Chapter 119: Xuan Xueyuanhao Pays a Formal Visit

"Father, are you looking for me?"

Hearing that his father was anxious to see him, Xue Rui set aside his current tasks and hurried over.

Xue Yuanhao pulled Xue Rui aside and whispered, "I sensed something amiss with the position of the planet Venus this morning, but I never expected it to be this serious."

"What is wrong with the position of Venus?"

Xue Rui took the observation log, glanced at it, and asked with confusion, "Venus entering the Pleiades—is there something peculiar about this celestial phenomenon?"

The Pleiades is a star cluster, one of the twenty-eight mansions, serving as the fourth mansion of the White Tiger in the West, consisting of seven stars. "Venus entering the Pleiades" implies that Venus has encroached upon the domain of this cluster, a state commonly referred to as "transgression."

Seeing his son's confusion, Xue Yuanhao explained, "Venus entering the Pleiades is rare. It has only happened a few times since the founding of the dynasty. Usually, it doesn't garner much attention, but appearing at this specific time makes it far from simple."

"Father, tell me more."

Seeing his father’s grave expression, Xue Rui realized the severity of the situation. He quickly closed the door, and they began to confer in hushed tones.

In ancient astrology, there are various interpretations for Venus entering the Pleiades. For instance, the "Gan De Astrology" states: "When Venus guards the Pleiades, generals shall be imprisoned." The "Chen Zhuo Astrology" claims: "When Venus offends the Pleiades, there shall be drought and intense heat." The "Wu Xian Astrology" says: "When Venus offends or lingers in the Pleiades, a high minister shall die."

Since the founding of the Great Ming, the regime had been stable and the surrounding tribes submissive. Whenever such a phenomenon occurred, the Imperial Board of Astronomy usually reported it with insignificant interpretations. For example, they might claim it predicted a drought, urging the court to prepare; given the vast territory of the Ming, there was always some region suffering from drought, making the prediction easy to justify.

Beyond these common interpretations, most astrological texts viewed "Venus entering the Pleiades" as an omen of disaster. The "Shi Shi Astrology" states: "Venus entering the Pleiades signifies military campaigns involving the Four Barbarians, chaos under heaven, and subversive plots against the state." The "Jingzhou Astrology" adds: "If Venus offends, rides, or guards the Pleiades, war will erupt, blood will flow for a thousand miles, and the Son of Heaven must mobilize armies to suppress the threat; only a general amnesty can avert the catastrophe." The "Yellow Emperor Astrology" warns: "If Venus guards the Pleiades for more than three days, war is inevitable. If it stays in the north, the Four Barbarians will suffer, frost will fall early, and plagues will spread."

Under normal circumstances, Xue Yuanhao would have chosen a trivial interpretation to gloss over the anomaly. But now, it was different. A few days ago, Xue Rui had revealed a dream in which Esen Taiji returned, invaded the heart of the capital, and inflicted massive losses on the Ming. The interpretations of "Venus entering the Pleiades" bore an eerie resemblance to his dream.

Under these circumstances, Xue Yuanhao dared not deceive the court. If Esen were to truly attack the capital and he had reported a harmless omen, it would be a grave dereliction of duty. If the court investigated, he would undoubtedly lose his position. He had summoned Xue Rui to discuss how to report this.

After reading the passages concerning Venus entering the Pleiades in over a dozen texts, Xue Rui was startled. Some of the interpretations were a perfect match for the imminent Defense of the Capital.

After a moment of thought, Xue Rui said with some excitement, "Father, this is a great opportunity for you!"

"What kind of opportunity?" Xue Yuanhao was taken aback. He was stressed over this phenomenon, so why was his son so cheerful?

"Think about it. This omen aligns with the coming war. If you report it and allow the court to prepare in advance, won't that be a monumental achievement? Tsk, tsk, to secure such merit so soon after taking office—your path to success is wide open!"

Xue Rui’s beaming expression made Xue Yuanhao’s mouth twitch. His son was so delighted by the news of an impending attack on the capital that if he weren't his own flesh and blood, Xue Yuanhao would have suspected him of being a spy for the Oirats.

However, Xue Rui's words were tempting. If his son's dream came true, reporting this warning would give the court time to prepare. The Ming army would then have the advantage of timing and position, increasing the odds of defeating the Oirats. Yet, Xue Yuanhao’s biggest fear was whether his son’s dream was reliable. What if he issued the warning and Esen didn't return?

Seeing his father’s concern, Xue Rui patted his chest and promised, "Father, don't worry. It's definitely accurate; I've dreamt of it several times. If you're truly undecided, report it to the Director first and discuss how to present it to the court. This will share the responsibility. Of course, if it comes to pass, the credit will have to be shared as well. Consider it carefully."

"It's better to be cautious." After his release from the Imperial Prison, Xue Yuanhao had become extremely prudent. With his family's honor and safety at stake, he could not afford any risks, so he chose the conservative path.

"In that case, let us see the Director." Xue Rui gathered the stack of books and followed his father to the Director’s office.

Since becoming the Director, Xu Dun’s life had become much easier with no one pressing down on him. He had delegated the Astronomical Section to the Vice Director Gao Mian, while he merely oversaw the Secretariat and coordinated the daily administrative tasks of the other four departments. He was, effectively, quite relaxed.

*Knock, knock.*

Opening the door to see Xue Yuanhao and his son, Xu Dun was slightly surprised and asked, "Does Magistrate Xue have business with me?"

"Director, a great disaster is upon us!" following his son's instructions, Xue Yuanhao bluffed.

Xu Dun feared such words above all else. Having just taken office during a time of political instability, any mistake in the Board of Astronomy could implicate him. Hearing this, his heart skipped a beat. After a moment, he asked, "What... what disaster has befallen our Board?"

"Yesterday, Venus entered the Pleiades. I have consulted dozens of texts, and all speak of great danger. This celestial warning suggests that war is about to erupt again!" Xue Yuanhao said with deep concern.

"Venus entering the Pleiades?" After checking the logs, Xu Dun felt a sense of relief and smiled. "That's not a major issue. It happened in the ninth year of the Zhengtong era. Back then, Minister Hu interpreted it as 'Venus entering the Pleiades, signifying a northern military expedition.' As it turned out, Yang Hong captured the Uriankhai leader Duoluan Tiemuer at the Battle of Kelesu, which was a great victory. With the Oirats currently raiding the borders and the court already deploying troops, we can follow Minister Hu's precedent and report it accordingly."

"Director, this time is different. I believe that for this phenomenon to appear now, it strongly suggests that the Oirats will return, and they might even have their sights set on the capital!" Xue Yuanhao stated solemnly.

"Surely not? Isn't Esen back at his base in the Black Pine Forest?" Xu Dun frowned. Since Esen’s retreat, the people of the capital had been rejoicing, and many officials had let their guard down. If they reported this to the court as Xue Yuanhao suggested, it would undoubtedly cause mass panic in the capital. If it were true, the Board of Astronomy would be credited, but if it were false, the consequences would be dire.

To persuade Xu Dun, Xue Rui argued earnestly, "Director, think about it. The Oirats have abducted the Retired Emperor. With such a... hostage in hand, would they be content not to use him? Esen’s troops have been resting at their base for half a month and are at their peak. If they march south, reaching the capital would be effortless. Once there, Esen will surely use the Retired Emperor to extort the court. With such a temptation, do you think he will give it up?"

"This..." After this analysis, Xu Dun felt it was indeed possible. With the weather growing cold on the steppes, it was the worst time for the tribes, and Esen likely wouldn't pass up this opportunity to pillage.

"This matter requires careful consideration." After deliberating for a long time, Xu Dun said to Xue Rui, "Go and invite the heads of the various departments; tell them I have something to discuss."

Xue Rui immediately understood Xu Dun’s intent. Since he couldn't bear the consequences alone, he wanted to drag others into it so they could share the blame if things went wrong.

Soon, the officials gathered to discuss the matter of Venus entering the Pleiades.

The elderly Bu Ci pondered, "Venus entering the Pleiades occurring at this time is indeed tricky." As a veteran official, he had seen this phenomenon many times, but never in such a complex situation, so he was hesitant to offer an opinion.

Gao Mian glanced at the father and son and said coldly, "Magistrate Xue specializes in celestial observations; why do you need us to deliberate? If you cannot make up your mind, perhaps you should ask Minister Hu." Gao Mian had valued Xue Yuanhao highly in the past, but Xue Yuanhao had abandoned his post for his own future, nearly leaving Gao Mian in the lurch. Now that he was a Baozhang Zheng, he couldn't make decisions alone and had to share the burden, so he was naturally displeased.

Xue Yuanhao felt a pang of shame and was about to apologize when Xue Rui interjected, "Vice Director, it is not that my father cannot decide, but rather that he believes this is a chance for our Board to earn merit, so he invited all the honorable officials to deliberate together. We share the blessings. If we perform this service and the court rewards us, wouldn't that be a cause for celebration?"

"Why do you consider this an opportunity to earn merit?" asked Wei Bin, the Chief of the Spring Office.

"It is like this, I believe..."

Before Xue Rui could answer, Xu Dun seized the conversation and repeated Xue Rui's analysis about the Oirats returning, implying that it was his own idea. Xue Rui had long known of the officials' lack of shame, so he didn't expose Xu Dun in public, letting him boast.

Ni Zhong, Chief of the Autumn Office, pointed to the books and said, "Venus entering the Pleiades signifying military action by the Four Barbarians has precedents. Sima Biao recorded in the 'Treatise on Astronomy' that in the first year of the Jianchu era, Venus entered the Pleiades; shortly after, the barbarian Chen Zong and his tribes rebelled against the Han, and it took until the following year to quell the revolt."

Gu Bin, Chief of the Winter Office, added, "Venus entering the Pleiades also warns of barbarian soldiers. Could this truly indicate that Esen will lead troops to invade our Great Ming again?"

The officials looked grave. If the Oirats returned, they would likely not retreat in a panic as before. Their decision involved the safety of millions in the capital, and no one dared to draw a conclusion.

After a long silence, Xu Dun made the final call: "Magistrate Xue is the Baozhang Zheng in charge of celestial observations. The interpretation rests with you. If you all agree, we shall submit it jointly; if not, I will not force you."

Everyone looked at Xue Yuanhao. He took a deep breath and bowed, "In my view, this omen is extremely ominous. We must present the dire interpretations from the books to warn the court."

"I agree," Bu Ci said first.

"Let it be done as Magistrate Xue says," Ni Zhong added, likely hoping to take the risk to gain some merit.

When it came to Gao Mian, he said with a grim face, "This has nothing to do with me, so I shall not interfere. However, I must warn you: once this is reported, it will cause panic in the capital. If the Oirats come, it is well; if they do not, the consequences will be severe." Having said that, he bowed to Xu Dun and left.

Once he left, the remaining officials hesitated. Aside from the secretary Cui Shi, who chose to sign, the others politely declined.

After the others departed, Xue Rui handed the memorial to Xu Dun: "Director, will you sign it as well?"

Xu Dun struggled internally for a moment before sighing, "Very well. I will trust you both once. In any case, if the court punishes us, I, as the Director, cannot escape it."

He then summoned a clerk and ordered the memorial to be rushed to the Office of Transmission.

When the memorial reached Zhu Qiyu, he had just finished the morning court session and was having lunch served by Empress Wang. Seeing a young eunuch enter the hall with the memorial, the Empress scolded, "Do you know the rules? Why bring a memorial here instead of the Imperial Study? Do you not see His Majesty is dining?"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," the eunuch knelt quickly, explaining, "The Emperor previously commanded that memorials from the Board of Astronomy be delivered immediately. I did not mean to disturb His Majesty's meal. I am guilty of a capital offense."

Empress Wang stiffened. Regardless of urgency, memorials were usually sent to the Imperial Study. She was embarrassed that the Emperor placed such importance on the Board of Astronomy.

Zhu Qiyu, who had been exhausted by the morning’s proceedings and was ravenously hungry, immediately stopped eating upon hearing the news. He asked, "Who submitted this?"

The eunuch replied, "Reporting to the Emperor, it is signed by the Baozhang Zheng of the Board of Astronomy, Xue Yuanhao."

Zhu Qiyu had already noted the name. He had experienced the pair's talent for observation before; their prediction of the resurgence of bandits in the southeast had proven their worth. If Xue Yuanhao was submitting a memorial now, it was surely no small matter.

"Quick, bring it to me!" Zhu Qiyu said nervously, dropping his chopsticks and rising to take it himself.

Glancing through the document, his expression darkened, and he swayed slightly.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Empress Wang stepped forward to support him.

Zhu Qiyu said urgently, "Summon the Grand Secretaries and the heads of the various offices to the Huagai Hall for a meeting! Also, summon Xue Yuanhao to the palace—I must question him personally!"