Oh dear, Guagua, I wonder if Commander Qin can find the old monk's secret base. I really want to go and see it!
With so much gold and silver jewellery, I wonder if Commander Qin has enough men.
All the officials and civil and military officials said: "Your humble servant is willing to go and assist Commander Qin in handling the case."
Shen Changyuan: I am the Minister of Revenue. Working with Commander Qin, we can get the money into the national treasury as quickly as possible. Everyone, please don't cause trouble.
The entire court: Making trouble?
You're the one causing trouble!
Your whole family is causing trouble!!!
When will court adjourn?! When will court adjourn?! When will court adjourn?!
Shen Mingzhu kept muttering to herself.
The officials looked at each other blankly, pretending not to hear.
Prince An: Brother, let's leave court.
He also wanted to visit Huguo Temple to see just how wealthy it was.
Hearing and seeing are not the same thing.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen turned to look at Shen Mingzhu, desperately trying to signal Emperor Jingyuan to end the court session.
Wang Defu, the chief eunuch standing next to Emperor Jingyuan, was also eager to try his luck and was ready to leave the court at any moment.
Emperor Jingyuan looked at Crown Prince Yan Beichen with an expression that seemed to say, "You've got some ambition!"
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: The important matters of the court have been discussed.
Emperor Jingyuan: Then wait a while.
All the civil and military officials bowed their heads, ignoring the expression on Emperor Jingyuan's face.
In the end, today's morning court session ended with Grand Eunuch Wang Defu announcing that the court was adjourning.
Upon hearing that the court session was over, Shen Mingzhu nearly jumped for joy.
Yay! Guagua, court is over! Let's hurry to Huguo Temple on the outskirts of the city!
Host, you're not going to report for duty at the Hanlin Academy!
Guagua, time is of the essence. Missing one sign-in session is okay.
Yes, host. Then hurry up, let's get Uncle Zhong to drive the carriage out of the city as soon as possible.
Guagua, you can rest assured about my work!
After saying that, she jogged out of the palace.
Crown Prince Yan Beichen, Prince An, General Tian, and Grand Scholar Su followed closely behind, running with her towards the palace gate.
Of course, those who were slower to react, such as Gu Ci, Shen Changyuan, Su Qingshan, Zhou Wenwu, and others, were kept by Emperor Jingyuan to continue the small court assembly.
Shen Changyuan: Sigh... I'm just destined to be a workaholic.
If your legs and feet aren't cooperating, you have to use your brain and work like crazy.
Su Qingshan: Sigh... I originally wanted to go check on the situation at Huguo Temple and also give some instructions to the second prince, but now I can only go to the Imperial Study to continue the discussion.
Gu Ci: I will dedicate myself to the Great Yan Dynasty until my dying breath.
Zhou Wenwu: ...
Only the Second Prince, Yan Yunxuan, was filled with questions.
Is the eldest brother stupid? He skipped the court assembly and ran off to Shen Mingzhu instead?
Doesn't he know how important the court assembly is?
Yan Yunxuan's eyes darted around, and he immediately prepared to make a good impression on Emperor Jingyuan so that the emperor would discover his abilities and strength.
Hehe~~~
The opportunity was given to him voluntarily by the crown prince.
Similarly, opportunity favours the prepared mind.
This person is him—Yan Yunxuan!
Outside the palace gates, Crown Prince Yan Beichen had caught up with Shen Mingzhu. Looking at the people behind her, Shen Mingzhu spoke up.
"I have calculated that leaving the city today will bring great fortune."
Hehe~~~ "Guagua, aren't I clever?
Host, you're really clever; you've found yourself a reason to leave the city!
That's right! Leaving the city brings great fortune, so we absolutely must leave the city!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen listened to her heartfelt words, and a chuckle escaped his lips.
"Yes, I'll be accompanying Mingzhu out of the city."
"Brother Crown Prince, you are so kind."
Prince An: You two have had enough. Get in the carriage, and let's go.
General Tian: It's good to be young!
Su Huaiyuan took out his notebook and wrote it down: Today, the anti-Buddhist campaign begins. First location: Huguo Temple!
The entire court: They're all our ancestors!
Soon, the group headed towards Huguo Temple outside the city in a grand procession.
Because Qin Zhao and his group rode ahead, Shen Mingzhu, fearing she might miss any details, instructed Uncle Zhong to quickly head out of the city.
The guards, seeing that it was a carriage belonging to a powerful figure in the capital, especially the Crown Prince and Prince An, quickly let them pass. Looking at the group, they couldn't help but mutter to themselves, wondering what had happened.
Huguo Temple, on the outskirts of the city.
Qin Zhao led a thousand imperial guards to surround the Huguo Temple.
Because Huguo Temple is very popular, there are usually many people who come to burn incense. It took quite a bit of effort to get rid of them.
Some ladies and young women who couldn't stand it were quite indignant.
"What are you doing? This is Huguo Temple! Abbot Liaowu is a famous Buddhist Zen master. Even the Empress Dowager invited him to give a sermon!"
"Yes, the ladies in the palace have also invited the masters from Huguo Temple to give sermons."
"That's right, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Huguo Temple a national temple. What you're doing is offending the gods."
"Stop! Get out of Huguo Temple right now..."
Qin Zhao:...
Can't you see it?
What are they thinking, sending the Imperial Guards out like this?!
Soon, Abbot Liaowu and a group of monks were gathered together.
Amitabha Buddha~~~
"The sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore."
"When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practising the profound Prajnaparamita, he perceived that the five aggregates are all empty and thus transcended all suffering and distress Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness. Emptiness is not different from form; form is emptiness, emptiness is form..."
Soon, a group of monks, led by Abbot Liaowu, began chanting scriptures together, a scene that infuriated the people.
What is this for?
Why was Huguo Temple suddenly sealed off?
Seeing the angry looks on everyone's faces, Commander Qin spoke directly.
"Recently, several girls have gone missing in Shengjing. Someone saw a girl run into Huguo Temple. I have brought people here to investigate. Don't worry. As long as you don't commit any crimes, nothing will happen."
Upon hearing that it was a case being investigated, instead of driving them away, everyone surrounded Huguo Temple and refused to leave, choosing to watch the spectacle.
It has to be said that no matter the era, there are always a lot of people watching the spectacle.
When Shen Mingzhu, Yan Beichen, and the others arrived, they saw that Huguo Temple was surrounded by layers upon layers of people.
It seems there's never a shortage of people watching a spectacle.
Since everyone's here, we have to see the excitement.
Guagua, there are so many people! A sea of people, I can't see anything!
Host, isn't the Crown Prince right there? Look at his golden imperial robes; just give a shout, and you'll be at the very front!
Shen Mingzhu looked at her sixth-rank official robes and then at Crown Prince Yan Beichen's golden five-clawed dragon robe; they were simply not in the same league.
Guagua, look at us standing together, I feel like I'm a whole head shorter.
Host, keep a low profile. Externally, the Crown Prince is above you until you two are married. Internally, you are the boss, the absolute leader, with absolute dominance!
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: Guagua, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute.