Chapter 441 Lingbo Cult
"The leader of the unrest in the Jiangnan region comes from a brand-new sect called the Lingbo Sect. They claim to have been guided by the Fairy Lingbo to save the world from suffering. They appear in public as a man and a woman, with the power to summon wind and rain, and their holy maiden is called Yu Linglong, who is skilled in purification techniques..."
"How much do you love daffodils?"
Upon hearing Zhang Tingyu's report, Yinzhi couldn't help but interject.
Zhang Tingyu paused for a moment, then nodded: "The narcissus is indeed a sacred object of the Lingbo Sect. The clothing worn by the followers of the Lingbo Sect is embroidered with narcissus patterns, and no one tries to hide it."
The focus was on the phrase "no one was hiding it," and Kangxi felt a deep sense of provocation: "How audacious!"
In the past, whether it was the Heaven and Earth Society or the White Lotus Sect, although they all used the banner of "overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming," they never dared to put everything in the open like the Lingbo Sect.
After all, having one's identity exposed means there is a risk of being arrested by the imperial court.
But the Lingbo Sect is clearly not afraid, and their confidence obviously comes from the game "Dream of the Red Chamber Nightmare".
Thinking of this, Kangxi became even more dissatisfied.
Yinreng asked casually, "Under the banner of overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming, didn't the Lingbo Sect have any connection with the Zhu family?"
Yin Zhi, seemingly curious, added, "I thought they would at least use the name of the Third Prince Zhu, and not just the Fairy Lingbo."
Zhang Tingyu, oblivious to anything amiss, continued, "It is said that their leader is a direct descendant of the Ming Taizu. However, this leader has never appeared in public. I believe it is more likely that he is using someone else's influence."
The princes present exchanged glances and inexplicably had the same thought: perhaps Zhu Chongba was the leader of this cult?
"Are all the Lingbo Cult members players?"
Yinzhen frowned and asked a question. Upon hearing this question, everyone else's attention turned to Zhang Tingyu.
"According to the investigation, the high-ranking members of the Lingbo Cult who are currently appearing in public are all players, and the majority of the rest are ordinary people who have been misled."
"Are you so sure?"
Yinzhi had some doubts; the players' identities weren't actually that easy to ascertain.
Zhang Tingyu's expression turned somewhat strange again. He composed himself and continued to report: "A letter from a member of the Jiangnan sect stated that not a single member of the Lingbo Sect has closed their player title."
"..." Just thinking about how everyone in the Lingbo Cult brazenly flaunted their pale green player titles in the streets. Although ordinary people couldn't see them, to other players, they were no different from a source of light in the dark!
That's incredibly arrogant! It's a blatant provocation, and the more I listen, the more it sounds like Zhu Yuanzhang's style.
Hearing this, everyone couldn't help but look at Kangxi, and sure enough, Kangxi's face darkened even more.
"Anything else?"
Suppressing his anger, Kangxi asked in a deep voice.
"The troops in the Jiangnan region are now in place. We request Your Majesty to issue an edict on how to deal with the Lingbo Sect."
Yinreng and the others exchanged glances, and after confirming that Zhang Tingyu had nothing more to say, Yinsi stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
As the brothers had discussed beforehand, this matter couldn't be left unsaid, but there was a certain skill involved in how they brought it up.
Kangxi slightly raised his eyes to look at Yinzhi, his tone tinged with worry: "Has something happened to the secret mission?"
"It really happened in the game," Yinzhi said sincerely, looking at Kangxi as he began to explain methodically. "After I took my ninth and tenth brothers into the game, I discovered that Jia Baoyu had a very good friend. At the time, because I wasn't sure if it was a character in the game, I didn't pay much attention to it until the course ended..."
Yinzhen stood up and added, "After my tenth brother and I finished our lessons, we didn't see Eighth Brother. We were worried and started looking for him in the school. We found a strange young man blocking Eighth Brother's way, refusing to let him leave."
"We were worried, so we rushed over."
Yin smiled sheepishly. Such childish behavior coming from the little devil in the palace made it all the more believable.
So much so that Kangxi was not too surprised, except that he thought they were a bit reckless.
"It's one thing to cause trouble in the palace, but they don't even know to be careful in the game..."
Emperor Kangxi gave them a light rebuke, but given their age, he didn't say anything more.
“Ninth Brother and Tenth Brother were also worried about your son,” Yinzhi subconsciously retorted. “That man is unpredictable. When he saw Ninth Brother and Tenth Brother suddenly interrupt him, he instantly took the three of us hostage.”
Are you alright?
Kangxi frowned in concern, his gaze sweeping over the three of them.
Yinzhi shook his head: "Father, don't worry, we're fine."
"That person was a bit strange. He shot out white silk threads from his sleeve and bound us up instantly. We couldn't break free at all."
Yin imitated Zhu Chongba's behavior, his face showing extreme anger, while his heart was filled with tears. Damn it, how could he lose to Ninth Brother in rock-paper-scissors? It's so embarrassing to do something so childish.
“Now that they know who we are, I doubt he’d dare to actually lay a hand on us,” Yinzhen said casually.
Kangxi astutely grasped the key point and asked, "Do you know your identities? Who is he?"
Yinzhi stepped forward, his face somewhat solemn: "Your Majesty, I have just finished listening to Lord Zhang's report and I suspect that he is the hidden leader of the Lingbo Sect—Zhu Chongba."
"Zhu Chongba?"
Emperor Kangxi doubted his own ears.
"Yes, he personally admitted that his name was Zhu Chongba and that he was a descendant of the Ming Taizu (Emperor Hongwu)."
Huh? The descendant of the Ming Taizu was named Zhu Chongba, why not Zhu Di or Zhu Yunwen? Emperor Kangxi was completely puzzled.
Seeing his pensive expression, Yinzhi and the others exchanged glances. Sure enough, revealing the name last would attract the Emperor's attention and make him overlook some details.
It can only be said that they knew Kangxi too well.
Zhang Tingyu glanced at the Emperor, then at the princes, and met the Fourth Prince Yinzhen's indifferent gaze. He silently lowered his head. He decided it was best not to get involved in royal affairs; seeing through things but not saying anything was the virtue of an official.
To prevent Kangxi from thinking too long and discovering the problem, Yinreng immediately changed the subject: "Father, regardless of whether Zhu Chongba is the leader of the Lingbo Sect, judging from the Lingbo Sect's style of doing things, they are indeed exceptionally arrogant and bold. If this continues, it will inevitably have an immeasurable impact on the Jiangnan region."
“What Bao Cheng said is also what I think.”
Having been successfully led astray by Yinreng, Kangxi couldn't help but frown when discussing the current situation. He would usually send troops to suppress any anti-Qing, pro-Ming organizations. But while he feared organizations possessing extraordinary abilities, he also harbored ambitions to subdue them.
After all, the Qing Dynasty was so vast, and Xiaomeng Pavilion had so few people. The fact that he couldn't fully control "The Nightmare of the Red Chamber" made him unable to sleep well.
The Lingbo Sect, whether it's the left and right protectors, the Holy Maiden, or even the potential leader Zhu Chongba, all possess exceptional abilities. This exceptionality is both a source of worry for him and something he desires to bring under his control.
Emperor Kangxi was not a magnanimous emperor, but he was very clear-headed. The situation is different now. What can shake his rule is not some slogan of "overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming," but players—players who can constantly acquire magical abilities in the game.
Therefore, he could be more tolerant for the sake of the Qing Dynasty's development and his own ambitions.
"The Lingbo followers are also subjects of my Great Qing. I do not wish to cause more conflict and make innocent people suffer. Therefore, I am willing to give them a chance. As long as they are willing to submit to the Great Qing, I will not hold them accountable for their past actions. For those who are capable, high-ranking positions and generous salaries are not a problem."
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