chsdbacks Chapter 21, The Holy Emperor Appears
Chapter 21, The Holy Emperor Appears
"practice?"
Wang Chengye seemed incredulous and asked again, his eyes still showing some confusion.
As members of a prominent family, well-versed in literature and poetry, they rarely believed in supernatural or superstitious beliefs.
He knew from a young age that praying to gods and Buddhas wouldn't bring him land or money. If praying to gods and Buddhas were effective, then those rioters outside the city wouldn't be helping them farm every day.
Their family has been able to survive for a thousand years not because of praying to gods and Buddhas, but because of their foundation, military power, and financial power.
"Brother Chengye, you don't know this!" Lu Fan shook his head heavily, his tone resolute: "Master Yunhai is not one of those quacks; he truly possesses real skills."
"His Majesty has been behaving erratically lately; he must be possessed by an evil spirit. Otherwise, how could he commit such a heinous act of disregarding human life?"
Lu Fan raised his hand and bowed towards the palace, his face full of indignation and sincerity: "His Majesty has been possessed by a demon, and the country is in imminent danger. How can we, as His Majesty's subjects, sit idly by and do nothing!"
"Therefore, I specially invited Master Yunhai to perform a ritual for His Majesty to eliminate evil spirits and restore a bright and clear world to Daqing."
Lu Fan maintained a respectful demeanor, but inwardly he was cursing furiously.
Dog Emperor!
Let's see if you're still alive this time!
Wang Chengye frowned, hesitating to speak, still somewhat disbelieving.
However, he also admitted that the tyrannical ruler was indeed too abnormal.
According to the imperial physicians, the tyrannical emperor only had a year left to live, but now he is acting out of character, not only full of energy but also like a monster.
Perhaps some people have realized this, but they try their best not to think about it.
If we connect it to this, it is more terrifying than a tyrannical ruler.
If the creature sitting inside the palace is indeed a demon, do they really have a way to kill it?
Wang Chengye quickly shook his head to dispel the horrifying thought and looked up at the old man in a tattered Taoist robe sitting next to Lu Fan.
The Taoist Yunhai was dressed in a faded, worn-out Taoist robe. He lightly rested a whisk on his wrist, his long eyebrows drooped, and his eyes were half-open and half-closed. He exuded an aura of detachment and otherworldly detachment. At first glance, he did indeed have the appearance of a celestial being and a hermit master.
Seeing Wang Chengye looking at him, Daoist Yunhai stroked his beard and tilted his head back slightly.
Lu Fan looked at everyone and, seizing the opportunity, sneered, "Once Daoist Yunhai casts his spell to remove that evil spirit from the dog emperor... Son of Heaven, His Majesty will surely return to his former wise and sagacious state."
As long as the emperor is labeled as a demon, then some starving people can be gathered and incited to rebel, disrupting public morale, and the incompetent ruler can be overthrown.
Master Yunhai remained calm and confident: "Rest assured, everyone, I will use my magic tonight to completely exorcise that demon!"
He was unwilling to get involved in such matters, but the Lu family offered him far too much.
He knew nothing about exorcism techniques; they were just the methods of quack doctors.
What kind of crappy family is this, believing in this kind of magic?
As for the Lu family's claim that the emperor was acting strangely, he was unwilling to believe it.
With a broad smile, Lu Fan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Daoist Yunhai and said solemnly, "Then I'll have to trouble you with the rest, Daoist Master!"
"Once this is accomplished, our noble family will surely offer a generous reward!"
Wang Chengye stared at Daoist Yunhai, still feeling uneasy. After much deliberation, he decided to lead his men out of the city that very night.
I heard that the Liang King's army has crossed Changfeng Pass and is not far from the capital.
The remaining forces of the Xie and Pei families, who were recently wiped out by the emperor, sent a letter saying that they had joined the Liang King's army and pledged allegiance to him.
In the past few days, the private soldiers of the aristocratic families left in various places have been secretly summoned, and together with the Liang King's 50,000 troops, there are more than 60,000 people.
Once the army arrives in the capital, its strength will have expanded to at least 70,000 men.
Although their private soldiers were quite capable in combat, they were ultimately too inexperienced. The soldiers under the Liang King had been stationed in the northwest for many years, fighting against foreign tribes. They were disciplined and were a truly fierce army that would not be easily defeated.
"good!"
Wang Chengye looked at Lu Fan, cupped his hands and said, "In that case, I'll leave this matter entirely to Brother Lu, and we will cooperate fully."
Lu Fan frowned almost imperceptibly, instantly understanding Wang Chengye's thoughts and knowing that he wanted to protect himself and was unwilling to take risks personally.
……
Night fell, enveloping the entire capital. A fierce wind howled through the city, rustling the bare branches lining the streets and alleys, making a mournful sound.
A secluded residence at the end of Dongcheng Alley had long been heavily guarded by Lu family confidants.
In the open space of the courtyard, a simple altar had been set up. On the altar were placed ritual implements such as incense burner, peach wood sword, yellow talisman, and glutinous rice. The candlelight flickered in the strong wind, casting dappled light and shadow around the area, creating a solemn yet eerie atmosphere.
The Taoist priest, dressed in a Taoist robe and holding a peach wood sword, stood before the altar.
He slightly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the ritual implements on the altar. He muttered incantations, first making hand seals, then raising his hand to insert three sticks of sandalwood into the incense burner. With a light flick of his fingertips, a spark ignited out of thin air, lighting the sandalwood incense, and wisps of blue smoke rose up.
Everyone in the courtyard held their breath, not daring to make a sound, their hearts filled with both anticipation and nervousness.
Suddenly, Daoist Yunhai let out a low shout, his deep voice piercing through the howling wind. Holding a peach wood sword, he moved slowly before the altar, his feet stepping in the Seven Stars style. Pointing his sword to the sky, his incantation grew increasingly urgent: "Within and beyond the Three Realms, only the Dao is supreme. My body is enveloped in golden light. Evil spirits and heretics, flee at once!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly pointed the peach wood sword towards the palace.
The sword tassel danced wildly in the gale, then he grabbed the yellow talisman from the altar, held it between his fingertips, drew a hand seal in mid-air, and shouted sharply, "Heaven is clear, earth is auspicious, soldiers and generals follow!"
Suddenly, a person in the courtyard pointed to the sky, exclaiming in alarm, "It's a miracle!"
"Look, it's a miracle!"
"Huh?" Daoist Yunhai was stunned for a moment, his face full of astonishment: "It's a miracle?"
"What miracle happened?"
He knew his methods all too well; they might fool people, but to claim he could exorcise demons was pure nonsense.
At this moment, the crowd looking up at the sky gradually opened their mouths wide, and deep fear appeared in their pupils.
The mountain... flew over!
A massive artificial mountain, tens of meters high, crashed down from the sky, engulfing the entire mansion.
"Bang!"
The artificial hill descended, precisely covering the entire residence.
The mansion was destroyed, and everyone was crushed into mincemeat!
……
inside the palace,
The Holy Emperor lightly flicked his hand, holding Wang Jingchun in his arms, a smug smile on his face: "My beloved consort, what do you think of this celestial stone?"
With the Imperial Guards personally appointed by the Emperor, plus numerous eunuch spies, the Holy Emperor was well aware of most of the secrets within the city.
Wang Jingchun's eyes were filled with fervor and adoration at that moment.
In her eyes, the Holy Emperor possessed supreme power, yet he also pitied the world and cared for the people; he was simply the sun in the sky.
All the imperial guards behind him were already caught up in endless fervor.
The Holy Emperor simply stood there, his imposing figure and extraordinary abilities enough to bring tears to the eyes of anyone who longed for peace.
Only a holy emperor can save this chaotic world!