Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Xie Yubo, seething with anger, abandoned his essay altogether; he scribbled randomly with his pen, writing insulting remarks just to make himself feel better.
Every word the tyrant speaks is false; he ordered this Imperial Astrologer to practice medicine, yet this Imperial Astrologer insists on telling fortunes.
The moment class ended, Xie Yubo’s face lit up as he pulled out a handful of talisman papers and asked, “Does anyone want to buy a talisman?”
Silence fell for an instant before the class monitor cautiously replied, “Boss, proselytizing isn’t allowed on campus.”
Xie Yubo responded, “I belong to no sect.”
Liu Fei asked, “Then what kind of talisman are you selling?”
Xie Yubo replied, “A talisman for strengthening the body and improving health.”
Liu Fei fell silent for a moment, feeling as though the words “intelligence tax” were densely written all over that talisman. Since Xie Yubo was a wealthy young master, could this single talisman be sold at an exorbitant price?
Thoughtfully, Liu Fei said, “Boss, we’re all in our final year of high school now. Considering everyone’s needs, you should sell talismans for topping the imperial examinations and achieving academic glory. I’ll definitely buy one to keep in the inner compartment of my schoolbag as a collectible.”
“Learning is an endless sea where hardship serves as the boat; there are no shortcuts to instant success.” Xie Yubo’s expression was utterly righteous. “If I sold you Top Scholar Talismans, would that be fair to other students? At most, I can help you maintain good health so you can give your all during the final sprint.”
Xie Yubo spoke with such moral conviction that Liu Fei nearly believed his talismans actually worked.
As a loyal follower, Liu Fei naturally felt compelled to support his boss’s revenue-generating efforts. “How much per talisman? I’ll buy ten,” he asked.
“Too much of a good thing can be harmful. There’s a limit of one per person, priced at one hundred yuan each, cash only.”
Class Two had many wealthy students; besides Liu Fei’s purchase, another ten or so “Yiwu Small Commodity Talismans” were sold one after another, with most buyers unconditionally supporting Xie Yubo.
Xie Yubo earned 1,200 yuan, which, added to Zheng Bin’s 5,000 and Li Jianguo’s 10, totaled 6,210 yuan. The former Imperial Astrologer planned to stash it all in an iron box under his bed.
Xie Yubo counted the remaining talismans; he needed a way to break into the upper echelons. In his previous life, transactions were settled in gold, never less than one tael at a time; he couldn’t afford to regress in this life.
Since the students’ money came from their parents, he should sell as few talismans to them as possible.
Su Changfen, the principal of No. 2 High School, was so unsettled by what he witnessed in Class Two that he wandered through the rest of his inspection in a daze.
What was going on? Even Class One, the most outstanding class, couldn’t match Class Two’s discipline during composition lessons?
Moreover, why did the students of Class Two look at him with such exceptional respect and eagerness?
Su Changfen, who due to his obesity and frequent dealings with the capitalists sponsoring the school often appeared lacking in scholarly integrity and thus struggled to earn students’ affection, suddenly received the positive feedback he had long awaited.
And that child Xie Yubo, apart from his messy handwriting, seems quite sharp. Has his autism been cured?
These two miracles left Su Changfen somewhat excited. Under his wise leadership, No. 2 High School was thriving; the prank incident in the botanical garden had even earned him praise from countless netizens for his integrity and fairness, setting him apart from other principals who merely tried to smooth things over.
Su Changfen had completely forgotten the confusion and worry he felt when Xie Chenbo had demanded he issue a statement. Passing by the botanical garden, he suddenly felt inspired and decided to go in for a look.
Since that incident, an extra lock had been added to the botanical garden, but as the principal, Su Changfen had all sorts of keys jingling at his waist.
Ancient trees towered over the garden, where weeds grew rampant and the stone path had been churned up, leaving the area in disarray. Yet the overall atmosphere remained harmonious and tranquil, making it an ideal retreat from the summer heat.
“Hey, you little rascals, leaving without even taking your trash with you,” Su Changfen muttered as he bent down to pick up a sheet of yellow paper beside the well.
It was precisely the life-preserving talisman that Xue Sibo had torn apart earlier that day.
Assuming it was merely a piece of scribbled graffiti, Su Changfen glanced around; finding no trash bin, he casually slipped it into his pocket.
After he unveiled this talisman, the wind in the botanical garden suddenly picked up.
Su Changfeng paid it no mind; he glanced upward and noticed many tree branches extending beyond the garden’s perimeter, so he called the logistics department.
“Hello, it’s me. I’ve decided to renovate the botanical garden. Some branches are too rotten and could easily snap in strong winds, posing a danger to people. Also, repair the pathways inside; I’ve already stumbled several times. This will prevent any mischievous individuals from sneaking in to scare others later. Funding?” Su Changfen cleared his throat discreetly. “I’ll take care of that. Just start preparing.”
Surely, the Xie family would offer their full support.
..
After school in the afternoon, Wang Fuyang called Xie Yubo and asked him to come over.
“Young Master, here’s your share of the profits from these past few days. Although it’s not much yet, I’m confident that if you give me three more months, once our reputation is restored, business will keep getting better.”
Wang Fuyang handed a stack of money wrapped in a red envelope to Xie Yubo with a beaming smile.
Xie Yubo pinched the red envelope and said, “This isn’t just a share of the profits; you’ve practically given me the entire revenue.”
Wang Fuyang recently launched his business with great fanfare, offering free gifts and promotional items while investing heavily in advertising. Previously, the oppressive negative energy in the massage room had left such a deep psychological shadow that although people didn’t speak of it openly, they still harbored fears inwardly. Not all of the former employees who had resigned have returned to work yet.
Xie Yubo estimated that Wang’s profits were still in the red.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Wang Fuyang said, “Truly, nothing can be hidden from you, Young Master. However, I promised to share half of this enterprise with you; it wouldn’t do to have no dividends for so long—that would be like issuing an empty check.”
Xie Yubo: “Prepare paper and pen.”
“Hmm?” Wang Fuyang took paper and pen from the counter and handed them to him.
“I’ll dictate, you write,” Xie Yubo said through gritted teeth, now acutely aware of his own handwriting.
Wang Fuyang didn’t understand what was going on, but whatever the young master wrote was surely priceless.
“This is a foot soak formula, perfect for winter. Next time they come over to enjoy the heating, offer them one free foot soak session. Provide this service for only three days, then charge for it for a week. After that week, incorporate this formula into your massage package and stop offering it as a standalone service.”
For problems solvable by ordinary means, Xie Yubo promises not to resort to metaphysics first.
In his previous life, after falling into a coma for a while, he woke up physically weak and could never get warm in bed. The renowned physician from Nanpu prescribed him this formula; soaking his feet before bed prevented his hands and feet from turning cold at night. With improved sleep quality, his health gradually recovered.
Similarly, this formula suits elderly people with weak constitutions. Xie Yubo has no fear of lacking returning customers.
Wang Fuyang nodded repeatedly: “The young master truly knows how to do business.”
The herbs listed in the prescription are neither expensive nor rare; preparing several hundred buckets of water daily would cost Wang Fuyang very little.
Once customers begin ordering massage packages just to enjoy the foot baths, it will prove that the Wang family’s ancestral massage techniques have made their triumphant return.
Wang Fuyang asked, “Does the young master have any other brilliant ideas?”
Xie Yubo turned around in a circle: “Why not replace all the sheets on the massage beds? I don’t like white.”
Wang Fuyang didn’t mention that white looked hygienic: “Replace them? With what kind?”
Xie Yubo imagined out of thin air: “How about pink floral? Blue floral? Blue with white stripes?”
“Blue with white stripes?” Wang Fuyang was shocked.
Xie Yubo frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Wang Fuyang firmly believed this was the young master’s well-considered choice, perfectly suited for the Wang Family Massage Clinic: “Just these three items, then? I’ll place the order immediately.”
Xie Yubo: “That’s all for now… plus one bright yellow dragon pattern.”
The tyrant had deceived him; today, he would dare to defy his superior.
Wang Fuyang agreed even more readily: “This one goes in the Supreme VIP room.”
Xie Yubo sat for a while, watching Wang Fuyang teach massage techniques to the newly recruited apprentice.
Chen Yang had graduated from high school but failed to get into university, so he came out to earn a living. Everyone in Wang Fuyang’s shop was trustworthy; their primary task was to cover for Xie Yubo. This newcomer had only been accepted after receiving Xie Yubo’s approval.
Chen Yang was talkative and quick-witted. Knowing that Xie Yubo was half-owner of the business and disliked frivolous conversation, he treated him with polite respect, proving himself very adept at reading situations.
After observing for just three minutes, Xie Yubo considered his apprenticeship duty complete. That night, he returned home and boastfully told Xue Jing, “Mom, today I learned pressing, grasping, and pinching. Tomorrow I’ll learn pointing and pulling…”
Reporting a little progress each day makes it seem as though the Grand Preceptor is studying diligently.
Xue Jing had just heard this from him; later, during dinner, viewing everything through the lens of maternal affection, she relayed to the entire family what Xie Yubo had learned.
Xie Yubo received several remarks and expectations praising him as “diligent and eager to learn, soon to complete his apprenticeship.”
When his father mentioned “soon to complete his apprenticeship,” Xie Yubo’s heart skipped a beat; he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.
Where exactly?
Xie Yubo rubbed his head, tucked over six thousand yuan under the bed, and got bumped as he crawled out.
Ah—this Grand Astrologer has figured it out! It’s praise meant to destroy! It’s misplaced rage!
The tyrant once said his calligraphy was nearly equal to the tyrant’s own, declaring him ready to graduate.
Uncle Wang knocked on the door, eager to update Xie Yubo on the latest developments regarding Li Jianguo’s search for his family.
“He saw his son at the terminal station—the child who had been snatched from his arms as an infant was now five years old. The family that had bought Xiaobao gave birth to their own biological son a year ago; burdened by gambling debts and financial hardship, they no longer wished to raise him. Yet fearing imprisonment if their prior purchase of a child were discovered, they planned to secretly sell Xiaobao again.”
“This family made their living by selling fruit from a stall at the station. While they held their biological son in their arms, they left Xiaobao to play freely by the roadside. The station area was bustling with constant foot traffic, thick with dust, filthy and dangerous. Li Jiancheng nearly came to blows with them.”
Fortunately, Li Jiancheng remained rational. Having seen so many news reports about such cases, he knew he must contact the police and have them accompany him.
The police are currently pursuing the child traffickers from that time.
Wang Ping: “Brother Li insisted that I express his gratitude to you, so I couldn’t help but disturb you, Young Master. Please rest early.”
“Goodnight, Uncle Wang.”
The word “child” had appeared far too frequently today. Before going to bed, Xie Yubo thought about Ke Xiaoyu; his mother had already landed and taken Ke Xiaoyu to stay at her parental home.
Gradually, Ke Xiaoyu’s youthful face transformed into that of another person.
He was Xie Xiaowu, nameless. With three older brothers and an elder sister, each had their own room; only he lived in the firewood shed, windowless, its wooden door tightly shut, with a vicious dog chained outside.
At daybreak, the family woke, ate breakfast, and took Xie Xiaowu to the marketplace.
“You must pretend to be half-blind. If you don’t know how, learn from Old Zhou next door—roll your eyes upward like him. That’s how people will come to you for fortune-telling.”
“Only extraordinary individuals gain admiration. Think of those wild, reclusive scholars dwelling in mountain forests. We’ve got it: our Xiaowu’s uniqueness lies in his strict vegetarianism—he never touches meat or fish, truly transcending the mundane world.”
“Today, Master Liu gave us a pouch of silver. Why did you say he is immoral and deserves a terrible death? Is this what I taught you? I’m beating you to teach you a lesson; if you do this again, don’t expect any food.”
“Yesterday, you cast a divination for Master Zhang, telling him he would have peace and prosperity. Yet today, he was beaten to death by his enemies. What? You dared not speak the truth because you feared going hungry? Useless fool! You’ve ruined our reputation; we must move to another place.”
“Do you realize how hard your parents worked to raise you? Your older brothers and sisters cannot work. You must perform accurate divinations so that our entire family can survive.”
Xie Xiaowu couldn’t understand it. His elder siblings had fully functional hands and feet, each one larger than three of him combined, and they hit extremely hard when they beat people. So why exactly were they unable to work?
Since childhood, he had displayed a gift for seeing through fate, and his entire family depended on him for their livelihood. He never attended school, could not read or write, and knew nothing of poetry, classics, rituals, or the I Ching; yet instinctively, he understood—some fortunes should never be told.
Human hearts are terrifying; the greater one’s abilities, the more dangers one faces.
His modest fortune-telling continued until he was fourteen, when Xie Xiaowu was brought by his family to the Central Plains and settled in an ancient city.
There stood an old platform, used by surrounding villages as a gathering place for markets and exchange.
Those who could read said that the three worn characters on the ancient platform were “Golden Terrace,” once a renowned place.
He was famous here; people sought him out for matters of marriage and career advancement.
One day, someone asked him how to successfully stage a rebellion, given that the current emperor was not in the palace, and how to replace him.
That person offered a large sum of money, but Xie Xiaowu could not calculate an answer, nearly endangering the lives of his entire family.
The next day, with his face still swollen, he told fortunes for people. A repulsive old man asked him when the husband of their neighbor would return home, as he intended to defile the young beauty next door.
Xie Xiaowu said nothing, only to be kicked hard by his family.
On the city tower, a certain person’s expression grew increasingly grim, while the attendants around him dared not even breathe.
This man was tall and exceptionally handsome, unparalleled in both civil governance and martial prowess; he was truly a heaven-sent prodigy. Yet he did something that even he found bewildering: descending from the city tower, he tossed down a gold ingot and asked, “Will you come with me?”
Thus, that gold ingot became the bargaining chip for a forced transaction. The Xie family cursed vehemently, unwilling to let go of their cash cow, but united as they were, they could not overcome a single man and could only watch helplessly as Xie Xiaowu was taken away.
“From today on, your name is Yu Bo.” Upon learning that he could not read, the man showed a hint of surprise but quickly relaxed. “It seems I have much to teach you.”
“The first thing I will teach you—”
“Whenever someone locks you up, you must escape.”
..
“By imperial decree, Xie Yubo is punished to face the wall in contemplation within the residence. He shall not step half a foot outside the Xie household nor meet anyone without an imperial edict; otherwise, the offense shall be deemed equivalent to treason.”
..
Xie Yubo woke up drenched in sweat, feeling that this dream had been particularly terrible.
At the dining table, Xue Jing saw her youngest son with red-rimmed eyes and asked worriedly, “Didn’t you sleep well?”
Xie Yubo slung his schoolbag over his shoulder. “It’s nothing, Mom. I’m off to school.”
This Grand Preceptor is doing just fine now; no one has imprisoned him, nor does he need anyone to save him.