Tang Sangguo Li Kui year exams, was mobilized in the capital, heard that Xuanping Square has a good fortune teller called Wang Sheng, they went to ask their future. Wang Sheng every fortune telling, to charge 500 yuan, but there are still many people who go to tell fortunes, every day from the hour to the hour, there are still not on the number and a trip in vain. Li Kui with a fine yarn as a gift, very early to go. Wang Sheng told him his fortune and said, “You are asking what official position you can be selected for with your articles, right? I calculate that you can get a county lieutenant of Henan Province.” Li Kui thought he was too talented to be such a minor official, so he looked angry and wanted to leave. Wang Sheng said again, “Don’t be upset, a few months later, you can still be the left collector, the future is unlimited.” Li Kui still remained angry. Wang Sheng said again: “If it is the same as what I said, I hope you can come to visit.”
As a matter of fact, Li Kui failed in the examination of the book judge, and was sent to Bianzhou as a lieutenant of Chenliu County to fill the vacancy. Only then did Li Kui know that Wang Sheng’s words were true, and he rushed to Wang Sheng for advice. Wang Sheng took out the sealed letter from under the book case, which was about a dozen sheets of paper thick, and gave it to Li Kui, saying, “You can open this letter when you are officially appointed as the left collector, otherwise there will be a disaster.” Li Kui received the letter and rushed to Chenliu. The interviewer, Ni Ruobing, thought Li Kui had talent and came from a famous family, so he kept him to help in the government. It was just when the county government needed to consult the court about something and wanted to find someone who had contacts with the court, and there was no one better than Li Kui, so he was sent there.
In the middle of the Tang Emperor Xuanzong’s Kaiyuan period, all the officials surnamed Li in the county offices had to meet with Zongzheng first when they submitted their documents. At that time, Li Chyou was the patriarch. At that time, Li Kui was the head of the court, and Li Kui met with him when the court officials were giving the emperor an honorary title. Li Kui, who has long heard of Li Kui’s talent, asked him to draft three papers for the emperor, one by one. The emperor summoned Li璆 and said, “The articles reported by the hundred officials have not been able to catch up with yours, which I appreciate very much.” Li You kowtowed and said, “These three articles were not written by me, but by my nephew, Li Kui, a lieutenant of Chenliu.” The emperor ordered to summon Li Kui. At that time, Li Kui was living in the house of his aunt surnamed Lu in Huaiyuan Square. When he heard that the emperor had summoned him, he dared not come out until he knew that the emperor was going to select and reappoint him, so he went to see the emperor. The emperor ordered the minister to test his essays and poems. At that time, Chen Huangmen gave three topics, one is the “purple silk Shenglu sac fugue”, one is the “answer to the Tufan”, and the other is the “on behalf of the South Vietnam dedication white peacock table”. Li Kui finished it from noon to noon. After it was sealed, he asked for permission, “There is nothing missing in the first two books, but there may be something missing or questionable in the last one, so I would like to write it in more detail.” So he was allowed to unseal it, and Li Kui scribbled eight more words and added two comments next to it, and then presented it to the emperor.
The next day Li Kui was awarded the title of left collector. Ten days later, he opened the letter given to him by Wang Sheng and saw that the three essays he had written for the examination were all in it, and even the places where he had scribbled and added notes were exactly the same. Li Kui immediately drove to Xuanping Place to see Wang Sheng, but he was no longer there.
This Wang Sheng is not good at fortune telling anymore, he has already seen Li Kui’s essay ahead of time with his Fate Pass function.
(Source: Ex-Definite Record)
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