Preface

That night, the green giant star, which had occupied the position of Mars for thirty years, suddenly altered its orbit, trailing a long tail of flames as it rushed into the region of the purple star. In its shadow, a white light shadow spanned across the imperial walls like a long rainbow. The imperial star remained brilliantly bright, yet the celestial store star dimmed and swayed precariously.

Zhang Heng did not maintain eye contact with these invisible eyes for long; he lowered his head

"Regarding today's matters, Master Zhang, I advise you to observe quietly," Jiang Chong said slowly. "Others may not know, but I am aware that the great sage Zhang Heng of the Yin-Yang school of star observation is an exceptional swordsman. However, in the face of the grand trends of the world, what can one or two swordsmen do?"

Zhang Heng's words caused the Director of the Shanglin Garden to furrow his brows. He clasped his hands in a bow and said: "I am a person of no particular ability. Your Majesty has only seen that I possess a measure of caution, which is why I have been entrusted with the management of this garden. My position is humble, my authority limited, and my salary meager. I am willing to offer ten gold pieces and request your guidance."

The messenger inquired about the identity of the infant and hurried back to report to the emperor, while Zhang Heng remained in the beast garden, watching as the female tiger carried the infant into the cage, as if it were a small tiger. He then grasped the clothing of the head of the Shanglin Garden and asked, "Do you know what to do?"

Where is Master Zhang planning to go?" A person among the Xuanjia Army asked with a smile.

I observed the planet entering the Purple Palace, the comet lost its position, the green light stealthily occupied, the white rainbow pierced through the imperial barrier, and the Heavenly Store star appeared dimmer than usual. Zhang Heng's expression returned to calm, and he answered with composure

The infant is the youngest son of the deposed prince, having been born only two days ago and not yet named. Therefore, he has not been registered in the ancestral records and is unknown to the outside world. Even Jiang Chong, who is determined to eliminate the prince, is unaware of his existence at this time

I understand, Mr. Zhang, I will act accordingly

Then, the starry sky trembled violently. The green giant star, which had altered its trajectory and was originally located beside the Imperial Wall, exploded, showering meteors like rain, dazzling and resplendent

Master Zhang is a grand master of the Yin-Yang school of astrology. I wonder if he has seen anything from the celestial phenomena in recent days?" That person stepped out from among the soldiers and approached Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng could only remain silent

"Zhang is still the same as he was back then, so now he only holds an insignificant position at the Astronomical Bureau, and there is no hope for him to be granted a title in this life." Jiang Chong said with a sigh as he looked at the elderly man before him

Wherever you need my guidance, just act according to the emperor's will, follow the trend, and who could possibly make things difficult for you

The messenger brought the latest decree from the emperor, stating that the crown prince Sheng was renamed as Ni, and his loyal followers were pardoned from the death penalty, all of whom were imprisoned in the Copper Palace.

Although the Copper Palace is more terrifying than ferocious beasts to some, it is ultimately a decree of amnesty. However, among the hundreds of "remnants" sent to the Shanglin Garden, only one infant remains to receive this decree, and an infant does not express gratitude

Hehehe... Jiang Chong laughed heartily, looking up to the sky

The grand master of the Yin-Yang school, who advocates for following the natural flow, did not oppose Jiang Chong's order to throw this away in the end

The tigress approached the infant, first urinating on him, then sniffing the scent on his body, and finally lying down beside him

The air was stagnant, and Zhang Heng raised his eyes to gaze at the night sky, where it seemed as if a pair of invisible eyes were coldly watching the earth from above. Upon the earth, the lives of all beings were under the control of these eyes, determining life and death.

Before leaving, he also warned the steward of Shanglin Garden: "All the meat must be thrown in, otherwise you will throw yourself in as meat!"

No... I don't know!

"Master Zhang, tonight the city of Xianyang is particularly lively. If there is nothing pressing, may I invite you to accompany me outside the city to take a look?" After the starlight in the sky regained its calm, Jiang Chong spoke again to Zhang Heng.

The Shanglin Garden brings great enlightenment

The family and subjects of Prince Sheng, a total of more than 800 people who were captured alive and brought here, are enough for the beasts to have a meal.

These armored soldiers are the most elite warriors of the Great Qin Empire, traditionally responsible for guarding the northern frontier and fighting against the most ferocious Qiang people. Their sudden appearance here made Zhang Heng's heart tighten once again

The four sons and six daughters of Prince Sheng were all devoured by ferocious beasts before him, yet he continued to watch. At that moment, the emperor sent someone to summon him, and he had no choice but to leave.

Zhang Heng's deep eyes flickered with a glimmer, and he nodded slightly

Zhang Heng's white beard suddenly fluttered, while Jiang Chong slightly leaned back with his upper body.

When I initially sought to learn from Master Zhang, he suspected that my intentions were not pure, and thus was unwilling to impart the most profound secret techniques of the Yin-Yang school to me However, I still managed to acquire the ability to leverage circumstances and alter fate in accordance with the heavens Seeing his expression, Jiang Chong smiled again

As they left the city of Xianyang, the sounds they heard along the way were those of fighting, screams, and wails, with the stench of blood permeating the streets and alleys

Wait a moment, look, another messenger has arrived

Shang Linling was trembling, and after Jiang Chong left, he did not dare to delay his orders. However, when he commanded someone to throw a swaddled infant into the beast enclosure, he was stopped by Zhang Heng

"Who is this?" the messenger asked awkwardly

Zhang Heng remained silent, with his head bowed, and did not respond

From night to day, one prisoner transport after another, the "criminals" are escorted here by soldiers. Among them, some are unscathed, while others have broken arms and legs, their bodies covered in blood

It is not about what I want to do, but rather what the Emperor wants to do

Zhang Heng stared at the speaker, his pupils suddenly contracting: "Jiang Chong, it is you..."

This scene left Shang Linling dumbfounded; he wanted to send someone to drive away the female tiger, but was stopped by Zhang Heng.

The art of stargazing, Jiang Chong ultimately has not mastered it yet

Shanglin Garden was filled with a sense of turmoil, as Jiang Chong had departed, the envoy had left, yet an infant was left in his care. He knew this would pose a significant problem, and since Zhang Heng was renowned for his wisdom, he sought counsel from Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng kept his brows slightly furrowed until he reached the Shanglin Garden in the southern part of the city

In the Sitianguan of the capital city Xianyang of the Great Qin Empire, Zhang Heng, who was observing the stars in front of the armillary sphere, was suddenly taken aback, his complexion changing dramatically. He then ran at an astonishing speed, one that was entirely uncharacteristic of his age. Moments later, he appeared outside the Sitianguan, but here he had to come to a halt, for before him, a dense mass of soldiers in black armor had already filled the street.

It was as if to confirm Jiang Chong's words; amidst the originally clear sky, a sudden rumble of thunder echoed, and the imperial star located in the Purple Palace erupted with a brilliant light

Amidst the laughter and silence, the sound of thunder arose from the ground

It sounds like an inquiry, but in reality, it is not something that can be refused

The Emperor of the Qin Dynasty raised many ferocious beasts in the Shanglin Garden. When he felt troubled, he would come here to enjoy watching the fierce beasts fight each other.

Those thrown into the beast arena include those who curse loudly, those who plead for mercy, as well as those who close their eyes awaiting death or fight desperately. Regardless of who they are, Jiang Chong watches with a smile, and his expression does not change even when he sees them being torn apart by the ferocious beasts

Master Zhang, look at this scene, how beautiful it is... Every star represents a person, and every shooting star signifies a person's demise... I just wonder which star represents your fate, Master Zhang? If your fate star were to fall, would it not be... even more brilliant?

If something were to happen to this child before the emperor's decree arrives, it would not concern you. However, if something occurs after the decree is issued, then it would indeed be your responsibility. The will of heaven is unpredictable; who knows whether the emperor will acknowledge this child? If a royal grandchild were to come to harm under your watch, would you still have your life?

What the soldiers saw was one person laughing heartily while another bowed his head in silence

Indeed, I observe my own fate, and it is also unrelated to wealth and nobility

The infant, unaware of anything, sensed warmth and instinctively sought it out, vigorously sucking on the tiger's milk

As a fierce beast, it cannot do without being fed meat; however, it seems that today's expenses for the Shanglin Garden can omit this item

At that moment, a white female tiger with sword-like teeth roared as it charged out. It drove away the other ferocious beasts, which, with their round bellies, seemed to feel that it was not worth fighting over a few pounds of meat, and they all retreated.

Zhang Heng smiled, raised his head and squinted; even in broad daylight, he could see a small star flickering beside the imperial star in the sky.

Thus, the infant was left until the end. When he was also thrown into the beast arena, the well-fed ferocious beasts lazily strolled over, not in a hurry to kill this crying baby

What do you intend to do to the Crown Prince?" Zhang Heng asked in a deep voice