Wang Ruiting of Mount Chang was skilled in divination, capable of inviting deities to descend. The spirit he summoned claimed to be He Xian, a disciple of Lü Dongbin, though some suggested he was the immortal crane ridden by the Dao Ancestor himself. Whenever He Xian manifested, he would discuss poetry with those present, his literary talent utterly transcendent. The Grand Historian Li Zhijun took him as a master, seeking instruction in scholarship. He Xian would review essays with remarkable clarity and structure; with his assistance, Scholar Li’s insights flourished, culminating in his success on the imperial examination roll.
Consequently, He Xian’s renown soared, and scholars and literary figures flocked to associate with him. During the Xinwei year cycle, Lord Zhu Wenzong, serving as the Circuit Inspector of Jinan, presided over the local examinations. Among the candidates was a young man named Li Bian, who possessed considerable talent. After the exams concluded, a friend submitted Li Bian’s composition to He Xian for critique, inquiring about his prospective rank.
He Xian declared, “In terms of pure literary merit, this piece merits the first rank. However, Li Bian’s fortune is poor; he will likely be relegated to the fourth rank. The discrepancy between the writing and the result suggests a grave impropriety. Could it be that Lord Zhu Wenzong is selecting candidates based on favoritism rather than merit? I shall visit the government office to ascertain the truth.” Having spoken, he vanished.
A short while later, He Xian returned, reporting, “I just visited the Prefectural Academic Office. Lord Wenzong is overwhelmingly occupied with administrative duties and has not reviewed a single paper. The entire task of ranking the candidates has been delegated to his subordinates. His panel of examiners is a motley crew—many are mere linsheng or jiansheng (students holding minor stipends or government allowances), hardly qualified to judge excellence! These men seem to be the lingering shades of hungry ghosts from a previous life, wandering and begging, some even having languished in dark dungeons for over eight hundred years, their eyes dimmed and unable to discern quality from dross. No wonder Li Bian’s luck has failed him.”
The assembled group asked, “Is there a way to remedy this?” He Xian replied, “The method exists, and you all know it well enough. Why press the question?” The others understood the implication and conveyed the matter to Scholar Li. Li Bian, filled with apprehension, took his essay and proceeded to the residence of Grand Historian Sun, seeking a consultation. The elder historian read Li Bian’s work and praised it highly, stating, “This essay unequivocally belongs in the first rank.”
Grand Historian Sun was a titan of the literary world; any assessment from him was naturally beyond reproach. Hearing this, Li Bian’s anxieties immediately subsided, and he cast aside He Xian’s prophecy of poor fortune. Soon, the day of the posting of results arrived, and precisely as He Xian had foreseen, Li Bian was awarded only the fourth rank.
When Grand Historian Sun heard the news, he was utterly aghast. He consoled Li Bian, saying, “Lord Wenzong has a respectable reputation; if he had graded the papers himself, such absurdity would never have occurred. This ranking must be the work of those drunken hangers-on among his staff. Since things stand as they are, your only recourse is to seek He Xian’s aid again, and perhaps ask him to divine your future prospects.”
Li Bian followed the advice and visited He Xian. He Xian told him, “Young Master, do not despair. You should make numerous copies of your examination paper and circulate them widely. Try again next year, and your fortune will surely turn.” Li Bian heeded the counsel, diligently following He Xian’s instructions to disseminate his composition throughout the region. The essay soon found its way into the hands of Lord Zhu Wenzong himself.
After reading the paper, Lord Wenzong offered Li Bian comforting words and instructed him to return for the following year’s examination. In the next cycle of the provincial exams, Li Bian indeed achieved one of the highest placements.