"Everything you expressed just now reflects your thoughts. On the other hand, the cave itself is merely a cave, which still stands day and night, and has nothing meaningful naturally. Nevertheless, it can make three of you have different opinions about it. If I ask a thousand more people, I will hear a thousand more different opinions about this cave." Gao Qing chuckled. "Remember what Zhuangzi has said, that "The music itself does not mean anything, it is human who makes the music beautiful or not" ?"
"Yes, I remember." Zhu Youdun said in admiration. "Before we only studied the Philosophy of Zhuangzi in a closed chamber and discussed it with the teacher without practicing it directly in nature. In this way, we can immediately understand the true meaning of Zhuangzi's sayings."
"Real practice is far more valuable than thousands of theories. I remember the story of when Confucius asked Laozi. Laozi answered by saying nothing but only with opening his mouth and twitching his tongue, while his teeth were not very good, many of them had gone. Confucius soon fully understood the intent of Laozi," Zhu Su also said with amazement.
That was the story said that Laozi intended to show that the hard thing broke apart faster whereas the soft could last a long time. Our teeth are hard, but when we are old, our teeth will go one by one. On the other hand, our tongue is soft, but even when we reach the age of one hundred, the tongue will still remain as it is. This story advises people; Instead of being hard, be soft. And somehow, the yield can conquer the unyielding.
"And one more. From everything three of you said just now, I can guess your character."
The three of them soon looked at Gao Qing eagerly. "Really, Sir?!"
Gao Qing nodded. "First, you Girl... uhm, what is your name?"
"My name is Hu Nayin," answered Hu Nayin softly.
"Yes, Nayin. This may be influenced by your social status and how it affects your perspective towards yourself, as well as the patriarchal doctrine which tells women not to show their talents. You are someone who tends to go with the flow. You are also shy to express your own thoughts, but I am sure if you are more confident in yourself, you have the potential to issue extraordinary opinions."
Hu Nayin lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry..."
Gao Qing turned to Zhu Youdun. "As a Young Prince, you are certainly far better than Nayin. But you have "scholar syndrome" - you are too proud of the theory you have studied and cling to it. However, you are also a person who is keen to study, since you are quick to do self-examining."
"And you," Gao Qing stared straight into Zhu Su's eyes. "More or less the same with your son, after all, both of you are father and son, being raised in the same environment, it's just that his experience is less than yours. You are the kind who has tasted the bitterness of life, but has experienced the beauty and pleasures of life. Your life is topsy-turvy between happiness and misery. It then makes your mind far more complex than ordinary people. You can see what others don't see, and feel what they don't feel. So it won't be such a surprise if you are different from people in general."
Zhu Su was stunned for a moment, before he nodded.
"This is called "Jian Wei Zhi Zhu" - recognize the whole through observation of the part. We can apply it in every aspect. Politics, military, economics, medicine, culinary - everything. It even includes fortune-telling. The common folk is amazed at those who are said to be good at predicting, then worshiping them like gods. Yet actually they are just more observant in capturing the holistic-in-small-parts not caught by ordinary people who have difficulty in focusing. Divination is actually the activity of feeling the vibration of Energy. If the Current Energy and the Future Energy are moving constantly in the same way, then their Energy will connect together, and that is what makes the divination become true. But if there is a change between Current Energy and Future Energy, the divination is no longer accurate. Changes occur for so many times in the transfer of Time Energy. Divination becomes harder than guessing the personality of people because of this. At least guessing people still rely on Current Energy. Actually, the function of Divination is more in giving the warning. If someone is still attached to something, the energy between the present and the future is still the same. But if that person introspects and changes his way of life, then there may be a change between the two Energies."
"Then it means... the principle of divination is the same as diagnosing disease and giving advice to a patient?" Zhu Su asked enthusiastically.
Gao Qing nodded. "All subjects of study are originated from philosophy. It is as if a spring which can flow into many rivers."
"Now I am confident to be a great divination expert!" Zhu Youdun said cheerfully.
"Hey, but remember! The foresight and focus on doing Jian Wei Zhi Zhu can only be done when our mind is calm, not being overwhelmed by various lusts and worldly ambitions. That's why it is said that fortune-tellers who set high-priced fees are fake fortune tellers, because what they are chasing after is not to make good divination, their focus has been damaged by being deflected to material desires!"
"Listen, Youdun." Zhu Su also advised his son who soon smiled in embarrassment.
"So, the main point is to focus, right?" Hu Nayin asked. Gao Qing nodded again.
"I can also guess about your character, Sir Gao!"
Gao Qing widened his eyes, then laughed aloud. "Good! Say what you guess about me, young man!"
"You are same with Fu Wang, have an anti-mainstream mindset. People are easy to misunderstand you if only meet with you briefly. They have to make deeper contact with you in order to understand your true character. But you are a very talented person. You can teach us much better than our teachers at school. Even though I just learn for a while, but the knowledge I've gained is the same as the knowledge I have studied for months at school!"
Gao Qing's gray mustache was twitching as he laughed. "Hahaha! I guess, you are the Emperor's grandson who can make the Emperor very amazed and impressed of you!"
"It's true." It was Zhu Su who answered. "Youdun is the fastest grandson who get appointed as Zhou Shi Zi, while the older grandsons have to wait several years to be pointed as Shi Zi. How clever you are, can know this fact."
"Because he has a good understanding of what others love to hear." Gao Qing stood up. "Alright! Let's go somewhere else!"