Chapter 125: Where Did the Solar Eclipse Go?

“Boss Chen, regardless of how the gambling house tried to trap and harm my nephew, the very act of detaining him without permission is forbidden by the laws of the Ming Dynasty. There’s no way we can repay the three thousand taels of silver. How about we come to an agreement and settle for three hundred taels instead?” Xue Yuanhao said in a grave tone.

“Three hundred taels?” Boss Chen exchanged a glance with his men and suddenly burst into laughter.

“Lord Xue, you are truly magnanimous, demanding to repay only a tenth of the debt in a single sentence. If I agreed to that, others might think I run a charity! As for the unauthorized detention, of course I wouldn’t dare to do that. Even if your household refuses to repay, your nephew will return safely. However, whether he encounters any misfortune afterward—that is your responsibility.”

The three Xue family members understood perfectly; this was clearly a veiled threat.

Xue Yuanhao asked again, “Then what do you propose, Boss Chen?”

“I’m a man who values friendship. It is an honor to know someone like Lord Xue. How about this: I’ll give you some face and count only the actual amount your nephew borrowed—two thousand two hundred taels in total. Anything less, and I’d be taking a loss.” Chen Wenlong calculated and gave a figure.

“May we have some time to discuss this?” Xue Yuanhao asked.

“Feel free,” Chen Wenlong replied.

The three men moved to the corner of the stairs, where Xue Yuanhao asked his elder brother, “Big brother, it seems we have no choice but to repay the debt. Our most valuable asset now is this house. If all else fails, we’ll have to use it to settle with the gambling house.”

“Ah...” Xue Yuanbai was heartbroken. Though he had a taste for elegance and liked to show off, it was all minor extravagance. Who would have thought his prodigal son would squander the family fortune so thoroughly? It was unbearable.

But he was still his own flesh and blood; he couldn’t abandon him. Finally, Xue Yuanbai waved his hand and said, “Let’s use the house as collateral. The only question is whether that Chen fellow will agree.”

“All right, I’ll go ask,” Xue Yuanhao said with some disappointment. The ancestral home was built through their father’s painstaking efforts over many years. To see it pass out of the family after just two generations was truly lamentable.

Back in the room, Xue Yuanhao mentioned the idea of settling the debt with the house.

Chen Wenlong, who knew the capital inside out, noted that while Mingshi Fang wasn’t as prestigious as Daxiao Shiyong Fang, it was quite close to the Wen Si Academy and the Gong Academy.

During major imperial examinations, many candidates from outside the city chose to buy or rent homes here to stay temporarily. It was something like a school district property for the time, easy to resell with a high premium.

Though the house was now worth only fifteen hundred taels, by the time of the spring examination, with the influx of wealthy candidates from afar, selling it for over two thousand taels would be easy. Using the house to settle the debt would not be a loss at all.

“Very well, I agree to this. Consider it giving face to Lord Xue,” Chen Wenlong nodded promptly.

Xue Yuanhao reached into his bosom, finally pulled out the deed, and exchanged it for the stack of IOUs.

Chen Wenlong pocketed the IOUs with a smile. “Lord Xue, why not come into the back hall for a cup of tea before you leave?”

“No need. I have urgent matters to attend to. We’ll take our leave first,” Xue Yuanhao said.

Supporting the trembling Xue Yan, Xue Yuanhao glanced once at Chen Wenlong before turning to leave.

When their uncle and father helped the cousin out the door, Xue Rui, walking behind, suddenly halted and turned back.

“Boss Chen, please pass a message to your true master behind the scenes: this matter was handled too crudely. Be more careful next time,” he said.

Chen Wenlong’s expression shifted slightly. Flapping his sleeves, he said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Heh,” Xue Rui just smiled and quickly caught up with Xue Yuanhao and the others.

Chen Wenlong stood by the window, watching the Xue family’s carriage depart before entering the back hall.

Inside, a young gentleman in fine clothes sat holding a tea cup, lost in thought.

Chen Wenlong bowed deeply and said nervously, “Sir... Lady, it seems the second young master of the Xue family has seen through a flaw. I have sinned.”

“That’s not your fault. It’s just that I was too impatient. It’s normal for him to find a flaw; he’s no ordinary person,” spoke the young gentleman, whose voice was that of a graceful woman.

“So what shall we do now?”

Chen Wenlong kept his head lowered, not daring to look up.

“Give me the deed. You don’t need to worry about this anymore. I have my own plan.” Taking the deed, the woman disguised as a man left without Chen Wenlong daring to glance back even once.

...

Back at home, seeing Xue Yan return in one piece, Lady Zhao burst into tears, overwhelmed with joy at her son’s rescue and grief over losing their home, to the point she fainted.

After sending Lady Zhao back to her room, Xue Yuanbai, holding a bamboo whip, dragged Xue Yan back to his chamber.

Soon, anguished screams echoed like the slaughter of a pig.

Even Lady Li, who usually doted on her eldest grandson, did not intervene, only sighing repeatedly, “If a child is not taught, it is the father’s fault; jade cannot become a gem without polishing.”

...

After the gambling house incident, the main branch of the Xue family took a much more proper attitude. Lady Zhao agreed to return everything owed to the second branch, including all the silver in the account, and even treated Lady Liu with flattery and respect. It seemed she truly recognized the strength of the second branch and dared not offend them further.

The only puzzling thing for the Xue family was that though the gambling house took the deed, they never came to formalize the transfer, as if they had forgotten about it.

The main household, living in the ancestral home, was on edge every day, fearing eviction, so they kept a low profile and avoided going out to prevent drawing attention from the gambling house.

A few days later, after Xue Rui and his father returned from work, Lady Li summoned them to her room.

Just as they were about to ask what had happened, Lady Li produced a document.

Xue Yuanhao took it and his eyes widened—it was the deed that the gambling house had previously taken!

Upon inquiry, they learned that someone had come today under the name of an old acquaintance to deliver a letter to Lady Li. Upon opening it, she found only this deed inside, with no words.

Lady Li was naturally delighted to recover the deed but worried there might be a catch, so she brought it to discuss with Xue Rui and his father.

Seeing the deed confirmed much of Xue Rui’s suspicions: the gambling house incident was definitely a setup by Zhao Jinyu to vent anger at himself and the second branch by framing Xue Yan.

But Xue Rui saw through the scheme in time, preventing Zhao Jinyu’s further plans, forcing the deed’s return in this manner.

Xue Rui did not reveal this to anyone, instructing Lady Li to keep the deed carefully and not let the eldest brother’s family know, lest saving the house rekindle old grudges.

...

As war approached, housing and land prices in the capital plummeted again.

When the family split, the second branch’s farmlands had already been sold by Xue Rui at market price. Combined with their share of silver and the private funds returned by Lady Zhao, the second branch now had assets of nearly a thousand taels.

Taking advantage of the low prices, Xue Rui had entrusted the Tooth and Fang gang to help find a suitable residence to buy.

In addition, after more than ten days of repeated calculations, the “Solar Eclipse Almanac” that Xue Rui and Guo Heng had collaborated on was nearing completion.

Guo Gui was furious to learn his son was associating with Xue Rui, even returning from the observatory to scold his son for wasting time on useless work.

Their new apprentice worked diligently and helped Xue Rui tremendously. When the boy was scolded, Xue Rui stepped forward to block Guo Heng’s verbal attack and suggested that since the new “Solar Eclipse Almanac” was about to be completed by the first day of the tenth month, they should use it to verify the timing of the eclipse that month and see whose calculations were more accurate.

Guo Gui approved this method. After all, these almanacs were used to calculate various celestial phenomena, and accuracy needed to be tested through actual observation.

Since Xue Rui was confident in his streamlined “Solar Eclipse Almanac,” it was best to let the facts decide.

By duty, eclipses were calculated by the Astronomical Division of the Imperial Observatory, now headed by Deputy Director Gao Mian.

Hearing of Xue Rui and Guo Gui’s wager, Gao Mian considered it a joke. Xue Rui had only been at the observatory two months and dared to arrogantly simplify the almanac and challenge the eclipse results.

Gao Mian bore some resentment toward Xue Yuanhao. Though Xue Rui hadn’t offended him directly, punishing Xue Yuanhao’s son was a way to vent his feelings.

Thus, upon learning of the bet, Gao Mian issued a gag order forbidding anyone in the Astronomical Division from revealing the predicted eclipse times for the first day of the tenth month, threatening severe punishment for violation.

After days of calculation, the Astronomical Division produced the eclipse prediction.

Since they used the old almanac for calculations, Guo Gui naturally didn’t verify it himself but accepted their results.

Xue Rui and Guo Heng, after repeated verification, also obtained eclipse data, sealed it in an envelope, and submitted it to Chief Astronomer Xu Dun for impartial judgment.

From this moment, the conservatives represented by Gao Mian and Guo Gui officially clashed with the reformists led by Xue Rui and Guo Heng, while other scholars watched and waited for the first day of the tenth month.

...

After predicting an eclipse on the first day of the tenth month, Chief Astronomer Xu Dun reported to the court. The Ministry of Rites then reported to the emperor and sent swift riders to the two capitals and thirteen provinces, ordering preparations for the eclipse ceremony.

Since ancient times, solar eclipses were regarded as ominous signs.

Over time, both officials and the common people held grand ceremonies whenever an eclipse occurred.

On the first day of the tenth month, the emperor instructed all departments and officials to attend the eclipse ceremony at the Ministry of Rites.

Since the observatory’s report, preparations had begun. The Ministry of Rites decorated the ceremonial gate with colorful banners and, facing the sun on the terrace, set up an incense altar. On both sides of the gate stood golden drums, accompanied by dozens of musicians from the Jiao Fang Office.

According to protocol, officials had to wear court robes for the ceremony.

The observatory dispatched timekeepers to loudly announce the start of the eclipse.

At the appointed time, the Minister of Rites Hu Ying lit incense on the terrace and led the officials in kneeling and bowing.

Then, the ceremonial officer sang, the Minister of Rites struck the drum three times, the musicians played, bells and drums echoed, and officials performed the ritual of three kneels and nine kowtows.

This continued until the observatory reported the eclipse’s end, when the ceremonial officer bowed again, officials bowed once more, then rose, marking the ceremony’s conclusion.

With the imminent threat of the Oirat invasion, the court took this eclipse ceremony very seriously. Emperor Zhu Qiyu had also prepared a matching ceremony within the palace.

According to the observatory’s calculations, the eclipse would begin at the first quarter of the Wei hour (around 13:30) and end at the second quarter of the Wei hour (around 14:00), covering about one-third of the sun.

As the first-time host, Chief Astronomer Xu Dun nervously watched the sundial below the terrace.

At the appointed time, Xu Dun announced loudly, “The eclipse begins!”

Minister Hu Ying lit incense, and the officials knelt and bowed.

After the announcement, Xu Dun looked at a bronze basin filled with clear water, reflecting the sun’s image. This allowed observation of the eclipse without staring directly at the sun.

However, Xu Dun’s expression stiffened slightly. The expected eclipse had not appeared.

This realization caused cold sweat to break out on his forehead.

“Perhaps there’s a slight error. Wait a moment—it should come soon,” Xu Dun comforted himself. The current eclipse calculation methods were not perfectly precise; minor errors were common. As long as the eclipse appeared eventually, a slight delay was acceptable.

Meanwhile, the officials continued their ritual, led by the ceremonial officer.

Xu Dun’s eyes never left the basin, but the officials had already performed the three kneels and nine kowtows several times, yet the sun above showed no change.

Gradually, the officials noticed this anomaly.

Although staring directly at the sun was harsh, the partial obscuration during an eclipse was obvious and could be seen at a glance. Yet, even after some time, the sun remained unchanged, causing hesitation among the officials.

Below the terrace, Hu Ying, leading the officials in bowing, asked Xu Dun, “Sir, what is happening? Why hasn’t the eclipse begun?”

Xu Dun racked his brains and finally fabricated an explanation, feigning delight: “Minister, the eclipse’s absence is because His Majesty’s virtue moves Heaven itself. This is a good omen!”

“A good omen?” Hu Ying glanced sideways, skeptical.

The officials had gathered and kneeled for a long time, becoming dusty and weary, only to have no eclipse occur. It was almost certain the observatory’s calculations were off, and this excuse was just a cover-up.

“That’s right. In the past, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang encountered a similar ‘non-eclipse eclipse’ on his way back from the Mount Tai sacrifices. It was considered a great auspicious sign. His Majesty’s reign has just begun, and to witness such an omen shows Heaven’s blessing upon our Ming!” Xu Dun said excitedly.

“Then... shall we end the ceremony?” Hu Ying suggested.

Since the eclipse had not appeared, continuing the ritual served no purpose.

Under Hu Ying’s instruction, the ceremonial officer sang, “The eclipse was expected but did not occur. Ceremony concluded!”

The officials rose, whispering among themselves, casting unfriendly glances at Xu Dun.

Many complained that if the eclipse was a “non-eclipse,” why hadn’t the observatory predicted it? Their repeated kowtows had been in vain, and if no explanation was provided, they would file an official complaint against the observatory chief.

Xu Dun, hearing this, could only keep explaining that “non-eclipse eclipses” were rare occurrences beyond calculation—divine will!

Having finally appeased the officials, Xu Dun’s headache returned.

Rumor had it that Emperor Zhu Qiyu planned to attend the palace ceremony himself. No one knew what he was thinking at that moment...