I’ve brushed it up just a little, including changing the title to “The Guardians of the Gate.” I’ve posted the full translation of the story, as it now stands, at my new blog.
It was not uncommon for Wei Zheng to join the Emperor for a game of chess from time to time. But after having spent the day in a garden stroll, he was genuinely tired. They played for a while, until Wei Zheng grew so tired that he dazedly took his chess pieces in hand, half asleep as he played.
Tang Tai Zong thought to himself, “If Wei Zheng takes a little nap here, all the better. That way, he won’t set foot out of my door at all.”
After a short while, Wei Zheng suddenly jumped up and said, “Now that is scary!”
After spending the day roaming through the imperial garden, Tang Tai Zong invited Wei Zheng to stay and have dinner with him. When the meal was finished, Wei Zheng prepared to take his leave. Feeling the dreaded time drawing upon him, Tang Tai Zong laughed and excitedly exclaimed, “I’d really like to have a game of chess today! Why don’t you stay and join me for a game?”
That day, the God of the River disguised himself, dressing all in white and posing as a student. In his hand waving a white jade fan, he entered Chang’an.
In a short while, he reached Yuan Tian Gang’s fortune-telling stall. Rudely he said, “Hey Boss! Let me ask you, when is it going to rain around these parts? How much will it rain? How long will it keep falling? If you don’t predict accurately, I’m gonna trample your fortune-telling stall. If you can predict accurately, I’ll give you 500 pieces of silver.”
