"Nonsense! My mother gave me life, and my father raised me; how could there be any talk of reincarnation? Stop spouting nonsense here, or don't blame me for being impolite!!"
Seeing Zhang Jiao spouting nonsense with a straight face, Zhang Xiu's eyes widened, and as he spoke, he reached out his right hand and grasped the hilt of the long sword at his waist.
"Big brother...we!"
Seeing the enraged Zhang Xiu, Zhang Liang looked at his elder brother Zhang Jiao, his expression revealing tension and fear.
"It's alright...!"
Zhang Jiao simply smiled at Zhang Liang, then gave him a reassuring look.
Zhang Jiao then lowered his eyes and bowed to Zhang Xiu, saying, "What I said is true. Your Excellency is dressed in a red shirt, with a red pheasant on your head and a purple sash around your waist. Isn't that exactly what I just said: radiating red light and surrounded by purple aura?"
"Um?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiu couldn't help but look down at his own clothes.
"You wicked Taoist priest, how dare you desecrate my clothes! Do you know that this was bestowed upon me by His Majesty? You are not allowed to spout such nonsense here!!"
Zhang Jiao's sophistry thoroughly enraged Zhang Xiu, who immediately flew into a rage. With a clang, Zhang Xiu drew his long sword and pointed it directly at Zhang Jiao.
"This gentleman has misunderstood... My elder brother is simply seeing things. Please forgive him!"
Zhang Xiu's sudden attack startled the two brothers, Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao, who were standing nearby. They quickly begged for forgiveness, while secretly lamenting their predicament. They couldn't understand what Zhang Jiao was thinking and why he had to provoke this young Imperial Guard.
"What happened?"
Many people nearby noticed the commotion and gathered around, asking questions, including some who were followers of Zhang Jiao's doctrines.
"Sir, please don't be angry. Why don't you let the people around here take a closer look and see if what I just said is true?"
Despite the blade tip being only three inches from his cheek, Zhang Jiao showed no fear, only a calm smile.
"Hmph, I'd like to see what tricks you're up to!"
Zhang Xiu snorted coldly and then sheathed his long sword. He had only wanted to scare Zhang Jiao. After all, this was Luoyang, under the emperor's nose. Even as a member of the emperor's personal guard, he dared not hurt people at will, much less bully others by taking advantage of his status as a member of the Imperial Guard.
Seeing this, the surrounding onlookers all turned their attention to Zhang Xiu on horseback.
"Huh? I think I really see a red glow emanating from this official!"
"Yes, it seems so! I saw it too!"
"Could this young official truly be a reincarnation of a star deity?"
Before long, gasps of surprise rang out from the crowd, for in their eyes, Zhang Xiu, dressed in the imperial guard uniform, did indeed radiate a warm, red glow under the sunlight.
"Huh? I also feel a faint red glow emanating from you. Could you really be a protector of the God Taiyi?"
Lanzhi, who was standing to the side, also exclaimed in surprise, her eyes shining as she looked at Zhang Xiu.
In their Western Regions, although they did not worship the Taiyi God, they highly revered mythological stories. For example, she herself was called the incarnation of the Moon Goddess by the people of the country. Therefore, in her mind, those who could be associated with gods were all heroic figures who saved people from suffering.
"Huh?? What's going on?"
Looking at the people around him, Zhang Xiu looked down at himself again, but he did not see the red light that the people and Lan Zhi had mentioned. This situation made Zhang Xiu freeze on the spot.
"Make way, make way... What are you all doing gathered here??"
Just then, several eunuchs from the Sili government office walked over from not far away.
Originally, such matters were not under the jurisdiction of their Sili Yamen, but recently the yamen had been very quiet, so Yang Qiu instructed his men to go and inquire about whatever happened on the street. If they could follow the clues and catch a few big fish, wouldn't he have more work to do?
Upon approaching and seeing Zhang Xiu on horseback, a court attendant hurriedly came to Zhang Xiu's side and bowed respectfully.
"This humble servant greets this official. May I ask what has happened here?"
"Hmm~ This Taoist priest said that I have a red light emanating from my body, and that I should become the protector of his so-and-so master!!"
Zhang Xiu pointed to Zhang Jiao standing to the side and then explained the whole story to the eunuch.
"What??"
The eunuch was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed, and he glared angrily at Zhang Jiao and the other two.
"How dare you! This official is a member of the Emperor's personal guard, His Majesty's protector. What kind of so-called master do you think you are, to be worthy of having His Majesty's personal guard as his protector?!"
As they spoke, the other court officials stepped forward and surrounded the three Zhang brothers, glaring at them fiercely.
These court officials were recruited from wandering knights after Yang Qiu took office. They had always been dismissive of talk of ghosts and gods, and naturally couldn't be bothered to investigate what the three Zhang brothers believed in.
Because the emperor gave them a legitimate status, in their hearts, the emperor was the greatest being above all else.
Zhang Jiao dared to send Zhang Xiu, a mere Imperial Guard, to be the protector of their so-called master, openly poaching the emperor's people. This was clearly disrespectful to the emperor, and how could they tolerate it?
"Misunderstanding... Misunderstanding... My lord is none other than the current emperor..."
Upon seeing the several fierce-looking eunuchs surrounding him, Zhang Bao, for some reason, blurted out the emperor's name.
"How dare you...! You actually dare to openly desecrate His Majesty!! Using His Majesty's name to swindle and deceive!!"
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