The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Chapter 1049 - 582: Empress: Find Me a Copy of "Water Melody

"Your Majesty, is it that urgent?" Zhao Douan showed a troubled expression. He had yet to think of how to bluff the Empress.

Xu Zhenguan looked at him with clear and questioning eyes:

"Is there a problem? Now that the news of Mu Prince’s death has spread, the entire court will soon operate in full force, and you are still at Zhengyang Mountain, while people in Jingchuan City do not know your whereabouts.

You should return soon; you may use Zhang Yan Yi’s hand to quickly return to Jingchuan City and stabilize the military’s morale... You need to pass through the painting to return anyway, so I can accompany you, it won’t delay you."

His words were logical and reasonable, leaving Zhao Douan somewhat uncomfortable.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too difficult. He nodded his head, "Alright."

The ruler and his minister left the Golden Throne Hall and soon reached the third floor of a small building.

Zhao Douan walked familiarly to the painting, sat cross-legged, and looked up at the Empress seated on the prayer mat facing him.

The hem of her pure white dress spread out, covering her entire lower body.

"Mr. Zhao..." Xu Zhenguan saw him about to close his eyes and suddenly spoke. In the confused gaze of the latter, she whispered, "You have nothing else to report, do you?"

Zhao Douan paused, shook his head, and said, "No. Why does Your Majesty say this?"

The Empress looked at him with deep meaning in her eyes and said slowly, "That’s all."

"Oh," Zhao Douan felt an inexplicable unease in his heart, vaguely sensing that Zhenbao’s reaction was somewhat unusual today, but couldn’t find a clue at the moment, so his Divine Soul rose from his substitute, stepping into the painting.

He would play Zhang Hui in "The Human World" again, bluff the Empress once more, and then return to Zhengyang Mountain to handle the aftermath.

Xu Zhenguan also closed her eyes almost simultaneously, her eyelashes trembling slightly as her mind sank into "The Human World."

...

...

At the same time as the news of Xu Jingtang’s death spread in the Capital.

West of the Capital, within the Xiping Road territory, on a small road near the border, two monks walked one after the other.

The one in front was a slightly hunchbacked old monk with brown robes and an aged appearance.

The one behind was a monk dressed in a white robe, with handsome features, though not young, still had rosy lips and white teeth, looking charming.

It was none other than the long-missing former abbot of the Divine Dragon Temple, Xuan Yin Monk, and the famed Bian Ji, known for the saying "Spring comes, grass turns green."

Back then, after the Empress’s failure in sealing, and ascension to Heavenly Human, Xuan Yin knew he had failed and left the Capital early, leaving everything behind and only taking Bian Ji with him.

For months, they virtually vanished from everyone’s view, and no one could have imagined they would end up at the border.

"Abbot, ahead lies the checkpoint leading to the Western Regions. It seems, just as those we met along the way said, turmoil in Yu Country, and the Western Regions are restless. The Duke has blocked the road to the Western Regions; otherwise, the road wouldn’t be this desolate."

Looking dusty and weary, Bian Ji wiped the sweat off his forehead, gazing at the city standing on the earth in the distance.

He was not unfamiliar with this place. Years ago, as a young boy, when Xuan Yin was not yet abbot, they had walked out of the pass here together. They ventured into the Western Regions, made a stir at the Buddhist Main Altar, and forcefully brought back two chests of scriptures, laying the groundwork for Xuan Yin’s succeeding position at Divine Dragon Temple.

Xuan Yin Monk suddenly stopped, turning to gaze southward, his brown eyes seemingly extending endlessly.

The old monk spoke in a flat tone, "Xu Jingtang is dead."

Bian Ji was taken aback, "How did he die?"

Xuan Yin replied, "The Sangmen Star has fallen. As expected, Xu Jingtang invited the Sorrow God to descend, and Zhang Yan Yi intervened."

Bian Ji said irritably, "That man boasted so much before; how short-sighted he is! You even sent a letter to the Huai River, deploying people like Kongzhu to help. Now with Yunfu’s defeat, hasn’t the Empress gained breathing space?"

Due to the fall of Divine Dragon Temple, Bian Ji harbored great hostility towards the Empress and Zhao Douan.

After a pause, he grew worried again, "Abbot, now that Xu Jingtang has failed, though there are several rebel princes on this chessboard, the only real threat to the throne is Jing Prince... Only when Jing Prince ascends can our Divine Dragon Temple find a place in Yu Country."

Bian Ji felt anxious.

Bad news, Mu Prince is gone.

Good news, Divine Dragon Temple’s hope and the strongest among the Eight Princes, Jing Prince is still around.

Moreover, with Mu Prince out of the competition, all forces opposed to the Empress would now have to support Jing Prince.

This implies that in a short time, Jing Prince’s power may swell once more, reaching a new height.

"Her Majesty’s enemies are not limited to the princes," the old monk Xuan Yin said softly.

He turned towards the Western Regions, gazing at the mountains, "Do you remember the ’Heavenly Longevity Destroying Buddha’ during the change of dynasty six hundred years ago?"

Bian Ji’s mind stirred, exclaiming in surprise, "Abbot, are you suggesting that the Western Regions Dharma King might..."

Xuan Yin’s brown monk robes waved like a sea-wave in the western autumn wind:

"The Western Regions Buddhism has always remembered the old grievances, and now, with Divine Dragon Temple’s branches crushed, isn’t it also a good opportunity for Buddhism’s east-west fusion for the Dharma King? Previously inactive just because they wanted to watch Yu Country’s internal princes’ strife. Now Xu Jingtang is dead, the balance is broken, and surely the Western Regions will be restless too."

Bian Ji understood some things, his eyes lit up, "So you chose this moment to enter the Western Regions in order to..."

Xuan Yin didn’t answer but simply stepped forward, moving through the yellow earth and sand, the world vast and people as ants.

Bian Ji hurriedly caught up.

One old, one young, the two monks crossed into the Western Regions again after twenty years.

...

Yunfu Road.

South of Zhengyang Mountain, beyond a thousand miles, lies endless dense forest.