Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 357 Buddha's Relics, Clouds Rise in All Directions

Wang Cheng met Prince Yu, Han Zaiji, the sole heir to the Great Zhao Dynasty, in a side hall.

Compared to his previous destitution, he was now dressed in fine clothes, looked radiant, and exuded the vibrant energy of youth.

The famous saying, "When you succeed, you'll be surrounded by good people," is perfectly embodied in him.

Although he found it strange that he was being sought out, Wang Cheng remained expressionless and, in his capacity as Wang Fugui, obediently stepped forward to pay his respects.
"Your subject, Wang Fugui, pays his respects to Your Highness Prince Yu."

Han Zaiji's attitude was a bit too enthusiastic. Before he could bend down, he stepped forward and helped him up.

What she said also greatly surprised him:
"Envoy Wang, I've heard that you have a close personal relationship with Prince Jinghai, the author of 'On Sea Power'? Could you please introduce me to this first person to open his eyes to the world?"

"It would be even better if you could send me a set of autographed Shidetang merchandise."

Wang Cheng was caught off guard. He never expected that, besides Elizabeth from the Western Continent, this influential figure, who was considered one of the most important people in the world, was also a fan of his book.

Suddenly, I had the feeling of meeting up with fellow book lovers in person.

However, Emperor Shaozhi is still in charge of the Great Zhao Dynasty, and the matter of privately associating with vassal kings is a matter of great importance, so he said very cautiously:
"Your Highness also knows that I am the water official in charge of the capital of Minzhou, and my job is to deal with maritime merchants and pirates."

I have official business dealings with Prince Jinghai, and naturally we also have some personal interactions. There is no problem in conveying your message.

I imagine Prince Jinghai wouldn't refuse your request.

Hearing his words, Han Zaiji's face showed a clear "I understand, I understand everything" expression. He nodded in satisfaction and then changed the subject:
"Minister Wang, what do you think of Prince Jinghai's proposal to lift the sea ban?"

As the Imperial Envoy and Commander-in-Chief, Wang Fugui was naturally a proponent of opening up the sea, and he didn't need to hide this from anyone.

He stated firmly:
"This is naturally a great thing."

The maritime ban only restricted ordinary people and merchants, having little impact on powerful and influential families. On the contrary, it exacerbated their monopoly and solidified their unshakeable upstream position in the smuggling industry chain.

The imperial court didn't receive even a single penny of benefit.

I dare to assert that if we can subdue those gentry and powerful clans, we will be able to successfully open the seas.

It allows coastal boat people, water collectors, and maritime merchants to renounce their lowly status and freely travel between the sea and land, and recognizes the citizenship of at least 150 million overseas Chinese.

The maritime trade in the southeast could certainly become the "southern treasury of the emperor," just like during the Song Dynasty, and would be no less valuable than the current imperial treasury's silver reserves.

Prince Yu's eyes lit up, and he silently nodded.

Knowing that he wanted to open the gates after his father's death, and that the key was still the Guishan Bookstore, he could only accomplish this by withstanding their counterattack.

The imperial envoy and commander-in-chief before him was the external support from whom he could make great strides in the future.

But for now, we can only stop at academic discussions and dare not cross the line.

Then I asked a few more questions I encountered while reading "The Influence of Sea Power on the World".

Wang Cheng, being the author himself, naturally answered fluently.

Aside from one type of subjective question: "What emotions and deeper meanings did the author express in writing this sentence?"

He genuinely couldn't answer those questions.

It can only be said that reading comprehension is based on the test creator's interpretation and has absolutely nothing to do with the original author.

"Your Highness, it is getting late, and I should return to my palace."

Although the two had a pleasant conversation, Wang Cheng was still only a fourth-rank official, and even with the protection of the divine energy of Emperor Shi Huang of Han, he could not remain outside his body for too long.

As they were about to part, Prince Yu suddenly took a Buddha relic that he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and handed it to him, expressing his sincere gratitude:
“I have already heard from the Marquis of Zhongcheng that you were the one who buried the powder keg in the Guangze Prince’s mansion.”

If that traitor had succeeded in assassinating my father, I certainly wouldn't have survived.

Speaking of which, you are also my savior. I have always wanted to reward you in some way to express my gratitude.

This is a finger bone relic of Buddha Shakyamuni. Although it barely qualifies as a national treasure, simply wearing it should be enough to ensure your safety in the evil-ridden Southeast Asia.

Wang Cheng subconsciously took the pure white finger bone and immediately felt his Yin spirit warm up, and the time it took for him to leave his body was extended considerably.

I glanced at it with the word "rare commodity".

[Rare find: The first segment of the index finger of Shakyamuni Buddha's left hand (one of the very few surviving Buddha relics in the world, a national treasure)]

Like the True Cross, a relic of the Son of God, the Buddha's bone relics were also dismantled and scattered.

Moreover, most of them have been destroyed in the persecution of Buddhism, chaotic times, and wars between gods and demons throughout history, and very few have survived to this day.

Within China, the true relics of Shakyamuni Buddha include finger bones, skull bones, teeth, and body relics, mainly distributed in places such as Famen Temple, Dabaoen Temple in Southern Zhili, Lingguang Temple in Yujing, and Yunju Temple.

These relics embody the Buddhist traditions of various schools around the world, and each relic possesses immense power. Although this small finger bone relic should be considered among the least powerful of all existing relics, in Wang Cheng's eyes, its value lies not in its physical form.

Its more important purpose should be to build a [Bone Tower Ship]!
Each of the Heavenly Treasure Ships requires a national treasure to accompany it, and the White Bone Tower Ship requires a talisman to ward off evil spirits, namely the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni or a great being of the same level.

Similar to the Blood River Pagoda Ship, each ship builds its core components, the Blood Pagoda and the Bone Shrine. The rest can be completed using only a large amount of ordinary flesh and bones.

This time, he was going to Southeast Asia to wreak havoc!
"Your Highness, I am very grateful for the treasure."

Wang Cheng sincerely thanked Prince Yu and expressed his loyalty before returning to his physical body with the Buddha's finger bone in his hand.

He opened his eyes, looked at the Buddha bone in his palm, and his eyes shone with a sharp light:
"If I could obtain a palm technique that descends from the sky after the [White Bone Tower Ship] is completed, that would be even better."

A few days later, in the golden tent of Altan Khan, the leader of the northern Tatars.

Han Qinyu, the Prince of Guangze, who was inhabiting the body of Prince Jing, Han Zaizhen, sat with a beautiful girl with wheat-colored skin and many small braids in her hair.

At the head of the table sat Anda Khan, the true master of the grasslands.

"Father Khan, your son-in-law's inside contact in Dazhao has sent a message."

It has been confirmed that the elixir of immortality has appeared in Southeast Asia again. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Please, Father Khan, mobilize your troops. I, your son-in-law, am willing to obtain the elixir of immortality for you, so that you too may attain eternal life.

Han Zaizhen was originally only a fifth-rank [Dan Ding Daoist], but after practicing the external alchemy method of the Feathered Immortal, his thirst for elixirs was even greater than that of the Lord of the State.

Even after the downfall of Yen's party, he had painstakingly cultivated his network for many years and still managed to retain many seemingly insignificant key inside agents.

With the help of these informants, confidants, and henchmen, they quickly obtained intelligence that the imperial court was launching its eighth voyage to the Western Ocean to seize the elixir of immortality.

He immediately took the [Kunlun Qin Inscription] to his father-in-law, Anda Khan.

It is important to know that this stone inscription is one of the traces of the search for medicine at that time, and it carries the wishes of some emperors throughout the ages to seek immortality.

Simply by touching this stone, one can identify and locate the elixir. If one plants or refines the elixir within a 250-step radius of this stone, its efficacy will be increased by 20%.

It just so happens that the Kunlun Qin Inscription is the westernmost point of the land where the First Emperor searched for the elixir of immortality. If we could also obtain the First Emperor's edict ordering Xu Fu to go to sea to search for the elixir, we could anchor at the easternmost point.

It is believed that by taking advantage of the strong desire of rulers throughout history to find the elixir of immortality, one can obtain a "Treasure Map of Immortal Medicines" that encompasses all the mountains and seas of the world.

They can even move freely inside and outside the Mountain and Sea Curse Restriction.

This was also his biggest reason for daring to personally search for the medicine.

Altan Khan was now over fifty years old, no longer young, and his energy was not what it used to be. He agreed to Altan Khan's request to borrow troops almost without hesitation.

"Very well, my dear son-in-law, if we can truly attain immortality, then you and I, father-in-law and son-in-law, will join forces to head south, capture the dragon, and rebuild the invincible Yunmeng Empire!"

Han Qinyu, whose true form was already 72 years old, was overjoyed and thanked him without any hesitation:
"As you command, I will certainly not disappoint Father Khan."

Meanwhile, the Japanese royal family, who happened to possess the edict from the First Emperor to seek medicine in the East China Sea, also began making hasty plans to set sail after receiving the news.

The Japanese lord Masamachi and his younger sister and queen, Queen Fukō, knelt on the side of the corridor, which was blocked by a screen.

A group of fierce-looking death row inmates were steadily converging on the courtyard.

All members are Shinto officials of the seventh rank or above, including samurai, onmyoji, shrine maidens, ninjas, priests, komushi monks, biwa players, and more.

A solemn atmosphere prevailed.

puff!
Masamachi suddenly heard a strange noise beside him.

Before he could find the source...

The nun Pifu, who served the queen, then prostrated herself in apology.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I was the one who farted."

When she said those words, everyone's perception was altered, and they became convinced that she was the one who farted.

It perfectly eased the awkwardness.

Masamachi's expression relaxed, and he nodded, gesturing to the court noble beside him.

The latter then stepped forward and addressed all the prisoners:

“Listen, sinners, if you can find the elixir of immortality in the South Seas…”

His Majesty will then issue you pardons, sparing your families from the death penalty, and may even elevate you to the rank of nobles!

(End of this chapter)