I rubbed my forehead and had no choice but to break it down for her in the simplest terms. "For example, if you study hard, are you guaranteed to get into Tsinghua or Peking University? Not necessarily.
But you will definitely learn a lot. That much is certain.
Fortune-telling is a form of logical deduction. As long as you master the basic principles, you normally won't get it wrong. And you won't get beaten up."
As I spoke, I shot her a helpless glance. Get beaten up? The things this kid comes up with.
"Oh, oh, oh, I get it! I get it!" Xiao Baozi pumped her little fist, shouting excitedly. "If I work hard, I'll get the results of my hard work and learn things. But whether I can get into Tsinghua or become a high-ranking official also depends on external factors. It's not something I can achieve just by working hard on my own. That's what you call 'fate,' right?"
"Er..." Lao Dao mused. "Everything you said is correct... except for one thing. Telling people's fortunes really can get you beaten up."
"Huh?" That just threw me for a loop. Weren't you just bragging that you're never wrong? Why are you backing down now?
Lao Dao saw we didn't understand and gave an example. "In the story of 'Old Man Sai Loses His Horse,' his son fell off a horse and broke his leg. Old Man Sai saw this and said, 'This is a good thing!' That's because he understood the cause and effect of fortune and misfortune. A broken leg could save his life.
If you were to tell someone's fortune, you, like Old Man Sai, would also see things clearly. But could you look at a person with a broken leg, or their family, and say, 'This is a good thing'? They might get so angry they'd break your legs to let you experience this 'good thing' for yourself."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Get it wrong, and you might get beaten up. Get it right, and you might get beaten up, too.
Lao Dao continued, "There are three types of fortune-tellers.
The second type coaxes people with good news to make them happy, getting them to pay for good luck.
And the third type are those with real skill. They tell the truth and help people avert disaster, only to end up suffering a cursed fate of impairments and deficiencies themselves."
None of them sound good. No wonder Master specifically warned me not to tell fortunes for others.
At this point, Xiao Baozi and I were both lost in our own thoughts.
"Hey, do you two know how Duke Huan of Qi died?" Lao Dao suddenly broke the silence, asking with a cheeky grin.
It took me a moment to register. Who?
Xiao Baozi was just as confused. She asked in her soft, sweet voice, "Who is Duke Huan of Qi?"
The moment Xiao Baozi asked, the name clicked for me. I asked Lao Dao, "Are you talking about the Duke Huan of Qi from the story *Bian Que Visits Duke Huan of Cai*?"
Xiao Baozi was even more baffled. "I know that story about Bian Que and the man who refused treatment, but now that you've said that, I'm all mixed up. Did Bian Que visit Duke Huan of Cai or Duke Huan of Qi?"
Lao Dao waggled his eyebrows, signaling for me to explain.
I stared speechlessly at Lao Dao. Just moments ago, he was a man seriously discussing profound principles. How could he suddenly act as if he were possessed, like a completely different person?
Unable to figure out the reason for Lao Dao's abrupt change, I could only explain to Xiao Baozi, "'Duke Huan of Cai and Duke Huan of Qi, in this context, refer to the same person. They both refer to the third ruler of the Tian Qi State during the Warring States period, a man named Tian Wu, whose posthumous title was Duke Huan of Qi.
A bit further back, during the Spring and Autumn period, there was another person called Duke Huan of Qi. He was the fifteenth ruler of the Qi State, with the surname Jiang and the given name Xiaobai, also known as Qi Xiaobai or Prince Xiaobai. He was the first of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period.
To distinguish him from this Prince Xiaobai, Tian Wu is also known as Tian Qi Duke Huan, or Duke Huan Wu of Qi.
The Tian Qi State was a marquisate, so some people also called him Duke Huan of Qi.
The capital of the Qi State was in Shangcai, which is why some people also called him Duke Huan of Cai.
So, whether he's called Duke Huan of Cai, Duke Huan of Qi, Tian Qi Duke Huan, Duke Huan Wu of Qi, or Duke Huan of Qi, in this case, they all refer to Tian Wu."
After explaining all that about Duke Huan, I looked at Lao Dao's smug expression and asked irritably, "Didn't Duke Huan just die of illness?"
Proofreader: Peter Pan