"Similar?”
Cao Rui, taking advantage of his alcohol-induced state, looked at Xiahou Xian and laughed, "If I had two mu of land in Luoyang, how could I wear the seals of the prime ministers of six states?"
Sima Yi observed the emperor's demeanor at the banquet and was startled for a moment upon hearing this phrase.
Wasn't that phrase said by Su Qin?
Xiahou Xian, unaware of the allusion to Su Qin, shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, Cheng Shenbei was talking about the seals of the prime ministers. The kind of seals that are like fortune-telling or horoscope readings."
Now, it was Cao Shi, the literatus, who was puzzled. "What a strange thing! Seals can be used for fortune-telling?"
Everyone also looked out of curiosity at Xiahou Xian.
"Indeed, it is so! How could I dare say anything false in the presence of the emperor?" Xiahou Xian hurriedly explained, "Why don't we call Cheng Shenbei here and ask him directly to find out!"
Cao Rui smiled and nodded, "Alright, then let's send someone to summon Cheng Shenbei at once!"
"However, Cheng Shenbei is a general of Wei. Although his position is not high enough to attend this banquet, it would be a bit humiliating if he was only called here to ask questions."
"Send someone to add a table for Cheng Xi, and have the kitchen prepare some new dishes!"
Sima Yi bowed his hands and laughed, "Your Majesty is truly a wise ruler! To love your officials so much, how could we not be loyal to you?"
Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi, raised the corner of his mouth and waved his hand, and did not say much more.
The guests continued to drink and eat. After about two incense sticks' worth of time, Cheng Xi entered the hall, bowed, and said, "Officer Cheng Xi humbly pays homage to the emperor!"
Cao Rui smiled and pointed to the table next to him. "Xiahou Kangren said that Cheng Qing was good at handling the seals, so I invited you here to see for myself. Please take a seat next to me, and enjoy some food and drink first. I will ask you questions later."
After thanking the emperor, Cheng Xi, as instructed by the emperor, sat down and started to drink and eat with great enthusiasm. His greedy appearance made everyone in the hall laugh loudly.
Although slightly drunk, Cao Rui understood that Cheng Xi was a talented military leader with both literary and martial abilities, much like the former Guo Hui. This behavior was likely just to make a good impression on the emperor.
"Not long ago, Cheng Xi wiped his mouth and turned to the emperor, bowing his hands and saying, 'Thank you, Your Majesty, for hosting this banquet. I have finished eating and drinking.'"
Cao Rui nodded, "Officer Cheng, come to the hall, let's have a look together with the emperor and all the officials, how your seal is examined."
Cheng Xi did not flinch in front of the audience, and he directly walked to the hall, bowing his hands and said, "Report to Your Majesty, the so-called seal examination method is a form of divination."
"Formation method can be used to analyze the situation of nine provinces and territories, the bones and muscles of people and livestock in the middle, and the appearance of various objects at the lower level."
"Like the music that has different sounds due to its length, the method of seal examination is not a ghostly theory. It just reflects the natural phenomenon."
Cao Rui's expression became slightly serious: "Can the situation of the nine provinces be discerned using the method of formation?"
Cheng Xi nodded, "There are many kinds of divination methods, such as divination of people, cattle, horses, eagles, cranes, fans, and seals. There is no object in the world that cannot be divined."
"I only excel at examining seals, not others."
Cao Rui asked again, "Officer Cheng, what can your method of examining seals reveal?"
Cheng Xi replied, "Fortune and prosperity or decline, good or bad luck, happiness or misfortune, all of these can be revealed through seal examination."
Cao Rui continued to ask, "If we follow your words, then if I give you the imperial seal for examination, can we discern the nation's fate?"
Cheng Xi hesitated for a moment before hesitantly replied, "Seems like it could..."
Sima Yi stood up suddenly in the midst of the banquet, pointed at Cheng Xi with no ceremony, and said sternly, "Cheng Shenbei, do not make false statements! The imperial seal is just a dead object. How can it determine the prosperity or decline of the country? You cannot deceive the emperor!"
Cheng Xi was startled by Sima Yi's words and his speech became more hesitant. He also bowed to Sima Yi and said, "Marquis Sima, I didn't mean it that way..."
"All right, all right," said Cao Rui, looking at Sima Yi. "I don't mean that either, Marquis. Don't scare him."
Sima Yi nodded silently and bowed to the emperor, then sat down.
Cao Rui asked, "If you can predict the fortunes and destinies, can you also predict the career prospects?"
Cheng Xi nodded and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, it can be divined."
"How can it be divined?"
Cheng Xi replied, "There are three methods of seal examination."
"The first is to verify the development of events based on signs that occur during the casting of the seal."
"The second is to divination by whether the text on the seal is true or false, and the appearance and style of its form."
"The third is to use the seal as a divination tool, observing its shape and texture for divination, similar to ancient times when turtle shells were burned to determine fortunes or misfortunes."
Cao Rui thought for a moment and said, "If I were to ask you to use the seal to divine someone's future, and that person is not here, how would you go about it?"
Cheng Xi replied, "The first and third methods can be used. One can observe the signs during the casting process, and the patterns and textures on the seal after it is made."
Cao Rui nodded, and then looked at the crowd: "The seal examination method of Cheng Shenbei is indeed interesting. Have you heard of it before, my ministers?"
Sima Yi, Xin Bi, Yang Fu, Qian Zhao, and others all expressed that they had not heard of it.
Standing on the spot, Cheng Xi began to explain, "Your Majesty, the method of seal examination that I use was passed down to me from Zong YANG in the Seal Office of the Emperor's Supervision. Zong YANG learned from Wei DAN in Chongwen Observation. And Wei DAN learned it from Chen HUOJI."
Cao Rui furrowed his brow: "I only know Wei Dan is good at calligraphy and making ink, but how could he be good at seal examination?"
"And the horse-mounted general you mentioned, is it Chen Qun, Chen Changwen, the horse-mounted general?"
"Yes," Cheng Xi replied.
The people in attendance heard the name Chen Qun and exclaimed in wonder for a moment.
Cao Rui turned his head to Sima Yi and asked, "Marquis Sima, do you know that horse-mounted general Chen can examine seals?"
Sima Yi smiled awkwardly, "I have served with General Chen for many years, but I know nothing about this matter at all."
Cao Rui nodded gently and remained silent for a few seconds.
The emperor did not speak, and the eyes of the guests in the hall were all focused on the emperor.
At this moment, Cao Rui was thinking in his heart, "Can an emperor truly understand a subject completely?"
Chen Qun is already in his sixties. For twenty years, Sima Yi, who served with him in the same government, did not know that Chen Qun was good at examining seals. If it weren't for Chen Xihui's mention during the banquet at Chang'an today as a subordinate general, no one would have known about it.
What about Cao Zhen, Sima Yi? Even Wuqiian, Jiang Wei? Can I truly understand them completely?
The answer is clearly no.
Cao Rui sighed softly, "Since Chen Xihui has mentioned Chen Qun, if I ask you to examine his career prospects, how should you do it?"
Cheng Xi thought for a moment and replied, "Please allow me to carve the seal for Chen Qun right now."
"Good!" said Cao Rui. "Send someone to fetch a piece of jade and a knife from the official in charge of the imperial seals!"
"Cheng Xi, just carve 'Chen Changwen Seal' four characters for now."
Cheng Xi nodded and agreed.
The emperor always did things without any taboos, especially when it came to someone like Chen Qun Changwen, who was tens of thousands of miles away from here. Carving a private seal for him was something no one paid attention to.
Not long after, Wuqiian brought the jade and tools for seal carving that Chen Xihui needed, and Cao Rui summoned Wuqiian to stand next to him.
Wuqiian leaned in close to Cao Rui, and Cao Rui whispered, "I plan to recall Chen Qun back to Luoyang as the Chief Justice. Inform six people: Sima, Xin, Yang, Cao, Qian, and Zhu."
Chief Justice? To have Chen Qun replace the deceased Wang Lang as the new Chief Justice of the Great Wei?
However, as a general who holds the rank of the Chaoqi and is already in his sixties, Chen Qun's age and qualifications are already at the level where he could be one of the three highest officials in the empire. There's nothing strange about it.
Wuqiian nodded and slowly walked to the middle of the hall, one by one, he announced the six ministers that the emperor had called.
When each person heard the news, they were mostly slightly thoughtful and then nodded in agreement.
Chen Qun becoming the new Chief Justice is indeed what was expected and there's nothing strange about it.
While Cao Rui was whispering to Wuqiian, Cheng Xi had already taken the jade seal blank with his left hand and the carving knife in his right, and started to carve the seal.
In the Han dynasty, the general form of a private seal was octagonal with twelve sides. To describe it more detailedly, it would be like adding a trapezoidal cube on top of a cubic one.
If it's a simple seal, it would take at most a time for one incense stick.
As the people were chatting, Cheng Xi put the roughly carved seal on his palms and rubbed it repeatedly with his fingers, feeling the texture and grooves around the seal with his fingertips.
Cao Rui noticed the way Cheng Xi was acting and observed that as he stroked the seal, Cheng Xi's eyes were closed and his expression was very solemn, as if he was dealing with something extremely serious and dignified.
Maybe this is what is meant by sincerity bringing results. For such minor and rare matters that are not harmful to the greater good, Cao Rui may not believe in them, but he has always looked at them with an appreciative eye.
Even just for entertainment or magic, it's worth the price!
After a few moments, Cheng Xi opened his eyes, "Your Majesty, I have completed the carving of the seal for General Chen Qun as per your order and have finished the seal examination."
Cao Rui nodded, "Put the seal in front of the emperor to show it."
"Obedient to your command."
"Compliantly," Cheng Xi held the seal in both hands and walked slowly forward, presenting it to Cao Rui.
Cao Rui carefully examined the small seal in his hand. After looking at it for a while, he couldn't find anything special about it.
Cao Rui looked up and asked, "Cheng Xi, just give the conclusion directly. I don't understand your seal examination method, and I also can't see any special aspect of this seal."
Cheng Xi stepped back two steps and bowed, replying, "Your Majesty, when I carved the seal, it was as if guided by divine assistance; it was extremely smooth and there were no abnormalities, which is a good omen."
"This seal is uniform in width, thickness, and depth, without any imbalance. Its corners are sharp and its lines are straight like a bowstring. The left and right sides are wide and ornate with beautiful patterns, reflecting light cleanly. These are two more good omens."
"The seal's sealing mechanism is smooth and flawless, and there are faint mountain and cloud patterns. This signifies the seal owner's promotion and is greatly beneficial to offspring."
Upon finishing, Cheng Xi bowed again, "From the seal examination, I have discovered that General Chen Qun is to be promoted and it will be beneficial to his descendants."
Cao Rui's eyes slightly widened, and he couldn't help but praise out loud.
Before, when Wuqiian mentioned the six ministers who were to be appointed by Chen Qun, namely Sima Yi, Xin Bi, Yang Fu, Cao Hong, Qian Zhao, and Zhu Gai, all of them were amazed and filled with awe.
Cheng Xi glanced around and hesitated to ask, "May I inquire, Your Majesty, am I correct in my interpretation?"
Cao Rui nodded, "Cheng Xi, you said it right. But how it corresponds to the actual situation, you will know when you arrive in Luoyang."
"But, Cheng Xi, is there an example of when seal examination did not yield favorable results?"
Cheng Xi bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, do you remember Xu Xunyu, the minister of culture?"
Cao Rui nodded, "I remember. He was exiled by the court due to the case of excess wealth."
Cheng Xi replied, "Xu Yun would also examine seals. Before he was appointed as the head of the Cao's administration, he tried to carve the official seal three times but failed. Xu Yun claimed that this was a sign of shame."
"When the Seal Office sent the official seal to Xu Yun, he carefully questioned the messenger who delivered the seal. It was then that he learned that the official seal had accidentally fallen into the toilet by the messenger."
"Xu Yun was only a few years into his term, but he was exiled for committing crimes and seems to correspond with the previous incident."
Cao Rui took a breath, "Xu Yun had his own reasons for committing crimes, but it seems he was indeed able to see it all from the seal examination years ago."
Xin Bi said coldly beside him, "Since he himself was skilled in seal examination and did not act cautiously over the years, he was only inviting trouble himself! It has nothing to do with the seal."
Cao Rui laughed and clapped his hands together. (This chapter is concluded.)
