Chapter 3: Sandy Monk, Sandy Heart

  "Sha Monk?"

  The burly, oddly-shaped man with a curly beard who had entered the temple looked at Zhang Youren with a puzzled expression. He scratched the back of his head and said in a rough voice, "Your Majesty, my name is Sha Xin, not Sha Monk."

  Tai Bai Jin Xing also took a slightly surprised look at Zhang Youren, seemingly puzzled as to why the Jade Emperor had suddenly changed into a completely different person, even unable to recall the names of his attendants.

  Taibai Jinxing thought that as the most trusted old minister of the Jade Emperor, he should help His Majesty to dispel worries and difficulties. If His Majesty forgot something, it was his duty to remind him; if His Majesty did not understand something, it was his responsibility to enlighten him. Of course, if His Majesty achieved success without anyone else's recognition, his greatest task would still be to know when to offer a few words of praise at the right time, and to be a qualified but not annoying Grand Steward of the Heavenly Court.

  Then, Taibai Jinxing said: "Your Majesty, this is the rotating value curtain general, Sha Xin, General Sha. He was selected by Your Majesty's wise eyes before the calamity, one in ten thousand, to be responsible for transmitting information within the palace, and he should be Your Majesty's most trusted confidant."

  "What's wrong?"

  Zhang Youren smiled awkwardly and thought to himself, "I used to think that some details were not grasped well." However, he quickly said with a laugh, "Sha Xin, of course I know. It's just that seeing General Sha's appearance is so arrogant, it brings back memories, don't mind it."

  Sha Xin heard Zhang Youren's teasing and not only didn't relax, but instead broke out in a cold sweat. He looked at Zhang Youren's face while secretly thinking: Could it be that my frequent contact with them recently has been discovered by the Emperor, is he intentionally warning me? The word "monk" in "Sha Monk" isn't simple. It seems that from now on I must be more cautious.

  He tightened his nerves, and his hands didn't dare to slow down. He knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, I am not arrogant, the imperial decree you passed on, I have completed it without any deduction, and I have never had a disloyal heart."

  Zhang Youren had no idea that a casual remark would make General Sha think so much. He waved his hand and chuckled, "Forget it, this is not the same as that. Hmm, I also know you're sincere, so now I'm going to give you a difficult task, you must complete it well, do you have confidence?"

  "I would rather die ten thousand times than betray my lord!"

  "Don't be so serious, hurry to the Yaochi and find Queen Mother, ask for an invitation letter for the Peach Conference, and quickly send it to the Imperial Horse Supervisor's Ma Si Wukong. Invite him to attend the Peach Conference on time. Remember, your attitude must be a little better, showing the sincerity of the Heavenly Court, we cannot lose the grandeur of our Heavenly Court, understand?"

  Zhang Youren gradually adapted to the role of Yu Huang Dadi, took a look at Sha Xin who was somewhat stunned, and felt a little sentimental towards this honest and simple-minded Sha Shidi. He said: "Do well in this matter, I will heavily reward you!"

  "Your Majesty..."

  Tai Bai Jin Xing furrowed his brow, and even with his countless experiences, he couldn't understand what Zhang Youren was thinking. He thought back to when Zhang Youren had personally thrown Sun Wukong into the Imperial Stables, and after pardoning Sun Wukong, during the grand feast for all officials, Zhang Youren still showed a deep disdain in front of everyone.

  But now, looking at Zhang Youren's attitude, which is vastly different from before, can't help but raise suspicions.

  Tai Bai Jin Xing is still like this, let alone Sha Xin, who usually reacts half a beat slower than ordinary gods. He was even more bewildered, taking a good half day to react and leave after receiving the order.

  Zhang Youren was feeling complacent at this time, and after sending Sha Xin away, he thought to himself: Since it was because the Heavenly Court looked down on Bi Maonan in the past and didn't invite him to the heavenly banquet, which led to the chaos in the heavenly palace, then I'll take the initiative to invite you this time. This time, you monkey head shouldn't have anything to say, right?

  After handling this matter, Zhang Youren's mood improved greatly, and he also became more accustomed to this unfamiliar environment. Thinking about it, it wasn't bad at all - since childhood, Zhang Youren had never held any position of power except for being a labor committee member for half a month in first grade. Now, he was able to sit in the position of the master of the three realms; who knows how many generations of good fortune his ancestors must have accumulated?

  Zhang Youren is actually a very easy-going person, now in this position, not only can he enjoy the highest honor, but also have the opportunity to interact with his idol Qitian Dasheng, thinking about it is also intoxicating.

  Although there are both opportunities and crises in this position, which makes him always nervous, he still enjoys it.

  "Right, who is it that's secretly harming the Jade Emperor?"

  Zhang Youren's slow reaction finally remembered that he had crossed over thanks to the person who plotted against the Jade Emperor. However, if he didn't catch this person, he really wouldn't dare to sit in this position with peace of mind. Since he has taken on the Jade Emperor's body, then let him settle this karma for him.

  "Taibai, can you tell me about the recent incident where I was ambushed?"

  "Ah..."

  Tai Bai Jin Xing had not yet recovered from Zhang You Ren's sudden decision when he was startled by Zhang You Ren's call and came back to his senses.

  His old face turned bitter, and the duster in his hand fluttered back and forth.

  "Your Majesty is the master of the three realms, and his wisdom is not something that we can measure. Whatever Your Majesty says is correct, even if it's wrong, this old minister will make it right."

  After having such thoughts, Taibai Jinxing felt a sense of clarity and noticed that his stagnant cultivation had made some subtle progress. If it weren't for the fact that this wasn't an opportune time to enter seclusion and cultivate, he would have been tempted to charge into the depths of his training.

  Taibai Jinxing was overjoyed at the improvement in his cultivation and became even more respectful to Zhang Youren, saying: "Your Majesty, since you were harmed last time, I have secretly investigated and found some clues. I was just waiting for a chance to report to you."

  ……

  Sha Xin led Zhang Youren's decree, hurrying to the Yaochi Xian Palace. From a distance, he saw a large group of palace maidens playing and laughing at the palace gate, their colorful skirts fluttering, exotic fragrances filling his nostrils. Occasionally, some bold fairy maidens would lift their long skirts, revealing their white skin and slender legs, giving him a glimpse that made his face flush with embarrassment, his heart racing like a drumbeat, unable to calm down for a long time.

  "It was worth it!"

  Sha Xin's heart was filled with joy, and he spent his days in the palace rolling up the curtains for His Majesty, making him feel a bit stifled. Now that everything is fine, it makes him feel carefree and delighted.

  "We can't waste resources, we have to take a good look." Sha Xin sneaked behind a huge rock and looked at the group of beautiful female fairies, with green light in his eyes.

  "If I could learn the great joy of Long Ear Ding Guang, and do that great joyful thing with this group of little fairies, it would be wonderful to death." Thinking of this, he felt a heat rising from his lower abdomen, making his immortal consciousness dizzy, like a long-drought land, with a hint of a bursting dam.

  He swallowed hard and muttered to himself: "I'm appreciating, appreciating..." But the increasingly heavy breathing sound betrayed his inner thoughts completely.

  "Dongtu zi, on a clear day like today, you dare to sneak a peek here? Sisters, come out and beat him up for me!"

  Just as he was indulging in his wild fancies and couldn't help himself, a clear and loud shout rose from behind him. Immediately following that, a skirt flew up and a leg kicked at the thick and heavy buttocks of his, sending him tumbling into the midst of the giggling fairy maidens.

  Sha Xin turned his head and saw a little fairy with a mischievous look on her face, making a face at him, baring her teeth, and flying away.

  "Zixia, you..."

  Sha Xin couldn't help but shudder when he saw the face and those lively eyes of the newcomer.

  "Damn it, why did I run into her?"

  Rather offend Yama than offend Zixia!

  In the lower levels of the heavenly court, who among the lesser deities did not know of Queen Mother's personal palace maid Zi Xia's great name?