My Four Most Precious Guan Yin: the Fourth (Part Three of Five: Ms M the Sales Manager)

Part Three of Five: Ms M the Sales Manager 

Before deciding a lawsuit against Mr Ang, I took some time to consider all the odds and alternatives.

First, it's about what if we lose. Because lawsuit is something like a war. You won't know if you will win until after the last minute.

Even if we win, we will have to spend a lot of time on it, which can be used for other more productive means.

Third, even if we win, what would people say. Many people might think we are unkind and aggressive in getting money. Although logic would tell that by spending the same amount of time on daily operation, we make more money. But most people don't use logic. They use their feelings or just follow what other people say blindly. And we cannot control what other people say.

Is there any other alternative? Maybe we should work harder to gain back the losses? It would be a "safer mean."

Maybe we should just negotiate some compromising terms with him so that we would not risk losing too much?

Maybe we should just put on a smile, shake his hand and say: "Come on, what's the point of being so hard on each other? We Chinese believe in harmony don't we? Surely we can iron all these out? Just tell me your terms, I will agree if I don't lose too much..."

For the sake of the survival of Lotus on Water, can I not just pull back a smile of hypocrisy? Bow down in humility and kneel down on a pool of tears of defeat?

The red vermillion grinded on the ‘White Duanxi Inkstone’ was only used by the Emperor. Nobody, not even the Prime Minister, can use ‘White Inkstone’ to grind the red vermillion. So how many ‘White Duanxi Inkstones’ can be left among the layman? White Duanxi Inkstone’ was a symbol of power, authority and control. Administer the fengshui magic by grinding red vermillion on ‘White Duanxi Inkstone’ and your power and benefactors will multiply immensely.

Should I used my black inkstone that will help us to resolve lawsuits and conflicts? Or shall I instead, use the white imperial inkstone which will not help resolve lawsuits but help us win gloriously?

As I was contemplating, I receive news from the lawyer: 

First, Mr Ang refused any terms of negotiation and compromise.

Then he demanded us to pay him back the one hundred thousand dollars deposit on the ground that the deposit was for my feng shui services, since I did not perform the service, I should return him the money.

And the evidence he used to back this up was a second invoice of a similar number, on it was stated "geomancy service."

I stared very hard at this computer generated invoice.

The signature was real. It was signed by me. But it should not have been signed by me. Because invoices like this has always been signed by the sales staff.

Subdue legal conflicts, quarrelsome matters and enhance literati - Duanxi Clear Waters Inkstone (端溪静水砚). From the highest order of inkstone, the duan inkstone (端砚), Lotus on Water suppresses your quarrelsome stars and improves your thinking power. For those who have legal conflicts going on, examinations, and simply despise malefactors. Even this, Master Yun Long Zi blesses it himself with the specially prepared vermilion.

The statement "geomancy service" was fishy. For many years I have been avoiding as much as possible to use the word "geomancy." The word "geomancy" is Greek originated. It is a school of divinity that is probably quite similar to feng shui. So people use this term to translate the term feng shui. 

I avoid using this word because feng shui is not originated from Greece. I prefer to use the Chinese originated word, feng shui, anytime.

I looked very hard at the invoice, there are seven abnormalities. I asked the sales staff Ms M what is this invoice all about? Ms M put on an innocent look and said she knew nothing about it.

I suspected there is something very fishy going on. Ms M came from Burma. When she started working in Lotus on Water, I forbade her from answering telephone calls because both her English and Chinese were hardly clear.

But she worked very hard. She became our top sales in three years time. And she even bought a bungalow in her hometown. She was also, touched by the hands of faith and miracles. Everybody says that she is the most faithful of all my staff.

I vaguely remember that a couple of weeks after fetching the Thousand Hands Guan Yin to Mr Ang's office, she told me that Mr Ang needed a new invoice for the Guan Yin. She said that Mr Ang needed the word "geomancy service" as the description on the invoice. I refused. And I refused to sign on an empty invoice. So an invoice with "Thousand Hands Guan Yin" was signed.

Our lawyer later pointed out that the statement of description on this invoice has a different font. It looks like it was pasted on.

I knew Ms M is not totally clean. But I did not want to complicate things before the hearing started. And I have no evidence against her to do anything.

Mr Kan urged me to put on the Double Dragon Fiery Ball Ring onto my last finger. I have always hesitated on doing that. Wearing that ring on the last finger will get rid of malefactors in your life. However many of the people who are around you, close to you, those whom you love and nourish, can harbor evil intention against you. They can be your malefactor.

Mr Kan told me we are hard press on time, there would be no time showing pity on your enemies. 

And so I put it on. 

Wear your Double Dragon jadeite ring on the last finger, prosper your benefactors, down with your malefactors and people who give you trouble.

In less than a month, Ms M resigned to go back to Burma.

I told Mr Kan, the one who is not loyal to her employer will never be loyal to the clients, and vice-verse. I told Kan to check on all the items she sold to the clients.

Alas, we found out that she has charged clients more by swapping the price tags of a lighter weight with a heavier weight so that she can sell a higher price and earn a higher commission. And we have to ask clients back so that we can refund them the balance.

After the whole lawsuit, we sent for her. We ask her for the explanations on the seven abnormalities on the invoice. She could not.

I gave her two weeks to explain the seven abnormalities, if not we have to send her a letter of demands.

Two weeks passed, two months passed, and we received no news from her. The address she gave us was fake too.

Maybe for her to behave in such manner is probably most normal that people get excited over the amount of money they receive when they work with us, but not so excited about leaving a legacy of faithfulness, authenticity and truth.

Faith helped her make enough money to build a bungalow in her hometown. But she lacks the faithfulness to build many many more.

After her family moved into the new house, the family members met with continuous accidents.

And we even received phone calls from the credit department from banks looking from her.

No God can stop your love ones betraying you, but no Buddha can stop retribution coming upon them.

Trust makes her climbed up to be the top. But she lacks the trustworthiness to stay at the top. 

The Lotus sandalwood Thousand Hands Guan Yin - currently housed in the main gallery on Lotus on Water Street.

That's why, during the hearing. I have a sudden calmness about me that Kan finds very strange. And he asked me why.

I told him that if we perish, there will be no one in this world who will provide products of such faithfulness and trustworthiness.

Mr Kan being more practical than me reminded me that the righteous in the world may not always win, they sometimes become martyr. I laughed and said yes! Cause they have got no Thousand Hands Guan Yin helping them.

So Mr Kan asked, Mr Ang has got the same Thousand Hands Guan Yin as ours, who shall win?

I answered. Not exactly the same. Didn't we hear Mr Ang's accusation? He claimed his Guan Yin has got two fingers broken. That is the greatest blasphemy and greatest mistake he has done. His Guan Yin shall therefore not move two of her fingers.

And our Thousand Hands Guan Yin shall prove to the world what her two extra fingers can do for us.

We have not only preserved the faith but also the faithfulness as well.

And thus our Guan Yin shall do the same for us. 

-- Master Yun Long Zi, 10 October 2014