Chapter 145: Chapter 129: Great Success in the Emperor’s Heart Skill, Jiang Shan Preaches the Sutras, The Confucian-Buddhist Debate

Prince Chongwen’s Mansion.

A gentleman in a Confucian shirt bowed slightly before Lu Yunqing, who was dressed in a cyan python robe. “Your Highness, everything is taken care of. Initially, the officials at the Ministry of Justice were unwilling to take on the case. Thankfully, your name carries weight, and they soon agreed.”

Lu Yunqing said calmly, “They’re worried the Holy Emperor will punish them. But with my father gravely ill and having not attended to state affairs for half a year, they naturally fear me.”

“We must find the evidence before the retrial, or someone will surely obstruct us from the shadows. For this to work, we must be absolutely certain of success.”

The gentleman in the Confucian shirt nodded. “Barring any accidents, Prince Huai’an should be acquitted and set free. That said, I presume Your Highness intends to use Prince Huai’an’s forces to move against Prince Jin.”

Lu Yunqing didn’t deny it. He said slowly, “Regardless, Sixth Brother has the Champion Marquis and Master Qi backing him. One may be disillusioned and the other may want no part in this conflict, but it’s not that simple. To be in the Capital City is to be in the eye of the storm. Sixth Brother will have no choice but to support me.”

“The Ninth Prince’s appearance at Prince Jin’s Mansion shows that Second Brother has his own plans in motion. He’s already made his next move, so we mustn’t act rashly. If I can gain Sixth Brother’s help, and with Seventh Brother on our side as well, my victory in this conflict is assured!”

’By uniting the forces of three princes, I can surely crush Lu Guangjing and Lu Yunhuang.’

’First Brother, Fourth Brother, Lu Mingkong… None of them will have died in vain. Each of their deaths serves a purpose.’

’This strategy of Alliance and Confrontation was a principle his teacher had taught him.’

’It was also a part of the Emperor’s Heart Skill.’

’His teacher had told him that while his previous Dao was the Path of Governance, his true path now was the Emperor’s Dao.’

For the past six months, he had been studying with extreme diligence, working day and night.

Now, his Emperor’s Heart Skill was already showing signs of reaching the stage of Great Success.

’What is the Emperor’s Dao?’

’The Emperor’s Dao is the way of controlling others, the way of checks and balances, the Skill of Dominating the World.’

’Be they mediocre or brilliant, so long as I can use them, they are assets.’

’There was once a great master in the Confucian Temple who devoted himself to this very skill. He switched his cultivation to the Path of Kingship and Domination, leaping from the Eleventh Realm to the Thirteenth Realm and achieving Sainthood. He even left behind numerous texts on the Emperor’s Heart Skill.’

Recalling the investigation from half a month ago, Lu Yunqing’s eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth. “That Lu Guangjing is a treacherous bastard. We have to bring him down hard. Using the Soul Searching Skill, we saw traces of Prince Jin’s Mansion in the Divine Souls of numerous Death Warriors. That force of black-clad assassins that night was definitely Second Brother’s. There’s no doubt about it.”

“Time and again, he sacrifices his own pawns to save himself. The trail goes cold every time we get close, so we can’t pin it on him. We don’t have hard evidence against Prince Jin’s Mansion. We must find a way to make him submit.”

’Pinning a crime on him would be simple. The key is to make Prince Jin confess his guilt and be reviled by the entire world.’

’Aside from a select few, almost no one knows the true nature of Prince Jin’s Mansion.’

“That White-robed Monk from the Silver Frost Country is going to be giving a public sermon in the Capital City soon to promote his Buddhist Technique. Your Highness, perhaps you should attend? It could be an opportunity to win him over,” his subordinate suggested.

“It’s worth a try,” Lu Yunqing agreed with a nod.

Just as he was about to head out, a gentle voice reached his ears.

“My lord, the weather is turning colder. You should put on a cloak before you go out.”

A beautiful woman in a pale yellow palace gown approached and gently draped a heavy cloak over Lu Yunqing’s shoulders.

This was his wife, Ning Feiyu, the Main Consort of Prince Chongwen.

She was also the daughter of the Military Saint. This Saint, a Swordsmith Master, had spent the first half of his life in such brutal slaughter that he was likened to a Celestial Killer Lone Star—a cursed star that meant anyone close to him would soon die. He spent the latter half of his life forging swords to atone for his sins of bloodshed. While this so-called “Great Buddha” was infamous, his daughter was as gentle as water. Nevertheless, she had been unable to marry, as the many scholars of the Confucian Temple feared her—not for herself, but for the father who stood behind her.

He had met her by chance during a visit to the Confucian Temple, and the two had fallen hopelessly in love. They married soon after.

With eyes full of affection, Princess Consort Ning watched her husband leave the Prince Mansion.

“Princess Consort, are you going out to buy groceries tonight as well?”

“Should we have more guards accompany you?”

Princess Consort Ning shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. Why cause such a stir?”

…

「Great Yan Capital City」

Qingzai Square, one of the Inner City’s many districts, was a hub for Buddhist wares. Buddha Beads, Magical Artifacts, and enchanted Bracelets and Wooden Fish used for chanting were always in high demand. With many Monks residing in the area, it was known as a place of tranquility.

A vast public square spread out before them.

Even though the appointed time had not yet arrived, the square was already packed shoulder to shoulder with a sea of people.

Most were well-dressed gentry, here to listen to the Great Frost Saint Monk lecture on his Cultivation Technique.

Those in simple linen robes were true adherents of the Buddhist Sect. Aware of the Saint Monk’s high Realm, they had rushed over the moment they heard he would be lecturing on a Buddhist Technique.

’If one could just grasp a Dharma Gate or two from the master’s sermon… forget about achieving immortality, but worldly riches would be within easy reach. An epiphany that leads to Breaking a Realm might even be possible!’

’This was an Opportunity!’

“These tokens are for the third row, right near the stage. It cost me, Old Wang, a great deal of favors to get these!”

“The sermon is supposed to be free, but these inns are charging extra for seats on their upper floors. And now they’re all copying each other. I swear…”

“What can you do? The front rows are all booked up, mostly by Cultivators. The middle section is the best spot, but it’s just a little too pricey.”

The crowd was a clamor of overlapping conversations.

A young monk with a heroic face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes happened to be passing by.

The monk’s exposed right arm was corded with muscle, and his vitality radiated like the blazing sun. He wore a red kasaya with his palms pressed together, and a string of large Buddha Beads hung around his neck.

’A Saint Monk is giving a sermon, and people are selling tickets for it? Don’t tell me there are scalpers, too?’ the Thick-Eyebrow Monk thought in surprise.

He saw that others were holding exquisitely carved wooden tokens inscribed with text like “Row XX, Seat XXX.” A scan with his Primordial Qi Perception even revealed a tiny, anti-counterfeit mark that read “Genuine” in gold lacquer.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep