Street Stories: A True Account of a Group of Blind Men in the Underworld

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, as soon as the sun began to set, Qiao Yang and Lin Hai returned to the inn.

The moment I stepped into the courtyard, the commotion from inside the main room drifted over. Several regular neighbors were sitting around a table, drinking tea and chatting, creating quite a lively atmosphere.

One of the men, a tall, thin man with a long face, big eyes, and slightly high cheekbones, slammed his hand on the table and insisted that Liu Bei's strategist was Zhuge Liang.

Across from them stood a fat old man with a round head and a prosperous appearance, yet he stubbornly insisted that the strategist's name was Kongming.

The two argued vehemently, each sticking to their own version of events, neither willing to back down.

Lin Hai frowned as he listened, while Qiao Yang couldn't help but chuckle and offered some advice:

"My two brothers need not argue. Zhuge Liang and Kongming are the same person. Zhuge is a compound surname, and his given name is Liang. Kongming is his courtesy name."

Just like Sima Yi, whose courtesy name was Zhongda, it's just that compound surnames are rare in our area, which is why people can't tell them apart for a while.

"What? There are four-character names?" The tall, thin man's eyes widened in disbelief. The fat old man also looked on with suspicion.

Just then, the shopkeeper came over with a copper kettle to refill the water, smiling as he tried to smooth things over:

"Don't rush to argue. Old Master Zhuang will be coming to fetch water soon. He's a well-known old scholar in town. Let him judge the case—whoever loses has to buy everyone a pack of cigarettes!"

Before long, an elderly man in a long robe came in carrying a kettle.

Mr. Zhuang had white hair and beard, a thin face, and wore a pair of old round-framed glasses. He looked like an educated and respectable person.

After everyone explained the whole story, his gaze towards Qiao Yang immediately held a hint of approval:

"This gentleman is absolutely right. Zhuge Liang and Kongming are indeed the same person, as clearly recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms."

After saying that, the old man looked at Qiao Yang curiously again, cupped his hands, and asked:

"Sir, your insight is remarkable. May I ask your esteemed name and where you reside?"

As Qiao Yang introduced himself, Mr. Zhuang's kettle jerked violently, nearly spilling the hot water.

"Could it be... that you are Mr. Qiao Yang, the 'Master Qiao of Jingdong' personally bestowed upon you by Old Master Wu of Tangshan back then?"

Qiao Yang nodded with a smile: "That's me."

Mr. Zhuang immediately turned around, grabbed the shopkeeper, and said loudly:

"Your little shop is truly honored today! Back in the day, Old Master Wu offered a hefty reward, and countless fortune tellers fell short, but Master Qiao alone uttered a single word that revealed the secret of heaven, causing a sensation!"

The owner of the grocery store next door, with a round face and short beard, stared at Qiao Yang for a moment before smiling and speaking:

"I never expected Master Qiao to be so young. I often run goods to Tangshan Wanxin Trading Company. Just a few days ago, I heard the boss praise you, saying that you matched his daughter's marriage perfectly. Now the young couple is living happily ever after, and their business is booming."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, and their expressions towards Qiao Yang immediately showed more awe.

The shopkeeper quickly clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said repeatedly:

"Mr. Qiao and I have known each other for many years. I only knew you as a righteous person, but I had no idea you possessed such extraordinary abilities. I am truly sorry!"

Qiao Yang waved his hand somewhat embarrassedly, then pointed to Lin Hai beside him:

"I'm just a junior, and in terms of real skills, I can't compare to Mr. Lin. He's very knowledgeable, but he's calm and doesn't like to stand out like I do."

"Since you all admire him, then don't just talk the talk."

Mr. Zhuang smiled and said to the shopkeeper, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Quickly brew the Longjing tea I left here, and bring out a plate of freshly made five-nut mooncakes so we can have a lively celebration."

Qiao Yang smiled upon hearing this: "Mr. Lin and I had originally planned to celebrate the festival at the shop. Now that we've met you all, why don't we two be the hosts? We'd appreciate it if the shopkeeper could prepare some food and wine so we can all enjoy a few drinks. Once we're all quite warm and spirited, we'll even sing a couple of ballads to liven things up!"

Everyone was delighted upon hearing this, and the shopkeeper immediately instructed his staff to go and make arrangements.

Before long, a bright moon rose from the east, its clear light like water, bathing the entire courtyard.

On the octagonal table, the braised carp was glistening with oil, the braised pork knuckle was a bright red color, the freshly steamed crab was a plump orange-yellow, and it was served with several dishes of fresh green seasonal delicacies, making the table very full.

The plate of five-nut mooncakes was placed under the moonlight, with candied fruit peel, rock sugar, and melon seeds faintly visible, and a fragrant aroma wafting through the air.

The crowd clinked glasses, laughing and chatting.

After several rounds of drinks, Lin Hai was the first to stand up, holding a pair of clappers, and began to recite "Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats." Qiao Yang, holding a sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument), plucked it with his fingertips, and the sound of clashing swords and galloping horses arose.

Mr. Zhuang listened with rapt attention, occasionally tapping the edge of the table with his chopsticks and responding to the rhythm.

After the song ended and everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Qiao Yang took the drumsticks and drumsticks and laughed loudly:

"I have composed a short piece of drum ballad called 'The Moon Shines Brightest in My Hometown,' which I will sing for you all tonight as a way to add to the festivities."

As the drumbeats softly sounded, Qiao Yang's voice was clear and warm, yet tinged with a hint of melancholy:

A bright moon shines through the cold window; I raise my head to gaze at the moon, and it shines even brighter.

Wandering the world to make a living, I dream of returning to my old home at dawn.

No matter how bright the moonlight is in a foreign land, how can it compare to the old courtyard walls of my hometown?

A glass of wine, meant to soothe sorrow, yet the more I drink, the more melancholy I feel.

I often return to the same old place at night, only to wake up to find the moon still waning...

As the last line was sung, the laughter in the courtyard gradually faded, leaving only the quiet flow of moonlight. Everyone present was moved by that deep sense of homesickness and fell silent for a moment.

As the music ended, the neighbors gradually said their goodbyes and left.

Qiao Yang and Lin Hai were preparing to pack up their drum set and sanxian when a slightly flustered figure quickly stepped forward and blocked their way.

The newcomer was a simple, honest man in his forties, his face showing both excitement and earnestness. He repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting to the two men.

"Master Qiao, Mr. Lin! What a coincidence to meet you both here today!"

Qiao Yang asked gently, "Brother, is there something you need from me?"

The man rubbed his hands together, his face showing difficulty, and his tone was heavy:

"I'm from Qinhuangdao, here to do small business. To be honest, I have an elder brother who went to the Northeast to join the army in his early years. Since then, I've lost all contact with him, and I have no idea whether he's alive or dead."

Over the years, I've consulted many fortune tellers, but their answers have all been vague and uncertain. Today, I humbly request a master's prediction: is my elder brother... still alive?

Qiao Yang and Lin Hai ushered him into the house and asked him to provide his elder brother's birth date and time. Qiao Yang carefully pinched the dates and whispered the calculations:

"The time of birth is auspicious for wealth and officialdom; officialdom brings peace and security..."

As he softly recited the mantra, his brow gradually relaxed, and after a moment he slowly spoke:

"Judging from the birth chart alone, your brother's destiny is not weak, and there is no indication that he will die young. He should still be alive now, and may even already hold a high position and have achieved some success."

Upon hearing this, the man's eyes lit up with hope, yet he still found it hard to believe.

Qiao Yang added, "If you want to be even more certain, you might as well cast another divination to determine the outcome."

The man nodded quickly, his face full of piety.

Qiao Yang used the six lines and eight trigrams to cast a hexagram, and the result was extremely auspicious, with abundant yang energy and vigorous vitality.

His face was full of confidence as he told the man, "The divination and the birth chart are in harmony, both auspicious omens. Not only is your brother alive and well, but with the world at peace now, he is sure to be safe and sound."

Before long, he might return home in glory, so don't worry.

Upon hearing this, the man's eyes welled up with tears, and he thanked him repeatedly. He hurriedly reached into his pocket, rummaging through it, but only managed to pull out a few coins. His face instantly turned bright red, feeling that this small token of his gratitude was far too meager and he couldn't possibly offer it.

He hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, removed a jade thumb ring from his hand, and presented it to Qiao Yang with both hands, earnestly saying:

"Master Qiao, I've staked all my money on the goods, and I really don't have much to offer. This thumb ring was a gift from an old guard who guarded the Eastern Tombs. He said it was an artifact that came out of the Qing Palace and is worth some money. Please accept it as a small token of my appreciation."

Qiao Yang smiled and pushed the few yuan back, then waved his hand in refusal of the ring:

"Brother, there's no need for that. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions. It's just a small favor for me to check your health. Take the money back, and keep the ring on."

Seeing that the man was still hesitating, Qiao Yang smiled gently and said:

"Come find me again when you hear news of your brother or when he returns safely."

"Wouldn't it be better if we set out a feast, drink heartily, and celebrate our brotherhood reunion?"

The man thanked him repeatedly, carefully put away the money and the ring, and left the guest room, looking back every few steps.

Lin Hai said to Qiao Yang, "Your calculations for that merchant were very accurate, but he's a businessman from Qinhuangdao, and we'll most likely never run into him again. We'll never know anything about his brother's situation."

"Yes!" Qiao Yang sighed softly, "We do this to help people find answers, and the outcome isn't important. Since we're not going to meet again, there's no need to dwell on it."

The moonlight remained as clear as water, quietly spilling into the courtyard. Qiao Yang and Lin Hai exchanged a smile; the warmth of this Mid-Autumn Festival night was even stronger than the moonlight in the sky.