Zhou the Millionaire VI

When the party began, Zhou proposed a toast to the geomancer. “I am forever grateful for your great divination on my mansion,” he said, raising his cup of wine. “Don't mention it,” the geomancer said, “and an old saying runs, 'it takes a lucky man to reside in a prosperous place.' You have that share of happiness allotted by destiny; and so you dwell in this very prosperous place.”

“If I could take meals in the future with gold chopsticks to pick all the delicacies from gold bowls and gold dishes and drink wine from gold cups as you have predicted, I would richly reward you,” Zhou told the geomancer. “It's so destined,” the geomancer replied. “I guarantee it.” “If your prediction is borne out,” the millionaire said, “I will present you with five thousand taels of silver as a humble reward.” Greatly satisfied, the geomancer went back to China.

As was predicted, Zhou became a multimillionaire in a couple of years after he had moved in to his new mansion. In time, the gold tableware was bought for use at every mealtime. But he remained a scrooge that he was, refusing to spare even a penny for charity.

A few years later, the geomancer came to Taiwan from China again. He paid a visit to the richer merchant at his Katsura Flower Garden. A sumptuous dinner was given in honor of the geomancer who chose the land where the mansion was built. But Zhou forbade his servants to use the gold tableware.

After toasts were exchanged at the dinner, the geomancer who noticed no golden chopsticks, cups, bowls and dishes were on the table said to his host: “Don't you enjoy your life at the place I divined for you? Hasn't my prediction of the gold tableware been borne out?”

The miser multimillionaire knew why the geomancer asked him the questions. He was certain that the geomancer came to claim his five thousand taels of silver. He did not want to keep his promise of a gift, of course. So he replied: “I have become more prosperous after you had left for China – but not to the extent that I can afford the gold tableware.”

Angry because his host reneged, the geomancer wanted to get even. He decided at once to destroy the good fortune the “den of the raven” had brought to the multimillionaire. So, he did not try to bare his host's lie about the gold tableware. “Oh, is that so?” he said instead, putting on a sad face to show sympathy for the multimillionaire who pretended he was not that rich. “Ah,” he went on, “it's my fault. I forgot a last touch. The auspicious place wasn't complete without a small stream.” In a hurry to get the mansion built, he explained, he forgot to make sure a small stream was created to feed the pond in the garden. “Without that small stream, the good luck with which you were to be blessed couldn't be linked from the front gate to the backyard of your manor house,” he told his dishonest host. “You have to have it dug out as soon as practicable to recoup the lost blessing,” he urged.

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