Chapter 26: The Chapter on Covering and Guessing · Supplemental Examples Two (Jimao Year, You Month, Xinmao Day, Wu Hour)

占驗二、己卯年酉月辛卯日午時辰將，氣功弟子楊明業來，妻上集買菜，回來問所買何物。 空虎 青 卯辰巳午 常 蛇六 常陰 丑 六 勾 寅 未 玄 亥丑 午申 亥 蛇 六 丑 申 陰 丑卯 申辛 酉 后 朱 子亥戌酉 后 蛇貴

The second example: In the year Ji Mao, month You, day Xin Mao, and time Wu, the class is started with the hour Chen added to Wu. A disciple practicing qigong, Yang Mingye, came to ask, saying his wife went to the market to buy vegetables, and upon her return, he wanted to know what she had bought. In the class, the Heaven Plate is two places behind the Earth Plate. The four lessons, arranged from right to left, are: the day stem Xin is located in the palace Xu, with Xu having Shen, Shen having Wu, and the day branch Mao having Chou, Chou having Hai. The heavenly spirits on the four lessons are Hai, Chou, Wu, and Shen, which respectively ride Teng Snake, Liu He, Tai Chang, and Tai Yin. The three transmissions are: the first transmission Hai riding Teng Snake, the middle transmission Chou riding Liu He, and the final transmission Wu riding Heavenly Empress. The three transmissions, Chou, Hai, and Wu, descend in reverse order, each skipping a position. The day Xin Mao belongs to the Jiashen decade, with Kongwang in Wu and Wei. Since none of the three transmissions fall into Kongwang, the object being sought is a real thing. This case is similar to the previous one and is an added example by the annotator, illustrating that the method of shooting the covered object is still applicable in modern times.

斷曰：丑為大腹，加卯之架，必是架上之物，斷是絲瓜或是冬瓜。“亥繩帶細長”，蛇亦為長物，亥又為水，加丑溼土之上，應是水菜。酉為辛味，上下皆水，不敢妄斷。 將出時，乃一冬瓜，一袋豆芽，一份芥末小油菜。

The judgment states: Chou represents large belly things, placed on a wooden frame made of Mao wood, it must be something growing on the frame, thus it is concluded to be either a calabash or a winter melon. The middle transmission is Hai, the mnemonic says "Hai is a rope and belt, fine and long," and Teng Snake also represents fine and long things; Hai belongs to water, placed on Chou, which is moist earth, it should be a vegetable grown from water. The final transmission is You, which represents pungent taste, and both above and below are water, so one cannot make a hasty judgment. When the item was brought out, it was indeed a winter melon, a bag of bean sprouts, and a portion of mustard mixed with small mustard greens.

占驗一、己巳二月乙巳日辛巳時，楚黃江半石先生占差出，一成課已為何姓者批定大同餉部，重審、斬關，寅卯空、未申落空。 蛇貴 朱 戌亥子丑 后 玄朱 陰六 兄 甲寅 陰 六 酉 寅 陰 卯戌 巳酉 財 丁未 龍 勾 申 卯 玄 戌巳 酉乙 父 壬子 貴 龍 未午巳辰 常 空虎

The first example: On the day of Yisi in the second month of the year Jisi, the day was Yisi and the hour was Xinsi. Jiang Banshi from Huanggang in Chu asked about the official post he would be assigned to. At that time, there was already a list written, stating that the post in the treasury of Datong had been assigned to a man surnamed He. This divination was set up with the general Wu added to the hour Xinsi. The lesson pattern belongs to "Re-examination," and it also includes the "Cutting the Gate" pattern. In this旬, the empty position is in the branches Yin and Mao. The heaven plate's Shen and Wei deities are exactly on the earth plate's Yin and Mao empty positions. The four lessons, arranged from right to left, are: the day stem Yi is lodged in Chen, with You on Chen, with Yin on You; the day branch Si has Wu on it, with Mao on Wu. The four heavenly deities on the lessons are successively accompanied by the Black Tortoise, Vermilion Bird, Tai Yin, and Liu He. The three transmissions are: the first transmission Yin with Tai Yin as a brother, the middle transmission Wei with Azure Dragon as a wife's wealth, and the final transmission Zi with Nobleman as a father and mother.

斷曰：此南行數也。彼以祿臨戌上，故云北差，不知守土官則論祿，欽差官只論馬。今驛馬長生居午，必是南差。曰：明日堂上該先拈後拈？予云：後拈得利。蓋以初傳中傳空亡，末見貴人生日故也。次早關中張主政先拈得大同差，暴存九江鈔關洪先生得之。

The judgment says: This is a fixed destiny to go south. Others, because the day stem is in the position of Xu, say it should be a mission to the north, but they do not know that the official who governs a region is determined by the禄神, while an imperial envoy is determined by the Post-horse. Now the Post-horse is in the position of Wu and is in the position of Growth, so it is definitely a mission to the south. Jiang asked: Tomorrow, when we draw lots in the hall, should I draw first or wait to draw later? I said: Drawing later is advantageous. Because the first and middle transmissions both fall into Kongwang, but the final transmission sees the Nobleman coming to birth the day stem. The next day in the morning, Zhang, the chief administrator from Guanzhong, drew first and got the post in Datong. The position of Bao Cun was drawn by Hong from the Jiangsu Customs.

占驗二、辛卯二月戊子日戊午時，同鄉親友胡尹二兄：占淮陽巡撫差可復否，吏書缺可照舊否？重審、鑄印，午未空、亥子落空。 朱蛇 六 戌亥子丑 貴 六常 陰六 父 癸巳 常 勾 酉 寅 后 戌巳 卯戌 比 丙戌 六 龍 申 卯 陰 巳子 戌戊 官 辛卯 陰 空 未午巳辰 玄 虎常

Second example: On the day of Wuwu in the second month of the year Xinmao, at the hour of Wuwu, two brothers-in-law from the same hometown, Hu and Yin, came to consult about two matters: whether the position of governor of Huaiyang can be restored, and whether the vacancies in the office staff and clerks can remain as they are. This divination was set up with the亥 (Hai) general added to the Wu (Wu) hour, forming the lesson pattern of "Re-examination," combined with the "Seal and Seal" pattern. In this旬 (decade), the empty position (kongwang) is in Wu and Wei. The Heaven Plate's Hai and Zi deities are directly over the Earth Plate's Wu and Wei empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Wu is lodged in Si, with Si having Xu, Xu having Mao; the day branch Zi has Si, with Si having Xu. The four heavenly deities on the lessons are Xu, Si, Mao, and Xu, respectively, each riding on theLiu He (Liu He), Tai Chang (Tai Chang), Tai Yin (Tai Yin), and Liu He (Liu He). The three transmissions are: the first transmission is Si riding Tai Chang (Tai Chang) as parents, the middle transmission is Xu riding Liu He (Liu He) as a companion, and the final transmission is Mao riding Tai Yin (Tai Yin) as official ghosts.

斷曰：巡方官可復，吏缺未能如舊也。何也？蓋因鑄印乘軒，主遷官轉職而啟奏事。喜日祿臨支發用，末傳太歲作官，定有差遣，代天子巡狩之官也，且官居奎婁，是鳳廬有官之兆。又格合迴環，四墓加生，去而復來、已廢復興之象，未幾工科上疏題復。不復吏書者，以課不全，故占二得一也。

The divination indicates that officials responsible for touring the regions can be restored, but the shortage of clerks and documents cannot be maintained as before. Why? Because the lesson is "casting the seal and riding in a carriage," which signifies promotion, transfer, and the ability to report directly to higher authorities. It is pleasing that the day stem's fortune is located on the day branch and serves as the first transmission, while the final transmission uses the year stem as the official star, indicating a certain appointment, which is exactly the role of an official who tours the country on behalf of the emperor. Moreover, the official star falls in the territories of the constellations Qiu and Lou, which is a sign of official positions in Fengyang and Luzhou areas. This lesson also forms a circular pattern, with the four graves placed over the long life, indicating a return after departure and the revival of something previously abolished. Soon after, the Ministry of Works indeed submitted a memorial requesting the restoration of this position. As for the inability to restore the shortage of clerks and documents, it is because the four lessons are incomplete, so only one of the two matters is fulfilled.

占驗一、己巳正月己未日庚午時，閩中張少司空諱維樞者索占，無祿、無路，子丑空、未申落空。 后陰 貴 子丑寅卯 玄 六陰 六陰 子 辛酉 六 蛇 亥 辰 常 酉寅 酉寅 兄 丙辰 常 朱 戌 巳 虎 寅未 寅己 財 癸亥 蛇 六 酉申未午 空 勾龍

The first example: On the day of Jiwei in the year Jisi, during the first lunar month, at the hour of Gengwu, Mr. Zhang Weichu, the junior minister of Fujian, asked me to cast a divination. This lesson was set up with the general Chou added to the hour of Wu. The lesson pattern belongs to "no salary," and also includes the pattern "no way." In this ten-day period, the empty position is in Zi and Chou. The heaven plate's Wei and Shen deities are exactly over the earth plate's Zi and Chou empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Ji is lodged in Wei, with Yin on Wei, and You on Yin; the day branch Wei also has Yin on it, and You on Yin. Since the day stem Jiwei and the day branch Wei are both lodged in the Wei position, the four lessons form only two. The upper deities Yin and You each ride the Liu He and Tai Yin. The term "no salary" refers to the fact that all four lessons have the upper deity overcoming the lower deity, and the day stem does not receive support. "No way" means that the heavenly stem and earthly branch are blocked and there is no way forward. Both are not auspicious lessons. The three transmissions are: the first transmission You riding Liu He as the son, the middle transmission Chen riding Tai Chang as the brother, and the final transmission Hai riding Teng Snake as the wife's wealth.

斷曰：正時勝光，值事天空，此為章奏占。曰：吉凶若何？余曰：四課克下，名為無祿，況貴乘旬空，龍神克下，主在上者不足，輕則降罰，重則削權。又財官祿馬俱入墓絕之鄉，急流勇退為佳，否則必有意外之虞。曰：上書旨意如何？余曰：朱雀乘天喜，陰神見天馬，還得好旨歸里，後唯冠帶閒住，回家未久仙遊矣。

The divination says: The correct time for casting the lesson is Shengguang at the hour of Wu. The governing deity for the matter is Tian Kong. This lesson should be interpreted as a case of official documents. Zhang asked: Is it auspicious or inauspicious? I said: All four lessons are instances of the superior deity overcoming the inferior one, which is called "no fortune." Moreover, the Nobleman is riding on the旬空, and the Azure Dragon is turning against the inferior, indicating that those above are dissatisfied with you. Lightly, you may be demoted or punished; severely, you may lose your authority. Furthermore, wealth, official position, fortune, and the Heavenly Horse all fall into the墓绝 place, so it is better to retire quickly. Otherwise, there will certainly be unexpected misfortunes. Zhang asked again: What will be the outcome of this memorial? I said: The Vermilion Bird is riding on "Heavenly Joy," and the hidden deity also sees "Heavenly Horse," so you may still receive a favorable imperial decree allowing you to return home. Later, he indeed retained only the title of Capping and lived at home in retirement. Soon after returning home, he passed away.

占驗二、癸酉七月庚子日丙戌時，雲間董兌之為乃祖董玄宰太史辭大宗伯課，重審、潤下，辰巳空、子丑落空。 空虎常玄 丑寅卯辰 龍 子 巳 陰 玄蛇龍玄 子 庚子 龍 勾 亥 午 后 辰申申子 兄 丙申 蛇 戌酉申未 申子辰庚 印 甲辰 玄 六朱蛇貴

The second example: On the day of Guiyou in the seventh lunar month of the year Guiyou, at the hour of Bingxu, a person from Songjiang named Dong Dui cast a divination for his grandfather, the historian Dong Xuanzai, to determine the course of resigning from the position of Minister of Rites. The divination was set with the hour of Wu added to the hour of Xu, forming a lesson pattern known as "Chong Shen" (Re-examination). The three transmissions, Shen, Zi, and Chen, formed a water pattern called "Run Xia" (Moistening Down). In this旬, the empty position was in Chen and Si. The heavenly plate's Zi and Chou deities were exactly on the earthly plate's Chen and Si empty positions. The four lessons, arranged from right to left, were: the day stem Geng was lodged in Shen, Shen had Chen, Chen had Zi, the day branch Zi had Shen, and Shen again had Chen. The three transmissions were: the first transmission Zi with the Azure Dragon, representing the son; the middle transmission Shen with the Teng Snake, representing the brother; and the final transmission Chen with the Black Tortoise, representing the official seal.

斷：此課不能升遷，請告亦不能退位，卻有加銜恩蔭之兆，何用辭為？蓋因三傳全脫，遞生空亡，雖有公卿推薦，不受已頭虛譽，且日祿歸支，印綬逢空，故不得掌篆正官；惟喜皇詔德祿居中乘旺，必有加銜恩蔭之徵。又課傳回環，進旺之氣，豈退位之象，明年春末龍祿傳墓，則當請告。次年春，晉宮銜，馳驛歸里。

The divination indicates that there is no possibility of promotion, and even if one submits a petition for retirement, it cannot be accepted. However, there are signs of being granted an honorary title and benefiting future generations. So why should one resign? Because the three transmissions are all spirits of loss, with each generation producing the next but ultimately leading to emptiness. Although there may be recommendations from high officials, the result will be only an honorary title without real benefits. Moreover, the day stem's fortune is located in the day branch, and the official seal meets emptiness, so one cannot hold a real official position. Fortunately, the imperial decree and the virtue and fortune spirits are in the middle transmission and are in a strong position, which will surely bring about the fulfillment of honorary titles and benefits to descendants. This divination also forms a circular transmission pattern, with the energy increasing and turning strong, which is not a sign of retirement. One should submit a petition for retirement only when next spring's end arrives, with the Azure Dragon and fortune spirits entering the tomb. The next spring, he indeed received an honorary title and returned home on the post-horse.

董玄宰（1555——1636），名其晶，上海淞江人，乙卯年生，丙子年死，萬曆十七年（己丑）進士，返翰林院編修，精於書畫，多才而無行，終南京禮部尚書。

The annotator adds a note on Dong Xuanzai's life: his name was Qichang (originally inscribed as "Qijing"), from Songjiang, Shanghai. He was born in 1555, in the Yimao year, and died in 1636, in the Bingzi year. He passed the imperial examination in the Jichou year of the Wanli seventeen, was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and was highly skilled in calligraphy and painting. Though talented, his conduct was often criticized. He eventually held the position of Minister of Rites in Nanjing.

三傳遞生，故公卿舉薦。但初陷末空，中傳日祿德蛇相加，祿有變化。化而入玄武空地，故不吉。日祿歸支，主遙受官職，公獻斷為虛譽，亦一義也。 明年春末，辰月上龍神洩我之氣，主官祿離我而去。龍者去也，故馳驛而去。

The commentator adds: the three transmissions are successively generated, so there is a recommendation by a high official. However, the first transmission is in a fallen position, and the final transmission meets an empty position. The middle transmission has the day's stem's official position and virtue god along with the Teng Snake, indicating a change in the official position. The result of this change is falling into the empty space occupied by the Black Tortoise, which is not auspicious. The day's stem's official position returns to the day's branch, indicating receiving an official position from afar. Chen Gongxian interprets this as a hollow title, which is another way of explaining it. As for the explanation of next spring's end, it is because in the month of辰, the Heaven Plate's Azure Dragon releases the energy of the day's stem, indicating that both official position and official salary will leave me. The Dragon has the meaning of departure, so it should be about leaving the capital by riding the post-horse and returning to one's hometown.

占驗三、丁丑八月壬寅日癸卯時，浣中劉退齋太史索占：汝看此是何如人？重審、斬關，辰巳空、午未空。 六勾 朱 未申酉戌 龍 蛇后 陰常 鬼 辰 后 蛇 午 亥 空 午辰 卯丑 財 午 蛇 貴 巳 子 虎 辰寅 丑壬 印 申 六 后 辰卯寅丑 常 陰玄

Third example: On the day of Guimao, in the eighth month of the year Dingchou, the historian Liu Tuizhai of the court of Huanzhong asked me to cast a divination, inquiring about the nature of a person. This lesson was cast with the巳 (Snake) general added to the卯 (Rabbit) hour, forming the lesson pattern of "Rechecking" combined with the "Cutting the Gate" structure. In this旬 (decade), the empty position is in the辰 (Dragon) and巳 (Snake). The heavenly plate's午 (Horse) and未 (Goat) deities are precisely located on the earth plate's辰 (Dragon) and巳 (Snake) empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Ren is lodged in the亥 (Pig) and gets the丑 (Ox), the丑 (Ox) gets the卯 (Rabbit), the day branch寅 (Tiger) gets the辰 (Dragon), and the辰 (Dragon) gets the午 (Horse). The deities on the four lessons, in order, are丑 (Ox),卯 (Rabbit),辰 (Dragon), and午 (Horse), which are respectively occupied by Tai Chang, Tai Yin, Tianhou, and Teng Snake. The three transmissions are: the first transmission is辰 (Dragon) with Tianhou, representing official ghost; the middle transmission is午 (Horse) with Teng Snake, representing wife's wealth; the final transmission is申 (Monkey) with Liu He, representing official seal.

餘玩之良久，斷曰：此近君陰貴人也，太歲常官臨日，陰見夜貴，太陰又居歲位，必近君之陰貴人也。曰：“此公主也。然有何事？曷一決之。”曰：此必請封蔭子之事。蓋末傳皇詔長生，六合為孩兒，是以知之。倘旨意不允。余曰：傳將六陽登天，必事達天廷至尊之前。但嫌初中空亡，必須兩次方許封蔭。果如其言。

I have pondered for a long time and concluded that the person in question is a close female noblewoman to the sovereign. The Tai Chang on the Tai Su is acting as an official star over the day stem, the hidden spirit also sees the night nobleman, and Tai Yin is located at the position of the Tai Su, indicating it must be a female noblewoman close to the sovereign. Liu Gong said: This is indeed a princess. Then what is she asking about? Please decide. I said: This must be about requesting a royal grant and the privilege of her descendants. Because the final transmission has "Imperial Edict" and Growth, and Liu He is in charge of children, I knew this. Liu Gong was worried the decree would not be approved. I said: The three transmissions have the Heavenly General with six yang energies ascending directly to the heavens, so this matter will surely reach the sovereign's presence; only regretfully the first and middle transmissions both fall into Kongwang, so it will require two requests before the grant and privilege are approved. Later, it indeed turned out as I had said.

占驗三、戊寅三月丙寅日丙申時，予謁兵垣孫魯山先生，有工垣姚永言先生、戶垣諱朝薦辜父母在座，魯山先生占請告，重審、登天，戌亥空、子丑落空。 六朱 勾 未申酉戌 蛇 青虎 朱勾 子 戊辰 白 龍 午 亥 貴 午辰 酉午 比 庚午 青 空 巳 子 后 辰寅 未丙 財 壬申 六 虎 辰卯寅丑 陰 常玄

Another example: In the year of Wuyin, third month, day of Bingyin, and hour of Bingshen, I visited Mr. Sun Lushan, a military affairs official, with Mr. Yao Yongyan from the engineering department and Mr. Gu Chaojian from the treasury department present. Mr. Sun Lushan divined whether his petition for retirement would be approved. This divination was set up with the Xu general added to the Shen hour. The lesson pattern belongs to "Chong Shen" and also includes the "Deng Tian" pattern. In this旬, the empty position is at Xu and Hai. The heavenly plate's Zi and Chou deities are directly over the earth plate's Xu and Hai empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Bing is lodged in Si, Si has Wei, Wei has You, the day branch Yin has Chen, Chen has Wu; the deities on the four lessons in order are Gou Chen, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Azure Dragon. The three transmissions are: the first transmission is Chen with White Tiger as the grandson, the middle transmission is Wu with Azure Dragon as the peer, and the final transmission is Shen with Liu He as the wife's wealth.

斷曰：請告不允，更主升遷。蓋因官登三天，又傳將進引，安得退居林下乎？況龍神乘相氣，太歲卯行年又生青龍、日干，將來功名遠大。後吏部復疏，旨意不允，旋歷任宣大制臺。

The judgment says: Retiring will not be approved, instead it indicates promotion. Because the official star is rising step by step, and the three transmissions along with the heavenly general are also advancing layer by layer, how could he return to retirement? Moreover, the azure dragon is riding on the current phase energy, and the sovereign's year of the ox is also generating the azure dragon and the day stem. His future fame and position are still far-reaching. Later, the ministry of personnel reconsidered this memorial, and the imperial decree indeed did not approve it. Soon after, he was appointed as the overall commander of the Xuanfu and Datong regions.

占驗四、丁丑六月乙未日甲申時，安慶張癢友占九江職方趙光汴先生請纓行邊，昴星、周遍，辰巳空、卯辰落空。 龍空 勾 辰巳午未 虎 青空 朱六 財 戊戌 陰 六 卯 申 常 巳午 寅卯 兄 癸卯 六 朱 寅 酉 玄 午未 卯乙 子 甲午 空 蛇 丑子亥戌 陰 貴後

Fourth example: On the day of Yiwei in the sixth month of the year Dingchou, at the hour of Jiashen, Zhang, a student from Anqing, consulted on behalf of Zhao Guangbian, a man from Jiujiang serving in the Bureau of Military Maps under the Ministry of War, about taking an active initiative to be stationed at the border. This divination was set up with the "Unmanned" (未将) added to the hour of Jiashen. The lesson pattern belongs to "昴星" and also includes the "周遍" pattern. In this旬, the empty position is in Chen and Si. The Heaven Plate's卯 and Chen two deities are exactly located on the Earth Plate's Chen and Si empty positions. The four lessons, arranged from right to left, are: the day stem Yi is lodged in Chen, with卯 on Chen, and寅 on卯; the day branch Wei has午 on it, and巳 on午. The four deities on the lessons,卯,寅,午, and巳, are successively accompanied by Liu He, Vermilion Bird, Tian Kong, and Azure Dragon. The three transmissions are: the first transmission is戌 with Tian Kong as wife wealth, the middle transmission is卯 with Liu He as brother, and the final transmission is午 with Tian Kong as son.

斷曰：凡陰陽昴星，雖無蛇虎入傳，只宜靜守，不利動用。蓋因貴居本位，驛馬旬空，守舊為上。況河魁渡亥，中傳斷橋，凡事阻隔難行。且赤鳥犯歲君，上疏必攖上怒。後果謫戍，壬午歲授燕遼總督，失機建逮問典刑。如占詞訟，名達朝廷，坐死。

The divination indicates that any lesson based on the昴 star, whether on a yin or yang day, should only be suitable for maintaining the status quo and not for taking action. This is because the nobleman is in his native position and remains still, while the post-horse falls into the empty period. Therefore, it is better to stick to the old ways. Moreover, the Hekui (Xu) has moved to the亥 position, and the middle transmission meets the "broken bridge," which causes obstacles in all matters. Additionally, the Vermilion Bird has offended the sovereign's position, so this memorial will certainly anger the emperor. Later, he was indeed demoted to serve at the border. In the Renwu year, he was again appointed as the governor of Jiliao, but was later arrested for military mismanagement and executed. If this lesson is used for a lawsuit, it also indicates that the person's reputation will reach the court and ultimately result in a death sentence.

《明史》：趙光抃，字彥清，九江德化人。舉天啟五年進士。崇禎初，服闋，除工部都水主事，歷兵部職方郎中。十年秋，遣閱薊、遼戎務，盡得邊塞形勢，戰守機宜，列十二事以獻。明年冬，大清兵入密雲，總督吳阿衡敗歿，廷議增設巡撫一人，駐密雲，遂擢光抃右僉都御史任之。至即發監視中官鄧希詔奸謀。帝召希詔還，而令分守中官孫茂霖核實。茂霖為希詔解，光抃反得罪，遣戍廣東。十五年，兵事益棘，廷臣薦光抃復官。光抃家素饒，聞命，持數萬金入都為軍資。 既至，召見德政殿。奏對稱旨，拜兵部右侍郎兼右僉都御史，總督薊州、永平、山海、 通州、天津諸鎮軍務。而大清已克薊州，分兵四出，命光抃兼督諸路援軍。諸援軍觀望，

The annotator cites the official biography in the "History of the Ming Dynasty": Zhao Guangbian, whose name was Yanying, was from Jiujiang Dehua. He passed the imperial examination in the fifth year of Tianxi. In the early years of Chongzhen, after completing his mourning period, he was appointed as a chief officer in the Ministry of Works, later rising to the position of deputy director in the Ministry of War. In the autumn of the tenth year of Chongzhen, the court sent him to investigate military affairs in Jizhou and Liaodong. He became thoroughly familiar with the terrain of the border and the key points for defense and attack, and submitted twelve recommendations. The following winter, Qing forces captured Mihui, and the commander of the army, Wu Aheng, was defeated and killed. The court decided to appoint an additional governor to garrison Mihui, and thus promoted Zhao Guangbian to the position of right censor-general to take charge of this post. Upon taking office, he exposed the treacherous plots of the eunuch Deng Xizhao, who was monitoring the military. The emperor summoned Deng Xizhao back to the capital, but ordered another eunuch, Sun Maolin, to investigate. Sun Maolin instead defended Deng Xizhao, and Zhao Guangbian was consequently accused and exiled to Guangdong for military service. In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, military affairs became increasingly urgent, and officials recommended his reinstatement. His family had always been wealthy, and upon receiving the order, he brought several ten thousand taels of silver to the capital to serve as military funds. Upon arriving in the capital, he was summoned to the Dezheng Hall, where his responses to the emperor's questions were very satisfactory, and thus he was appointed as deputy minister of War and right censor-general, overseeing military affairs in Jizhou, Yongping, Shanhai, Tongzhou, and Tianjin. However, the Qing forces had already captured Jizhou and launched attacks in all directions, and the court ordered him to also command the various relief armies. Yet these relief armies were all hesitating and not advancing.

河間迤南皆失守，光抃不敢救，尾而南。已，聞塞上警，又驅而北。廷臣交章劾光抃， 謂列城被攻不救，退回高陽，坐視淪覆。明年，復論光抃及範志完。四月，大清兵北旋， 光抃、唐通、白廣恩等八鎮兵邀於螺山，皆敗走。帝聞，大怒。既解嚴，與志完並獲譴。 帝召見雷縯祚，縯祚詆志完，而稱光抃。帝曰：“志完、光抃逗遛河間，獨罪志完，渠 服其心乎？”遂並逮光抃。光抃嘗薦廣恩，廣恩抗不赴召，帝以是益惡光抃，卒與志完 同日斬西市。十六年（1643癸未），十一月癸丑，範志完、趙光抃棄市。）福王時，太僕萬元吉奏復其官。

The Ming History continues to record that cities south of Hejian fell successively, and Zhao Guangbian dared not go to rescue them, but instead followed southward; later, upon hearing of an urgent situation on the northern frontier, he turned back north. Officials in court纷纷submitted memorials impeaching him, saying that he watched helplessly as the cities were attacked without offering aid, and retreated to Gaoyang, watching helplessly as the city fell. The following year, he and Fan Zhiwan were jointly impeached. In April, the Qing forces withdrew northward, and Zhao Guangbian, Tang Tong, Bai Guang'en, and eight other generals intercepted them at Luoshan, but all fled in defeat. Upon hearing this, the emperor was greatly enraged. After the lifting of the state of emergency, both Zhao Guangbian and Fan Zhiwan were criticized. The emperor summoned Lei Yanzu, who slandered Fan Zhiwan but praised Zhao Guangbian. The emperor said: "Fan Zhiwan and Zhao Guangbian both lingered in Hejian without advancing, if only Fan Zhiwan is punished, can he be convinced?" Thus Zhao Guangbian was also arrested. Zhao Guangbian had once recommended Bai Guang'en, but Bai Guang'en refused to obey the summons. The emperor therefore became even more resentful of him, and finally, he was executed on the same day as Fan Zhiwan in the western market. In the eleventh month of the癸未 year of the 16th year of the Chongzhen era (1643), Fan Zhiwan and Zhao Guangbian were executed in the western market. When Fu Wang ascended the throne in Nanjing, the Grand Master of the Imperial Stables, Wan Guanjie, submitted a memorial to restore Zhao Guangbian's original official rank.

凡事不宜進者，一隙之明也，告人將有禍矣。若不知幾機時強進，罹禍宜矣。

If the divination signs indicate that one should not move forward, this is a sign from heaven, like a faint light revealing impending misfortune. If one fails to understand this omen and insists on moving forward at an inopportune time, disaster is inevitable.

占驗五、辛未六月癸卯日乙卯時，臺中王旋官父師占上疏，從革、絕嗣，辰巳空、申酉落空。 龍空 勾 酉戌亥子 虎 空朱 勾貴 父 丁酉 勾 六 申 丑 常 亥未 酉巳 鬼 辛丑 常 朱 未 寅 玄 未卯 巳癸 財 乙巳 貴 蛇 午巳辰卯 陰 貴後

The fifth example: On the day of Guimao in the sixth month of the year Xinwei, at the time of Yimao, Master Wang Xuan of the Tai Sheng divined about a petition. This divination was set up with the hour of Yimao and the stem of Xinwei as the base. The three transmissions are巳, 酉, and 丑, forming a metal formation called "Cong Ge," and also accompanied by the pattern "Jue Si." The empty position of this ten-day cycle is in Chen and Si, and the heavenly plate's Shen and You deities are exactly located on the earth plate's Chen and Si empty positions. The four lessons, arranged from right to left, are: the day stem Gui is lodged in Chou, Chou has巳,巳 has酉, the day branch Mao has Wei, and Wei has Hai. The deities on the four lessons, in order, are巳 with the nobleman, 酉 with Gou Chen, 未 with Tai Chang, and Hai with Zhu Que. The three transmissions are: the first transmission is You with Gou Chen representing parents, the middle transmission is Chou with Tai Chang representing official ghosts, and the final transmission is巳 with the nobleman representing wife wealth.

斷曰：傳將遞生，有疏薦人乎？曰：非也，有疏參人耳。余曰：雖三傳遞生，嫌初末逢空，獨存中傳 ，歲破為鬼。又朱雀乘太歲剋日；太歲君也，歲破相也，恐得罪於君相，於公不利。後果以上章薦人，下獄擬配。

The judgment said: The three transmissions and the heavenly general are successively generated, perhaps it is about recommending someone? Wang Gong answered: No, it is about reporting someone's misconduct. I said: Although the three transmissions are successively generated, unfortunately the first and last transmissions both fall into kongwang, leaving only the middle transmission alone. And the middle transmission is chou, which is the year's breaking, and it transforms into official ghost. Moreover, the vermilion bird is riding the sovereign to attack the day stem; the sovereign symbolizes the king, the year's breaking symbolizes the chancellor, so this memorial is likely to offend both the king and the chancellor, which is very disadvantageous for you. Later, he indeed was imprisoned for submitting a memorial to recommend someone else, and was sentenced to be exiled.

占驗六、丁丑四月丁酉日乙巳時，浣中劉退齋先生請假省親占，元首、九丑、曲直，辰巳空、申酉落空。 蛇貴 朱 酉戌亥子 后 空陰 常青 鬼 己亥 貴 六 申 丑 陰 巳丑 卯亥 父 癸卯 常 勾 未 寅 玄 丑酉 亥丁 子 乙未 勾 龍 午巳辰卯 常 空虎

The sixth example: On Dingyou day in the fourth lunar month of Dingchou year, at Yisi hour, Liu Tuizhai, a scholar from Huanzhong, divined about requesting leave to return home to visit relatives. This divination was set up with You general added to Yisi hour, and the lesson pattern belongs to "Original Head," combined with "Nine Disgraces." The three transmissions,亥,卯,未, form a wood pattern and are classified as "Curved and Straight." In this ten-day period, the empty position is in Chen and Si. The heaven plate's Shen and You deities are exactly located on the earth plate's Chen and Si, which are empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Ding lodges in Wei, Wei has亥,亥 has卯, the day branch You has丑,丑 has巳; the deities on the four lessons,亥,卯,丑,巳, are respectively乘 by Azure Dragon, Tai Chang, Tai Yin, and Tian Kong. The three transmissions are: the first transmission亥,乘 by Nobleman, representing official ghost; the middle transmission卯,乘 by Tai Chang, representing parents; the final transmission未,乘 by Gou Chen, representing children.

斷曰：此奏不允所請，必有溫旨相留。何以知之？蓋天驛二馬加臨年命，理應行動之象。但發用官貴，德馬夾克，又戀長生，主不由己而動。曰：朱雀又空，為文書不就，中傳卯與支上太歲相剋，主君上隔阻，有溫旨相留也。後果不允假旋。

The judgment says: This memorial will not be approved, and you will certainly be kept by a gentle imperial decree. How do we know this? Because the Heavenly Horse and the Post-horse are both placed on your birth star and the year star, which should indicate movement. However, the first transmission initiates with the official star and the nobleman, with the virtue god and the post-horse restraining from both sides, and being attached to the place of growth, indicating a desire to move but being unable to do so. Moreover, the Vermilion Bird falls on Kongwang, indicating that the official documents will not be completed; the middle transmission's卯 (Mao) is in conflict with the Tai Su on the day branch, indicating that the sovereign is obstructing from the middle, so there will be a gentle imperial decree to retain you. Later, indeed, he was not allowed to return home on leave.

占驗七、癸酉二月丁丑丙午時，松江太僕沈雲生先生被京營曹大司禮參劾占回奏吉凶。重審、鑄印（申酉空，丑寅落空。） 貴后 蛇 戌亥子丑 陰 貴青 空后 比 辛巳 空 朱 酉 寅 玄 亥午 巳子 子 甲戌 蛇 六 申 卯 常 午丑 子丁 印 己卯 常 勾 未午巳辰 虎 龍空

The seventh example: On the day of Dingchou in the second lunar month of the Guiyou year, at the hour of Bingwu, Shen Yunsheng, an official of the Ta Pu Si in Songjiang, was impeached by a certain official of the Grand Secretary's Office in the capital. He divined the fortune of his memorial submission. The divination was set with the亥 (Hai) general added to the Wu (Wu) hour, forming a lesson pattern of "Re-examination" combined with the "Seal Printing" pattern. In this旬 (decade), the empty position is in Shen and You. The Heaven Plate's Shen and You deities are exactly over the Earth Plate's Shen and You empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Ding is lodged in Wei, with Zi on Wei, Si on Zi, the day branch Chou has Wu on it, and Hai on Wu. The four heavenly deities on the lessons, Zi, Si, Wu, and Hai, are respectively accompanied by the Heavenly Empress, Tian Kong, Azure Dragon, and Nobleman. The three transmissions are: the first transmission Si with Tian Kong as a fellow, the middle transmission Xu with Teng Snake as a son, and the final transmission Mao with Tai Chang as an official seal.

斷；天空發用，主為章奏而占。曰：何以知之？蓋有官君子占得鑄印，必面君奏事、遷官轉職（且天空乃奏書之神）。曰：看回奏如何？曰：日祿之陰制祿，罰俸止矣，官何礙乎？交仲夥時，天吏皇詔生日，青龍日祿居丑，必然榮擢吳越斗牛之分。雖嫌四課上下沖害，又喜交車合祿，先雖參差，而後和好。及回奏，果罰俸，秋升閩撫，有功，尋授兩廣總督。

The judgment says: Since Tian Kong is the initiating transmission, it is known that the matter is about a memorial submission. The other person asks: How do you know that? I say: When someone with an official position draws the casting seal lesson, he must certainly present himself before the sovereign to make a report, and also be promoted or transferred (moreover, Tian Kong is originally the god who governs memorial submissions). He again asks: What will be the result of this memorial? I say: The hidden spirit of the day stem's official position turns back to control the official position spirit, which is merely a penalty of salary, but there is no harm to the official rank. When it reaches the middle of autumn, the Heavenly Official and the imperial decree will both be born on the day stem, the Azure Dragon will be with the day stem's official position on the Chou position, and certainly he will be promoted to an official position in the region of Wu-Yue and the constellation Dou-Niu. Although the four lessons have mutual conflicts and harms above and below, it is pleasant that they also form a harmonious combination of the carriage and official position. At first there was some discrepancy, but eventually they will reconcile. When the memorial is submitted, indeed only a salary penalty occurred; by autumn he was promoted to the governor of Fujian, and because of his quick achievements, he was appointed governor-general of Guangdong and Guangxi.

占驗八、丁丑十一月丁亥戊申時，東省戶垣諱三傑孫科長代同鄉丁科長占守科失紅本回奏。重審、反吟。（午未空，子丑落空） 后陰 貴 亥子丑寅 玄 貴空 勾陰 比 癸巳 空 蛇 戌 卯 常 亥巳 未丑 鬼 丁亥 貴 朱 酉 辰 虎 巳亥 丑丁 比 癸巳 空 六 申未午巳 空 勾龍

Eighth example: On the day of Dinghai in the eleventh lunar month of the year Dingchou, at the hour of Wushen, Sun Sanjie, a chief officer of the Ministry of Revenue in Shandong, consulted about the loss of a red document and the matter of submitting a memorial to the court. This divination was set up with the Yin general added to the Shen hour. The month general and the hour of divination are directly opposite each other. The heaven and earth plates are in direct opposition, and the lesson pattern belongs to "re-examination" and also includes "reverse chant." In this旬, the empty position is in Wu and Wei. The heaven plate's Zi and Chou deities are directly over the earth plate's Wu and Wei empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Ding lodges in Wei, with Wei having Chou, Chou having Wei, the day branch Hai having Si, and Si having Hai. The four deities on the lessons are Chou, Wei, Si, and Hai, which are successively occupied by Tai Yin, Gou Chen, Tian Kong, and Nobleman. The three transmissions are: the first transmission is Si with Tian Kong, representing a fellow; the middle transmission is Hai with Nobleman, representing an official ghost; and the final transmission is again Si with Tian Kong, representing a fellow.

斷：官必降罰，職必更改。曰：目今朝廷責之，已過當矣，矧又重其責乎？曰：龍神克戰，課將返吟，居官定難滿任，況巳為驛馬，上乘皇詔，主一任未了，二任又臨。曰：比更職無疑。及以降三級回首，不准；降五級，又不准；擬降別衙門，然後依擬。

The judgment says: official rank must certainly be reduced and punished, and the position must be changed. The other person says: the punishment from the court is already too severe, how can it be made even worse? I say: the Azure Dragon is being overcome and there is a battle, and the lesson pattern also meets the returning repetition. Therefore, one cannot stay in this position for the full term; moreover, the branch of Si is the Post-horse, with an imperial decree riding upon it, indicating that before completing one term, the assignment for the second term has already arrived. Thus, changing the position is certain. Later, the initial proposal was to reduce the rank by three levels and return the reply, but the court did not approve; then a proposal to reduce by five levels was also rejected; finally, a proposal to transfer to another bureau was approved.

占驗九、戊辰十二月戊申庚申時，予在燕京會高仁齋、夏客還、張環玉邀，蜀中禮部李載溪先生座索占。（寅卯空，未申落空） 朱蛇 六 戌亥子丑 貴 白貴 陰六 官 乙卯 陰 勾 酉 寅 后 午丑 卯戌 子 戊申 龍 龍 申 卯 陰 丑申 戌戊 兄 癸丑 貴 空 未午巳辰 玄 虎常

Ninth example: On the day of Geng Shen in the twelfth lunar month of the year Wu Chen, when I met Gao Renzhai, Xia Ke Huan, and was hosted by Zhang Huanyu in Beijing, Li Zaixi, a civil official from Sichuan, asked me to cast a divination. This divination was set with the general Chou added to the hour Shen. The empty positions of this ten-day period are in Yin and Mao. The Heaven Plate's Wei and Shen deities are exactly over the Earth Plate's Yin and Mao empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Wu lodges in Si, with Wu on Si, Wu on Si, and Mao on Wu; the day branch Shen has Chou on it, with Wu on Chou. The four heavenly deities on the four lessons, Wu, Mao, Chou, and Wu, are successively accompanied by Liu He, Tai Yin, Nobleman, and White Tiger. The three transmissions are: the first transmission is Mao with Tai Yin, representing official ghost; the middle transmission is Shen with Azure Dragon, representing son; the final transmission is Chou with Nobleman, representing brother.

仁齋斷曰：卯與戌合，為大六合，六合加戌為小六合，喜末傳月將貴人，定然片言入相。予反其意曰：太陰臨卯，空即不能成名，此乃舊事又舉行者，二月還宜慎重。曰：何以知其舊事：曰：舊太歲發用，且四墓覆生，主已廢復行，沉而又舉也。嫌初中龍官空戰，朱雀陰見玄墓（亥乘朱陰神見辰也），若上疏，旨意不佳。果後以改授上疏見駁，幾至察處。

Gao Renzhai said:卯 and 戌 combine to form a great Liu He; the Liu He general is also added on 戌, forming a small Liu He; it is pleasing that the final transmission is riding the month general and the nobleman, surely it will be able to reach the core of the matter in a few words. I, however, said the opposite: Tai Yin is on 卯, and 卯 is empty, so the matter will not succeed; this is merely repeating old matters, and one must still be cautious in February. The other asked: How do you know it is old matter? I said: The first transmission's initiating transmission is the old Tai Sui from last year, and the four graves are reversed to cover the day stem, indicating that something already discarded is being revived, and what was sunk is now raised up. Unfortunately, the first and middle transmissions have Azure Dragon and official stars empty, and the Yin spirit of Zhu Que meets Xuan Wu and the grave god (Zhu Que is on Hai, its Yin spirit falls on Chen). If he submits a memorial, the imperial decree will not be favorable. Later, he indeed submitted a memorial for changing his official appointment and was rejected, almost being investigated.

占驗一、甲申四月庚申日庚辰時，如皋銓部李大生先生占燕京安危，八專，子丑空，巳午落空。 朱蛇 六 戌亥子丑 貴 白貴 白貴 財 乙卯 陰 勾 酉 寅 后 午丑 午丑 父 乙丑 貴 青 申 卯 陰 丑申 丑庚 父 乙丑 貴 空 未午巳辰 玄 虎常

The first example: In the year Jiashen, fourth month, day Gengshen, and hour Gengchen, Li Dasheng, an official of the Ministry of Personnel in Ruoqiao, asked about the safety of Beijing. This divination was set with the hour of You as the general and the hour of Chen as the base. The day stem Gengshen and day branch Shen are both located in the position of Shen, making the lesson pattern belong to "Eight Specials." In this旬, the empty positions are Zi and Chou. The Heaven Plate's Si and Wu deities are directly over the Earth Plate's Zi and Chou empty positions. The four lessons, arranged from right to left, are: the day stem Geng is lodged in Shen, with Shen having Chou, Chou having Wu; the day branch Shen also has Chou, and Chou again has Wu. Thus, only two lessons are formed, with the upper deities Chou and Wu each riding the Nobleman and White Tiger. The three transmissions: the first transmission is卯 riding Tai Yin as wife wealth, the middle and final transmissions both take the hidden deity Chou of the day stem, riding the Nobleman as parents.

斷曰：賊自西山出奇，用騾車木韞，先攻西南後攻東北，且有凶變之虞。蓋因賊符自戌發用，克中末干支貴人，而天空臨寅，此地疏虞，賊必乘虛而入，兩陰神虎鬼克干支及歲君，左右獻城之象。後聞李賊明攻張掖，暗逾東直，城中鼎沸，開門出降，先帝自縊。

The judgment states: The enemy troops will launch a surprise attack from the western mountain, using mule carts and wooden siege weapons, first attacking the southwest direction, then the northeast direction, and there will be dangers and sudden changes. This is because the "enemy symbol" originates from the戌 position, controlling the middle transmission and final transmission's stem and branch noblemen, while the sky is located at the寅 position, indicating a weak defense in that area, allowing the enemy to enter easily. The two Yin spirits have the White Tiger and official ghost simultaneously attacking the day stem, day branch, and the year stem, which represents the image of close ministers surrendering the city. Later it was heard that Li Zicheng openly attacked the Zhangye gate, but secretly crossed over the Dongzhi gate, causing great chaos within the city, the defending general opened the gate to surrender, and the Chongzhen Emperor committed suicide.

占驗二、乙酉正月丙午日丙申時，總漕部院田百原老師住淮清江聞高鎮睢州被許定國圍困，占吉凶，重審、從革，寅卯空、午未落空。 蛇貴 朱 酉戌亥子 后 玄蛇 陰朱 財 己酉 朱 六 申 丑 陰 寅戌 丑酉 子 癸丑 陰 勾 未 寅 玄 戌午 酉丙 比 乙巳 空 青 午巳辰卯 常 空虎

The second example: On the day of Bingwu in the first lunar month of the year Yiyou, the governor of the granary transport, Mr. Tian Baiyuan, was stationed in Qingjiangpu, Huai'an. He heard that General Gao Jie's troops were surrounded by Xu Dingguo in Suizhou, and he divined to inquire about the fortune. This divination was set up with the trigram of Zi added to Shen at the time. The lesson pattern belongs to "Chong Shen" (re-examination). The three transmissions are Si, You, and Chou, forming a metal formation, thus belonging to "Cong Ge" (metal transformation). In this ten-day period, the empty position is in Yin and Mao. The heavenly plate's Wu and Wei deities are exactly over the earth plate's Yin and Mao empty positions. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Bing is lodged in Si, Si has You, You has Chou, the day branch Wu has Xu, and Xu has Yin. The deities on the four lessons, You, Chou, Xu, and Yin, are successively multiplied by Zhu Que (Vermilion Bird), Tai Yin (Great Yin), Teng Snake, and Xuan Wu (Black Tortoise). The three transmissions are: the first transmission You, multiplied by Zhu Que, representing wife's wealth; the middle transmission Chou, multiplied by Tai Yin, representing son; and the final transmission Si, multiplied by Tian Kong (Heavenly Void), representing a companion.

斷曰：興平公必被戮。課傳從革，合中刑干害支。春占金局為返射肅殺之氣；戌命長生被其克盡，全無一點化解，況干乘死氣，支乘干支之墓，不惟主墮客計，而主亦自被其愚矣。又干支命年上神俱遭刑剋墓害，死又何疑乎？三日後果應。

The divination says: Xingping Marquess Gao Jie will certainly be killed. This divination forms a transmission sequence of metal, which is a complete metal formation. Within this formation, there is both a conflict with the day stem and a harmful influence on the day branch. In spring, obtaining a metal formation indicates a returning killing qi; his long life place, which is his birth year戌, is completely destroyed by the metal qi, leaving no room for any resolution. Moreover, the day stem is riding on death qi, and the day branch is riding on the tomb god of the stem and branch, indicating that he has fallen into the other party's trap, and even the owner himself has been deceived. In addition, the day stem, day branch, birth year, and current year all suffer from conflicts, tomb influences, and harm. What more can be doubted? Three days later, it indeed came true.

1645年2月8日夜，由於高傑與許定國從前有仇隙，兩人素來互相忌恨。現在兩人都表示友好與寬宏。但是，1645年2月8日夜，許定國在他的睢州駐地宴請高傑，將他殺害。隨後他渡過黃河投奔清軍，在他們眼中，他的殺害高傑大大提高了他的身價。同時這一行動使高傑的大軍陷入憤怒與混亂之中。其他各鎮將領對高傑的怨恨和南京的政治陰謀，挫敗了史可法重建高傑軍的領導的企圖。當他們不受管束地進入南直隸向揚州潰退時，守住黃河防線的希望就破滅了。

The commentator cites historical events to illustrate the fulfillment of this divination: Gao Jie and Xu Dingguo had long harbored mutual resentment, yet they had both outwardly displayed friendliness and tolerance. On the night of the eighth day of the second lunar month in 1645, Xu Dingguo, while stationed at Su Zhou, held a banquet for Gao Jie and killed him during the feast. He then crossed the Yellow River to surrender to the Qing forces. In the eyes of the Qing, killing Gao Jie greatly enhanced Xu Dingguo's status. This incident also caused Gao Jie's army to become enraged and disordered. Moreover, other commanders had already resented Gao Jie, and the court in Nanjing was involved in political struggles and conspiracies. Therefore, Shen Kefu's plan to reorganize Gao Jie's former troops and appoint a new commander failed. When this uncontrolled army surged into Jiangnan and retreated toward Yangzhou, the hope of holding the Yellow River defense line was completely lost. Gao Jie, referred to as the Marquis Xingping in the previous lesson, was killed exactly three days after the divination, perfectly matching the statement "The Marquis Xingping will certainly be killed" and "Three days later, the prediction came true."

占驗三、乙酉四月丁丑日辰時，大兵用銃攻揚州，守西門將士索占吉凶，重審、鑄印，申酉空、丑寅落空。 貴后 蛇 戌亥子丑 陰 貴青 空后 兄 辛巳 空 朱 酉 寅 玄 亥午 巳子 子 甲戌 蛇 六 申 卯 常 午丑 子丁 父 己卯 常 勾 未午巳辰 虎 龍空

Third example: On the day of Dingchou in the fourth lunar month of the year Yiyou, at the hour of Chen, a large army used cannons to attack Yangzhou. The soldiers defending the western gate consulted about the fortune. This divination was set up with the general Yi at the hour of Chen, and the lesson pattern belongs to "Re-examination," combined with the "Seal Casting" pattern. In this旬, the empty position is in Shen and You. The two deities on the heaven plate, Chou and Yin, are exactly over the empty positions on the earth plate, Shen and You. The four lessons, from right to left, are: the day stem Ding is lodged in Wei, with Zi on Wei, and Si on Zi; the day branch Chou has Wu on it, and Hai on Wu. The deities on the four lessons, Zi, Si, Wu, and Hai, are successively accompanied by the Heavenly Empress, Tian Kong, Azure Dragon, and Nobleman. The three transmissions are: the first transmission Si with Tian Kong representing a brother, the middle transmission Xu with Teng Snake representing a son, and the final transmission Mao with Tai Chang representing a parent.

斷曰： 游都建旺發用，忌臨畏地，主敵人迫於不得已而死戰也。今日干支雖旺相，然旺相之氣在於外，休囚之地在於內，城安能保乎？嫌中傳被支所刑，辰時又來沖破鑄印，見刑沖則為破印矣。且戌為州城牢獄，勾陳又剋日上神，屠城放獄，應在咫尺。飯後步入舊城，城已破。

The interpretation states: The enemy general represented by "You Du" is currently in a prosperous and strong state, serving as the first transmission, yet it falls in a position where it is being overcome, indicating the enemy army is forced to fight desperately. Although the day stem and day branch are prosperous and strong, this strength lies outside the city, while the weak and confined energy is within the city, making it impossible to defend the city. Furthermore, the middle transmission is harmed by the day branch, and the hour of divination conflicts with the casting of the seal, turning the seal into a broken seal. Moreover, the戌 represents the state and prison, and Gou Chen harms the day stem deity, leading to the imminent disaster of the city being destroyed and prisoners released. After dinner, walking into the old city, the city has already been captured.

兵占之法，以支為城為守，干為敵為攻。 干支旺相則旺氣在於外，守難攻易；干支休囚則旺氣在於內，守易攻難。 初傳為攻，末傳為守，中傳為守禦陣地。

The commentator summarizes the principles of divination for military affairs: in divining about warfare, the day branch represents the city and the defending side, while the day stem represents the enemy and the attacking side. If the day stem and day branch are in a prosperous and strong state, it indicates that the favorable energy is outside the city, making the defending side struggle and the attacking side more capable. If the day stem and day branch are in a weak and confined state, it indicates that the favorable energy is within the city, making the defending side stable and the attacking side find it difficult to succeed. Among the three transmissions, the first transmission represents the attacking side, the final transmission represents the defending side, and the middle transmission represents the contested defensive position between both sides.

此課，丁壬日游都在巳，巳為發用，加於受克之子地，為忌臨畏地，主困獸猶斗，無退路而人人奮死。因發用為敵為攻，枚主敵迫不得已而死戰。 中傳戌為城牆，受支丑之刑，辰時之沖，主城破。 末傳卯生初傳巳，城內有內奸；卯克戌，主有人偷降，破壞城守。

In this case: For a day with the heavenly stem Ding and a day with the heavenly stem Ren, the wandering element is fixed on Si. Si happens to be the initiating transmission, and it is also placed on the position that overcomes it, which is Zi. This is called 'fearful presence in a place of fear,' indicating that the enemy force is like a trapped beast still fighting desperately, with no way to retreat and thus fighting with all their might. Since the first transmission represents the enemy and the offensive, it is interpreted as the enemy being forced to fight to the death. The middle transmission, Wu, represents the city walls, which are both harmed by the day branch Chou and by the hour's conflict, indicating that the city walls are breached. The final transmission, Mao, generates the first transmission Si, showing that there is an internal traitor aiding the enemy; Mao also overcomes Wu, indicating that someone is secretly defecting, thereby undermining the city's defenses from within.

課得交車合、鑄印，都是城門緊閉之意。但交車合而干支上下互沖，鑄印又被沖破，旺氣又在於外，故城不守。 占時沖破鑄印，故城破在咫尺，言極速也。 又戌為州城牢獄，受沖剋則城陷獄開也。 勾陳又剋日上神，勾陳為將，乘未克子也。干上神為敵，敵受克為何講屠城放獄，不知何因，請高明指教。

This divination includes both the "crossing chariot harmony" and "casting seal" patterns, which originally both signify a closed city gate and a refusal to go out. However, in the case of "crossing chariot harmony," the day stem and day branch clash with each other, and the "casting seal" is broken by the time of divination. The strong energy remains outside the city, so the city cannot be held. The time of divination breaking the "casting seal" indicates that the city will fall very soon, emphasizing the speed of the event. Furthermore, the戌 (Xu) represents the state city and prison, and once it is attacked or harmed, the city will fall and the prison gates will open widely. As for the Gou Chen (hooked earth) overcoming the day stem's deity, it is because Gou Chen is the deity of the military general, which is riding on the future to attack the son. However, the day stem's deity originally represents the enemy, and if the enemy is overcome, why does it instead suggest the city being destroyed and the prison opened? The commentator also fails to understand the reason, so please enlightened scholars offer their guidance.