The court and countryside were in uproar.

“This is a warning from Heaven!”

“The Qi clan—that refers to the Imperial Astrologer! The Imperial Astrologer can communicate with Heaven. Because he created verbal karma, will Heaven condemn the entire Great Jin dynasty?”

“What—what does this mean?”

For a moment, everyone’s gazes fell upon the Imperial Astrologer.

Although the Imperial Astrologer also attended court daily, he only discussed matters of weather, such as when it would get cold in the future, when it would snow, and such—he rarely participated in government affairs.

“Simply preposterous nonsense!” Imperial Astrologer Qi flicked his sleeves. “It’s just a large stone. Because it has characters carved on it, it becomes Heaven’s warning? Isn’t that laughable?”

The Minister of Revenue also thought it somewhat frivolous: “Perhaps it was common people from a thousand years ago randomly carving characters. Through coincidence, it was discovered by Prince Pingxi.”

“How could it be such a coincidence?” Another minister spoke. “It just happens to be the Great Jin dynasty, just happens to be the Qi clan. When both of these match, then can’t the rest also match?”

“Yes, yes. What if this really is Heaven’s warning to the Great Jin? If we don’t heed Heaven’s admonition, I fear…”

“Your Majesty, it’s better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn’t.”

Seeing so many people propose believing the words on that stone, Imperial Astrologer Qi was going mad.

He directly knelt on the ground: “Your Majesty, in all the years this subject has held this position, I have worked for the nation and the people, devoted myself wholeheartedly. Your Majesty has seen all of this. How can you deny all of this subject’s merits because of a mere stone tablet…”

“Since that’s the case…” Marquis Pingjin couldn’t help but speak. “Your Majesty, then, how about inviting Master Ding to divine a divination?”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes: “Which Master Ding?”

“Your Majesty, Master Ding’s fortune-telling is extraordinarily accurate.” Marquis Pingjin enumerated as if counting treasures. “This subject has asked Master Ding to divine several times—each time was accurate. Calling him a divine calculator wouldn’t be excessive.”

Hearing this, Imperial Astrologer Qi laughed.

He had heard some about this Master Ding’s reputation—just a charlatan fortune-teller. They were a dime a dozen. He hadn’t taken it seriously at all.

“For Marquis Pingjin to mention a charlatan’s name in the Golden Throne Hall is rather disrespectful to court affairs.” Imperial Astrologer Qi spoke. “Having a charlatan fortune-teller decide national affairs also seems too frivolous.”

Marquis Pingjin tried to explain: “Master Ding is different from other fortune-telling charlatans. He truly…”

Among the civil and military officials, those who had sought divination from Ding Yiyuan existed, but only about a dozen or so. The others sneered at it.

“The Great Jin dynasty’s national affairs aren’t for a fortune-telling fraud to point fingers at.”

“All fraudulent tricks. Only Marquis Pingjin, foolish with too much money, believes in these things.”

The Crown Prince, standing at the very front, had endured for a long time. Finally unable to bear it any longer, he spoke: “Father Emperor, this son has also sought divination from Master Ding. Before the Crown Princess gave birth, this son asked the Imperial Astrologer whether this child would be male or female. After the Imperial Astrologer divined, he said heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. This son didn’t understand—it was just divining male or female. How did it involve heavenly secrets? Yet when the Imperial Astrologer usually divines for Father Emperor, how can he reveal them? Therefore, this son found Master Ding. Master Ding briefly divined and informed this son that this child would be male. Sure enough, the Crown Princess bore this son a legitimate eldest son.”

Imperial Astrologer Qi was incredulous.

The Crown Prince, as the nation’s heir apparent, actually went to find a charlatan to divine male or female—simply the height of absurdity. What was more deadly was that the Crown Prince actually had the face to say it aloud.

The Emperor’s brows also furrowed.

Others seeking divination was one thing, but for someone of the Crown Prince’s status to also do such a thing was truly somewhat disgraceful.

With the Crown Prince taking the lead, others who had sought divination from Ding Yiyuan also stepped forward one after another, testifying from personal experience.

Many people’s curiosity couldn’t help but be aroused. Was this Master Ding truly so accurate in his divinations?

“This son believes Master Ding can be invited into the hall for a test.” Chu Yi cupped his hands. “If he can explain things clearly, it proves this person indeed has some ability. If he speaks nonsense, then drag him out and behead him—that would also eliminate someone who spreads deceptive rumors to confuse the masses.”

Hearing this, Marquis Pingjin’s neck shrank.

Mentioning Master Ding in the Golden Throne Hall seemed a bit impulsive. What if Master Ding didn’t divine national fortune? Wouldn’t he be causing his death?

“Summon Ding Yiyuan for an audience!”

The Emperor gave the order. Eunuch Gao immediately transmitted the decree, passing it down level by level. In less than half an hour, Ding Yiyuan was brought into the Golden Throne Hall.

Ding Yiyuan wore dark yellow robes. The beard on his face was very long. He actually looked somewhat like a person of superior character.

“This commoner pays respects to Your Majesty.”

He didn’t kneel on the ground but bent at the waist in salute, his manner aloof, but his eyes held no contempt—he had respect for the person on the dragon throne.

The Emperor knew that people beyond the mundane world basically didn’t observe worldly etiquette, so he didn’t take too much offense, saying lightly: “You are Master Ding?”

“Precisely this humble one.”

“You can see the giant stone in the hall. I have had someone invite you here to have you divine a divination for this giant stone.”

Ding Yiyuan walked a circle around the giant stone, then fished three copper coins from his sleeve. He sat down on the spot, closed his eyes, and muttered incantations.

Seeing this scene, thick mockery surfaced on Imperial Astrologer Qi’s face: “Divining national fortune requires setting up an altar and performing rituals, inviting the ancestral Celestial Master’s divine position, and also requires ceremonial banners and implements… Using only three copper coins, how can one communicate with heaven and earth’s spiritual energy? How can one observe the future? Truly a charlatan—utterly laughable.”

Many ministers shook their heads one after another.

“Looks like he really is just a fortune-telling fraud.”

“Actually deceiving his way into the Golden Throne Hall. Looks like he’s not far from death.”

“Being able to see the current Son of Heaven before death counts as his fortune.”

“In the next life, be an honest person.”

Ding Yiyuan completely blocked out all these discussions.

He knew well that one must love the profession one chooses. Since he had chosen to walk this path, he couldn’t be a half-empty rattling good-for-nothing.

He had specially gone to many Taoist temples to learn some things. The more he learned, the more he felt that this profession was all empty—there wasn’t a bit of substantive content.

With no other option, he learned how to bluff and posture.

Ding Yiyuan casually placed the three copper coins in his hand on the ground. His eyes looked at those coins, his gaze becoming sharper and sharper, as if conducting some kind of communication.

Immediately after, his fingers lightly moved the coins, forming strange directional arrangements. As the arrangement changed, his expression became increasingly grave.

Not knowing what he sensed, his fingers suddenly trembled, and his body also trembled. He seemed to struggle to steady his mind. He picked up the three copper coins, looked toward the person on high, cupped his hands and said: “Your Majesty, the divination indicates that the characters on this giant stone are indeed Heaven’s warning.”

“Nonsense! Speaking irresponsibly! Spreading deceptive rumors to confuse the masses!” Imperial Astrologer Qi said coldly. “If three copper coins could divine fortune, the entire world would descend into chaos.”

“Indeed, chaos is coming.” Ding Yiyuan spoke word by word. “Because the Imperial Astrologer glimpsed heavenly secrets yet tampered with heavenly mandate, it has provoked heavenly punishment. In three days, the south will experience an earthquake—this will be the proof.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was in an uproar.