The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

The next afternoon, Tian Xiaobin arrived at the interrogation room. Zhang Dagou had been locked up all night, and each day felt like an eternity. He just wanted to get out as soon as possible; this was no place for a human being, it was too torturous.

Tian Xiaobin said coldly, "I heard from the police that you want to see me."

Zhang Dagou cursed Tian Xiaobin's ancestors for eighteen generations in his heart, but smiled obsequiously on his face: "I took ten thousand from you, so I'll give you back twenty thousand. Let me off the hook, and I won't dare to come to Qinghe Village to look at feng shui again."

Tian Xiaobin gave a half-smile: "Sir, isn't this about money?"

Zhang Dagou grew anxious and asked, "What do you want in return for letting me go?"

Tian Xiaobin looked at Zhang Dagou: "The two people who asked you to look at the feng shui of our ancestral graves were my uncles. The highway passes right by the graves, so you can't say it has no impact."

Zhang Dagou suddenly realized how stupid he had been. The highway was a government project; how could he say that the highway affected the ancestral graves' feng shui, incite the villagers to confront the government, and get himself locked up for a few years? That would be a minor matter; he could end up in life imprisonment and never be able to get out.

"I know what to do. They said before that the highway would affect the feng shui of the ancestral graves, but now they say it won't. They still don't believe me. You invited me here, so they should know that I'm in Qinghe Village. I'll find a new place and say that the feng shui here is better than the burial mound. I'll persuade them to agree to move the graves."

Tian Xiaobin thought for a moment: "I need to discuss this method with others; it's feasible."

Tian Xiaobin stood up, about to leave, when Zhang Dagou called out, "When can I leave?"

"Do as I say, and you'll be out soon."

Tian Xiaobin walked out of the interrogation room, where Tian Xiaojun was waiting at the door. Tian Xiaobin told Tian Xiaojun what Zhang Dagou had said. Tian Xiaojun couldn't make the decision, so he called Tian Guangming.

"Dad, Zhang Dagou said that nowadays, people say that the highway passes through the cemetery without affecting the feng shui, but no one believes him. It's contradictory. He proposed a solution: to find a new place in Qinghe Village, saying that the feng shui here is better than the cemetery. He persuaded everyone to agree to move the graves."

Tian Guangming thought for a moment and said, "This is a good idea. I think the feng shui of the barren mountain of Shizhuzi is quite good. Let's move all the ancestral graves to Shizhuzi and build a Tian family ancestral hall at the foot of the mountain. Let Zhang Dagou pay for the construction of the ancestral hall. Who told him to talk nonsense?"

After hanging up the phone, Tian Xiaojun gave Tian Xiaobin a few instructions and went to Ma Guoliang's office.

Tian Xiaojun said, "Chief Ma, Zhang Dagou has agreed to the conditions we proposed. Now we can release him."

Ma Guoliang said slowly, "No rush. Lock him up for another night, and he'll learn his lesson and won't dare to go against the government."

When Tian Guangming came to town, he treated Ma Guoliang to dinner again to express his gratitude.

Zhang Dagou was locked up in the interrogation room for another night, and his mental defenses completely collapsed. He was willing to agree to any conditions they asked for as long as he could be released.

Tian Xiaobin arrived at the interrogation room at ten o'clock. Zhang Dagou hurriedly asked, "Let me out of here immediately. I don't want to stay here for another second."

Tian Xiaobin snorted coldly. Usually, these geomancers seemed like reclusive masters, but after only two days of confinement, they've become obedient.

"Your idea is feasible, but there's a condition: the Tian family ancestral graves must be moved from the burial mound to another location, and we need to build an ancestral hall. You will pay for the construction of the ancestral hall."

Zhang Dagou thought to himself, "Building an ancestral hall would cost at least 70,000 to 80,000 yuan, while I only earn about 10,000 yuan a month. I've been working for them for free for more than half a year."

"You can't do this. I only took 10,000 yuan from you, isn't it enough that I'll give you back 20,000?"

Tian Xiaobin stood up: "If you disagree, then let the police station file a case and send it to the Public Security Bureau. The police told me earlier that you are also involved in using feudal superstition to incite villagers to resist the government's construction of the highway. This is a serious crime. If things go wrong, you could be sentenced to death and executed immediately."

Zhang Dagou was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and quickly said, "Fine, I admit defeat. I'll build an ancestral hall for your Tian family."

Tian Xiaobin stopped and looked at Zhang Dagou: "You didn't build the ancestral hall for our Tian family, I built it, understand?"

Zhang Dagou nodded repeatedly, feeling like a fish on a chopping board, completely at their mercy. He added that he needed to be careful when doing feng shui in the future and not take on just any job.

Zhang Dagou was released, and Tian Xiaobin and Tian Xiaojun led him to the stone pillar. After climbing to the top of the mountain, Zhang Dagou was panting heavily.

Tian Xiaojun asked, "Sir, how's the feng shui here?"

Zhang Dagou took out his compass to locate the spot and hurriedly said, "The feng shui here is excellent. The back mountain is solid. If you are buried here, your ancestral grave will be secure, and your descendants will have benefactors to support them."

There's a small river in front; water is believed to bring wealth. If our ancestral graves are buried here, our descendants will prosper, have money, connections, and official positions—it's far better than a burial mound.

Tian Xiaojun looked at Zhang Dagou: "Old sir, it's up to you now."

The police station has only released you temporarily. We are your guarantors and can arrest you at any time. The case hasn't been dropped yet.

Zhang Dagou cursed these sons of bitches in his heart, but put on a smiling face: "I understand, I will handle this matter clearly."

Zhang Dagou left Qinghe Village to find the two Tian family members who had invited him to look at the feng shui, and persuaded them to agree to move the grave.

Two days later, two members of the Tian family who were doing business outside returned, found Tian Guangming, and agreed to move the grave.

When they saw that Chen Shi's ancestral graves were to be moved, the geomancer said that finding a better feng shui site to prevent the highway from passing through the cemetery was going against the government and would not end well.

Tian Guangming was very satisfied with Zhang Dagou's performance and gave him an approving look. He then instructed Tian Xiaojun to notify all the prominent members of the Tian family to return to his home for a mobilization meeting to relocate the graves.

Two sheep were bought to be slaughtered, and Zhang Dagou paid for them, but Tian Guangming took the credit. He was the one who ordered the sheep to be slaughtered, so everyone assumed that he paid for them.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Tian Guangming said, "The old gentleman examined the feng shui of the stone pillar and said it was even better than the burial mound. His descendants will produce high-ranking officials."

I consulted everyone's opinions, and they agreed to move all the ancestral graves on the hill to Shizhuzi. I will personally fund the construction of an ancestral hall at the foot of the hill as a donation. Anyone willing to donate can do so voluntarily; if it's not enough, I will make up the difference. If no one donates, I will pay for it all myself.

Zhang Dagou cursed Tian Guangming's ancestors for eighteen generations in his mind. "You fucking pretend to be rich, pay for it yourself! Pay for it yourself, you're just showing off. Where can you go to reason with me?"

Everyone cheered, and the two members of the Tian family who were doing business outside immediately offered to donate five thousand.

Others also expressed their willingness to donate. Tian Guangming asked Tian Xiaojun and Tian Xiaobin to tally the donations, and they received less than 20,000 yuan.

Tian Guangming said, "The total donation is 19,800 yuan. I've calculated that 80,000 yuan is needed to build the ancestral hall. I'll cover the remaining 60,000 yuan."

Everyone applauded, and Tian Guangming continued, "The highway only occupied five ancestral graves. According to the county government's compensation standards, each grave will be relocated with a compensation of 5,000 yuan. The others that were not occupied will not receive compensation. I went to Secretary Li in the town to explain the situation and secured 5,000 yuan in compensation for the other ancestral graves as well."

The Tian family members cheered and were deeply grateful to Tian Guangming, their leader, which further enhanced his prestige.