Chapter 137: Chapter 123: War Flares Up Again, The Wedding Day, Meeting the Seventh Buddha

Imperial City.

In an antique room at Huitong Hall, designated for receiving foreign envoys.

A white-robed monk, who had been sitting quietly in meditation with his palms pressed together, suddenly opened his eyes.

Jiang Shan sensed an anomaly in the direction of the Imperial Palace. He smiled faintly. “It seems someone is fated to be with my Buddha after all.”

’I never thought someone in Great Yan could actually fuse with the Buddha’s Relics. I really want to meet this person. I thought this trip would be for naught. The will of the Seven Ancestors is something an ordinary person cannot withstand; they would even be assimilated by it. To be chosen by the Relic… this person can be considered half a disciple of my Seven Ancestors Lineage.’

He got up from his mat and looked out the window, his gaze attempting to pierce the vast distance.

But the disturbance quickly subsided, as if nothing had happened.

’I wonder when this turmoil in Great Yan will end. A weakened Great Yan, while beneficial to the Silver Frost Country, is still not a good thing for the faithful of the world.’

…

「The next day.」

News that the Buddha’s Relics had been lost quickly spread throughout the Imperial Capital, shocking many.

The Great Frost National Treasure, something so important, had gone missing?

Many hadn’t even had the chance to see it and test their fate with it. In just one day, the Relic had vanished. For a time, everyone was sighing in disappointment.

Logically, with such a major incident, the Cabinet should have stepped forward to offer an explanation, but the following day was unusually quiet.

In truth, the Cabinet itself was currently embroiled in arguments.

“Last night, the Bright Lamp Bureau’s night patrol reported that Prince Langya, Lu Yunwan, stole the Buddha’s Relics. Prince Chongwen, Lu Yunqing, was also at the scene. They were ambushed by many experts along the way, and in the end, the Relic’s whereabouts are still unknown. But this morning, the Silver Frost Envoy, the monk Jiang Shan, claimed the Relic has already found its master.”

“The above is all from the testimony gathered from the Princes and the Commander of the Bright Lamp Department last night.”

A Cabinet Minister read this aloud from a memorial.

“We must find out where the Relic went. Whoever got it can’t just pretend to be ignorant. Can’t Jiang Shan pinpoint who took the Relic?” a minister with a somewhat rough appearance asked in a grave voice.

Another Grand Scholar replied, “We’ve already asked. If the Relic had not yet found a master, Jiang Shan could have tracked it. But since it has been absorbed, his connection to it has vanished. He can only determine that its last known location was somewhere near the Imperial Palace.”

“The Imperial Palace is vast, and the surrounding mansions belong to princes and ministers. With all the government offices and residences, we’re talking about tens of thousands of people. How can we possibly investigate this thoroughly?” Many people immediately frowned.

“Could Jiang Shan be lying? What if he took the Buddha’s Relics back himself but claims it was stolen, just to leave us with nothing?”

The Minister of War, Wang He’fu, said flatly, “Impossible. Weren’t the two Princes’ words very clear? The Seventh Prince did indeed swap the Relic, and he himself has confessed. Although it was due to being ambushed, he still explained the course of events.”

Chief Minister Yuan Xuangang stroked his beard and mused, “For someone to be able to take the Buddha’s Relics is a good thing for Great Yan, better than letting that monk Jiang Shan take it back. We just don’t know who did it.”

He had intended to present this item to the Holy Emperor, but now its whereabouts were unknown.

The Holy Emperor never said he needed it, but it was, after all, a priceless object.

“Therefore, this matter cannot be announced to the people of the Imperial Capital. We must downplay it, gloss it over, and spin it in a positive light to save the Court’s reputation,” Wang He’fu suggested.

“That’s the only way. As for Prince Langya’s punishment…”

The Seventh Prince, Lu Yunwan, actually dared to steal the Relic. Even though he ultimately turned himself in, he couldn’t be let off easily. Stealing an envoy’s treasure wasn’t a major crime punishable by death, nor did it warrant house arrest or imprisonment in the Imperial Prison, but there had to be some form of punishment.

“This matter involves two Princes, so we must consider the Royal Family’s reputation. There’s no need for a severe penalty, but a punishment is still necessary.”

Wang He’fu thought for a moment and said, “The conflict in the Northern Realm has recently intensified, and the Champion Marquis is about to deploy his troops. Why not have Prince Langya compensate with a large sum of gold, silver, and grain? It would be just enough to fill the logistical gaps for the army and help the war effort run more smoothly.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Prince Langya is incredibly wealthy, so this shouldn’t be a problem,” Yuan Xuangang agreed with a nod.

A fine was arguably the most practical solution, better than any other option.

In the short span of a year, Great Yan had been plagued by frequent wars, and its finances were stretched thin. It would be a great boon if someone could fill the gap.

“Should we continue to investigate the Relic’s whereabouts?”

“More important than the Relic’s location is the other force that tried to seize it. That needs to be thoroughly investigated,” Wang He’fu said, getting straight to the point.

“A single faction capable of holding off the Guest Scholars under two Princes is clearly not weak. How can we allow such a power to act so brazenly in the Imperial Capital?”

Yuan Xuangang glanced at Wang He’fu and said, “Correct. While the Relic’s whereabouts are important, they can’t compare to the safety of the Imperial Capital.”

The other ministers felt a bit helpless, seeing the Chief Minister make no mention of the impact caused by the two Princes.

Although a mysterious force had emerged to stir up trouble last night, in terms of influence, it was still Prince Chongwen’s numerous Guest Scholars who played a larger role.

Some of them were even Cultivators from the Three Academies.

The Mountain Master of the Vajra Department Institute, the Mad Monk Fan Shen, was involved, though he was said to have been nearly seriously injured.

This had already become a struggle between the various Princes and the powers behind them. Even the Chief Minister was unwilling to offend any of them. He was a classic example of someone who didn’t take sides and would certainly not provoke those with Immortal Influence.

Wang He’fu was also a wily veteran. In his thirty-year career as an official, he had never offended anyone, and he wouldn’t get involved now.

The others dared even less. The last Cabinet reshuffle was the result of a farcical coup attempt caused by numerous Cabinet Ministers supporting the Eldest Prince.

So the best course of action was to turn a blind eye.

The Holy Emperor had been lying in bed, unconscious, for three days and three nights. He was like a lamp with its oil spent, as if he might pass away the very next day. Under such circumstances, no one dared to make a rash move.

They could only pray that this storm would pass quickly and that one of the Princes would step up to take control of the situation.

…

Three days passed, and the joyous day soon arrived.

The fifteenth day of the eighth month.

On this day, Qingzhu Hall was festooned with lights and colorful decorations. Rows of red lanterns hung on both sides of the main gate, and various auspicious paper cuttings adorned the doors and windows.

Lu Mingyuan sat before a large copper mirror in the main hall like a doll, letting Zi Yun and Hong Wan dress him in ceremonial attire, his arms and legs outstretched.

His mind was blank.

’To think, in my past life, I was almost thirty and still not married. I worked busily my whole life, a total bachelor. I thought my status as a civil servant would count for something, but I went on so many blind dates and didn’t like any of them. I never imagined that I’d be getting married now—and to two women at once, no less.’

In a daze, his surroundings blurred.

WHOOSH. He found himself in a space with a surface of golden water.

Here, the golden Buddha Qi had liquefied into a golden lake. Upon the lake’s surface grew stalks of Golden Leaf Bodhi, all of them Buddhist holy trees.

This was a world without dust or defilement.

Ever since absorbing the Buddha’s Relics and breaking through to the Sea-Viewing Realm, he would come to this place in his dreams or whenever he was mentally exhausted. It felt more like a space within his Sea of Consciousness.

Sometimes it was for just an instant, other times for the span of several breaths.

Now, however, he had time to properly observe this world.

There is a Buddhist saying: a flower holds a Bodhi, a leaf holds a world.

’This must be the remnant of the Buddha’s Spiritual World.’

As Lu Mingyuan walked forward slowly, he asked, “Who are you? Where are you?”

“This humble monk knows who you are. You are a descendant of the Celestial Destiny Dynasty.”

The vast, ethereal voice echoed once more.

SPLASH!

Beneath Lu Mingyuan’s feet, a shadow appeared on the water’s surface.

It was the silhouette of a Buddha, with a kind face, ancient features, and clad in a kasaya robe. On his head were ninety-nine topknots, coiled like earthworms moving through mud.

Lu Mingyuan couldn’t help but take a step back and look up at the sky.

But there was nothing above him.

Only the reflection in the water.

“There is no need to look. I have been dead for many years. This is the retribution body, coalesced from my remaining consciousness and meritorious aura,” the Buddha’s reflection in the water said.

The voice was ethereal, seeming distant one moment and near the next.

The Buddha has three bodies: the Dharma Body, the retribution body, and the incarnation body.

The Dharma Body is the true body of the Buddha, a symbol of the fundamental self.

The retribution body refers to the form created from an accumulation of merit and knowledge. After the Dharma Body dies, the retribution body can be reincarnated.

Good deeds are met with good returns, and evil deeds with evil returns.

This is all the work of the retribution body.

The power contained within the Relic is entirely the power of the retribution body.

As for the incarnation body, it refers to the manifestations of the Buddha.

Lu Mingyuan saw that the Buddha’s reflection in the water bore a strong resemblance to the face of the Buddha in the Golden Body Temple. He said, “Are you the seventh Buddha of the Buddhist Heaven since time immemorial?”

“I am.”

A sense of reverence welled up in Lu Mingyuan, and he quickly pressed his palms together in a respectful bow.

’This is one of the greatest beings of the Buddhist Sect. How could I not pay my respects after receiving the grace of his Relic?’

“If I had to wait any longer for an heir, the power of this Relic would have been exhausted. But you came just in time, which is well and good,” the reflection in the water said.

’The Seven Ancestors’ Dharma Body is dead, and his incarnation body no longer exists. Only a part of his retribution body remains here, unable to reincarnate. Could there be some hidden purpose behind this?’

Lu Mingyuan asked, confused, “This junior is just a Martial Artist who has only recently broken through to the Sea-Viewing Realm, and I know very little of Buddhist Teachings. Why would the Buddha choose me?”

“High cultivation does not guarantee success. Zen is omnipresent, as is the Buddha’s Will. With a Zen Heart, the Western Heaven is everywhere.”

“The Relic does not choose wrongly.”

“Use this power well. Go and deliver all living beings from suffering, and save this world from the raging tide.”

“Because the dangers of this world are far more terrible than you can imagine.”

After the Buddha’s reflection finished speaking, it slowly faded, and the golden surface of the water dispersed.

Lu Mingyuan returned to reality. His eyes were dazed as he clutched his chest.

A faint warmth spread from his blazing heart.

At some point, his clothes had been completely changed.

He was dressed in a red, cloud-embroidered ceremonial robe with four-clawed dragons, a decorative silk ball hanging from his chest. A Jade Belt was paired with a silver crown. His tall, straight posture made him look extraordinarily heroic and martial.

Since the founding of the Great Yan Dynasty, the Grand Ancestor had decreed that the emperor would wear a twelve-symbol ceremonial robe, while the Crown Prince and All Kings would wear nine-symbol ceremonial robes. The defining feature of these robes was the dragon motif embroidered on the body.

“Your Highness is so handsome!”

“Just one look at you makes this servant so envious! Princess Consort Qi and Princess Consort Huo are truly fortunate!”

Zi Yun and Hong Wan praised him one after another.

The two maids had also changed into corresponding formal dresses. As they looked at Lu Mingyuan, their eyes were filled with adoration, as if they held little stars.

They hadn’t even officially entered the family, yet they were already calling the brides “Princess Consort”.

“It’s time to go.”

This wedding was taking place within the Harem. Among all the Princes, Lu Mingyuan was the first to marry in this way, and many of the ceremonies had been altered. Originally, he should have gone to the Qi Mansion and the Champion Marquis’s Mansion to escort his brides, but these steps were all omitted. His wedding was certainly a novelty—an unprecedented new approach.

Soon, Lu Mingyuan arrived at Yaoguang Palace. A festive red bridal sedan had also entered the palace, and Qi Muxue, wearing a red wedding veil, was helped out of it by two beautiful maids.

Qi Muxue was dressed in a magnificent red robe with long, flowing sleeves and overlapping red skirts. She wore auspicious jade hairpins and earrings, her jade-like hands clasped together. She walked up the steps with her head held high, her headdress adorned with flower clusters, a phoenix-patterned shawl, and a gold-trimmed veil.

Her adornments were so splendid, and her beauty as delicate as a spring blossom, that no words could possibly do her justice. She was both stunningly beautiful and gracefully poised.

Upon seeing her, Lu Mingyuan’s heart was deeply moved.

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep