Chapter 9: Biography of Yuan Shoucheng

Wei Zheng was awakened by the noise, walked to the side of Emperor Tang, and prostrated himself on the ground, saying: "I deserve to die a thousand deaths! I was faint and confused just now, unaware of my actions. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me for my offense against the sovereign."

The next day, the Dragon King waited until the hour of Si to disperse the clouds, thunder struck at the hour of Wu, rain fell at the hour of Wei, and the rain ceased at the hour of Shen, totaling a rainfall of three feet and forty points, with a change of one hour, resulting in a reduction of three inches and eight points

Emperor Tang said: "What offense do you have, my lord? Please rise and take a look at this dragon's head; what does it signify?" Wei Zheng remained prostrate on the ground and did not rise, saying: "This dragon is what I just slayed in my dream!"

The gentleman said: "Tomorrow at the Chen hour, clouds will gather; at the Si hour, thunder will strike; at the Wu hour, it will rain; at the Wei hour, the rain will be sufficient, totaling three feet, three inches, and forty-eight points of water."

Upon seeing it pleading earnestly, King Tang felt a pang of compassion and replied: "Since Wei Zheng has been sentenced to death, I can save you. You may go with peace of mind."

The gentleman then conveyed a lesson, stating: "Clouds obscure the mountain peak, mist envelops the treetops. If one predicts rain, it is certain to arrive by tomorrow."

The gentleman inquired: "What matter do you come to ask about?"

King Tang was taken aback: "Who are you and what is this book? Should I save you?"

The Dragon King of the Jinghe River considered himself the Rain God, so how could the mortal Yuan Shoucheng possibly know the time of the rain before him? He was certain he would win this bet. However, upon returning to the Jinghe Water Palace, a decree from the heavens announced that rain would fall in Chang'an the next day, with the timing and volume matching exactly what Yuan Shoucheng had stated. Although the Dragon King was taken aback and lamented the existence of such a remarkable talent in the world, his fiery temperament made him unwilling to concede easily. His competitive spirit clouded his judgment, leading him to secretly change the time of the rain and reduce the amount. Despite his astonishment at the extraordinary abilities present in the world, his stubborn nature prevented him from admitting defeat, and he resolutely decided to alter the rain schedule and cut back on the rainfall.

Hearing this, King Tang was greatly astonished: "Virtuous minister, you are in a state of deep slumber and have not made any move, nor is there any weapon in sight. How can we slay this dragon?"

King Tang allowed himself to doze off, without calling out any further. As he saw that it was already three quarters past noon, he thought that the Dragon King of the Jing River must have escaped a calamity.

The Dragon King of the Jinghe River was suddenly flustered, regretting his impulsive actions. He quickly knelt down on the ground, pleading for Yuan Shoucheng to save his life

The next day, after the Tang Emperor had concluded his court session, he remained alone with *Tu* and summoned Wei Zheng to the imperial hall. They first discussed strategies for stabilizing the state, followed by deliberations on national plans. As the time approached between the hours of si and wu, the Emperor noticed that Wei Zheng appeared somewhat restless. The Tang Emperor secretly smiled and ordered the palace attendants to bring out the chessboard, expressing his desire to engage Wei Zheng in a game of chess to discuss philosophical matters. Wei Zheng, unable to refuse, could only express his gratitude and proceeded to play chess with the Emperor.

After the Dragon King of Jinghe expressed his gratitude to Yuan Shoucheng, he hurried to the imperial palace. It was not until the hour of Zi that Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty entered a dream, and then he stealthily entered Li Shimin's dream, calling out: "Your Majesty, save me!"

Emperor Tang, Li Shimin, awoke from his dream, reflecting on the task entrusted to him by the Dragon King. After much contemplation, he decided to keep Wei Zheng by his side for one day, not allowing him to step outside the palace, believing this would save the Dragon King.

Only then did the Dragon King feel at ease and express his gratitude before disappearing

Yuan Shoucheng was selling divinations on the bustling street at the West Gate of Chang'an, and his business was naturally thriving. The Dragon King of the Jing River sought out his stall, initially intending to unleash his wrath on the spot. However, he was taken aback by Mr. Yuan Shoucheng's extraordinary appearance, which led him to suppress his contempt and ask Yuan Shoucheng for a divination.

Long and - Picture - The Book King laughed and said: "This statement should not be taken lightly. If it rains tomorrow, according to the number of hours you predicted, I will send you a payment of fifty taels as thanks. If it does not rain, or if it does not follow the predicted hours, I assure you, I will ruin your reputation, tear down your sign, and immediately expel you from Chang'an, forbidding you to deceive the public here!" The gentleman responded cheerfully: "This is entirely up to you. Please, please, the rain will surely come tomorrow." If it does not rain, or if it does not follow the predicted hours, I assure you, I will ruin your reputation, tear down your sign, and immediately expel you from Chang'an, forbidding you to deceive the public here!" The gentleman responded cheerfully: "This is entirely up to you. Please, please, the rain will surely come tomorrow."

The Dragon King said: "What time will it rain tomorrow? How much will the rain measure?"

Yuan Shoucheng sighed, saying: "It is futile to seek my help. At three o'clock tomorrow afternoon, you are to be executed by Wei Zheng. Wei Zheng is the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. If you can ask for a favor from the Tang Emperor, there may still be a chance for your survival."

After the rain, the Dragon King transformed into human form and went straight to Yuan Shoucheng's divination stall, smashing it to pieces in one go, and demanded that Yuan Shoucheng immediately leave Chang'an City

Wei Zheng possessed exceptional chess skills, yet the Tang Emperor's original intention was merely to delay the time. As the game progressed into the mid-game, the Tang Emperor found himself in a losing position, leading him to lower his head in deep contemplation. When the Tang Emperor finally made his move and looked up at Wei Zheng, he found Chancellor Wei already slumped over the table, sound asleep. The Tang Emperor laughed and said, "Your Excellency truly exhausts himself in the service of the state, and is weary from the efforts of establishing the dynasty"

Suddenly, there were loud shouts outside the palace gate. King Tang rose to see what was happening, and it was Xu Maogong and Qin Shubao among others. Qin Shubao was holding something in his hand, and upon seeing King Tang, he threw the object to the ground. It rolled to the feet of King Tang, revealing a bloody dragon's head. The dragon's head had its whiskers and hair bristling, and its eyes were still open, glaring at King Tang. Startled, King Tang stepped back and asked, "What is this?" Qin Shubao replied, "To the south of Qianbu Corridor, at the intersection of the crossroad, this dragon's head fell from the clouds. I, your humble servant, dared not fail to report!" The dragon's head had its whiskers and hair bristling, and its eyes were still open, glaring at King Tang. Startled, King Tang stepped back and asked, "What is this?" Qin Shubao replied, "To the south of Qianbu Corridor, at the intersection of the crossroad, this dragon's head fell from the clouds. I, your humble servant, dared not fail to report!"

The Dragon King said: "Please divine how the weather in the heavens will be, whether it will be sunny or cloudy"

Yet Yuan Shoucheng merely watched quietly as the Dragon King smashed things about, and finally let out a cold laugh, saying: "My humble fortune-telling stall is of little value, but I fear that someone may have committed a capital crime without realizing it. I recognize you; you are not some white-clad scholar, but the Dragon King of the Jing River. You have tampered with the timing and withheld the rainfall, violating the heavenly laws. Tomorrow, you may find it difficult to escape the blade

Dragon King said: "I am the Dragon King of the Jing River outside Chang'an. Your Majesty is the True Dragon, while I am the Dragon of Industry. I have violated the heavenly laws and should be executed by your wise minister Wei Zheng. Therefore, I come to pay my respects and hope that Your Majesty will save me once."

It is said that in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, there was a divination master in the city of Chang'an named Yuan Shoucheng, who specialized in fortune-telling. He was reputed to possess knowledge of yin and yang, as well as the ability to predict life and death. This individual had a notable background, being the uncle of the esteemed astronomer Yuan Tiangang, who served in the imperial court. A fisherman named Zhang Shao, who made his living by the Jing River outside Chang'an, would daily present Yuan Shoucheng with a golden carp. In return, Yuan Shoucheng would guide them on when and where to cast their nets, ensuring that they would always return with a bountiful catch of the river's aquatic life. Somehow, this matter reached the ears of the Dragon King of the Jing River, who, in a fit of rage, transformed into a scholar in white robes and infiltrated Chang'an to seek trouble with Yuan Shoucheng.

Suddenly, Wei Zheng was bent over his desk, beads of sweat densely covering his forehead, his expression slightly anxious. The Tang Emperor, fearing that the heat might distress his virtuous minister, personally fanned Wei Zheng. A cool breeze gently arrived, and Wei Zheng's profuse sweat quickly subsided, allowing him to sleep very soundly