The three of us chatted as we headed toward Lingyin Temple.
When we reached the entrance, we could see people both inside and outside. It was certainly lively.
I had never seen this many people here when I passed by before.
One reason was that I was a homebody and rarely went out without a reason.
The other was that I hadn't lived here very long.
It was our first visit, and we didn't know the rules, so we stood quietly in a corner and watched.
A female volunteer noticed our unease. She came over and asked softly, "Are you here to offer incense or ask for guidance?"
"To ask for guidance," I replied.
"Then come line up over here."
I looked where she pointed. Several groups were already waiting there.
After thanking her, we went to the back of the line.
Another female volunteer gave us a number and explained, "Just wait for the teacher to call your number."
We stood obediently in line, looking around.
Most of the visitors looked like businesspeople. It felt more like a gathering where everyone chatted about business partnerships.
Only a small number had come to ask for guidance.
"Master is here," someone called softly, and everyone immediately fell silent.
Master didn't exchange pleasantries with anyone. He walked straight to the statue, offered incense, and began the worship ritual.
Only then did I notice that the deity worshipped at Lingyin Temple was Ji Gong.
Incense smoke curled through the air. Everything was quiet, and the atmosphere suddenly turned solemn.
Before long, someone carried in a large, round wicker tray filled with sand and placed it to the right of the statue.
Three people stood around the tray.
Two more sat beside it.
Only after they began did I realize they were using fuji.
They invited a deity to possess them, writing on its behalf to convey its guidance.
Of the three people around the tray, one was the Primary Fuji Medium, one was the Assistant Fuji Medium, and one was the Fuji Cantor.
The Primary Fuji Medium held the Fuji Writing Brush while the Assistant Fuji Medium supported its tail end. Together, they wrote and drew in the sand inside the tray.
Whenever they wrote a character, the Fuji Cantor read it aloud, then smoothed the sand in the tray to prepare for the next character.
Of the two people seated beside them, one read out the questions, while the other transcribed the answers and, once finished, interpreted the divination.
My question was simple: would this partnership to start a company work out?
The answer I received was just as simple: "Great ambitions, but Heaven lends no aid."
I understood "great ambitions," but I couldn't make sense of "Heaven lends no aid."
Puzzled, I looked at Master. "May I ask what 'Heaven lends no aid' means?"
Master adjusted his glasses and said, "Heaven represents those above, and also the government. In other words, the government doesn't support what you're doing?"
"Huh? The government doesn't support it? I've already looked into the laws. There's nothing wrong with the paperwork."
Master seemed displeased by my doubts and said bluntly, "That's what the deity said. 'Heaven lends no aid' means there's resistance from above. Next..."
Du Le, Li Xuan, and I exchanged glances, then headed out of the temple together.
"See? I told you we should just stick to some part-time work instead of dreaming so big," Du Le muttered.
"That doesn't make sense. There definitely shouldn't be any problem on the government's end," I said, wondering whether there was some legal issue I had overlooked.
No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't figure it out.
Li Xuan said understandingly, "There's no rush to settle it in the next day or two. Let's think it over some more, make sure we've covered everything, then arrange to talk to my sister."
That was all we could do.
The answer reminded me of the "red mouth" result I had calculated at Shanghai Airport when Old Taoist taught me finger divination.
The two were very similar: neither made any logical sense.
Resistance from the government? That made no sense at all. Every part of the paperwork was legal, wasn't it?
What could the reason possibly be? I turned it over in my mind again and again, taking the utmost care.
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