Chapter 0294: For Reference Only – The Directorate of Celestial Observation, The Second Prince Is Too Far Ahead

Zhang Yuheng gazed distantly at the hidden door, his eyes gleaming faintly in the night, appearing restless and eager.

“Brother Su, do you want to go in and take a look?”

He wrote in his little notebook.

Su Qinghe immediately took two steps back in shock, shaking his head repeatedly.

His tone was urgent, as if afraid Zhang Yuheng might do something wrong, “Brother Zhang! You mustn’t entertain such thoughts! That… that’s forbidden ground! We can’t just enter casually!”

Zhang Yuheng blinked, finding his panicked demeanor quite endearing.

His father had said that people like this were clearly timid and could be teased.

Just scare him a little.

Zhang Yuheng extended his free hand, grasped Su Qinghe’s wrist, and with a gentle tug pulled him along, “Come! Let’s go in and see!”

Su Qinghe felt like he was about to fall apart. His strength was no match for Zhang Yuheng’s, and he feared making too much noise that might wake others. He could only struggle while being forced toward the hidden door.

“Brother Zhang! Brother Zhang!” As they drew closer to the hidden door, Su Qinghe anxiously called out in a low voice, pounding on Zhang Yuheng’s sturdy arm with his hand, “It’s really not allowed! Go by yourself if you must, I can’t do it, really I can’t!”

The official position that the Second Prince had worked so hard to secure for him—if he were to be dismissed because of this, he would truly want to atone with his death!

He couldn’t betray the Second Prince’s cultivation, nor could he betray the trust of Ti Ling Guo and his colleagues!

Seeing Su Qinghe so distressed he was nearly in tears, his eyes beginning to redden, Zhang Yuheng quickly released his hand. After fumbling around, he finally pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Su Qinghe.

He wrote in his little notebook: “I was just joking, sorry.”

Su Qinghe lowered his head, turned away, and refused to speak.

Zhang Yuheng had no choice but to circle around to face him, leaning down to bring his head level with Su Qinghe’s chest, showing him the words in the notebook, “Are you really crying?”

Su Qinghe: …

Su Qinghe wanted to punch his face.

He was just taking advantage of his easygoing nature!

How could this person be so mean-spirited?

He turned away again, unwilling to speak.

Zhang Yuheng scratched his head, unsure how to console him. His father had only taught him how to tease people and how to coax ladies, but not how to coax men.

Well, he himself was a man—if someone teased him…

Zhang Yuheng felt he would smile while punching the other person’s face.

No, no, he and Su Qinghe couldn’t be compared. Su Qinghe was such a gentle and refined man, he certainly wouldn’t be so crude.

Just as Zhang Yuheng was racking his brains, wondering if he could use the coaxing approach on Su Qinghe, suddenly, a sharp ringing of bells erupted, startling both of them.

It was the several pairs of bronze bells hanging above the hidden door that had sounded.

The Directorate of Celestial Observation was already spacious, and these bells, for some unknown reason, could produce a series of extremely hollow and continuous echoes throughout the entire observatory. Zhang Yuheng was almost certain that the officials sleeping in the Directorate would be awakened immediately.

Su Qinghe whirled around, staring at Zhang Yuheng in disbelief, as if loudly questioning: Didn’t you say you were just joking?!

Zhang Yuheng felt utterly unable to defend himself. He grabbed his head in frustration.

Heavens, he really hadn’t touched anything!!!

Soon, colleagues awakened by the bronze bells rushed over in nervous haste, their official robes still in disarray. Some had even lost their shoes along the way, only to have them picked up and tossed back by another colleague.

Guo Tianheng arrived hurriedly and paused briefly upon seeing the two. “Why are you two here?”

Just as Zhang Yuheng was about to write in his notebook that he was merely passing by, Guo Tianheng waved his hand dismissively. “Never mind, it’s not important. Where’s the Directorate Head?”

A middle-aged man stumbled over, “Here, I’m here!”

He produced a key from his robe and inserted it into the right keyhole of the hidden door, while Guo Tianheng took out the key for the left keyhole. As they turned their keys simultaneously, the hidden door clicked open.

Guo Tianheng strode directly inside and swiftly closed the door behind him. Zhang Yuheng barely caught a glimpse of what appeared to be an ancient-style altar inside, upon which something emitted a faint white glow.

Is that the device for receiving the Heavenly Decree…

Nearby, colleagues from the Directorate of Celestial Observation whispered among themselves.

“Who knows if this Heavenly Decree will bring auspicious or ominous news…”

“Could it be related to the earthquake?”

“Are you suggesting the Crown Prince was telling the truth? That an earthquake will truly occur in the east?”

“Come now, if it were the Second Prince saying this, I might believe it. But the Crown Prince is no harbinger of good fortune – how can we take his words seriously?”

Other officials nodded in agreement. During the previous northern snow disaster, the Second Prince had accurately predicted it. Had the Second Prince still been alive and forecast this earthquake, it might indeed have come to pass.

No one understood why, when the Crown Prince had earlier sent word to Ti Ling Guo instructing him not to refute the possibility of an earthquake before the court officials, Ti Ling Guo had actually remained silent and said nothing.

They felt Ti Ling Guo’s official career had reached its end. It had always been said that the Directorate of Celestial Observation should maintain distance from both the imperial family and court officials, precisely to prevent those with ill intentions from exploiting the Directorate for personal gain.

Of course, the Second Prince was the exception.

Yet Ti Ling Guo had actually assisted the Crown Prince – like bargaining with a tiger for its skin!

They ought to convene an internal meeting to impeach Ti Ling Guo!

The Directorate officials fumed inwardly.

Half an hour later, Guo Tianheng finally emerged, his expression grave.

The Directorate officials immediately understood – this Heavenly Decree must again bear ill tidings.

Guo Tianheng scanned his subordinates, then took a deep breath and announced slowly, “The Crown Prince was correct. The earth dragon will turn over in the east.”

Instantly, the officials erupted in astonishment.

“The Crown Prince was actually right?”

“How extraordinary! Does the Crown Prince also read celestial signs? This is unbelievable!”

“Damn it all, is this what they mean about hard work never matching natural talent?” someone couldn’t help but curse aloud.

Guo Tianheng shot a warning glare at the swearer, reminding him to mind his position, then ordered, “Sound the Heaven Bell.”

Eleven chimes.

This signified great calamity.

Fortunately, the court had already initiated earthquake preparedness measures, leaving ample time for preparations.

After locking the hidden door, Guo Tianheng couldn’t help recalling the request the Second Prince had made when visiting the Directorate during the snow disaster.

“If someday, either I or Shen Yuan predicts an earthquake in Jian’an, I don’t ask you to acknowledge it – only that you remain silent and stay uninvolved.”

Agreeing to this matter would not damage the authority of the Directorate of Celestial Observation. After all, they had neither confirmed the authenticity of the earthquake nor explicitly stated that such an event would definitely not occur.

The Directorate of Celestial Observation was not omnipotent. While they could indeed predict potential disasters based on celestial patterns, errors still occurred. Only the infallible Heavenly Decree would be formally proclaimed to the imperial court.

The rest was merely for reference.

Guo Tianheng could not help but look up and sigh.

The Second Prince was still too far ahead of his time!