Murong Ke had originally intended to discuss the Five Phases of the National Destiny anew with Emperor Murong Wei and the ministers after the banquet in the Hall of the Shrine of Ximen Bao. He believed the frequent floods and droughts within the Yan Kingdom were caused by an improper succession of the elements. Yesterday, he had consulted Advisory Military Adviser Han Huan and Director of the Secretariat Nie Xiong about Chen Caozhi's suggestion that Yan should succeed Zhao under Wood Virtue. Naturally, he had not said that this brilliant argument came from Chen Caozhi-
Han Huan was widely read in the classics, versed in every field, and a great Confucian scholar of the Yan Kingdom. He said, "Zhao's possession of the Central Plains was not merely a matter of human affairs; it was Heaven's decree. Heaven truly bestowed it upon them, yet men stripped them of it. I humbly believe this was improper. When our Great Yan first received the mandate, a dragon appeared in the capital. Dragons preside over the east and correspond to Wood Virtue. Thus, succeeding Zhao under Wood Virtue is entirely fitting."
Director of the Secretariat Nie Xiong agreed with Han Huan and praised him, saying, "'Without a gentleman, how could a state flourish?' Surely these words speak of Lord Han?"
Murong Ke thought, That gentleman should really be Chen Caozhi. From that moment on, he began to entertain the idea of recruiting Chen Caozhi. Fu Jian had failed to keep him, but the Murong Clan would make certain he stayed-
Yet a mysterious prophecy had appeared during the ceremony at the Shrine of Ximen Bao. Though it had nothing to do with Murong Ke, it would remind people of those two nursery rhymes. At such an unusual time, Murong Ke also had to avoid