Heaven's will and human skill—their principles are endless;
With skill but without fate, success is hard to meet.
Why is there constant confusion day after day?
Only because yin and yang are not aligned.
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
Yingchun's riddle in Chapter 22. The answer is 'abacus.' An abacus is manipulated by others at will, symbolizing Yingchun's weak nature and her fate of being controlled by others. 'Skill without fate' hints that despite noble birth, her destiny was tragic.
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