Chapter 55: The Maxim, and the Fatherly Kindness and Filial Piety of a Son

After his teacher came out of seclusion again after two and a half years, and with the matter of the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring having been resolved to some degree, Zixian was clearly much more at ease.

He came to stand by his teacher’s side, both hands leaning on the railing of the Star Observation Platform:

“Ah, I remember, wasn’t it that time when Teacher suddenly left the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring while ill and all alone, disappearing for three years? You scared us so much back then—we thought you had already died of sickness in some faraway land.”

With the burden lifted, Zixian felt as if a thousand pounds had fallen from his shoulders.

He even dared to make jokes with his teacher.

The Grand Astrologer scolded with a laugh:

“You brat, are you that eager for me to die, so that you can sit openly and justly in the position of Grand Astrologer, isn’t that right?”

Zixian chuckled, showing none of the dignity of being the second-in-command of the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring in the eyes of others:

“You saw right through me.”

“If you had returned to the Capital a little later, I would have already completed the rite of three refusals and three acceptances with His Majesty, and taken the seat of Grand Astrologer ahead of time.”

As he spoke, Zixian even deliberately sighed in mock regret: “Ai, what a pity, it was only a matter of a few days……”

After joking around with his teacher, Zixian withdrew his smile and steered the topic back:

“Teacher, back then you were injured because you had already seen in the stars that the Great Qian Dynasty was gradually heading toward decline, and you attempted to seek, through astrology, an opportunity to extend the life of Great Qian—only to suffer grievous wounds, wasn’t that so?”

The Grand Astrologer raised his head to gaze at the heavens.

It was a day of fine weather; the sunlight spilled across the whole Great Qian Dynasty, yet at the same time, it veiled all the stars above.

The Grand Astrologer spoke faintly:

“The rise and fall of dynasties is a certainty. From the day the First Emperor founded it, the Great Qian Dynasty has already endured for five hundred springs and autumns.”

“From ancient times until now, how many dynasties have possessed such a long reign as Great Qian?”

“Sixteen years ago, Great Qian seemed flourishing and prosperous, yet in truth it was already gravely diseased at its roots. The stars told me then that Great Qian had but fifty years of destiny left.”

Hearing this, Zixian was greatly shocked:

“Sixteen years ago, if Great Qian still had fifty years of destiny, then now there is only……”

The Grand Astrologer shook his head:

“Perhaps not even thirty years remain.”

Zixian could not help but pace atop the Star Observation Platform.

Fortunately, when he learned that his teacher had come out of seclusion, he had already dismissed everyone from the platform.

Now, this conversation between master and disciple was not overheard by any third party.

“Teacher, then sixteen years ago, when you left the Capital, it must have been to seek a way to save Great Qian. Did you find it?”

No sooner had the words left his lips than Zixian felt they were laughable.

If his teacher the Grand Astrologer had truly found a method, how could he now say that Great Qian’s fate may not even last thirty more years?

Though Zixian had cultivated for many years and never meddled in politics, after all, this was the land where he had been born and raised.

He still bore feelings toward Great Qian and its people.

If possible, he naturally did not wish to see Great Qian’s fall.

For the fall of a dynasty would also mean countless commoners becoming displaced.

Yet in response to Zixian’s question, the Grand Astrologer neither nodded nor shook his head.

Instead, he asked in turn:

“Zixian, do you still remember what I once told you?”

“The rise and fall of dynasties is the norm of this world. Yet there are still things within human reach.”

“I am skilled in star-gazing and divination, and it was for this reason that my teacher, who was your grandmaster, left the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring in my care.”

“You, diligent in cultivation and adept at catching demons, are naturally a capable hand to manage Heaven’s omens—only, you still need more tempering.”

“So after I went into seclusion, I deliberately left the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring in your charge, so that you might shoulder the burden of securing the fate of the people. And you have done quite well.”

Zixian scratched his head like a child:

“Teacher flatters me.”

The Grand Astrologer continued:

“My teacher once instructed me: all things in motion follow fixed principles. Our duty in the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring is to correct and set things right, yet the cycle of dynasties is not within that scope.”

“But I too am a son of Great Qian. In the end, I could not bear to watch Great Qian march toward destruction with open eyes.

So sixteen years ago, I broke my teacher’s rules and attempted to divine by the stars, hoping that someone might be able to save Great Qian.”

“But one who violates the principles must pay the price.”

At last, Zixian understood—this was the reason his teacher had suffered such heavy wounds sixteen years ago, injuries that lingered even until today.

“I did not find a way to save Great Qian. But fortunately, I did see a faint opportunity—an opportunity that could extend Great Qian’s life by a hundred years.”

“This chance was far too elusive. Therefore, after the divination, I dared not linger.

I did not even have time to inform you all, and immediately left the Capital.”

Zixian jerked his head up, staring at his teacher in disbelief.

His teacher had divined an opportunity to extend the life of Great Qian?

Unable to restrain himself, Zixian asked:

“Teacher, what was the opportunity you saw?”

“It was a maxim——”

The Grand Astrologer lowered his gaze toward the bustling crowd in the Capital beneath the Star Observation Platform, his eyes glimmering with wisdom:

“‘A flood dragon trapped in shallow waters—once in five hundred years, the winds rise and the clouds surge.’”

……

That day, a father and son, bundled up tight and carrying snake-catching tools, went deep into the mountains.

Their faces were filled with worry.

The youth glanced at his father:

“Dad, hasn’t it been strange these past few days? Why can’t we see even a single snake anywhere?”

Hong’s father frowned:

“Hong Jing, I told you, in the mountains you mustn’t……”

Hong Jing cut off his father’s admonition:

“Don’t speak recklessly, don’t act alone, don’t turn your back to a beast, right? I know, I know.”

“But Dad, don’t you think it’s strange?”

“These days, not only us, even Uncle Tianyun and Hong Wen haven’t been able to catch a single venomous snake.”

Perhaps Hong Jing’s complaint had indeed struck the same doubt his father had harbored for many days.

After carefully checking that nothing was amiss around them, he stopped and signaled for his son Hong Jing to rest.

The two of them sat directly on the ground in a clearing.

Hong’s father patted the empty snake basket at his side and said:

“Actually, it’s not just you. Your father also feels it’s very strange.”

He frowned as he said:

“I’ve been a snake catcher for so many years, and I’ve truly never seen a time when we went several days in a row without seeing even a single snake.”

“When something unusual happens, there must be demons involved.”

Hong Jing was startled, gripping his snake fork instinctively:

“Demons?! Dad, you mean there’s another demon in these mountains?”

He knew well what had happened two years ago—how Ding Fan and Xu Han of the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring had died at the hands of a snake demon in the mountains.

And when that wandering Taoist carried Mo Lin’s “corpse” back to the village, he had seen it with his own eyes.

Even stripped of its scales, its sheer size, just in the Taoist’s hands, was enough to strike terror into the heart.

The snake demon’s scales still hung in Hong Jing’s home as a keepsake even now.

If another snake demon had appeared in the mountains, one capable of killing even the demon catchers of the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring, then wouldn’t they be doomed?

Hong Jing’s knees trembled:

“Dad, maybe we should just go back down the mountain?”

Hong’s father smacked Hong Jing on the head with his palm:

“Idiot. I didn’t mean there’s really a snake demon. I meant there must be something strange behind all this.”

He looked at Hong Jing, filled with disappointment:

“You really are thick-headed. If only you could be like Hong Sheng.”

“I heard from Tianyun that Hong Sheng’s progress in the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring’s academy is unbelievably fast.

One day’s study for him is worth ten for others.

Even the teachers there keep marveling, saying he’s a born genius.”

“If you were half as smart as Hong Sheng, even if I died, I would never let you work as some wretched snake catcher.

I would definitely send you to study.”

“If nothing else, when Hong Sheng comes back, you should at least ask him for advice!”

Hong Jing rubbed his head helplessly:

“Dad, actually when Hong Sheng came back last time, I asked him already—what should I do to become smarter?”

“Oh? And what did Hong Sheng say?”

His father’s old face brightened with relief.

He hadn’t thought his son actually had such ambition.

It seemed his love for the boy hadn’t been wasted.

“Hong Sheng said, this kind of thing depends on inheritance.”

“Inheritance? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“……It means I take after Dad.”