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

Qiao Yang said no more and walked out of the hospital.

The warm spring sun shone down, falling on his faded blue long robe. With each step he took, he seemed to exude an imposing aura that remained unfazed even when facing overwhelming pressure.

His destination was the affluent Five Avenues area of ​​Tianjin.

Both sides of the street are lined with two- or three-story villas, with red bricks and green tiles, exuding an extraordinary air.

The house at the deepest part was even more magnificent, with a vermilion gate over ten feet high and stone lions guarding it on both sides, baring their teeth and looking awe-inspiring.

Ordinary people passing by are hesitant to even glance at the scenery, let alone take a step closer.

Qiao Yang stopped in front of the door and calmly pulled out an old-fashioned bronze flute from his waist pouch.

The flute was brought to the lips, and the melodious tune of "Lao Ba Ban," a song often used by fortune tellers to attract business, began to play. Its clear and bright sound, with a touch of eeriness, pierced the silence of the entire street.

In no time, passersby were drawn over and gathered around in circles.

"Hey? Isn't this Mr. Qiao, the fortune teller who runs a stall at Quanye Market?"

"That's him! That Mr. Qiao is quite remarkable. He can predict events by interpreting characters, and he pays a dollar for each character he interprets. He's never been wrong!"

"His predictions are more than accurate! I heard that the other day, the third young master of the Huang family led some thugs to cause trouble, but he beat them to a pulp by himself. His martial arts skills are terrifying!"

The discussion grew louder and louder, and more and more people gathered.

The sound of the flute and the shouts of the crowd pierced through the high walls and courtyards, flying straight into the depths of the wealthy merchant's mansion.

Not long after.

"Squeak—"

The small door on the side of the vermilion gate slowly opened.

A male servant wearing a short jacket poked his head out, listened intently to the discussions outside for a moment, then quickly walked up to Qiao Yang, looked him up and down carefully, his gaze changing from disdain to seriousness, and immediately turned and ran back into the courtyard.

Less than a minute.

The male servant came out again quickly, his attitude much more respectful than before.

"Mr. Qiao, my master invites you in to speak with him."

Qiao Yang put away the copper flute, leaned on his horse-drawn pole, and leisurely stepped into the deep mansion of the wealthy family.

The main hall on the first floor is grand and magnificent.

The wealthy merchant, dressed in fine silks and satins, sat upright in a grand chair, holding a blue-and-white porcelain teacup in his right hand, slowly blowing on the foam.

His belly was round, he had been pampered for many years, and his small eyes were full of scrutiny and arrogance.

Hearing footsteps, he didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone indifferent yet tinged with surprise:

"Are you the fortune teller who sets up a stall in front of the Quanye Market?"

Qiao Yang stood in the hall, upright and neither humble nor arrogant, without even bothering to bow.

He smiled faintly, his voice calm:

"It is I."

"Clatter".

The wealthy merchant slammed his teacup on the table with a loud thud.

"Why aren't you setting up your stall today? What are you doing playing the flute in front of my house? You've attracted a bunch of idle people making a racket. What kind of behavior is this!"

Qiao Yang's smile remained unchanged as he slowly spoke:

"Last night, my late master appeared to me in a dream, saying that your household is plagued by evil spirits and that your master is facing a great calamity. He specifically ordered me to come and avert this disaster."

"presumptuous!"

The wealthy businessman slammed his hand on the armrest and flew into a rage.

"I'm a respectable figure in Tianjin. What kind of eminent monks and Taoist priests haven't I seen? You, a young country bumpkin, dare to act like a ghost and extort money from me?"

As soon as he finished speaking...

The guards on both sides immediately stepped forward. They were burly, with fierce eyes and imposing presence, ready to take action at their master's command.

Qiao Yang suddenly smiled slightly, as if he were listening to a huge joke.

He slowly raised his head, and two sharp, knife-like beams of light seemed to shine from his blind eyes, making the wealthy businessman's heart inexplicably tighten.

"Sir, don't speak too definitively."

"I, Qiao Yang, work at the Quanyechang market. Every penny counts as one silver dollar. I'm never short of business, and I certainly don't need your little bit of money."

The wealthy businessman was startled.

He had recently heard of this man's reputation; his fortune-telling services were outrageously expensive, yet his shop was always packed. If he really wanted to extort money, why would he come to his doorstep?

With a change of heart, his arrogance immediately diminished by half:

"Quickly...quickly, give Mr. Qiao a seat and serve him tea!"

Qiao Yang calmly sat down, took two small sips of tea, and then slowly spoke. His voice was soft, but every word pierced the heart:

"May I ask, sir, have you been plagued by bad luck lately, with malevolent energy entering your home and your business plummeting?"

The wealthy businessman's expression changed slightly, but he remained silent.

Qiao Yang lowered his voice even further and asked calmly:

"So you want to marry a girl born in the Year of the Snake to bring good luck, right? Besides, you don't like her at all; you're just using her to ward off misfortune."

"Buzz—"

The wealthy businessman felt as if he had been hit on the head with a heavy hammer, and his face changed drastically!

He kept this a secret very well, and even his wife and trusted steward knew nothing about it!

This blind fortune teller in front of me actually guessed it right away!

"All of you, stand back!"

The wealthy businessman hurriedly waved his hand, "All of you get out! Don't come in without my permission!"

The guards and servants dared not say a word and all withdrew, leaving only the two people in the hall.

Qiao Yang slowly rose and took a step forward. His voice wasn't loud, but every word struck the wealthy businessman like a hammer blow:

"You think marrying her will guarantee you peace and safety?"

"I'll tell you—"

"This isn't getting married, you're killing yourself!"

The wealthy businessman shuddered.

"If you really get married, within three months this mansion will become a haunted house, your wealth will be gone, and you won't even be able to save your life!"

"Take off!"

The wealthy businessman sprang up from his armchair, his face ashen, his finger trembling as he pointed at Qiao Yang, his voice shaking:

"How...how did you know...?"

The arrogant and condescending attitude he had just displayed vanished instantly, leaving only a deep sense of fear.

Qiao Yang sneered and leaned on the horse-drawn pole in his hand.

"How would I know? My master already knew your and that girl's birth dates clearly."

My late master, seeing that you still have filial piety towards your parents, sent me here to stop this marriage.

The girl you're going to marry was born in 1929, with the element of Fire (Da Lin), and is a Snake in the Chinese zodiac. Your marriage is a perfect match—"Snake and Tiger, like a knife cutting through!"

Qiao Yang raised his voice and emphasized further:

"That girl has a noble destiny, but she can't possibly suppress your malevolent aura. The whole house will be shrouded in gloom. Forcing a marriage will only completely destroy the last bit of luck you have!"

The wealthy businessman was so frightened that his legs went weak.

His previous arrogance vanished completely, replaced by a fawning smile. He quickly approached Qiao Yang, his voice trembling:

"Sir! I was blind to your greatness just now, please don't take it to heart!"

Since you can see through this predicament at a glance, sir, you must have a way to solve it. Please...please help me! I'm willing to pay any amount, however much!

Qiao Yang smiled faintly, unhurriedly:

"Money doesn't matter, there are some things I need to make clear to you."

Have you been having trouble sleeping lately, constantly feeling like something is making noise in the house? Is your business losing money one after another, and do you keep encountering minor mishaps when you go out?

"Yes, yes, yes! Perfectly accurate!" The wealthy businessman nodded repeatedly, cold sweat pouring down his face. "Sir, you are truly a genius!"

"This is a sign that evil spirits are entering the house and bad luck is pressing down on you."

Qiao Yang's voice turned cold, each word piercing to the heart, "The most important things right now are, firstly, to immediately abandon the idea of ​​getting married to bring good luck, and secondly, to expel the evil spirits from the house as soon as possible."

"Otherwise, within six months, you will have squandered all your wealth and your life will be in danger!"

"Sir!" The wealthy businessman grabbed Qiao Yang's arm, his voice trembling with fear.

"I won't marry that girl! I'll never marry again! Please, please exorcise the evil spirits from my house immediately!"

This is exactly what Qiao Yang was waiting for.

He gently shook off the other person's hand, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority:

"Considering that my late teacher appeared to me in a dream, and also considering your filial piety, I will help you this time."

The wealthy businessman repeatedly bowed in thanks:

"I will never forget your great kindness, sir!"

Qiao Yang's expression turned serious:

"But let me make this clear from the start: exorcising evil spirits and warding off disasters is not like fortune telling. This isn't about how much I want; it's about the incense money offered to the gods, and whether the gods are satisfied depends on them—and this is no small amount."

"No problem! Give me as much as you want, until the gods are satisfied!" The wealthy merchant said without hesitation.