Chapter 33: The Mysterious Art of Qimen Dunjia

Before Chai Xiao could respond, Su Zhongjing had already grasped the crux of the matter.

"Indeed, isn't it?"

"The Cheng River has a vast capacity and a rapid flow, yet it was not designed for irrigation or drinking, nor for the benefit of the surrounding lands."

"Its purpose is to serve as a flood relief channel, allowing the deluge to escape."

"It is the Huan Hexagram!"

"As the fifty-ninth of the sixty-four hexagrams, it consists of two trigrams stacked: the lower is Kan, and the upper is Xun."

"The Kan trigram represents water, characterized by danger and difficulty."

"The Xun trigram represents wind, characterized by compliance."

"The Wind-over-Water Huan Hexagram signifies wind blowing over water, causing the water to disperse."

"Therefore, this 'entry point' must be located here, at the lower right where the two rivers intersect—the southeast."

"This is the direction toward which all great floods must retreat!"

"My Lord, are you intending for these five men to..."

Chai Xiao nodded.

"I intend for these five to locate this entry point and hold their position there for ten days!"

Su Zhongjing clapped his hands.

"Correct!"

"This is merely a contingency plan!"

"With the current water levels, it likely won't be needed!"

"However, one never knows if the Second Prince will go mad and incite an even greater disaster."

"With these five men guarding this spot for ten days, we need not fear even the most massive surge from the upper reaches of the Ying River; it is essentially securing our foundation."

As they spoke, a sense of mutual appreciation welled up between the master and his student.

Su Zhongjing had never imagined that this Ninth Prince, who used to grow drowsy the moment he opened a book, would undergo such a transformation.

In the past, whenever he picked up a book—especially the "boring" ones on literature, history, or military strategy—his eyelids would immediately begin to fight.

There was no helping it; he could only let him sleep, snoring away.

Su Zhongjing had resigned himself to the fact that such books served only as the Prince’s personal "lullaby."

That scene felt as if it were only yesterday, vivid in his memory.

Yet, just yesterday, the day he was invested as the ruler of Great Xu, everything changed!

He recited two sacrificial poems from the *Classic of Poetry: Lesser Odes* with effortless ease, even adding his own connective passages.

He used ten leaves to demonstrate a tactical formation, each one placed at a vital point, interlocking to form a complete and coherent strategy.

It even touched upon the "Mystical Doors and Hidden Stems"—a subject he wouldn't have even glanced at before, let alone studied.

They say that great wisdom often appears as folly.

Perhaps this Ninth Prince had been feigning sleep all along, while internally harboring a mind that was diligent and eager to learn.

Or perhaps, one day, he would surpass his teacher.

How fortunate, in this lifetime, to be master and student.

It is even more fortunate to find mutual recognition and growth, achieving greatness together.

To Chai Xiao, the feeling was the same.

Especially regarding his teacher’s immediate understanding and rapid switching between the "Kan Hexagram" and the "Huan Hexagram."

At the Military Academy, there had always been an unspoken rule:

Those who build command systems based on modern big data can claim half the world.

Big data is all-encompassing and omnipotent; it can know the enemy, know oneself, and execute precise countermeasures.

Yet, even so, it only claims half the world.

Everyone knew, without needing to say it, what the other half consisted of.

The Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, and the Mystical Doors and Hidden Stems—though they seem arcane and unfathomable—are actually saturated with ancient wisdom and philosophy.

—The "Eight Trigrams" are the fundamental concepts of the *I Ching*, composed of Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui. They represent various natural phenomena and directions, such as Qian for Heaven and Kun for Earth. The core lies in using the combinations of Yin and Yang lines to explain the generation and transformation of all things, such as the change of seasons and the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang. This elevates the understanding to a philosophical and abstract level, grasping the essence and laws of the world to predict future changes.

—The "Nine Palaces" is a theory that combines direction and numbers on the basis of the "Eight Trigrams." The Nine Palaces are the Qian Palace, Kan Palace, Gen Palace, Zhen Palace, Central Palace, Xun Palace, Li Palace, Kun Palace, and Dui Palace. Compared to the Eight Trigrams, it adds a "Central Palace" to coordinate the others. Qian, Kan, Gen, and Zhen are Yang palaces, while Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui are Yin palaces. The numbers are arranged such that "two and four are shoulders, six and eight are feet, three on the left and seven on the right, nine on the head and one at the feet, with five in the center." The "Nine Palaces" are often used in conjunction with the "Eight Trigrams," widely applied to the arrangement of "time" and "space." For instance, the "Taiyi Nine Palace Divination" uses the numerical changes of the grid to calculate favorable timing and terrain for military and agricultural purposes. Similarly, in Feng Shui, the attributes of the Eight Trigrams corresponding to the Nine Palaces are used to regulate the environment and energy flow. For example, the south, which is the Li trigram, represents the sun and light, so one would primarily consider lighting and spatial layout in that area.

—"Mystical Doors and Hidden Stems" is known as the highest level of predictive science and the art of emperors. Five thousand years ago, when Chiyou rebelled and the Yellow Emperor failed repeatedly in battle, the Goddess of the Nine Heavens bestowed this art upon him, helping him defeat Chiyou. During the Zhou and Qin dynasties, it was called "Yinfu"; in the Han and Wei, "Liujia"; in the Sui, Tang, Song, and Yuan, "Dunjia"; and since the Ming and Qing, "Mystical Doors and Hidden Stems." This art uses the Eight Trigrams as a foundation, combining time, space, humanity, and natural factors to construct a complete model. It integrates the Heavenly Stems, Earthly Branches, Eight Trigrams, Nine Palaces, Nine Stars, and Eight Deities to anticipate the changes in all things under heaven.

"Qi" refers to the three wonders: Yi, Bing, and Ding—also known as the Sun, Moon, and Star wonders—all of which are auspicious.

"Men" refers to the Eight Gates: Open, Rest, Life, Death, Fear, Injury, Deliberation, and View. The first three are auspicious, the middle two are neutral, and the last three are ominous.

"Dunjia": "Dun" means to hide, and "Jia" refers to the six Jia stems: Jia-Zi, Jia-Xu, Jia-Shen, Jia-Wu, Jia-Chen, and Jia-Yin. "Jia" is the most noble of the ten Heavenly Stems; it remains hidden beneath the six instruments to avoid being countered by Geng-Metal.

The "Nine Palaces" and "Eight Trigrams" are already contained within.

"Nine Stars": Represents nine brilliant stars.

Tianpeng Star, belonging to Water, is brave but reckless, symbolizing a surprise attack. (The character Zhu Bajie in *Journey to the West* was formerly the Marshal Tianpeng, which carries this very meaning!)

Tianrui Star, belonging to Earth, is a disease star, portending disaster and suffering, symbolizing hidden flaws, but also prompting one to examine oneself and find breakthroughs.

Tianchong Star, belonging to Wood, is full of vitality and drive, symbolizing the breaking of the old to establish the new and the pursuit of dreams.

Tianfu Star, belonging to Wood, symbolizes education and the brilliance of scholarship; it is the transmitter of wisdom and a beacon for those seeking knowledge.

Tianqin Star: The only one possessing the Earth virtue, it is the pivot of the Nine Palaces, symbolizing justice, stability, and tolerance, coordinating all sides and managing from the center.

Tianxin Star: Belonging to Metal, it symbolizes the light of wisdom; it is the strict judge, ruling on right and wrong, good and evil, cause and effect.

Tianzhu Star: Belonging to Metal, it is firm but stern, symbolizing destruction and reconstruction, prompting reflection on the past to rebuild homes from ruins.

Tianren Star: Belonging to Earth, it is steady and persevering, symbolizing the acceptance of responsibility and mission, walking firmly toward one's goals.

Tianying Star: Belonging to Fire, it symbolizes the spark of civilization and the source of art, protecting the flourishing of culture and art.

"Eight Deities" represent eight supreme divine entities.

The Chief Deity (Zhifu), belonging to Wu-Ji Earth, is the head of all deities and the leader of the Nine Stars; it is an extremely auspicious deity that eliminates all evil wherever it goes.

Tengshe (Flying Snake): Belonging to Yin Earth, located in the southeast, it is a deceptive and minor ominous deity, governing strangeness, panic, dreams, demons, and bewitchment.

Taiyin (Great Yin): Belonging to Yin Metal, located in the west, it is an auspicious deity of protection, governing secret planning and refined craftsmanship.

Liuhe (Six Harmonies): Belonging to Wood, located in the east, it is an auspicious guard deity, peaceful and benevolent, governing trade, harmony, marriage, and matchmaking.

Baihu (White Tiger): Belonging to Yang Metal, located in the west, it is a strong but irritable ominous deity, governing soldiers, martial prowess, disaster, and accidents.

Xuanwu (Black Tortoise): Belonging to Water, located in the north, it is a minor ominous thief deity, glib but cunning, governing treacherous officials, spies, and surveillance.

Jiudi (Nine Earths): Belonging to Earth, located in the southwest, it is the auspicious mother of all things, soft but passive, governing the garrisoning of troops and cultivation.

Jiutian (Nine Heavens): Belonging to Metal, located in the northwest, it is an auspicious deity with grand ambitions, governing the deployment of troops and rallying of forces.

Ancient ministers and generals used the Mystical Doors and Hidden Stems to formulate battle plans and governing strategies. For instance, Zhuge Liang borrowed the east wind to burn Cao Cao's fleet at the Battle of Red Cliffs, and Jiang Ziya assisted King Wu of Zhou in conquering the world.

In the command department of the Military Academy, there were always a few "gods" who never left their rooms, studying "Mystical Doors and Hidden Stems" day and night. Those who were obsessed with numerical modeling and system analysis dared at most to call themselves "lesser gods."

In the quarterly "Red vs. Blue" competitions, the "gods" rarely participated; the "lesser gods" would sit in the center, calling out commands and countermeasures. But once a true "god" entered the fray, the others would quickly concede their seats. There was no need for data comparison or precision strikes; they would simply pinch their fingers, make a quick calculation, point a finger, and it would inevitably land on the enemy's vital point!

However, to Chai Xiao, modern big data and ancient Mystical Doors and Hidden Stems were both tools that must be mastered. To apply the past to the present, and to blend and borrow from one another—that is the path of the truly great.

Su Zhongjing looked at the last leaf in Chai Xiao's hand.

"Are these remaining five men intended to fish in troubled waters?"