During the Tang Dynasty, Wei Dan, who had failed the imperial examinations, rode his lame donkey all the way to a particular bridge in Luoyang. There, he happened to see someone selling a large soft‑shelled turtle several feet long. The animal was in a terrible condition and looked as if it would die at any moment. Many people had gathered around it, wanting to buy and cook it. Wei Dan felt pity, approached the seller out of kindness, and agreed to exchange his donkey for the turtle. He picked it up and immediately took it to a nearby body of water to release it, giving it a new chance at life.
A few days later, he sought out a fortune‑teller. He found a mysterious man known as Master Hulu, whose background was unknown, but whose divinations were said to be extraordinarily accurate. When he arrived at Master Hulu’s home, he saw him at the door waiting and wearing his shoes backward.
Wei Dan explained that he wished to have his fortune told. Master Hulu replied that he had a friend named Yuan, a senior official who wanted to meet him. Wei Dan, who only wanted to know his fate, was about to decline, but the fortune-teller explained that he was unable to help him, and only Yuan — his teacher — could provide some answers. Hearing this, Wei Dan reluctantly agreed to meet Yuan and followed Master Hulu into a quiet alley.
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