With Liu Chaoyuan supporting him, Emperor Delong slowly rose from the couch. He glanced down at his feet, placed his left foot on the ground, then straightened up.
“In the end, this realm will belong to you. As long as you’ve thought it through, I won’t trouble myself with it anymore.”
Lin Yi smiled.
“Father Emperor is too courteous. Right now you are still the ruler of the Great Liang, the sovereign of the nation. Your son would never dare overstep. Everything should still be decided by Father Emperor. Your son will faithfully follow your teachings.”
Delong Emperor said, “You’ve already sent troops into Chuanzhou. You’re now completely at odds with Jizhao Nunnery. Do you still have a way out?”
Lin Yi laughed.
“Father is right. Jingkuan and Jingyi are both great grandmasters of this era, their martial arts unfathomable. Your son has neither literary nor martial accomplishments. I’m afraid that one day Jizhao Nunnery might secretly arrange an assassination. You know my temperament—I’m not afraid of death. I’m just afraid of pain. That sword is so long… if it stabs through me, I might not die immediately. Just lying there enduring it would be miserable. The more I think about it, the more frightened I become. I’m living in constant anxiety.”
Of course, he was also reluctant to die.
If death were truly the end, that might be fine. What he feared was returning to the modern world and sitting in a wheelchair again.
When bedsores flared up, even the most entertaining games lost their charm.
So despite all his nostalgia for Wi-Fi, watermelon, and air conditioning, he didn’t want to go back.
Hearing this, the corners of Emperor Delong’s mouth twitched.
How could he possibly have produced such a shameless son?!
How could someone describe being greedy for life and afraid of death in such a refined way?
He had lived his entire life and never seen anything like it.
“So what do you want me to do?” the emperor asked.
“No, Father Emperor—your son is the one asking you,” Lin Yi said, personally pouring tea and handing it over. “Father, you must give your son some advice.”
The emperor replied, “If you truly want to keep them here, the few dog servants under your command already have that ability. Why ask me?”
Lin Yi laughed awkwardly. “To be honest with Father, there are indeed a few capable fighters, but they’re not currently in Ankang City. Right now there aren’t many who can fight.”
He regretted sending the monk and the blind man to Chuanzhou.
Among the experts currently in Ankang City, there were only Hong Ying, Ye Qiu, Yu Xiaochun, Yu Xiaoshi, Cui Gengsheng, Cui Gengren, and Pan Duo.
And most of them had only recently reached the level of grandmaster.
He had once asked Hong Ying about their strength. Hong Ying’s answer had been vague, but Lin Yi roughly understood.
Aside from Ye Qiu and Hong Ying, the rest were still basically beginners.
If all of them attacked together, whether they could keep the two women from Jizhao Nunnery was still uncertain.
The emperor said, “Then let your aunt go as well. Liu Gongfeng—”
“I am here,” Liu Chaoyuan said with his head lowered.
“You go too,” the emperor said slowly. “Wen Ruoxin is your master. It is only right that you contribute.”
“I obey the decree,” Liu Chaoyuan replied without hesitation.
At first, Lin Yi didn’t recognize the name Wen Ruoxin, but then he remembered—it was Consort Wen.
“Many thanks, Father Emperor,” Lin Yi said with a grin. “With Aunt and the Worshipful there, your son will definitely make sure they cannot escape even if they grow wings.”
Counting on his fingers—Nine grandmasters!
If nine grandmasters couldn’t beat two women in a group fight, Lin Yi felt he might as well just hand the empire over to Jizhao Nunnery.
After leaving Qilin Palace, Liu Chaoyuan followed behind Lin Yi silently.
Lin Yi ignored him and said to Hong Ying, “You heard everything that was said inside just now?”
What Lin Yi admired most about Hong Ying was two things.
First, his footwork—he could walk without making a sound and run incredibly fast.
Second, his hearing—it was like having supernatural ears. No matter how far away, he could hear everything clearly.
It completely defied science.
“Your Highness is wise,” Hong Ying said with a sheepish smile. “This humble one will do his utmost and ensure the thieves cannot escape.”
Lin Yi sighed. “If nine of you still let two old women run away, I’m telling you now—you can all go home and farm sweet potatoes.”
“We obey!”
Liu Chaoyuan and Hong Ying knelt simultaneously.
Lin Yi laughed helplessly. “How many times have I said you don’t need to kneel?”
As a modern person, he truly hated the complicated etiquette of feudal society.
Before even saying two sentences, people would suddenly kneel. It severely reduced communication efficiency.
But now he gradually understood why people insisted on kneeling.
In the animal world, even monkeys and gorillas kneel to show submission to stronger beings—let alone humans who claim to possess intelligence.
Throughout Chinese history, since the Han Dynasty, whenever the emperor appeared, bells and drums sounded and officials prostrated themselves.
Even in the Tang and Song dynasties—despite what some people claimed about ministers discussing matters with the emperor while seated—that only happened if the emperor happened to be in a good mood and granted them a seat.
Otherwise, kneeling was still the rule.
Western society was somewhat different.
They didn’t kneel to imperial power, but to divine authority. If you refused to kneel and repent, you might be hanged or burned alive as a heretic.
Even Henry II, the first king of England from the Plantagenet dynasty, had to kneel and accept whipping.
Even in modern times, though monarchy is mostly symbolic, ordinary people still kneel before that elderly queen of Britain.
Didn’t kneeling on the ground count? Don’t joke.
As for the history of this world he had transmigrated into, Lin Yi had studied it more carefully.
Three kneelings and nine prostrations were ancient rituals.
When Lin Baozhi ascended the throne, many of these were abolished—otherwise the procedures would be even more cumbersome.
Lin Yi now planned to follow Lin Baozhi’s example and abolish all these messy rituals.
As for whether that would weaken imperial authority, he didn’t care at all.
Since ancient times, the only real threats to imperial rule were land consolidation and natural disasters.
“Your Highness, rites cannot be abolished,” Hong Ying said.
This time he stood up without waiting for Lin Yi to tell him.
Making their prince speak one extra sentence would already be a grave offense.
Lin Yi shaded his eyes and looked toward the distant palace gate.
“Still no news?”
Hong Ying replied, “I’ve already sent Jiang Chou to investigate. As soon as there’s news, it will be reported immediately.”
Lin Yi sighed. “Why are they taking so long?”
Inside White Horse Temple.
Pan Duo and Yu Xiaochun stood in the vast hall, concentrating for a long time. Eventually they looked at each other and both shook their heads.
Pan Duo frowned.
“I’ve already had people turn the entire temple upside down. We found nothing.”
Yu Xiaochun said, “I’ve interrogated every monk in the temple. Nothing unusual—they all say they know nothing.”
Pan Duo said, “Previously Ding Lun from Tuigu Temple carried out a massacre here. Nearly all the monks in White Horse Temple died. Could it be that he came here back then for the treasure?”
Yu Xiaochun nodded.
“Thinking about it now, that seems likely. Where did you get this information? Is it reliable?”
Pan Duo replied, “The order came directly from Prince He. It shouldn’t be wrong.”
“Prince He…” Yu Xiaochun sighed. “With so many capable people under your command, not one can determine the truth?”
Jiang Chou, who had been waiting impatiently nearby, suddenly shouted, “If nothing works, why not just blast the place with cannons? Blow it to pieces and see what’s inside!”
Pan Duo snorted.
“Do you think White Horse Temple is just an ordinary temple?”
Jiang Chou scratched his head awkwardly. “I was just venting… don’t take it seriously.”
Only then did he remember that White Horse Temple was an imperial temple.
Imperial concubines and royal relatives frequently came here to burn incense.
If they blew it up, how would they explain it afterward?
Yu Xiaochun said, “You mustn’t speak carelessly. This is a sacred Buddhist site. A little disturbance might be acceptable, but if we collapse the temple, it will cause public outrage. Lord He might save our lives, but he may not be able to save our careers.”
More importantly, the temple’s abbot was the Monk, who had gone to Chuanzhou.
If he returned to find his monastery blasted apart, who could guarantee that such a normally gentle person wouldn’t start killing?
Jiang Chou sighed.
“Then what do we do now? The Chief is still waiting for my report. We can’t just keep wasting time here.”
Just then Fang Pi entered the hall with a knife. Seeing the tense atmosphere, he asked, “Still no progress?”
Pan Duo sighed.
“Do you have any ideas?”
Fang Pi laughed awkwardly.
“Most ancient treasure sites follow certain rules—backed by mountains and facing water. Sometimes there are riddles too, like:
‘Treasure hidden in the earth’s shell, water rises but cannot drown it; when water dries, three feet remain submerged.’
Or ‘Two rivers flank one stream, each river eighteen baskets.’
Or ‘At the three-eyed bridge, at the three-way crossroads.’
But this place is just a temple. I don’t know where to look.”
“Backed by mountains and facing water?” Pan Duo’s eyes lit up.
Yu Xiaochun immediately said, “There’s a cliff behind the mountain. Below it runs a rushing river.”
“Let’s go check,” Pan Duo said through clenched teeth. “Treat a dead horse as if it were alive.”
He rushed out first, and the others followed.
Soon they stopped at the edge of the cliff.
Yu Xiaochun held his broadsword and looked down at the roaring river while scanning the surroundings.
Fang Pi said curiously, “If there really is a treasure, it couldn’t have been moved by just one or two people. It must have required many workers. If many people came and went, there should be a path.”
As he spoke, a squirrel poked its head out of a hollow in a large ancient sandalwood tree nearby. Seeing so many strangers, it quickly retreated inside.
The tree’s roots twisted in complex shapes, forming strange patterns.
Pan Duo crouched down and slapped the ground twice with his palm.
“Bring someone!”
After stepping back, a small officer with shifty eyes came forward carrying a shovel. He drove it into the soil, pulled it out slowly, examined the dirt stuck to it, and shouted:
“My lord—it’s rammed composite soil!”
This mixture of lime, clay, and coarse sand was used both for sealing coffins and building houses.
In other words—
People had definitely worked here before.
“Haha! Looks like we didn’t come here for nothing!” Pan Duo laughed loudly. “Dig! Start digging!”
The officer looked around and said with a smile, “My lord, there should be a door somewhere.”
He walked to the squirrel hole, stuck his head inside, then squeezed his entire body in.
Everyone peered into the pitch-black hole but could see nothing.
After a long time, he still hadn’t come out.
Jiang Chou muttered, “Did he suffocate in there?”
Fang Pi laughed.
“He might not look impressive, but when it comes to digging graves he’s a grandmaster. I even taught him the Turtle-Breath Technique. He won’t suffocate.”
Jiang Chou was surprised.
“You taught him the Turtle-Breath Technique?”
That technique was the life-saving secret art of Prince Yong’an and was never normally passed on.
Prince He had obtained the technique out of curiosity but couldn’t learn it himself, so he casually threw it to Fang Pi.
Many people had been envious at the time.
Yet Fang Pi wasn’t particularly suited for martial arts either.
No one expected he would pass it to such an obscure officer.
“What’s the big deal? He’s my brother. Of course I’d teach it to him,” Fang Pi said carelessly.
“Of course,” Jiang Chou replied.
But secretly he thought the officer must have traded something valuable for it.
If others could trade for it, he could too.
He decided to negotiate with Fang Pi later.
Just as Pan Duo was growing anxious, an excited voice suddenly echoed from inside the hole.
“My lord!”
Moments later, the officer’s head emerged.
Inside the Imperial Garden, Lin Yi lay around bored.
Before long he fell asleep.
When he woke up, the sun had already set.
Hong Ying stepped forward.
“Your Highness, they found it.”
Lin Yi immediately brightened.
“Found it inside the temple?”
Hong Ying smiled.
“It’s at the cliff behind White Horse Temple. The entrance is in an ancient sandalwood tree. If they hadn’t been clever, it would’ve been hard to find.”
Lin Yi stood up and stretched his stiff neck.
“How much silver?”
Hong Ying said, “Gold, silver, and jewels fill more than ten secret chambers. The Imperial Guards are still counting. The results probably won’t be ready until tomorrow.”
Lin Yi thought for a moment.
“Send capable officials from the Ministry of Revenue to do the counting. And remind them—don’t forget to return my silver.”
“Yes.”
Since Prince He was happy, Hong Ying was naturally happy too, his smile impossible to hide.
After leaving the Imperial Garden, Xiao Xizi hurried over.
Seeing that his master was in a good mood, he gathered his courage.
“Master, this disciple has a request.”
Hong Ying smiled.
“Speak. What is it?”
Xiao Xizi quickly said, “This disciple’s martial arts have stagnated. I fear I have disappointed Master.”
Hong Ying looked him up and down and snorted.
“Your mind is entangled by desire and profit. How can you achieve great success if your heart is not pure?”
Xiao Xizi immediately knelt.
“Please teach me, Master!”
“Can’t teach you.”
Hong Ying said this and walked away without looking back.
Xiao Xizi could only stare blankly at his departing figure.
He Lian quickly helped him up.
“Eunuch…”
Xiao Xizi sighed.
“Master wants me to give things up. But tell me—can I really give them up?”
His master clearly meant that his heart was not pure.
And a person with an impure heart would always face obstacles in martial cultivation.
He Lian didn’t know how to respond.
After a moment, Xiao Xizi said, “Forget it. Let fate decide.”
Giving up everything he had in the palace was impossible.
What if he gave it all up and his martial arts still didn’t improve?
Then wouldn’t that be a huge loss?
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