Chapter Sixteen: Can Foreign Monks Recite Sutras?

  "Furong, has your mother sent someone to pick you up?" Qin Dakang's face was full of smiles, his tone affectionate, but the crowded features and the somewhat fawning smile made people feel sick, a typical sycophant.

  No wonder, relying on his sister being the concubine of the King of Wei, he managed to make a name for himself in Luozhou, a typical nouveau riche. However, a bumpkin is still a bumpkin after all, and can't be taken seriously.

  "Yes, uncle!"

  Zhao Zhuang noticed that although Fu Li answered politely, in the instant she raised her head, there seemed to be a hint of disgust and even contempt in her eyes. It appeared that the relationship between these aunt and nephew was not very good.

  In his previous life, Zhao Zhuo was a lawyer. Due to professional needs, he developed a pair of "fire eyes and golden eyebrows", good at capturing changes in eye movements and expressions.

  Qin Dakang smiled and said: "Does your mother have any instructions? I'll help with the arrangements along with Lü Qiu."

  What is your occupation?

  Zhao Zhuang didn't turn his head, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the thin man was staring at him, his eyes flickering constantly. It should be Li Yun's subordinate, Lu Qiu Zhongqing, who was also his trusted advisor. Faced with such a cunning person, Zhao Zhuang immediately felt a sense of vigilance.

  Furui said faintly, "What's wrong? The empress dowager just asked this young master to bring her handwritten 'Incantation of Rebirth', and burn it in front of the spirit every day, to show some filial piety for her mother."

  "Is it? Your mother has a heart!" Qin Da Kang smiled awkwardly, his expression still having a few points of being out of it.

  Zhuangzi looked at Zhao Kuang's broken hemp shoes and asked: "Young master, you must be tired, did you come all the way on foot?"

  "We were originally going to walk, but fortunately met a merchant caravan heading to Zezhou on the way and hitched a ride, saving us some distance. Otherwise, I estimate we would have only walked half the distance by now." Zhao Zhuang was very cautious and didn't want to reveal too much too soon.

  Zhu Qiu Zhongqing turned around and looked at Li Shoujie, saying: "Young Master went to Bianliang the other day, but didn't visit the Wang Mansion. If he had, he could have brought it back himself, and wouldn't have let Little Shifu take a trip in vain."

  On the other side, Li Shoujie seemed to be deaf and only responded faintly, as if he hadn't listened carefully at all.

  "Yeah, sending a soldier to the relay station is convenient!" Qin Da Kang said nonchalantly, looking at Zhao Zheng with disdain, as if saying "you're stupid".

  Zhao Cong smiled coldly in his heart and calmly said, "These '往生咒' were handwritten by the princess and offered to the Buddha at my White Cloud Temple for blessings. How could I let a postal officer defile them? The princess's sincere filial piety is what made me personally deliver them."

  "It turns out that the princess has a heart of filial piety, which is touching." Chuqiu Zhongqing's expression was sarcastic: "The things have been delivered. It seems that the young master is also very tired and seems to be injured. I will arrange for you to rest and recover from your injuries immediately."

  Zhao Zhuang said in a low voice, "Monks traveling outside, how can they stay at the post station? Either sleep outdoors in the wilderness or hang their name tags at temples. Today is just right, hanging the name tag at Puzi Temple is fine, thinking that as fellow Buddhist disciples, they will certainly provide assistance."

  "That won't do, Puzi Temple has already been booked by me for the old lady's Buddhist rites, no external guests are allowed." Just a moment ago he was all smiles and courtesy, but now he's turned hostile and doesn't recognize people anymore, what a pain in the ass!

  Zhao Qiu Zhongqing smiled in his heart, and was at a loss for words, not knowing how to start the conversation. Fortunately, Qin Dakang came just in time.

  "But the princess ordered that the little monk personally burn the '往生咒' every day, to fulfill her filial duties on her behalf and not let anyone else do it." Zhao Zhuang cursed in his heart, doing a Buddhist ritual in the temple was like renting out the entire brothel, did he have to show off so much?

  "Yes, Her Majesty said so!" Xuan Li confirmed a step ahead of Qin Da Kang's opposition.

  "Alright, I'll let the abbot arrange a room for you!" Facing his noble niece, even as her uncle, Qin Dakang was extremely respectful and flattering.

  Fu Li shook her head and said, "No need to bother, just let him stay in the outer courtyard with the guards."

  Zhao Zhuang couldn't help but feel puzzled, what exactly did the letter say? Did Xiang Yanqing have some instructions? The young lady of the county was surprisingly cooperative. But it's also good this way, it saves a lot of trouble.

  "It's all right then. The princess's orders, we naturally follow." Qu Hill Zhongqing nodded and shouted: "Young master, let's go back to the mansion first!"

  Li Shoujie, who had been distracted, was startled and nodded: "Oh, the young lady should rest, we won't disturb her."

  Looking at Li Shoujie's state, Lv Qiu Zhongqing secretly shook his head and then seemed to be thinking deeply.

  ……

  After waiting for a few people to leave, Fu Li whispered: "Jiang Yun, take him to change his clothes and arrange a place for him to stay!"

  After finishing speaking, he turned around and left without looking back, leaving only a noble and resolute silhouette!

  "Hey! Zhao Zhuang was taken aback, the two of them were originally on good terms, but in an instant they turned against each other and didn't recognize him? Indeed a spoiled daughter of heaven, this temper, this personality, is really hard to serve!"

  "Little master, please!" A slender young man stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes cold as ice.

  What's wrong with you? You all look so fierce and menacing!

  Alas! Zhao Zhuang was so preoccupied with his grievances that he forgot to watch where he was walking, and the worn-out soles of his feet stepped on a protruding part, causing him to wince in pain.

  ……

  ……

  Zhuo Qiu Zhongqing returned to the Mansion of the Governor, found the Supervisor of Huaizhou Defense Envoy Zhou Guangxun and Training Envoy Liu Jichong, and together they went to see Governor Li Yun.

  "I heard that a little monk came from Bianliang? What's going on?" Nothing that happened in Lu Prefecture could escape the attention of the military governor Li Yun, especially when it involved the sensitive word "Bianliang".

  "Right," said Chu Qiu Zhongqing, "it's true that I'm delivering scriptures for Princess Wei, and I also have a letter for County Master Fu."

  Li Yun asked: "What's wrong with the letter? Has it been checked?"

  "It should have been checked, but... However, the young master directly took the person to Puzi Temple and handed the letter over to Fu Junzhu. What was in it, we don't know." Lv Qiu Zhongqing was very helpless and gave a strict order to the city gate guards, but encountering Li Shoujie, such a privileged character, being so stupid and not following the rules, really made people feel depressed.

  "This unfilial son, he's really infuriating me. Not only does he not support me, but also doesn't help me; instead, he's taking advantage of the situation for his own benefit." The son had a different opinion and repeatedly advised him to yield to the Zhao family, causing the father-son duo to have a very unpleasant argument.

  Li Gong said in a low voice, "I've discovered something interesting. The way the young master looks at Princess Fu is not quite right... I'm afraid he's rather taken with her."

  "Hey, you scoundrel! You don't care about important matters, but instead get entangled in romantic affairs. Just to see that girl from the Su family again, you've lost even the most basic sense of caution?" Li Yun suddenly felt a surge of anger; his son's behavior was truly shameful.

  "I think this might not be a bad thing!" Lu Qiu's words immediately calmed Li Yun down.

  "What did you say?"

  Looking at Li Yun's expectant eyes, Lu Qiu Zhongqing smiled and said: "If Mr. Li and Wang Ye became in-laws, would the Zhao Yi Army and the Tian Xiong Army be considered one family?"

  Li Yun's expression paused for a moment, and then his eyes lit up. This hypothesis was really too attractive.

  Zhou Guangxun added, "Fu Yanqing's daughters are all auspicious wives, with two already being empresses and one married to Zhao Guangyi... it's not bad. If the young master marries Princess Fu, it will surely greatly help Li Gong's great cause."

  He didn't dare to say that the first husband of Fu Yanqing's eldest daughter was killed in a rebellion, and her second husband, Chai Rong, died young. As for the second Empress Fu, she directly witnessed the downfall of the Later Zhou Dynasty. Thinking carefully, it is indeed a prosperous husband's appearance?

  Zhou Guangxun continued: "If the young master really likes Princess Fu, then this is a great opportunity. If Mr. Li helps the young master achieve this, the young master will surely be grateful."

  Fully support Mr. Li's great cause, it can be said that both are perfect."

  "Easy to say, but this marriage is not something that can be settled with just words. Fu Yanqing may not agree after all." Li Yun also had some self-awareness.

  "He had contact with Fu Yanqing before, and he seemed to have no intention of betraying the Song Dynasty." Liu Jichong said coldly: "Winning over Fu Yanqing is not as good as cooperating with Northern Han, Liu Jun was indeed very enthusiastic."

  Li Gong, in my opinion, if we can persuade Fu Yanqing, that would be the best. If not, our next best option is to cooperate with Northern Han.

  "This..." Li Yun said: "But previously had contact with Fu Yanqing once, he did not agree."

  "Why not try again? This time, let's have Li Gong propose directly to Wang Ye!" Kou Qiu Zhongqing said in a low voice: "I've heard that Wang Ye loves the young princess dearly, and I'm sure he hopes his daughter will have a good marriage, and even more so, he doesn't want his daughter's life safety to be threatened."

  "Alright then, let's give it a try!"

  "That little monk......?" Liu Jichong had apparently already begun to take notice.

  "Zhong Qing, have you met him before? Is there anything wrong with that little monk?"

  "Coincidentally, he ran into Qin Da Kang when entering the city, blocking the investigation of the city gate guards. It's too coincidental! Moreover, although Xiao Xiao Shang seems simple and honest, I vaguely feel that he doesn't seem like a Buddhist disciple, we need to pay more attention!"

  "What does it mean for Fuyan Qing to send someone like you here?" Obviously, everyone felt that the little monk was not simple.

  "It's not necessarily Emperor Taizong of Song, what I truly fear is Zhao Kuangyin!"

  "Zhao Kuangyin?" Li Jun was suddenly shocked and shouted: "Really? Capture him immediately, and subject him to severe torture!"

  Li Gong, don't be in a hurry, it's not certain yet, let's wait and see. If it's really Yu Xian's person, it will only make things worse, besides, Princess Fu seems to be protecting that little monk.

  "What should I do?"

  Zhaojun said: "First figure out his background, then plan for the long term!"

  "But how to do it? We must save the face of the Su family, and also try to probe that little monk..." Liu Jichong shook his head, seemingly a bit annoyed.

  "Haha, I remember Brother Liu has studied Buddhism quite a bit." Lv Qiu Zhongqing smiled and said: "Isn't there an old saying? Foreign monks... can they recite scriptures?"