A Prophet - Chapter 4 (Part 5)

Chapter 5 - The Fortuneteller's Beauty Trap

According to the plan, Hua Yuerong was to introduce Grandfather to Xu Huaijin on the anniversary of her father's death. After several days of intimacy, Xu Huaijin and Hua Yuerong had reached the point where they could talk about anything without reservation. Using the menstrual cloth prepared in advance by the bound-foot messengers, Hua Yuerong also cleverly reinforced the lie regarding her virginity.

Before the introduction, Hua Yuerong repeatedly urged Xu Huaijin, "Make sure you don't say you're a military officer. Under normal circumstances, ordinary people like us have no opportunity to come into contact with high-ranking Military Statistics Bureau officials. If that gentleman finds out that I became a courtesan in a pleasure house and the news reaches my mother's ears, it will surely break her heart! I've always told my mother that I work as a helper in a restaurant, and that I have to work night shifts to wash all those plates and bowls."

Xu Huaijin nodded and said, "I'll just say I'm a merchant and a friend of your late father."

This was actually a feint—attacking the East while striking the West. Only by having Xu Huaijin conceal his true identity first, so that Grandfather could subsequently expose it, would Grandfather appear truly profound in his mastery! On the surface, Hua Yuerong proposed this strategy to protect her own background, but its actual purpose was to lower Xu Huaijin's guard.

Dressed in a long, flowing gown, Xu Huaijin met with Grandfather at a restaurant under the guise of a tea merchant.

As soon as he sat down, he humbly said, "I have long admired your esteemed name, sir. Meeting you today reveals that you truly possess the ethereal bones of an immortal—the reputation is well deserved."

Grandfather chuckled. "You flatter me, sir. I am merely a common person struggling to survive in a chaotic world; how can I be said to have an esteemed name?"

Xu Huaijin smiled and said, "You are being too modest, sir. I am fortunate to have been introduced by Miss Hua, otherwise I would never have had the honor of meeting you." With that, he slid a slip of paper across the table. "These are my birth characters. I must trouble you to take a look, sir."

Grandfather took the slip, examined the characters, fell silent for a moment, and suddenly asked, "Sir, do you understand the Three Fundamental Bonds and the Five Constant Virtues?"

The question left Xu Huaijin completely baffled. Feeling a bit apprehensive, he asked, "Sir... what do you mean by this?"

Grandfather replied, "The Three Bonds are: the ruler guides the subject, the father guides the son, and the husband guides the wife. The Five Constants are: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. Since you are utterly lacking in trustworthiness, what else is there for us to discuss?"

Xu Huaijin started in surprise. "Where is such a claim coming from?"

Grandfather smiled. "Yue'er told me you were a tea merchant, but upon examining your birth characters, I see you are certainly no businessman. A merchant would never carry a birth chart like this!"

Cold sweat began to bead on Xu Huaijin's forehead. He asked, "This... then according to my birth characters, what kind of profession should I be engaged in?"

Grandfather said, "Your birth chart features an extraordinary structural pattern. With the Three Marvels converging in support and the official and killing stars aligning in harmony, this is the destiny of a general or a prime minister—a birth chart destined for high official rank!"

This opening strike was a brilliant combination of deception and pressure, delivering the blow and building prestige simultaneously to secure total victory in a single move.

Unable to conceal his inner joy, Xu Huaijin asked, "May I ask, sir, just how high of a rank can I attain? I am currently at a critical juncture in my promotion, and I wonder if I can defeat my competitors. Please enlighten me, sir."

Grandfather laughed. "As a tea merchant, how could you ever have the opportunity for promotion?"

Xu Huaijin's face flushed. "Forgive me, sir! I am indeed not a tea merchant, but rather an official serving in the government. A few days ago, I happened to encounter Miss Hua in a pleasure house. She was driven by life's hardships to fall into such a place, and we fell in love at first sight, which is how I managed to arrange this meeting with you. Miss Hua was afraid that if you learned of these circumstances, word might reach her mother, which is why she resorted to this stratagem."

Grandfather shook his head helplessly. "The misfortunes of the Hua family were well within my expectations. I warned her father years ago, but he refused to listen..."

Xu Huaijin lowered his head in thought for a moment, then sighed, "Ah, everyone has their own destiny; you needn't blame yourself, sir. Actually, I also possess a modest understanding of the Four Pillars and physiognomy. I wonder what high insights you hold regarding Chinese numerology?"

Hearing this, Grandfather realized there was more to his words. Smiling, he replied, "The Book of Changes aligns with heaven and earth, perfectly encompassing the Way of heaven and earth. The study of the Changes prizes clarity of principles; without clear principles, the more one studies, the more confused one becomes!"

Xu Huaijin said, "You are entirely right, sir. I happen to have a few questions that I haven't been able to figure out. Though I've pondered them for many days, I still cannot find peace of mind. Please bestow your teachings upon me without reservation, sir."

Grandfather said, "Please speak."

Xu Huaijin said, "First is the matter of physiognomy. Ancient texts often state that a full forehead and a rounded chin signify a blessed visage. Yet when I look at the throngs of mediocre people filling the streets, many of them also possess full foreheads and rounded chins; why are they consigned to such lowly stations? Furthermore, physiognomy manuals often claim that one can discern a person's wealth through their nose—that a prominent, high-bridged nose with full flesh indicates a destiny of great wealth. Yet I frequently see that rickshaw pullers and dock laborers have prominent noses, and yet they remain toiling and impoverished. How is this to be explained?"

Grandfather burst into hearty laughter. "You are quite mistaken, sir! If you continue down this path of thinking, I fear you will become a laughingstock in the future! Physiognomy ultimately relies on the methods of the Five Elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The forehead, chin, Three Zones, and Five Sacred Mountains are merely figurative expressions of the locations corresponding to the Five Elements. The essence of the Five Elements lies in their harmonious interflow; evaluating a single feature in isolation determines neither good nor misfortune. Examining the facial features in combination is the correct approach. Have you not seen how Zhu Yuanzhang possessed a horse-like face and a donkey-like mouth? Viewed individually, every single facial feature appeared ferocious and monstrous. Yet when combined, his features happened to shelter the wind, gather water, and allow the Five Elements to flow unimpeded. Consequently, he unified the realm to establish his hegemony and ascended to the supreme throne of the Nine-Five. By the same token, looking solely at a person's nose without analyzing how the other palaces complement it makes it impossible to accurately judge wealth and misfortune. Moreover, a single nose is divided into four distinct sections: the root of the nose, the upper year, the life span, and the tip. If you only look for height and fleshy fullness without distinguishing the straightness or the skin's luster, how can you render an accurate judgment? The study of the Changes values harmonious integration: Jiang Ziya stripped the dregs from the Art of War of Taigong to create the Mysterious Arts of the Qi Men Dun Jia; Xu Ziping remedied the shortcomings of Li Xuzhong's Three Pillars to invent the Four Pillars; and Shao Yong broke through the traditional order of the Eight Trigrams to formulate the Supreme Principles Governing the World. Those who study the Changes without understanding Yin and Yang, and without pursuing dialectical reasoning, are nothing more than mediocre talents!"

This was Grandfather launching an offensive. As the saying goes, "Strike fiercely and fleece slowly." Seizing upon the flaws in Xu Huaijin's theoretical understanding, Grandfather poured forth a torrent of explanations in a single continuous breath, striking with such force that Xu Huaijin had no choice but to throw himself down in utter admiration.

This demonstrated Grandfather's genuine expertise. Con artists generally fell into two categories: those who relied entirely on deception, and those who possessed actual, hard skills. Con artists never studied the true Book of Changes; if they simply muddled through until old age, they remained mere low-level foot soldiers. Where did genuine skills come from? First, from generational transmission among guild elders; second, from visiting accomplished masters hidden among the common people. In his early years, Grandfather had inherited basic knowledge of the Book of Changes from Zhang Dancheng, and subsequently paid frequent visits to various prominent sages of the Republican era, synthesizing their teachings and reaping a wealth of genuine knowledge.

Grandfather had once instructed us: Every form of fortune-telling derived from the Book of Changes ultimately hinges upon adaptability and versatility.

Much like palmistry and physiognomy, ordinary people only knew that "this person has a well-formed nose—high and straight," or "that person has wonderful eyes—phoenix eyes," or "this person has a wonderful hand—soft and supple palms." Little did they know that true physiognomy required "the harmonious coordination of the Five Elements, uniting both physical form and inner spirit."

What was meant by the coordination of the Five Elements? Grandfather had once explained: Human organs correspond to the Five Elements—the eyes belong to fire, the ears and mouth belong to water, the cheekbones belong to metal, the nose belongs to earth, and the head and eyebrows belong to wood. The Five Elements engage in mutual generation and restriction. If any single organ is excessively large or overly small, it creates an imbalance in the body's elemental qi. For example, if the nose is overly large while the dual cheekbones are flat and the chin is small, the nose will appear exceptionally abrupt upon the face. Since the nose belongs to earth, an excess of earth buries metal, extinguishes water, and suppresses fire. When the nose overwhelms the cheekbones with the sheer force of Mount Tai, crushing the nasolabial grooves and the chin, this manifests as a fiercely inauspicious visage. Therefore, a person's fortune does not depend on whether an individual organ looks aesthetically pleasing, but rather on the overall harmony among all facial features—this is what is called the "coordination of the Five Elements." Palmistry operated on the exact same principle. The quality of a palm reading did not rely solely on a few major palm lines; while the lines were certainly important—the life line needed to be deep, the money-gathering lines distinct, the heart line steady, and the wisdom line penetrating—the overall hand shape, thickness, and moisture of the palm demanded even closer scrutiny. Hand shapes were categorized into five types: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Furthermore, the Eight Trigrams were mapped across the palm, divided into the eight palaces of Qian, Kun, Zhen, Li, Dui, Xun Kan, and Gen. The palaces had to match the hand shape without clashing, and the palm lines had to correspond with the palaces without harmful penalties. As the saying went: "The palm shape and the Eight Trigrams serve as the master and the sovereign; the lines and skin luster serve as the assistant and the minister." First observe the palm shape, then inspect the lines; when the Five Elements harmonize, destiny can be measured.

What was meant by uniting physical form and inner spirit? Chinese physiognomy originated in the pre-Qin era and took shape during the Qin and Han dynasties. Chapter 20 of Chinese history records an incident where Zeng Guofan was taking a stroll in his courtyard when three job seekers arrived to apply for positions at his residence. The moment those three individuals stood there—before they even had a chance to speak—Zeng Guofan merely glanced at them and remarked to Li Honggang, "The man on the left can be given minor tasks; the man in the middle must not be used at all; the man on the right can be entrusted with major responsibilities." Zeng Guofan arrived at this definitive conclusion based solely on their standing posture and the light in their eyes. Subsequent history fully verified Zeng Guofan's judgment, for the man on the right was none other than Liu Mingchuan, who later became the illustrious first governor of Taiwan. Before his death, Zeng Guofan compiled his research on physiognomy into a book titled Ice Mirror—the very textbook currently studied by Xu Huaijin and his peers.

Standing before Grandfather, Xu Huaijin was still a novice, yet he refused to give up and posed another highly challenging question in the realm of numerology: "Sir, from your perspective, what is the accuracy rate of birth-chart destiny prediction?"

Upon hearing this, Grandfather smiled slightly and said, "As I mentioned earlier, a birth chart is, at its core, a person's birth date and time, composed of four groups of heavenly stems and earthly branches corresponding to the year, month, day, and hour of birth. Each group contains two characters, making eight characters in total—hence the term 'Eight Characters' (Ba Zi). Because it is constituted by the four pillars of year, month, day, and hour, it is also called the 'Four Pillars,' and birth-chart fortune-telling is likewise known as Four Pillars fortune-telling. It was originally founded by Li Xuzhong, a imperial scholar of the Tang dynasty, but at that time it was only Three Pillars fortune-telling, which accounted solely for a person's birth year, month, and day without factoring in the birth hour. By the Song dynasty, Xu Ziping recognized the deficiencies of Three Pillars destiny analysis and expanded it into Four Pillars, incorporating a person's birth hour into the calculation. Only then did birth-chart fortune-telling truly take its complete form, and in honor of Xu Ziping's monumental contribution, it is also respectfully known as the Art of Ziping.

"The reason for this historic leap forward was that Xu Ziping considered the fact that far too many people were born in the exact same year, month, and day. If the birth hour were not factored into the equation, people born on the same calendar day would share all three pillars and thus be destined to live identical lives—which is obviously absurd! By incorporating the birth hour, individuals born on the same day were further subdivided across the twelve double-hours. Differences in the hour would lead to differing fortunes, allowing for a much more detailed and accurate analysis. But is this system therefore perfect? Absolutely not! There are still countless people born during the exact same double-hour whose birth charts are completely identical. Do their destinies run parallel? Of course not! Therefore, in my view, if one could further refine the birth hour down to a specific quarter-hour, the precision would advance to an even higher tier. Of course, at that point, it would no longer be Eight-Character fortune-telling, but Ten-Character fortune-telling! Naturally, this calculation has only accounted for the temporal factor while omitting the spatial factor. A person's geographical birth environment also exerts a profound influence on their destiny. Just think, at this very moment, how many people are being born across the vast expanse of China? These individuals share the same birth chart, yet their environments differ immensely. Some are born in the humid, warm regions south of the Yangtze River, while others enter the world in the freezing, bitter cold of the northern frontiers. Their terrain, sunlight, and climate all vary, so their destinies naturally cannot be the same! Thus, in my estimation, the birth chart merely provides a general outline; only when combined with Feng Shui and physiognomy can predictions achieve true precision!"

When Grandfather finished speaking, he quietly observed Xu Huaijin. Thoroughly subdued, Xu Huaijin stood up, executed a deep, formal bow, and said, "Sir, you possess a profound mastery of the principles of the Changes and your learning spans past and present. I am deeply impressed, truly impressed!"

After speaking, he pondered for a moment before offering another deep bow to Grandfather. "Sir, I have a personal petition and beg for your guidance."

Grandfather calmly replied, "Please state it, sir."

Xu Huaijin said, "The department where I serve is undergoing a restructuring of its organizational structure in the near future, and I am eager to advance further. I wonder if you might deploy your Daoist arts to assist me, sir. I will certainly offer a generous reward in return!"

Grandfather fell into deep contemplation, followed by a heavy sigh.

Seeing this, Xu Huaijin hurriedly pressed, "Why do you sigh, sir? Does my destiny chart contain inauspicious portents? Or is it..."

Grandfather said, "Those who study the Changes prize absolute candor. I must tell you the truth, sir."

Xu Huaijin said, "Indeed, please speak freely, sir!"

Grandfather said, "This year, your destiny is plagued by malicious petty people who are constantly undermining you behind your back, giving you no peace of mind!"

Xu Huaijin exclaimed, "Spot on! They are utterly ungrateful scoundrels who act like sworn brothers to your face while stabbing you in the back. They are utterly hateful! Hateful!"

All of this intelligence had been relayed by Hua Yuerong. During their intimate moments following their romantic trysts over the past few days, Xu Huaijin would pull Hua Yuerong into his embrace and bitterly curse the deceit and treachery of his colleagues in the Military Statistics Bureau. In truth, even without Hua Yuerong passing along these details, Grandfather could have easily guessed most of it. The personnel within the Military Statistics Bureau were unevenly trained, mixed with both upright and unsavory elements, and engaged in fierce internal cutthroat competition—this was hardly a secret anymore. The beauty of this scam lay entirely in the fact that the victim was trapped within the maze. While Xu Huaijin spent every waking hour scheming to guard against the machinations of his colleagues, he never suspected that an intricate trap had been laid for him from outside the bureau.

Grandfather continued, "If you wish to rise smoothly through the ranks and be promoted by a grade, you must accomplish two tasks. Otherwise, not only will promotion elude you, but you will also face official calamity."

Xu Huaijin quickly asked, "What two tasks? Please instruct me, sir!"

Hesitating as if reluctant to speak, Grandfather shook his head, sighed once more, and muttered to himself, "No, this is impossible."

Xu Huaijin began to grow anxious. "Please speak without hesitation, sir. Whatever the cost may be—"

Grandfather smiled. "It's not a matter of money, it's... you also study Daoist arts, so I wonder if you have ever heard of the doctrine of harvesting Yin to nourish Yang?"

Hearing this, Xu Huaijin blushed. "This... this I have heard of. It is the method of achieving a balance of Yin and Yang through the union of man and woman, as mentioned in the Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold. What do you mean by this, sir?"

Grandfather said, "The essence of this method lies in taking the primordial Yin of a virgin to nourish the acquired Yang of a man. Your birth chart's Four Pillars are purely Yang, meaning your Yang energy is overly excessive. This year happens to be a year overflowing with vigorous Yang energy; at the extreme peak of Yang, decline inevitably sets in. You must find a virgin maiden to engage in union with you, thereby harmonizing Yin and Yang, and your official rank will be within your grasp. However, matters of romance must be entirely consensual; you must never resort to coercion, for that would violate heavenly principles, rendering the endeavor worse than not doing it at all!"

Hearing this, joy welled up inside Xu Huaijin's heart. "Truly, Heaven is assisting me! Yue'er is a virgin!" But keeping these thoughts to himself, he maintained a righteous, moral demeanor as he replied, "Indeed, indeed. You are entirely right, sir; such matters cannot be forced. How could one ruin an innocent family's daughter out of selfish desires? I shall search for her slowly. If Heaven aids me, I will surely encounter her; if Heaven does not, I will accept my fate." Though he spoke thus, his heart was already soaring with joy.

Watching this pathetic display, Grandfather chuckled inwardly. He continued, "Furthermore, if heaven is kind in the future and you do encounter such a woman, you must remember this: after the act of intimacy, you must instruct the female party to avoid going near water for one full year, otherwise her life will be in mortal peril!"

Xu Huaijin started in alarm. "What do you mean by that?"

Grandfather explained, "Once a woman's primordial Yin energy is completely expended, she requires a slow and gradual recovery. To give an analogy, she is like a tender sprout beneath a scorching sun: baked for days on end, completely drained of moisture, and tormented by extreme thirst, she desperately needs water at that moment—yet it must be a gentle, trickling stream that slowly moistens her. If a torrential flood is poured over her all at once, not only will it fail to save her life, but it will provoke a fatal backlash instead. That woman is destined to encounter an ultimate trial of Yin following her intimacy; she must stay far away from great rivers and vast waters, otherwise her life will be in jeopardy! Remember this well—never forget it!"

Hearing this, Xu Huaijin broke out in a cold sweat. "How terrifying! I have committed this to memory, sir! You mentioned earlier that there were two tasks, and the second one is..."

Grandfather smiled gently. "The second task is quite simple, and it involves no loss of life—it is purely an act of accumulating goodness and virtue. Your birth chart features an overwhelming and fierce fire element, which requires damp earth to rein in its blaze. The twelve earthly branches each correspond to an animal sign: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, and the pig. Among these twelve animals, the ox belongs to damp earth within the Five Elements. You can procure fifty head of cattle—the great evolutionary number of fiftying heaven and earth—to keep in an enclosure. Do not make them labor in the fields or suffer the whipping of men, nor slaughter them for meat. Simply feed them daily with grass and fodder until they pass away of natural old age. If you can fulfill this wish, not only will your official career flourish smoothly, but your lifespan will also be notably extended!"

Xu Huaijin asked, "How so?"

Grandfather replied, "All sentient beings within the Six Realms possess spiritual awareness. Cattle are associated with the characters for prison enclosures and dogs with judicial cells—look at the structure of those characters, with the ox trapped in an enclosure and the dog standing by a cell. Those who slaughter and consume these two animals never meet a good end; they live short lives and fall into hell upon death. By not only sparing them from slaughter but actively rescuing them, your lifespan will naturally increase and your official fortunes will soar!"

Xu Huaijin suddenly understood, enlightened. "Your compassion is boundless, sir; I hold you in the highest respect! However, in these turbulent times, gathering fifty head of cattle to raise in an enclosure is... is no easy feat."

Grandfather nodded. "Where there's a will, there's a way. You can send your subordinates to check out the livestock markets. But there is one condition: the transactions must be honest, and you must never seize them by force, otherwise you will be creating bad karma!"

Xu Huaijin nodded repeatedly. "Rest assured, sir! Thank you for your guidance!" With that, he produced a thick stack of banknotes and attempted to present them to Grandfather.

Grandfather waved a hand. "There is no need. When you achieve success and fame in the future, it will not be too late to thank me then."

Xu Huaijin was utterly speechless with awe.

In truth, the livestock markets during the Republican era were already sluggish, and following the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, they became even more depressed. To execute this scam, Zhang Enrui had dispatched dozens of bound-foot agents over the course of a month to travel through towns and villages across the Jianghuai region to purchase young calves. The cost of calves was relatively lower than mature cattle, keeping expenses manageable. Later, seeing that the deadline was approaching and unable to worry about costs anymore, they began purchasing mature cattle as well, and eventually resorted to stealing them outright. In the end, just in time for Grandfather's operation, they managed to gather several dozen cattle. Then they had the con artists disguise themselves as cattle dealers, leading the calves to stroll through nearby livestock markets every day. At the same time, they contacted local gangsters to temporarily drive away the local "donkey-butt pokers" from the market stalls, allowing their own con artists to infiltrate the market and fill those roles.

"Donkey-butt poker" was underworld slang for the middlemen operating between buyers and sellers in livestock markets. Because buyers and sellers did not know each other, and the waters in the livestock market ran deep—fraught with complex underworld jargon and scams—neither party dared to negotiate directly. Over time, an intermediary group emerged to coordinate relations between buyers and sellers, balancing their interests and taking a commission once a deal was struck.

By having the con artists act as these middlemen, both the sellers and the intermediaries ended up being their own people, allowing them to maximize their profits.

Skilled as Xu Huaijin was at gathering intelligence on people, he was a total layman when it came to the livestock market, and he paid no attention to such matters during ordinary times.

During that period, livestock market conditions fluctuated wildly, and prices climbed higher and higher. Xu Huaijin had to expend a massive chunk of his secret agent operational funds just to barely scrape together fifty cattle. He fenced off a plot of land on the outskirts of town and hired a few laborers to feed and care for them daily. After all of this was completed, he found the whole ordeal laughable. Lying in bed at night chatting with Hua Yuerong, he remarked, "Yue'er, don't you think this is utterly absurd? If word of this got out, people would laugh their teeth off."

Hua Yuerong replied, "What's so absurd about it? When matters of destiny are concerned, it is better to believe they exist than to believe they don't. My late father refused to listen to this gentleman, which is why our family was ruined and our household destroyed. If we're talking about absurdity, you government officials are the truly absurd ones. Didn't you say yourself that your superior, that Director Dai, has changed his name over a dozen times, and that Chairman Chiang always examines the Feng Shui before establishing military camps wherever he goes?"

"Alright, alright, my little ancestor, don't speak of these things to outsiders; they are all classified secrets." Xu Huaijin interrupted Hua Yuerong, pulling her into his embrace as the two grew affectionate.

Suddenly recalling Grandfather's strict warning, Xu Huaijin hurriedly told Hua Yuerong, "Yue'er, you must not go anywhere near the river this year. The master said you must wait until next summer before you can approach water."

Hua Yuerong smiled. "Are you afraid I'll drown?"

Xu Huaijin scolded, "Don't talk nonsense! What's this talk about dying? Such bad luck!"

Little did he know that, according to the plan orchestrated by Zhang Enrui and Grandfather, Hua Yuerong had to "die" once; otherwise, she could never make a clean break, and the scam would easily unravel. Thus, while Xu Huaijin was away on official business in a neighboring town, Hua Yuerong went shopping with Xu Huaijin's female servant. Claiming she was pregnant and wanted to buy carp at the riverside fish market to release them for good karma, hoping that her and Xu Huaijin's future child would successfully "leap over the dragon gate," she ignored the servant's frantic protests and insisted on going anyway.

Zhang Enrui had already arranged for bound-foot agents to lie in wait at the fish market. That day, the river happened to be experiencing a high tide. Just as Hua Yuerong and the maid stood by the riverbank releasing the fish, a sudden commotion broke out in the market as if someone were fighting over a fish. From out of nowhere, a crowd surged forward, shouting and shoving wildly. Both Hua Yuerong and the maid were knocked into the churning river current. By the time the maid was rescued and pulled ashore, Hua Yuerong had long since vanished beneath the roaring waters.

Rolling and crawling, the frantic maid rushed back home to desperately call Xu Huaijin. He rushed back like a madman, but facing the rushing river, everything was too late, and everything was gone. Standing alone by the bank, he cried until his tears ran completely dry, feeling a grief so profound he wished he were dead.

For months on end, Xu Huaijin remained utterly listless. Every single expression and smile of Hua Yuerong was deeply engraved in his mind. With Hua Yuerong gone, she had taken his heart along with her. Every day he would wander down to the riverbank for a spell, and at night, lying in bed staring at the empty ceiling, he would reminisce about every day and night he had shared with Hua Yuerong, his eyes inevitably welling up with warm tears whenever emotional memories surfaced.

He resolved to properly care for Hua Yuerong's "mother" in the future, fulfilling his promise to "Yue'er." How could he have known that the "mother" would likewise find the agony of losing her daughter too much to bear and would also "throw herself into the river to commit suicide"?

The scam had reached its conclusion, and everyone was preparing to withdraw—leaving behind the fifty cattle, which continued to graze on the grass of their own accord, while Xu Huaijin was left with nothing.

After returning to the guild headquarters, Hua Yuerong and the elderly con artist went into hiding for a few days, during which Zhang Enrui and Grandfather hosted a celebration banquet for them.

Having been separated for so long, Zhang Enrui genuinely missed Hua Yuerong. After the meal, he kept her behind and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Yue'er, this victory is entirely thanks to you."

Hua Yuerong offered a bitter, hollow smile. "Why has Big Master suddenly grown so polite? You're going to break this humble one's spirit."

Zhang Enrui said, "Yue'er, do you know what I plan to do with all the wealth we've milked from this operation?"

Hua Yuerong replied, "Isn't it all to secure the livelihood of the brothers in the guild?"

Zhang Enrui smiled. "Well, you could say that, but this time we are planning for the brothers' long-term livelihood."

Hua Yuerong asked in surprise, "Long-term?"

Zhang Enrui said, "That's right. This will be our very last job!"

Hua Yuerong gasped in shock. "The last?"

Zhang Enrui said, "Didn't you always ask me when I would marry you so we could leave all these rights and wrongs behind and live a happy, peaceful life? We are finally going to leave behind all these rights and wrongs, abandon this lifestyle, and embrace a brand-new, upright existence under the sun."

Startled, Hua Yuerong sat upright from Zhang Enrui's arms. "How can I make sense of what you're saying?"

Zhang Enrui said, "A swindler's life is no permanent solution. Ever since Ninth Brother died, I've planned to wash my hands clean of this. I am going to defect to Li Jishen to join the resistance against Japan. All the money we've extorted this time will be used to purchase firearms. In a couple of days, I'll lay the cards on the table with everyone: those who want to follow me, I will take; those who don't, we will part ways... I am going to take you with me, treat you right from now on, and marry you properly with full public ceremonies..." At this point, Zhang Enrui tightly grasped Hua Yuerong's hand, his eyes growing moist.

Hua Yuerong fell silent.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy? We are finally walking the righteous path, and you are about to become my wife. From now on, you'll never have to live in fear again," Zhang Enrui said, looking affectionately into Hua Yuerong's eyes.

Hua Yuerong answered in a heavy tone, "Happy, I am happy."

Slowly unfastening Hua Yuerong's garments, Zhang Enrui leaned over her...

Once a woman's heart has changed, everything in the bed turns sour. This feeling defies easy description, yet it is unmistakable. After finishing, Zhang Enrui propped himself up against the head of the bed, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, slowly exhaled the smoke, and said, "Something is wrong with you."

Hua Yuerong neither argued nor spoke. After a long silence, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Zhang Enrui said, "You are still caught in the trap."

Hua Yuerong offered another bitter smile. "Aren't we always caught in the trap every single day?"

Zhang Enrui took another drag of his cigarette and blew out a ring of smoke that drifted upward, spinning in circles. Both remained silent, leaving the room in profound stillness. After a long while, Zhang Enrui spoke: "Just say it. Spit it out."

Biting her lower lip and hesitating for a moment, Hua Yuerong kept her head bowed and stammered, "Can I... live on my own? I don't want anything, and I promise I won't say a word to anyone."

Zhang Enrui's hand trembled, dropping a long column of cigarette ash onto the floor. Another long silence fell. Hua Yuerong kept her head lowered. After a moment, Zhang Enrui said haltingly, "All these years... you've suffered plenty of hardships following me... If that's your choice, as long as it doesn't jeopardize my grand undertaking, I... will let you go."

Hua Yuerong abruptly raised her head, stared straight into Zhang Enrui's eyes, and asked, "You're willing to let me go?"

Zhang Enrui furrowed his brows tightly and remained silent.

Hua Yuerong suddenly dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, "Please let me go! Please let me go! I swear on my life I will never breathe a word of these things to anyone! I'll take these secrets with me to my grave and never speak of them as long as I live! All I ask is to be with him—I only ask to be with him!"

Zhang Enrui stood frozen, staring at Hua Yuerong for a long, heavy moment before finally saying, "Get up, get up. Let's talk calmly. Tell me what this is all about, and I'll grant you your release."

Hua Yuerong looked at Zhang Enrui in bewilderment. A faint smile touched Zhang Enrui's lips as he said, "Don't be afraid. Tell me."

Hardening her resolve, Hua Yuerong poured out everything that had been buried deep within her heart from beginning to end. She recounted how sincerely Xu Huaijin had treated her, how she had found herself falling helplessly in love with him, speaking for a long, long time... Finally, she wept, "It is I who have wronged you. It is I who have wronged you. This time, I can no longer walk out of the trap—I can never walk out. I will never reveal these secrets, absolutely never! The guild is about to scatter, and I won't stand in the way of your grand enterprise; I only beg you to let me go!"

Zhang Enrui listened quietly, without a single trace of expression on his face, before finally asking in a soft whisper, "So... you really have fallen in love with him?"

Hua Yuerong nodded deeply. Zhang Enrui closed his eyes, and tears slid down his cheeks.

Without a word, Hua Yuerong silently backed out of Zhang Enrui's room, returned to her own quarters, retrieved brush and ink, and penned a letter she knew would never be mailed. Placing the finished letter beneath her pillow, she combed her hair before the mirror, lay down upon the bed, and closed her eyes in peace, resting her head atop that letter.

Before dawn, a single gunshot shattered the quiet night sky, and Hua Yuerong was dead. No one ever knew whether Zhang Enrui acted out of consideration for his grand enterprise or out of personal resentment; in any case, he had killed the woman he loved with his own hands. Even more crucially, no one ever knew whether Hua Yuerong was truly asleep when she died. She simply lay there in such quiet stillness; perhaps she had heard Zhang Enrui's footsteps, and perhaps she had even heard the metallic click of his finger squeezing the trigger. She did not dodge, nor was there anywhere left for her to hide—vast though the world was, there was no place within it that could shelter her.

Years later, whenever Grandfather spoke of this scam, he would always sigh deeply. Who was righteous, and who was wicked? Who was trapped inside the game, and who stood outside it? Grandfather could not say for sure, Zhang Enrui could not say either, and Xu Huaijin could certainly never explain it. Hua Yuerong was gone, carrying away a lifetime of suffering and an unbroken web of affection, departing entirely from this world.

After the Japanese army invaded, Grandfather sent men to distribute those cattle among the local villagers. During the stalemate phase of the War of Resistance, the villagers harnessed those cattle to carts to help transport wounded Chinese soldiers retreating from the front lines. Grandfather sighed with emotion: "A man feeds a cow for three years, and the cow repays the man for a lifetime. The recompense of good and evil is fundamentally so simple—why is it that human relations remain forever a tangled, unmanageable mess?"

Later, Grandfather heard that Xu Huaijin had broken ties with the Military Statistics Bureau, and as a result, he became the target of a manhunt, fleeing all the way to Hong Kong, after which he disappeared without a trace.

After swindling the wealth, Zhang Enrui recruited troops and built up his forces to contend with the Military Statistics Bureau. It was said that he successfully assassinated several of Dai Li's close confidants before eventually defecting to Li Jishen's anti-Chiang and anti-Japanese forces. Following the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance, Zhang Enrui volunteered for the front lines several times and was pierced through the chest by a bullet during the Battle of South Guangxi in 1940. Before his dying breath, he left a final wish that his ashes be shipped back to his hometown and buried beside an isolated grave named "Hua Yuerong."

This beauty trap marked the first direct confrontation between the River and Lake Sect and the Kuomintang's Military Statistics Bureau. Fortunately, the secret agents of the Military Statistics Bureau never caught on, let alone launched a counterattack. The Wind Assassin had wanted to avenge Ninth Brother, and Grandfather also wished to avenge Ninth Brother; through this method, Grandfather settled the debt for the Wind Assassin while simultaneously teaching him a profound lesson. From that day onward, the Wind Assassin understood a fundamental truth: those who achieve great things must never indulge in reckless, momentary bravery. Anyone can throw their life away—how much is a single life worth anyway?

As the influence of the Military Statistics Bureau expanded daily across China, Grandfather anticipated that a day would inevitably arrive when the River and Lake Sect and the bureau would cross paths head-on; yet he never imagined that this day would arrive so swiftly and with such unexpected suddenness.