sinovels Chapter 75 Meeting the Saint
Chapter 75 Meeting the Saint
Chapter 75 Meeting the Emperor (1/5, Seeking First Subscriptions!)
The gates of the imperial city of Lin'an were slowly opened for Wu Cheng at noon.
Wu Cheng dismounted with Qingque, casually handed the reins to the imperial guards who came to greet him, and then straightened the hem of his robe.
Qingque stood behind him, her hand resting on the handle of the oil-paper umbrella. Her gaze swept over the imperial guards standing with halberds on both sides of the city gate, as if she were pondering how to draw her sword if she were to charge out later.
The young eunuch leading the way kept his head down and walked quickly ahead, not daring to look back or speak.
As Wu Chengzi, who was following behind him, glanced at the pavilions and towers in the palace, a sense of absurdity suddenly arose in his heart.
Two months ago, when he was sent out of the palace, no one came to see him off except for a few of Aunt Yang's palace servants. He even left through the Xihua Gate in a carriage. But now he is returning through the main gate, led by a court attendant from the Directorate of Ceremonial, with imperial guards on both sides. Even the leader of the imperial guards didn't say anything when he saw the wooden sword at his waist, but instead looked away.
Wu Cheng was secretly pleased, but when he saw the admiration in the eyes of the Imperial Guards, he suddenly fell silent.
These people... did not admire him for his status as a prince.
Wu Cheng recalled the tens of thousands of people kneeling in worship outside the Iron Buddha Temple, and the cheers of the people in Luoyang.
As expected, I did not make a mistake.
As they walked to the outside of Wanshou Palace, the eunuch Wang Tong, who had been waiting there, stopped Wu Cheng and Qingque with a smile.
"Your Highness, His Majesty is currently meeting with Zen Master Yuantong. Please wait a moment."
YTO Express? I use SF Express instead!
Wu Cheng glanced at him.
This old eunuch was his father's chief steward. Although he hadn't mistreated him in the palace, he had always treated him like he didn't exist. Now, however, he was all smiles and very cautious. It seemed that his father wasn't too angry about what he had done.
After all, he was a benevolent emperor who wholeheartedly worshipped Buddhism.
Wu Cheng quietly slipped five hundred taels of silver into Wang Tong's hand. "Thank you, Your Excellency. I hope you will put in a good word for me with my father in the future."
Wang Tong was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Wu Cheng to do such a thing.
But after only a moment of hesitation, he smiled and accepted the silver note, then said, "Your Highness, please wait a moment while this old minister goes in to report to His Majesty."
After saying this, he gently patted Wu Cheng's hand, then turned and entered the Wanshou Palace.
Wu Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly.
A thousand years old?
According to the titles used in the Great Yu Imperial Palace, princes who have not yet been granted a title are generally addressed as "Your Highness".
When addressing a prince who has already been granted the title of king, one would address him as "Your Highness" or "Your Majesty".
Just now, Wang Tong addressed me as "Your Highness" in a formal manner, but now he suddenly changed his address to "Your Majesty"... Is this an implication that my cheap father is planning to formally bestow the title of king upon me this time?
Ha, that old guy...
However, Wu Cheng remembered this gesture of goodwill.
Before long, a figure dressed in a magnificent purple kasaya walked out of the Longevity Palace.
The monk was quite well-off, with a ruddy face that always seemed to be smiling. The guards on both sides bowed and greeted him as the Imperial Preceptor.
The monk didn't even glance at them. He went straight to Wu Cheng, placed one palm in front of his chest, and straightened his back. "This old monk is Yuantong from Garan Temple. Greetings, Your Highness the Fourth Prince."
Wu Cheng returned the greeting with clasped hands. "Is the Imperial Preceptor seeking me out of business?"
Yuantong simply smiled at him, then suddenly spoke up, "Amitabha, this old monk sees that Your Highness's forehead is dark, which tells me that Your Highness has committed many murders along the way."
Well, they've arrived after all.
Wu Cheng looked up at him, his smile unchanged. "The Grand Preceptor's Buddhist name is quite fitting, but he says I've committed too many sins. I don't see it that way. All those I've killed along the way deserved to die, and all those I've saved deserved to be saved. If Buddha has a spirit, he should praise me for my goodness," and say that I haven't killed enough.
Yuantong opened his eyes slightly. "Your Highness is quite eloquent."
"You flatter me, Grand Preceptor." Wu Cheng took it as praise. "I've only heard that the Buddhists say, 'If I don't go to hell, who will?' Since you say I've committed murder, why don't you take the blame for me? After all, you'll be going to hell eventually anyway."
Yuantong's smile froze.
"It was just a joke, Imperial Advisor, please don't be angry," Wu Cheng said with a smile.
Garan Temple? We'll get you sooner or later!
Besides, he only killed evil people and did good deeds; that's all merit! Even if you begged me, I wouldn't give it to you!
Just as Yuantong was about to speak, he heard a faint echo of a bronze chime coming from Wanshou Palace. Then Wang Tong quickly stepped out and respectfully said to Wu Cheng, "Your Majesty, His Majesty summons you to the palace."
Wu Cheng bowed to Yuan Tong and then followed Wang Tong into the Wanshou Palace, leaving Qing Que to wait at the entrance.
Yuantong stared coldly at Wu Cheng's back, but suddenly felt as if he had a thorn in his side.
He turned around instinctively, only to find Qingque staring at him coldly.
Yuantong gave Qingque a deep look, then snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Wu Chengmai entered the hall.
No candles were lit inside the hall.
Inside the hall, on a platform about knee-high draped with light gauze curtains, a person sat cross-legged in meditation.
Wu Cheng bowed and said, "Your subject Wu Cheng greets Your Majesty."
After a moment of silence in the hall, a deep voice finally came from behind the curtain.
"Fourth brother, raise your head."
Wu Cheng looked up as instructed.
The emperor was not wearing a dragon robe, but rather a moon-white silk monk's robe with a gold trim around the collar, and his hair was casually tied back with a bamboo hairpin.
The emperor was well-preserved, looking no more than forty years old. At this moment, his eyebrows and eyes were gentle, and a faint smile was on his lips.
If one did not know this person's identity, one might mistake him for a virtuous and enlightened monk practicing in some remote mountain temple.
The emperor held a string of agate prayer beads in his hand, slowly turning each bead one by one.
"You've lost some weight, but your spirits are much better than before you left the palace. It seems the scenery of the Wentian Sect is very nourishing."
"Thanks to the Emperor's great blessings, I am doing well at the Wentian Sect."
"Are you well?" The emperor paused, his fingers fiddling with the prayer beads. "That's good. I heard you fell into the water at Longmen Ferry? Were you frightened?"
Megan Sheng is someone you sent, and you're asking me this?
An emperor who can't even control his eunuchs.
While inwardly grumbling, Wu Cheng maintained a respectful demeanor, saying, "Your Majesty, I was foolish at the time. After falling into the water, I caught a cold and had a fever for a few days, which actually cleared my head a bit."
If you don't mention Megan Sheng, then I won't either.
The emperor's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then he said gently, "It's a blessing in disguise. I've been thinking of you, wondering what hardships you've endured outside. Seeing you in good spirits now, I'm very pleased."
Wu Cheng lowered his eyes, "I have troubled Father Emperor."
The hall was quiet for a moment, the echo of the bronze chime faded away, leaving only the faint sound of white smoke rising from the incense burner.
"Fourth Prince," the Emperor's voice remained gentle, as if discussing a trivial matter, "I heard that you killed your third brother in Luoyang?"
coming!
Wu Cheng bowed deeply, his posture as respectful as possible. "Your Majesty, I dare not conceal the truth. While investigating the murder of an outer disciple of the Wentian Sect, I discovered in Luoyang that my third brother colluded with Yuan Hao, the magistrate of Luoyang, to traffic children for personal gain and even plotted to kill me. I was forced to..."
'
"You just killed him?"
"..yes."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
The Emperor then spoke slowly, "I know that the third prince has always been impatient and inconsiderate. But he is, after all, your elder brother and my son. Fourth prince, what do you think I should do with you?"
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