The first day of December in the eleventh year of Hongzhi.
The emperor personally went to the Temple of Heaven and Earth in the southern suburbs to participate in the great sacrifice.
The Great Sacrifice was the most important sacrificial activity in the Ming Dynasty, offering sacrifices to heaven and earth. However, before Jiajing, the Circular Mound Altar had not yet been built, and the heaven and earth sacrifices were all in one place.
After the sacrificial activities, Wu Hao, the Shaoqing of Taichang Temple and the Supervisor of the Heavenly Supervisor, used the armillary sphere to calculate the fortune of the coming year.
Wu Hao was a famous astronomer in the Ming Dynasty, but he only made certain achievements in astronomy. Others asked him not only to do astronomy, but also to measure good and bad luck, which was a bit difficult for him...
Normally, he could only follow what was said in the book, and he could only mention what was recorded in the book.
But the problem is...
It is not something that ordinary people can accomplish if they want to connect astronomy with what is happening in the world.
It was a bit windy that day.
After the sacrifice was completed, many ministers were still waiting. On the other hand, Wu Hao seemed to have some dispute with his assistant, and did not report to the emperor for a long time the divination about good or bad luck in the coming year.
Finally, Dai Yi, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, came down to urge: "Wu Shaoqing, haven't you come to a conclusion yet?"
It means that the emperor and the ministers are waiting there, haven't you made any preparations in advance? Who do you think expects you to really figure out anything? Finish your work quickly and leave. You can't let the monarch and his ministers waste time here just because of one person.
Wu Hao handed the turtle shell with a strange shape to the person aside and said to Dai Yi: "Eunuch Dai, please allow me to think about it again."
In the middle of winter.
Dai Yi found beads of sweat on Wu Hao's head.
As if this is such a physically demanding activity.
"Hurry up, His Majesty is still waiting to return to the palace. The wind is quite strong."
Wu Hao went to the armillary sphere again and looked at the sky. It was cloudy that day, and it was difficult to control the position of the sun.
Liu Pin, the deputy superintendent next to him, came over and asked: "Wu Shaoqing, hurry up. In normal years, you should have made a donation at this time! The senior ministers below are also shivering from the cold."
There were many civil servants and generals standing below.
Wu Hao also felt a lot of pressure on himself.
"Wait a little longer, wait a little longer..."
The reason why Wu Hao was so stressed was that a lot of things happened from a metaphysical perspective that year.
He hadn't calculated a single thing in advance.
Although many things were blamed on Li Guang, as an important institution of the Ming Dynasty, Qintian Supervisor was responsible for many things.
Instead, a man named Zhang Zhou, who was born outside the palace, figured out a lot...
There is no harm without comparison.
Wu Hao also wanted to do what he did last year and put forward the calculation results to deal with the problem, but that was not possible this year. If it was still inaccurate, he, the Qintian Supervisor, would probably stop doing it.
finally.
After the emperor urged and invited him three times, Wu Hao wrote the inscription and brought it to the emperor in person, and then Dai Yi handed it over.
Zhu Youtang didn't even bother to look.
Zhu Youtang asked: "What will be the fortune of the Ming Dynasty in the coming year?"
This is not looking at the details, but asking Wu Hao to make a summary.
Only then did Wu Hao feel that not only did he attach great importance to this divination, but even the emperor seemed to have changed his previous attitude of not asking questions.
It's all because of Zhang Zhou.
Is it true that you, Wu Hao, are the only one who is under pressure? As an emperor, you shouldn't ask more questions and cross-check with Zhang Zhou's calculations?
"It's okay." Wu Hao really couldn't think of a better way to say it. "The contents of Liuren's divination are all listed in the celestial table. Your Majesty, please take a look at it."
Zhu Youtang glanced sideways at Wu Hao.
I asked you to calculate for a long time, and you can calculate "not bad"?
Fortunately, everyone in Ming Dynasty praises you as one of the few astrologers since the founding of Ming Dynasty, but it seems that you are far worse than Bing Kuan, whom I trust.
Zhu Youtang handed the divination text to Xiao Jing and said: "Ask Bingkuan later to see what his opinion is. Let's stop here today and let's show off."
The emperor did not deliberately save face in front of Wu Hao.
Let Zhang Zhou check it, it is clearly saying, you, Wu Hao, step aside.
The sweat on Wu Hao's head was already dripping, but he looked ashamed and was too embarrassed to raise his head to see the king.
…
…
Zhang Zhou is currently actively preparing for the exam.
I felt a lot more relaxed since I didn't have to enter the palace, but occasionally Wang Yue would come to visit with a frown on his face.
There is only one question - when will the Tatars invade?
But everyone knows that the grassland tribes also have to spend the winter, and everyone knows that there is no production in the winter in the north of the Ming Dynasty. Even if they come to plunder, they probably won’t get anything good, unless they knock down the earth forts one by one, which is different from the Tartars. The Tatar style of grabbing a spot and running away doesn't match.
Since there is no war to fight in winter, let’s postpone it for now.
Even Zhang Zhou did not directly answer Wang Yue or the emperor about when the battle would start.
According to Zhang Zhou's records, the next time the Tatars invaded the border areas was in February, which happened to be when the military examination was in progress.
Wang Yuegang came to visit this morning.
In the afternoon, Xiao Jing and Wu Hao came to ask for advice from the "Book of Heaven" with some strange symbols.
"Confirm what?"
After Zhang Zhou heard the emperor's message conveyed by Xiao Jing, he seemed not to understand it.
Xiao Jing said: "Of course it confirms the good and bad fortune of the coming year."
Zhang Zhou asked curiously: "Can we predict the fortune of a country through the changes in the stars? If we have to predict it a year in advance, wouldn't it be... a bit demanding?"
Xiao Jing smiled bitterly and said: "Mr. Zhang, you are really direct. You won't say that you can't do anything about it, right?"
"Yeah." Zhang Zhou said, "Eunuch Xiao still understands me."
"you……"
Xiao Jing almost wanted to hit someone.
Am I here to ask you for help? I am here on behalf of the emperor.
Are you just so perfunctory?
Are you being arrogant because of your favor?
Zhang Zhou said: "You have to calculate, but you can't calculate like this. I may not even be able to measure tomorrow's weather accurately. If you ask me to directly calculate the fortune trend for the next year, I'm afraid I can't do anything. Many things only have signs when they are about to happen. "
"Really?" Xiao Jingxin said, you finally said something human.
Xiao Jing felt confident that at least he could communicate with the emperor when he returned.
Zhang Zhou leaned over and said: "Eunuch Xiao, let me tell you a secret. I estimate that there may be an earthquake in Henan recently, but it will not be serious."
"Ah?" Xiao Jing was shocked, but his eyes were eager, "How close is it?"
Zhang Zhou said: "In six or seven days, in Xinye County, Henan, there will be houses collapsing, and there may be casualties. It is estimated that there will be less than ten people. If we take precautions in advance..."
Xiao Jing swallowed and said, "Is it accurate?"
Zhang Zhou shook his head and said: "Eunuch Xiao, this is just a rough guess. You don't want to make an article out of this, do you?"
"Mr. Zhang, you don't know." Xiao Jing said in a serious tone, "Many people in the court felt that the disaster in Qingning Palace that you previously calculated was fabricated by someone in the palace who deliberately wanted Li Guang to fall. It is said to be ordinary fire, deliberately said to be sky fire... If you can deduce the earthquake, no matter how big the earthquake disaster is, those doubtful voices will eventually disappear."
Zhang Zhou nodded in agreement: "It makes sense, then I'm sure."
Xiao Jing smiled bitterly and said: "You have preconditions? Are you sure? Our family can go back and inform His Majesty. Your Majesty trusts you very much, so maybe we can tell you in front of the courtiers."
"Oh sure."
Zhang Zhou also thinks there is no problem.
The butterfly effect generally changes in humanities, so it makes sense to say it can change the weather.
After all, the emergence of Zhang Zhou brought about changes in human contact in history. If it is passed down from ten to ten, this effect will be infinitely amplified. Therefore, it really requires a bit of luck to accurately predict when the Tatars will attack the Ming Dynasty. , that is, the Tatars have already agreed to come in those days, otherwise history may change with his appearance.
But this thing about earthquakes...
The effect of the butterfly effect is minimal.
Zhang Zhou doesn't have the ability to crush a certain tectonic plate, or whether it should be crushed or not.
Zhang Zhou asked himself that he knew a lot about history, but it was limited to some contents that were easy to memorize. Even he could only remember 30 to 40% of the contents of "Records of Xiaozong", but as for earthquakes... this matter only requires anyone who has the heart to read ancient times. Geological records, especially books recording earthquakes, can be remembered.
“In December of the 18th year of Hongzhi’s reign, the earthquake in Xinye County, Henan Province was as loud as thunder.”
The time is calculated to be the seventh day of December that year.
Xiao Jing said: "What day is it?"
"The seventh day of the lunar month and the eighth day of the lunar month...the seventh day of the lunar month."
Zhang Zhou looked indifferent.
Xiao Jing raised his thumb and said: "Mr. Zhang, you are really calm and composed. If I didn't come to ask you, wouldn't you say yes? Maybe in your mind, this is just a small matter?"
Zhang Zhou showed the scroll in his hand: "I have been busy preparing for the exam recently. I have read too many books and I don't have time to calculate these things."
Xiao Jing said: "It seems that you should be admitted to Jinshi earlier, so that you have more leisure to calculate the fate of the country."
"Haha, that's not necessarily true. Maybe I'll be busy with court affairs and won't be able to take care of it by then."
"..." Xiao Jing felt that he had been beaten so hard by Zhang Zhou that he was covered with bruises.
But he still had to go back quickly and tell Zhu Youtang truthfully what Zhang Zhou said.
…
…
Morning next day.
As expected, Zhu Youtang mentioned this matter when discussing matters in the court.
When everyone heard that the emperor had been able to accurately predict the earthquake that would occur in five days, everyone looked at each other.
Liu Jian came out and said, "Your Majesty, was this calculated by the Qintian Prison yesterday?"
Zhu Youtang said: "No."
Liu Jian said "Oh" as if he understood something, and advised: "Your Majesty, there have always been people who have predicted earthquakes since ancient times, but they are all lies made by alchemists. If there are people who mislead the public with their evil words, they should be punished!"
meaning is.
What can't be said is what it is.
Now that the emperor has publicly brought it to court, it cannot be treated as a trivial matter.
There is no need to wait for time to verify it, just charge him with "making lies to deceive the public".
Not to mention anything else...
The reason is that no one who predicted earthquakes in advance since ancient times has been able to predict it, let alone such a prediction with an accurate time and place... It is even more abominable than misleading people with lies.
Zhu Youtang was not happy when he heard this: "Dear gentlemen, I am telling you this so that the place can take precautions as soon as possible. If not, you can just pretend that you didn't hear it. Why should I accuse you?"
Li Dongyang and Xie Qian looked at each other.
The two of them could tell it immediately.
The emperor seemed to be very protective of this person who predicted earthquakes.
Based on their knowledge of the people around the emperor recently, Zhang Zhou is probably the only person who can make such nonsense predictions.
A candidate for the Jiangnan Provincial Examination, or Jieyuan, was not afraid of being criticized for "deceiving the public" and dared to directly predict earthquakes so openly?
Doesn't he think he has enough troubles?
(End of chapter)
