Chapter 1

The term "sorcerer" refers to a general designation for people who engage in mysterious activities such as astronomy, geography, medicine, divination, feng shui, and cultivation. The most authoritative book on sorcerers is the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), which Confucius revered as the foremost of all classics. Later, there were other great works such as *The Mysterious Physiognomy of Ma Yi*, *The Art of the Hidden Door*, and *The Great Sixty-Four*.

Sorcerers vary in their levels. Great sorcerers assist kings and influence the world, like Jiang Ziya, Zhuge Liang, Yuan Tian罡, Shao Kangjie, and Liu Bowen, even up to modern times with Zeng Guofan, all of whom were skilled in the ways of sorcery and served as influential ministers and strategists. Lesser sorcerers, on the other hand, wander the streets, helping people solve their problems, living a life of hardship and often being labeled as frauds.

Wang Baoyu, from Dongfeng Village, was originally a second-rate farmer. By a stroke of luck, he became a lesser sorcerer and thus embarked on a different path in life.

Lesser sorcerers do not involve themselves in the world of intrigue but are well-known in the political and business circles; they do not indulge in worldly affairs but have many beautiful women; with a snap of their fingers, they can cause a massive storm; and when the dust settles, there is neither wind nor rain.

Please enjoy the series *The Rogue Sorcerer*.

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The gentle sunlight of early autumn bathed the hills, and the plants in the fields basked in the warmth, their leaves stretching out like the arms of a sleeping girl upon waking. On the hillside, the birch trees were snow-white, the oak trees were fiery red, the pines were dark green, and the yellow magnolias were golden, creating a unique landscape of the northern autumn, known as the "Five-Colored Mountains." It was the season of harvest, and the corn, soybeans, and millet had already begun to turn yellow and dry, rustling in the breeze.

Dongfeng Village, located in the northeastern border area, was a remote village surrounded by mountains, barely visible on the map. During this season, the villagers rarely went to the fields to work but stayed at home, tidying their yards and preparing for the annual harvest.

The hills were quieter than usual, as if they were basking in the joy of the impending harvest. On such a warm autumn afternoon, a young man suddenly emerged from a deep green pine forest on the eastern hillside of Dongfeng Village. He carried a small basket made of willow twigs and whistled as he walked down the hill, his steps unhurried. He wore a neat dark blue Zhongshan suit and clean blue-and-white sports shoes, with a fashionable middle part in his hair. He looked presentable and was known as Wang Baoyu, the notorious second-rate farmer of Dongfeng Village.

In the northern countryside, a "second-rate farmer" refers to someone who is idle and does not engage in proper work. What is considered "proper work"? Of course, it is farming. Wang Baoyu always dressed neatly and wandered around aimlessly, and the hardworking villagers, who toiled in the fields, naturally saw him as an oddity and did not look at him with respect.

Mentioning this, Wang Baoyu often felt wronged. It wasn't that he was lazy; who could blame him for not having land to farm? However, in his heart, he truly did not want to farm. It was dirty and tiring, and the thought of sitting on a cart and looking at the stinky cow's rear end made him feel unbearable. Besides, with such a small piece of land, even if he worked hard, he could barely make ends meet, and there would be no future, trapped in the mountains for life.

Speaking of Wang Baoyu's background, it evokes a sense of sympathy. When Wang Baoyu was three years old, his father, Wang Wangshan, unfortunately contracted tuberculosis and passed away within half a year, leaving behind a widow and an orphan. His mother, Liu Yuling, was a well-known beauty in the village and loved Wang Baoyu very much. However, being a young woman in her early twenties, she found it hard to endure the loneliness and hardship of life. One day, she ran away with a college student who was sent to the countryside to support agriculture, and she was never heard from again.

Wang Baoyu was only five years old at the time and became an orphan in his sleep. Unable to open the yard gate, he cried for a long time before the villagers discovered him. This incident became a major news story in Dongfeng Village. The villagers criticized Wang Baoyu's mother, Liu Yuling, for being heartless, and there was a lot of gossip and criticism. However, no one was willing to adopt Wang Baoyu because a five-year-old child already had memories and might run away when grown up, unlike a one- or two-year-old who would be loyal to whoever raised them.

Just as everyone was unsure what to do with Wang Baoyu, Jia Zhengdao, who lived at the eastern end of the village, came forward and offered to adopt him. From then on, Wang Baoyu became Jia Zhengdao's adopted son. Jia Zhengdao was already in his forties and had no children because his wife, Lin Zhaodi, was infertile. He treated Wang Baoyu as his own and loved him very much.

Jia Zhengdao's father was a feng shui master who passed on all his knowledge to Jia Zhengdao before he passed away. As Jia Zhengdao grew older and became less physically capable, he could no longer farm and leased his land to others. He then grew a beard, looking like a sage, and focused on his feng shui practice.

Dongfeng Village was a small village with only a few hundred households. The nearest junior high school was in Liuhetown, which required a long walk through the mountains. When Wang Baoyu was in junior high school, Jia Zhengdao was already in his sixties and had become less strict with Wang Baoyu. As a result, Wang Baoyu dropped out of school before he could take the high school entrance exam. This was not just because of the long distance but also due to a reason he could not reveal.

Wang Baoyu walked down the hill with a small basket containing only a few dozen mushrooms, whistling loudly. The warm sunlight on his face felt very comfortable.

As he passed a barren hill, Wang Baoyu, seeing no one around, felt inspired and began to sing loudly.

"Beautiful young lady, playful young lady, the young lady has entered the green curtain, inside the green curtain is a young man, oh! Young man, today we will enter the bridal chamber."

Wang Baoyu's not-so-melodious voice startled a pair of wild pheasants that were mating in the nearby grass. The frightened pheasants flapped their wings and flew into the cornfield a few dozen meters away.

In the countryside, everyone knows that wild pheasants cannot fly high at first and need to gain speed. Wang Baoyu, seeing this, was delighted and thought, "Damn, if I catch one, I can stew it and have a delicious meal."

With this thought, Wang Baoyu dropped his basket and ran after the pheasants. The pheasants, terrified, looked back and quickly flew into the cornfield.

Without hesitation, Wang Baoyu followed them into the cornfield, running fast. After a short distance, the pheasants disappeared, leaving him disheartened and he stopped.

"Who's there?" Suddenly, a frightened woman's voice startled Wang Baoyu.

Wang Baoyu turned to the side and saw a woman hurriedly pulling up her pants a few steps away. Her buttocks, which were still visible, made his heart race and his face flush.

"Aunt Xiuzhi, what are you doing here?" Wang Baoyu asked, his face red and stammering.

This woman was Wang Baoyu's neighbor, the wife of the fourth production team leader, Zhang Dazhu, named Li Xiuzhi. She had just finished urinating. Seeing Wang Baoyu, she turned around, looking unhappy. She tied her red belt and kicked the dirt to cover the urine stains.

"Baoyu, what are you doing in my cornfield? Are you trying to steal corn?" Li Xiuzhi asked, walking up to Wang Baoyu, her chest heaving with anger.

Wang Baoyu felt very regretful. If he had known, he wouldn't have chased the pheasants. Now, he had not only failed to catch them but also caused a scandal.

"Aunt Xiuzhi, please don't misunderstand. Two pheasants just ran in, and I followed them. The corn leaves scratched my eyes, and I didn't see anything! I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to!" Wang Baoyu explained, pretending to rub his eyes.

"I think you did it on purpose! You're so young and already up to no good! Stealing, stealing, stealing, you're no good!" Li Xiuzhi was still angry, glaring at Wang Baoyu. She had wanted to say he was peeking, but held back.

Wang Baoyu was now in a bind. Li Xiuzhi was known for being fierce in the village, and if she started yelling, he would be in trouble.

"Hehe, Aunt Xiuzhi, I really didn't mean to! If I catch those pheasants, I'll give you the female one to stew!" Wang Baoyu smiled apologetically.

This seemed to work, and Li Xiuzhi laughed, scolding him, "Brat, who wants it?"

Wang Baoyu saw a chance to defuse the situation and sighed with relief. He smiled and said, "Everyone knows Aunt Xiuzhi is the prettiest in the village, hardworking, and kind. It was just a misunderstanding. Please don't be upset, Aunt."

Wang Baoyu's words were not entirely false. Li Xiuzhi was considered one of the most beautiful women in Dongfeng Village. Most village women were strong and their figures were not as well-proportioned due to years of hard labor. However, Li Xiuzhi, even at her age, still had a well-defined figure, which made many men drool.

Women, regardless of their type, enjoy being complimented. Li Xiuzhi felt very pleased and her eyebrows arched high, her face blushing. Seeing Wang Baoyu's flustered look, she found him endearing and waved her hand, smiling, "Brat, your mouth is as sweet as honey. I'll let it go this time, but don't tell anyone!"

"I swear to the Central Committee, I won't say a word," Wang Baoyu raised his hand and swore.

Li Xiuzhi giggled again, but this time with a hint of mischief.

"Baoyu, you said I'm the prettiest. What makes me pretty?" Li Xiuzhi asked, staring at Wang Baoyu.

"Everything! You're beautiful, have a good figure, and your skin is white," Wang Baoyu flattered.

"Is my butt white?" Li Xiuzhi suddenly asked.

"White!" Wang Baoyu said without thinking, then quickly shook his head, correcting himself, "No, no, no, I really didn't see it."

Seeing Wang Baoyu's embarrassed look, Li Xiuzhi laughed uncontrollably, her body shaking with laughter. She felt very amused by teasing him but had no intention of doing anything more. She changed the topic and asked softly, "Baoyu, why are you out here instead of staying at home?"

Wang Baoyu wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I just went to pick some mushrooms to make a soup for my adoptive parents. I chased the pheasants and left the basket by the cornfield."

"You still have a heart. Baoyu, you're not young anymore. Don't be idle and let people talk behind your back. What would your parents think?" Li Xiuzhi lectured.

Li Xiuzhi's words made Wang Baoyu feel very uncomfortable, but he couldn't argue. He smiled and said, "Hehe, I know, Aunt. I'm not idle; I read my adoptive father's books when I have time."

Li Xiuzhi looked at him with disdain and said, "Oh, planning to take over your adoptive father's job? Then tell me, when will money fall from the sky and hit me?"

Wang Baoyu looked at Li Xiuzhi's face, feeling very uncomfortable. He frowned and thought, "Crazy woman," but said, "Aunt Xiuzhi, you're right. In three days, you'll have a small fortune!"

Li Xiuzhi was taken aback and asked, half-believing, "Are you serious? Don't just say it to make me happy."

"Aunt, you've seen me grow up. I wouldn't trick you!" Wang Baoyu smiled flatteringly.

Li Xiuzhi asked, "How do you know?"

Wang Baoyu replied, "It's all on your face. Look, your forehead is bright, and your eyebrows show happiness. In three days, something good will happen!"

Li Xiuzhi's face lit up, and she said, "Baoyu, if you're right, I'll give you ten yuan."

"Trust me, Aunt Xiuzhi! I'll wait for your reward! I'll go now!" Wang Baoyu said, turning and walking out of the cornfield.

On the hill, Wang Baoyu sat down, took a deep breath, and felt a sense of relief. He had finally escaped the crazy woman. The fortune-telling was just to make her happy. Who doesn't want to get rich? Ten yuan, who would believe it? Wang Baoyu snorted, thinking that even if he was right, Li Xiuzhi, being so stingy, wouldn't give him any reward.

After resting for a moment, Wang Baoyu got up, found his basket, and picked up the few scattered mushrooms. He walked home leisurely. However, he did not expect that this incident would unexpectedly lead him to become a well-known fortune-teller in the surrounding villages.

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