EMHTC -Chapter 104 Daring! He’s an Auspicious Sign!

“Wow!”

The surrounding adults and children let out a collective gasp of amazement.

At the center of the crowd, the foreign performer from Tianzhu (ancient India) stuck out his tongue, showing everyone that it was intact. Then, with a swift movement, he cut off half of it, letting the severed piece fall to the ground.

Immediately, his assistant picked up the severed tongue and brought it around to the spectators, showing it up close to prove it was real.

Xu Yanmiao and Lian Hang arrived a bit late and couldn’t get to the front of the crowd. They stretched up on tiptoes, trying to catch a glimpse of the scene.

“How does it look? Can you see it? Is it real?”

“It looks like a real tongue—though I know these tricks must be fake. It’s all sleight of hand. Still, seeing it in person is really impressive!”

“Ah—did you see that, Xu-lang? He just put the tongue back in his mouth!”

“I saw it, I saw it! Incredible! It really looked like his tongue grew back on its own!”

“Quick, quick! Give him a reward!”

Xu Yanmiao quickly pulled out his coin pouch and tossed seven or eight copper coins toward the front—there was no way to pass them forward by hand.

The other spectators, equally impressed, joined in with thunderous applause, throwing their own coins toward the performer.

The Tianzhu performer, who knew a few words of the local language, loudly thanked the crowd. Without pausing to collect the coins, he immediately launched into his next trick.

Before they knew it, Xu Yanmiao and Lian Hang had spent the entire day watching the performance. Their coin pouch was now empty.

“That trick with the severed tongue was amazing. I’ve racked my brain but still can’t figure out how he did it.”

“It really was extraordinary. And that fire-breathing trick—he even managed to light paper on fire with his breath! Truly a man of rare talent.”

“And then there was…”

The two chatted animatedly as they walked. When they finally reached the entrance to the market near Xu Yanmiao’s residence, they parted ways.

“I heard that Tianzhu performer is leaving tomorrow. Who knows when we’ll get to see another magic show like this.”

There weren’t many forms of entertainment in ancient times.

Xu Yanmiao was merely sighing with regret, never expecting that the very next day, he would see another magic performance—this time at court.

The emperor, seated atop the golden dais, spoke with great interest: “Yesterday, We had the pleasure of meeting an immortal, who demonstrated celestial arts. Today, We have invited him to perform for Our court.”

A Daoist priest, exuding an aura of otherworldly grace, was led into the hall by the imperial guards. He cupped his hands respectfully. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

The Daoist then began: “Last night, in a dream, this humble Daoist journeyed to the Jade Purity and Supreme Purity realms, where I paid homage to the Heavenly Venerables Yuanshi and Lingbao. The two Venerables revealed that Your Majesty is the reincarnation of the Jade Emperor. Upon hearing of Your Majesty’s invitation, they graciously permitted me to come. However, as the Venerables are formless, soundless, and bodiless, they communicate through heavenly scriptures, which can only descend in a place that is a Land of Original Purity, bathed in sunlight and free from shadow.”

As for where this so-called Land of Original Purity was, it was, of course, wherever the Daoist claimed it to be. The emperor immediately decreed that they would go there.

He seemed entirely convinced, appearing like a ruler wholly devoted to the pursuit of immortality—though just days ago, he hadn’t been like this at all!

Besides, wasn’t there already a reliable source for divine matters—the little Baize beast? Why seek answers from outsiders?

Thinking this, Lian Hang’s eyes widened slightly. He turned his head to glance at Xu Yanmiao.

Xu-lang didn’t notice; he was still engrossed in the spectacle.

“…”

Lian Hang shook his head helplessly, stepped forward, and cupped his hands toward the emperor. “Your Majesty, may I offer a word?”

The emperor’s voice came from above, neutral and unyielding: “Speak.”

“Yesterday, while at the marketplace, this minister witnessed a Tianzhu performer displaying feats of extraordinary skill. His tricks included reattaching a severed tongue and breathing fire, feats that could easily be mistaken for divine acts. Yet even the common folk knew him to be a mere street artist. As for the Daoist before us…”

Lian Hang’s tone carried a trace of humor. “May I inquire which ‘Zi’ title he uses? Is it Cailizi, Miaozi, Jiuzi, Gunzi, or Minqingzi?”

These were all terms from the world of magic and performance art. Cailizi referred to general sleight-of-hand tricks, while Miaozi was for tricks involving bean sprouts, Jiuzi for large bowls, Gunzi for swallowing iron balls, and Minqingzi for sword swallowing.

Logically, with Lian Hang’s words, the Daoist should have realized that his ruse was exposed. At the very least, he should have shown some alarm.

However, the Daoist remained calm, swishing his horsetail whisk as he replied evenly: “This humble Daoist is of the Changqingzi school.”

The Daoist continued, “As a loyal subject, you contemplate what your superior does not, worry about what your superior ignores, and act as is proper. However, your haste is a bit excessive. I present the truth here and hope you will consider it carefully before making a judgment.”

With that, the Daoist led everyone to the sunny side of a mountain, where two small altars had been prearranged and buried. Each altar contained a cloth puppet.

When they respectfully invoked the “Primordial Heavenly Venerable,” the puppet on the left moved. When they invoked the “Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerable,” the puppet on the right stirred, as though genuine divine spirits were responding.

Many officials frowned as they watched this scene.

They were certain it was a magic trick, but mere certainty wasn’t enough. They needed to expose the flaw for the emperor to believe them.

Why had the emperor suddenly started believing in celestial arts? Could it be that, like many aging monarchs, he was now seeking immortality?

“Your Majesty,” the Daoist turned and bowed, “have I been deceitful?”

With a confident smile, he continued, “The Heavenly Venerables have descended. Whatever Your Majesty wishes to ask or desires to obtain—even the secrets of longevity—can now be expressed.”

The officials were alarmed.

Prime Minister Dou’s heart sank, and he nearly bolted forward, exclaiming, “Your Maj—”

This cannot be believed!

【Ah… Should I remind this Daoist that the emperor he’s dealing with won’t fall for such tricks?】

Prime Minister Dou staggered forward, his body leaning dangerously, but before he could make a scene, the Minister of Personnel grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Prime Minister Dou shot the minister a grateful look.

That was close—he had nearly stepped forward to remonstrate!

Elsewhere, the old emperor, hearing these inner thoughts, couldn’t help but show an odd expression.

To think, among all his civil and military officials, the one who understood him best was still the little…

【This man has been a farmer, a slave, a beggar, and has scavenged for food among refugees. Of course, he’s also dabbled in magic tricks. What you’re doing now is child’s play compared to what he’s done.】

【Do you know what sword swallowing is? A blade over a foot long, and he could swallow it down his throat without hesitation! Back then, the Eldest Princess and Crown Prince were his cheering squad… um, his applauding assistants, who also picked up the copper coins thrown by onlookers.】

“…”

The old emperor’s face was expressionless.

Some things didn’t need to be elaborated on.

The officials collectively thought: Oh!

They had almost forgotten. The emperor had a wealth of experience with common folk. How could he possibly be deceived by such a simple trick? Their overconcern had clouded their judgment.

【Besides sword swallowing, there was also…】

The old emperor looked at the Daoist and spoke calmly, “I have no obsession with longevity. What joy is there in growing old and not dying? When the time comes, I do not wish to cling to life unnaturally.”

Xu Yanmiao’s attention was immediately diverted: 【The old emperor is quite open-minded.】

The officials exchanged subtle looks, some feeling regretful.

With the emperor deliberately steering the conversation this way, it seemed unlikely they would hear the rest of the story that had started with “Besides sword swallowing.”

The Daoist smiled faintly. “Your Majesty’s mindset is already aligned with the Dao.”

The Daoist presented a celestial scroll and said, “Yesterday, I requested that Your Majesty inform me of the hundreds of questions you wished to ask the Heavenly Venerables in advance. I have now transformed them into a celestial scroll. The Heavenly Venerables wish for Your Majesty to feel their divine grace. Therefore, silently think of any question in your heart without telling me. With the technique of mind reading, I will discern your thoughts.”

The old emperor was intrigued. “Oh? Is that so?”

【How boring. Isn’t this just a variation of the street trick, ‘I can guess your surname without you telling me’? I’ve seen this so many times at roadside stalls that I can’t even be bothered to play along anymore.】

Originally curious and considering teasing this “Daoist,” the emperor hesitated. Hearing Xu Yanmiao’s inner thoughts, he suddenly felt that showing interest in such a trick would be beneath him.

“Hmm. No need to guess. Go ahead and ask the Heavenly Venerables about the destiny of my dynasty instead.”

His indifferent tone made the Daoist uneasy.

…The emperor wasn’t like this yesterday.

Unable to think of a reason for the emperor’s shift in attitude, the Daoist assumed that he wanted to witness something even more extraordinary, finding the puppet movements and mind-reading unimpressive.

The Daoist bowed again and called for a brush and a bowl. The bowl, prepared by the imperial guards, was filled with cold water. Holding the bowl, the Daoist began to perform ritual steps and chant: “I respectfully summon the Primordial Heavenly Venerable…”

The small puppet representing the Primordial Heavenly Venerable began to move.

After chanting for a while, the Daoist widened his eyes dramatically as if filled with divine fury. He dipped the brush into the cold water and wrote on a blank talisman paper. His movements were stiff, as if controlled by an invisible force, like a puppet being manipulated. Slowly, words appeared on the paper, the strokes bright red, as though the brush had been dipped in cinnabar instead of water.

—The Great Xia Dynasty shall endure for 44 years.

【What the—!】 Xu Yanmiao was startled. 【This Daoist really dares to say it! Isn’t he effectively cursing the emperor’s dynasty to end after just two generations?】

After all, it was currently the 34th year of the Tian Tong era!

The Daoist trembled from his neck down to his feet in a wave-like motion. After shaking, he jolted as if regaining his senses. Seeing the words on the paper, his expression turned both astonished and grave. “Your Majesty, this is a warning from the Heavenly Venerable. Given the current peace and prosperity of the nation, it is unthinkable for the dynasty to last only 44 years. This likely indicates… a monstrous evil within the country!”

Many officials were so shocked they were rendered speechless.

What’s wrong with living a good life? Why would you provoke a tiger like this? Do you think our emperor is the kind of person to believe in this nonsense?

The old emperor cast a faint glance at the Daoist and called over the imperial guards, whispering something to them. The guards retreated briefly and returned, dragging someone along.

A bundle of dirt-covered string was tossed to the ground.

The emperor sneered coldly. “The Primordial Heavenly Venerable? The Spirit Treasure Heavenly Venerable? Why would they require trenches to be dug underground, with ropes pulling them up and down to make them jump?”

Sweat began to bead on the Daoist’s forehead.

The emperor sneered again. “Did you not inquire before flaunting your tricks in front of my court? The Prime Minister used to sell medicinal ointments on the streets. Among the six ministers, there are former street performers, fortune-tellers, ballad singers, scribes, mule traders, and even a former gatekeeper at a gambling den—who here isn’t familiar with these market tricks?

“Not to mention, the little stunts you’re pulling? I’ve done them all before—back when I begged for a living.”

“Speak. Who sent you?”

The Daoist remained silent for a moment, then sighed. “Your Majesty, this humble Daoist has a clear conscience.”

The old emperor was speechless.

What do I care about your conscience?

Seeing that the Daoist refused to speak, the emperor waved his hand. The imperial guards prepared to drag the man away.

Just then, the hurried sound of soft satin boots brushing against the patterned stone floor echoed. Another group of imperial guards entered hastily. Judging from the grim expressions on their faces, the officials in the court instantly sensed that something was amiss.

The old emperor glanced toward Xu Yanmiao and stopped the guards from whispering their report. “Speak plainly. What is it?”

“Your Majesty! In the marketplace, a hen has reportedly turned into a rooster, and a strange green rainbow descended from the sky. The people are talking, saying…”

The court erupted into chaos.

Some phenomena could be dismissed as mere tricks, but a hen turning into a rooster? That was beyond human manipulation!

Throughout history, there had only been three documented cases of hens transforming into roosters. Each time, it led to political upheaval, with countless people exploiting the event to eliminate their enemies. The most extreme case saw an emperor execute two of his grown sons.

Prime Minister Dou urgently asked, “What are the people saying? Speak quickly!”

The guard swallowed hard and replied, “They say… a demon has descended into the world and resides within the court!”

The Daoist’s gaze flickered toward the guards before returning to the emperor. With a sorrowful tone, he said, “Your Majesty, does this not confirm the truth of my words? There is a demon in the court!”

“Old fool! What do you know?”

The emperor rose angrily, bellowing, “Demon? He possesses a pure and noble heart. It is clearly an auspicious sign!”

The Daoist replied, “Your Majesty, I understand it is difficult for you to accept that the Crown Prince is a demon…”

The old emperor froze for a moment. “The Crown Prince?”

“Oh.” He sat back down. “So, you’re talking about the Crown Prince.”