Chapter 16 Burning the Jade Lute Specter
Entering the back garden shortly, and gazing forth with keen delight at the beauty around him, Jiang Ziya suggested to Song Yiren that a tower should be constructed within its vacant space as to ensure great fortune with geomancy. After being told by the latter that such an action was constantly performed in the past, but the tower mysteriously burned down each consecutive time, Jiang Ziya realized that spirits must have been at work previously. As the tower's beams were thus risen during the auspicious day ensured of success by Ziya, a rather fiercely expected wind rose about while Song Yiren entertained the guards in the front hall. Gazing forth at five large fiery spirits within the air, Jiang Ziya conjectured that they had evil intentions behind their former actions — and thus sent a thunder crack throughout the sky to force the spirits to kneel before him. Having mercy on the spirits for originally being animals and not knowing what true trouble that they caused in the past, Jiang Ziya declared that they should each head to the Western Foothills for now until he finds a laboring job for them to perform when he eventually arrives. Following their immediate consent and departure, Madame Ma and Sun gazed at Jiang Ziya from the shadows wondering as to why he was talking to himself in such a strange manner. Explaining such an action as being incomprehensible to the former, they soon realized that Jiang Ziya was well skilled in the art of fortune–telling. As Madame Sun thus urged her husband to find a shop for Jiang Ziya to use for his fortune–telling, Song Yiren declared shortly that he would tell some of his servants to rent a house neighboring the south gate district of Morning Song for his future use. With the fortune–telling house thus being opened after a short while, Jiang Ziya waited patiently for over four months before finally attaining his first customer, a woodcutter by the name of Liu Qian. Unfortunately for Ziya however, Liu was known for his fierceness and brutality. After declaring that if the former's divination was incorrect, he would close down his shop. And if he was correct, he would reward him with twenty ounces of copper. Jiang Ziya gave him this prophecy: "If you are to head south, you will find a man under a willow tree that will give you 120 coppers, four dishes of fresh cake, and two cups of wine." Even though Liu Qian stated his prediction as being far from accurate, he ventured south as told — thus appearing before an old man under a large willow tree as previously stated. After effectively receiving 100 coppers from the old man following the purchase of his well–fined firewood, Liu was offered wine and refreshments immediately. Once Liu had realized that the wine bowl filled exactly two cups to the very brim, he sat in astonishment at such precise accuracy. Upon his receiving of 20 coppers in addition due to the old man's gracious mood, Liu Qian ran back to the south gate district stating that a celestial being was indeed present. Being far too astonished and exited over Jiang Ziya's celestial accuracy to pay him any money, Liu Qian decided to grab hold of a neighboring yamen business manager and force him to have his fortune foretold instead. As the
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former told this man he would pay if Jiang Ziya's prophecy proved false, the manager had little choice but to go along with such a deal. With precise accuracy in his future prediction as well, Jiang Ziya's fortune–telling shop soared in popularity throughout the capital in rather quick pace. Following the passage of six months, Jiang Ziya's name soared throughout the region — attracting many foreigners from far and wide to experience his grand insight. As Jade, the lute specter under Empress Nu Wa, bade farewell to Daji one morning, she heard many great noises beneath her while soaring through the heavens on her spectral cloud. Realizing that the area beneath her was a fortune– telling center by the great clamor around her, she transformed into an exceedingly beautiful woman before moving swiftly through the crowds in order to attain her own prediction. Allowing for her fortune to be immediately read before all others after seeing that she was indeed a specter despite her appearance, Jiang Ziya grabbed hold of her palm and held on tightly for an excruciating period of time. Crying in discomfort at Jiang's action, more people gathered around ordering Jiang to stop his action for further trouble would result. Not letting this chance dare slip away from his grasp, Jiang Ziya seized the moment to crack her skull with his ink slab in one vile thrust while still holding on to her palm lest her true specter form could escape. As Prime Minister Bi Gan attained full word of this, Jiang Ziya appeared shortly before the former, still holding the visibly dead woman's palm, while exclaiming his full reasoning behind such an action. Leaving the southern gate district with Jiang Ziya lest a great riot was to ensue, they both headed to the palace gates while the former presented himself before King Zhou at the Star Picking Mansion to explain the situation. With Jiang Ziya thus being sent before the king, he kneeled with deep respect while declaring to the former that he could essentially prove that this woman was indeed a specter if she was burned in a fierce fire for over four hours with charms stamped on her breasts and back. As such an action was fully performed, Bi Gan and King Zhou sat in utter astonishment at Jiang Ziya's most extraordinary potential.
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