Light Dance Jiajing

Sure enough, after listening to Feng Shun's detailed description of how Meng'er threw the sign, the emperor frowned again. Feng Shun thought to himself, I knew you would react like this. I don't know how many days I will be nervous this time. The emperor frowned and thought for a while, then said, "Tomorrow I will move to the Da Guangming Palace to fast for seven days. Summon Zhang Yanqi to protect me. Tell Xia Yan to take charge of state affairs temporarily. Don't bother me unless it is extremely urgent. Pass the order down. Except for the princess, I will not see anyone else during these seven days." Feng Shun took the order and hurried down to make arrangements.

Zhang Yanqi was invited to the Daguangming Hall unwillingly. The emperor was sitting cross-legged on a cushion in the center of the hall with his eyes closed. Feng Shun led Zhang Yanqi in and then led the eunuchs who were accompanying him to retreat. The emperor never allowed anyone to be around when he spoke to the Heavenly Master, so Feng Shun hurriedly retreated without waiting for the emperor's orders.

Zhang Yanqi picked a cushion and sat down, closing his eyes and meditating. The emperor opened his eyes and snorted, "You have no manners. Don't you know you have to kneel three times and kowtow nine times when you see me?"

Zhang Yanqi said, "I know my crime. Please punish me, Your Majesty." Then he stood up and saluted.

The emperor snorted again and said, "I've spoiled you. Stop pretending and stop talking nonsense. Have you gained any insights these days? Tell me."

Zhang Yanqi shook his head and said, "How can one understand in such a short time? Your Majesty is a little impatient."

The emperor said, "Look at you. You still look the same after a few years, but I am old. You said Shao Yuanjie's elixir is ineffective. So what method did you use?"

Zhang Yanqi said, "I have long said that we can only seek within for everything. Your Majesty cannot give up wine, sex, money and anger, how can you cultivate yourself?"

The emperor stared at him unhappily, but Zhang Yanqi stared back at him frankly. The emperor said after a while, "Your words are no different from those of the monk. Forget it, let's not talk about this. What is the fate between me and the princess? Have you figured it out?"

Zhang Yanqi pondered for a while and said, "It's been a long journey. I'm a shallow person, so I can't really count the rest."

The emperor was unhappy. There were so many twists and turns, and he didn't need to explain it to himself. What he wanted to ask was the result. He promised Meng'er that he would take her to live in seclusion in the future, but could he really give up this beautiful country and his current power and status? But he couldn't give up Meng'er either, he wanted them all.

Zhang Yanqi thought for a moment and said, "I have calculated that the princess will have a disaster in her life. If she can get through it, everything will be fine."

The emperor suddenly became nervous and asked, "What disaster? What if I can't get through it?" Zhang Yanqi remained silent, so the emperor asked again, "When will this disaster happen?"

Zhang Yanqi said, "About two years later." The emperor's heart sank. Two years had passed in a flash. What on earth would happen to put Meng'er in danger? His brows furrowed deeper and deeper. Zhang Yanqi said dimly, "There is no good or bad luck in the way of heaven. It is very difficult to say whether it will be a blessing or a disaster. Your Majesty just needs to let nature take its course..."

At this time, Feng Shun was heard outside reporting: "Your Majesty, the princess wants to see you."

The emperor tried to soften his expression and said, "Come in."

When Meng'er came in, she saw that the emperor looked unhappy. She glanced at him for a few seconds, then looked at Zhang Yanqi and asked, "Is the Heavenly Master preaching?"

Zhang Yanqi said, "There is not so much to say about Taoism. I will just chat with the emperor about something unimportant."

Meng'er said, "Don't tell me about those weird things in Taoism, I don't believe them." In fact, Meng'er believed them, and she believed that Zhang Yanqi had some magical powers, but she didn't want the emperor to be obsessed with Taoism, so she said that.

The emperor smiled and said to Meng'er, "Don't talk nonsense, the real people are watching you." Meng'er looked up at the tall statues of the Three Pure Ones, stuck out her tongue, and stopped joking.

Zhang Yanqi said to Meng'er, "Princess, can you help me plead with the emperor? I have been away from Longhu Mountain for a long time, and the princess has recovered. Your Majesty doesn't know that the Longhu Mountain family has a lot of things to do, and I, as the head of the family, cannot be away all the time. Your Majesty, please let me go back." This was not the first time he had said he wanted to go back, but the emperor simply would not let him go. With his skills, he could get away, but there was a risk every time he did so. If the emperor was really angry and he ran away, what would happen to the Longhu Mountain family? So he had to judge the situation. If he really wanted to disappear, he had to make the emperor mentally prepared so as not to anger him.

The emperor snorted, "How many people want to stay by my side, but you always want to run away. Humph, if I don't let you go, you are going to rub oil under my feet again."

Zhang Yanqi said with a bitter face: "I also want to accompany Your Majesty every day, but my humble practice is really not enough to help Your Majesty improve. I am afraid that Your Majesty will get bored if I accompany you for too long."

The emperor snorted again and said nothing. Indeed, Zhang Yanqie's theory was not suitable for him at all. It was surprisingly very similar to what the monk had told him, that there was no law outside of the mind and one could only seek within. What was he seeking? He could not give up wine, sex, money and anger. If one had to practice asceticism like a monk to achieve enlightenment, then he would rather let himself enjoy all the blessings in this life.

Seeing Zhang Yanqi's bitter face, Meng'er couldn't help but smile and said, "The emperor has abused the Heavenly Master, so why are you so sad? You practitioners should not show your emotions on your face. Haha, you look very different from when I first saw you. At that time, I thought you were a god. If believers saw you like this, how could they believe it?"

Zhang Yanqi said: "I am ashamed to say that I am just an ordinary person and I am still far from attaining enlightenment."

Meng'er turned to the emperor and said, "I think the Heavenly Master really has no intention of staying in the palace. This palace is indeed very stuffy. I was sick this time thanks to the Heavenly Master for treating me. We don't thank him, but instead detain him in the palace. This is really unreasonable. You should just let him go."

The emperor nodded and said, "Okay, but your birthday is coming soon. The Taoist priest is here and can pray for you. Let him go after your birthday." Zhang Yanqi calculated that he only had to wait for another month. Since the emperor finally agreed to let him go, he would wait for a few more days.