Xie Lian wasn’t concerned, however. The things he used daily were a little more exquisite than average, but other than that, Xie Lian didn’t really have anything valuable inside the Palace of Xianle. The most precious items were his collection of over two hundred treasured swords, but true gold feared no fire, and since those famous swords were all thoroughly tempered and themselves forged in raging flames, they were all unharmed. Once he dug them out himself, Xie Lian stored them temporarily at the Sixiang Palace that belonged to the State Preceptors.
As for Honghong-er, he was still firmly holding on to Xie Lian, and after crying himself to exhaustion, he fell asleep. Xie Lian had wanted to bring him down Mount Taicang to find a safe place to settle him, but the State Preceptor asked him to make a visit to Sixiang Palace first, so Xie Lian carried the child over with him.
Tucking the young child in on the divan and righting the covers, Xie Lian dropped the bedside curtain and backed out of the room with Feng Xin and Mu Qing in tow.
“State Preceptor, is this child’s fate really that frightening?”
The State Preceptor pursed his lips. “Why don’t you divine it for yourself? Consider all that has happened since he appeared.”
The three fell quiet. The moment that young child appeared, he’d fallen off the city wall before the eyes of millions, cutting the Shangyuan Heavenly Ceremonial Procession short after it only made three rounds. When he reappeared, Qi Rong was venting his anger by dragging him through the streets in that horse carriage, disturbing the public, and it all eventually caused Feng Xin to break his arm while Xie Lian butted heads with the king and made the queen’s tears roll. This time, all the resentful spirits of Mount Taicang broke out of their seals within the black pagodas and even burned down the Palace of Xianle. Indeed, his misfortune was endless, following him like a shadow.
“Is there any way to resolve this?” Xie Lian asked.
“Resolve it?” the State Preceptor asked. “What do you mean? Change his fate?”
Xie Lian nodded. The State Preceptor said, “Your Highness, you haven’t learned the art of divination from me, so when it comes to these matters, you really don’t understand anything. If you did, you wouldn’t have asked.”
Xie Lian was taken aback and sat up straight. “Please elaborate.”
The State Preceptor took the teapot on the table and poured a cup. “Your Highness, do you still remember that day when you just turned six, when His Majesty and the queen bade me to enter the palace to divine your fortune? Do you recall that one question I asked you?”
Gazing at that steaming cup of tea, Xie Lian thought for a moment. “Do you mean the riddle of the two people and the cup of water?”
That year, the State Preceptor had asked Xie Lian many questions to help tell his fortune. There were questions with answers, and ones without, and with every answer Xie Lian gave, the State Preceptor would have with a variety of praises for the boy, making the king and queen beam with smiles. Many exchanges from that conversation were later passed around as beautiful tales. But there was one question to which, when Xie Lian answered, the State Preceptor gave no commentary. Very few knew of the details, not even Feng Xin, never mind Mu Qing. That question was “Two People and a Cup of Water.”
The State Preceptor spoke, “Two walked the desert, about to die from thirst, and there was only one cup of water. The one who drinks lives, the one who doesn’t dies. If you were a god, who would you give that cup of water to—don’t speak yet, I’ll ask the other two and see how they answer.”
The latter part was directed to the two standing not too far behind. Mu Qing contemplated and responded prudently.
“May I ask who those two people are, what their natures are like, and of their merits? A decision can only be made once all the details are known.”
Feng Xin, on the other hand, answered, “I don’t know! Don’t ask me—tell them to decide amongst themselves!”
Xie Lian snorted and laughed. The State Preceptor admonished, “What are you laughing about? Do you remember how you answered?”
Xie Lian schooled his expression and said solemnly, “Give them another cup.”
Hearing this, between Feng Xin and Mu Qing, one turned his face away and the other lowered his head, as though hiding their reactions. Xie Lian looked back and deadpanned his response.
“Why are you guys laughing? I’m serious. If I were a god, I would definitely give them another cup.”
The State Preceptor gently shook that cup of tea in his hand, and the tea swirled in the cup as if it had a life of its own. He continued, “All fortunes in the world, good or bad, are limited. Just like this cup of water, there’s only so much. Once you’ve drunk your fill, there’ll be no more left for others. If one receives more, another must receive less.