Baiyun Temple, hidden in the mountains and forests outside the city, is a seldom visited temple.
The surrounding environment is quiet and it is rare to see outsiders.
One day, the sound of horse hooves was heard in the forest, startling all the birds in the forest and making them fly into the sky.
Halfway up the mountain is Baiyun Temple.
There was a monk guarding the door and dozing off.
Hearing the noise, he woke up, rubbing his eyes, and lazily greeted, "Please come in, donor. Burn incense, make a wish, or ask for a fortune. We are very effective here."
Liu Zhao stood at the gate, saying nothing.
Lin Shuping threw a purse to the monk in charge of reception, "We needn't tell you the way. We know the way well."
The monk in charge of reception took the purse, smiled happily, and sat back in his seat tactfully. "Dear donors, please make yourselves at ease. If you need anything, just let me know."
"Sir, do you want to go in now?"
Liu Zhao nodded and stepped into the gate of Baiyun Temple.
The courtyard is deep, and after passing through many corridors, we finally arrived at the small courtyard in the back mountain.
The Baiyun Temple looked unremarkable from the outside, even a bit run-down. But inside, it was a different world, extremely neat and tidy, and surprisingly spacious.
The door was open and the sound of a wooden fish could be heard from inside the room.
Lin Shuping and his guards were on guard in the courtyard.
Liu Zhao walked alone into the room where the sound of wooden fish came from.
A low table, a cup of tea, and a mat.
Liu Zhao smiled knowingly and sat down on the ground.
"Master Wuwang is so foresighted that he knew I would come at this time and even prepared tea."
The sound of the wooden fish suddenly stopped.
The monk turned around hopelessly, with a handsome appearance and a faint smile on his lips.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"Master, no need to bow."
Liu Zhao picked up the teacup and took a sip. "Master's tea is as refreshing as ever, and my mood becomes peaceful as well."
"Your Highness, what's bothering you?" Master Wuwang picked up the small red clay stove and poured hot water into the teacup.
Liu Zhao's eyes focused, like a sharp sword stabbing at Master Wuwang.
Master Wuwang looked calm, waiting for Liu Zhao to make his move.
Liu Zhao suddenly started laughing, and it was not the gentle and harmless smile he showed in front of Gu Jiu, but a smile full of ambition and countless murderous desires.
"Master, you have foreseen everything. How could you not know what is troubling me?"
Master Wuwang looked calm. He dipped his finger in the tea and wrote the word "fire" directly on the table.
Liu Zhao's eyes grew increasingly dangerous. "Master, you still remember. When you met my wife back then, you warned her to be careful of fire. In recent years, I have been on guard against candlelight. But when did the danger you spoke of appear?"
Master Wuwang smiled calmly, "Flowers are blooming, fires are scorching. Isn't the danger already showing its signs? Why can't Your Highness see through it?"
Liu Zhao frowned and tapped the table lightly with his fingers.
"Will my wife be implicated?"
Master Wuwang lowered his head slightly, "A tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind."
"She is not an ordinary woman. It is impossible for her to hide in the inner house."
"Then Your Highness must take extra care not to let this fire burn her."
"So what if it burns her?" Liu Zhao's voice was like ice chips in the cold winter, which was painful and biting.
Master Wuwang smiled faintly, "It's nothing, it's nothing more than death."
"Are you tired of living?" Liu Zhao threatened directly.
"Amitabha!" Master Wuwang chanted the Buddha's name and clasped his hands together. "Your Highness, if you want my life, I will not hesitate."
silence!
The atmosphere is suffocating.
Gulp, gulp, the water in the small red clay stove boiled.
"Hahaha……"
Liu Zhao suddenly burst into laughter.
Master Wuwang also smiled slightly and turned off the fire.
"Master, you have worked hard over the past few years." Liu Zhao had a smile in his eyes and seemed approachable.
"I am happy to run around for Your Highness."
As he spoke, Wuwang took out a Buddhist scripture and said, "It's all in there. Please take a look, Your Highness."
Liu Zhao looked through the Buddhist scriptures and found what he wanted hidden in them.
As he flipped through the pages, Liu Zhao's face showed surprise.
Master Wuwang is a monk. He is outside gathering information and finding out secrets. His identity is more suitable than that of an ordinary person.
Given his reputation, many places are completely defenseless to him.
Liu Zhao closed the Buddhist scriptures and chanted, "Master, thank you for your hard work."
Master Wuwang closed his eyes and silently recited Buddhist scriptures, with a faint smile on his lips.
His mission has been accomplished.
Liu Zhao knew what was going on. "Thank you, Master. I'll come and bother you again another day."
He stood up, walked to the door, and turned back to say, "Your Highness has ordered someone to add 10,000 taels of incense money."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Liu Zhao raised his eyebrows and smiled meaningfully, "Take care, Master. Goodbye!"
"Your Highness, take care."
Liu Zhao took the Buddhist scriptures and left Baiyun Temple with his men.
After mounting his horse, Liu Zhao, with a gloomy face, ordered Qian Fu, "Tell Wuwang to leave the capital in two weeks and head to the northwest. My uncle has been very restless lately."
Qian Fu took the order and returned to Baiyun Temple.
Liu Zhao rode away.
Qian Fu came to the small courtyard in the back mountain.
Master Wuwang suddenly opened his eyes, evidently having been waiting for quite some time, for a cup of fresh tea was already placed on the table.
Qian Fu sat on the ground, in the seat where Liu Zhao had sat.
He got straight to the point, "His Highness has ordered that Master travel to the northwest in half a month. Marquis Lu is crucial."
Master Wuwang laughed. "Your Highness is clearly ambitious, bold yet cautious, yet he chooses to act like a reckless man, and he doesn't even look like one."
Qian Fu laughed when he heard this. "It's better not to pretend to be like him. It's like the saying goes, 'True nature'. Many people in the court fall for this. There are many ambitious and cautious princes. My prince said that he doesn't need to be like others."
Master Wuwang laughed heartily. "How amusing! Was he also pretending in front of Madam Zhao?"
"Your Highness's private affairs, I have nothing to say."
Master Wuwang's eyes sparkled, "What would happen if Madam Zhao knew about His Highness's other side?"
Qian Fu said threateningly, "You won't stand a chance. And please don't underestimate my wife."
Master Wuwang was silent for a moment, then laughed. "They are both ambitious people, so they are a good match. With Madam Zhao's intelligence, even if she sees through it, she won't say it. This saves me from being the bad guy."
"A great master knows the current affairs and is a hero; this is the way to longevity."
Master Wuwang laughed and said, "I will be heading to the northwest in half a month. Please tell your Highness that the Duke of Lu is a cruel and merciless man who has killed countless people. I only have one life left, so please take care of it."
"My Highness is in no hurry. His Majesty has only been on the throne for two years. There is plenty of time."
Master Wuwang smiled knowingly, "I understand. Please come in."
Qian Fu didn't stay any longer, didn't even drink a sip of tea, and got up and left.
The quiet room finally became quiet.
Until a little monk walked in and called softly, "Master?"
Master Wuwang suddenly opened his eyes, a cold light flashed in his eyes, "Let's clean it up."
"Yes, sir."
The little monk cleaned up the remaining tea.
Master Hopeless breathed a sigh of relief.
He looked at the Buddha, his heart calm.
If clay Buddha statues could really benefit all living beings, there wouldn't be so much suffering in this world, and so many broken families wouldn't be killed.
He smiled, his eyes scornful, then turned solemn, with the bearing of a great monk.
…
Liu Zhao went down the mountain and did not return to the capital directly.
Instead, he disguised himself and took a carriage to Xinmin County, where he met the Xinmin County Magistrate Gu Yu.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"No need to be polite, County Magistrate Gu."
The two met in the backyard of the county government office, avoiding other people.
Gu Yu was supposed to be on holiday during the Lunar New Year, but he was worried about Xinmin County. After the first day of the Lunar New Year, he returned and settled in the backyard of the county government office for convenience.
"I wonder why Your Highness has come today?"
Liu Zhao looked Gu Yu up and down, assessing him mentally, "As far as I know, County Magistrate Gu isn't married yet."
Gu Yu nodded, "Exactly."
"Given County Magistrate Gu's qualifications, there's no reason he can't marry a virtuous wife. Could it be that County Magistrate Gu's standards are too high?"
Gu Yu waved his hands repeatedly, "Your Highness, you have misunderstood. It's not that I have high standards, but that women nowadays have too many demands. My family is poor and I cannot meet the women's requirements. I can only postpone the marriage again and again. I hope that one day, when my family is rich, I can marry a beautiful woman."
Liu Zhao laughed heartily. "It's understandable that County Magistrate Gu has lofty ambitions and looks down on girls from humble backgrounds."
Gu Yu said it casually, thinking that Liu Zhao would laugh at him for being unrealistic, but he didn't expect the other party to sincerely say that he could understand.
This time, Gu Yu felt a little embarrassed and it was difficult to explain.
If he explains it, wouldn't it prove that he had deceived others before and was disrespectful?
Helplessly, he could only smile awkwardly.
Liu Zhao naturally knew the reason why Gu Yu had not married for so many years, because he had an excellent mother.
In short, every family has its own problems.
"I came here today to introduce a marriage for County Magistrate Gu to relieve your worries."
Gu Yu was shocked and surprised, "Your Highness wants to arrange a marriage for me?"
"Exactly! Do you want to hear the woman's conditions first?"
Gu Yu had a dry mouth and was too nervous.
He took a deep breath and calmed himself down, "Your Highness, please speak."
"Princess Huyang's daughter, my cousin, and your Majesty's niece, Chen Min. What do you think?"
Gu Yu was speechless and couldn't believe it.
Liu Zhao did not wait for his answer and continued, "Although Chen Min does not have a title, she is your majesty's niece. I think your mother would not dare to bully her, but would respect her instead.
Secondly, Chen Min has a gentle and generous personality, making her a good match. As for Princess Huyang, she may be a burden to others, but to County Magistrate Gu, she is his greatest help.
"What do you mean?" Gu Yu was being led by Liu Zhao, and was very curious about how Princess Huyang, with such a reputation, could become his helper.
Liu Zhao said solemnly: "Your Highness and Xiao Jiu both need County Magistrate Gu to sit on the position of Xinmin County Magistrate for a long time, without being interfered with by others.
However, Xinmin County was a goose that laid golden eggs, attracting countless envy. When County Magistrate Gu's term expired, countless people would undoubtedly step forward to seize the position of Xinmin County Magistrate.
It will be extremely difficult for County Magistrate Gu to be re-elected as Xinmin County Magistrate. This is not what His Highness and Xiaojiu would like to see.
My husband and I have sensitive identities, and since it involves the appointment of court officials, it is not convenient for us to come forward.
However, if you marry Chen Min, the situation will be very different. Do you know that Princess Huyang is a special person in the royal family?
What we couldn't do, she could do. We couldn't go to the government office and smash things up, but she could. Not only could she do things others wouldn't dare do, but she could also get away with it.
If you marry Chen Min, she will be able to guarantee your position as county magistrate, allowing you to sit in this position for a long time, and no one can take it away from you."
Silence, silence for a long time.
Gu Yu's expression kept changing, and he looked very conflicted.
Seeing him like this, Liu Zhao smiled knowingly, "My cousin is outstandingly beautiful, gentle and virtuous, and has a generous dowry. She is a perfect match. Her brother is currently serving in the Beijing Army and is very ambitious. He will definitely achieve great things in the future. As for Princess Huyang, County Magistrate Gu probably doesn't care."
Gu Yu looked at Liu Zhao, "Why me? I heard that Princess Huyang clearly has a crush on Su Zheng."
"The Su family has officially rejected Princess Huyang's marriage proposal."
Gu Yu frowned, "Then it's my turn?"
Liu Zhao sneered, "Do you think you are picking up what Su Zheng doesn't want?"
Gu Yu said nothing, but he did have similar thoughts in his mind.
Liu Zhao snorted coldly, "Ridiculous! You and Su Zheng are not on the same page at all. He is a Jinshi, he wants fame, he wants a proper civil service career.
And you, a mere juren, if you want to advance, you can only take an unconventional path, a path others will never take. Only then will you have a chance to stand in the imperial court one day and become a general or a prime minister."
Gu Yu's breathing became heavier.
Liu Zhao's next words hit people's hearts.
He stared into Gu Yu's eyes, "Xiao Jiu is a woman, she underestimated you after all. However, Your Highness, I know what you are thinking, and I also know your ambition and revenge.
You may be a bit behind in your studies, but your talent as a herdsman is no less than anyone else's. Lord Gu, as the governor of Jinzhou, consistently receives excellent marks in his examinations, while you have contributed greatly but have not achieved the corresponding results.
Now, His Highness is willing to lend you a helping hand. Are you willing to follow His Highness's arrangements?"
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