Chapter 200: Can't Stop at Both Ends

Gao Yuan hadn't seen the microexpression on Zhao Qiang's face, so he had assumed Lizhizi's calculations were utterly and unbelievably wrong.

Although the calculations were outrageously off, Zhao Qiang seemed very surprised at that moment. He exclaimed loudly, "Oh, it turns out... um, go on with the calculation."

Lizhizi picked up three copper coins, adopting the demeanor of an enlightened sage. He said, "One divination for each matter, one matter for each divination, elder brother, are the calculations accurate?"

Zhao Qiang neither nodded nor shook his head but, after thinking deeply for a long time, suddenly asked, "Please, Taoist Priest, divine another hexagram."

Lizhizi was somewhat reluctant, but he glanced at Zhao Qiang and then at Liu Muyang, who, despite wearing camouflage fatigues, was still surrounded by a group of officers in military uniforms, and decided to cast another hexagram.

"Divine what?"

"Let's predict the fortunes, whether this journey is auspicious or not."

Lizhizi's spirits lifted, "I'm best at this, just wait a moment."

Once again, he threw the three copper coins on the ground. After bending down to look, Lizhizi's brow immediately furrowed, and he shouted, "Ah, this isn't right... oh, oh-oh, it's still okay, yes, it should be like this."

Zhao Qiang asked with a concerned face, "Taoist Priest, could you please explain the hexagram for us?"

Sighing, Lizhizi continued, "At first glance, this hexagram doesn't look very good—it's a sign of great misfortune. But it can turn bad luck into good, so elder brother needn't worry too much, in the end... um, it's very good, very good."

Even though he said it was very good, Lizhizi's face was still unmistakably worried—or perhaps he didn't want to hide it.

Gao Yuan was feeling dizzy from trying to follow along while Zhao Qiang's brows were furrowed. Zhao stared intently and said, "Taoist Priest, please explain in detail, and ideally offer some guidance on how to seek good fortune and avoid disaster. We are here on an important military mission. Taoist Priest, you must help us with a thorough divination."

Lizhizi's face stiffened, and after pondering for quite a while, he spoke softly, "This..."

"Is it about money? Oh, money's not useful now, so just say what you want—we'll meet your demands."

"No, no, no, it's not about money, it's just that... "

"Then what do you want?"

Lizhizi cleared his throat twice, "Well, according to the hexagram, you should first head west for a bit, then turn south, and after that to the southeast. This might help you avoid danger, it's just..."

"Ah! We won't make it in time then!"

Zhao Qiang still looked anxious. Lizhizi scratched his head, and then he suddenly became very dejected and said, "I can't make up any more. Elder brother, all that talk about misfortune turning into good fortune was just something I made up. You all have serious business to attend to, how can you trust someone's random divination? If I tell you to go west first and then to the east, wouldn't that be... just a waste of your time?"

"Taoist Priest, your skills at playing both ends against the middle aren't quite up to par, huh?"

Lizhizi, with a pained expression, replied, "It's not that I'm not good; it's that I can't. If my blather were to delay your important matters, what would I do... "

Zhao Qiang chuckled and said, "Alright, since you didn't spout nonsense, you pass. And another thing, the hexagram you divined is called Difficult Beginning, the hexagram of gathering, where all things begin to grow, filled with hardships and obstacles. Yet, with the right timing and response, they'll surely flourish."

Lizhizi gave a wry smile, "I know, which is why I said it bodes ill before it brings good fortunes."

"Still going on?"

"No more, no more, elder brother, you truly are a sage!"

Lizhizi gave a thumbs-up while Zhao Qiang cracked a smile and said, "I only know a little."

After saying that, Zhao Qiang turned to Liu Muyang, "There's nothing for me here anymore. You take care of this. He's not a problem, just a common Taoist, perhaps with a patriotic and benevolent heart wanting to do some good deeds, that's all."

Zhao Qiang turned to leave. Gao Yuan had witnessed quite a spectacle, and he was curious to see how Liu Muyang would handle Lizhizi, but he was even more eager to ask Zhao Qiang about what had just happened.

"Zhao… Boss, can you tell me what on earth is going on here?"

Zhao Qiang smiled, saying, "Oh, it's nothing, weren't you watching the whole time?"

"How did you determine that Lizhizi was fine?"

"Micro-expressions, movements, speech and behavior, he fit the profile of a Taoist completely, and then, he didn't have any bad intentions."

"Aren't you afraid he's good at hiding them?"

Zhao Qiang smiled humbly, "In my eyes, there's no need for torture."

At first glance, that statement didn't seem to make sense, but after a moment's thought, it became clear that Zhao Qiang was saying that in his eyes, there was no need for any torture; he could find out everything he needed simply by asking questions.

Hmm, his humility seems to be a cover for utmost confidence.

Gao Yuan wanted to call out 'Brother Zhao', but hesitated, even more afraid to just use the name. In the end, he decided to adopt 'Boss Zhao' as Zhao Qiang's permanent title.

"Boss Zhao, those divinations?"

"Ah, they're nonsense. Remember this, Six Lines and Eight Trigrams, Plum Blossom Numerology, the sixty-four hexagrams, there's no such thing as an extremely auspicious 'top fortune', nor is there an extremely bad 'lowest misfortune'. All hexagrams are unpredictable in luck; they may have good in bad, or bad in good, all depends on how the person interpreting them wants to say it. If he speaks in your favor, it's a lucky hexagram; against you, it's an unlucky one. Lizhizi was fairly honest, knowing not to speak recklessly and cause delay, which is why I let him off the hook. Otherwise…"

"Otherwise what?"

Zhao Qiang glanced at Gao Yuan, shook his head and said, "Nothing."

Gao Yuan thought for a moment, then said, "Boss Zhao, you seem to know quite a bit about those Taoist things."

"I know just a little, merely a little."

"I think it's more than just a little. You didn't even need to look up the divinations; you knew them by heart."

Zhao Qiang couldn't help but laugh, "What's the big deal? Just take a look and remember, and understanding what's going on is good enough."

Gao Yuan hesitated, then asked, "So, are we taking Lizhizi with us?"

"Why take him along? Just for divination? If you want a reading, I can do it for you, or you can ask Li Yang and the others, any of us can make it crystal clear for you."

"Uh, never mind then."

Was Lizhizi considered a talented and unique person?

Initially, Gao Yuan had been taken in, thinking that Lizhizi must surely be talented, but after what Zhao Qiang had said, he now felt that Lizhizi was just a charlatan, not really a swindler, but definitely someone lacking true abilities.

Zhao Qiang looked at Gao Yuan deep in thought and asked, "What are you planning?"

"I was thinking about recruiting some soldiers…"

Zhao Qiang frowned, "Xiao Gao, I won't stop you from doing what you want; there's no need to stop this kind of thing, but I advise you to drop the idea. Our team isn't suitable for the presence of a Taoist."

Gao Yuan nodded repeatedly, "Yeah, yeah, I understand, I know. But I just think it's quite remarkable to find someone who still thinks about saving the country and the people in times of great disaster, regardless of whether he's a Taoist or something else, don't you think? Hey, Boss Zhao, are you guys from the military system? No, right? If not, consider joining us…"

Zhao Qiang shook his head, smiling, "Sorry to disappoint you, but we are indeed from the military system, and moreover, the kind you enter once and never leave. I know what you want to say, save it; there's no point."

Gao Yuan was taken aback, then he said in a dispirited tone, "Why is recruiting some soldiers so difficult…"