I wish everyone a happy Dragon Boat Festival. Eat more rice dumplings, don't be rice dumplings. There will be a new ticket on Monday, but I still haven't figured out how to do it. Everyone play for a while. I'll watch for a while.
…
…
The next day, the group left Danzhou at the first glimmer of dawn. Since it was the Emperor's entourage, the formation was naturally not ordinary. Although all kinds of ceremonial guards had yet to come out, there was a procession of nearly three miles in front and behind. The densely packed crowd surrounded the large carriage in the middle that was full of noble air. It looked astonishing.
The people of Danzhou knelt on the ground and respectfully kowtowed to the departing Emperor. Perhaps this was their first and only chance to see the Emperor in this life. As a citizen of the Qing Kingdom, no one wanted to miss it.
Fan Xian rode at the back of the group. With a worried expression, he looked at the group walking on the road in the distance. He was about to follow the Emperor to the great Dong Mountain Temple to worship heaven. His heart was filled with unease and confusion.
Last night, he had met privately with Ren Shao 'an. Only then did he know that the Emperor had chosen Dong Mountain to worship heaven not only because the Emperor had begun to miss the air of freedom, their past meeting, and Danzhou's sea breeze. Rather, it was because the original plan to worship heaven in the Qing Temple in Jingdou had run into difficulties.
What difficulties? No one in the Qing Temple in Jingdou had the right to host such a large worship ceremony.
This was truly a ridiculous reason. The Qing Kingdom had always believed in swords and weapons. Although they respected ghosts and gods, they kept their distance. Particularly under the Emperor's influence, the power of the Ascetic Monks in the Temple grew weaker by the day. The orthodox Tianyi Dao, led by Northern Qi Ku He, was unable to enter the Qing Kingdom's Temple system.
Meanwhile, the few remaining high priests of virtue and prestige had met with problems one after another in the past few years. First, after the Great Priest returned to the capital from the Southern Wastelands, he died of old age and illness in less than a month.
The Second Priest, Great Master San Shi, died tragically in the woods on the outskirts of Jingdou.
Fan Xian could faintly guess that the death of the Great Priest in the Qing Temple had been secretly done by the Emperor. However, if they wanted to worship heaven, they could actually go to Dong Mountain. After all, it was known as the place in the world most similar to the Temple. It was the most mysterious place and the place with the most incense.
But … was it only because of such an absurd reason?
Fan Xian squeezed his horse's belly and followed the group with a frown. His Majesty's protection work was carried out in an orderly manner, so he did not need to worry too much. Especially when he saw the hundreds of Tiger Guards with Long Sabers sandwiched in the Imperial Army, he felt even more reassured.
Seven Tiger Guards could rival Haitang Duoduo. What kind of concept was a hundred Tiger Guards?
He should be at ease, but he was still worried. In many people's minds, Fan Xian was probably an expert at scheming and scheming. He knew that his scheming could not be considered very powerful. In the past, he had been able to win every battle in the Qing Kingdom and Northern Qi because he had Yan Bingyun's help and Chen Pingping's care. Most importantly, his biggest backer was the Emperor. With him as a backer, he could break through any mountain he came across. He had nothing to be truly afraid of.
But if the target of a conspiracy was his backer, Fan Xian knew that he did not have enough intelligence to deal with such a big scene.
He saw himself very clearly, so he was particularly careful and sensitive. Thinking of the question that had been lingering in his heart since yesterday, he felt a sliver of caution.
The Emperor going out on patrol was a major event. Even if he had been floating on the sea at the time and cut off his intelligence network with the Overwatch Council, Yan Bingyun, who was in charge of Jingdou Council affairs, would certainly have a way to notify him. The internal communications of the Qinian Unit had always been open. Why didn't Yan Bingyun notify him ahead of time?
He summoned Wang Qinian and asked a few questions. When he received a report from the Council that everything was as usual, he couldn't help but scratch his head. He didn't say anything more and smiled self-mockingly. He felt that he was too suspicious and a bit morbid.
— — — —
Traveling by land, it only took a few days before he saw the lonely mountain by the sea that had blocked the sea breeze for tens of thousands of years and the sunrise in the east. It stood alone and stubbornly pierced into the sky like half a piece of jade.
Fan Xian rode beside the Emperor's carriage and unconsciously put up a shade. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at the large mountain and sighed in admiration. This was the third time he had seen the great Dong Mountain by the sea. Each time he saw it, he couldn't help but sigh and sigh at the wonders of nature.
How could such a magnificent sight not open one's mind? After sighing, Fan Xian also felt some pity and anger. He had lived in Danzhou for 16 years, yet he had no idea that there was such a holy land not far from his hometown. Otherwise, he would certainly have dragged Uncle Wu Zhu here often to play.
Although the court had sealed off the excavation of jade on Dong Mountain, it did not prohibit the common people from entering the temple to pray. If Fan Xian had often come to play, presumably no one would have stopped him.
However, if he was still a child, it would not be so easy for him to enter Dong Mountain today.
Flags fluttered at the foot of the mountain. Thousands of people stood in line and completely sealed off the path into the mountain. Three days ago, the imperial edict had already been sent to Dong Mountain. The priests and monks of the temple on the mountain were respectfully waiting for the emperor's arrival at the mountain gate. The common people who had come up to burn incense had long been chased down the mountain by the local provincial soldiers.
On this lonely mountain, thousands of people were silent. An oppressive and strict atmosphere enveloped the surroundings. All of this was for one person, the foremost person in the world.
Eunuch Yao stepped onto the wooden frame and helped the Emperor, dressed in formal clothing and bright yellow, out of the carriage. The Emperor stood on the platform in front of the carriage.
Without anyone's command, the thousands of people at the foot of the mountain knelt down in unison and shouted, "Long live the Emperor."
The Emperor waved his hand with a calm expression, indicating for everyone to rise. After being helped out of the carriage by Eunuch Yao, he naturally left the eunuch's hand. With his hands behind his back, he walked toward the newly repaired mountain gate, which glowed with white jade.
Eunuch Hong followed behind the Emperor.
Fan Xian took a few more steps back and calmly observed the situation.
Walking to the foot of the mountain gate, the priests wearing robes bowed respectfully to the Emperor again. They then bent their bodies in a fawning manner and invited the Emperor to ascend to listen to the heavenly edict.
Fan Xian watched this scene and laughed to himself in his heart. The monks of the Qing Kingdom indeed did not have as much status as those in Northern Qi.
The Emperor did not immediately move. Looking at the magnificent mountain gate, he smiled warmly and said, "The first edict came a month ago. The exact time of my arrival was set three days ago. The temple's reaction was fast. However, don't disturb the people too much. If a mountain gate is so magnificent, be careful that Dongshan Road doesn't have any silver."
The priests' expressions became awkward. The head priest of Dongshan Temple explained in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, it is only a mountain gate. The temple on the peak is the same as it was 20 years ago. It has not changed at all."
The Emperor smiled slightly and said, "That is good."
Governor He Yongzhi, who had rushed over to the side to wait on the Emperor, wiped the sweat from his forehead. He thought to himself that his flattery had backfired. Fortunately, the Emperor's latter words had been gentle.
The Emperor glanced at the governor and furrowed his brows. "Didn't I tell you not to come in the letter I sent you?"
Governor He Yongzhi was one of the governors of the seven Roads. Although his position was slightly lower than Xue Qing's, he could still be considered a first-rank official. In front of the Emperor, he did not have any of the air of a major figure. He smiled bitterly and said, "It is rare for Your Majesty to leave the capital, and you have come to Dongshan Road. I and the officials of the Roads feel honored. How could I not come to wait on you?"
It was clear that the governors of the seven Roads were the Qing Emperor's most trusted officials. The Emperor smiled and scolded, "Get back to your Luozhou. The governor leads an army. Just do your job well. When have I ever lacked people to wait on me?" He glanced at Fan Xian behind him and said, "With Commissioner Fan following, you can go back."
He Yongzhi did not dare to object. He knew that although the Emperor appeared warm, he never went back on his word. He did not tarry. He knelt down again and kowtowed. He nodded at Fan Xian as a greeting and then hurriedly led his people back to Luozhou, where the governor's manor was.
Fan Xian watched with a slight smile and did not say a word.
…
…
The great Dong Mountain was very tall. Using Fan Xian's measurements, it was at least 2,000 meters. Around the mountain, other than the sea, there were plains. The contrast made the mountain appear even more abrupt and towering into the sky. If one wanted to climb it, no one would not feel a chill in their hearts.
Fortunately, the side of Dong Mountain facing the sea was an incomparably smooth jade wall. The side facing the land was the accumulation of millions of years of life from the soil. On both sides of the stone steps, green grass grew. Tall trees rose into the sky. Their branches and leaves were like little green fans that blocked out the first rays of the summer sun. They danced gently in the mountain wind like countless little fans, bringing a trace of coolness to the people walking on it.
Perhaps it was such a quiet and beautiful scenery that gave the common people who came up the mountain to burn incense the courage to walk the seemingly endless stone steps.
Thousands of imperial soldiers stood guard at the foot of Dong Mountain. Following the Emperor to Dong Mountain to worship heaven were old Eunuch Hong, Fan Xian, the Minister of the Board of Rites, and a group of officials. There were also a number of eunuchs accompanying him. Over a hundred Tiger Guards were also vigilantly scattered around the Emperor. However, they did not walk the stone steps. Instead, they walked the small mountain paths, which were a bit more difficult.
The tens of thousands of stone steps truly tested one's willpower and energy. The common people called these long stone steps the Stairway to Heaven. Only by climbing it could one appear sincere and use the miraculous effects of the Temple in Dong Mountain to cure illnesses.
However, this trip was not for the common people to pray to God. The Tiger Guards walking between the stones could still hold on. Even the eunuchs seemed to have energy to spare. However, the Minister of the Board of Rites, Ren Shao 'an, and the other civil officials could not hold on much longer. They couldn't care less about losing face in front of the Emperor. Each of them held their waists and panted.
Fan Xian had climbed mountains and jumped cliffs since he was a child. These tens of thousands of stone steps were nothing to him. He didn't even pant. He watched these people and found that the eunuchs beside the Emperor were able to move so easily. He couldn't help but be speechless. Eunuch Hong was a strange creature. He knew that Eunuch Yao knew martial arts, but even the eunuchs serving tea were skilled. He couldn't help but feel that there were indeed crouching tigers and hidden dragons at the Emperor's side.
After an indeterminable amount of time, the group of people finally reached the summit. Including a few priests and civil officials, they all collapsed weakly to the ground and couldn't come to their senses for a moment.
The Emperor glanced at these people mockingly but couldn't be bothered to scold them. Alone, with his sleeves behind his back, he walked to the edge of the cliff at the summit of Dong Mountain. Looking at the floating clouds in front of the cliff and the sun diagonally above, his expression was incomparably calm and joyous. It was as if he had finally achieved, or was about to achieve, a goal.
Fan Xian followed behind him and smiled slightly. He saw the Emperor's chest rise and fall slightly. His face was slightly red and moist with sweat. It seemed that although the Emperor's body was strong, he was no longer the young man who rode into battle. It was only for the sake of the Emperor's face that he forcefully endured it.
After resting for a moment, the people accompanying them began to arrange the ceremony and the troublesome food and lodging arrangements. The Emperor and Fan Xian were still standing at the edge of the cliff. The father and son seemed to be attracted by the wondrous scene at the foot of Dong Mountain. They didn't say a word and only stared in a daze in front of them.
In front of them was the ocean, a boundless ocean. However, the ocean they saw from here was different from the ocean they saw from the Danzhou dock.
The ocean in Danzhou was close yet not easy to get close to. Rising and falling, it was close to their feet. The sound was by their ears, and white foam soaked the bottom of their pants.
The ocean at the foot of Dong Mountain was distant and cold. Standing at the edge of the cliff, it was impossible to hear the roar of the waves. Gazing along the jade-like mountain walls, one could only see white lines advancing wave after wave on the ocean, crashing against the stone walls of Dong Mountain and soaking the foot of the mountain, doing an eternally useless task.
In front of the cliff were layers of thin and light clouds. They were like white paper, slowly flowing high and low between the cliffs. The red sun had long risen above the ocean, but it didn't seem to be much higher than the great Dong Mountain. Standing on the mountain, the sun seemed particularly close. The light passed through the white clouds and glowed with twisted and beautiful lines. Gradually, it made the pure white clouds even fainter until they almost disappeared into the air.
…
…
Watch the clouds disappear and disperse, watch the rise and fall of the tide? Fan Xian unconsciously rubbed his nose and smiled self-mockingly. Why did he have to stand here by the Emperor's side? Then, he saw the Emperor's body sway.
Fan Xian was shocked. Like lightning, he stretched out his hand. His left hand opened like a cattail leaf. His fingers bent slightly and exerted force. In an instant, the Coffin-Breaker technique was unleashed. In a flash, he grabbed the Emperor's hand and pulled him back a step.
Below the two of them was a bottomless abyss. If they fell in, how could they survive? After Fan Xian's heart palpitated, he realized he had been rash. He apologized and greeted the Emperor. He then noticed old Eunuch Hong behind him glancing at him with a strange gaze.
The Emperor gently rubbed his forehead. He was not angry. On the contrary, he said self-mockingly, "Looks like I am indeed old. After looking for a long time, I feel a bit dizzy."
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