Chapter 27: Three Stones

We hung out in the pavilion until about 10:15 when Brooks' dad, Ryan Peterson, sent someone to fetch us.

As we walked, I checked out the courtyard and the surroundings, but nothing really caught my eye.

When we got through the entrance hall and into the front hall, there was this old guy with white hair sitting in a wicker chair. He had a cane in one hand and was playing with some beads in the other. He looked pretty healthy and lively, not like someone who was sick.

"Allen's here too?" Ryan said.

Allen quickly stepped forward and gave a slight bow, "Dad, I've had some issues at home lately, and Dennis helped me out. So, I brought him along to see you."

Ryan nodded at me and then turned to Brooks, "Brooks, is this the first disciple of Fortune Antiques?"

Brooks quickly introduced, "Yeah, Dad. Meet Gabriel Caldwell, Fortune Antiques' very first apprentice."

Ryan seemed to really respect Gabriel. He stood up a bit and shook his hand, "Well, a young hero indeed. I'll be counting on you two for my tough issues."

Gabriel asked Ryan a few questions about his condition, then wandered around the rooms before heading to the back door. He opened a wooden box and took out three chestnut-sized, irregularly shaped, light yellow jade stones.

What were those?

I got curious and stepped closer to get a better look.

Gabriel didn't stop me. He kept comparing the three stones against the sun, then placed them on the ground in an irregular triangle.

I looked closely and saw that the top angle of the triangle was about 120 degrees, the left angle about 30 degrees, and the right angle about 40 degrees, with the long side facing the sun.

I tried to remember what Lorenzo had taught me and could kind of guess what it meant.

These three stones were probably Beneware, representing the three stars of the galaxy: heaven, earth, and man. They were arranged in a triangle, corresponding to the head, torso, and limbs of the human body. Divining the three stars could reveal the fortune of the three parts of the body and determine the overall good and bad.

As for the deeper stuff, I had no clue.

Gabriel gently fiddled with the stones, observing them for a long time. Suddenly, the top stone reflected a beam of light straight towards the sun!

Then he put the stones away, went back to Ryan, and asked, "Mr. Peterson, do you like sweet potatoes and potatoes?"

"Yeah," Ryan nodded, "I like potatoes, peanuts, and sweet potatoes."

Gabriel continued, "If I'm not mistaken, you probably grow these around your house, right?"

"Indeed," Brooks interjected, "We have a modest plot adjacent to the fish pond to the east. My father personally tends to their cultivation."

"Well, there's your problem."

Gabriel walked to the front hall and pointed to the fish pond outside, "The fish pond represents Neptune, and those foods are Mars. Water and fire don't mix. Plus, around noon, the sun shines through the whole house towards the fish pond, like a fuse, messing with the owner's health. Over time, it causes headaches."

Everyone nodded, thinking he made a lot of sense.

I felt like he might be missing something, but I couldn't figure out what.

It was almost noon, and Ryan was already starting to feel a headache coming on.

Everyone followed Gabriel's words, looking towards the sun. As if on cue, a ray of sunlight burst through the back, streamed out the front entrance, and sliced through the entire mansion like a laser beam.

Gabriel didn't explain much. He asked Ryan for permission, then got up, went to the yard, grabbed an iron shovel, and started digging next to the fish pond.

A few minutes later, Ryan's face relaxed, clearly feeling the headache easing.

"Gabriel truly lives up to his reputation!" Ryan said joyfully, "Brooks, pay Gabriel five hundred thousand dollars for the treatment."

Gabriel looked proud and didn't forget to glance at me, then said to Ryan, "Mr. Peterson, my grandfather told me before I came. No matter how much you offer, it will be halved, just to make friends with you."

"Good!" Ryan admired Gabriel even more.

Five hundred thousand dollars back then was no small amount. If Gabriel were greedy, he could have easily kept half for himself without mentioning any discount. But he didn't, which showed the integrity of Fortune Antiques.

"Brooks, do as Gabriel instructed," Ryan continued, "Also, pack three jars of my treasured wine for Gabriel to take back for Mr. Caldwell to taste."

Brooks responded with a happy face. After all, he was the one who brought Gabriel, and with Ryan's illness cured, he would benefit too! Just as Brooks was about to get things sorted, Ryan abruptly clutched his head, exclaiming, "Oh! Why's the pain hitting me out of nowhere again?"