(Only in the last two days did I notice that before and after the Qidian update, a PS would be added. It seemed to be related to monthly votes and red packets. Let me tell everyone, this was automatically added by the system, not by me. Please feel free to vote. I wish everyone a happy day at work. Mua, mua, mua.)
… …
… …
The prayer mat was neither new nor old, neither thick nor thin. It was of the style commonly seen in Daoist churches or ancestral halls.
The Tang Second Master said nothing as he gazed at the prayer mat.
When kneeling, it was more comfortable to have the prayer mat between the knees and the hard ground.
The question was, who was he going to kneel to?
Of course, the Pope.
Countless lamps hung in the night sky like stars, a young man standing amidst them.
The Tang Second Master said nothing, nor did he hear anyone else.
The silence in the hall continued.
The Tang Second Master's eyes gradually narrowed.
He finally moved. He walked up to the prayer mat, raised the front of his robe with his hands, and slowly kneeled.
His movements were very slow, very meticulous. From raising the front of his robe to slightly bending his knees to leaning forward, he had used a very long time.
This was enough time for him to think about many things.
He had heard that many years ago, the previous Pope had also come to Wenshui. When had his father ever made such a grand bow?
You and Tang Tang are of the same generation, so I am your senior. How can you accept my bow?
Even if you don't call me Second Uncle, you should at least say 'no need for ceremony'.
This period of time had truly been very long, and to the Tang Second Master, it had been even longer.
It was enough time for him to think about so many things, and it was naturally enough time for the young man in the light to speak.
But why had I still not heard your voice?
He even wondered if he had heard incorrectly.
Or was that person's voice too soft, too vague?
No, the Daoist church was so quiet that even the softest voice could be heard clearly.
For instance, at this very moment, his knees finally touched the prayer mat. The soft cushion gave off a light sound.
But in his ears, it was like a clap of thunder, shaking his soul.
… …
… …
The Tang Second Master kneeled in front of Chen Changsheng.
Even when this scene really happened, he still found it somewhat difficult to believe.
He did not dare believe that Chen Changsheng really had not said that he was excused from ceremony.
He did not dare believe that Chen Changsheng would so calmly accept his great bow.
The sound of the knee meeting the praying mat disappeared. All the sounds in the hall disappeared. It was incomparably quiet. Only the light of the lamp could be heard swaying in the breeze.
The Tang Second Master kneeled on the prayer mat, his heart growing colder and colder, but his expression growing more and more indifferent.
Then he stood up.
When he knelt, he was like a jade mountain that was about to collapse, and when he stood up, he was like the rising sun rising from the water. Clean, efficient, and without any hesitation.
He stood up by himself.
It was obvious that this was a breach of etiquette in front of the Emperor, but he was furious at the moment, so he decided to ignore it.
He looked at Chen Changsheng and indifferently said, "Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope."
It was not a greeting, just a passing acquaintance.
It was still quiet in the Taoist hall. Countless lights swayed in the breeze, making a rustling sound, like the sea of pine trees in the mountains.
Chen Changsheng quietly gazed at the Tang Second Master for a very long time.
This was the first time he had seen him.
Whether it was the coup of the Mausoleum of Books or the assassination of Zhou Tong on the snowy street, he and the legendary Tang Second Master had never met.
The Tang Second Master was very similar to Tang Thirty-Six. His face was handsome, his temperament indifferent, and he exuded a noble aura, but there was a hint of gloominess on his face.
"When I see you, I very naturally think of him." Chen Changsheng continued, "It's already been a very long time since I've seen him. The more this is the case, the more I miss the time when he was at my side. At that time, he helped me with many things."
The Tang Second Master asked, "Such as?"
Chen Changsheng took a step forward, walking out of the shifting light to stand in front of the Tang Second Master.
"Such as … right now, he will say to you, 'Did I let you get up? Just like that, you got up? '"
… …
… …
As one of the rarest Pope in history that had not stepped into the Divine Domain, no matter how talented Chen Changsheng was, his strength was still limited.
The Tang Second Master was well aware of this point, but when he saw this young man walking out of the sea of stars, saw his calm face, heard his words, he felt an indescribable pressure assailing him. It was like countless mountains, like the vast sea of stars had fallen into the Wenshui, stirring up countless waves in his mind!
Only now did he realize that no matter what his strength was, Chen Changsheng was the Pope, so he was facing a Pope.
This thought made him feel extremely uncomfortable, just like how Chen Changsheng had used Tang Thirty-Six's tone to say those words.
Did I let you get up?
If Tang Thirty-Six were present today, he really would have said this, not giving him any face, perhaps even being even harsher.
The Tang Second Master narrowed his eyes once more.
He naturally would not kneel again. He gave a mocking smile and said nothing.
There are no ifs. Tang Thirty-Six is imprisoned in the ancestral hall, so he can't possibly appear at your side.
"I had someone prepare the prayer mat."
Chen Changsheng glanced at the prayer mat on the ground, then raised his head to the Tang Second Master and continued, "Because I hoped that you would also prepare a relatively soft prayer mat for him. He was imprisoned in the old estate for two and a half years, and then imprisoned in the ancestral hall for half a year. Given his personality, he must have been punished to kneel for a very long time. Without a prayer mat, he will find it rather difficult to endure."
The Tang Second Master expressionlessly replied, "He is a descendant of my Tang clan, so he naturally has elders to take care of him. There is no need for Your Holiness to care."
Chen Changsheng replied, "He is my friend, so it's impossible for me not to care."
At these words, the Tang Second Master's brows rose. "Does Your Holiness only care about these minor matters?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "To me, this matter is very important."
The Tang Second Master harshly asked, "Is it even more important than the future of the Li Palace?"
Chen Changsheng replied, "I think that perhaps this is a misunderstanding between you and the Tang Old Master. My coming to Wenshui City has nothing to do with the Li Palace. I have only come for him."
The Tang Second Master mocked, "Is that so? Could it be that Your Holiness only wants to take him away and has no other request for my Tang clan? "
Chen Changsheng replied, "Precisely."
"Does Your Holiness think this matter is very funny? Or else why would you say such a joke? "
The Tang Second Master felt this to be utterly absurd, thinking, do you really think that by saying these words, you can convince the entire world that the Orthodoxy has no designs on the Tang clan?
The more he thought, the more he found Chen Changsheng's words and actions laughable, so he began to laugh.
Normally, when describing laughter, one would add the words' haha 'or' raucous' in front, because laughter naturally had to have a sound.
But everyone knew that the Tang Second Master's laughter had no sound, whether it was a slight smile or a great laugh.
He only had his mouth open, making him seem like one of those mimes in Xuelao City, acting out an absurd story, silently mocking others and the world.
This was the first time Chen Changsheng had seen the Tang Second Master's legendary silent smile.
He did not find it comical, nor did he find it frightening. He only found it very ugly and very painful, like a fat goose waiting to be fed but having its neck tied to an iron chain.
"I miss that friend of mine even more. If he were here right now, he might say … are you mute? Or else why would you laugh so bitterly? "
Chen Changsheng said these words without the slightest hint of derision, only a faint yearning.
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