Led by the Dragon Cavalry Guards, the convoy headed towards Xiangguo Temple outside the city.
Pedestrians and vehicles on the road all avoided it.
The Queen Mother Pei sat in the largest and most luxurious custom-made four-wheeled carriage, her eyes half closed.
She did not hide her whereabouts and traveled in a low-key manner.
But there was no ceremonial ceremony.
Not particularly high-profile.
Prince Duan Liu Yi accompanied Empress Dowager Pei.
"If the Queen Mother wants to see Master Wuwang, why does she have to go to Xiangguo Temple in person? Wouldn't it be more convenient to ask that bald donkey to come to the palace to preach?"
Liu Yi knew everything about what happened between Wuwang and Huyang.
So, no matter how people outside brag about Wuwang, in Liu Yi's mind, Wuwang is just a monk who only cares about food and wine.
Calling him a bald donkey is already extremely polite.
Queen Mother Pei opened her eyes slightly and glanced at Liu Yi, "You don't understand."
"It is precisely because my son does not understand that I need to ask the Queen Mother for advice."
Since Liu Yi left the palace and began to hold an official position in the court, his spirit and energy have improved. He looks two or three years younger.
Xiao Qin'er no longer quarreled with him about money.
After all, he is the emperor's younger brother.
Even though he had been idle for many years, once he returned to the court, it would send a signal to everyone: Prince Duan and His Majesty had reconciled as before.
Once the signal is released, there will be plenty of opportunities and a lot of money to be made.
A man's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
Before, Liu Yi lived an idle life and was a otaku for several years. Everyone was afraid of him!
They were afraid that if they associated with him, they would offend the emperor and anger him.
At that time, no one wanted to have too much contact with the Prince Duan's Mansion, so Xiao Qin'er's ways of making money were naturally much less.
Now, the rain has stopped and the sky is clear, all the haze and suffering have dissipated.
Liu Yi also had some free time and was willing to show his filial piety to Empress Dowager Pei.
Empress Dowager Pei said softly, "I will go to Xiangguo Temple in person to pay my respects to the Buddha, which will show my piety. If I ask Master Wuwang to come to the palace to pay his respects to the Buddha, the Buddha will be displeased."
"Does the Queen Mother really believe in Buddhism?" Liu Yi was his biological son, so naturally he dared to ask boldly.
Queen Mother Pei laughed, "Does it matter whether you really believe in Buddhism or not?"
Liu Yi thought about it carefully and realized that yes, it really didn’t matter at all.
What matters is what is done and how it is done.
After leaving the city gate, the carriage sped up.
When we arrived at the mountain gate, we got off the carriage and took a sedan chair up the mountain.
In order to welcome the arrival of the Queen Mother, Xiangguo Temple specially closed the mountain gate to ensure safety.
The abbot of Xiangguo Temple personally met Empress Dowager Pei at the entrance of the main hall and invited her to the quiet room in the back mountain, where Master Wuwang practiced seclusion, and then led the monks away.
In the quiet room, Empress Dowager Pei dismissed all the palace maids and ordered Liu Yi to wait outside.
Liu Yi hesitated for a moment and said, "If you need anything, just tell me. I'm just outside."
"I just want to have a few words alone with Wuwang."
Liu Yi finally left the quiet room and closed the door.
The room was dimly lit.
Wuwang held the Buddhist beads and recited scriptures silently.
Queen Mother Pei coughed lightly to remind the other party.
Master Wuwang raised his head slightly and looked towards Empress Dowager Pei, "Amitabha! I hope you are well!"
"It's rare that you still remember me." Empress Dowager Pei said in a bad tone.
Wuwang's face was calm, like a great monk, "Donor, you don't need me to chant sutras and pray for you."
This is a declarative sentence.
If the other party needs to chant sutras and pray for blessings, this attitude should not be adopted.
Queen Mother Pei sat on the ground.
She was used to the soft floor, and sitting on it made her knees, thighs, calves, and whole body feel uncomfortable.
But she could bear it.
She said bluntly, "You've been back for a few days, have you visited Huyang?"
Hopelessly unmoved, he silently recited scriptures.
Empress Dowager Pei sneered and scolded, "Huyang died because of you, and you don't feel the slightest bit of guilt? Buddhism advocates saving all living beings and being compassionate. Where is your compassion? Someone died for you, how dare you sit here and pretend to be a high monk?"
Wuwang raised his head slightly, his skinny face showing a hint of sadness. "Is the Queen Mother seeking justice for Princess Huyang?"
"I just want to know, Huyang died because of you, what do you have to say? Although the relationship between you two is not tolerated by the world, Huyang is sincere to you and it has not changed for decades. Do you know how precious the sincerity of someone like Huyang is?" Empress Dowager Pei accused harshly.
"I know."
"Then do you know that Hu Yang chose such an extreme measure as a hunger strike just to see you? She was originally in good health, but because of the hunger strike, she damaged her body and passed away early. I am right to say that you killed Hu Yang!"
Empress Dowager Pei was aggressive and tough.
Wuwang remained calm the entire time, except for a few twitches of his eyebrows.
He said softly, "Huyang is an extreme person. Going on a hunger strike is not advisable."
Empress Dowager Pei was furious. "The person is dead, what's the point of saying it's unacceptable? You bald donkey, you are really heartless. Based on what you have done, how can you be qualified to be a high monk? In my opinion, you are nothing more than a fraudulent and lewd monk."
Faced with such humiliation, Hopeless did not get angry.
"Whether you're a high monk or not, it's all just an empty title. I'm really surprised that the Queen Mother is standing up for Hu Yang. But at the same time, I'm happy for Hu Yang. After all, there are still people who care about her."
Empress Dowager Pei chuckled coldly, "Are you thinking that since Hu Yang and I have always been at odds and often argued, and she died, and ended her life in such an extreme way, I will only gloat over her misfortune?"
Wuwang shook his head slightly, "I didn't think of anything."
Empress Dowager Pei sneered, "Put away your hypocrisy! Others treat you as a great monk, but I treat you as a beast, a murderer. I am a human being, with my own emotions. I am not as heartless as you. Why did Huyang go on a hunger strike? It was just to see you. And you, knowing that Huyang's life was in danger, refused to return to the capital to see her one last time, leaving her to die with regrets. You are truly cruel!"
"I'm afraid you've been hoping for Hu Yang's death for a long time. After all, as long as she lives, she poses a fatal threat to your reputation as a great monk. You men are all the same, selfish and willing to sacrifice everything for fame and power."
Hopeless silence is like a tacit agreement, more like a demonstration.
Empress Dowager Pei was furious. "No hope, don't you have anything to say to me?"
Wuwang looked at Queen Mother Pei, "Does it make any difference to the Queen Mother whether I say it or not? The Queen Mother has already condemned me. No matter what I say, it will seem like a sophistry."
Empress Dowager Pei sneered, "I'm asking you, are you happy that Hu Yang has passed away?"
Wuwang frowned slightly. The two had been talking for a long time, and this was the first time Wuwang made such an obvious expression.
He was obviously unhappy, yet he maintained a calm tone and said, "Birth, old age, sickness and death are all suffering, so how can there be joy?"
Empress Dowager Pei then asked, "Huyang is so affectionate to you that he even went on a hunger strike just to see you. Don't you have any thoughts on this?"
Wuwang lowered his head slightly and said, "Everything between me and Princess Huyang is a thing of the past. Many years ago, I explained everything to Princess Huyang, and she agreed. I just didn't expect that she would have such an obsession in her heart."
"She was a human being, so of course she had obsessions. Before she died, the only person she cared about was you. And you, the so-called enlightened monk, it was you who killed her. The last person I could talk to in this world was killed by you."
Empress Dowager Pei was furious. If her status had not restricted her, she would have really wanted to smash the other person to death with a stick.
Wuwang seemed to not quite understand Empress Dowager Pei's excitement.
Empress Dowager Pei became increasingly angry.
"I used to be very content. My husband was the emperor, my son was also the emperor, and I was the most noble woman in the world. Although Hu Yang's words were unpleasant to the ear, she was the only one who dared to speak the truth to me and was willing to tell me the truth. I said I hated her, but in fact I really liked her coming to the palace to talk with me."
"Even if she refuses to enter the palace, as long as I know she's living a carefree life in the Princess's Mansion, I'll find her life interesting. Especially when she comes up with something new or keeps a few new lovers, I can have an extra meal."
"Life like this could have lasted forever, until the day I died. It was because of you, this bald donkey, that Huyang foolishly went on a hunger strike, just so you could return to the capital to see her. At her age, she couldn't withstand the torture of a hunger strike, and her body quickly collapsed. But even in death, she didn't get to fulfill her wish."
"Wu Wang, you are my enemy and the culprit who killed Hu Yang. I asked His Majesty to summon you back. You have obviously guessed that it is not to chant sutras and pray for blessings. It is to let you be buried with Hu Yang."
"You must be buried with Hu Yang! As long as you are alive, I will not be at peace. As long as you are alive, Hu Yang will not be free."
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