Chapter 776

Smoothly changed the subject.

The Empress Dowager laughed: "Pan Yun? Is she not Yin Song's junior from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?"

The Emperor blinked: "How do you know that?"

When people mentioned Pan Yun, their first thought was always Pan Hong's daughter, then a Daoist Priest of Long Hushan, and only afterward did anyone recall she was Yin Song's junior.

Very few people ranked Yin Song's junior as their first impression.

The Empress Dowager smiled faintly and said: "Yin Song's fortune-telling is remarkably accurate. The palace maids and eunuchs all love to seek his readings. I've even heard these cultivators truly can fly through the sky and vanish underground—someone in the palace once saw them soaring into the air fighting a demonic bird."

Wang Zhen's gaze flickered slightly as he smiled: "I've heard too. The Five Guanzhengs—Chun, Xia, Qiu, Dong, and Zhong—all intervened. Their cultivation was profound, they flew through the air, and were formidable—but still could not defeat the demonic bird. At that moment, Pan Yun was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison. Seeing them overwhelmed, she immediately flew out through the window of the prison."

The Empress Dowager listened with great interest. These stories had long circulated in the palace, but few dared speak of them before her, let alone recount them so vividly.

"In the end, it was the palace's Zhang Daochang who drove the demonic bird out of Jingcheng," Wang Zhen sighed. "Too bad the True Person was not in Jingcheng then, and Deputy Director Qi Bo did nothing. Had they intercepted or slain the bird before it entered the city, the later rumors among the people would never have arisen."

After the demonic bird attacked Jingcheng, since it happened before countless eyes, not only officials but many commoners witnessed it. The bird overturned numerous rooftops, and afterward, whispers spread through the city that the Emperor lacked virtue, hence the omens appeared and demons ran rampant.

"Beasts act without order—who could foresee a demonic bird would attack Jingcheng?" The Empress Dowager patted the Emperor's hand reassuringly. "The common folk are always foolish. How could they know how many strange and wondrous things exist in the world? Your Majesty need not take it to heart."

The Emperor tugged at his lips, yet genuine anger rose within him. He asked Wang Zhen: "Has the True Person not yet returned to Jingcheng?"

Wang Zhen bowed and replied: "Yes. The True Person returned to Long Hushan for seclusion in June and has not emerged since."

The Emperor said: "If the True Person is occupied with cultivation, who shall bear the responsibilities of Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?"

Wang Zhen said: "The two Deputy Directors and the Five Guanzhengs handle affairs together, but with too many voices and conflicting opinions, decisions become difficult. I only learned later that Deputy Director Peng Deqing had foreseen the demonic bird's attack—but Deputy Director Qi Bo ignored it. At the time, Xia Guanzheng Yin Song was wholly focused on rescuing Pan Yun from the Imperial Prison, so he never reported it. This nearly caused a great disaster."

The Emperor murmured: "Peng Deqing?"

"He is exceptionally skilled in celestial divination, but his nature is sluggish and overly honest and gentle—not like Yin Song, who knows how to win favor."

Yet the Emperor most detested collusion between the former court and the inner palace, especially among officials of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. If they performed divination within the inner palace, suspicion of court disruption would surely arise.

The Emperor said nothing then, but later summoned Peng Deqing for an audience.

Peng Deqing was indeed a mild-mannered middle-aged man. The Emperor asked him: "Before the demonic bird attacked Jingcheng, did you foretell it?"

Peng Deqing was momentarily bewildered. Had he foreseen it—or hadn't he?

He instinctively glanced at Wang Zhen, then decided to follow convention and evade: "There were indeed ominous signs—a demon threatened Jingcheng. But I humbly admit my limited talent; I did not foresee it was a demonic bird, nor its time or place of entry, thus disturbing Your Majesty."

Since so much time had passed, the Emperor naturally did not blame him. Instead, he thought it impressive that Peng Deqing had foreseen a demon's approach before it entered the city.

Not long after, the Emperor issued an edict to comfort the Celestial Master's Mansion, then removed Zhang Maocheng from his post as Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, ordering him to focus solely on cultivation, pray for the nation's fortune, oversee all Daoist Priests, and develop the Daoist lineage.

He then appointed Peng Deqing as the new Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

Deputy Director Qi Bo and the Five Guanzhengs were reprimanded for failing to protect Jingcheng during the demonic bird's attack and were fined three months' salary.

The six men who received the imperial decree: …

Deputy Director Qi Bo rose slowly, gathered his belongings from his desk, and carried them away.

The Chun Guanzheng instinctively grabbed his arm: "My Lord Qi, where are you going?"

Qi Bo: "The New Year is coming. I'm taking some things home."

The Chun Guanzheng frowned anxiously: "You're not thinking of resigning, are you?"

Qi Bo sighed: "I wish to resign—but would I dare resign now?"

If I resign right after the Emperor punishes me, won't he know I'm resigning out of anger?"

In the Tang or Song dynasties, perhaps it would be acceptable—but in this dynasty, I dare not do such a thing.

Though I am carefree, I value my life. If the Emperor accuses me of harboring resentment toward the sovereign, charges of 'failing in a minister's duty'—how would I survive?"

Even if I must resign, I must wait until this storm passes. The Chun Guanzheng finally released his grip.

Yin Song sighed and rose to return to his seat to pack his things.

The Chun Guanzheng turned to stare at him.

Yin Song sighed: "The New Year is coming. I have no money. I'm going out to earn extra cash."

Hearing this, the others immediately rose, gathered their belongings, and followed him out of the palace.

Indeed, their salaries were already low, and New Year expenses were high—losing three months' salary now…

They calculated: they had lost their salary for the twelfth lunar month, the first month, and the second month… It was a moment of utter darkness.

The Dong Guanzheng remained in the palace for duty. Watching them grab their belongings and leave, he suddenly realized: "Will we still receive our New Year gifts?"

Qi Bo: "I asked. There won't be any."

The four of them hurried their packing.

When the day's duties ended, the officials of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau were the first to burst out of the Imperial City—their speed made even the palace guards glance twice.

"Yin Song, why aren't you going to the inner palace to earn money from the maids and eunuchs anymore?"

Yin Song: "Do you think I'm fortune-telling? I'm practicing Daoist medicine!"

They all paused—now that they thought about it, the palace maids and eunuchs who came to Yin Song for readings were always those with physical ailments.

They claimed to seek fortune-telling, but really came for healing.

There was no choice: palace regulations made it nearly impossible for low-ranking maids and eunuchs to receive proper medical treatment. They had to save themselves by other means.

Seeking Yin Song was the cheapest and most effective option.

The small maids and eunuchs gave him only meager coins—barely enough to buy herbs and make pills for them. How could he possibly profit?

The five did not know they had been punished because Wang Zhen had slandered them, planting suspicion in the Emperor's mind.

At this moment, all they could think about was earning money—earning money!

Half an hour later, Daoist Priests wearing robes and carrying banners appeared across Jingcheng, wandering the streets offering fortune-telling and healing.

Yin Song occasionally crossed paths with the Zhong Guanzheng, then turned and walked away in the opposite direction.

Ah, they lived too close—it was bad.

After walking a while, Yin Song spotted a good spot and moved to sit down—only to find another man already seated there, holding a banner.

The two men met eyes.

Yin Song: "Lord Xu?"

Xu Cheng: "Lord Yin?"

Yin Song looked at him with unspeakable difficulty: "Lord Xu, you've come out to tell fortunes too?"

Xu Cheng laughed sheepishly: "New Year's almost here, and my purse is thin, so I came out to earn a little money."

Yin Song sighed: "Same here." (End of chapter)