冥報記 2.11

2.11

Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and Duke of Wuchang Dai Wei was originally on good terms with the administrative assistant of Shuzhou, Shen Yu. Wei passed away in the seventh year of the Zhenguan reign. In the eighth month of the eighth year, while Yu was in his prefecture, he dreamed that he was walking down the south street of Yining Ward in the capital when he suddenly saw Wei. He saw Wei wearing old and tattered clothes, his countenance extremely haggard. Seeing Yu, he showed mixed sorrow and joy. Yu asked, "Sir, you cultivated merit throughout your life; why are you in such a state now?" He answered, "During my life, I drafted a memorial that led to the execution of one person; after my death, others slaughtered a sheep to make an offering to me. Because of these two matters, the hardship of defending myself in interrogation is beyond words. Yet now the situation is resolved." He then said to Yu, "Throughout my life I was on good terms with you, yet in the end I was unable to advance your official post, which has weighed heavily on my mind. Now you will obtain the fifth rank on your own; the documentation has already passed through the Heavenly Department. I rejoice with you and share in your congratulations, and so I have come to inform you." When he finished speaking, [Yu] awoke. He related this to others, hoping the dream would prove true. In the winter of that year, Yu entered the capital to participate in official selection, but because of a penalty involving bronze, he did not obtain a post. He again spoke to people, saying the dream had no verification. In the spring of the ninth year, as Yu was about to return south of the Yangtze and reached Xuzhou, he suddenly received an imperial edict granting him the fifth rank and appointing him administrator of Wuzhou. ([Tang] Lin's elder brother, who was vice-minister of the Ministry of Personnel, heard of this, summoned Yu, and questioned him about it).