In the early morning light, Emperor Qianlong secretly left the deep palace compound of the Forbidden City.
This generation of Ming Jun, as an ordinary person, shuttled through the bustling Jiangnan Market, wanting to explore the real life of the people.
His destination was the stall of a well-known fortune teller.
Walking on the stone road of the market, Qianlong's heart was full of curiosity and expectation.
He wanted to see if these fortune tellers who circulated among the people were really as magical as they said.
His steps are light and steady, like an ordinary explorer, with a thirst for the unknown.
After Qianlong sat down, the fortune teller seemed to throw a few copper coins at random, and then pondered.
His eyes are deep and seem to be able to see through people's hearts.
A few minutes later, he looked up and uttered his prophecy in his hoarse and powerful voice:"Sir, your destiny is extraordinary, and the future is bound to be full of twists and turns. ”
Hearing these words, a trace of inexplicable uneasiness rose in Qianlong's heart.
He paid for the fortune telling and got up to leave. Walking out of the stall, Qianlong's pace gradually accelerated.
He walked about 500 meters, and the uneasiness and doubts in his heart gradually accumulated into an inexplicable impulse.
Suddenly, he stopped, turned to a eunuch beside him, and said:"That fortune teller dares to hint at my identity, and I must get rid of it as soon as possible!”
Emperor Qianlong, a generation of Ming monarchs of the Qing Dynasty, had unique tastes and hobbies.
He is not often immersed in the deep palace compound of the Forbidden City like other emperors, but loves to travel in micro-clothes, go deep into the people, and experience the living conditions of the people.
Early one morning, Qianlong decided to disguise himself as a commoner again, and quietly stepped into the bustling Jiangnan with only a few loyal retinues.
Dressed in an ordinary blue cloth robe, he wore a hat on his head and walked down the bustling streets with a smile on his face.
The retinue also changed into civilian attire accordingly, trying not to attract attention.
Your Majesty, do you really want to go to the bazaar yourself?One of the attendants, a young eunuch, asked worriedly. He was worried about the emperor's safety, but he was also worried that if his identity was revealed, it would cause unnecessary commotion.
Qianlong replied with a smile"Why not experience the lives of ordinary people once in a while?I want to see the daily lives of my people and hear what they have to say. ”
As they walked through the busy market, Qianlong's eyes flashing with curiosity and interest from time to time.
He looked at the old women who sold vegetables, the hawkers, and the ordinary people who were busy picking up their wares.
He could feel the liveliness and life of the place, which he could not experience in the Forbidden City.
At that moment, his eyes were drawn to a crowd of people gathered in front of a stall.
It was a fortune teller's booth, and people surrounded him and listened to him tell all about his fate and the future.
Qianlong's curiosity was aroused, and he decided to step forward. He whispered to his attendants"Go there and have a look. ”
The entourage exchanged glances with each other, but still followed Qianlong slowly towards the stall.
Emperor Qianlong, dressed in the clothes of a commoner and accompanied by his entourage, walked in the bustling market.
His gaze was drawn to a long line of winding lines, and curiosity drove him to slowly approach.
At the end of the line, he saw an old man with white hair standing quietly, as if waiting for something.
Qianlong stepped forward and asked in a civilian tone"Sir, what kind of queue is this?”
The old man turned his head, his eyes shining with wisdom, and replied:"There was a fortune teller in front of him, and he was said to be very effective. ”
Hearing this answer, Qianlong's curiosity was further stimulated.
He has always been open to folk superstitions, especially fortune tellers who can reveal the mysteries of fate.
"Really?I want to try it too. ”Qianlong said softly, and decided to join this long line.
As he lined up, he observed the people around him.
Some look anxious, others look expectant.
This made Qianlong feel a trace of inexplicable excitement, and he was full of anticipation for this unknown exploration.
Finally, it was Qianlong's turn, and he walked in front of the fortune teller.
The fortune teller is an old man with deep eyes and a bit of fairy bones.
"Sir, can you show me the numerology?”Qianlong deliberately lowered his voice so as not to be recognized.
The fortune teller raised his head and looked at Qianlong carefully, as if he wanted to peek a thing or two from his face.
He nodded slowly, and then began to fiddle with his copper coins and abacus.
Qianlong was secretly curious in his heart, he had always had a faint curiosity about his fate and future, although he was an emperor, he was always full of awe for the mystery of fate.
The fortune teller was silent for a moment, then spoke"Sir, your life is extraordinary, and the future is bound to be full of twists and turns. ”
Hearing this, Qianlong's heart moved slightly. He didn't know if the fortune teller was really capable or if he was just talking about it. But his words did cause some thinking in Qianlong.
"Can you tell us more about what my future holds?”Qianlong asked, trying to find more clues from the fortune teller's answer.
The fortune teller pondered for a moment, and then spoke slowly"Sir, the trajectory of fate is like an intricate picture, which is difficult to depict with a simple **. However, based on your physiognomy and numerology, the lifespan of the sir should be eighty-six years. But keep in mind that if you choose to abdicate this year, you may be able to live another three years. ”
Hearing these words, Emperor Qianlong couldn't help but be shocked, and he quietly left the stall, full of thoughts and emotions about this mysterious and profound experience.
Walking out of the crowd, Qianlong said to his entourage:"This fortune teller is indeed a bit unusual, and his words are thought-provoking. ”When the entourage heard Qianlong's words, they all showed curious looks.
One of the attendants asked cautiously"Your Majesty, do you really believe the words of that fortune teller?”
Qianlong smiled slightly and replied"Believe it or not, listening to the voices of the people and understanding their beliefs and hopes is a reward for me. ”
As they spoke, they slowly walked through the bustling market. Qianlong's gaze inadvertently swept over every corner, and he noticed the joys, sorrows, and sorrows of the citizens, and experienced their living conditions.
After leaving the fortune teller's stall, the Qianlong Emperor continued to stroll through the busy market.
However, his mind was not calm.
The fortune teller's words seemed to stir up waves in his heart.
He kept thinking back to the mysterious look in his eyes and the suggestive words, feeling a little uneasy.
After walking about 500 meters, Qianlong suddenly stopped, and there was a decisive look on his face.
He turned to a eunuch beside him and said in a firm tone"This fortune teller dares to hint at my identity, and it must be eliminated as soon as possible!”
When the eunuch heard such an order, he looked a little surprised and confused. He asked incredulously"Your Majesty, do you really think that fortune teller can see who you are?He's just a civilian. ”
Qianlong frowned and replied, "How could an ordinary fortune teller know that I would go to him?"His words were full of hints, and I couldn't help but be on guard. ”
The eunuch was still a little puzzled, and he carefully put forward his opinion:"Your Majesty, maybe that's just a coincidence. Even if he does know who you are, what can an ordinary fortune teller do?He would not pose a threat to the Qing Empire. ”
After Qianlong heard this, he was silent for a while.
He knew that what the eunuch said made sense, but as the emperor, he always had to consider the worst-case scenario.
He finally decided to stick with his decision:"Either way, I have to make sure nothing goes wrong. You go ahead and make arrangements, and be cautious. ”
The eunuch received the order, and although his mind was still full of doubts, he knew that as a servant of the emperor, his duty was to obey unconditionally.
He silently retreated, preparing to carry out Qianlong's orders.
After Qianlong's order was delivered, the eunuch quickly organized a team to go to the fortune teller's booth.
They weaved through the bustling bazaar, quickly and cautiously approaching the spot they had seen before.
However, when they arrived there, they found that the situation was unexpected.
The fortune teller's booth was empty, except for a note leaving a message.
The eunuch stepped forward and carefully picked up the note, on which were written a few words that penetrated the back of the paper: "The destiny of heaven cannot be leaked, and Mr. cherishes it." This short and profound message made the eunuchs look at each other, and they couldn't help but feel an inexplicable sense of awe.
The eunuchs returned to the palace and reported the situation to Qianlong.
When Qianlong heard the news, a complicated expression appeared on his face.
He took the message and looked at it in silence for a long time.
Qianlong whispered to himself:"This fortune teller has such a deep eye and can see the heavens. ”
The eunuch on the side asked cautiously"Your Majesty, does this mean that he really knows who you are?”
Qianlong shook his head slowly and sighed"Perhaps. But now it seems that he had no ill intentions. His departure, and this note, are telling me a truth. ”
The eunuch asked puzzled"Your Majesty, what is the reason for that?”
Qianlong stared at the note in his hand and replied in thought"Destiny is something that no one can escape. Neither I am an emperor nor a commoner can change this. ”
This incident made Qianlong feel a deep sense of powerlessness.
As the king of a country, he is Xi to controlling everything, but in the face of the inability of fate, he feels his own insignificance.
He realized that even as an emperor, there were many things that he could not control.
Qianlong began to reflect on his approach to fortune tellers.
He felt a little regretful that he had not understood this true master.
The fortune teller's mysterious disappearance and the message seemed to remind him that something was beyond his comprehension.
This experience had a profound impact on Qianlong.
He began to pay more attention to his actions and decisions, and the impact of those decisions on his people and the country.
He also began to understand and respect the fate of everyone more deeply, as well as the unknown wise men.
Deep down in his heart, Qianlong was full of respect and curiosity for that fortune teller.
He regretted that he had not been able to understand this true master.
References:
Wu Yunqing. The prosperity of Qianlong and the mentality of Jiangnan scholars[J].Journal of Gansu Radio and Television University, 2017