Deep in the mountains, far away from the hustle and bustle of the earthly world, there stood a simple yet elegant thatched cottage. Surrounding the cottage were lush woods, and a crystal-clear brook flowed gently by. Along the brook were blooming wildflowers of unknown names. When the breeze blew, the fragrance of the flowers mingled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, filling the air. Here lived a hermit known as Xuanqing.

Xuanqing wore a plain Taoist robe. His face was thin, and his eyes were deep and serene, like a bottomless pool that could embrace all things in the world. He had long withdrawn from the worldly affairs and chosen to practice alone in this mountain, accompanied by the mountains and waters, shining with the sun and the moon. For decades, he had never stepped out of this mountain forest to have any contact with the outside world. He immersed himself in his spiritual world, pursuing inner peace and the sublimation of his soul, completely ignoring the fame, fortune, honor, and disgrace of the outside world.

At the foot of the mountain, there was a winding commercial road. This road was an important passage connecting several towns. Every day, many merchants carrying goods, driving carriages, or shouldering poles would hurry along this road. Their faces were full of tiredness and anxiety, and their hearts were filled with concerns about business profits and losses and fears of risks during the journey. However, whenever they passed by the mountain forest where Xuanqing lived, they could always pass through smoothly without ever encountering bandit attacks, wild animal assaults, or other accidents. This phenomenon was passed down among the merchants by word of mouth, becoming a puzzling mystery and also casting a mysterious veil over this mountain forest.

One day, a merchant named Zhao Qi, who was young and energetic with a flexible mind, but had experienced numerous setbacks and hardships in the business world over the years, was often troubled by anxiety and restlessness in his heart. This time, he was carrying a batch of precious goods and traveling along this commercial road. When he reached the vicinity of the mountain forest where Xuanqing lived, a sense of curiosity and doubt arose in his heart. He remembered the legends about this mountain forest among his fellow merchants, so he decided to go up the mountain to find out after passing by, to see what mysterious power was protecting this land.

Zhao Qi slowly climbed up the winding mountain road. Along the way, he was attracted by the beautiful scenery in the mountain forest. The tall and straight trees towered into the sky, blocking out the sunlight. The sunlight shone through the gaps between the leaves, forming patches of light spots, like a dreamy fairyland. Birds were singing merrily on the branches, as if welcoming his arrival. The fresh air was refreshing, making him feel a rare comfort during his tiring journey.

Finally, he arrived in front of Xuanqing's thatched cottage. Xuanqing was sitting on a huge rock in front of the cottage, with his eyes closed, resting. It seemed that he had already sensed someone approaching, but he didn't get up. He just sat there quietly, like a picture of tranquility reaching far. Zhao Qi walked up cautiously and said softly, "Senior, I'm sorry to disturb you. I really have doubts in my heart, so I came here to ask for advice." Xuanqing slightly opened his eyes, looked at him calmly, and nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

Zhao Qi summoned up his courage and said, "Senior, I've heard that no merchant has ever encountered misfortune in this mountain forest. Every time they pass by, they can pass through smoothly. I've been in business for many years and know very well that the journey is full of difficulties. Such smoothness is really rare. I dare to ask, why is your fortune so good? Is there really something magical about this mountain forest?" After saying that, he looked at Xuanqing expectantly, hoping to get an answer from this mysterious hermit.

Xuanqing slightly raised his head, looked at the distant mountains, and showed a faint smile on his face. He said slowly, "Young man, fortune doesn't depend on external things, nor is there any magical power in this mountain forest. What is called fortune actually comes from inner peace and the broadness of one's state of mind. When a person's heart is as calm as still water, not affected by the noise of the outside world, not bewildered by fame and fortune, and his state of mind is as broad as the heaven and the earth, able to embrace the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of all things in the world, he will naturally be able to live in harmony with the surrounding environment, and favorable things will follow."

After hearing this, Zhao Qi was slightly startled and fell into deep thought. He thought of his various experiences in the business world. In order to pursue profits, he was often anxious and restless. When competing with his peers, his heart was full of envy and resentment. When facing difficulties and setbacks, he always complained about the unfairness of fate. He suddenly realized that he had always been seeking changes in fortune from the outside but had never paid attention to the state of his own heart.

Xuanqing seemed to see through his thoughts and continued, "Look at all the things in this mountain, the flowers, plants, trees, birds, and beasts. They all conform to the way of nature. They are born and grow here, without deliberately doing anything, yet they can each find their place. People should also be like this. Put down the obsessions in your heart, return to the true nature of your heart, and treat everything in the world with a peaceful and tolerant heart, then you can feel the smoothness and beauty of fate."

Zhao Qi suddenly realized, as if a light had shone into the dark corner of his heart. He bowed deeply to Xuanqing and said, "Your teachings, senior, are like pouring cold water on my head, making me suddenly see the light. I've always been chasing external things but ignored the cultivation of my inner self. It's really putting the cart before the horse. Today, after hearing your brilliant insights, I will surely keep them in mind and go back to reflect on myself and adjust my state of mind."

Xuanqing nodded slightly and said, "Go, young man. I hope you can find your own inner peace on your future life path, conform to fortune, and live in harmony with this world."

Zhao Qi went down the mountain with gratitude in his heart. Along the way, he felt extremely relaxed, as if the heavy burden on his shoulders had been removed. Looking at the surrounding mountain and water scenery, he felt a sense of awe and love that he had never had before. He realized that everything in this world had its internal laws and connections, and the state of a person's heart was the key factor affecting the direction of fate.

After returning home, Zhao Qi began to try to change his state of mind. He no longer got anxious and restless every day because of trifles in business as before. Instead, he learned to face them with a more calm and composed attitude. When competing with his peers, he no longer felt envious but regarded it as a motivation to improve himself, and made efforts to enhance his business ability and moral cultivation. When facing difficulties and setbacks, he no longer complained but actively looked for solutions, regarding them as tests of fate and opportunities for growth.

As time went by, Zhao Qi found that his business had gradually improved. Those seemingly thorny problems could now be easily solved. The relationship with his partners became more harmonious. More and more customers trusted him and gave him good reviews. He deeply realized the great impact of state of mind on fortune and understood the true meaning of Xuanqing's words.

From the perspective of Taoist thought, Xuanqing's words contained profound philosophical ideas. Taoism emphasizes concepts such as "Tao follows nature", "Clearing the mind and reducing desires", and "Reaching the extreme of emptiness and maintaining profound tranquility". Xuanqing's life of cultivation in the mountain was exactly the practice of these ideas. He stayed away from the noise and disturbances of the earthly world, pursued inner peace and emptiness, and made his state of mind reach an ethereal and broad realm. In this realm, he could live in harmony with nature, feel the power and beauty of nature, and fortune naturally favored him.

Zhao Qi's experiences in the business world reflected the state of most people in the earthly world who were driven by desires, restless in their hearts, and thus had poor fortune. When he understood Xuanqing's teachings, he began to adjust his state of mind, put down the desires and obsessions in his heart, and return to inner peace and the true nature of his heart. This was a kind of understanding and practice of Taoist thought. The improvement of his business was precisely because he conformed to the way of nature and made his inner self and the external environment reach a harmonious and unified state.

In this story, the encounter between the hermit Xuanqing and the merchant Zhao Qi was not just a simple question-and-answer exchange but also a collision and enlightenment of the soul. It shows us the application and value of Taoist thought in real life and reminds us that on the road to pursuing success and happiness, we should not only focus on external materials and interests but also attach importance to the cultivation of our inner self and the adjustment of our state of mind. Only when we have a calm, peaceful, and broad heart will fortune flow to us like the brook in the mountain, bringing smoothness and beauty to our lives.

As time passed, Zhao Qi always kept Xuanqing's teachings in mind. His business grew bigger and bigger, and he became a highly respected merchant in the local area. And Xuanqing was still quietly cultivating in the deep mountain. His story also spread in the world, becoming a legendary tale about Taoist wisdom and the power of the soul among people, inspiring generation after generation to explore the inner peace and the mystery of fate.