Chapter 497 The Purple Star Emperor
When Xie Shang and Lin Feng arrived at Huguo Temple, they were told that they could not enter. After inquiring, they learned that the Empress Dowager had also come to Huguo Temple to pray for blessings. Only after the Empress Dowager finished praying could the people enter the main hall to burn incense and worship Buddha.
Huguo Temple has a history of several hundred years. Although the imperial families of each dynasty could change at any time, Huguo Temple has always stood firm and unshakable. The imperial family would spend a lot of money to repair it every year, so Huguo Temple has always been bustling and prosperous. The main hall is extremely luxurious and magnificent, which attracts pilgrims from all directions.
Pilgrims travel from afar to donate incense money, and the flow is endless, all in the hope of Buddha's blessing.
Xie Shang was surprised that the Empress Dowager would choose to come to Huguo Temple today, guessing that it must be about the Third Prince.
Among the crowd, some people were discussing, "I heard that Abbot Wu Zi of Huguo Temple has returned to the capital. He has been traveling around, saving all sentient beings on behalf of Buddha. If we can receive guidance from Abbot Wu Zi today, we will surely live a peaceful and healthy life."
"Everyone has come here because of his reputation, hoping to meet Master Wu."
Standing in the crowd, Xie Shang overheard the people's discussions and thought to himself, "Has Master Wu returned to the capital?"
He patted Lin Feng on the shoulder, "Let's go."
"Going back to the capital? Aren't you going in to pray? I want to go in and ask for blessings and to inquire when my marriage with Lianye will come."
Xie Shang was speechless. "Master Wu is a highly accomplished monk, not the matchmaker."
Xie Shang also wanted to see Master Wu Zi. He had met him once thirteen years ago. In fact, it was because Master Wu Zi’s name was so famous that the royal family appointed him as the abbot of Huguo Temple.
They quickly and easily entered the meditation room in the backyard. Master Wu, having been informed, hurriedly came to greet them, saying, "This old monk pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Xie Shang clasped his hands together and said to Master Wu, "It has been thirteen years since I last saw you. I hope you have been well. Why have you suddenly returned to the capital?"
Wu Zi was already a monk over a hundred years old, but he was still in good health. Wu Zi said, "Amitabha, even if His Majesty doesn't come to see me, I will still go to see His Majesty. I have observed the stars and there is an unusual movement in the Great Zhou Kingdom. Four stars are circling around the fifth star as it rises. The Ziwei star is moving, and the Emperor Star is descending."
Xie Shang frowned deeply. "Emperor Star? What does Master mean?"
Wu Zi said, “Your Majesty need not worry. This rising star is a treasure and will benefit the fortune of the Great Zhou. However, I also made a calculation thirty years ago. Back then, I did not foresee that the Ziwei star would shine again thirty years later, and that the fortune of the Great Zhou would be much worse a hundred years later. Now, the Ziwei star has risen out of nowhere and changed the fortune of the Great Zhou once again. I find it hard to believe.”
Xie Shang said in a deep voice, "What you mean is that the Great Zhou will perish in a few decades, but now the Ziwei star is shining brightly in the Great Zhou's horoscope. Who will this person be, a member of the royal family or someone else?"
Wu Zidao said, "The late emperor once consulted me to predict his fortune. Back then, it was an ominous sign. Now, the Ziwei star is becoming clearer and clearer, and the fortune of the Great Zhou is becoming more and more uncertain. There is no sign of decline. In any case, now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne, I believe that Your Majesty's imperial glory will continue and your blessings will be profound. You will surely protect the prosperity of the Great Zhou."
"When I first met Your Majesty thirteen years ago, I predicted that Your Majesty had the countenance of an emperor. Now it has been verified that the matter of the Ziwei star that I predicted thirty years ago was not a coincidence. This time, I have observed that a new imperial star is rising, but it is still blurry and I am not sure where it is."
Xie Shang said, "I still have two princes. Master, please come back to the palace with me and examine their faces to see if they have the countenance of an emperor." He absolutely would not allow the Great Zhou Dynasty to perish after a hundred years. He believed that after him, there would be an even more outstanding emperor to lead the Great Zhou Dynasty onward. This was the unanimous wish of Xie's ancestors.
"I will not leave Huguo Temple for the next five years. I will definitely find out the reason why the fortune of the Great Zhou has been changed. Although the Ziwei star has risen, it is still unclear. I am also afraid that my calculations will be wrong and affect Your Majesty's decision. Your Majesty, please pretend that you did not hear about today's events and let nature take its course!"
Xie Shang left Huguo Temple with doubts in his heart. He must have been thinking about what Master Wu had said. Could it be that his father had also consulted Master Wu to predict the fate of the Great Zhou Dynasty thirty years ago, and for the next few decades, would the Great Zhou Dynasty perish in his hands?
Even after him, the Great Zhou Dynasty will fall into ruin under the hands of the next successor.
He clenched his fist, believing that man could overcome fate, and that he would build the Great Zhou into an indestructible land.
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Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager prayed to the Bodhisattva and burned incense in the main hall before quietly leaving. Granny Wang stayed in the main hall, waiting for the high monk to finish the ritual.
Lin Yu hid in the shadows. Seeing the Empress Dowager leave quietly, she chose to follow her, wondering what that damned woman was up to.
To be honest, the Empress Dowager was indeed very well-preserved. She lived a life of elegance and luxury her whole life. Even though she was over forty, she still looked beautiful. However, the Empress Dowager was protected by guards, so it was not easy for others to get close to her! Fortunately, there was Granny Xi to help.
Granny Xi, who was standing beside the Empress Dowager, suggested, "The scenery here is beautiful and lively. Since Your Majesty has left the palace, you should relax and enjoy yourself. Why don't you stay here tonight? After Your Majesty returns to the palace, we don't know when you will be able to leave again." Huguo Temple has guest rooms, so members of the royal family can stay here without any problems.
Huguo Temple is very large, and its magnificence is comparable to that of an imperial palace. The donations from worshippers make the already famous temple even richer.
The Empress Dowager was somewhat tempted. She had hardly left the palace in the past thirty years. She had visited Huguo Temple a few times before, but only as the Empress when the royal family needed to hold some kind of ceremony there. However, she was not as free as she was now as the Empress Dowager.
Just then, the Empress Dowager suddenly saw a woman of high appearance standing not far away. The woman was waiting for someone, and she was accompanied by servants and maids. She was dressed in a very rich manner.
Just as Granny Xi was about to persuade the Empress Dowager to rest in the backyard for the night, she suddenly said, "Have someone bring that woman over there to me."
Granny Xi was stunned. "Ah!"
"I'm waiting for her in the pavilion in the backyard. Go and bring her here quickly." The Empress Dowager finished speaking and turned to leave.
Granny Xi glanced at Lin Yu in the shadows, then steeled herself and walked up to the woman in white. Granny Xi explained her purpose and revealed her identity, "The Empress Dowager requests your presence."
Bai Yuhan was taken aback at first, then asked, "May I ask why Her Majesty the Empress Dowager wants to see me?"
Granny Xi said, "The Empress Dowager invites you over, so please come with us! It is your good fortune to see the Empress Dowager."
Another middle-aged man stepped forward and shielded Bai Yuhan behind him, "You said the Empress Dowager wants to see us, is that the Empress Dowager?"
The man added, "Han'er, be careful, he might be a liar. Let's hurry, we need to get to Shengjing City before dark."
“Third Uncle, I don’t think she’s a fraud. She’s accompanied by guards, and her clothes are not ordinary. If it really is the Empress Dowager who wants to see her, we can’t afford to offend her,” Bai Yuhan said.
The man was puzzled and a sense of vigilance arose in his heart. "Third Uncle will go with you."
"Okay." Bai Yuhan was also afraid of being tricked.
Only after the group left did Lin Yu emerge from the shadows, muttering, "Why are the people from the Bai family's shop in Shengjing? Why does the Empress Dowager want to see the Bai family?"
She had originally prepared several strong men for the Empress Dowager to seduce her.
Lin Yu also quietly followed them into the backyard.
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