish?

Their dead-fish eyes never move at all.

How to know if a person is loyal?

They remain silent and contend not for merit.

Sitting opposite, their hands find no rest,

Their mouth speaks right while their heart fields jest.

Meeting gazes that never dare linger long,

Their endless chatter is invariably false song.

Between the bridge of the nose and the two eyes spanned,

Loyalty and treachery are both concealed within.

A single shout shakes the Zhen and Kan trigrams,

A second shout relaxes their furrowed brow,

A third shout makes their facial furrows quiver,

While both cheeks flush into a patch of red.

Reading physiognomy means reading the face,

Setting up schemes is best done amidst peril,

Seeking victory right from the heart of danger,

Will pile up gold and silver like a mountain.

The entirety of On Knowing the Heart revolves around the human face, encapsulating numerous essences of physiognomic lore. Ancient physiognomy placed special emphasis on examining the facial features, particularly the eyes. As stated in Xu Fu's Treatise on Physiognomy: "A body seven chi tall is inferior to a face one chi long; a face one chi long is inferior to a nose three cun long; a nose three cun long is inferior to eyes one cun wide." The concentrated essence of the entire human body gathers within the eyes.

The eyes are the windows of the soul; no matter how deeply one attempts concealment, internal thoughts will inevitably manifest through the eyes to a greater or lesser degree, provided one has the capability to capture them. The saying "neither joy nor anger shown upon the face" merely implies that such a person leaks minimal information, making it inconvenient to detect, yet leakage still occurs.

The first line, "How to know if a person is benevolent? The spirit is clear and the eyes do not wander," means that judging whether a person is kind-hearted depends upon observing their demeanor and eyes. If a person's overall demeanor is serene and clear, free of chaotic Qi, with steady gaze, distinct black and white, and eyes devoid of intoxicated glare, dull haze, licentious gleam, or shifting dart, it qualifies as an omen of great benevolence, which aligns precisely with the assertions of facial physiognomy.

The second line, "How to know if a person is treacherous? They cast sideways glances and shift abruptly," dictates that judging whether someone is crafty and deceitful also relies on the eyes. If a person habitually casts sideways glances, frequently sweeps back and forth with the corners of their eyes, maintains an unstable gaze, and rolls their pupils constantly, it represents a manifestation of treachery.

The third line, "How to know if a person is foolish? Their dead-fish eyes never move at all," explains that recognizing whether a person lacks intelligence likewise requires observing the eyes. If a person's eyes resemble those of a dead fish—devoid of spirit, dull and sluggish, failing to shift their pupils for a prolonged period—their intellect is undoubtedly compromised. Moreover, dead-fish eyes are regarded as an extremely ominous sign in physiognomy. As Collated Studies in Physiognomy notes: "Fish eyes mean a shortened lifespan, sheep pupils indicate early death."

The fourth line, "How to know if a person is loyal? They remain silent and contend not for merit," shows that determining whether someone is utterly loyal depends upon observing their daily conduct: claiming no credit for achievements, wearing no crown of fame, working silently and down-to-earth, such a person is truly loyal and righteous.

The fifth and sixth lines, "Sitting opposite, their hands find no rest, their mouth speaks right while their heart fields jest. Meeting gazes that never dare linger long, their endless chatter is invariably false song," address how to judge whether an interlocutor is lying through everyday conversation. If two people sit facing one another in dialogue and the opponent's hands shift continuously with nowhere to rest, while their gaze dares not meet yours, or shifts away the moment eye contact is made, it demonstrates that this person is duplicitous, speaking words that diverge from their true thoughts, and everything they utter is false.

The seventh and eighth lines—"Between the bridge of the nose and the two eyes spanned, loyalty and treachery are both concealed within. A single shout shakes the Zhen and Kan trigrams, a second shout relaxes their furrowed brow, a third shout makes their facial furrows quiver, while both cheeks flush into a patch of red"—represent the supreme mastery of reading human psychology. Those who excel in this art possess microscopic observation, allowing them to probe loyalty and treachery at a single glance! These phrases transcend simple facial examination, encompassing the inevitable regularities of the human body ranging from Yin-Yang and the Five Phases to traditional Chinese medicine, extending from the surface down to the inner depths. As long as one is human, one must inevitably conform to these universal patterns.

The starting point of the nose is the root of the mountain, flanked on both sides by the eyes. The left eye corresponds to Yang and the right to Yin; the eyes belong elementally to fire and connect to the liver, while the liver belongs to wood and connects to the kidneys, whose elemental water corresponds to the Kan trigram. The seven emotions and six desires of humankind are inextricably linked to the internal organs. As the saying goes: "Fear harms the kidneys, anger harms the liver, grief harms the spleen, and joy harms the heart."

Therefore, if a person commits a guilty deed, their internal organs become agitated and restless. If they are a mole, fear is inevitable; living in daily trepidation, their kidney water rises and falls turbulently. At this moment, if an outsider suddenly bellows out a shout of "You are the mole!", that person's kidney water will churn and roar. Water roaring extinguishes fire, and since fire governs the heart, the heart will thump violently as well—hence the phrase "A single shout shakes the Zhen and Kan trigrams." At this juncture, if one shouts a second time, even the most deeply hidden individual will be forced by the transitional laws of the generation and restriction of the Five Phases to expose their inner thoughts from the inside out, manifesting either terror in their eyes or a tremor in their brow. Shouting a third time then causes the person's facial furrows—referring to the nasolabial grooves flanking the nose, here denoting the facial muscles—to quiver, closely followed by an upsurge of vital energy and blood causing both cheeks to flush red. By this point, what was concealed within the heart stands starkly revealed in the open!

The final lines serve as a summarizing conclusion: "Reading physiognomy means reading the face, setting up schemes is best done amidst peril, seeking victory right from the heart of danger, will pile up gold and silver like a mountain." This means that when confidence tricksters practice their craft of "face-reading," ultimately they rely entirely upon observing expressions. Whether dealing with marks or one's own people, "setting up schemes is best done amidst peril." The higher the difficulty and danger of the setup, the greater the returns—hence the saying "wealth and riches are sought within danger." Once a major enterprise is successfully executed, gold and silver treasures will follow immediately after, piling up like mountains.

Grandpa Zu had originally intended to utilize the drinking session to abruptly execute this technique while the boss leaders were half-drunk and half-sober, probing their inner depths! However, Huang Farong had advised him: "This method is not secure enough. Rather than directly seizing the ghost, it is better to force the ghost out of hiding. Grandpa Zu might as well set up another trap: spread the word that Master Xuanzi's ghost-delivery setup by the river has been broken, implying that the intelligence came from someone close to Master Xuanzi himself, while also hinting that there is a mole inside 'Plum Blossom Lotus' whom Grandpa Zu has already identified. In this way, if there truly is a mole among the boss leaders, they will inevitably panic and grow restless, sending out the intelligence within a few days to seek a way out. The more anxious they become, the easier it is for them to expose their flaws. Grandpa Zu can then dispatch men to step up surveillance and capture them alive."

Listening to this, Grandpa Zu watched a vast net slowly weave itself together within the chambers of his mind.