The Buddha is actually me

Chapter 163: Ming Wang Dresses Up, Jiu Yang Arrives

At the hour of Si, the sky is clear and the sun is shining.

The Shen Mansion had begun to bustle with activity. Almost all the dignitaries from the entire Yangzhou City had come. The house was bustling with people and carriages and horses were constantly coming and going.

As a wealthy man in Yangzhou and the head of sixteen chambers of commerce, even the prefect of Yangzhou had to give face to Old Lady Shen and come in person to congratulate him at her birthday banquet.

There are also rumors that say that for this birthday banquet, Old Lady Shen has specially invited many extraordinary people from all over the world, and it's so mysterious that no one knows what they are going to do.

The main gate of Shen's Mansion.

Zhang Jiuyang came to the door carrying a large bag of snacks made by Ah Li. Looking at the busy line of people and the birthday gifts that sounded very valuable, he couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.

"The head of the Sun family sent a pair of Nanhai purple gold and red wood carvings!"

"Master Gu, the Chief Secretary, sent me a pair of silver-gilt jade-inlaid applique bracelets!"

"Master Sun Mingyu, the young master of Wanfu Tower, sent a bottle of longevity mica pill, ten eight-treasure house-fixing talismans, and a piece of East China Sea dragon yarn!"

……

The guests who came to attend the birthday banquet were either high-ranking officials of the fifth rank or above in Yangzhou, or wealthy gentry, or famous literati. Even a transcendent force like Wanfu Tower sent its young master to come and congratulate.

Especially the gift given by Sun Mingyu made many people stunned.

The Longevity Mica Pill is a world-famous elixir from Wanfu Tower. It is said to have the miraculous effect of prolonging life. It is a tribute pill for His Majesty today. It is in short supply and one pill is worth ten thousand gold coins.

The Eight Treasures House-Setting Talisman can adjust Feng Shui, increase luck, and settle down the home, and is also precious.

As for the last piece of dragon gauze, it has an even greater origin, also known as mermaid gauze. According to legend, it is the cloth woven by the mermaids in the East China Sea. It is as thin as moonlight and as light as a feather, but it is immune to cold and heat, and will not get wet when submerged in water. It is a treasure among treasures, a treasure among treasures.

For a moment, everyone looked at Sun Mingyu, the young master of Wanfu Tower.

He was dressed in brocade clothes, wearing a jade crown on his head, holding a folding fan in his hand. He had a handsome face and elegant manner, but his temperament was a little feminine.

Facing the gaze of the crowd, he was neither humble nor arrogant, but calm and composed, with outstanding demeanor.

A white-haired old Taoist priest holding a whisk followed silently behind him. He had an ethereal aura and walked as lightly as a crane. His eyes were so bright that it was difficult to look directly at him.

Zhang Jiuyang's heart sank. This old Taoist's cultivation was even higher than his. He was probably at the fourth level!
At the fourth level, he is qualified to be a Lingtai Lang in the Imperial Observatory, but he is willing to follow behind Sun Mingyu and protect him silently.

He is worthy of being the young master of Wanfu Tower.

As if noticing Zhang Jiuyang's gaze, Sun Mingyu turned around and looked at him. When their eyes met, the magic power in both of them began to move.

He nodded slightly at Zhang Jiuyang.

The two men were about the same age, both had reached the third realm of cultivation, and their looks and temperaments were quite similar.

The only difference was that what Zhang Jiuyang was holding in his hand was a bag of snacks wrapped in oil paper.

He shook his head and smiled. Ali asked her to buy some gifts, but she was reluctant to spend the money, so she made these snacks herself.

It tastes good, but it's a bit stingy as a birthday gift.

"Under..."

"Master Zhang!"

Just as Zhang Jiuyang was about to bite the bullet and present the birthday gift, the butler who was greeting the guests at the door suddenly had a bright look in his eyes and almost ran over, looking very excited.

"Are you Mr. Zhang Jiuyang?"

"Yes, you know me?"

"Yes, of course I know him. Who in the Shen family doesn't know Mr. Zhang?"

The butler's attitude was very respectful, even a little too respectful, with a hint of flattery, an attitude he had never shown when facing Sun Mingyu.

Zhang Jiuyang felt strange and recalled what Yue Ling said last night.

"Your face may be more prestigious than mine in the Shen Mansion now."

The butler brought Zhang Jiuyang all the way to the banquet with extreme respect, even ignoring Sun Mingyu. The servants along the way all had the same reaction when they saw Zhang Jiuyang, curious and respectful.

There were already quite a few people sitting at the banquet, and Zhang Jiuyang also saw his acquaintances from the Imperial Observatory, Lao Gao and Li Yan.

He wanted to go over to talk, but the butler took him forward to the second seat on the right. In an instant, countless eyes looked towards Zhang Jiuyang.

When they saw that it was a handsome man in snow-white clothes with a jade flute hanging from his waist, they couldn't help but talk about it and speculate about his identity and origin.

You know, the person sitting opposite Zhang Jiuyang was the prefect of Yangzhou, and the person sitting next to him was a supervisor of the Imperial Observatory.

Shen Tu Xiong raised his glass and looked at Zhang Jiuyang with a strange look in his eyes.

"So you are Zhang Jiuyang. You are indeed a handsome man. No wonder Yue Ling is so interested in you."

After that, a smile appeared on his dark and rough face, and he said, "You are very capable. I don't know how many men in my Imperial Observatory are gritting their teeth at you."

"You, boy, picked the most beautiful flower in our Imperial Observatory without making a sound."

Zhang Jiuyang smiled slightly and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "Shentu Jianhou, you misunderstood, Yue Ling and I are just friends."

He secretly looked at Shen Tu Xiong. Yue Ling once said that this man hated evil and had a fiery temper. He was a brave and courageous general, but he was a little extreme and protective of his shortcomings.

"Haha, don't tell me. I'm afraid that many of our people will come to give you wine later. Boy, I hope you can drink well."

He patted Zhang Jiuyang on the shoulder and said jokingly.

Zhang Jiuyang gave a bitter smile.

But this exchange left a good impression on Shen Tu Xiong. Although he had conflicts with Yue Ling on official business and had slammed the table, he still came to attend Old Lady Shen's birthday banquet in private and did not secretly make things difficult for him.

He is obviously a man who clearly distinguishes between public and private affairs and is bold and straightforward.

A moment later, Sun Mingyu, the young master of Wanfu Tower, also came in and sat in the third seat on the right, right next to Zhang Jiuyang.

He stroked his folding fan, looked at Zhang Jiuyang thoughtfully, and asked, "Which sect or school does this Taoist friend come from?"

"I am a man from the countryside, a casual cultivator, who just has some connections with the Imperial Observatory."

There was a hint of realization in Sun Mingyu's eyes. He thought that Zhang Jiuyang might be the son of a certain supervisor or even a deputy supervisor of the Imperial Observatory. Otherwise, ordinary people from the Imperial Observatory would not be qualified to sit here.

"Chi Yao holds the magic talisman, and writes the book with his heart. He removes the demons and purifies the world, and drives away the evil to make the sun and the moon bright."

Zhang Jiuyang suddenly recited a poem, which was the same poem that Taoist Master Jingxing recited before his death, and then asked, "Young Master, have you ever heard of this poem?"

Sun Mingyu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Of course I have heard of it. This is the poem left by the founder of our Wan Fu Lou before he passed away. It is also the ancestral precepts that our Wan Fu Lou has passed down to this day. We have to recite it since childhood."

"Why do you ask this?"

Zhang Jiuyang recalled the piety and determination on Taoist Master Jingxing's face when he recited this poem before his soul dissipated. It was as if it was this poem that supported him in traveling all over the country, with a bamboo stick and straw sandals, curing illnesses and exorcising demons.

Seeing the indifference on Sun Mingyu's face again, Zhang Jiuyang sighed silently.

Some people regard it as a guiding principle and practice it throughout their lives, while others do not take it seriously and discard it like a worn-out shoe.

What's even more ironic is that the former's corpse was exposed in the wilderness, while the latter held a high position. But thinking of the last wish of Taoist Master Jingxing, Zhang Jiuyang still asked: "Does the young building owner know Taoist Master Jingxing? He is also a disciple of your Wanfu Building."

"Pure conduct?"

Sun Mingyu thought for a moment and said blankly: "Who is that? How old is he? What is his cultivation level?"

"About sixty or seventy years old, third level."

Hearing this, Sun Mingyu shook his head and smiled, saying: "How could I remember a disciple with this talent? When he sees me, he has to call me uncle."

Zhang Jiuyang frowned, took out the urn wrapped in white cloth, and said, "Master Jingxing died while exorcising demons. He had only one last wish, which was to be buried in the cemetery forest of Wanfu Tower and return to his homeland."

Sun Mingyu smiled slightly and said, "He has been burned to ashes. Who knows if he is a disciple of our Wanfu Tower? Outsiders cannot be buried in the cemetery."

"but……"

He suddenly changed the subject and whispered, "My father is in retreat now, and I will be in charge of the temple for the time being. If you are willing to help me, this is nothing, just a matter of a word."

Zhang Jiuyang just found it ridiculous.

I took the trouble to return your disciple's ashes, and it would be fine if you were not grateful, but you actually asked me to help you with something before you agreed to bury the ashes.

I remembered what Jingxing once said.

"Fellow Daoist, you can take my ashes back to Wan Fu Tower in Yangzhou. Considering that I have worked diligently for the sect to subdue demons for decades, they should give you some compensation..."

Zhang Jiuyang sighed inwardly, wondering what Taoist Master Jingxing would think if he knew the sect’s attitude.

Seeing that Zhang Jiuyang didn't say anything, Sun Mingyu thought he agreed, so he said, "You have connections in the Imperial Observatory, do you know someone?"

"Who?"

"Ming Wang Yue Ling."

As Sun Mingyu said this, he opened the folding fan with a snap. When Zhang Jiuyang saw the person painted on the fan clearly, he was stunned.

She was a girl who looked about thirteen or fourteen years old. She had a high ponytail, wore a red dress, and held a spear in her hand. She had beautiful features and looked heroic.

Although her features were still somewhat immature, Zhang Jiuyang could confirm that it was Yue Ling as a teenager!

"Ling'er and I were childhood sweethearts. She once saved me. When I was seven, I accidentally fell into the water. She shot me out with a gun and tapped my face with the tip of the gun, saying, 'Little fatty, eat less in the future.'"

“I’ll never forget that scene.”

Sun Mingyu sighed, "It's a pity that she returned to Jizhou later. She only came back to Yangzhou for a short stay in June every year. After that, the Duke's Mansion was in trouble, and she joined the Imperial Observatory and rarely came back."

"So, you want to..."

Sun Mingyu nodded and said, "I haven't seen her for a few years. Is she pretty now? What does she like?"

Zhang Jiuyang looked at him with a half-smile.

"So you want me to bring you and Yue Ling together?"

"It would be great if we can bring them together, but it doesn't matter if we can't. Just tell me some useful information, such as what she likes to eat and whether she has someone she likes..."

Zhang Jiuyang's smile slowly faded, and he said calmly, "Get lost."

Sun Mingyu was startled, and then his expression turned cold. He looked at Zhang Jiuyang and said, "So you also received the news."

"what news?"

"Still pretending."

Sun Mingyu sneered, "Mrs. Shen is usually very low-key. The reason why she held a birthday banquet with great fanfare this time and invited many talented people is that she wants to choose a son-in-law for her grandson, right?"

"Nine out of ten young people present here are here for Yue Ling, and you are no exception!"

He reached out and took away Jingxing's ashes, saying, "I can help you with this, but please withdraw voluntarily later. I, Wanfu Tower, owe you a favor."

Zhang Jiuyang shook his head and ignored him.

Can I tell you that I am not here for Yue Ling, but for Old Lady Shen?
He could see Yue Ling anytime he wanted. The reason he came to the birthday banquet was purely because he wanted to see Old Lady Shen.

One of Zhang Jiuyang's main purposes for coming to Yangzhou was to quickly spread the belief in Wang Lingguan and collect incense.

If he could get the help of Old Lady Shen, he would be able to open up a new business in Yangzhou soon, quickly harvest a large amount of incense power, and allow the visualization diagram to continue to pass on the legacy, or even...

Please ask the spirit official to come down to the world and subdue the demons!

Just as he was thinking, the surroundings suddenly became quiet and everyone's eyes were looking in the same direction.

Zhang Jiuyang saw that Lao Gao and the others actually gasped, widened their eyes, and showed disbelief.

All the people in the Imperial Observatory were struck by lightning; even Shentu Jianhou accidentally knocked over his wine glass.

Zhang Jiuyang's heart trembled. Could it be an evil spirit?

He raised his eyes suddenly, and then his pupils trembled and he stood there in a daze.

I saw a figure slowly walking towards me.

There was a flower ornament between her eyebrows, which looked like a blooming red lotus. She wore a light pink brocade skirt, which was decorated with gold and green cicada wings. Her waist was tied with a light golden silk ribbon, which outlined her graceful curves.

The jet-black hair was no longer tied into a ponytail as usual, but fell to the waist like a waterfall, and each strand was crystal clear, as if flowing with luster.

The only thing that didn't fit in was the dragon-sparrow saber in her hand.

Zhang Jiuyang suddenly doubted his own eyes.

This is... Yue Ling?
No, who are you, beautiful lady?

But I saw that he had eyebrows as deep as autumn water, eyes like the bright moon, handsome facial features, fair and flawless skin, and a tall figure. When he walked, he was as graceful as a jade and had a charming look.

What is even more commendable is that even when wearing women's clothes, she still has an indelible heroic spirit and her bright eyes are difficult to look directly at.

Anyone who sees her cannot help but praise her as a truly extraordinary and charming woman.

Yue Ling ignored everyone's gazes. She walked with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, sword in hand, and went straight to Sun Mingyu, looking at him quietly.

Zhang Jiuyang was stunned. Could it be true, as Sun Mingyu said, that they were childhood sweethearts?

When he thought of this, he felt a slight sour feeling in his heart.

The next moment, Yue Ling's cold voice sounded.

"Hey, please make room."

"I want to sit with him."

……

(End of this chapter)