Chapter 80

PS: Fellow Daoists, I updated three times yesterday. After finishing work today, I had a few sips of liquor and then came back to write. I can't be said to be anything but diligent. Everyone, please give your recommendations to Jiudeng!

"What kind of auspicious land is this Woniu (sleeping ox) site? I've never heard of it."

"To call this Woniu an auspicious land is really a joke." Someone spoke up, and the other feng shui masters also began to discuss, many with unfriendly tones, seemingly mocking Qin Yu for his nonsense.

Qin Yu sighed inwardly. This was the result of standing out. Especially with his age, it would be strange if he didn't face opposition and ridicule.

If it were Qiu Yue and Fan Mu, even if these people hadn't heard of the Woniu site, their reactions wouldn't be this extreme. Seeing that these people were getting more and more out of hand, Qin Yu frowned. Even a clay figure has a temper, so he spoke up:

"In the 'Jin Shu: Biography of Zhou Fang,' it is recorded: When Tao Kan was in a low position, he encountered a family bereavement and was about to bury his father when the family suddenly lost a cow and didn't know where it was. He met an old man who said, 'I saw a cow sleeping in a mountain hollow in the front ridge. If you bury your father there, he will reach the highest rank of officials.' Tao Kan buried his father there. Later, Zhou Fang indeed became a governor, and his reputation was prominent in the Ning and Yi provinces. From Zhou Fang down, three generations served as governors of Yi for forty-one years, just as the old man had predicted."

Qin Yu coldly glanced at the feng shui masters who had mocked him, sneered, and continued, "This burial site, because it resembles a sleeping ox, is also called Woniu land, a rare and excellent feng shui site."

Qin Yu's words left the feng shui masters speechless. Qin Yu's explanation was logical and supported by historical records, leaving them with no room for criticism.

Tao Kan, the grandfather of the famous Western Jin poet Tao Yuanming, buried his father, Tao Yuanming's great-grandfather, at the site of the sleeping ox as directed by the old man. He also pointed out another site for Zhou Fang, where his father was buried after his death.

"Brother Qin, what you said is exactly what I wanted to say. This land is indeed Woniu land, also known as Niunian land. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, a filial son named Ding Hegen, while fleeing from war in Mingzhou (Ningbo), wrote a poem 'Sending the Worshiper Wang Liangzuo to Return to Yancheng,' which includes the line 'The excellent city has been chosen as the Niunian land, with the Tai Mountain as a screen and the Si River as a belt,' referring to this Niunian land."

Qin Yu and Xu Cheng's explanations made it clear that they had the same view of the land, a feng shui site where ancestors are buried and descendants prosper. After they finished speaking, the crowd fell silent. Although some wanted to find fault, they couldn't because the two spoke so convincingly.

The only ones who could verify whether Qin Yu and Xu Cheng were right were the three examiners and possibly Qiu Yue and Fan Mu, who had also chosen this site. However, Qiu Yue always smiled, and Fan Mu remained silent, so nothing could be read from their faces.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

A round of applause came from the front, and it was the old man surnamed Xiao, clapping his hands and looking at Qin Yu and Xu Cheng with a satisfied smile.

"You two young men are quite good. You actually know about the Niunian land. Good, good."

The old man surnamed Xiao's three consecutive "good" made it clear that Qin Yu and Xu Cheng were right. The crowd followed suit and clapped, regardless of whether they were secretly resentful or jealous.

Qin Yu wasn't particularly moved by the old man's praise. He sighed, sat back down, and gave Xu Cheng a grateful look. Xu Cheng's words had strongly supported him.

Xu Cheng smiled at Qin Yu's grateful look, opened his lips, and silently said a few words. Qin Yu could read from Xu Cheng's lips: I'm also helping myself.

Xu Cheng was right. He helped Qin Yu for his own benefit. Both were young, and if either of them had mentioned the Niunian land alone, they would have faced attacks from others.

"Haha, look at these people. They can't stand up to my cousin, so they show this face. Now that Master Xiao has spoken, look at their faces. It's really satisfying."

The confrontation in the hall was clearly visible to those sitting in the guest seats. Zhang Hua, seeing his cousin being attacked by a group, was already indignant. Now, seeing these people give a fake round of applause, he was delighted.

"Sister, do you think Qin Yu can win the top spot in this exchange? I think this guy has a good chance."

"Are you so confident in him?" Mo Yongxin turned her head and glanced at her brother. Since her brother came to Guangzhou, his attitude toward Qin Yu had changed significantly. He might not even realize it, but in Tongbashan, her brother had been dismissive of Qin Yu, and now he seemed to have a bit of admiration for him.

"This guy is definitely a freak, not to be judged by ordinary standards. I think this exchange will likely boost his reputation."

"Gold and jade are not mere pond fish; when they meet the wind and clouds, they turn into dragons." Mo Yongxin's charming lips softly uttered this phrase, her eyes fixed on Qin Yu's back, filled with admiration.

"The results of the first round of the competition are now final. A total of eighty-one peers have passed. Four people have earned five points, fifteen have earned three points, and sixty-two have earned one point. We have already arranged for the staff to record these points. The one with the highest score after the three rounds will be the winner of this exchange."

Lin Qiusheng collected all the forms and announced that the first day of the exchange was over. The meeting would resume the next day. The crowd stood up, and the exchange had provided accommodation at the Sunshine Hotel, but Qin Yu chose not to stay there and decided to return to his original hotel.

Qin Yu walked with Mo Yongxin and the others. Occasionally, some guests would nod and greet him, and Qin Yu could only smile in return, his face becoming numb after a while.

These guests were showing their goodwill because Qin Yu had the highest score. These wealthy people came to the exchange, indicating that they still believed in feng shui. Building a good relationship with a feng shui master was important to them, as they might need to seek help from these masters one day. It was better to burn incense regularly than to seek help in a hurry.

Of course, more guests crowded around Qiu Yue and Fan Mu, but Fan Mu remained cold and distant to everyone, with a look that said "keep away."

Fan Mu and He Ping quickly left the hotel, a car waiting for them at the entrance. They quickly got in and left without stopping for a second. He Ping seemed to have not even noticed Qin Yu and Mo Yongxin.

"Haha, Brother Qin, you really stood out among your peers today."

As Qin Yu stepped out of the elevator and appeared in the hotel lobby, a man walked up to him, laughed heartily, and gave him a thumbs up.

"Master Ji, you're joking. I just happened to have seen the Woniu diagram and won by luck. How can I compare to the seniors?"

"Brother Qin, I look forward to your surprises tomorrow. I won't talk to you much now; I need to arrange accommodations for the peers from other cities."

Ji Quan hurried to the front desk, and Qin Yu watched his back, shaking his head. He really didn't understand why Ji Quan was so enthusiastic about these things. As a feng shui master, if he was too involved in worldly affairs, how could he have the energy to study feng shui?

"Different people have different pursuits. Not everyone can become a top master. Sometimes recognizing oneself and finding a suitable path is also a sign of great wisdom."

Mo Yongxin's clear voice reached Qin Yu's ears. He turned his head, and Mo Yongxin was already standing beside him, looking at Ji Quan's back and speaking softly.

"Miss Mo, you're right, but how many people in this world can truly recognize themselves?" Qin Yu nodded in agreement. If Mo Yongxin was right, and Ji Quan recognized his limitations in feng shui and sought development through other means, it was a wise decision.

"What are you two talking about? Recognizing oneself, Qin Yu, you got off to a good start today. Are you going to treat us to dinner?" Mo Yongxing was thinking about getting a free meal from Qin Yu.

"Treat you to dinner? Your sister still owes me a million." Qin Yu glanced at Mo Yongxin, who didn't stop Mo Yongxing, perhaps even having the same idea.

"I think my brother has a point. Mr. Qin should treat us."

Is this the Mo Yongxin he knew? Qin Yu was surprised. Could the Mo family be facing an economic crisis? Otherwise, why would these two siblings try to extort him? And if Mo Yongxin wanted to treat someone to dinner, just revealing this news would bring many wealthy young men and second-generation officials running.

"Master Qin, I wonder if I could treat you and your friends to dinner tonight."

Seeing the playful expression on Mo Yongxing's face, Qin Yu knew he was planning to take advantage of the situation. Just as he was about to reluctantly agree, a weak voice came from behind. Qin Yu turned around and saw a slightly overweight middle-aged man looking at him sincerely, with a smile on his face.

"Who are you?" Qin Yu was puzzled; he didn't recognize this man.

"Master Qin probably doesn't know me. I'm also a guest at this exchange. I was very impressed by Master Qin's performance and would like to make friends with you. Here is my business card."

The overweight man took out a business card and handed it to Qin Yu. Qin Yu looked at it and was surprised. It was the chairman of GZ Shuntian Trading Co., Ltd., Liu Shuntian.

"Why is it you?" Zhang Hua recognized the overweight man, who was the man sitting behind him in the guest seats, so his tone wasn't very friendly.

"Cousin, do you know this Chairman Liu?" Qin Yu turned to ask his cousin Zhang Hua.

"Just now in the guest seats, I sat behind this young man." Liu Shuntian laughed, and Zhang Hua pursed his lips, saying nothing. Although he was a bit annoyed by Liu Shuntian's earlier skepticism, Zhang Hua knew that if his cousin wanted to become a feng shui master, he needed to build his own network. This overweight man looked quite distinguished and was likely a wealthy person, so he didn't want to make him too uncomfortable.