Minglong

Chapter 129 Empress Dowager Guo's Rumored Boyfriend? (Seeking Monthly Tickets or 2)

Not long after dawn, several galloping horses emerged from the side alley of the Li residence and raced towards the outer city in the rain, the riders hurrying along.

On a side street some distance away, the county magistrate Fiji was eating breakfast at his steamed bun shop, his gaze fixed on the three departing figures, lost in thought.
"The Red Crow Steed of Fengzhou is of average speed but has great endurance. Its destination should be outside of Jingzhao Prefecture. It is traveling in the rain, carrying hay, dry rations, water bags, and bedding. It seems to want to go and return quickly without stopping along the way. Leading the way is Du Mushan, a confidant of Eunuch Li..."

Yang Dabiao, dressed as a rough-looking man, was enjoying his meal across the table. Three steamed buns were already placed beside him, and he glanced at them as he heard the noise.
"Monk Jibei, what are you doing staring at Eunuch Li's residence so early in the morning?"

"Catch the Thief Saint! People who commit big crimes usually go back to the crime scene to take a look. I'm not bragging, but with my sharp eyes, if the Thief Saint dares to wander under my nose, I can catch him on the spot."

"Oh, I thought you were checking if Eunuch Li's wives or concubines were having affairs..."

……

Fiji was indeed watching to see if Li Gongpu's household was having an affair, but not with women; rather, they were checking if he was secretly currying favor with the Crown Prince.

However, Fiji couldn't bring these things up. He kept his gaze fixed on the direction where Du Mushan and the others had gone, and reached into the steamer basket to feel around...

The result was that it was empty.

?

Looking back, the baskets of steamed buns were completely clean, not even a crumb was left!

"Hey? You little brat, I just glanced out the window and you didn't leave me a single bite?!"

"Uh... I thought Lord Fei wasn't in the mood to eat and didn't want to waste food... Shopkeeper, bring two more baskets of buns!"

"You pay for it yourself!"

"Then I'll spit it out for you..."

"roll roll roll……"

……

As the two were playfully bickering, a constable ran into the steamed bun shop, holding a letter in his hand, his expression strange:
"Lord Fei, take a look at this."

Fiji was puzzled, took the letter and looked at it, and soon his expression also became strange.

Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, Yang Dabiao ate a large steamed bun one after another, looking puzzled.
"What's going on?"

"Someone anonymously accused Xie Jinhuan of being Empress Dowager Guo's lover in Northern Zhou. For the past three years, he has been secretly honing his skills in the Northern Zhou palace. He returned to Daqian to gain favor and sow discord within Daqian..."

"what?!"

Yang Dabiao quickly took the letter and examined it carefully:

"Is that so? My brother slept with the Empress Dowager of Northern Zhou? What genius made this up?"

"It's probably those bastards from the Underworld Cult who got hurt by Jin Huan and are trying to shift the blame to the east to divert the court's attention."

"Then why bring up Empress Dowager Guo?"

"Perhaps they discovered that Jin Huan used the supernatural powers of the Zhuji lineage in the Linde Hall yesterday. This method of framing is called 'reversing cause and effect,' using the result to deduce the process. It sounds very plausible. News of affairs between men and women spreads quickly, and the Northern Zhou will definitely acknowledge it."

Yang Dabiao asked in confusion, "Why?"

Fiji said earnestly:
“If Jin Huan isn’t a spy, then this is a ‘divide and conquer’ scheme, making Da Qian suspicious of talented people and cripple its own power. With Empress Dowager Guo’s skills, she will admit to it. If Jin Huan really is a spy, then he has been exposed, and Empress Dowager Guo will definitely have to find a way to rescue him, which is also considered admitting to it. Since they will admit to it no matter what, won’t the court be unsure?”
"The person who framed him probably had this in mind. If Northern Zhou admits to this, Xie Jinhuan will be in trouble for no reason and will have to find a way to distance himself from the matter, which will inevitably delay the pursuit of the Underworld Cult."

"However, the imperial court isn't stupid either. When Prefect Chen saw the letter, he was amused and sent it directly to the county government so that Jin Huan could also have a laugh..."

Yang Dabiao nodded thoughtfully: "The person who came up with this terrible idea is quite a talent. With this move, no matter how much Jin Huan tries to clear his name, he'll still be 'infamous in twelve volumes of unofficial histories,' and if he dares to attack the Northern Zhou in the future, he'll be condemned as a heartless man, his name etched in history. Brilliant, brilliant..."

"Indeed, if Jin Huan catches this bastard, he'll be beaten into dumpling filling at the very least..."

During this casual conversation, Fiji reached for the steamed buns again, and then...?
"You little brat! You're utterly lawless and inhuman!"

"Hey! Don't touch it! We're officials, we need to maintain our image when we're out in public... Shopkeeper, two more baskets, please..."

……
-
The Imperial Observatory is located on the east side of the Imperial City.

The Bafang Tongming Pagoda was built outside the imperial city, below which was the Qintianjian (Imperial Observatory) office, which housed celestial officials and astronomers from various schools of thought. Lu Wuzhen, the head of the Taiyin Palace, also worked here year-round.

Dark clouds loomed over the city, and the vast square was tinged with a dark bluish-black hue by the rain.

Holding an oil-paper umbrella, Nangong Ye stood alone in front of the six-zhang-tall Qilin sculpture, gazing at this legendary beast that was said to suppress the fate of the Great Qian Dynasty.

When attending official occasions, Nangong Ye changed into a black and white Taoist robe from the Dan Ding Sect, wore a white jade crown, and carried a yellowish-brown sword box on his back, exuding an ethereal aura.

Standing alone beneath the sky, before the Qilin, with his sharp, phoenix-shaped eyes, he looked like a peerless swordsman facing a ferocious beast, ready to single-handedly storm the Jade Capital. His overall demeanor was like that of a frozen glacier, devoid of any human desires.

However, appearances may be one thing, but with such a big mess last night, it's inevitable that my mind is still a bit cluttered.

After pushing Xie Jinhuan out last night, Nangong Ye focused all his attention on the Yang poison in his body. He wasn't sure if he was being too dogmatic or too hot, because he even took off his clothes while taking a shower.

Still taking it off in the living room...

Xie Jinhuan was caught off guard at the time, and her movements were so fast, she probably couldn't have seen the details...

I watched it too...

A girl who is like a disciple to a righteous hero develops feelings for him, but the hero then discovers that his beloved is his master...

This would be a notorious feat among witches and sorceresses, not to mention the strictly disciplined Dan Ding sect...

Even now, Nangong Ye still felt a sharp edge on his back, and he felt that his Dao heart was damaged, and he would not be able to survive this tribulation.

Tread...  

After a brief, dreamlike journey of thousands of miles, a Taoist-robed man emerged from the tower behind the Qilin sculpture.

The man, also dressed in the robes of the Dan Ding Sect, had graying temples, but looked only in his forties or fifties. His gait and demeanor exuded an air of elegance, and he carried a black lacquered wooden box. Nangong Ye withdrew his distracting thoughts and stepped forward to bow.
"Thank you for your hard work, Senior Brother Lu."

"Don't mention it, it was just a small favor."

Lu Wuzhen handed the medicine box to Nangong Ye, not forgetting to give him some instructions:

"The national treasury doesn't have many Jiazi Lotuses. This one has been cultivated for another Jiazi. Junior Sister Nangong, please do your best to return it ahead of time. Otherwise, if the court needs it urgently and asks Zihui Mountain for it, we will have to dig up the living plants, which would be a loss."

Lu Wuzhen became an apprentice during the chaos of the Witchcraft Sect. Now, his grand-disciple Jing Wuniang is the same age as Nangong Ye. However, Nangong Ye is a disciple of Qixia Zhenren. According to the seniority system within the Dan Ding Sect, the two belong to the same generation.

Although Nangong Ye addressed him as "Senior Brother," he showed considerable respect to the leader of the Dan Ding Sect. After thinking for a moment, he asked:
"The Underworld Cult has been causing trouble recently. Are they looking for the Tomb of the Corpse Ancestor?"

Lu Wuzhen put his hands behind his back and looked up at the Qilin sculpture:

"No matter how powerful the Corpse Ancestor is, he is still an old man. Talented people emerge in every generation. After a hundred years of time, the demonic path may well produce another unparalleled genius."

"Judging from the recent moves of the Underworld God Cult, it seems more like it has conceived another great dragon and is taking steps to accomplish what the Corpse Ancestor could not do back then."

Nangong Ye was ultimately too young and had not experienced the chaos of the Witchcraft Cult. He frowned and said:
"What did the Corpse Ancestor want to do back then?"

"Those who cultivate themselves seek nothing more than longevity, immortality, and ascension to heaven."

Lu Wuzhen looked up at the dark, oppressive sky:

"However, the sky is too low now. You can't reach that level by just cultivating. The only way is to plunder the world and gather the fortune of heaven and earth into your own body. If you want to plunder the world, you have to make the world chaotic. Otherwise, all the religions and schools will be united, and the demonic path will not be able to succeed."

Nangong Ye nodded thoughtfully: "The Underworld God Cult wants to incite war between the North and South?"

"Not only that, there's also sectarian conflict."

Lu Wuzhen sighed softly:
“Those bald monks in Buddhism have been working on some kind of ‘golden scripture and seal script’ in recent years, which is eroding the foundation of my Taoist sect.”

"That old codger Sikong Tianyuan managed to turn the rabble of the Gu Poison Sect into the 'Witch Alliance,' and even infiltrated the streets of the capital."

Wei Wuyi proposed several times that the position of Director of the Imperial Observatory should be rotated among various religious sects and should not be monopolized by the Dan Ding Sect.

"Over the past century, the conflicts between the various religions have accumulated to a great extent. The reason why things are still calm now is because the world is still at peace. All the religions cherish their reputation and do not want to be the first to cause chaos in the world."

"As soon as someone starts it, all religions and schools of thought will immediately fall into chaos. The righteous will each pursue their own interests, and the evil and heretical will naturally have their chance."

Having traveled the world for many years, Nangong Ye could see that the conflicts between various religions were deepening, such as her relationship with the witch.

If that demoness didn't also strip naked and embarrass herself, she wouldn't be at peace with herself!

"Senior Brother Lu, do you mean that all these conflicts are instigated by the Underworld God Sect behind the scenes?"

Lu Wuzhen shook his head, and with a flick of his wrist, a long, gleaming sword flew from within the Eight Directions Illumination Pagoda, inscribed with the characters 'Wuzhen':
"No truth, no heart, no difference, no abyss"—these are our teachers reminding us not to kill each other over traditions and treasures, repeating the same mistakes. And now it seems more like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"The monk Wuxin thinks only of his own mind, and he dreams all the world will become a Buddhist paradise; Wuyuan was the first to break with the righteous path, changed his name to Tianyuan, and lived in seclusion in a corner of the world to do his own thing..."

"All three thousand paths lead to sainthood, and it's true that we shouldn't exclude dissidents. But if I, Lu Wuzhen, don't 'take the Dao as truth' and instead think of a hundred schools of thought governing together, those bald monks of Buddhism will leave the Great Qian Dynasty with only Buddhism. If you were the sect leader, what could you do?"

Nangong Ye now wants to demolish the Ancestral Hall of Fanyun Temple, and even thinks that Lu Wuzhen, this radical, is too conservative!

"It seems we are still just ordinary people, unable to compare with the minds of the great masters of the various sects. I will investigate the matter of the Underworld God Sect in the capital in the coming days. If I find any clues, I will inform Senior Brother Lu in time."

Lu Wuzhen considered it for a moment and then gave a word of advice:

“Nangong Junior Sister’s disciple is acquainted with Xie Jinhuan. If it’s convenient, you can help him find out more about this guy.”

To get a preliminary assessment?

This kid has practically smeared my entire path...

Nangong Ye took a light breath, showing no sign of surprise, and simply asked:
"Senior Brother Lu suspects this boy has a questionable background?"

Lu Wuzhen shook his head: "I'm just curious about which senior taught such a good disciple. Xie Jinhuan doesn't forget to find an opportunity to slay demons and monsters even when he goes to the palace for a banquet. Even if he is the concubine of Empress Dowager Guo of Northern Zhou before she entered the palace, the court has to pretend not to see it and wait until he digs out all the evil spirits before they talk."

?

Nangong Ye was unaware that some petty scoundrel had made false accusations, and was utterly bewildered upon hearing this:

"How could Xie Jinhuan have an ambiguous relationship with Empress Dowager Guo? With Empress Dowager Guo's personality, if the barbarians on the grasslands dared to take even a sheep from her people, she would still send a large army to the border and make the Northern Kingdom kneel down and send it back. She would be handing her weakness to the Great Qian Dynasty. Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?"

Lu Wuzhen smiled and said, "So this shouldn't be taken seriously. However, if Junior Sister Nangong has the chance to ask Xie Jinhuan about his master, it would be better to ask him."

"Those old fogies of the Hidden Immortal Sect are always scheming about 'playing a grand game,' and nine out of ten of them are terrible at it. It's not hard to defend against powerful demonic opponents, but it's impossible to guard against righteous fools who keep quiet!"

Nangong Ye knew that this was an insult directed at Sikong Shitang, the father of the patriarch Sikong.

Sikong Shitang took in a promising student back then. Many people said he was not of good character, but he felt he could teach him well and raised him almost like his own son. Even when he made a big mistake, he secretly protected him and kept it a secret from outsiders.

Then one night, the patriarchs of various religions across the vast southern lands were horrified to discover:

My God! The Corpse Ancestor has emerged from seclusion!
Although Sikong Shitang risked his life to cleanse the sect and his achievements ranked among the top among the predecessors of various sects, it could not change the fact that he had nurtured a tiger that would eventually become a threat. This matter directly led to the decline of the entire witchcraft sect, and now only the Zhuji sect remains to openly show its face.

Nangong Ye felt that Xie Jinhuan was extremely upright, and at most had a slight fondness for beauty.

Xie Jinhuan obviously couldn't possibly overturn the entire world because of a woman, so no matter how bizarre his lineage was, there was no possibility that he was raising a tiger to cause trouble. Senior Brother Lu's worries were obviously a bit of an overreaction.

However, she didn't say any of this aloud; she just casually agreed, chatted for a few words, and then left with the lotus flower in her hand...

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(End of this chapter)