In the bustling city of Suzhou, there is a lively and extraordinary market. People come and go, shoulder to shoulder, and the shouting of vendors echoes one after another, interweaving into a bustling scene full of vitality.
In a corner of the market, there was a little beggar curled up named Stone. He was disheveled, dressed in tattered clothes, and stared blankly at the endless stream of passersby. At the age of thirteen, his parents passed away early and his relatives were unwilling to take him in. Helpless, he could only make a living by begging. I live a life of hunger and satiety every day, and often suffer from bullying and teasing from others. Accustomed to seeing too many white eyes and contempt, Stone’s heart was filled with confusion, loss, and melancholy. He didn’t know when such days would come to an end.
At this moment, he saw a young man of similar age, dressed in silk and satin, surrounded by several kneeling and smiling servants, holding many gift boxes in his hands. Stone was extremely envious in his heart. As people of the same age, why were their fates so different? One good fate, one bad fate, fate is truly unfair! He thought indignantly. Seeing that there was no one in front of the famous god operator Liu Blind in the southwest corner of the market, Shi Shi’s heart moved. He walked forward and prayed for him to give him a divination, to see if he could turn over in this life and no longer be a beggar. Liu Xizi asked him to take out a copper coin before he was willing to divinate. But Stone can’t even afford to eat, where did he get the copper coins? Liu Xizi no longer paid attention to him. Stone was unwilling to accept it, so he knelt down, kowtowed and begged desperately, saying that if he had a day to turn over in the future, he would definitely thank him well. After listening, Liu Xizi pondered for a moment and smoothed his five foot long beard. He shook his head and asked Shi Tou’s BaZi, then calculated it and said calmly, “Your life is destined to be plain, without any great wealth or status. However, in a few years, you will meet a nobleman and will no longer beg for a living. Then you will marry and have children, live a plain life until old age
After listening, Shi Tou was very sad and shouted loudly, full of unwillingness: “Many people around my age in the market are now dressed in luxurious clothes and eating delicacies. Why is fate so unfair for the same people! I don’t accept it!” He shouted dejectedly, attracting a crowd of onlookers, who burst into laughter. Liu, the blind man, remained indifferent like a waterway: “Human destiny is different, but there is no perfect destiny! If he has this, he will definitely lack that! The noble young master you mentioned will have a declining family after ten years! From then on, he will live a poor life with only one daughter under his knees. Unfortunately, he will pass away at the age of confusion! Although your fate is plain, it is not wealthy or noble! But you also have no worries about food and drink, and when you get old, your family will be full of children and grandchildren, and you will end up in the year of the scepter. What else is there to be dissatisfied with? And these are all things that wealthy families crave and cannot reach!” After saying that, he ignored him. The stone collapsed on the ground, not knowing what to say. Thinking about living a plain life in the future, what’s the use of longevity? I feel very lost in my heart.
After a while, an old beggar who was old and dirty all over appeared in the market at some point. Many lice settled on him. Although he is also a beggar, he does not have a mournful expression like a stone. Instead, he is optimistic every day and always smiles on his dirty face. Stone was very disgusted with him. Seeing him catch lice on his body and put them in his mouth to chew, he was even further away from him. A few months later, winter arrived and the market was sparsely populated and deserted. Stone was wearing tattered single clothes and grass shoes, curled up under the eaves of the teahouse, shivering from the cold. The kind-hearted waiter witnessed and secretly brought him a steaming hot bowl of tea. But as soon as he finished drinking, there was a fierce shout from the tea house owner, who drove him away. At this moment, snowflakes were drifting in the sky, and the northwest wind howled through them, blowing on the face like a whip, causing pain. Stone walked aimlessly, tightly wrapped in his single clothes, constantly walking, afraid of freezing to death if he stopped. But after a while, he still walked slowly and stopped moving, falling softly to the ground.
When he woke up, he found himself lying on a broken bed in the wilderness. The old beggar looked at him with a smile, and when he woke up, he suddenly sat cross legged, with his eyes slightly closed and his hands clasped together, muttering words. In an instant, a steaming hot table of food appeared in front of me. Stone witnessed it and was greatly surprised. He had encountered a deity! Remembering my disrespect towards him before, I blame myself for not recognizing gold and jade! He knelt down and kowtowed, begging him to change his life so that he could become a tea house owner with the same air and live a good life in the future! The old beggar laughed heartily after hearing this and said, “Fate is predetermined by heaven! How can it be changed at will! What a pipe dream! You can talk about it after you finish your meal!” Stone listened and began to devour it without hesitation. He was too hungry! I have never tasted such delicious food before. In no time, the wind swept away the remnants of the clouds, stones wiped their mouths, and they looked eagerly at the old beggar.
The old beggar asked with a smile, “What kind of fate do you want! Tell me!” Stone remembered the proud young master he saw in the market, surrounded by many servants, looking very proud! Just say your fate is like him! After listening, the old beggar suddenly burst out laughing and stepped forward, saying, “Okay! Okay! I’ll let you experience his fate!” With that, he touched his head and muttered something in his mouth. In a moment, the stone slowly fell down.
(Camera 1) The stone turned into the wealthy young master seen in the market. He sat on a chair, surrounded by numerous servants, including those who pounded his back, brought tea and poured water, all smiling and fawning around him. He was enjoying himself contentedly. After a while, he went to run a business in the shop and found it difficult to do, which made him very busy and frustrated. At night, when he returned home, his wives and concubines were arguing incessantly over jealousy and trivial matters at home. Their sharp voices surrounded him, almost causing him to collapse. I decided to go out and invite a friend for tea, but then heard that his friend’s business was not doing well, so I borrowed money from him to deal with it. He thought his business was not doing well, but he still had to offer two taels of silver to help him! How outrageous! But thinking about it, he is my best friend, there is no reason not to help! Returning home, I had to endure the pain and take out silver coins for the butler to deliver to my friend. Unexpectedly, soon after, my friend went bankrupt and moved out of town overnight. He learned the news and wanted to cry but couldn’t, admitting his misfortune. A few years later, his dependent parents passed away, and he struggled to manage the business alone thereafter. For the sake of business, he was restless in sleep and food, but after a few years, he still lost money and finally sold his mansion, moving his family into the old and dilapidated house. Although he has many wives and concubines, he only has one daughter under his knees. He dispersed the servants and sold the concubines. A family of three lives in an old house and leads a poor life. After many years had passed, at the age of 40, he suddenly fell ill and passed away.
(Scene 2) Stone begging in the market. One day, a beggar stole a wealthy businessman’s purse and was seen by Shi Shi. Shi Shi approached him and held onto him tightly without letting go. The thief’s eyes turned red as he watched the wealthy merchant approach, and suddenly took out a knife and stabbed the stone’s right arm, causing blood to flow out. Despite the pain, Stone’s face turned pale and he stubbornly held onto him until the wealthy merchant arrived. Someone reported to the authorities that the constable had arrived and taken away the thief. The wealthy businessman was very grateful to Stone, so he took him to the mansion and ordered someone to invite a doctor to treat his injuries. Afterwards, the wealthy businessman made Shi Shi his personal servant and treated him well. Soon after, he helped him marry a wife and have children, and bought two acres of land for him. Stones are very satisfying for such days. But the good times didn’t last long. One year later, the merchant drowned while going out. The merchant’s son didn’t like stones very much and drove him away. However, it is still considered benevolent and righteous, and the land has not been reclaimed. Afterwards, Shi Tou and his wife and children lived a simple life guarding two acres of land. One day, while crossing the river, he suddenly slipped and almost fell into the river. He trembled and suddenly woke up. Opening his eyes, he found that the old beggar had disappeared, and there were still a few copper coins in front of him. It turned out that it was Nanke Yimeng just now.
He remembered the hexagram that Liu Blind had calculated for him, remembered his dream, couldn’t help but laugh and cry, and suddenly understood something. He looked at the thick quilt and a few copper coins in front of him, and was sure that the old beggar was either a god or a demon! He lay on the ground in awe, banging his head a few times. Afterwards, Stone settled in the dilapidated house, bought some items with those copper coins, went to the mountain to gather firewood during the day, and then went to the market to beg. Two years later, as Liu Xizi had seen in his dream, he was brought home by a wealthy businessman and helped him get married and start a family. Later, the wealthy businessman passed away and was driven out by his son. Living on two acres of land, not wealthy but not hungry.
But Stone always thought that although it was fate, he still had to work hard and strive for it. I bought chickens and ducks to raise, and besides farming, I also raised silkworms with my wife. I also learned carpentry from a skilled carpenter. Due to his willingness to endure hardship and intelligence, after three years, his skills were no longer up and down with his master, and the villagers came to him for work. A few years later, the family’s days gradually became prosperous. A few years later, he used his family’s savings to open a tavern. Unexpectedly, the business was booming and the wealth was rolling in. He finally became the shopkeeper as he wished. He sighed at how good his life was, but it was only a few short years, which left a deep impression on him.
One day, he went to the market where he used to beg and saw that blind Liu was still divinating in his old place, but he was getting old. He bought a lot of things for him and approached him to greet him. After listening to his experience, Liu Xizi was filled with emotion and said, “It’s said that fate is predetermined by heaven! It’s not up to people! But it turns out that fate can also be changed! That’s, changing one’s own destiny! Only eight big characters, perseverance! The stone can be carved!” After listening, Shi Shi didn’t say anything and left with a loud laugh. Afterwards, whenever Stone saw young people in his tavern who were struggling with life and business, feeling listless and discouraged, he would give them those eight big characters, hoping that they would also be like him, born poorly and with an unfair fate, and not lose heart! You can also change your life for yourself! That’s perseverance, gold and stone can be carved!
