"Ziyu, Qian Dong, are you going to the Fisherman's Wharf to see the river lanterns tonight?" At dusk, Zhao Xing asked his two younger brothers.
"I'm not going," Qian Dong shook his head. "The River Lantern Festival is really not interesting. There aren't many young ladies, and it's quite eerie. What's there to see? It's far less enjoyable than the Grass Fighting Festival or the Spring Festival."
"You only know how to look at girls," Zhao Xing laughed and patted him on the shoulder, then turned to Chen Ziyu. "What about you?"
"I will go, but I might not be able to go with you, brother," Chen Ziyu replied. "I need to go with my father to sell lotus lanterns."
The river lanterns of the River Lantern Festival, also known as lotus lanterns, are made from lotus leaves, clay, water powder, cloth, and painted paper with needle and thread.
Once crafted, the names of deceased relatives are written on the outer layer of the lantern, and a candle is placed in the center.
Of course, lotus lanterns can also be used to pray for the living, not just to honor the souls of the departed.
Although there are many people during this festival, the atmosphere is quite solemn and serious; there isn't much fun to be had. At most, one can eat something and enjoy the scenery.
Seeing that the two of them were not going, Zhao Xing did not insist, as he was not going for leisure either.
He was hoping to make a bit of 'ghost wealth.'
In the Fortune Dynasty system, the theory of the Five Elements and Fortune is prevalent, with professions such as sorcerers, diviners, and feng shui masters.
However, after the founding emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty 'collected the fortune of the world,' the ruling of the national fortune was strengthened, and these three professions were all subsumed under the 'Temple of Divinity,' where the Yin Gods acted on behalf of the fortune to increase blessings and wealth.
In his previous life, these professions had once become 'secondary professions' in Zhao Xing's eyes, as the emperor's decree had directly struck at their 'lifeline.'
In the Fortune Dynasty version, these three professions had become mere sewers, reduced to the likes of 'swindlers,' barely surviving until the collapse of the Fortune Dynasty, when they rose again.
But this did not prevent Zhao Xing from making a little profit.
"The heavenly stems show Seven Killings, but the earthen branches indicate wealth."
"If Ding Mao is the earthen branch of fire, the heavenly stems truly belong to wood, and among the four stems, we see Yi and Geng, which are the golden ghosts of the stems. Ding Mao, being fire, can control Yi Geng gold, hence the name ghost wealth."
"Engaging in ghost wealth, although one cannot expect great benefits, there is also no loss. This is during the prosperous times of the Zhou Dynasty, where no ghost or spirit can cause chaos." Zhao Xing glanced at the auspicious calendar and then leisurely walked towards the Fisherman's Wharf.
He first arrived outside an inn at the Fisherman's Wharf, where many stalls were set up, and several vendors selling lotus lanterns and incense candles were already present.
Zhao Xing casually bought a lantern, which was just an ordinary item without any special rank. He then approached a group of people resting nearby.
This group of people, in threes and fives, were drinking tea with their bare arms exposed, with hooks, scissors, and other tools beside them.
They were a group of "river divers."
What are river divers, you ask?
They are people with excellent swimming skills, specializing in diving to retrieve treasures, usually former fishermen.
The Thirteen Canals of Pinghu connect to the Canglan River, and East Lake has accumulated vital Qi over the years. The river's flow gives birth to many treasures underwater.
First and second rank water treasures are not rare; finding one can sustain a person for half a year. If one were to find a third rank treasure? That could directly allow them to buy a house onshore and become a landlord!
Moreover, with the constant flow of boats and visitors, it is common for tourists or merchant ships to lose valuable items, prompting the need for river divers, thus giving rise to this group.
Despite their unkempt appearance, they earn much more than Zhao Xing, a mere agricultural clerk.
Zhao Xing approached the stall and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Brothers, do you take jobs?"
A burly middle-aged man, who looked like a foreman, nodded and said, "We don't take on free jobs, only treasure hunting. If you want to try your luck, we have long dives, short dives, and one-time deals."
Elite river divers do not take on the inauspicious task of retrieving corpses or bones; they are not interested in earning that kind of money.
Zhao Xing nodded and directly stated his needs: "I need a skilled short diver, starting at the end of the You hour and finishing before the Zi hour; for about three hours, with no limit on the number of dives; I will pay two taels and five coins, including tea and snacks. However, any finds will belong entirely to me, with no profit sharing."
Three hours is sufficient; after this time, the ghost wealth fortune will not manifest, making it difficult to gain anything. In reality, the only time one can truly find treasure is during the 'Ding Mao hour' within those three hours.
The foreman saw that Zhao Xing was knowledgeable and offered a good price, so he nodded and called out, "Old Xu Ba."
"Hey! Coming!" Not far away, a sturdy man was chatting with a vendor, showing off his muscular physique, making the vendor blush.
Upon hearing the foreman's voice, he quickly touched the vendor's hand and hurried over.
"Big brother."
"This young master wants to try his luck with a short dive for three hours, paying two taels and five coins. Do you have any issues?" the foreman asked.
"No problem." Xu Ba grinned and patted his chest, "Young master, just look at me, and you’ll know I, Xu Ba, can definitely bring you good fortune!"
Zhao Xing assessed the man through the lens of the Five Elements and saw that he had abundant lung Qi, larger than most by two or three times; he was indeed a skilled diver. He then nodded, "He'll do."
The foreman took out a bamboo slip with inscriptions and said, "Payment must be made in advance, and an additional one tael deposit is required. If he returns safely, the deposit will be refunded with this item. If he encounters an accident, you are not responsible; the deposit will be considered your good fortune."
"Very reasonable," Zhao Xing nodded. Then, it was a matter of exchanging money for the person.
After receiving the receipt, Xu Ba took his gear and followed Zhao Xing.
"Young master, do you also want to rent a boat? I have acquaintances who can give you a 10% discount. If you have four more friends, we can offer an 20% discount."
Zhao Xing replied, "Just me alone; a small boat will suffice, no need for a larger one."
Xu Ba was not disappointed; he could still earn a referral fee from the small boat: "Then which lake area do you want to go to, southeast, southwest, or the Thirteen Bays? Yesterday, a luminous pearl was dug up in the West Lake area; I think we could try our luck there."
Zhao Xing smiled and said, "No rush, just browsing for now."
Seeing this, Xu Ba stopped pressing further, realizing that this young master had a plan in mind. He was even hoping Zhao Xing would take his time, as fewer dives would make things easier for him.
During the late summer, it stays dark later, and it was only at the end of the You hour that it became completely dark.
At this time, standing high at the Fisherman's Wharf, one could see the lotus lanterns floating in the river, twinkling like stars, forming a beautiful sight.
The commercial street still had some liveliness, but it mainly consisted of food and lotus lantern vendors, with far fewer entertainment options than other festivals.
"Hmm?" Zhao Xing's gaze suddenly fell on a familiar figure, "The ceremonial officer of the Cao Xi True Lord's temple? There are quite a few people beside him; it seems they are officials from the Temple of Divinity. I wonder what their assessment criteria are?"
With time still left to wait, and since he was originally there to enjoy the spectacle, he moved closer to listen in.
Infusing vital Qi into his ears, soon the noisy street was left with only the sounds coming from the ceremonial officer's area.
(End of Chapter)