Heavenly Book The Great Void

Chapter 11

The reason he brought it up in front of me was to get my "permission" so that we could contact each other openly in the future.

Fortunately, Qiqi also thought Mufeng was a good person, at least they could be friends, so she readily said, "I never carry business cards when I go out on weekends, I'll give you my phone number and MSN."

Mu Feng immediately pulled out a small notebook with a gold-embossed octagonal cover and a Parker gold pen from his pocket and handed them to Qi Qi.

As Qiqi was writing, he took out another of his business cards and quietly placed it on Qiqi's left side.

Feeling a bit bored being left out, Youyou urged Mufeng after he put away his notebook, "Mufeng, hurry up and order. We still need to go house hunting this afternoon after we finish eating!"

Mu Feng quickly ordered fermented bean curd lettuce, black pepper beef ribs, steamed scallops with garlic, and spicy crab roe soup dumplings.

Qiqi thought he was quite good at ordering food; almost all of these were her favorite dishes, and they were all classic Typhoon Shelter dishes.

Mu Feng then asked Qi Qi and You You for dessert. Qi Qi ordered tiramisu, while You You decided to try Typhoon Shelter's new product, "Sawdust Pudding".

The restaurant was quite crowded, and the food was served rather slowly.

Mu Feng seized the opportunity to ask Qi Qi, "I was writing a new column last night, a general discussion of Shanghai's feng shui. I looked up some information and was shocked to find that Mr. You Xiyin, a renowned feng shui master in Shanghai, predicted in 1928 that Shanghai would enter a period of crisis from 2004 to 2023!"

Qi Qi nodded: "That's right, there is such a saying. Feng Shui emphasizes the 'Three Cycles and Nine Periods,' with each cycle lasting sixty years. From 2004 to 2023, the world is in the Lower Cycle Eight Period."

Youyou asked, puzzled, "So it's not like Shanghai is entering the 'Lower Yuan Period 8' on its own? Then why is it said that Shanghai is going through a 'perilous period'?"

Mu Feng seemed to have the same question.

Qiqi felt it was really difficult to explain clearly in just a few words to two laymen in Feng Shui. After organizing her thoughts, she slowly said, "Shanghai's orientation is southwest to northeast. According to the Xuan Kong Feng Shui theory, the so-called 'the prosperity and decline of the three elements determine the true essence, prosperity means good fortune, and decline means bad fortune.'"

The prosperous palace is the "Palace of the Righteous God," which is suitable for having doors and open spaces, while the declining palace is the "Palace of the Zero God," which is suitable for having water.

Water in the 'True God Palace' indicates financial loss, while water in the 'Ling God Palace' indicates wealth.

During the Lower Yuan Period 8 from 2004 to 2023, the prosperous palace is in the northeast and the declining palace is in the southwest. In Shanghai's feng shui, the northeast is the "Zheng Shen Palace" and also the water outlet, a place with abundant water, which is in line with the Xuan Kong feng shui theory that "if there is water in the Zheng Shen Palace, it will lead to financial loss".

Therefore, Shanghai's economy will suffer a severe blow during the Lower Yuan Period 8.

Youyou listened in a completely murky and confused manner.

Mu Feng listened and took notes quickly. He seemed to understand some of it and asked, "I know that houses have an 'orientation,' but how come such a large place as Shanghai also has an orientation? When I write articles, it's best to have more theoretical basis so that I can impress ordinary readers!"

Qiqi spoke eloquently: "Shanghai is located at 31 degrees 14 minutes north latitude and 121 degrees 29 minutes east longitude. It is situated on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean, the eastern edge of the Asian continent, and the forefront of the Yangtze River Delta."

Shanghai's water inlet is at Wusongkou in the northeast, a 40-mile waterway. Another tributary is the Suzhou Creek, which flows from the west through the northwest and then north, reaching Baiqiao Ferry, where it merges with the Huangpu River to form a three-way confluence.

According to Xuan Kong Feng Shui, Shanghai faces northeast, and its water inlet is also in the northeast. The northeast corresponds to Gen (艮), which is eight. Two and eight add up to ten. The opposite of Gen is two, and two corresponds to the southwest, which is Kun (坤). The southwest is the dragon vein of Shanghai.

Therefore, Shanghai's orientation is southwest to northeast.

Mu Feng was very satisfied and praised, "Miss Yang is truly knowledgeable, far beyond what ordinary people in the martial arts world can compare to. Everything she says is reasonable and well-founded. I admire her!"

Youyou couldn't help but worry: "Oh dear, should we immigrate sooner? How bad will Shanghai get?"

Qi Qi shook her head: "There's no need to be so afraid. It's just a saying. Modern Xuan Kong masters Chen Xuetao and You Xiyin held the opposite opinion, believing that Shanghai would be most prosperous in the eighth period. They also cited classical texts and were full of confidence. Shanghai has a thick skin; even a skinny camel is bigger than a horse."

Mu Feng stopped writing and asked, "And what about Miss Yang? Do you think Shanghai is prosperous or declining during the Lower Yuan Period 8?"

Qi Qi laughed and said, "What, has the great writer Mu turned into a reporter? I dare not make any predictions about the rise and fall of Shanghai; I cannot bear that responsibility."

Mu Feng smiled slyly and said, "Then let me rephrase the question: Do you lean towards Chen Xuetao or You Xiyin?"

Qi Qi could no longer evade the question and said helplessly, “You Xiyin. In fact, as soon as the Lujiazui project, the world’s tallest building, was approved, I had an ominous premonition. After reading the building’s design plan in the Oriental Morning Post, I became even more convinced that once the building was completed, Shanghai’s feng shui would suffer a fatal and irreversible destruction! This would be exactly as the old master You Xiyin predicted.”

Upon hearing the mention of the tallest building, Youyou became excited and exclaimed, "I know, I know! The original design was two military swords supporting a red sun, meant to rip open the belly of China and dry it on the riverbank. Those Japanese were too ruthless!"

Mu Feng asked, "Then why was the design plan changed later?"

Qi Qi said, "It's possible that Shanghai's fate was not sealed, and it's also a blessing for China. Our Prophet Company's US headquarters contacted many famous overseas architects and feng shui experts, who jointly advised us, and finally changed the exterior design of the tallest building."

With all the dishes served, Qiqi and Mufeng had grown a little closer to each other.

Having already gained much from feng shui today, Mu Feng wisely turned to Qi Qi's request.

“Ms. Yang, you’re looking for an apartment to live in yourself, right? I think a popular size of around 90 square meters would be just right. Anything too big would take too much time and effort to clean, so it’s unnecessary.”

Whether Mu Feng truly thought that way or was cleverly giving Qi Qi a way out, Qi Qi was very grateful.

At least this way, there won't be the awkwardness of choosing a luxury house or villa.

Mu Feng took out two A4-sized color pictures from his white buffalo leather bag and spread them on the table.

Youyou also came over, took a look, and said, "Not bad. The second phase of Taohuayuan in Minhang and the fourth phase of Qinyuanchun in Xuhui are both classic and best-selling properties. Mufeng, can you get some of the newly launched units?"

Mu Feng smiled mysteriously and said, "I can't say much, but I can guarantee three sets for each. Miss Youyou, are you interested?"

Youyou curled her lip: "It's just an ordinary neighborhood, with no potential for appreciation. This young lady is currently eyeing top-tier properties in rare neighborhoods. Let me know if you find any!"

Youyou may have meant no harm, but Qiqi felt a strange sadness in her heart after hearing it.

Yes, Youyou, who used to be my close friend in school, has now transformed from an ordinary girl into a true tycoon. Her several properties alone are worth at least ten million yuan, not to mention her savings.

Is it possible to achieve this simply by being open-minded and frequently changing boyfriends?

Qiqi took the two blueprints and returned the floor plan of Peach Blossom Garden Phase IV to Mufeng, saying, "The houses in Peach Blossom Garden are uninhabitable; I won't buy them. I looked at one for a small business owner who was about to go bankrupt last time. Across from the complex, there's a 'sky-cutting evil' formed by the walls of two very close skyscrapers; to the left of the complex is a large oncology hospital; and worst of all, behind the complex, a large lake has been newly dug. In feng shui terms, it's called 'a newly dug pond dries up in three years.' The water in the lake is unstable; it won't gather energy or wealth, and it will bring bad luck to the people in the complex! Add to that the large fountain in the center of the complex, and it's practically useless!"

Mu Feng listened, clearly puzzled: "There are hundreds of houses in this community, isn't there a single one that's worth considering?"

Qi Qi smiled and said, "Of course not. If you insist on finding a relatively healthy person to marry from a group of patients, you might as well find a person with poor health from a group of healthy people."

Youyou asked curiously, "What happened to that small business owner who was almost bankrupt? Did he go bankrupt?"

Qi Qi said, "No. He moved at my suggestion. I chose the building and the moving date. This year, he opened two more branch offices, so business should be fine."

Mu Feng frowned and asked, "Miss Yang, I don't understand. You're so capable, why don't you help him adjust the feng shui of the house in Peach Blossom Spring instead of making him go through all that trouble of moving?"

Qiqi took a bite of tiramisu and shook her head, saying, "Because there are too many evil spirits outside that neighborhood, and they form gangs and cause trouble."

Mu Feng muttered, "Don't feng shui masters know how to make adjustments? They can perform a ritual, set up a Pixiu statue, hang a mirror or a copper bell..."

Qi Qi said seriously, "I never use these methods on my clients. Traditional feng shui doesn't use these methods either."

Mu Feng pressed, "Isn't it said that 'where there is evil, there is misfortune'? If we just move house whenever we encounter problems, what's the point of feng shui?"

Qi Qi was taken aback, her face showing a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "Which feng shui master is spouting this nonsense? There are three types of 'sha': celestial sha, terrestrial sha, and form sha. Among these three, form sha is the most difficult to control. Whether you try to neutralize, counteract, or reverse it, it's practically impossible to eradicate the power of form sha. If your house is surrounded by numerous form sha, it's like living amidst swords and spears every day. Forget about seeking official positions or wealth; even basic personal safety is hard to come by. The only way is to 'avoid sha'!"

Youyou clicked her tongue in amazement: "If even Qiqi couldn't handle them, those evil spirits must be incredibly powerful!"

Qi Qi sighed, “The power of a feng shui master is actually very limited. A feng shui master is just a human, not a god. He can see the harm of these evil influences, but he may not have the ability to resolve them. If he tries his best, the client may still be unable to escape the calamity. In the end, it is not good to risk people’s lives and experiment. So when I encounter these powerful evil influences, I usually advise them to move.”

Mu Feng was engrossed in taking notes rapidly in his notebook.

Qi Qi asked, "Mu Feng, you seem somewhat disappointed with feng shui masters and feng shui techniques, right? Feng shui techniques are far from being as magical, omnipotent, and capable of doing whatever one wants as many people imagine. If that were the case, feng shui masters could simply adjust their own feng shui and become rich year after year, without having to come out and work hard to make a living by feng shui. Look at me, I'm still at a loss for what to do about a small apartment."

Mu Feng looked up at Qi Qi with sincere eyes and said, "Miss Yang, I think you are remarkable! This is the truth. I have met several Feng Shui masters, some of whom are so-called masters in the Feng Shui world, but what they have in common is that there is not a single Feng Shui problem they cannot solve. It is more convincing that Miss Yang is so frank in admitting that Feng Shui has its shortcomings! I understand what you mean by 'avoiding evil spirits' a little. It's like someone is coming to cut you with a big knife. No matter if you know martial arts or not, it is best to avoid it rather than face the challenge head-on."

Qi Qi smiled with relief and said, "There are some things you shouldn't write in the newspaper. Many of my colleagues still rely on changing people's feng shui and selling Pixiu copper bells to make a living. If I cut off their source of income, it will be difficult for me to maintain a good reputation in the feng shui industry in the future."

Mu Feng laughed heartily and said, "Don't worry, Miss Yang, I, Mu Feng, have always been a good friend. I won't betray you. Even if those Pixiu copper bells are useless, they can still provide some psychological comfort. The hundreds of homeowners in Peach Blossom Garden who can't afford to move should get a few of these amulets to keep at home."

Qi Qi sighed and said, "The real estate boom in recent years has led many business owners from other sectors to try and get a piece of the pie, but it's like crossing a mountain between different industries. Take the owner of Peach Blossom Spring, for example. He used to be in the clothing foreign trade business. Last year, due to the international financial crisis, foreign trade became difficult, so he used his capital to buy this land and build houses."

The industry standard in the real estate sector is to consult with both a feng shui master and a planner to determine the overall design of a residential complex. The owner of Peach Blossom Spring approached our company's Azure Dragon department, but upon hearing that the feng shui consultant would charge one percent of the total investment, he immediately decided against hiring a feng shui master and would proceed directly to finalizing the construction plan.

Mu Feng sighed and said, "I know about this. That boss is a family friend of my father's. I didn't think there was anything wrong with what he did at the time, at least it saved him several million in expenses—forgive my bluntness, but I wonder if it's worth spending so much money to hire your company for feng shui planning?"

Qi Qi smiled gently; she quite liked Mu Feng's straightforwardness.

Being with someone who speaks the truth is not tiring. Even if their words make you uncomfortable, it's all in the moment and won't leave you wondering or racking your brains over it.

"Mr. Mu has been in the real estate industry for many years. Do you know how much the feng shui planning for the Jin Mao Tower cost?"

Qi Qi suddenly asked a question, catching Mu Feng off guard. He stammered, "I don't know. Did they have someone look at the feng shui of the Jin Mao Tower?"

Youyou perked up again and loudly interjected, "I know, I know! This is huge gossip, it's all over the industry, they say it's—fifty million!"

Mu Feng was completely dumbfounded.

Qi Qi calmly ate another small spoonful of tiramisu, looked at Mu Feng, and said, "In our Feng Shui world, the industry standard is to take one percent of the total investment in a project as commission. The Jin Mao Tower has a total investment of 5 billion, so one percent is 50 million, which is nothing strange."

Mu Feng was speechless: "So many... You make a fortune just by doing one feng shui consultation in your lifetime. The feng shui industry is incredibly profitable!"

Qi Qi disagreed, saying calmly, "Whether this money was well spent is a question for Wang Baochen, the chairman of Jinmao Group. The Jinmao Tower was designed by the American architectural firm SOM, and they calculated it based on six percent of the investment plan, which is 300 million yuan. It seems no one has questioned whether such a high design fee is worthwhile! The designer is thinking about how to help the company spend money; while the feng shui master is thinking about how to help the company make money. Which is more important? Who dares to say that Liao Junwang, the feng shui designer of the Jinmao Tower from Sanliao, necessarily put in less effort and made a smaller contribution than Adrain Smith, the chief designer of SOM?"

"It turns out that the feng shui of the Jin Mao Tower was determined by Elder Liao Junwang, a feng shui master from Sanliao, a town renowned for its feng shui!"

Mu Feng was astonished: "Then it should still be worth it. Only iconic buildings from various countries can be invited to hire this national treasure, and he has to be willing. He charges for feng shui consultations in US dollars. Fifty million RMB was just over five million US dollars in the 1990s, which is not too much."

Youyou listened with envy and asked Qiqi repeatedly, "Qiqi, you can't possibly earn millions just by doing one feng shui consultation, can you? It seems I've been underestimating you. Maybe I should learn some feng shui from you. Do you think I'm cut out for it?"

Qiqi suppressed a laugh and said, "Alright, Youyou, stop teasing me. I'm an office worker, and I only earn a thousand or so yuan for each feng shui consultation. In any industry, if you reach the top, you can be all-powerful and get whatever you want. But reaching the top requires not only skills but also emotional intelligence, plus some irreplaceable opportunities... A legendary figure like Mr. Liao is absolutely impossible to replicate in the feng shui industry."

Mu Feng snapped out of his reverie and asked anxiously, "Miss Yang, is the other apartment in Qinyuanchun Phase IV okay?"

Qi Qi said, "Of course there's no problem with that residential complex. The planner for the third and fourth phases of Qinyuanchun is Yao Beibei from our company's Nanjing branch. The investor for Qinyuanchun is a real estate company affiliated with a university in Nanjing—actually, it was a hasty establishment by that university on a whim, and they don't have many real estate professionals. But because they have government backing and strong financial resources, they won the bid for the Qinyuanchun land in Shanghai at a high price. Unfortunately, despite being in a prime location, the selling price and cost of the first and second phases of Qinyuanchun are almost inverted."

Mu Feng immediately said, "Yes, yes, because the third phase of Qinyuan Spring started selling well, the first and second phases were also snapped up... To be honest, my uncle is the vice president of the university you mentioned, and also the chairman of its subsidiary real estate company, so I was able to get a few units in the fourth phase. They were sold out before the official launch... Why didn't he mention to me about having someone look at the feng shui?"

Qi Qi smiled: "Because he's afraid of losing face. The feng shui planner he hired, Shen Youcai, is completely ineffective. He's supposedly a history professor at a university who likes to study the I Ching and feng shui. He became famous because he frequently published related papers in newspapers and magazines, and gradually people started asking him to do feng shui. Unfortunately, he didn't have the real skills and no practical experience, so his feng shui consultations often resulted in big jokes. For example, Yao Beibei told me about the reasons why the first and second phases of Qinyuanchun didn't sell well. The mistakes were very basic. First, the location of the main gate was wrong. It was located in the 'Gen' direction of the Bagua of the entire community, which is called 'opening the ghost gate,' which is inauspicious. Second, the sales office happened to be located in the 'Yaosha' position of the community, which is doubly inauspicious. With just these two points, it's no wonder the houses didn't sell well."

Mu Feng coughed twice and said, "Professor Shen is my uncle's classmate and good friend, and also the vice president of the Shanghai Zhouyi Society... He even offered to adjust the feng shui of my house last time, luckily I haven't had time lately!"

Qiqi and Youyou laughed loudly.

Qi Qi asked, "What are the orientations of your three apartments in Qinyuanchun?"

"They all face north and south, with two bedrooms and a living room."

Qi Qi frowned and said, "I'm most afraid of north-south orientation, because it's very possible that my sitting direction might just be the 'Three Killings Mountain' in my destiny!"

Mu Feng asked with great interest, "What is 'Three Fiends Mountain'? What's the story behind it?"

Qiqi said, "I'll tell you in detail when we get to the neighborhood."

Youyou immediately said, "I want to hear too! Why should I only tell him?"

Qiqi smiled helplessly.

Chapter Twelve: Choosing a Room. Mu Feng paid the bill, and the three of them took the escalator down to the parking lot on the second basement level of Dragon Dream.

It's rather unusual that Youyou didn't bring out her little BMW.

Although Youyou often relies on and takes advantage of men, Qiqi knows that she is actually a very independent person who always manages her life in an orderly manner and never bothers men with trivial matters.

She never needed to be picked up when she met those men; she always drove herself. Her attire was always perfectly appropriate for the occasion.

Afterwards, she never lingered with the men, but instead drove home alone.

After several encounters, no man could resist her charm; she was practically a "super playmate" more perfect than any video game character. They simply couldn't let her go.

This is perhaps why, even after breaking up with those men, they would still keep in touch with her and even ask her to bail them out from time to time, and she never let them down.