Chapter Seventy-Nine: Law Array

  Yang Yunqiu did not expect that Mu Nan would not invite a high-ranking monk to perform the ritual, but now that it has been done this way, the rumors in the palace are even more rampant. Especially for the little palace maid who had seen the female ghost before, although the emperor did not kill her, she could not sleep at night and had nightmares every day. In the end, she even wanted to jump into a well and commit suicide, but fortunately someone saw her and saved her. For several days in a row, people in the palace kept saying that they saw ghostly shadows, and everyone's heart was filled with fear.

  Yang Yunqiu suspected that this was probably psychological suggestion, and some people in the palace had entered a state of collective hypnosis unconsciously. After all, the palace was originally a place where dirty things were hidden, many people had unclean hands, and there were ghosts in their hearts, so they would naturally see ghosts with their eyes.

  Mo Nan Song was worried about this, and Wei Wang wanted to help his brother share the worry. Unintentionally, he mentioned that according to what he knew, the current top scholar Sun Zhao Ming was a polymath, knowledgeable in astronomy, geography, medicine, divination, astrology, and other fields. Although he often said that he didn't speak of strange powers or supernatural things, some rural rumors claimed that he was actually the star of literature and music descended to earth, able to summon spirits and drive away ghosts during the day and night.

  Wei Wang told Mu Nan Song, then turned around and regretted it a bit. He ran to Yang Yunqiu to report the news, making Yang Yunqiu cry and laugh at the same time - what he had said casually to make Er Ya happy was now being taken seriously by someone? Was he supposed to be the legendary Judge Bao?

  He had forgotten that the people around him trusted him unconditionally, and even more so in this ancient society where people firmly believed in ghosts and gods. Not to mention the people here, but even if it were people from Earth who saw those monks' abilities, they would occasionally put aside science and speculate about him in a superstitious way. When he told people that he could communicate with ghosts and gods, there would definitely be a considerable number of students who believed him.

  The doll laughed loudly: "I remember watching the news on Earth, saying that some Xuanxin Sect held a Dharma meeting, with thousands of people participating, believing that the sect leader had great abilities and could grasp the secrets of reincarnation. Now it seems that if you go to do this job, you will definitely have more followers than his disciples."

  Yang Yunqiu inexplicably allowed Mu Nanxing to invite him to the imperial palace again.

  It has come to this, he might as well have some fun, after all, he's not the first one. It's said that the previous dynasty's Taishi Ma Xiangyin was a strange person who could communicate with ghosts and gods, his disciples were all officials in the imperial court, and they had gained the emperor's trust.

  It is also the case that in this dynasty, there are not a few officials who study mysticism. When the emperor does great things, he must make sacrifices to heaven and ask the master to divine the spirits and inquire about the hexagrams, calculate the auspicious day. In the Shang Dynasty, being proficient in mysticism is a trend.

  Yang Yunqiu entered the palace and smiled at Mu Nan Song: "Your Majesty, I don't know if there are any ghosts or evil spirits in the palace, but the palace is too old and Your Majesty is frugal. The imperial palace has not been renovated for decades, and it's true that the yin energy is very heavy. If Your Majesty agrees, I coincidentally learned a set of array methods from a book, and after setting it up, it can disperse the yin energy. Would you like to try it?"

  Mo Nan Sheng was very interested, "Alright then, let's do as you say."

  It didn't take long for Yang Yunqiu to become "darling" after just a few words.

  "As for the address, it's better to be here since Chongde Garden has collapsed and rebuilding would be difficult."

  Mo Nan Sheng also thought it was good, that little palace maid was the ghost seen in Chong De Garden, setting up an array here, regardless of whether it's useful or not, at least the people in the palace would feel at ease.

  On the day Yang Yunqiu arranged the formation, Mu Nan Song did not allow idle people to approach, but there were still many guards and palace maids who were very curious, watching from a distance, seeing him wearing a sixth-grade official uniform, without any appearance of a great Dharma master, but with an extraordinary air between his movements, no one dared to underestimate him.

  "Does milord need anything?" Mu Nan Sheng asked with a smile as he sat down beside him.

  "May I request that Your Majesty grant me one of your usual precious swords and a small seal, so that I may borrow some of Your Majesty's power."

  "Is there anything else you need from me?"

  "Your Majesty has the aura of a dragon, and ghosts and spirits are intimidated by you. In fact, with Your Majesty present, setting up this formation is unnecessary; it's just to comfort people's hearts."

  Mu Nan smiled and nodded, letting someone bring the treasured sword he often wore and the small seal he often played with to Yang Yunqiu. He arranged a potted landscape here and placed a piece of jade there on the original site of Chongde Garden. After being busy for nearly an hour, he finally let someone bring over the treasured sword, hanging it on the wall, and brought the seal, offering it on the desk.

  After making offerings, Yang Yunqiu stepped back one step, and just as the moonlight shone down, golden light filled the sky.

  Although it was only for an instant, everyone present seemed to have seen that strange flash of golden light, as if a long golden ribbon swept across the entire imperial palace, even Mu Nan Sheng was deeply shocked. It is said that hearing is false, seeing is true, and although people believe in ghosts and gods, few have actually seen them. Today, suddenly seeing such a strange sight, although it was only for an instant, it's hard not to feel a shock in one's heart.

  The formation method is complete, and it's unclear whether it's psychological or not, but the people in the imperial palace feel that the air inside the palace has improved a lot, and some of the darker corners are no longer as chilly and oppressive as before.

  Even Mu Nan Song himself felt like he had lost a few pounds.

  Yang Yunqiu took a pile of rewards and returned to the Hanlin Academy. The emperor did not spread this matter outside, nor did he allow rumors related to this matter to be spread in the palace. However, it was not that only one person saw it, and with many mouths talking, some heavyweight figures still knew about it.

  He went out to handle affairs, and suddenly everything became much smoother. Sun Zhaoyang, who had been indifferent to him in the Hanlin Academy before, was now as gentle as spring breeze every time they met.

  They didn't really value Yang Yunqiu's ability, on the contrary, they valued his seemingly not low status in Mu Nan Song's heart.

  This kind of holy mind is something that all officials who serve in the imperial court would want.

  Yang Yunqiu sometimes thought that the emperors of feudal dynasties who sat on dragon thrones, didn't know if they saw things that were more strange and unusual than those under the dragon throne? After all, there were so many people flattering and fawning, one word could decide the life and death of millions of people, what he saw must be something ordinary people couldn't see.

  However, Yang Yunqiu occasionally saw Sun Zhaoyang and always felt that his emotions were somewhat wrong, with some subtle weirdness in his words, as if hinting to him not to take any improper means.

  Not long after, someone in the capital spread rumors that Yang Yunqiu was bewitching the people, but at this time, Mu Nan Sheng was still on guard and would not let such a situation happen, so it was quickly suppressed and did not become a big deal.

  Wa doll coldly smiled: "No wonder, the unspoken rule of the Yin dynasty is that there can't be two people in a family who are both highly ranked and powerful at the same time. Autumn brother and Sun Zhaoyang are brothers, destined to have only one as the leader, the other can't rise to prominence, it's strange if he doesn't suppress you."

  Yang Yunqiu was speechless — although there is such an unspoken rule, in fact, only the highest-ranking officials, such as the Six Ministries' hall officials, would have this taboo. If Sun Zhaoyang really thought so, then he thought it was far-fetched.

  This matter is just a minor detail, the only thing that will be forever focused on in the capital city is the imperial palace.

  Mo Nan Song had a son, just over a month old, the imperial physician diagnosed that the young prince was very healthy, and he then issued an edict to confer the title of Crown Prince on the infant still in swaddling clothes.

  There's nothing good to say, the emperor is already old, and at present this one is his only son, it's natural to be named as the crown prince, absolutely no minister will oppose, even those princes won't oppose.

  A baby wants to grow up, the variables are too great, Yin Chao every year because of various reasons, countless children die young, who knows how many years this one can live? This is not the time for reckless behavior, it can only be said that Mu Nan Song taught his younger brothers well, none of them are foolish, none of them will make inappropriate moves.

  All this has nothing to do with Yang Yunqiu, Mu Nan Song kept his promise, after he worked smoothly in the Hanlin Academy for a year, he was promoted to Qingzhou Prefecture, and took office.