I Am This Type of Woman

91.2

Rong Xia stayed at Ban residence for almost 3 shichens. When he walked out of the gates, a guard waiting outside approached  him, "Master Count, someone from the Board of Astronomy is here to see you."

* 1 shichen = 2 hours.

The Board of Astronomy's primary duty was in astronomy and geography, they predicted weather change by observing cloud and stars, but in time of major natural disasters they also conducted prayers to the Heaven. Noone was really sure of the efficacy, but from dynasties to dynasties, from generations to generations, the heads of people working at the Board of Astronomy have been rolling to the ground.

Those were the heads of unlucky people serving superstitious mad rulers who thought it was the Board of Astronomy's responsibility to make the rain fell.

There were all sorts of officers serving at the Board of Astronomy were of all sorts, some observed stars, some researched a kind of seismograph. They were not high-ranked, their position at the Court was terribly ordinary, they only time they were sought after was for reading bazi.

* 生辰八字 = Bazi / Four Pillars of Destiny. Chinese astrological concept that a person's destiny or fate can be divined by their birth year, month, day, and hour (see Wikipedia).

If truth be told, the officers of the Board of Astronomy resented this. Being competent at astronomy and weather forecast did not translate to the ability to tell fortune.

However, one must be multi-skilled to survive at the Court, thus the officers of the Board of Astronomy had gradually became well-versed in bazi and numerology too. Accuracy was an afterthought, cozening to the nobles was more important.

Hu-daren, the Director of the Board of Astronomy was only a ninth-ranked dropped out academician, but he used to follow a high-level divination master in his youth so many nobles believed him. In just ten years he had become the most senior member of the Board of Astronomy, and many called him Teacher Hu.

T/N – The raw is 胡先生, which in our modern time means merely a 'Mr Hu'. However, in ancient times 先生used to refer to teachers or educated people, so I use Teacher Hu.

He was very glad when Count Cheng'an requested him to read the bazi, but after crunching the numbers, he wondered whether his eyes had issues or the bazi was wrong.

No matter how he calculated, the bazi clearly belonged to someone extremely noble but fated to die young.

As noble as a flying phoenix, and yet having a short life. The sign for a short life was very strong, while the sign for a flying phoenix was obscure.

How could a dead phoenix be flying?

And what did being an empress have to do with Fule Junzhu? The Crown Prince was already married, and when he ascended it was his wife who would be the empress. Even if it was the Second Prince to sit on the throne, with his level of disgust towards Fule Junzhu, there was never a possibility that she would be the empress.

That left the second part to be the destiny of this Junzhu.

The short life.

There was still one more possibility, but he dared not entertain it, or perhaps he was not willing to.

After sighing in secret for some time, he mulled over it and decided to see Count Rong. At any rate, this was Count Rong's person, he should not keep it hidden from him.

—

Rong Xia received Hu-daren at his own residence. He walked up to the main seat and sat down, "Teacher Hu, has the bazi been calculated?"

"Master Rong, my ability is lacking, I am afraid....."

"I have never doubted Teacher Hu's ability. If there is anything, please just tell." Rong Xia said, "The date that I asked you to set before, is there a problem?"