Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 40 A Stargazing and Divination Costing Seven Thousand Bushels at a Time: The Beginning of a Killing Calamity!
The Great Cold falls in the middle of the twelfth month. The sky is clear and the night is like a mirror. This solar term at the end of the year is the perfect time for stargazing and divination, and to glimpse deeper into the "fate of heaven".

The Duan family manor was brightly lit, but deep within lay a dark place—the Divination Garden, which housed an observatory and was off-limits to guests and ordinary family members. Within the Divination Garden stood a three-tiered altar of extremely high standards, where a solemn and dignified "Great Divination by Stargazing" was being conducted.

The upper level of this altar depicts the nine stars of the Big Dipper, including the two hidden stars, Fu Bi. The middle level displays the twenty-eight constellations, with talismans drawn and a small platform erected to offer fine jade. The lower level lists the seventy-two Earthly Branches, surrounded by talismanic flags. Seventy-two luminous pearls are buried within the altar, their holes emitting light, serving as eyes to the earth. Around the altar, in the east, west, south, north, and center, five-colored banners—blue, red, yellow, white, and black—are planted, corresponding to the five elements.

This magnificent altar must have cost millions of dollars; it's probably not much different from the royal divination site.

"Susu..."

The seven incense sticks, believed to communicate with the spirits, swirled throughout the altar. Orchid, agarwood, and green sandalwood were the most prized, each costing over a thousand coins. The rising wisps of smoke symbolized communication with heaven and earth, a connection that could not be broken for even a moment. To ensure the success of the "Great Divination," all servants were driven far away; anyone daring to enter without permission would be beaten to death.

"Susu..."

As the starlight faded, only one person remained on the altar, wearing a yellow turban, holding a jade balance, and walking in the steps of Yu the Great's Seven Stars. He gazed up at the brilliant Milky Way, using the jade balance to align with the Purple Palace Enclosure, recording the trajectory, brightness, and unusual phenomena of the five planets. Then, under the starlight of the altar, he performed divination using the "Four Camps and Eighteen Transformations" method.

The elaborate ritual continued throughout the night until dawn. Only then did he wearily light the talisman and gesture to those below the altar. Below the altar, three elders of the Duan clan had also stood all night. Only after the talisman was lit did they hurriedly step forward, their eyes filled with urgency as they whispered their prayers.

"Master Zhang, what are the omens revealed by this year-end divination?"

"."

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao lowered his eyes and remained silent. Only after the three elders of the Duan clan pressed him three times did he finally sigh and say sadly.

"A major change has occurred in the celestial phenomena!..."

"Ah! A drastic change in the celestial phenomena?! Is it auspicious or ominous? And what does it mean for my Duan family?"

"Yes! Master, has the fate of my Duan family been determined?"

"There's no need to be shy about speaking frankly!"

The three elders of the Duan clan widened their eyes instantly, staring intently at the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao. Zhang Jiao remained silent for a moment, his face solemn.

"The celestial signs are ominous; the five planets are out of proportion, and Mars enters the Taiwei constellation. A guest star will invade the ruling planet, a comet will sweep across the imperial throne, and calamity will ensue. The moon will eclipse Xuanyuan, the palace will be in turmoil, and chaos will ensue..."

"What! Five planets out of alignment, signifying chaos in the court? A guest star offending the host, foretelling war? The moon obscuring Xuanyuan, indicating upheaval in the palace?... Three ominous signs in a row?!"

Upon hearing this, the three elders of the Duan clan stared in disbelief, their aged faces revealing shock and fear. They had built the altar and often practiced astrology, so they were well aware of what these celestial phenomena represented.

"Yes! Of these three celestial phenomena, the first, the five planets' deviation from their proper positions, is already visible in the sky, as you all can see. The second, a guest star invading the host planet, will occur in a year and a half. As for the lunar occultation of Xuanyuan, it will likely be in five years, or perhaps longer. And by then, there will probably be..."

The Great Teacher lowered his eyes, his voice cold and calm, as if he had witnessed the future firsthand. The three elders of the Duan clan carefully examined the Jade Balance and the divination plate, then looked up at the Milky Way for a while before speaking anxiously.

"The five planets have indeed lost their proper order! Master Zhang! What did you foresee during the Great Divination? What will happen five years from now?!..."

The Great Teacher remained silent for a moment, until the three became impatient, then spoke softly.

"Regarding the drastic changes in celestial phenomena, this humble Taoist dares not speak rashly..."

"Please speak, Master! These words, once heard by us, will never be divulged!"

"Alas! The celestial signs indicate that in five years, the celestial order may change... perhaps it will be Mars guarding the heart of the sky..."

"The seasons change, Mars guards the heart!"

Upon hearing this, the three elders of the Duan clan trembled violently, their faces filled with fear!
In this era, anyone with even a basic understanding of astrology knew the weight and meaning of these words. This was the most taboo divination result, and the one thing one should never confide in outsiders! Because this was a celestial omen: the emperor's lifespan was reduced to only five years! In five years, the emperor would die!!
"Heaven above, and pure spirit within! This humble Taoist dares not speak presumptuously... This great calamity of destiny, with my shallow cultivation, may not be accurately predicted..."

At this moment, the Great Teacher remained calm, observing the expressions of the three Duan clan elders. He seemed to be searching for something deeper hidden in their behavior.

The emperor, confined to the palace, was diagnosed by a single imperial physician. Only the three highest-ranking eunuchs among the Ten Attendants possessed a definitive answer regarding the emperor's health, and Duan was one of them. To verify the prediction of the emperor's lifespan given by his junior disciple, they would have to test it and observe the reactions of these Duan clan elders…

Five years! It's actually been five years!

"So that's how it is! So the emperor only has five years left!..."

"Ah! Then, when the time comes, should 'Marquis Shi' succeed to the throne?"

"Who knows! Wasn't there also the palace turmoil of 'The Moon Covers the Xuanyuan'?..."

The three elders of the Duan clan were deeply worried, but they had no doubts about the emperor's lifespan determined by this "divination," instead appearing to think, "So that's how it is!"

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao raised an eyebrow, instantly understanding the emperor's condition. He observed silently until the three elders of the Duan clan discussed for a moment, then looked at him again, each with an uneasy expression.

"Master Zhang! Your cultivation is unparalleled in the world, we all deeply agree!"

"Indeed! The true man speaks no nonsense! With the heavens and man in balance, under such celestial phenomena, I wonder what fate we sought and divined before?"

Hearing these urgent and uneasy inquiries, the Great Teacher of Virtue remained silent for a long time once again, showing his struggle over whether to speak. However, his prophecy to the emperor had clearly struck at the deepest fears and anxieties of the Duan clan, the powerful eunuch family!

The Duan family rose to prominence because of the current emperor. Relying on the emperor's trust, they sold official positions to escape punishment and amassed countless riches. They are now at the height of their power! But what will become of the Duan family once the current emperor passes away?

You must know that the powerful Hou clan, who were once granted titles and honors by Emperor Huan of the previous dynasty, lived not far from their Chengwu County! These clan elders had all witnessed the Hou clan's glory twenty years ago, and then saw the sudden death and extermination of the Hou clan after the change of the throne!

"Please, Master, tell me! What will become of my Duan family?"

"That's right, that's right! This matter is of great importance, please speak frankly, Master! If there is any need or offering, we will gladly rejoice in the merit and use our wealth to ward off disaster!"

The three elders gripped the Great Master's arm tightly, their expressions a mixture of fear and urgency, giving the Taoist priest no chance to refuse. After a moment, the Great Master, unable to resist the elders' earnest pleas, could only sigh.

"Gentlemen, it's not that I'm unwilling to speak... but saying these words would not only reveal heavenly secrets but also damage my virtuous conduct. If bloodshed and calamity were to occur, the souls of the dead would all bear the blame for my death..."

"Master Zhang! What time is it?! Why haven't you spoken yet?!"

"A bloody calamity? What exactly did you see?!" "Master, you must tell us today, or you cannot leave! If you are worried about your karma... then do as you said before, my Duan family will donate five thousand bushels, no, seven thousand bushels of grain! To support your Taiping Dao in providing relief and saving lives, to make up for your bad karma!..."

"Hmm? Heaven above, the Duan family is willing to donate seven thousand bushels of grain? In a year of great famine, it is not easy to procure grain. Is the Duan family's statement true?"

Upon hearing the promise of "seven thousand bushels of grain," the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao was finally moved. He looked solemnly at the three elders of the Duan clan, who nodded in agreement without the slightest hesitation on their faces.

"Indeed! It's just a little grain, how much could it be worth! The only difficulty is buying and transporting the grain, but that won't stop the Duan family!..."

“Indeed! This year, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, and Yuzhou are suffering from severe drought, but Xuzhou and Yangzhou in the south are unaffected! When my Duan family goes to these two prefectures to buy grain, which merchant would dare to refuse to sell, and which county would dare to refuse to let us pass?”

"You still don't trust me, Master? Well, I have over 20,000 bushels of grain stored in my large estate. I'll take 7,000 bushels and give them directly to your Taiping Dao! Now you can tell me your sincerity, right?"

"Since that's the case, then this humble Taoist priest has no choice but to speak..."

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao remained silent for a few breaths, then let out a long sigh. This time, he not only bore the "crime" of killing his youngest disciple, but also followed the path of his fifth disciple's "spiritual salvation"... Then, his expression turned solemn, and he said earnestly.

"Elders, please look at this divination board and yarrow stalks... This humble Taoist's cultivation is shallow; I foresee Jupiter as dim, Venus as visible in broad daylight, and Mars as entering the Purple Palace..."

"Among them, Jupiter represents wood, Venus represents metal, and Mars represents fire. These three are celestial phenomena. Later, I performed three major divinations for the Duan family, obtaining different hexagrams. When the celestial phenomena and the hexagrams coincided, the following three lines of destiny were obtained..."

"The first sentence, 'The wind in the southeast moves metal,' means 'the wind points north, and the balance will emerge.'"

The second line says, "The wood is split in two by thunder; if thunder strikes the middle one, the wood will break."

The third line, "When fire burns wood, 'if the fire blazes above, the door will be empty…'"

"what?!"

Upon hearing these three divination lines, the three elders of the Duan clan's expressions changed drastically. They exchanged bewildered glances, all sensing the ominous nature of the divination! The first line was somewhat obscure, while the second, "the wood will break," and the third, "the gate will be empty," were undoubtedly omens of great misfortune for a clan!
"Master! Is the divination inscription of my Duan family truly 'extreme misfortune'? Where does this 'extreme misfortune' come from? From whom? And when will it occur? How can it be interpreted?!..."

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao lowered his eyes, closed them for a while, and then said wearily.

“Elders, these three divinations are indeed a ‘very ominous sign’ for the Duan clan! As to where this ominous sign comes from and from whom it concerns bloodshed, I dare not say! However, although this divination is very ominous, the time indicated by the sign is far in the future. It will probably not come true until five years later, and only when it coincides with the celestial phenomena…”

"Five years is a long time. The celestial phenomena will change during that time, and there will be many variables... Perhaps by then, the fortunes of nobles will have turned from danger to safety, who knows!"

As he spoke, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao bowed deeply and paid a respectful salute to the three Duan clan elders whose expressions had suddenly changed.

"The affairs of the world have their consequences, and all people in heaven and earth have recorded them! The three elders are willing to donate seven thousand bushels of grain to feed the people of Yanzhou, and they will surely have a merit to perform! ... With this merit, even the celestial phenomena of 'five planets out of order and a guest star offending its host' cannot shake the Duan family... I, on behalf of the people of Yanzhou, bow to you all in gratitude!"

"As for the exact outcome and resolution of this calamity, my cultivation is limited, and I truly dare not speak presumptuously… But with your accumulated merits, I believe you will surely turn misfortune into good fortune! May you all keep good intentions in mind and, when resolving this calamity, refrain from unnecessary killing…"

"That's all I have to say; I'll be taking my leave now!"

Having spoken, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao bowed again, then took his personal magical implements and slowly walked out of the Divination Garden. The brilliance of the Milky Way fell behind him, while the lights of the manor illuminated his exceptionally weary face. Light and shadow alternated, moving from the flawless heavens to the turbid human world.

In the rear divination garden, on the magnificent altar, only three elders of the Duan clan remained. Their expressions were uncertain as they stared at the complex celestial phenomena and divination symbols, repeatedly pondering the words left behind by the Great Teacher of Wisdom.

“If the wind points north, the balance will emerge; if thunder roars in the middle, the tree will break; if fire blazes above, the door will be empty… If Duan is “wood,” then what is “balance” and what is “north”?”

"Five years later, the celestial phenomena changed drastically. The emperor died, and the Duan family was doomed?... Damn it! From whom and where did this calamity come from? Why did the Great Teacher of Virtue refuse to say, only giving a timeframe?... "

"By acting with good intentions, we can resolve this calamity without engaging in unnecessary killing... Hmm, killing?! Who wants to kill our Duan family after the celestial changes? And who must we kill beforehand to resolve this calamity?..."

The three elders of the Duan clan pondered deeply, gradually gaining some insight. Then, a fierce glint appeared in their eyes as they exchanged glances. The five-element banners on the altar fluttered wildly, as if some chilling aura was slowly gathering…

In the following days, the powerful Duan family kept their word. They opened their full granaries and delivered cartloads of old grain to the local Taiping Dao (a high-ranking official). For the Duan family, seven thousand bushels of grain was indeed nothing. The reason they hadn't offered relief during the previous years' disasters and epidemics was simply because they didn't care about the lives of ordinary people. But now, since the fate of the Duan family was at stake, giving up this grain was no big deal; it would only mean earning a few more official positions.

"The Duan family is generous in distributing grain. The Taiping Dao is deeply grateful and overwhelmed with thanks!..."

The great teacher Zhang Jiao expressed his gratitude once again, but he remained silent about the calamity that the elders of the Duan family had repeatedly and indirectly questioned him about.

Zhang Cheng stood behind his master, counting and recording the grain that had been stored for three years and was being transported out of the Duan family manor. Carts were constantly being sent out, while caravans were arriving in droves. A steady stream of gentry, merchants, and chivalrous figures from various prefectures of Qing, Yan, and Yu provinces came to see the Duan family, seeking official positions and escaping punishment. He observed this scene with cold indifference, remaining silent.

As for Gao Daonu, he wasn't at the manor; he had gone to help receive the grain sent by the Duan family. When he returned, all seven thousand bushels of donated grain had been transported away. His face was full of pure joy, and he happily told his master and junior brother.

"Seven thousand bushels of grain! Enough to feed seven thousand able-bodied men for one or two months!..."

"With disasters raging everywhere, it's truly heartening to have so much food!..."

Looking at the pure and innocent high-ranking Daoist slave, the Great Sage Teacher smiled and nodded. Then, he looked at Zhang Chengfu, patted the boy's head, and said calmly.

"Let's go, Chengfu. This matter is settled. Go and see that hero of the Great Wilderness. Then, we must hurry to the Tianqi Temple in Dongping Land of Dongping Kingdom. Your second uncle and the various Qingyan chieftains are probably already there!..."

"is teacher!"

Zhang Chengfu nodded respectfully and bowed deeply to the Great Teacher. Afterwards, the group left the Duan family manor and headed towards Dongping Kingdom in the northeast.

The Duan family manor was still brightly lit, like a colossal behemoth perched in Yanzhou, drawing in the dazzling light from Luoyang. Numerous guests came and went, and while they fawned over the Duan family, they also brought with them a "nursery rhyme" that had been circulating in Yanzhou for who knows how long.

"The blade rises from the eastern balance, cleaving wood in two; the balance ruler points south, turning vermilion doors to ashes."

Upon hearing this prophetic nursery rhyme, the three elders of the Duan clan were horrified and smashed the green-glazed porcelain bowls in their hands on the spot!
Three days later, Wang Du, the magistrate of Dong'e County, finally arrived in a hurry. He bowed his head and brought with him the evidence of the accusation, as well as the first answer from the divination regarding "where and who": "The Cheng family of Dong'e!"
During his many visits, he entered the inner hall of the Duan family for the first time, knelt before the three clan elders, and recounted in detail the illegal crimes of the Cheng family.

Of course, the Duan family didn't care about these crimes of oppression, plunder, and driving the people to their deaths. They only cared about Wang Du's accusation against the Cheng family: "I will follow the example of Zhang Jian, rid the world of this wicked villain, and exterminate the Duan family, just as the Hou family was wiped out!"

That evening, five armored and sword-wielding messengers galloped out of the Duan family manor and set off on the official road to Luoyang in Yanzhou! Each of them rode three horses, carrying the Duan family's official seal, and traveled day and night without stopping. The official road from Chengwu to Luoyang, a distance of over seven hundred li, could be covered in just four days at full speed!

The setting sun, like blood and ink, dyed the galloping horses. Snowflakes fell in abundance, covering the vast plains of Yanzhou. The north wind, silent and chilling, swept across the grave mounds lining the official road. And so, the calamity began, engulfing the land of Qi and Lu, its end unknown.
(End of this chapter)