A Taoist priest from the central prefecture traveled to a village seeking alms. The host prepared a banquet to honor him. After the meal, a golden oriole began to sing in a nearby tree. The host inquired about the sound, and the Taoist stated, "The bird is speaking. It says, 'The great fire cannot be saved; it is dreadful!'" The family members all burst into laughter, paying it no mind. The very next day, a great fire indeed engulfed the host's home, destroying more than half of it, at which point they marveled at the Taoist's supernatural insight.

A busybody caught up with the priest, remarking, "Venerable Master, you foresee the future—are you an immortal?" The Taoist replied, "I merely understand the language of birds; I am hardly an immortal." As he spoke, a bright finch chirped ceaselessly in a tree. The busybody asked, "What is the bird saying now?" The Taoist answered, "It says, 'Born on the sixth day of the month, born on the sixth day; dying on the fourteenth, dying on the sixteenth.' It seems someone nearby recently gave birth to twins. Today is the tenth day; within five or six days, both children will perish." The crowd didn't believe him, but upon making inquiries, they confirmed that a family had indeed just had twins, who soon passed away, the timing matching the Taoist’s prophecy exactly.

When the County Magistrate heard of this, he invited the Taoist into his residence, treating him as an honored guest. Just then, a flock of ducks waddled past the courtyard. The Magistrate asked, "What are the ducks saying?" The Taoist replied, "My Lord's wives and concubines are not getting along; they must have quarreled. The ducks say, 'Enough! Favor him! Favor him!'" The Magistrate was immensely impressed. Moments before, his wives and concubines had been at odds, bickering incessantly; when he stepped in to mediate, he was only dragged into the fray and banished from their chambers.

From that day forward, the Taoist lived in the Magistrate’s household. Because he was fluent in the language of birds and could predict fortune and disaster with uncanny accuracy—nine out of ten predictions proving correct—he was held in high esteem. However, the Taoist was a man of simple honesty, without guile, and he spoke his mind without reservation. The Magistrate, by nature greedy, diverted all local tributes intended for the yamen, converting them into silver for his own lavish spending.

One day, the Magistrate was chatting with the Taoist when the flock of ducks passed by the door again, quacking loudly. The Magistrate asked, "What did the ducks say this time?" The Taoist replied, "What they say today is different from before. The ducks are settling accounts for Your Excellency." The Magistrate pressed, "What accounts have they settled?" The Taoist stated, "The ducks say, 'One hundred and eighty wen for candles, one thousand eight hundred wen for silver beads.'" Hearing this, the Magistrate flushed with shame, assuming the Taoist was deliberately mocking him.

Seeing the Magistrate’s displeasure, the Taoist requested permission to leave, but the Magistrate refused. Several days later, the Magistrate was drinking with a guest when the call of a cuckoo suddenly sounded outside the window. The guest asked, "Does the cuckoo have something to say?" The Taoist answered, "Indeed. It says, 'Stripped of office and gone.'" At these words, everyone present turned pale with shock. The Magistrate flew into a rage and immediately drove the Taoist out.

Not long thereafter, the Magistrate’s corruption was exposed, and he was indeed dismissed from his post.