"Seal?"
Cao Rui looked at Xiahou Xian under the influence of alcohol and said with a smile: "Even if I had two hectares of land in Luoyang, how could I wear the seals of the six kingdoms?"
Sima Yi had been observing the emperor's expression during the banquet. After hearing these words, he was stunned for a moment.
Isn’t this sentence referring to Su Qin?
Xiahou Xian didn't know the story of Su Qin, so he shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, what Cheng Shenbo is talking about is the seal of the prime minister. It's like the seal of the prime minister used for face reading and horse judging."
Now it was Cao Zhi, the scholar, who was puzzled: "What a strange thing! Can a seal be used for photo taking?"
Everyone also looked at Xiahou Xian curiously.
"That's true! How dare I lie in front of your majesty?" Xiahou Xian quickly explained, "Why not call Cheng Shenbo here and ask him and we'll know!"
Cao Rui smiled and nodded: "Okay, then send someone to quickly call Cheng Shenbo over!"
"However, Cheng Shenbo is a general of the Wei Dynasty. Although he is not of high rank and cannot come to the banquet, it would be a bit insulting to him if he was only summoned here for questioning."
"Someone, add a table for Cheng Xi and ask the kitchen to make some new dishes!"
Sima Yi bowed and smiled, "Your Majesty is truly a holy ruler! How can I not be loyal to you when you love me so much?"
Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi, raised the corner of his mouth, waved his hand, and said nothing more.
Everyone continued to feast and drink. After about two sticks of incense, Cheng Xi walked into the hall and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I, Cheng Xi, greet you!"
Cao Rui smiled and pointed to the table not far from him: "Xiahou Kangren said that Cheng Qing is good at holding the seal, so I called you here to see it. Come sit next to me, have some wine and food first, I will ask you later."
After Cheng Xi thanked the emperor, he sat down and did as the emperor had just said. He started to eat the food and wine seriously. His wolfing down made everyone in the hall laugh.
Although Cao Rui was slightly drunk, he understood that Cheng Xi was a general with both civil and military talents, just like Guo Huai in the past, and was definitely not a rough and uncultured general like Xu Chu. This behavior was probably just to leave a good impression on the emperor.
Not long after, Cheng Xi wiped his mouth, turned to the emperor and bowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the banquet. I have already eaten it."
Cao Rui nodded and said, "Mr. Cheng, come to the hall and show me and the others how your seal looks like."
Cheng Xi was not afraid of the stage, he went straight to the hall, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, the so-called seal method is a kind of shape method."
"As for the shape method, it can be used to describe everything from the top to the terrain of the nine continents and thousands of miles, to the bones of people and livestock, and to the shapes of various utensils."
"Just like the length of a musical note, the sound varies. Physiognomy is not something that comes from ghosts or gods. It is just a manifestation of nature."
Cao Rui's expression became slightly more serious: "Can the situation of the Nine Provinces be understood by the method of shape?"
Cheng Xi nodded: "There are many types of physiognomy, such as physiognomy of people, oxen, horses, eagles, cranes, scepters, seals, etc. There is nothing in the world that cannot be physiognomized."
"I am only good at giving seals to the ministers, not at anything else."
Cao Rui asked again: "Cheng Qing, what can you use this seal method to seal?"
Cheng Xi replied: "The rise and fall of fortune, good and bad luck, and fate can all be predicted with seals."
Cao Rui continued to ask: "If you follow what Cheng Qing said, then if I give you the imperial seal, can you predict the fate of the country?"
Cheng Xi was stunned at first, then hesitantly replied: "It seems possible..."
Sima Yi stood up suddenly at the table, pointed at Cheng Xi and said sternly: "Cheng Shenbo, don't talk nonsense! The jade seal is just a dead object, how can it determine the rise and fall of a country? Don't be a traitor to His Majesty!"
Cheng Xi was frightened by Sima Yi, and his words became more hesitant. He even bowed to Sima Yi and said, "Sikong, that's not what I meant..."
"Alright, alright." Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi and said, "I don't mean that either. Sikong, please don't scare him."
Sima Yi silently bowed to the emperor and then sat down.
Cao Rui asked: "Since it can predict good and bad fortune, fate, can it also predict the future of official career?"
Cheng Xi nodded and said, "Your Majesty, it is possible."
"How do you come?"
Cheng Xi replied: "There are three methods of seal printing."
"First, we can verify the development of the matter based on the signs that occur during the casting process."
"Secondly, you can use the correctness and shape of the characters on the seal to predict good or bad luck."
"The third is to use the seal as a divination tool, observing its shape and texture to perform divination, just like burning tortoise shells to determine good or bad luck in ancient times."
Cao Rui thought for a moment and said, "If I ask you to use your seal to predict someone's future, and that person is not here, how can you predict it?"
Cheng Xi replied: "You can use the first and third methods to observe the signs during the seal making process and the texture after the seal is made."
Cao Rui nodded, then looked at everyone: "Cheng Shenbo's seal method is indeed interesting. Have you heard of it before?"
Sima Yi, Xin Pi, Yang Fu, Qian Zhao and others all said that they had never heard of it.
Cheng Xi stood there and explained: "Your Majesty, I learned the seal-making method from Zong Yang, the seal-maker of the Imperial Censorate. Zong Yang learned it from Wei Dan and Wei Zhongjiang of Chongwen Temple, and Wei Zhongjiang learned it from Chen Huqi."
Cao Rui frowned: "I only know that Wei Dan is good at calligraphy and ink making, but he can also make seals?"
"And the Chen Huqi you mentioned, is it the Huqi General Chen Qun or Chen Changwen?"
"That's right." Cheng Xi replied.
When everyone present heard the name Chen Qun, they were all amazed for a moment.
Cao Rui turned his head and looked at Sima Yi: "Does Sikong know that Chen Huqi knows how to seal the seal?" Sima Yi smiled awkwardly: "I have worked with Chen Huqi for many years, but I don't know anything about this matter."
Cao Rui nodded slightly and remained silent for a few moments.
The emperor did not speak, and everyone in the hall looked at him.
At this moment, Cao Rui was thinking in his heart, as an emperor, can he really fully understand a minister?
Chen Qun was already in his sixties, and Sima Yi, who had served him for twenty years, did not know that Chen Qun would hold the seal of the Prime Minister. If it were not for what Lieutenant General Cheng Xi said at the banquet in Chang'an today, I am afraid no one would know about this.
What about Cao Zhen, Sima Yi, or even Guanqiu Jian and Jiang Wei? Can I really understand all of them?
The answer is obviously no.
Cao Rui sighed softly: "Since Cheng Qing mentioned Chen Huqi, if I ask you to advise Chen Huqi on his career, how would you do it?"
Cheng Xi thought for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, please allow me to carve a seal for Chen Huqi now."
"Okay!" Cao Rui said, "Come here, go find Fu Jie Ling and get a piece of jasper and a carving knife!"
"Cheng Qing, just engrave the four characters 'Chen Changwen Seal' on it."
Cheng Xi nodded in agreement.
The emperor always did things without any taboos, especially for Chen Qun and Chen Changwen, who were tens of thousands of miles away from here. No one cared at all when he carved a private seal for him.
After a while, Guanqiu Jian brought the jade and tools needed for engraving for Cheng Xi, and Cao Rui called Guanqiu Jian to his side.
Guanqiu Jian put his ear close to Cao Rui, and Cao Rui whispered: "I want to summon Chen Huqi back to Luoyang to serve as Minister of Education. Tell this to Sima, Xin, Yang, Cao, Qian, and Zhu."
Situ? Let Chen Qun replace the dead Wang Lang and become the new Situ of Wei?
But after all, he was General Chen Qun, and his age and qualifications were enough to make him one of the Three Dukes, so there was nothing surprising about it.
Guanqiu Jian nodded in agreement, walked slowly into the hall, and spoke one by one to the six ministers named by the emperor.
When everyone heard the news, they almost thought about it for a moment and then nodded in agreement.
It was expected that Chen Qun would be the Situ, there was nothing surprising about it.
While Cao Rui and Guanqiu Jian were whispering, Cheng Xi had already started carving the seal, holding the jade seal blank in his left hand and the carving knife in his right hand.
The general shape of private seals in the Han Dynasty was an octagon with twelve points. To describe it in more detail, it was roughly a cube with a trapezoidal cube added on top.
If it is a simple engraving, it will take no more than the time of an incense stick.
While everyone was talking, Cheng Xi placed the seal that had been preliminarily carved in the palms of his hands, rubbed it repeatedly, and used his fingertips to carefully feel the lines and grooves around the seal.
Cao Rui saw Cheng Xi's appearance, and also noticed that when Cheng Xi was touching the seal, not only were his eyes closed, but his expression was also quite solemn, as if he was treating something very solemn and serious.
Perhaps this is the case of sincerity and success. Although Cao Rui did not believe in this harmless and rare thing, he always viewed it with appreciation.
Even if you just watch it as a performance or magic trick, it's worth the price of the ticket!
After a few moments, Cheng Xi opened his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I have already carved the seal of Chen Huqi according to your order, and I have already stamped it."
Cao Rui nodded: "Show me the seal."
"According to the order."
Cheng Xi walked slowly forward with the seal in both hands and presented it to Cao Rui.
Cao Rui carefully examined the small seal in his hand, but found nothing special about it.
Cao Rui raised his head and asked, "Mr. Cheng, just tell me your conclusion. I don't understand your seal-making method, and I really can't see the specialness of this seal."
Cheng Xi stepped back two steps, clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, when I was engraving the seal, it was as if divine help was given, and it went extremely smoothly, without any abnormality. This is a good omen."
"This seal is uniform in width, thickness and shape, without any imbalance. Its edges and corners are sharp, and its lines are straight like a bowstring. It is wide on both sides, with colorful patterns and a clean luster. These are two auspicious signs."
"The seal button is smooth and flawless, and there are faint mountain and cloud patterns. This is a sign that the owner of the seal will be promoted and will have good luck with his offspring."
After saying this, Cheng Xi cupped his hands and said, "What I discovered from the Prime Minister's seal is that Chen Huqi will be promoted and it will be beneficial to his descendants."
Cao Rui's eyes widened slightly, he clapped his hands, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
Before this, when they heard Guanqiu Jian talk about the six people appointed by Chen Qun, namely Sima Yi, Xin Pi, Yang Fu, Cao Hong, Qian Zhao and Zhu Gai, they were all surprised and moved.
Cheng Xi looked around and asked hesitantly, "May I ask Your Majesty, am I right?"
Cao Rui nodded: "Cheng Qing is right. But you will know exactly why when you arrive in Luoyang."
"However, Mr. Cheng, is there any example of a bad result when the seal was sealed?"
Cheng Xi bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, do you still remember Xu Shizong?"
Cao Rui nodded: "I remember that I was exiled by the court because of the Fuhua case."
Cheng Xi replied, "Xu Yun also knows how to carve the seal of the prime minister. Before he was appointed as an official, he tried to carve the seal of the prime minister three times but failed. Xu Yun said it was a sign of humiliation."
"When the seal officer sent someone to deliver the official seal to Xu Yun, Xu Yun carefully questioned the person who delivered the seal and learned that the seal had been accidentally dropped into the toilet by the person who delivered the seal."
"Xu Yun served for only a few years before he was exiled for his crimes, which seemed to echo the previous incident."
Cao Rui took a breath and said, "Xu Yun had his own way of being convicted, but could he really have seen it from the seal several years ago?"
Xin Pi said coldly, "Since he himself holds the seal of the prime minister, and yet he has not been cautious in the past few years, it is actually his own fault! It has nothing to do with the seal."
Cao Rui clasped his hands together and laughed. (End of this chapter)
