Chapter Twelve: The Origin of Luxury

  Zeng Huan's home courtyard water features were all arranged according to the designed feng shui layout, which was exceptionally exquisite, reflecting the skill of this famous feng shui master. This villa would not be built randomly, as in feng shui, houses must be square and symmetrical, embodying a sense of orthodoxy, which can also ward off evil spirits. Symmetry is essential here.

  However, inside, it requires twists and turns, not allowing individual rooms to be too large, creating various partitions, reasonably applying various spaces. The screen fan that was a must-have in ancient official residences can be seen, the outside is very large, but inside, screens and curtains are used to separate several spaces of different sizes. In modern terms, it also allows people to have enough private space, and it's also to make people feel lively and bustling scenes.

  This Zeng Huan's home fully complied with the ancient Yangzhai Feng Shui method, perhaps not the most professional, but also very much in line with the ancient rules. According to reason, a place with good Feng Shui should not have any evil spirits or ghosts. In this world, heaven has its laws, humans have their laws, and the underworld has its own laws, none of which can be violated or arbitrarily infringed upon. Although there are lonely souls and wild ghosts wandering around in the mortal world, they generally appear in desolate mountains and wilderness, or abandoned human buildings, but rarely go to places where ordinary people live. Generally speaking, most haunted houses are caused by Feng Shui problems or Yin energy being too heavy, of course, there is also a kind that is caused by doing many unjust things and accumulating karma.

  This Zeng Huan is still very likely to have done some unjust things, no wonder that Feng Shui master doesn't want to get involved in this matter anymore. I'm now somewhat regretful, I don't consider myself a righteous person, but I haven't done anything against my conscience either. Now I feel a bit uncomfortable, I can only comfort myself by thinking that I am doing justice on behalf of heaven.

  After entering the house, I was still a bit surprised. The lives of the rich are indeed different from ours. Our houses usually have anti-theft doors and three-meter-high ceilings, while here it's just a glass door. No wonder they say that even eating a meal here you can see the garden outside. Inside is a combination of a living room and dining room, first the dining room, then the living room behind it. The living room has a relief wall with a height of six meters, making the whole living room look high-end and upscale. With its six-meter-high ceiling, I really feel a sense of smallness in the living room.

  The dining table in the room is a large marble table, with smooth red wooden flooring on the ground. The furniture is mostly a combination of red and black colors, belonging to a traditional Chinese style, with delicate decorations. Inside the house, there are several antique vases over one meter high, various handicrafts neatly placed on the antique shelves.

  In the living room, there was a woman who was dressed very elegantly, wearing clothes that were both modest and generous. On her dignified body, she couldn't hide the noble air that shone through, and the gold and silver jewelry she wore was perfectly arranged, without any hint of tackiness. I, a country bumpkin, was immediately intimidated and didn't know how to speak.

  It was still the woman who performed well, smiling and saying: "Two masters are good, I am Lao Zeng's wife, surname Yu Jue. Our family is still troubling you with these things. My husband Lao Zeng has already introduced me to you. I have a small matter that I hope Master can help calculate my daughter's birth eight characters and point out the marriage."

  I still haven't reacted, everything in this room is decorated very luxuriously, I'm afraid of accidentally breaking something. Hearing the woman's words, I hurriedly nodded and replied: "Okay okay, I'll definitely try my best."

  Zeng Huan led us in and hastily pointed to the sofa, saying: "Two masters, please sit down. Wu Ma, quickly go and serve tea, bring the best Keemun black tea, and ask the two masters to taste it. Yu Jue, where's your daughter? She's run out again?"

  "No, my daughter and her friend are upstairs chatting. I'll go up and call her down to meet the two masters." The hostess smiled and nodded in agreement, then hurriedly went upstairs.

  Lao Zhao waved his hand and said, "No need, no need." Zeng Huan insisted on being polite and doing these things. After all, we were in someone else's home, so it wasn't good to say more. We could only stay here, but we looked very awkward.

  Zeng Huan didn't wait for others to arrive, and sat down with a smile, saying: "Two masters, is this humble abode of mine still acceptable?"

  Don't be fooled by his humble words, the expression on his face has already revealed a deep sense of pride, as if it's a confidence in the wealth and success he possesses.

  Old Zhao was about to speak but I stopped him, although we are both novices, I can at least chat with him about Feng Shui, saying anything else would be too much for me, I'm a small person, I don't get to see such great gods. I said to Zeng Huang: "Director Zeng is really blessed, the pavilions and buildings are well-arranged, tidy and organized, whether it's the people living here or the tourists, everyone will feel very comfortable, it's truly a secluded and serene place far from the city noise. Moreover, among these artificial mountains and waters, it subtly conforms to the principles of Feng Shui, using the arrangement of flowing water to create a sense of vitality, using these arrangements to attract wealth from all directions, no wonder Director Zeng is now extremely wealthy, extremely wealthy!"

  "The master indeed has good eyesight, at a glance he saw the painstaking arrangement of Zeng's. When this house was built, I spent a lot of money to invite a master from Hong Kong, he set up a feng shui layout for me to attract wealth, and I really have to thank him, haha." Zeng seemed even more proud, with a sense of superiority as a rich person.

  Soon, Mrs. Yu brought her daughter and friends down, and when I saw them, both Old Zhao and I were stunned. It wasn't because of Zeng Huan's daughter, but because of her friend. This person I had seen before - she was the new girlfriend that Old Wang had found that day we went up the mountain. That evening, dark clouds covered the sky, and all of us were chased around like chickens with their heads cut off, except for this young lady, who calmly rested in her tent for a night. This was the lively girl named Xia Xue.

  Everyone present was a connoisseur of subtleties, and they immediately discovered the strange eye contact between me and Old Zhao. Xia Xue directly said: "You two? Are you the devil-expelling masters that Yao mentioned?"

  I was a bit embarrassed and could only take a sip of tea. Zeng Huan's daughter, Qi, asked strangely: "Xia Xue, do you know each other?"

  The atmosphere was a bit awkward for a moment, and it was stuck there. I took a sneak peek at Old Zhao next to me, who was holding his tea cup and pretending to be stupid, without any reaction. It was Zeng Huan's wife who reacted quickly, pointing at us and saying: "Yao Yao, haven't you met the two masters yet? Our family's little matter still needs to trouble the two masters."

  Their daughter, on the other hand, was very well-behaved and came over to say hello: "Greetings, masters."

  I couldn't bear to sit there any longer, so I quickly stood up and waved my hands nonstop.

  Xia Xue didn't say much anymore, just a greeting at the beginning and then she stopped talking. She naturally said hello but didn't speak again, not having that lively feeling as before. I guess it's because Zeng Huan and others were here, young people these days are most afraid of having older people around, it gives them a suffocating feeling, just like we did before. Before, Zeng Huan had already shown that calculating and scheming feeling, as if in their hearts they weren't thinking about people but about other people's hearts.

  It's not just Zeng Huan, but also Zhu Changzhang before him, and even Zeng Huan's wife, all of whom seem unfathomable. This is probably what you get after being tempered in the great crucible of society.

  I can see that Xia Xue and Zeng Huan's daughter are both very curious, with many doubts, but they didn't dare ask. Zeng Huan noticed it but didn't say anything, instead asking: "Two masters, is there anything you need to prepare? Do you need to set up an altar or something? I'll help you prepare."

  I patted my own bundle and said, "It's okay, I've already brought most of my things, but if you can help me with that little bit of glutinous rice, it would be even better."

  Zeng Huan hastily instructed the nanny to bring over the glutinous rice, and I told him to take more. Zeng Huan then asked the nanny to take more, and it seemed like he had nothing else to say, so he turned to his wife and said: "Yu Jue, go help Wu Ma in the kitchen, I'll go pick up Qin Da Ge, we need to treat Master well tonight. Yao Yao, you young people can chat easily, talk with Master more, be patient and ask questions, got it?"

  "Uh-huh, I see. You take care." That Yao seemed like she couldn't wait for her old man to leave.

  The living room was left with only me, Xia Xue, Lao Zhao and that Yao Yao. The four of us were about the same age. After watching them leave, Xia Xue asked me: "Aren't you two good friends of Wang Liu Li? Why didn't he ever tell me that you two understand these things?"

  "Sister, it's not that Old Wang didn't tell you, because Old Wang is an ordinary person and he doesn't even know about these things. It's better if ordinary people who haven't come into contact with this stuff don't know too much, or else we wouldn't know how to explain it either. That's why we never told Old Wang before, so don't tell him now." Old Zhao hastily made a declaration, as if afraid that others would think we were deceiving them.

  Xia Xue nodded and said: "Then can you tell me if there really are ghosts? I played pen spirit with friends before, but nothing came."

  "Why don't you ever believe me? I saw the ghost with my own eyes, it was so scary! And after that, I often woke up to find myself flipped over on the bed. I've told you so many times already, but you still don't believe me, I'm getting angry!" Yao Yao pouted, looking very spoiled.

  "Hey, don't be like that, Yao Yao. It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that I'm a bit curious, to be honest, I've never seen any ghosts or gods before."

  "Some, ghosts and gods do exist, but if you're not destined to meet them, you generally won't be able to see them. This is to protect the order of the human world and prevent people from using ghosts and gods for evil deeds, understand?" Old Zhao chuckled and began explaining, leaving me completely speechless as they three ignored me.

  I took a look around here, and I still don't think there's anything wrong. I think this place is normal too, can't see anything strange at all. So I said to Old Zhao: "Don't just stand there waiting, you really came to play, didn't you? Xia Jie and Zeng Jie, why not take us around to have a look? If what your old man said is true, we might be in big trouble. Better prepare ahead of time, or else if something happens tonight, the two of us won't be able to catch him. Can't you see for yourselves whether it's true or not?"

  "Alright, I'll take you to my room first and see if there's anything strange hiding around. If there is, help me catch it and let me take a look before releasing it back out. How about that?"

  I found it strange that this young lady replied: "Why did you let him go? He moves you out of bed every day, don't you hate him?"

  "Why should I hate? Besides, aren't ghosts transformed from humans? We will become like that one day too, why kill each other? Let him go."

  Zeng's answer gave both me and Old Zhao an unexpectedly surprised feeling, looking at each other in dismay.

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