Gods 011: Superstition

Ji Chang makes the trouble he predicted for himself come true by predicting trouble for others.

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Transcript

Welcome to the Chinese Lore Podcast, where I retell classic Chinese stories in English. This is episode 11 of Investiture of the Gods. 

Last time, after a whirlwind week at court, King Zhou decided to ratchet up the chaos meter even more by secretly summoning the four grand dukes to the capital and executing them before any of them could get a chance to even think about rebelling. The grand dukes convened, and three of them, the Grand Dukes of the East, West, and South, stayed up drinking late into the night. That was when a servant muttered under his breath that their blood might be staining the marketplace in the morning.

Ji (1) Chang (1), the Grand Duke of the West, heard this utterance and immediately demanded to know who had said it. All the servants said, nobody said anything like that. The other two grand dukes also shrugged and were like, we didn’t hear anything. 

But Ji Chang was insistent. “I heard it clearly. How can you all deny it?” he scolded the servants. He then called in his personal guards and said, “Take these men outside and execute them all!”

Well, since you put it that way, the servants immediately produced the man who had uttered those words. Ji Chang pressed him, and he cracked.

“My lords, this is a top-level secret, and I only learned of it because I am in the household of a royal messenger,” the servant said. “Because Queen Jiang died unjustly and the two princes were swept away by wind, his majesty listened to Daji and issued secret decrees to summon the four of you to court tomorrow. He is going to execute all of you without cause. I couldn’t bear to watch you make merry in ignorance tonight, so I let it slip.”

The Grand Duke of the East and father of the former queen, Jiang (1) Huanchu (2,3), was shocked and asked, “Why did the queen die unjustly?”

The servant recounted the whole story. As he listened, Jiang Huanchu let out a loud cry and fell to the floor. When attendants helped him to his feet, he wailed, “My daughter had an eye gouged out and her hands burned. Such a thing has never happened to a queen in history!”

Ji Chang tried to console him, saying, “We cannot bring back the dead. Let us each prepare a petition tonight. Tomorrow, when we see the king, let us all admonish him and set this straight.”

Jiang Huanchu continued to sob and said, “This is my family’s misfortune. How would dare to trouble the rest of you to speak up? I will face the king alone and get to the bottom of this.”

But Ji Chang said, “You can write up your own petition, and we three will write one as well.”

With tears flowing, Jiang Huanchu stayed up all night penning his petition and waiting for morning.

Meanwhile, the sycophant official Fei (4) Zhong (4), who had devised this scheme to kill all the grand dukes, had gotten word that they were all assembled in the guest house, so he secretly went to tell King Zhou. The king was delighted.

“Tomorrow at court, the four grand dukes will no doubt submit petitions admonishing you,” Fei Zhong said. “But ministers are below kings. You won’t even have to look at their petitions. You can just order that they be taken outside and executed. That’s the best course of action.”

King Zhou agreed, and Fei Zhong took his leave.

The next morning, all the officials were assembled at court, and the palace gate attendant announced that the four grand dukes were awaiting their summon. King Zhou called them in, and they all entered and paid their respects. Then, Jiang Huanchu, the Grand Duke of the East, submitted his petition, which the Second Minister Bi Gan received.

King Zhou now said, “Jiang Huanchu, do you know your crime?”

“My lord, your servant has been watching over the East, keeping a tight watch on the borders, following the laws, and doing my duty. What crime have I committed?” Jiang Huanchu replied. “Yet, your majesty listened to slander and subjected your wife to cruel torture and tried to kill your sons, which would end your line. You listened to a wicked concubine who framed the innocent. You listened to wicked officials and burned the loyal. Since I received your father’s kindness, I must risk my life today and admonish you honestly. You, my lord, have wronged me. I have not wronged you. I hope you will take pity and clear up this injustice, for the sake of the living and the dead!”

King Zhou was just looking for a reason, and this outburst was certainly good enough. He flew into a rage and cursed, “Old traitor! You ordered your daughter to assassinate me so that you can usurp my empire. And yet, now you’re trying to turn this around on me and talk your way out of it? Guards, take him outside the palace and cut him to pieces to satisfy the law of the land!”

The guards immediately pounced on Jiang Huanchu and ripped off his court robes and tied him up. Jiang Huanchu cursed the king nonstop as he was dragged outside the palace gate. The other three grand dukes now all stepped forward and pleaded, “Your majesty, we all have a petition as well. Jiang Huanchu is loyal to the state and has no plan for treason. Please consider this carefully. The king is the head of the officials, but officials are the king’s limbs. If your majesty refuses to even review his petition and execute him just like that, how can the other officials be satisfied? This would be severing the tie between lord and vassal. Please heed our words.”

As they spoke, they submitted their petition, and the Second Minister Bi Gan placed it on the king’s desk. Given what they had just said in front of the whole court, he had no choice but to read it. You can guess what it said by now. And it ended with “We hope your majesty will demote Fei Zhong and You (2) Hun (2), execute Daji, and restore order to the inner palace. That will restore heaven’s favor and return peace to the land. Otherwise, your servants don’t know how this would end.”

And once again, King Zhou was looking for a reason and this was as good a reason as any. He tore the petition to shreds, smacked his desk, and shouted, “Cut off these traitors’ heads and report back to me!” And just like that, the guards rushed in, tied up the other three grand dukes, and hustled them out to the palace gate. King Zhou ordered the general Lu (3) Xiong (2) to oversee the executions.

But just then, the sycophants Fei Zhong and You Hun stepped forth, kneeled, and said, “We have a brief comment. We hope you will listen.”

King Zhou asked them to speak, and they said, “The four grand dukes have offended your majesty and their crimes cannot be pardoned. But their crimes are also different. In our opinion, Chong Houhu, the Grand Duke of the North, has always been loyal. He has served the country capably. He expended great efforts building the Star-Picking Pavilion and the Eternal Immortal Palace. He has never committed any transgressions. His only crime in this is that he went along with the others. He didn’t really want to. If your majesty destroys this jade without cause, you would be treating the guilty and innocent the same way, and people might be dissatisfied. We hope you will spare Chong Houhu’s life so that he may render service to atone for his offense.”

Well, since his two favorite officials were speaking up for Chong Houhu, King Zhou relented and decreed that he be spared. But that ticked off the commander Flying Tiger. He stepped forth, followed by the Second Minister Bi Gan and six other senior officials. They all kneeled, and Bi Gan said, “Your majesty, ministers are the king’s limbs. Jiang Huanchu reigns over the East and has rendered countless service in battle. There is no evidence that he was behind the attempt on your life. How can he be subjected to such extreme punishments? Ji Chang is loyal beyond a doubt. He has served the country and the people. He is a blessing to the state. He acts in accordance with heaven and earth, treats vassals with compassion and honor, treats allies with respect, and suppresses rebels with wisdom. He is trusted by civilians and soldiers and runs his affairs strictly according to the law. He has great relationships with his sons, brothers, and ministers. In his realm, pedestrians yield to each other, people don’t bother closing their doors at night, and no one pockets a lost item that belongs to someone else. Everyone calls him the Sage of the West. And E (4) Chongyu (2,3) shoulders the immense burden of overseeing the whole region of the South. He labors day and night to make sure it remains trouble-free. He has rendered tremendous service. Please take pity and spare them. All the officials will be grateful for your mercy!”

But King Zhou was unmoved. “Jiang Huanchu conspired to rebel, and the other two disrespected me. Their crimes cannot be pardoned. It’s not up for debate!”

Flying Tiger now spoke up. “Jiang Huanchu and E Chongyu are famous top officials and have never committed any transgressions. Ji Chang is a kindly gentleman who is adept at divination. They are all pillars of the state. If they die for no reason today, how can the people of the land accept it? Besides, those three grand dukes each control hundreds of thousands of stout troops and generals. If their people and soldiers hear that their lord died unjustly, they would no doubt rebel. And then the four corners of the realm will be turned upside down. Grand Tutor Wen (2) is still on campaign. If more internal unrest erupts, what will happen to the country? Please take pity and spare them. It would be a boon to the country.”

Faced with entreaties from the highest officials at court, King Zhou took a step back. “I have heard that Ji Chang is loyal and kind,” he said. “But he should not have followed the others’ actions. He should be dealt with severely, but on account of your pleas, I will spare his life. But I worry that he might rebel if he returns to his state. If that happens, I will hold you all responsible. But Jiang Huanchu and E Chongyu are traitors and cannot be spared. Execute them at once. And do not petition me for their lives again!”

And so, a second amended order went out, announcing that Ji Chang be spared, but the other other grand dukes be executed. Another group of seven officials now stepped forth to plead for the remaining two grand dukes’ lives. But King Zhou was like, what part of no do you all not understand? 

“They are traitors who have ganged up to spread lies about me!” he scowled. “Jiang Huanchu tried to assassinate me. Even cutting him to pieces will not be punishment enough. E Chongyu disrespected me. Beheading him is the proper punishment. You all are trying to bully me by ganging up together to press your case. Anyone else who pleads for their lives will suffer the same fate as those two traitors!”

And then, he issued another decree, ordering the executioners to hurry up and do their duty. With the whole court now cowed into silence, the orders were carried out without delay. E Chongyu, the Grand Duke of the South, was beheaded. Jiang Huanchu, the Grand Duke of the East, was nailed to a stake and cut to pieces. When King Zhou got word that his order had finally been carried out, he left the court and returned to Daji’s palace.

In his wake, Ji Chang was left in tears as he thanked the officials who had pleaded for his life. Everyone wept as they decided to bury the two executed grand dukes’ remains for now, as it was impossible to transport them back to their ancestral lands at the moment. And as for those two grand dukes’ entourages, they all fled back to their respective states to inform those grand dukes’ sons about their fathers’ fate.

The next day at court, Bi Gan, the Second Minister, petitioned the king to allow the two executed grand dukes’ remains to be buried and to release Ji Chang back to his state. The king agreed, and Bi Gan set off with his decree. But then Fei Zhong told the king, “Ji Chang may have a reputation for loyalty, but he is deceitful. He tricks the other officials with his sweet words. His face does not match his heart; he is not a good man. If you release him back to his state, he might gang up with the sons of the two executed grand dukes and stage a rebellion. Then the army will suffer the hardship of war, and the civilians will be disturbed. Letting him go is like releasing a dragon back to the seas and a tiger back to the mountain. You will regret it.”

“But I have already issued my decree letting him go,” King Zhou said. “All the officials know about it. How can I go back on my word?”

“I have a plan to eliminate him,” Fei Zhong said. “Once he is released, he will no doubt receive a going-away banquet. I will go test him out. If he is truly loyal, then you may release him. If he harbors any stray intentions, you can execute him to eliminate any future concerns.”

Meanwhile, the Second Minister Bi Gan went to see Ji Chang after he left court that day. After they sat down, Bi Gan told Ji Chang the news about his release, and Ji Chang bowed and said, “When will I ever be able to repay your immense kindness?!”

Bi Gan held his hand and said in a low voice, “The country has lost its way, and now his highness is killing high officials without cause. These are ill omens. Tomorrow after you take your leave of the king, hurry and go, or the wicked might cause more trouble.”

“Minister, your words are like gold. I would not dare to forget them,” Ji Chang said.

So the next day, Ji Chang went to the palace gates and bowed in the direction of the throne to thank the king and take his leave. He then led his entourage and exited the capital through the west gate. When they arrived at the pavilion outside the city, they were greeted by numerous court officials, led by Bi Gan, Huang the Flying Tiger, and another top official named Wei (1) Zi (3).

Ji Chang dismounted to greet them, and Flying Tiger and Wei Zi said, “My lord, you’re going back to your land today. We have prepared a cup of weak wine to see you off. We also have one word of advice for you.”

“I am all ears,” Ji Chang said.

Wei Zi told him, “Even though his highness did you wrong, I hope you will remember the previous king’s kindness. You must not forget the duties of an official, and you must not harbor any stray thoughts. If you can manage that, it would be our great fortune, and the people’s great fortune!”

Ji Chang thanked him for the advice and said, “I am grateful for his highness’s mercy, and all your efforts in saving my life. I can never repay the king’s kindness. I would never dare to entertain stray thoughts.”

All the officials now took turns offering him a toast. Ji Chang was someone who could hold his liquor, so he drank heartily, and neither he nor his hosts could bear to take their leave of the other. So this quick going-away toast turned into a lengthy party.

After they had been drinking for a while, the party suddenly came to a screeching halt. The sycophants Fei Zhong and You (2) Hun (2) rode onto the scene, bringing their own goodbye feast for Ji Chang. But as soon as the two of them showed up, all the other officials left, on account of the scorn they all held for these villains. So, soon, Ji Chang was just drinking with the two sycophants.

After they had downed a few cups, the sycophants brought out big goblets and they offered a full goblet to Ji Chang. Ji Chang thanked them and drained the whole goblet. By now, even Ji Chang was starting to feel the buzz.

Sensing an opportunity, Fei Zhong said to Ji Chang, “I have often heard that your lordship is adept at divination. Are your predictions really reliable?”

Ji Chang replied, “The theory of Yin and Yang (2) is governed by logic, so how can it not be accurate? But one can use this knowledge to avoid calamity.”

Fei Zhong followed up and asked, “His highness is acting in a haphazard manner. Can you predict the fate of the dynasty?”

So, Ji Chang was so buzzing at this point that he kind of forgot who he was drinking with. When he heard the mention of the king’s errant ways, he did a facepalm and sighed. “The country’s future looks dim. Its end is near, and it will not end well. His highness’s actions are hastening the decline. As an official, I can barely speak of it!”

As Ji Chang sighed in lament, Fei Zhong asked, “How long does the country have?”

“No more than four to seven years,” Ji Chang replied.

The two sycophants now pretended to also sigh in lament and resumed toasting Ji Chang. After a while, they asked, “May we ask your lordship to predict our fate as well?”

Being a trusting gentleman, Ji Chang thought they were asking in sincerity, so he cast a divination, mulled it over for a long while, and then said, “This is a strange divination indeed!”

“How so?” the two sycophants asked.

“Even though life and death are preordained, the manner of death can vary greatly,” Ji Chang said. “Some are taken by disease, while others die by fire, flood, torture, or suicide. But your deaths will not be like any of those. I’m puzzled that you will die in such a bizarre manner.”

“What’s so bizarre about our deaths?” the two sycophants laughed and asked.

“I don’t know why, but you will be caught in the snow and die in the ice,” Ji Chang replied.

The two sycophants smiled and said, “Birth and death are preordained. We can only let things be as they are destined.”

After they drank some more, the sycophants asked JI Chang, “Has your lordship looked into your future?”

“I have.”

“And what does fate have in store for you?”

“I will manage a good end,” Ji Chang said.

Pretending to be happy, the two sycophants congratulated Ji Chang on his good destiny. Ji Chang thanked them, and they drank some more before the two sycophants took their leave.

As soon as they parted ways, the two sycophants cursed Ji Chang as they rode back to the capital. “That old bastard! His own death is imminent, and yet he says he’s going to come to a good end? And that we two are going to freeze to death?! He was clearly cursing us. How despicable!”

When they returned to the palace, they went to see King Zhou and told him, “Ji Chang was harboring a grudge and spoke disrespectfully of your highness. His offense is severe indeed.”

King Zhou flew into a rage. “That villain! I was allowing him to go home, and yet instead of being grateful, he’s acting so despicably! How did he disrespect me?”

“He cast a divination and said the country will soon end, that it only has four to seven years left, and that your highness will not come to a good end either,” the sycophants told him.

“And did you ask him what the future holds for him?” the king said.

“We did, and he said he will come to a good end. He must be spreading nonsense. He doesn’t realize that his fate rests in your hands and instead predicts that he will come to a good end. He’s lying to himself! And we asked him to predict our fates, and he said we are going to freeze to death in the ice. Even civilians would not freeze to death in ice, much less those of us who are touched by your majesty’s blessings. He is speaking nonsense and deceiving the people. Your highness should execute him at once!”

“Issue my decree,” the king said. “Have the general Chao Tian (2) bring him back here, and we will behead him and display his head in the city as a warning against sorcery!”

Meanwhile, outside the city, after he took his leave of the sycophants, Ji Chang realized he had said things that he shouldn’t have, so he quickly told his entourage to hurry up and hit the road. As they hurried on their journey, Ji Chang thought to himself, “My divination had predicted seven years of bad luck, so how come I get to go home right now? I’m guessing my words just now will cause more trouble yet.”

And sure enough, just then Chao Tian galloped onto the scene, shouting to Ji Chang that the king was ordering him to go back to the capital.”

“General Chao, I was expecting this,” Ji Chang said. He then turned to his entourage and told them, “I cannot escape my predestined calamity. You all hurry on back home. After seven years, I will return safely. Tell my son to honor and obey his mother and to get along with his brothers. Do not change the laws of the land. That is all. Go on!”

His men bid him a teary goodbye and went on their way, while Ji Chang returned to the capital with Chao Tian. Word of this quickly reached Huang the Flying Tiger, who was stunned. “Why is Ji Chang coming back? Did those two sycophants do him in again?”

He quickly told one of his men to go invite all the veteran court officials to the palace gates, and he himself headed there as well. When he arrived, he saw that Ji Chang was already there, awaiting the king’s summon. 

“My lord, why did you come back again?” Flying Tiger asked.

“His highness summoned me back; I don’t know why.”

Just then, the king summoned Ji Chang into the great hall. Ji Chang went in, kneeled, and said, “Your highness had bestowed upon me great kindness in allowing me to go home. Why have you summoned me back?”

King Zhou cursed aloud, “Old bastard! Instead of being grateful to me for letting you go home, you dared to disrespect me?! What do you have to say for yourself?!”

“Your servant may be foolish, but I still know the proper order of things and have never dared to forget it,” Ji Chang said. “How would I dare to risk death and disrespect your highness?”

“You’re still trying to talk your way out of it!” King Zhou fumed. “You cast some BS divination and cursed me. That is unpardonable!”

“Divination was invented by the ancient sage emperors, not by me,” Ji Chang said. “I merely read what was predicted. I would never dare to lie.”

“Then cast a divination for me and predict the fate of the realm,” the king commanded.

“My prior divination showed misfortunes in store for your highness, and that’s what I told Ministers Fei Zhong and You Hun. But that’s what the divination showed; I would never dare to espouse my own opinions.”

King Zhou sprang to his feet and shouted, “You said that I would not come to a good end, but that you WILL. Is that not disrespecting your lord?! You are speaking nonsense to deceive the masses, and you will be trouble in the future. Let me show you how wrong  your predictions are. You’re not going to come to a good end!”

He then barked to the guards, “Take Ji Chang outside the palace gate and cut off his head!”

Just as the guards stepped forth, a group of people shouted from outside, “You highness, you must not execute Ji Chang! We have a petition!”

King Zhou looked up and saw Flying Tiger, Wei (1) Zi (3), and five other high officials rush in. They kneeled and said, “When your highness released Ji Chang back to his home, all the officials and civilians revered your immense virtue. Divinations were invented by the ancient sages, not by Ji Chang. Regardless of whether his predictions are correct, he is an honest man, not a wicked villain, and your highness should show him leniency for his minor transgression.”

“But he’s using sorcery to insult me! How can I pardon him?!” the king said angrily.

Bi Gan the Second Minister said, “We aren’t speaking up for Ji Chang’s sake, but rather for the sake of the country. Whether you execute Ji Chang is a minor thing compared to the safety of the realm. Ji Chang has a great reputation among the nobles, soldiers, and civilians. He is interpreting the divination truthfully using the proper methods. He is not lying. If your highness does not believe it, you can order him to predict something in the immediate future. If he’s right, then you can release him. If he’s wrong, then you can punish him for lying.”

Faced with such strong pushback from his top officials, King Zhou relented and ordered Ji Chang to predict something immediate. Ji Chang cast a divination with some gold coins and was alarmed at the results.

“Your highness,” he said, “Tomorrow the ancestral temple will catch on fire. You must move your ancestors’ images and tablets or they would be destroyed!”

“What time tomorrow?” King Zhou asked.

“High noon.”

“In that case,” the king said, “lock him up in jail for now, and we will wait to see how things go tomorrow.”

The crisis temporarily forestalled, the high officials took their leave. As they exited the palace, Ji Chang thanked them for their intervention. 

“My lord,” Flying Tiger cautioned him, “You’re facing a calamity tomorrow. You must take care.”

“We’ll see what heaven has in store,” Ji Chang replied.

To see what heaven has in store, tune in to the next episode of the Chinese Lore Podcast. Thanks for listening!

Music in This Episode

• “Sao Meo” by Doug Maxwell / Zac Zinger
• “Dark Toys” by SYBS (from YouTube audio library)
• “Ravines” by Elphnt (from YouTube audio library)
• “The Quiet Aftermath by Sir Cubworth (from YouTube audio library)