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05 The Dragon King Is Beheaded

As noon approached the Emperor had a go board brought and said, falsely, that he felt the urge to play and wished a game with his minister. Wei Zheng could hardly refuse, and settled down to play with what patience he could. Time feels short only when you need it; a game drags when the heart is elsewhere. Before they knew it the third quarter of the hour of noon had come, with the game still unfinished — and suddenly Wei Zheng slumped over the table, snoring, fast asleep. The Emperor supposed his minister worn out by ceaseless care for the realm, and let him sleep. Little did he know that in his sleep Wei Zheng's spirit had already passed out of the palace gate and ridden a five-coloured cloud up to the ninth heaven. There, not far away, stood the Dragon-Flaying Terrace, swept by bleak winds and cold mist — and the Dragon King of the Jing River was being led toward it, bound hand and foot by heavenly soldiers. Several strong men came forward and chained the Dragon King fast with cold iron to the coiled-dragon pillar at the centre of the terrace. He folded his claws and drew in his scales, moaning piteously. "Old dragon of the Jing River!" cried Wei Zheng. "You have broken the laws of Heaven and are sentenced to die. By the mandate of Heaven I end your life." He raised his frost-edged sword, stepped forward and struck — and the dragon's head fell to the ground. Meanwhile the Tang Emperor was still studying the board when Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, Xu Shiji and others strode into the hall and laid a blood-soaked dragon's head before him. "South of the Thousand-Pace Corridor, at the crossroads, a dragon's head has fallen out of the clouds," they reported. "The people are terrified. We beg to inform Your Majesty." By now Wei Zheng had woken. He knelt and said, "Your Majesty, this dragon broke the laws of Heaven; your servant rode an auspicious cloud up to heaven in a dream and beheaded it. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness." And he told the whole story of the dragon slain in his dream. Seeing that the thing was done and that his minister was without fault, the Emperor could do nothing but reward Wei Zheng. He gave orders for the head to be hung in the market place and proclaimed to the people of Chang'an. That night, back in the palace, the Emperor thought of the dragon in his dream pleading for its life, and his heart grew heavy. He lay down on his side, and drowsiness crept over his spirit until he fell asleep. At the second watch he heard wailing beyond the palace gate, and there, not far off, came the Dragon King of the Jing River carrying his bloody head, crying, "You promised to save me and broke your word. Give me back my life! Give me back my life! I will take you before the Yama Kings of the Underworld and have it out with you there!" The dragon clutched at the Emperor and would not let go; he struggled until sweat poured from him. Just as he could not break free, fragrant clouds gathered in the south and Guanyin Bodhisattva came drifting toward them. The Bodhisattva stepped forward and swept her willow branch; the headless Dragon King of the Jing River, wailing bitterly, went off toward the northwest. The terror of that dream left the Emperor waking in fright every night, and from then on he took to his bed and did not rise. The Empress Dowager, anxious for the Emperor's health, summoned the imperial physicians. Before long they reported back: the Emperor's allotted span was nearly run, and he had not long to live.

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