Slaying a Dragon in a Dream

"The Jing River Dragon King did indeed intend to do so. But Yuan Shoucheng's divination reached the very Way of Heaven. The Heavenly Court suddenly issued an imperial decree ordering the Jing River Dragon King to bring rain the next day, and the timing and amount specified in the decree matched Yuan Shoucheng's predictions exactly. Driven by his desire to win, the Jing River Dragon King secretly changed the timing and amount of rainfall, violating heavenly law. The Heavenly Court discovered what he had done, and in the end, he lost his life to the executioner's blade," Cheng Yaojin continued.

"So that was what happened. But why did the Jing River Dragon King seek revenge on His Majesty?" Lu Huaming gained some understanding, then asked another question.

"After learning that he had violated heavenly law, the Jing River Dragon King went to Yuan Shoucheng for help. Yuan Shoucheng calculated that Chancellor Wei Zheng would behead him on Heaven's behalf at a quarter to one the following afternoon, and told him to seek His Majesty's aid. Moved by the Jing River Dragon King's sincerity, His Majesty summoned Wei Zheng to his bedchamber the next day and kept him at his side. His intention was to stall for time so that Wei Zheng would have no opportunity to leave the palace and execute the Jing River Dragon King. He kept him there until noon, when ruler and minister sat down to a game of chess. Exhausted from his work on affairs of state, Wei Zheng actually fell asleep over the table. His Majesty let him doze without waking him. When a quarter to one arrived, His Majesty thought the Jing River Dragon King had escaped disaster and felt relieved. Then he suddenly noticed beads of sweat covering Wei Zheng's forehead and a