A Prophet - Chapter 16 (Part 1)

Chapter 1 - The Secret Divination Convention of the Military Statistics Bureau

Inside the puppet Manchukuo 007 Imperial Religion Institute, Kodama Yoshio wore a gloomy expression.

"Trash! Useless trash! The Imperial Army has supported you for all these years, yet you can't even handle a tiny 'River-Phase Faction'! And what about those 'Axe Gang' scumbags? They've killed so many of our people, and you haven't managed to catch a single one of them! You kept claiming you were casting a long line to catch a big fish, but where is the big fish? Furthermore, you boasted that your witchcraft was superior, that you had already surpassed the Chinese sorcerers. And the result? Zeng Jingwu deployed Yang-gu poison insects across the surrounding islands, while the 'River-Phase Faction' planted Yin-gu poison insects inside the institution. They worked hand in glove from the inside and outside, and you were completely oblivious to it all!"

"Yes!" the Japanese secret agents and sorcerers hung their heads in remorse.

"Your Excellency, please calm your anger, please calm your anger," a Northeast 'Secret Sect' leader who had long been manipulated by the Japanese said with a fawning smile. "It's all because this Patriarch is too sinister and utterly fearless. He actually dared to plant the poison insects inside his own body, and then, taking advantage of the Imperial Army's lack of preparedness, he pricked his finger to contaminate the water source. That 'Axe Gang' member Zeng Jingwu is even more of a desperado; he actually dared to venture deep into the Land of Ten Thousand Snakes with poison insects, planting the Yang-gu poison on the snakes. It just so happened that the ocean tide came in, causing the floodwaters to rush backward. The Yin and Yang attracted each other, which is how this catastrophe was brewed..."

"Just so happened? Up until now, you still think it was just a coincidence? Planning, scheming—this was premeditated long ago! Besides, you didn't just lose on this single front! You didn't even know something as basic as snakes not being afraid of realgar! You have completely disgraced His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Japan!"

Kodama Yoshio's words were laced with boundless jealousy. A vast amount of Japanese knowledge originated from China, including its misconceptions. The notion that snakes fear realgar originated in China, where people drink realgar wine every Dragon Boat Festival to ward off snakes and dispel evil spirits. Yet this was a monumental misunderstanding. This fact had been discovered by a junior member of the 'River-Phase Faction' named Zhang Zijian. When he was a child, every Dragon Boat Festival, his father would make him drink realgar wine, claiming it could drive away snakes. Later, when he grew up, this kid specifically went to a pharmacy to buy a pile of realgar, caught a few snakes, and placed them right into the middle of the heap. As a result, the snakes just sluggishly crawled around in the realgar pile and eventually ended up falling asleep inside it. From then on, Zhang Zijian arrived at a conclusion: snakes are not afraid of realgar at all.

When the 'Japan-China Friendship I-Ching Exchange Institute' was established, the Japanese were afraid of venomous snakes from the island launching an attack, so they had long since scattered realgar all over the inside and outside of the buildings. After the disaster struck, they realized it had been completely useless.

"Enough!" Kodama Yoshio sighed and said, "The war has already begun, and the Imperial Army must take down China within three months! Your tasks are even more arduous. If there are any more mistakes, your heads will pay the price!"

Consequently, in August, the Japanese army launched a full-scale offensive against Shanghai, and by November, Shanghai had fallen. In December, Nanjing fell, and the appalling Nanjing Massacre commenced...

Almost every time the Japanese army conquered a region, they would hold sacrificial ceremonies, during which the accompanying military sorcerers would also display their prowess. They would place an incense burner bestowed by the Emperor onto the altar, burn incense, and play music. Then, clad in Shinto and shrine garments, they would strike affected, awkward poses and emit monster-like shrieks. At such moments, the Japanese devils, who had fought their way through a trail of slaughter, would achieve a spiritual climax amidst the billowing smoke and the sorcerers' shrill, frantic screeches as they envisioned conquering the entirety of China.

Most of the Japanese military sorcerers hailed from Japanese religions, which constituted another method of Japan's invasion of China. At the time, Japan had a total population of seventy million, and forty million of them possessed faithful religious beliefs. Mobilizing religious adherents to participate in the war and establishing soul-summoning shrines both greatly stimulated the Japanese populace's fervor for invading China.

Earlier, Japanese secret agents had utilized the Imperial Religion Institute to manipulate China's 'Secret Sects,' employing superstitious activities to propagate Sino-Japanese friendship as part of their comprehensive strategy to invade China. Unfortunately, this grand chess game had been thoroughly ruined by the 'River-Phase Faction,' which possessed three hundred years of indigenous Chinese heritage. Kodama Yoshio harbored such intense hatred for the Patriarch that he gnashed his teeth, vowing to personally skin the Patriarch alive!

At this very moment, however, the Patriarch was actually playing the role of a guest at the Military Statistics Bureau.

Hosting him was a Military Statistics adjutant—Feng Siyuan (Major General Feng from Book One). The person who had introduced him was Jiang Feiyan.

Jiang Feiyan had been forced by circumstances to introduce the Patriarch to Feng Siyuan.

At that time, Feng Siyuan had not yet grown suspicious of Jiang Feiyan's identity as a swindler; he merely felt that this breathtakingly peerless woman was immensely talented and thoroughly versed in the principles of Yin and Yang. Although she frequently engaged in superstitious rituals to pray for wind and rain, her predictions repeatedly came true, and she often produced vast sums of silver to curry favor with him. After going back and forth, she even surrendered her body to him, leaving Feng Siyuan unable to resist exclaiming: "Since ancient times, talented women are found among the common folk. When the war finally ends, I will definitely marry her."

However, the Japanese aggressors were pressing forward step by step, and the National Revolutionary Army was suffering continuous defeats, creating a pervasive atmosphere of national ruin and domestic despair across the country.

Dai Li, the head of the Military Statistics Bureau in charge of wartime intelligence, grew even more frantic with anxiety. Habitually superstitious, he became doubly so. After wracking his brains, he rounded up every renowned fortune-teller in the Nationalist-controlled areas in one fell swoop, convening a secret divination convention.

Those fortune-tellers who had been summoned by name all wore expressions of absolute confidence. They felt this was a golden opportunity to get ahead; Dai Li's degree of superstition was known to the entire world, and as long as they buttered up General Dai, everything would resolve itself smoothly. They were wrong. This time, Dai Li was not asking about personal fortunes or misfortunes, but about matters of national destiny.

Inside the heavily guarded hall, Dai Li paced back and forth as he spoke: "Masters, our country is currently facing a dire crisis. Normally, each of you boasts of being the number one under heaven, surpassing Zhuge Liang and matching Liu Bowen, capable of knowing five hundred years into the past and five hundred years into the future. Now, calculate this for me: tell me whether our nation will perish or if we can defeat Japan? And if we can win, when?"

The fortune-tellers from the regions of Hunan and Hubei looked at one another, thinking to themselves: How on earth can anyone say something like this casually? Regardless of what the outcome of the calculation is, we definitely have to answer that we will win for sure! Otherwise, won't General Dai squeeze our testicles right off?

How similar this scene was to the astrologer divination organized later by the German fascist leader Adolf Hitler! Aside from being skilled at warfare, Hitler had two other specialties: one was painting, and the other was divination; a massive portion of his private book collection consisted of books on divination and prognostication. In March 1938, Hitler secretly organized a 'Prophets' Convention' in a small German town called Eisenach, gathering numerous prominent German astrological masters at the time to divine the future of the war he was launching. The final astrological master prophesied: Four years from now, the war will reach a turning point, and the German army will inevitably suffer massive casualties alongside a major river!

Upon hearing this, Hitler flew into a rage: "Throw all these scumbags into concentration camps! I want to show them how I will trample the world beneath my feet!"

As it turned out, in 1942, by the Volga River deep inside Soviet territory, the German army suffered a dramatic and disastrous defeat. Immediately afterward, from 1943 to 1944, Britain and the United States launched head-on wars of attrition against Nazi Germany, and German fascism began its downward spiral.

Under Dai Li's watchful eye, the fortune-tellers trembled with fear as they pulled out all their magical tricks. Some spun luopans, some pinched their fingers, some set up Feng Shui wheels, and others clattered iron abacuses. After a flurry of frantic commotion, they reached a unanimous conclusion: the Nationalist army would undoubtedly triumph! The year was Wu-Yin! Translated into plain speech: the Nationalist army would surely defeat the Japanese devils in 1938.

Hearing this, Dai Li felt a sharp pain in his teeth, his heart so enraged it almost stopped beating. He thought to himself: You might as well just tell me we'll win this very year! He immediately bellowed: "Get out! Get out! Get the hell out of here, all of you!"

The fortune-tellers scrambled to their feet, stumbling and clutching their dear lives as they fled.

Exhausted, Dai Li sat down on the sofa, completely at a loss. Suddenly, someone shouted: "Report!"

"Come in!"

"General, that Patriarch has been found!"

Upon hearing this, Dai Li's eyes instantly lit up: "The premier master of the Jianghuai region, 'Mr. Tieban'! I've only heard his name and never laid eyes on him—bring him here immediately!" Just as the minor secret agent was about to acknowledge the order and leave, Dai Li added: "Hold on. For such an exalted personage, I must pay my respects in person!"

"Yes!"

Dai Li took off his military uniform, changed into a brand-new set of civilian clothes, and was about to head out when the telephone suddenly rang. Dai Li picked up the receiver: "Yes! It's me, Principal! Yes, I'll be right there!" Chiang Kai-shek was summoning him.

Chiang Kai-shek's official residence in Wuhan. Chiang Kai-shek sat while Dai Li stood.

"I heard that a short while ago, an eminent monk prophesied for Mao Zedong. You know about this, right?" Chiang Kai-shek asked leisurely.

"Yes! Your student has heard a little about it," Dai Li replied.

"Did this matter actually happen or not?" Chiang Kai-shek pressed further.

"This... I presume it's just hearsay among the common folk..." Dai Li answered sullenly.

"That eminent monk said he is the true Son of Heaven! It's said he even gave him four numbers: 8, 3, 4, 1. What does that mean?"

"This... um... your student does not know."

Dai Li was not lying; he truly had no idea, as no one knew at the time.

Legend has it that during the Long March, Mao Zedong led the Red Army past a temple. An eminent monk in the temple looked at Mao Zedong's physiognomy and declared that he would inevitably win the realm in the future, subsequently uttering a string of numbers: 8341.

Mao Zedong smiled and asked, "Old man, what does this mean?"

The eminent monk put his palms together and said, "Hehe, this is a heavenly secret; Your benefactor should ponder it yourself."

As a proletarian revolutionary leader, Mao Zedong naturally would not halt the pace of his struggle over such trivial matters. Raising his gaze toward the firmament, he said with deep emotion and steadfast resolve: "The Communist Party's realm is fought for on behalf of the common people. The Red Army does not believe in heavenly secrets; we believe only in the working masses. Whoever serves the common people holds all of heaven's secrets." With that, he instructed his guards to take some highland barley flour and handed it to the eminent monk, saying, "Old man, take care of your health, and make sure you live to see the day when peace reigns under heaven."

From that time onward, '8341' became a mystery. Later on, Mao Zedong simply designated his own Central Guard Regiment with the serial number '8341.'

Time flew, and through immense vicissitudes, the historical events of 1976 finally pierced through this historical fog. Over a month after the Tangshan earthquake, the great leader Chairman Mao also passed away. Careful individuals once again leafed through the history of the Chairman's lifelong military career, only to discover with astonishment: from the time the Chairman took power at the Zunyi Conference in 1935 until his passing in 1976, it was precisely 41 years in power, and the year he passed away was precisely his 83rd year. The mystery of '8341' was finally solved.

Of course, these were all folk legends—legendary adaptations born from the common people's boundless affection for the Chairman. Years later, relevant leaders of the Central Guard Regiment specifically stepped forward to clarify the historical facts: the code name 8341 was simply a military sequence number assigned to the Central Guard Regiment by the General Staff Department; there was no such thing as Chairman Mao visiting a Daoist during the Long March, and other rumors circulating in society regarding the 8341 number were likewise groundless.

Yet Chiang Kai-shek at the time believed it completely: "Go find this living Buddha. You understand my meaning, right?"

Dai Li immediately said, "Principal, your student has been searching for him all along, but just hasn't found him yet, which is why I haven't reported it to you!"

Chiang Kai-shek nodded and smiled. He held this prized disciple, who had risen from the ranks of street ruffians, in high regard because Dai Li could always think what he thought and worry what he worried. For Chiang Kai-shek's sake, Dai Li was willing to sacrifice everything. Especially during the Xi'an Incident, when He Yingqin and others plotted to do away with Chiang Kai-shek, Dai Li disregarded his personal safety and resolutely followed Song Meiling to Xi'an, writing his final testament at the place of his detention: "Coming here to meet my doom is truly what my ambition desires; my only regret is not seeing the leader die, which leaves me unsatisfied!" By doing so, he won Chiang Kai-shek's trust completely. Outsiders universally referred to Dai Li as 'Chiang Kai-shek's treasured sword.'

"However, your student has indeed found another master!" Dai Li said.

"Wei Qianli?"

Dai Li shook his head.

"Yuan Shushan?"

Dai Li still shook his head, then stated: "It is the 'Mr. Tieban' renowned as the premier fortune-telling master of the Jianghuai region!"

Upon hearing this, Chiang Kai-shek flared up: "I've heard this fellow has entanglements with Wang Yaqiao!"

Dai Li was momentarily stunned: "Principal, the flaws do not obscure the virtues! He is, after all, a usable talent! Not long ago, he even dismantled the Japanese spy network in Zhoushan."

Chiang Kai-shek nodded: "Is this news about dismantling the spy network reliable?"

"It should be reliable. The sounds of cannon fire echoing from the Zhoushan archipelago are reportedly related to this..."

"What do you mean by 'should be reliable'? Reliable is reliable! Unreliable is unreliable!" Chiang Kai-shek interrupted Dai Li.

"Yes, Principal! Your student will go investigate right now!" Although he said this aloud, in his heart he felt completely unsure. Infiltrating a Japanese spy organization was easier said than done.

Chiang Kai-shek looked at Dai Li and said, "You should meet him first. Toward this kind of pugilistic outlaw who gets mixed up with Wang Yaqiao, you must exercise extreme caution!"

Dai Li proclaimed loudly, "Yes!" and turned to depart.

In order to track down the Patriarch, Dai Li had exhausted all his ingenuity. Eventually, Feng Siyuan, who worked under Dai Li, suddenly thought of Jiang Feiyan. Although he still did not know that Jiang Feiyan and the Patriarch were fellow disciples of the 'River-Phase Faction,' he figured that since they were both in the business of fortune-telling and wandering the Jianghuai underworld, they surely would have heard of him.

Feng Siyuan asked Jiang Feiyan, "Do you know about 'Mr. Tieban' of Jianghuai?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Feiyan felt a jolt inside: "Um... I've heard a little." She knew she could not claim ignorance; doing so would sound too fake and instead expose her flaws.

"Then can you find him?" Feng Siyuan pressed.

Jiang Feiyan pondered for a moment and said, "When my late master was still alive, he once crossed paths with this person. He is a successor of the Tiebuzi Daoist sect, while my master belonged to the Maoshan Shangqing school. As fellow Daoists, they had dealings with each other. However, this person's whereabouts are erratic, and those seeking instruction from the Jianghuai underworld are numerous. He also travels frequently, but I will try."

"Thank you, Miss Jiang," Feng Siyuan said playfully.

"Such audacity!" Jiang Feiyan shot him a sideways glance.

Soon enough, Jiang Feiyan informed the Patriarch of this matter, asking whether he was willing to meet them.

Toward the secret agents of the Military Statistics Bureau, the Patriarch had always harbored a bone-deep hatred, especially after they had murdered Ninth Master. Hearing the words 'Military Statistics Bureau' alone was enough to make the Patriarch's eyes turn red.

"Fortune-tell for Military Statistics agents? Dai Li just killed Ninth Master!" the Patriarch said.

"But the waves the Patriarch has been stirring up are far too massive; Dai Li has already set his sights on you," Jiang Feiyan said with deep concern.

"Sister Yan, the Southern Faction has had entanglements with the imperial court since ancient times—that is the rule of survival, whereas the Eastern Faction has always stayed out in the wilds. If I meet Dai Li, I fear it might implicate the entire 'River-Phase Faction' down the road, and by then we probably won't be able to handle the fallout. Look at Master Liu of the Western Faction; he was almost executed by Liu Xiang. When it comes to dealing with the Kuomintang, we are still a bit too green. Right now, the Kuomintang still does not know that there is a 'River-Phase Faction' standing behind us, nor do they know that we are all swindlers, nor do they know that Qin Baitian, Qian Yuelin, you, and I—the four great fortune-tellers—belong to the same family despite being scattered across the four cardinal directions. If this information is exposed, the entire 'River-Phase Faction' will not be far from destruction!"

Jiang Feiyan looked at the Patriarch and suddenly asked, "Patriarch, are we swindlers?"

The Patriarch was momentarily stunned.

Jiang Feiyan continued: "We are not swindlers! The Patriarch is thoroughly versed in the Eight Characters, the Six Yao, and Feng Shui, and I have also inherited Niang's arts of summoning wind and rain. Having struggled and crawled through the mud for so many years, we long ago forged genuine skills; our abilities are far superior to those fortune-tellers on the street corners! It's just that our mission of robbing the rich to help the poor and upholding justice on behalf of heaven requires us to rely on setting up scams to make a living in addition to using our real skills. We have to make big money so we can relieve more poor people—this is our mission. Other people use the banner of fortune-telling to swindle money, while we wear the cloak of swindlers to do good deeds. Who on earth is the swindler?"

Jiang Feiyan's words sent tumultuous waves crashing through the Patriarch's heart. Over so many years, through all the storms and trials, setting up scams, navigating the blurred lines between truth and falsehood, and brushing shoulders with death time and again, he had almost forgotten that he was a good person.

After freezing in place for a long while, the Patriarch said, "But the people from the Military Statistics Bureau are looking for me for essentially two reasons: first, to inquire about personal fortunes and misfortunes, and second, to calculate the war's outcome. Can such matters be calculated casually? We truly haven't reached that realm. China is not lacking in capable people, but it's not us."

"The Patriarch is mistaken! Originally, I was still hesitating over whether to let the Patriarch meet them, but just now I suddenly figured it out: the Patriarch must meet them. Once you meet them, the 'River-Phase Faction' will be safe!" Jiang Feiyan blinked her eyes and said.

The Patriarch was stunned once more: "What do you mean by that?"

Jiang Feiyan leaned in closer and whispered a few words into the Patriarch's ear.

Upon hearing this, the Patriarch burst into loud laughter: "Sister Yan is truly worthy of being the Southern Faction's Senior Elder; you are deeply versed in the subtleties of officialdom. I am impressed, highly impressed!"

Jiang Feiyan's face flushed red: "The Patriarch is making fun of me again."