The Changchun Palace team travels back in time to Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

Mo Yan, who had rushed over, heard this and respectfully clasped his hands in prayer. Following up on Liaoyu's words, he said, "Amitabha! Ganlu Temple was built in the early years of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. The Dharma name of the first abbot was indeed Yuanjue. There is indeed a legend in the temple that a black snake as thick as a water bucket once appeared in the hall. Later, due to the influence of Buddhism, it gained sentience. Decades ago, during every Dharma assembly, it could be seen coiled on an ancient tree on the top of the back mountain. It did not harm anyone, but when looking at the temple from afar, it seemed as if one was listening to a nun chanting sutras. It turns out that this legend is true!"

The emperor was shocked. He remembered that when Consort Xi left the palace to pray for blessings, she returned and became his foster mother. Later, she became Empress Dowager as a Noble Consort, which matched what the monster in front of him had said.

Mo Yan might know about this, but how could she possibly tell Yingluo, whom she had only met a few times, such a secret?

Furthermore, the fact that his eyes had turned into vertical pupils and that he was supported by the snakes was beyond human capability. Legend has it that snakes are lustful, and the Buddhist name "Slaying Desire" fits this description. Therefore, he did not believe that this matter was entirely a charlatan.

Ruyi composed herself and said, "You are nothing but a beast, living in a Buddha statue. Isn't that an insult to Buddhism?"

Yingluo thought that all the groundwork was laid so that she could take the initiative in this situation, so she flashed in front of her in a flash, raised her hand, and with a series of cracking sounds, she slapped Ruyi to the ground. In an instant, Ruyi covered her face and fell to the ground.

Then came another series of rapid "crackling" sounds, and Ling Yunche and Rong Pei were also slapped to the ground.

Yan Wan exclaimed in surprise, "This... if it weren't for the Ten Hands Dharma Form, how could one have beaten someone like this in an instant!"

Yingluo secretly praised Yanwan for being on the right track, but her face remained solemn as she put her palms together and said, "The Lotus Sutra says: The wisdom of the Tathagata is everywhere. Why? Because there is no sentient being who does not possess the wisdom of the Tathagata, but they do not realize it because of their delusions, inversions and attachments; if they are free from delusions, all-knowing wisdom, natural wisdom and unobstructed wisdom will appear."

It is evident that Buddhist principles emphasize equality in all things, compassion, and that the Buddha extends to all sentient beings, for all sentient beings are Buddhas. Those of you who consider yourselves superior, bully others, distort the truth, and create negative karma through speech and action, are clearly disciples of Mara, heretics and demons who have entered our Buddhist path in this degenerate age, substituting fallacies for righteous teachings and defiling the Dharma! However, out of compassion, even Mara's disciples are not immune to the desire for salvation. This humble nun offers this sharp rebuke; I hope you will remember it well!

The emperor had some doubts at first, but by this point he was too lazy to care whether it was true or not. If it was just a charade to help him beat up Ruyi, he would have to believe it was real!

So he respectfully asked, "What advice do you have for this great immortal Liaoyu?"

Liaoyu said, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and even though I have cultivated for a hundred years, how dare I presume to give you any advice! I have only spent a long time in the temple and have seen many things, big and small. Although I am a beast, I know that only those who cause trouble and bully others have no shame. How can the bullied have no shame?"

As for the so-called scandalous affair, this humble nun recalls that when Abbess Mochou left the palace to pray for the Qing Dynasty, three years later, her merits were fulfilled, and Heaven granted her an opportunity. The Emperor of that year visited the temple to offer incense and then went to Lingyun Peak, where he met Mochou and dispelled his past sorrows, welcoming her back to the palace. Since this precedent has been set, it is clear that even if a concubine leaves the palace to cultivate, she is still a concubine. Whether she returns to the palace or not, the Emperor's meeting with her does not damage the imperial reputation. If anyone harbors resentment because of this, or even bullies others, it not only disturbs the Buddhist order but also makes the world think that the imperial family are all tyrannical and domineering, which would truly damage the imperial reputation. Since the matter has already occurred, the current Empress should punish the ringleaders and accomplices openly and justly according to palace rules and laws, so that the palace discipline can be maintained and the atmosphere clear. If the Emperor has any inconvenience, this humble nun will act on his behalf, which will not violate the principles of Heaven and justice.”

The Emperor nodded, thought for a moment, and then said, "Great Immortal, I will hand over Xiao Lingzi and Rong Pei to the Empress for punishment. Ruyi was wrong to let her servant commit violence, but she is, after all, my beloved. I do not want the Empress to punish her, nor can I bear to see her suffer excessive punishment. I beg you to be lenient."

Liaoyu thought for a moment, then decided to add fuel to the fire. So he put his palms together and said, "Oh? Could it be that the nun Jueqing on the ground and that lady over there are not people His Majesty truly loves?"

The Emperor took a deep breath and said, "I have favored Consort Shu and Consort Ling, but Ruyi is a talented woman from Jiangnan and my childhood sweetheart. The one who is most special in my heart is still her."

Liaoyu twisted his body and moved closer to Yanwan, his tongue moving rapidly as if spitting out its tongue, which startled Yanwan so much that she shrank back; then he moved closer to Yihuan, sticking out his tongue as well, and stared at her for a long time with his vertical pupils.

Then she turned to the emperor and asked, "This humble nun sees that lady does bear a resemblance to that disciple of Mara. This humble nun also often hears Abbess Jueqing reciting poetry, and I think that she too could be called a talented woman before coming to Ganlu Temple. So, Your Majesty, do you favor these two women because they resemble that disciple of Mara, and therefore use them as substitutes?"

The emperor was sweating profusely. He didn't want to be bound by Ruyi's moral obligations any longer, but he also didn't want to lose Yanwan's companionship and support.

He looked at Ruyi, who was full of expectation, and then at Yanwan, unsure whether he should nod.

Fortunately, Yanwan came to the rescue, kneeling down and saying, "Your Majesty, I was originally a palace maid. To be favored by Your Majesty is already the greatest fortune of my life. No matter why Your Majesty favors me, it is all the Emperor's grace, and I can only be grateful."

The emperor felt reassured. Yes, Yanwan could only rely on him, so no matter what, she would stand firmly on his side.

He nodded.

Yi Huan felt as if all her strength had been drained away, and she leaned weakly on Chun Chan's shoulder.

Liaoyu suddenly chuckled and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty is truly the most devoted lover of all time, even if it means bearing the blame. It is indeed the good fortune of this disciple of Mara! My snake clan has received the grace of the founding emperor and can only obey the decrees of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty. For Your Majesty's sake, I will spare her this time. I am a mountain spirit and a monk outside the palace gates. I should not be attached to the mortal world and stay in human form for too long. I must go now."

She clasped her hands together and said, "It is an honor to meet the true emperor today. Before parting, I would like to offer Your Majesty a verse for you to contemplate."

After saying this, he asked someone to bring paper and pen. A small snake coiled up and pointed forward with both fingers. The snake then used its tail to wrap around the pen and wrote several lines of crooked characters.

"The flames of karma burn high walls, horses gallop through empty air. Golden bells and bronze camels are silent, the nine tripods of the southwest are rusted."

The snakes retreated in a flurry, and "Liaoyu" fell backward, convulsing and foaming at the mouth.

The words "You can open your eyes now" echoed in her mind. Yingluo opened her eyes again, her round pupils looking around in confusion. Then, as if remembering something, she jumped up and knelt down: "This servant greets Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, and all the masters!"

Yanwan tentatively asked, "Miss Yingluo, do you remember what just happened?"

Yingluo feigned confusion: "This servant clearly served Her Majesty the Empress to the pavilion, how did we suddenly end up here? Why is my head so dizzy..."

Seeing her about to fall, the emperor waved his hand: "Help Jueqing and Yingluo to the inner room and summon the imperial physician. Also, immediately take these two servants back to the palace and imprison them in the Censorate!"

He then said to Ruyi, "Don't worry, even if I beat them both to death and ruin my own benevolence, I will still consider your reputation."

Ruyi was immersed in the Emperor's affection and could no longer care about Ling Yunche and Rong Pei. She smiled charmingly at the Emperor and said, "We gaze at each other from afar, and a single glance at you breaks my heart. I love it most when Your Majesty says 'Don't worry.' With these three words, I will feel at ease no matter where I am."

The emperor felt nauseous and looked to the empress for help, but the empress ignored him and said only, "Your Majesty, since this verse was written by the centenarian Liu Xian, it is somewhat mystical. If it contains any prophecy, it is inappropriate for me to be here. It would be better if Consort Ling and I were to leave."

Yanwan felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty the Empress is right!"

The emperor could only watch as Mo Yan, Rong Yin, Yan Wan, and Jiang Yubin, who had rushed in, went inside. He then said to Ruyi, "You should stay behind the screen and avoid the situation."

Ruyi, feeling special, glanced at the emperor with a charmingly tilted face, and then walked away gracefully.

The imperial guards then relaxed their guard, and Jinzhong picked up the paper with the verse written on it and presented it to the emperor.

The emperor summoned all the imperial guards to come and see what the verse meant.

The imperial guards looked at each other, none of them daring to speak.

Seeing the emperor's face grow increasingly gloomy, Ma Qing'a forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, this 'Jinyong City' is one of the four towns of Henan. Legend has it that during the Wei and Jin dynasties, deposed concubines were all placed here. The bronze camel is also a Wei and Jin dynasty allusion. The 'Biography of Suo Jing' in the Book of Jin says that Suo Jing had foresight and knew that the world was about to fall into chaos. He pointed to the bronze camel at the gate of Luoyang Palace and sighed, 'Will I see you among the thorns?' Later, the Western Jin dynasty indeed experienced the War of the Eight Princes, and afterwards, the Jin dynasty was weakened and there was the disaster of the Five Barbarian Invasions. The bronze camel indeed fell among the thorns in the wasteland. As for the word 'southwest,' the Di people, one of the Five Barbarians, lived in the southwestern Sichuan region. But what do the first two sentences mean, and what do they mean when put together? This servant is incompetent and does not know."

Inside, Jiang Yubin was also filled with anxiety. He reported to Rongyin, "Miss Yingluo is fine. She is just a little tired and exhausted. After resting and burning some paper money and incense to send the spirits away, she will be alright. As for Abbess Jueqing, she is shocked and angry, and her heart is in turmoil. I will prescribe some medicine to relieve her anxiety. However, although her symptoms are not serious, if Abbess Jueqing develops a knot in her heart because of this and her emotions become unsettled, I am afraid that I will not be able to help her in the long run."

Yanwan comforted Rongyin: "I suppose that Abbess Liaoyu is a highly accomplished immortal. Her possession today is to uphold justice. Abbess Jueqing and Miss Yingluo should be alright."

At this moment, Yingluo silently thanked the snake brothers, sisters and other snakes for their help, and sent Xiangyun a message saying "Thank you for your hard work," promising that she would find a way to bring meat to the back mountain of Ganlu Temple to give the snakes a big meal.

Xiangyun felt somewhat regretful, as the power of her soul was ultimately lacking, preventing her from achieving a better effect.

"Master Yuanyi said that in later generations there is a magical artifact that can create smoke from flat ground, called dry ice. Unfortunately, the ghost messengers cannot interfere with the outside world, nor can they use this thing."

As Rongyin and Yanwan were talking, they heard a soft voice calling in their ears: "Your Majesty the Empress..."

Rongyin turned her head and saw Yihuan sit up and was about to get out of bed to bow, so she quickly said, "No need for formalities, Master, please rest."

Yi Huan nodded, closed her eyes, and let her tears flow freely.

She wept silently for a moment before speaking, "My misfortune today, though caused by my petty and narrow-minded nature, is ultimately due to the fact that although I have entered the Buddhist order, I have not completely severed my ties with my past lives. Now that I have unjustly assumed this title, I humbly beg Your Majesty the Empress to abolish all my titles and ranks, so that I may remain pure and innocent, and spend my remaining years by the side of the ancient Buddha and the green lamp. From now on, there will be no more Consort Shu Yi Huan in this world, only the nun Jue Qing."

Rongyin said, "Those two servants have already been thrown into the Cautious Punishment Department. With me here, who would dare to say anything to you because of what happened today? You have been wronged today and your anger has not subsided. Why don't you rest for a while and think about it again when you are calm?"

Yi Huan said, “I have thought it through very clearly. I was once proud of my true feelings for Your Majesty, but my so-called true feelings were nothing but the moon's reflection in the water, which only moved myself. However, Your Majesty not only repeatedly guarded against me because I was recommended by the Empress Dowager, but also treated me as a substitute for someone else. He treated me as nothing more than a flower in a mirror. I am just an innocent young woman, but I never expected to become a pawn for Your Majesty and Consort Xian. Since that is the case, I have nothing to feel guilty about. I might as well let go of it completely.”

Yanwan pretended not to hear, keeping her eyes down. Rongyin said to Zhao Yitai, "Go and invite the Emperor over. Tell him that I have something to discuss with him."

Yi Huan took out a narcissus jade hairpin from a small cabinet by her bedside, then took out a plate of flower seed sachets, opened them and shook out a string of double happiness coral beads.

The hairpin is a blooming daffodil carved from a single piece of Hetian jade, clear and translucent, with delicate carving. The bracelet is made of eighteen coral beads with the character "囍" carved on each side, adorned with a lapis lazuli Buddha head, knotted beads, and a jade pendant carved with a bat holding a five-zhu coin in its mouth. It is exquisite and lovely, symbolizing "good fortune before your eyes and double happiness".

She handed the hairpin to the Empress, and gave the bracelet to Yanwan.

"In the past, I was arrogant and disrespectful to everyone in the harem, especially the Empress and Consort Ling. The Empress was magnanimous and always protected me. Today, my so-called friend is humiliating me to death, but Consort Ling is willing to speak a word of justice. I realize that I was blind before and I am extremely ashamed. These two pieces of jewelry were part of my dowry when I entered the palace. I now offer them to the two ladies as a token of my gratitude."

Yanwan declined, saying, "This item is valuable and is part of your dowry. It's not appropriate for you to take it, sister."

Yi Huan insisted that she should at least compensate for the broken jade 18-bead bracelet. Yan Wan looked at Rong Yin and, seeing Rong Yin nod, accepted the compensation.

Zhao Yitai turned back, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, just now, Guard Cherdengzhabu brought several officials to Ganlu Temple, saying that there was urgent military news. His Majesty has dismissed his attendants and is listening to the officials' report in the meditation room."

Yanwan was shocked. Today, the Emperor specially arranged for her to go to Ganlu Temple to pray for blessings. The important affairs of the court are handled by the Grand Councilors. How urgent must the military situation be for the First-Class Imperial Guard and the ministers of the court to rush to the temple to report?

In the meditation room, the Minister of War knelt down: "Your Majesty, the Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi, Qingfu, urgently reports that the chieftain of Dajinchuan, Shaluoben, has sent troops to attack Zhengdi Sai, which is under the jurisdiction of the chieftain of Gebushizan, and has also sent troops to occupy Lumi and Zhanggu, which are under the jurisdiction of the chieftain of Mingzheng. They are only four days away from Dajianlu. Li Jinting, the garrison commander, was unable to resist them and retreated to Changli. The military situation in the southwest is urgent and extremely critical!"