Chapter 121 Killing Game
Chapter 121 Killing Game
Xu Zhenguan shook his head.
With her cultivation level, she is still far from reaching the realm of human immortals where "whatever is said will be understood".
Therefore, the empress who was working overtime in the imperial study did not know that her silent arrangements had been known by Zhao Duan.
"Knock, knock." There was a sudden knock on the door. Xu Zhenguan simply put down his pen and said:
"Enter."
The door creaked open, and Mo Zhaorong, wearing a female official's robe and a black veil without wings, walked in and reported:
"Your Majesty, something happened in the Dali Temple."
"Oh?" Xu Zhenguan raised his slender eyebrows: "Go ahead."
Mo Chou briefly recounted what had happened.
Rarely, there was no exaggeration because the incident involved Zhao Duan.
"So, Zhao Duan went to arrest someone, but the Dali Temple Minister refused, and Ma Yan stepped in and forcibly took him away?" The empress asked in summary.
"Yes."
"Yes, I understand."
"...Your Majesty, I'm afraid the Dali Temple Minister will not let this go at the morning court tomorrow," Mochou analyzed calmly.
"Marquis Xiajiang is nothing, but it involves the conflict between the Three Judicial Departments and the Imperial Court. If it is not handled properly, it will eventually..."
Xu Zhenguan said calmly:
"I have already made up my mind and will give them an answer."
Mo Chou was stunned.
She found that the female emperor in front of her had become increasingly powerful recently. She was no longer as cautious as before when dealing with court officials, but had become more autocratic and decisive.
This change probably occurred after "Pei Kaizhi" was abolished.
This landmark event seemed to have only resulted in the replacement of a minister.
But in fact, it means that the empress's control over the court has reached a new level.
Mochou was somewhat happy for her.
In the two years since she ascended the throne, she had witnessed with her own eyes how the "Third Princess" gradually took back the imperial power.
Although there is still a long way to go before we can truly and completely control the court, this is already a welcome trend.
"Yes. I'll withdraw now." Mochou bowed and turned to leave.
Xu Zhenguan held the green jade dragon pen holder and suddenly smiled curiously:
"It's rare that you didn't say anything bad about him this time."
"He" obviously refers to Zhao Duan.
Mo Chou paused.
She couldn't help but think of the past few days when she had confidently complained that Zhao Duan was messing around in the imperial yamen and showing off his power, but she was slapped in the face at the speed of light.
This disastrous defeat seriously damaged the "female prime minister" and she needed two full days to recover.
Learned the lesson and decided not to make the same mistake again.
But she didn't want to be teased by the empress. She felt embarrassed and ashamed for a moment. She was silent for a while, and suddenly said:
"Your Majesty should also remind Lord Zhao to be more careful. Calling someone 'Old Xu' is fine in private, but it is inappropriate for the palace maids to hear it."
After saying that, she said goodbye and disappeared out the door.
Only the empress in white was left, holding the jade pen, sitting behind the desk, confusion gradually appearing on her fairy-like face:
"Old...Xu?"
……
……
Zhao Duan said goodbye to Ma Yan and felt a little warm in his heart when he walked out of the Governor's Hall.
He had indeed never imagined that all this was arranged by the Empress.
"No wonder my cold-blooded and heartless cheap senior brother agreed so readily, and he wasn't afraid of the Dali Temple Chief Justice at all. It turns out that he had already received instructions from Zhen Bao behind the scenes..."
"I was telling you, when did my licking skills become so good? Old Ma was so awesome this time... Everything makes sense now."
After solving his doubts, Zhao Duan felt relieved and his steps became lighter.
Don’t be fooled by his expression as if he had everything under control when he was in the Dali Temple.
But in reality, provoking a fight between the two yamen...it was really difficult for a small police officer like him to handle.
However, after Ma Yan gave the instructions, he no longer had to worry about the follow-up matters.
"Just wait until tomorrow morning to see if the dust settles."
Zhao Duan called the coachman Xiao Wang and drove home in the night, saying:
"I have to go to the palace tomorrow, and I will arrive around the time when the court is dismissed. You can pick me up based on the time you estimate."
After all, it was caused by him. Zhao Duan would feel uneasy unless he went to see it with his own eyes.
Especially... there is also Princess Yunyang, and I don’t know how the empress will deal with her.
After all, they are aunt and niece. Zhao Duan felt a headache when he thought about it.
"oh oh."
The coachman, Xiao Wang, responded without asking any further questions, and the carriage drove through the streets.
Neither of them noticed that several people in grey robes slowly walked out from a dark alley in the distance and watched the carriage go away.
These people were all wearing veils, and the one in the lead had an indigo ghost mask covering his face.
Surprisingly, it was the "branch leader" sent to the capital by the Kuangfu Society to replace Zhuang Xiaocheng.
"Captain, are you just going to let him go like this?"
Someone asked in a low voice, eager to make a move.
The branch leader with a mask on his face shook his head slowly:
"Wait a little longer. It's a pleasant surprise that the conflict between the Imperial Court and the Dali Temple arose so quickly.
Don't forget our purpose. Compared to killing a pretty boy, shaking up the court and weakening the pseudo-emperor's control over Dayu are the most important things.
If this person is killed at this time, it will only increase the variables, make the Dali Temple lose its target of hatred, and weaken the hostility between the two sides.
It will also cause everyone in the court to unite against the enemy...which is not a good thing.
He is just a pretty boy. Let him live one more day. When the court is held tomorrow morning and the two yamen confront each other in the Jinluan Palace, it will be safer to kill him then."
The other members of the Kuangfu Society were immediately impressed and overwhelmed by the wisdom of the branch leader: "The leader has foresight and we will surely accomplish our great cause."
Then, a group of people disappeared deep into the dark alley.
After they left, just opposite the entrance of the alley, above a century-old willow tree, the air quietly twisted.
A petite girl figure emerged:
He was wearing a black sorcerer's robe with the "Tianshi Mansion" emblem embroidered on it. He had a mysterious temperament, a distracted gaze, and looked a little dazed.
Jin Jian sat silently on the branch of the big willow tree, with a thoughtful look on his little face.
After a moment, she finally decided not to act rashly.
It simply turned into a bunch of starlight and rushed towards the Tianshi Mansion.
……
Russian qing.
Jin Jian once again came to the depths of the Tianshi Mansion, outside the quiet, independent courtyard.
Pushing open the gate, I saw a huge and dense banyan tree with swaying green branches, emitting a bright light that illuminated the entire courtyard.
under the tree.
Zhang Yan sat on the ground, using the sky as a blanket and the ground as a bed, and seemed to be distracted.
In front of the old Taoist priest, on the low table, there were some green jade bamboo slips spread out casually, and a carving knife was thrown next to them.
The extremely precious "Book of Heaven", which had been passed down for thousands of years and continuously revised by successive generations of heavenly masters, had a considerable number of words erased and new sentences engraved on it.
"Eh? Master, you are revising the book again."
Jin Jian was stunned for a moment, then walked over curiously.
It seemed as if the master did not hear me and did not pay any attention to me at all. It was as if his mind was wandering away, and only a body was left behind.
She squatted down, stretched her neck, looked at the bamboo slips titled "The Book of Heaven", and whispered:
"Man follows the earth, the earth follows the sky, the sky follows the Tao, the Tao follows... nature?"
Jin Jian murmured in confusion: "What does 'Tao follows nature' mean?"
Zhang Yanyi suddenly spoke up: "Master is thinking about this, too."
scare!
Jin Jian was startled and his eyes widened:
"Master, you are not in a trance."
"Yeah. Just thinking about something."
"Hmm... these new sentences were said by your 'young friend'?"
"Yes. When I first heard it, I was amazed and delighted, but I didn't have any doubts. But when I came back to revise the book, I felt confused."
Zhang Yan looked at the night sky and said:
“Writing is the best way to think. Before the advent of writing, ancient sages also used conversation to think. There are many mysteries in the world, and you think you understand them, but when you put them into words and speak them out, you will realize that you don’t understand.”
Jin Jian was confused and said frankly:
"Disciple doesn't understand."
Zhang Yanyi retracted his gaze, smiled, raised his hand and touched Jin Jian's head, saying:
"It's to teach you to write more and think more in your daily life."
Writing a book is boring... Jin Jian muttered, curiously:
"Is there something that Master doesn't understand?"
"That's a lot," Zhang Yanyi smiled gently:
"For example, the word 'Tao'. When I was ten years old, I thought I understood it. When I was twenty, I realized I didn't understand it. When I was thirty, I thought I understood it. When I was forty, I realized I didn't understand it at all... It goes on and on.
About sixty years ago, I read through this secret book of our sect thoroughly and thought I no longer had any doubts.
In the sixty years since then, I have not gained any new insights, but today, I suddenly realized that the word "Tao" that I had seen through before has become unfamiliar to me again. "
There was no disappointment or frustration on the old Taoist's face, instead, his face was rosy and full of anticipation like a child's.
What he didn't say was that he had just communicated with the Way of Heaven and had a vague premonition:
When he completely tore down the "Book of Heaven" in his hand and rebuilt it.
The day when the New Heavenly Book was finalized.
That was the time when he made further progress in his practice of the Heavenly Dao.
And all this depends on the young man named Zhao... The old Taoist priest was a little distracted.
I wondered how a mortal warrior could utter so many brilliant words.
Has there ever been such a person in history?
After much thought, only the Great Yu Taizu who lived six hundred years ago has some similarity.
"Oh, by the way, what do you want from me again?" Zhang Yan came back to his senses.
Jin Jian was reminded and then he remembered why he came.
She hurriedly recounted the "new things" she had just seen, and finally said:
"Master, those rebels seem to want to deal with Zhao Duan, the messenger from the White Horse Prison. Disciple wants to help him."
There is an unwritten rule in the Tianshi Mansion, which is not to interfere in temple struggles.
If the imperial court asks for help in a war, we can help depending on the situation.
But the Tianshi Mansion will not take the initiative to intervene in the dispute. Even if it discovers the rebels, it will just pretend not to see them.
It is precisely because of the strict adherence to this rule, coupled with its strong confidence, that the Tianshi Mansion has been able to stand for thousands of years, watching the succession of imperial power from generation to generation, remaining unmoved.
"Oh, is that so?" Zhang Yanyi was not surprised at all, smiled and said:
"Then go ahead. It just so happens that I have something else to tell you. Do you have the 'Divine Talisman' that your master gave you for self-defense?"
Jin Jian nodded seriously and patted her belly with her little hand:
"Put it here close to your body."
Zhang Yanyi:
"If anyone asks you later, just say that you gave the talisman to Zhao Duan. Remember?"
Jin Jian was puzzled:
"But the disciple didn't give it to him. It's right here."
He patted his belly again, indicating that it was well placed and not lost.
"...Master knows. If someone asks, you should just say this."
"profound."
"do not forget."
"Know it!"
……
Transition chapter, please help to find the typos~
(End of this chapter)