Mr. Cai was interested, just as I had expected. His eyebrows rose slightly. "Gathering yin and gathering yang are the same thing?"
"Yes. Fundamentally, yin is yang, and yang is yin. Life is death, and death is life," I said slowly.
"That sounds a little like what the Diamond Sutra says..." Mr. Cai said thoughtfully.
"Oh? How so?"
"The Diamond Sutra says, 'There is no perception of dharma, nor any perception of non-dharma,' 'What is called the Buddha's teaching is not the Buddha's teaching,' and 'True form is no form,' among other things. It repeatedly emphasizes that we shouldn't cling to appearances," Mr. Cai explained.
I nodded in wholehearted agreement, and the two of us talked about this for a long time.
Once my qi and blood had settled, I asked, "Mr. Cai, would you mind if I took a look around?"
Mr. Cai understood what I meant. He rose and led me inside, saying with a smile, "It would be my pleasure."
The courtyard was picturesque and poetic, while the interior was lavish and imposing.
The living room was on the ground floor, its finely carved solid-wood furniture exuding elegance and grandeur.
The kitchen adjoined it to the north, and all the bedrooms were upstairs. The overall layout was the same as the place where I lived.
After walking around, I had a pretty good idea of what was wrong. It really was a feng shui problem.
Apart from a few minor issues with the placement of things, the biggest problem lay in the living room's decor.
To make the space look more expansive and complement its grandeur, Mr. Cai had covered an entire wall with mirrors and used shiny, glossy decorative trim.
It certainly looked beautiful, all glittering splendor, but it also created harmful feng shui influences.
I pointed out each problem to Mr. Cai, explained the reasoning behind it, and suggested ways to resolve it.
Mr. Cai listened, considering what I said.
Horror films often featured scenes in which someone looked in a mirror at night and had an encounter with an evil presence.
Art drew from life, and mirrors really did come with quite a few taboos in feng shui.
It wasn't because mirrors attracted evil, but because reflective objects were more likely to create light sha.
If a wardrobe or wall had a large mirror, the reflection flashing past as someone walked by could often give them a fright. Sometimes that momentary fear flickered through the subconscious so quickly that the damage was already done before the brain even registered it.
Fear harmed the kidneys, and the kidneys governed the bones.
That made the joints and bones particularly vulnerable. Over time, rheumatic conditions or other bone-related diseases could develop.
At the same time, the heart and kidneys were interconnected. Damage to the kidneys directly affected both the heart and the mind, potentially leading to cardiovascular disease, neurasthenia, and similar conditions.
In particular, when light struck a mirror and reflected back like flashes of blades, it could also plant a subconscious suggestion of impending bloodshed or injury.
It was best not to have large mirrors at home. Small mirrors should also be put away after use whenever possible, to keep their reflections from creating sha.
Mirrors that couldn't conveniently be put away should either be removed or covered with opaque beige curtains. Blocking the light would prevent light sha from forming.
Mr. Cai nodded in agreement, asked me for an auspicious date to begin the work, and gave me a very thick red envelope.
Very thick.
Without opening it, I pushed it back and declined.
First, our discussions had gone so well that we felt more like friends.
Second, he hadn't yet seen whether my advice would work. I couldn't accept payment for results I hadn't delivered.
Mr. Cai kept insisting. "First, I asked you to take a look because I trust my own judgment of people. Second, whatever happens, I can't let you go to all this trouble for nothing, Master. Just consider it a token for good luck."
Seeing that Mr. Cai genuinely wanted me to accept it, I compromised. I took $100 from the red envelope and said, "How about this? I'll accept the good-luck token. In a month, if your health really has improved, you can give me a thank-you gift then."
Seeing that I was equally firm, and that he could still give me a thank-you gift later, Mr. Cai finally agreed.
Some people might have thought I was a fool for turning down money.
But my thinking was that if he gave me a gift after he had truly benefited, he would be getting his money's worth. That would be a different matter.
For now, this red envelope was merely a matter of saving face.
Refusing it would put him in an awkward position, while accepting too much would put me in one. Better for each of us to give a little ground and let everyone save face.
With that goodwill preserved, he might even refer clients to me in the future.
Whether it was because "giving wealth brings wealth" or because "Heaven blesses kind thoughts and good deeds," I never lacked money again after that.
Mr. Cai was remarkably quick to act. Within a few days, he had finished making the changes to his home.
We also agreed to meet the following Friday afternoon to practice the Sword-Finger Art together.
Before you continue