Wang Guan asked, and Elder Duan smiled, hiding nothing as he began to explain in detail, "Look closely, to the left of the residence, there is a tree. What kind of tree is that?"

"A pine tree," replied Lu Chongming. "Pines are quite tall; it must be several decades old."

"That's right, a pine tree." Elder Duan gestured again. "Now look at the house itself—two stories, quite square. Doesn't it resemble the two boxes of the character for 'official' ()?"

"It does, it does…" Lu Chongming still had some doubts. "But there are many buildings like this in the village."

"No, no, it's different."

Elder Duan shook his head and elaborated, "There are many similar buildings in the village, and quite a few residences have trees beside them. But the reason I first asked you to look at the pine is that the key lies with this specific pine tree."

"What about the pine tree?"

At this, Wang Guan looked around curiously and soon spotted what was peculiar. This pine tree was far taller than ordinary pines, even reaching the same height as the residence, standing level with it.

"It’s not just level," Elder Duan reminded them with a smile. "Look again at the crown of the pine. It doesn't lean front, back, or left; instead, it tilts distinctly to the right, like a hat covering the residence, perfectly mirroring the character for 'official.' Of course, considering the crown isn't overly long and only just meets the residence's level, it suggests the owner isn't a high-ranking official, merely someone with considerable status."

"...That's too accurate."

For a moment, Wang Guan and Lu Chongming were stunned into silence, full of awe. The village secretary certainly wasn't an official, but within the rural community, he undeniably held significant standing.

Elder Duan became animated, unable to resist offering more commentary. "The low canopy is indeed a minor flaw, but it's not critical; it signifies blessings passed down to posterity. The owner's grandson will be fortunate."

"How so?" Lu Chongming quickly pressed.

"It’s simple. The tree will certainly grow. In another ten or twenty years, the crown will become much denser, completely enveloping the house, and it will become the true character for 'official.' Besides," Elder Duan chuckled, "just by looking at the character for 'pine' (), you can see a clue. The character contains the radical for 'public' or 'elder' (), which refers to the grandfather’s generation, naturally signifying blessings for descendants."

"Moreover, since the house has two stories, it indicates this family has only two grandsons. If they are cultivated properly, I can already determine that within twenty or thirty years, the grandsons of this household will achieve great success, and a true official will emerge from them."

As he spoke, Elder Duan's expression turned solemn. "Of course, this is predicated on the household not stirring up trouble. If the owner himself lacks integrity and causes the fortune's trajectory to deviate, it won't be a legacy for his descendants, but a curse upon them."

"Master, what do you mean by lacking integrity and shifting fortune?"

Just then, Lu Chongming’s paternal uncle hurried out, his face a mask of undisguised shock and reverence. He had clearly been listening from inside the residence for some time, realizing Elder Duan was a true master, and could no longer restrain himself from coming out to pay respects.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Elder Duan seemed surprised. After a brief pause, he suddenly laughed, "What fortune or fate? I was just spouting nonsense, don't believe a word of it... Wang Guan, weren't we supposed to go up the mountain? Let's leave quickly."

"Master, Master!" Lu Chongming's uncle grew agitated, rushing forward to block their path. "I heard everything very clearly inside. You are an expert, Master, and what you said was astonishingly accurate. I do have two grandsons—one is seven, the other four, both quite mischievous. Will they truly amount to anything in the future?"

As he spoke, the uncle urgently gestured, "Ah Ming, quickly ask the Master to divine their fortunes for your two nephews."

"Uncle,"

Lu Chongming's expression turned strange at this point. "Do you really believe that? Aren't you afraid I might have told the Master about your situation beforehand, which is why he spoke so accurately…"

Hearing this, Elder Duan’s smile remained, but Lu Chongming’s uncle grew even more frantic, sharply scolding, "Ah Ming, what nonsense are you speaking? Apologize to the Master immediately... Master, please don't mind him. He is young and doesn't understand these matters; he speaks carelessly. Please do not take offense."

"Why would I mind? I was just speaking casually," Elder Duan replied with a smile. "It shouldn't be taken seriously, not at all..."

"It can be taken seriously; it is absolutely true."

At this juncture, the uncle composed himself and earnestly invited Elder Duan inside for a detailed discussion. Elder Duan did not hesitate and readily followed the uncle’s enthusiastic welcome, leaving the other two outside.

The two men exchanged glances. After a long silence, Lu Chongming finally sighed, "Wang Guan, you were right. He really is a master—a genuine Feng Shui master. He completely won over my uncle with just a few sentences... By the way, you really didn't tell him about my uncle's situation."

"I swear, absolutely not," Wang Guan stated solemnly. "Forget about your uncle's situation; I never even had a chance to tell him about yours."

"That's strange then," Lu Chongming frowned. "How could he have been so precise?"

"I don't know," Wang Guan shook his head. "What puzzles me more is why your uncle believes him so readily, without a shred of doubt."

"Exactly..."

Lu Chongming nodded, then immediately called out, "Let's go inside and see."

That suited Wang Guan perfectly, and he readily followed Lu Chongming into the main hall. Inside, Lu Chongming’s uncle was meticulously preparing tea and pouring water for Elder Duan, his manner extremely deferential.

Seeing this scene, Wang Guan felt a touch of envy. Indeed, in this place, in China, a true master was highly sought after. Once recognized as an expert, one received the highest level of treatment everywhere. In contrast, Lu Chongming, who had offended the master, received less attention from his uncle, who bypassed him to pour a cup of tea for Wang Guan.

Lu Chongming, seeing this, simply took matters into his own hands. However, his uncle was not deterred. He frowned, "What's the point of drinking tea? Apologize to the Master first."

"Heh heh, no need, no need," Elder Duan laughed modestly. "Actually, it's not just him; I am also a bit curious. How could you be so certain that what I said was true and not just a performance to mystify?"

"Master, you jest..." The uncle hesitated before speaking, "I won't hide it from you; I had guidance when building this residence. All this time, I never fully grasped the meaning behind it, until hearing the Master's analysis just now—only then did everything become clear."

"What meaning?"

The uncle understood, but Wang Guan and Lu Chongming remained utterly bewildered.

"Uncle, didn't you build the house yourself? Who guided you?" Lu Chongming asked, quite perplexed.

"Your grandfather!" In an instant, the uncle gave a most unexpected answer. "That is, my father. He instructed me to build the residence here."

"Grandfather?" Lu Chongming was completely stunned.

"Yes."

The uncle nodded gently. "Your father doesn't believe in this, so he certainly never told you, but your grandfather was also knowledgeable in Feng Shui techniques. I remember when my brother and I came of age, he asked us whether we wanted to start a family before establishing a career, or establish a career before starting a family."

"At the time, your Aunt and I were fond of each other, so we chose to start a family first and then build careers. As for your father, he chose to establish his career first, which is why you were born later."

As he spoke, the uncle sighed with deep feeling. "After hearing our choices, your grandfather calculated and pointed at your father, saying: establish a career first, then family—the son will be more promising. Then he pointed at me and said: establish a family first, then career—the grandson will be more promising."

"My father and I were young then, of course, we didn't believe it; we assumed your grandfather was just speaking casually. But looking back now, his words proved incredibly efficacious."

The uncle shook his head and continued, "Over a decade passed in a flash. The year before he passed away, he told me it was time to start planning for his great-grandchildren. He picked a plot of land here and prepared to build a new residence. This place was originally an abandoned garden. After your grandfather bought it, he razed the garden, leaving only this ancient pine, and then built this house..."

"The new house was completed not long after, and then he was gone."

At this point, the uncle also felt a touch of sadness. "On his deathbed, he warned me not to wander outside anymore, but to develop steadily right here. As long as there were no major mistakes, in a few decades, I would surely enjoy the blessings of my children and grandchildren."

"I didn't understand any of that at the time," the uncle confessed honestly. "But over the years, seeing Ah Ming become more and more successful, and recalling my father's words, I couldn't help but start believing. Especially just now, the Master's words were like a sudden clearing of the clouds, making me completely understand my father's deep intentions back then..."

"Is that true?"

Hearing his uncle’s explanation, Lu Chongming’s mouth hung wide open, showing a degree of disbelief.

"The facts are right before your eyes. Do you think they are true or false?" The uncle glared. "If you don't believe me, go ask your father; you'll know if I'm lying."

"What a pity, what a pity."

Meanwhile, Elder Duan also shook his head and sighed. "If I had known there was such a skilled peer hidden here, I would have crossed mountains and ridges to come visit sooner."

"That's so mystical..." Lu Chongming murmured, "Wang Guan, do you believe it?"

"It's hard to say." Wang Guan also looked hesitant.

If it were just Elder Duan saying this, he would certainly have been highly suspicious, but now that Lu Chongming's own grandfather had made such arrangements over a decade ago, it made them wonder and doubt at the same time. As the saying goes, when three people claim something, it becomes fact.

Regardless of whether the two believed it, the uncle certainly did, and he was absolutely convinced. He therefore humbly sought advice: "Master, hasn't the Feng Shui fortune already been set? How can it still deviate?"

"That statement is incorrect," Elder Duan shook his head. "Things are constantly changing; how can Feng Shui and destiny remain static forever? Fate is ethereal and uncertain; it only maintains itself temporarily; it cannot be unchanging. People often say: One's lot in life, Two's luck, Three's Feng Shui, Four's accumulated virtue, and Five's study. This shows that one's destiny, to a certain extent, is also held in one's own hands."

"When you are riding high, you must remain vigilant at all times. If you suffer setbacks or unacknowledged talent, you must not lose confidence and simply go with the flow..." Elder Duan spoke slowly, and Lu Chongming's uncle nodded repeatedly. However, listening to it, Wang Guan couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't discussing esoteric Feng Shui at all, but rather the principles of how to live life.