Chapter 35 Three years have passed, I am on my way, and will arrive soon.
"This Tsinghua branch of the cult is closest to Dayuan Prefecture, so let's start from here."
A group of people sat around a table with a map on it. Everyone looked solemn, as if they were generals discussing military strategy in front of a sand table in a military camp.
Bitao is the commander-in-chief of this group of "generals".
She pointed to a cult branch in Yunan City near Dayuan Prefecture, tapping her finger a few times.
"Rescue the poisoned man first and hand him over to Doctor Wu."
"Then... there was a Buddhist temple to the west of Yunan City, which stood in a north-south divide with this heretical cult."
Bitao made the final decision: "Brother Cangling, lead your men to surround this place, and the other brothers, lead your men and bring your knives inside."
He added, "Remember never to kill or harm living beings; our main goal is to persuade people to do good."
“These people should have already preached in Yunan City. Try to obtain evidence of their collusion with local officials and powerful figures.”
"And then what, what about these people?" Taiyin was rather impatient and asked about the next step before Bitao could finish speaking.
He still prefers to kill all these cultists.
Although immortals cannot kill or harm living beings at will after descending to the mortal realm, they can still personally kill wicked and evil people who have committed evil deeds and lost their virtue.
This is not considered killing, but rather the judgment power inherent in the celestial position itself.
Even if these people go to the underworld after death, they will still be judged by judges and their merits will be recorded in the Book of Merits.
At most, because these people were killed in advance, the underworld will have a little more trouble when reviewing their lives for judgment.
Those who were destined to be killed by these cultists did not die, and it would take some effort for the immortals of Sui Sai to process the fates of ordinary people.
However, since this astral plane is used as the arena for the competition, it proves that this plane itself is an anomaly in the natal chart, and the life charts of the common people have been reversed.
Anyway, the immortals who followed the competition were going to put these things back in their proper places, so the chain reaction caused by the deaths of these people wouldn't make a difference.
The most satisfying thing is to receive immediate retribution for evil deeds!
Two of the older brothers chimed in, "Why go through all that trouble and go through all that trouble? Let's just take our men and wipe them out in one fell swoop!"
Bitao showed no displeasure at being interrupted, but simply smiled at her brothers. After they had finished expressing their righteous indignation, she continued, "The cycle of life and death for mortals is also known as cause and effect."
“We are immortals from the Ninth Heaven who have descended to the mortal realm. It is a small matter if we are entangled in karma. My brothers, you naturally have the authority to judge evil villains.”
"But how many lifetimes of good deeds must these wicked people have accumulated to warrant the personal judgment of a celestial being from the Nine Heavens?"
"If we dirty our brothers' hands because of this, and give those who have no next life a chance to be reincarnated because of our intervention, wouldn't that be too easy for them?"
Do they deserve it?
If Bitao tried to persuade her brothers with any other reason, they would probably still do as she said, even if it didn't upset them.
However, she inevitably suffers from Bitao's indecisiveness and lack of decisiveness in her actions.
After all, each of these meritorious immortal positions in the Netherworld has a story that is earth-shattering.
They have already transcended the mundane and ascended to the highest position in the Ninth Heaven. Do they really need to count on their fingers to kill a few mere villains who harm the common people?
Why should we care about the judgments of those cowards on the Silver River Gullion who have never entered the mortal world and don't even have the courage to give up their original immortal status to go down to the mortal world to participate in the competition and take a gamble?
However, Bitao's angle of persuasion was very tricky.
She did not advise these people not to cause trouble for the immortals who followed the sage, or to avoid giving those watching behind Yin Hangu any ammunition to criticize them.
She was saying that those wicked people were not worthy of being judged by the immortals of the Nine Heavens.
They were even more afraid that those people would gain some benefit from being tainted by their karma by attaining immortality.
This subtle flattery made the several meritorious immortals, who were originally clamoring for battle, feel completely at ease.
The youngest brother, Qiu Bai, even exclaimed in realization, "Little sister is right! Why should we get involved in their karma? What if we just let those people benefit and get a chance to be reincarnated? Wouldn't that be disgusting!"
Everyone nodded in agreement, and Cang Ling then asked Bi Tao, "So what were your original plans for dealing with these people?"
"Should we report them to the authorities and have them arrested?" Taiyin scratched his head, thinking that sending these people to the government was a good idea.
Bitao shook her head: "Sending it to the government this time will probably be useless. Yunan City is very close to the Crown Prince's fiefdom, Changshan Prefecture."
"On the day Prince Danxi returned to the capital, the First Prince promised Prince Rong'an that if he participated in the ambush and successfully killed Prince Danxi, he would request permission to grant him three cities surrounding Dayuan Prefecture, including Yunan."
"In other words, even if these three cities are still outwardly obeying the imperial court, they have probably already submitted to the Crown Prince in private."
“Sending the Tsinghua Cult followers he protects to the government in the Crown Prince’s territory is no different from transferring money from one’s own pocket to the other.”
All the brothers looked at Bitao, who didn't mince words and continued, "But although Yunancheng has secretly submitted to the First Prince, it doesn't mean that no one wants to interfere and stop him from expanding his power."
"I heard that the Second Prince and the First Prince are irreconcilable enemies and have been fighting to the death for many years."
"Moreover, because the Second Prince's maternal clan has deep ties with Buddhism, and he is backed by the abbot of Ci'en Temple, which is located at the Buddhist Observatory, he controls the people's voice, manipulates public opinion, and wins over the hearts of the people. Even the current emperor has been smeared by this group of people."
"He once personally led an expedition, and the heroes who had built the country and established it were now in their twilight years, and he was forced to issue several edicts of self-reproach."
"Buddhism has become the state religion of Qingliao Kingdom, with temples scattered throughout the capital and even the entire kingdom. Its influence and popularity are unmatched by any wealthy and powerful clan."
"The reason why the eldest prince supports a religion like Tsinghua Divine Sect is because he has long been dissatisfied with Buddhism, and even more dissatisfied with the second prince who flaunts his power by relying on Buddhism."
“I was once a celestial maiden of the Tsinghua Divine Cult. I know that the most common thing the followers of the Tsinghua Divine Cult do is not even preaching, but trying every means to find dirt on those Buddhists and smear their reputation.”
"Whenever Buddhism has a temple in a city or actively makes donations in a disaster-stricken state, the Tsinghua Church will inevitably establish a branch there at all costs. Just like in Yunan City, a tripartite situation has emerged."
"This is not a contest between the righteous and the evil factions; to put it bluntly, it is a contest between the two princes."
"If I'm not mistaken, the eldest prince intends to support the Tsinghua Divine Cult, hoping to seize Buddhism's fatal weakness one day and replace it with the Tsinghua Divine Cult."
“This is a very feasible approach. Buddhism is now extremely powerful and involved in too many worldly affairs. It is no longer the detached people who are “empty of worldly desires”.”
"Even a true immortal, once one foot steps into the mortal world, cannot escape being deeply entangled in the corrosive desires of this mundane world."
"Buddhism cannot be truly pure, and the old emperor was a powerful and ambitious ruler who founded a nation. Due to his advanced age, he was like a tiger fallen into a pit and bullied by dogs. He was forced to bow his head by Buddhism and could not help but harbor resentment in his heart."
"Therefore, whenever the eldest prince attacks Buddhism, the first person to support him will be the emperor."
"No matter what kind of lowlifes founded the Tsinghua Divine Cult, as long as the Tsinghua Divine Cult replaces Buddhism as the state religion of the Qingliao Kingdom, it will be like a fish leaping over the dragon gate and a dragon soaring into the sky."
"At that time, the eldest prince's position will be hard to shake, and the position of crown prince will be his for the taking."
Bitao said, "How can someone who condones evil and wicked people and brings disaster to the world be worthy of being a king who holds the power of life and death, even if he is a prince and should be in line to rule the world?"
"Once he ascends to the throne, the people of the world will truly become straw dogs and ants."
With a compassionate expression, Bitao said, "What a human tragedy that was!"
"As immortals of the Ninth Heaven, now that we have descended to the mortal realm, while the competition is important, it is even more important to seek the well-being of all living beings. Naturally, we cannot allow such a tragedy to come true."
These words were so moving they brought tears to my eyes.
Those close to Bitao on the Milky Way were deeply moved by her boundless love and compassion as a celestial being.
However, the other ancient immortal clans remained silent.
—No one would believe her high-sounding reasons!
However, the faith power on her Silver Han Net began to decline again, and even the previous few hundred people were gone.
Those refugees who were resettled only temporarily believed in her. Once they had enough to eat and wear and some money in their hands, they went on to live their own lives and make their own living. They were grateful to Bitao, but they would not regard her as a faith.
Some people couldn't help but make sarcastic remarks: "What's the point of all this fuss? They're too clever for their own good. Although their merits may have increased a bit, their faith power has actually decreased instead of increased."
"You're just... Our Tao Tao is the true immortal who has the world in her heart and is selfless and devoted."
"Tch... I remember she's a spirit fairy, right? Even if you're exaggerating, you don't have to flatter her like this. Did she give you the Immortal Spirit Flower?"
...
Things have been quite harmonious on Silver River Peak these days. These verbal disputes between low-ranking immortals happen every day, but in the end, it's impossible to tell who is right and who is wrong.
Zhu Ming glanced at it casually, then focused on looking at Bitao.
He resides in the Nine Heavens, holding the rank of Mystic Immortal, and wields the power of oversight—a power far greater than that of an emperor in the mortal realm.
But he listened with great interest to Bitao's analysis of the power struggles and conflicts between the princes.
Zhu Ming was the son of a dancer, and because of his humble origins, he suffered humiliation and oppression from his brothers and sisters.
Even when sleeping in the lower realm, he never forgot to keep some energy in mind and regulate his posture to avoid being ridiculed.
In fact, Zhu Ming grew up with his mother, who was not favored and rarely visited the palaces of other concubines. She spent her days with Zhu Ming and even secretly taught him to dance for several years.
He even danced quite well.
My mother once said that if he were a woman, he could also captivate the emperor with a single dance.
However, Zhu Ming never wanted to win the emperor's favor; all he cared about was the supreme power and inexhaustible wealth under the emperor's backside.
Now that the Eastern Prince, who was constantly watching and monitoring him, was going to Shangqing Realm to attend a banquet, Zhu Ming rarely relaxed and revealed his true nature.
He was swinging his feet on the table, showing no semblance of dignity befitting a celestial overseer.
Lying there, I wished I could bend my back into countless twists and turns, and I even felt a little itchy to dance.
His willingness to learn to dance back then wasn't simply to please his mother.
Meanwhile, on the Silver River Net that he had been keeping open, Bitao finished her analysis and said, "So we don't need to get involved in karma at all. We just need to take down the cult branch in Yunan City, ordain all the cult members, and persuade them to lay down their butcher knives and become Buddhas on the spot."
"Just send them to Buddhism to become monks."
Bitao rested her hands on either side of the table, her beautiful peach blossom eyes smiling as she looked around at her brothers.
Bitao said in a leisurely tone: "As the saying goes, once you enter the Buddhist gate, it's like entering a deep sea..."
From now on, the cause and effect will fall on them.
Its main purpose is to stir up trouble.
There's no need to say anything more; these brothers are completely in awe of her.
Taiyin stretched out her two hands and squeezed her head, distorting her handsome face.
He even questioned himself: "How come I never thought of this trick? How did I ascend to immortality back then...?"
It is not difficult to decipher the opposition between the Qinghua Divine Sect and the Buddhist sect, which is actually the opposition between the two princes.
It's not hard to think of using someone else to do the dirty work.
However, the idea of arresting cult members, shaving their heads, and sending them to Buddhism to become monks is truly appalling.
Zhu Ming, looking at the Silver Gu: "Hahahaha..."
This Bitao is truly cunning, and her moves are mostly two-pronged, never easily giving others any leverage.
Zhu Ming liked people who were clever and adept at using strategies and scheming. Only by fighting and scheming for things could he satisfy his inexplicable desire for control.
That lucky koi is certainly fortunate, but what's the fun in having everything so easily?
Bitao's actions gave Zhu Ming a sense of exhilaration, as if he were competing in the mortal realm.
He had no doubt that if Bitao were to get involved in the power struggles of the imperial city, neither the princes nor Mingguang would be a match for her.
No wonder the two of them were able to collude in the Nine Heavens.
That's what true friendship is.
The brothers were completely convinced by Bitao and naturally followed her instructions without question.
Taking down the Tsinghua Church branch in Yunan was a piece of cake.
In the following days, the brothers followed suit and wiped out seven or eight other branches of the Tsinghua Divine Cult in other towns near Dayuan Prefecture.
They obtained a great deal of evidence of power-for-sex transactions between local officials and gentry and the Tsinghua Church.
Bitao then replied to Mingguang.
"You actually replied to Mingguang? Didn't you already dislike him? Then why bother with him? Without love, you're just rivals!"
"But he is a bit strange. In the heavenly realm, you were like a ghost, wishing you could turn into a spirit and fly away as far away as possible. How come you changed your nature after coming down to the mortal realm and even write to you?"
Zhan Kui lay down next to Bi Tao, watching her pick up her brush and dip it in ink.
Without looking up, Bitao replied, "He asked me for the seal."
“I met him at the cult branch in Chongchuan City. At that time, he was tied to the bed and unconscious. I took his private seal and pawned it to the pawn shop. I got a lot of money, which allowed Cang Ling to disguise himself as a poisoner and enter the cult branch to help me.”
"Without the private seal, it will probably be quite inconvenient to return to the capital."
Bitao wrote: "After a long separation, my longing for you is deep."
Zhan Kui leaned on the arm Bi Tao was using to write, and the pen Bi Tao was holding tilted, rendering the letter unusable.
Zhan Kui said, "That can't be, can it? He's already the Prince of Danxi, how could he only have one seal?"
“My dad has more than a dozen private seals. He gets new ones made every now and then, and they often get lost, but it doesn’t affect anything…”
"The font on private seals is very particular, and it's supposed to be changed every so often. Is he lying to you?"
Bitao, who was unfolding a brand new sheet of paper, paused upon hearing this and looked at Zhan Kui: "Does the writing on the seal need to be changed every now and then?"
"Yes, my dad said that in order to prevent people from copying the private seal to do bad things, the seal used at each stage is different, and only very close people will know about it."
Bitao frowned slightly, held the pen for a long time, and then threw it onto the paper.
Large swaths of ink spread, and her expression gradually frosted over.
Zhan Kui did not notice that Bi Tao's expression had turned sour, and continued, "Moreover, Ming Guang is the Prince of Danxi. I heard from my father that although the Prince of Danxi seems to have little power in the court now, he has 'spies' all over the Qingliao Kingdom, and there are many in Dayuan Prefecture. My father turns a blind eye to them and has not eliminated them."
"When you met him, Mingguang seemed to be trapped in the cult as the Heavenly Lord, but in fact he was hiding from his pursuers. Once you eliminated the cult's branch, wasn't he taken away by his people?"
"Then he might have spies in Chongchuan City, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen a cult branch as his hideout."
"When you pawned your private seal, it was definitely bought by an undercover agent immediately."
If someone else had said these things, Bitao might not have believed them entirely.
But this person is Zhan Kui.
She is a lucky charm who would give you his whole heart and soul, and whose casual guesses are often true.
Bitao thought that Mingguang had already found the seal, but he still wrote a letter to her asking for it. She had even spent two days carving a wooden one for him. The carving knife was sharp, and the surface of the wood was too small, so she poked several holes in the wood with her fingers.
She suddenly smiled.
People sometimes laugh unconsciously when they are speechless or angry.
Bitao then recalled what her brother Muhan had told her a few days ago: a man with elusive movements and remarkable martial arts skills was secretly following her.
They originally planned to capture him and interrogate him properly, but they discovered that the man was in contact with the male concubine kept by Princess Mingzhu in the Rong'an Prince's mansion.
Bitao didn't let her brothers harm the man; she guessed that he was probably sent by Mingguang.
He might not have been watching her; he probably had some task for the Moon Goddess. Now that I think about it, the man who followed her from time to time was probably watching her.
So... what exactly does Mingguang want to do?
They found her private seal and wrote a letter asking for it back, and also sent someone to watch over her.
She's currently just staying at Prince Rong'an's residence; what's there to be interested in about her?
"Hidden agents" spread throughout the Qingliao Kingdom...
Was he monitoring the progress of all the contestants in real time to ensure that he would be the first to die?
Bitao stretched out her ink-stained fingers and touched Zhan Kui's little face.
Two long, dark streaks appeared on her fair skin, but Zhan Kui was completely unaware and chuckled at her, which made Bi Tao happy again.
Yes, judging others by oneself, if Bitao hadn't met Zhankui, and if she had used her special luck as a lucky koi to conclude that no one else could be luckier than her.
After settling down in Dayuan Prefecture and establishing her base, her first task will be to try to control the progress of the other contestants.
Bitao had no idea that Mingguang had any other purpose.
When she arrived in Dayuan Prefecture, Prince Rong'an began to build a shrine for Princess Mingzhu. Although the person in charge of supervising the construction was from the Prince's Mansion, with a large influx of refugees into Dayuan Prefecture, it was impossible for Prince Danxi's moles not to know.
He probably knew it was Bitao's idea, which is why he sent someone to keep an eye on her and report on the progress of the matter.
Bitao never underestimated Mingguang, so she naturally assumed that Mingguang regarded her as an opponent.
So she sorted out her thoughts, laid out a new sheet of paper, and dipped her brush in ink.
—I am overjoyed to receive your letter.
The snow in Dayuan Prefecture has stopped, the weather is gradually getting warmer, and the trees are sprouting new branches and buds.
Recently, I have been busy cracking down on the branches of a cult. They have harmed the people and committed many evils. You and I have also suffered greatly from them in the past. I believe you and I share the same hatred for them.
I have gathered evidence of collusion between court officials and the Tsinghua Cult, and have sent it to you by express courier. I hope it can lend you a helping hand.
The peach blossoms yearn for you so deeply, I cannot forget you even for a day. I long for the day I can see you again. ①
After finishing writing, Bitao put down her pen, read it over from beginning to end again, and sealed it with paint in satisfaction.
Zhan Kui, who had watched it twice as well, practically turned his mouth to the back of his head in disgust.
He snorted, "You still say you don't like him? You must like him to death!"
"We've gathered so much evidence, and we're just going to hand it over like this?"
Bitao replied, "These pieces of evidence are useless to me. I have no intention of getting involved in court infighting."
"The Tsinghua Divine Cult is backed by the First Prince. All this evidence points to the First Prince's power. Whoever gets involved will be tainted."
"But what's wrong with Prince Danxi, who is already caught in the power vortex of the capital, using this opportunity to force the eldest prince to cut his losses and save himself, and to make those officials pay the price they truly deserve?"
"It's not that it's bad..." Zhan Kui said sarcastically, "It's just that those brothers from You Tian have suffered. They've been running around all over the place, and they don't even dare to kill anyone properly. In the end, they're just doing all the work for the Ancient Immortal Clan."
Bitao: "...You don't understand."
"Suckling sounds..." Zhan Kui stuck out his tongue, pouted his little mouth, and made a series of dog-like sounds.
"I don't understand."
Zhan Kui shook his head and said, "How could someone like me, who can have women on both sides and take any man I like to bed that very night, possibly understand what someone who has been chasing after someone for hundreds of years, searching high and low without ever getting a single hair on their head, is thinking?"
Bitao: "..."
Zhan Kui: "Gaga gaga gaga gaga..." He laughed so hard it sounded like a gathering of crows.
"If you were to capture him and force yourself on him, I'd respect you as a god!"
"But even if you give Mingguang all this help, he might not appreciate it. The Ancient Immortal Clan's subordinates are probably all over the Qingliao Kingdom."
"Do I need his gratitude? It's just that I need him to do me a few favors in the capital for the things I need to do next."
"Oh~~ really?"
"Then what does your letter begin with, 'I am overjoyed to receive your letter,' and end with, 'I miss you dearly, I cannot forget you. I long for the day I can see you again…' If it's just a matter of mutual exploitation, then what are these?"
Unable to bear it any longer, Bitao slapped Zhan Kui on the back of the head.
"Didn't you say that he relentlessly pursued me in the Heavenly Realm and feared me like a ghost?"
Bitao said, "I just wanted to annoy him and make him stop chasing after me for the seal."
"Listen to what you're saying. If I did that, would you believe me?" Zhan Kui's expression became even more irritating.
Bitao held her forehead. She didn't explain further.
After all, according to Zhan Kui, she did do a lot of things to Ming Guang when she was in the Heavenly Realm, but Ming Guang didn't appreciate her kindness.
No matter how you explain it now, Zhan Kui won't believe it.
It wasn't just about saying some offensive things to disgust Mingguang; Bitao's later expression of anticipation for meeting him was practically a challenge to him.
Wasn't he sending people to keep an eye on Bitao, wanting to know how things were going on her end?
Rather than letting those people follow her furtively, Bitao should take the initiative and write to him. This way, she can take the initiative.
However, not only did Zhan Kui not believe what Bi Tao said, but everyone who saw this scene through the Silver Gu did not believe it either.
They all knew that Bitao's soul was damaged and that she hadn't bothered Mingguang Tianxian after descending to the mortal realm, so they assumed she had changed her nature.
It turns out they changed the method.
Some people couldn't help but start mocking again, and soon a small-scale argument broke out with Bitao's supporters.
Even Zhu Ming, who had been watching Bitao the whole time, couldn't help but hold his forehead.
He muttered, "What am I going to do... it's flared up again."
In Zhu Ming's view, Bitao's liking for bright light was a kind of illness.
incurable disease.
I thought that she would be better if she forgot everything because of the damage to her Heavenly Soul, but now she is clearly bewitched by Mingguang again!
Mingguang is shameless enough. He clearly knows that Bitao has damaged her Heavenly Soul and doesn't remember anything. He could have simply severed all ties with her.
But not only did they get entangled in a broken private seal, they also wrote letters to each other in a lingering and affectionate manner.
He won't agree to Bitao's request, but he's stringing her along. Ugh!
If he were to fall into the Jade Pool, the entire Nine Heavens would be filled with the aroma of strong tea!
"However, regardless of whether you intend to continue to pursue Mingguang relentlessly, this kind of thing must be kept secret from those meritorious immortals in Youtian."
Zhan Kui said, "Otherwise, once they find out that they are working for the ancient immortal clan, they might rebel against you."
Bitao: "...I already said I'm not...never mind."
"I'll find an opportunity to explain to my brothers."
Bitao didn't hide it from everyone; a couple of days later, she gathered everyone together and told them about it.
Fearing that these people might misunderstand, she listed out all the reasons why she did this.
After he finished speaking, everyone fell silent for a moment.
In the end, Cang Ling stepped forward, reached out and patted Bi Tao's head, saying with a tolerant expression, "We know, do whatever you want."
Mu Han said, "This is indeed a better way to bring down those officials; it's much easier than if we did it ourselves."
He Yue couldn't help but say, "But I still feel a little aggrieved... However, considering how much you really like Mingguang's coffin... and that celestial being, I'll put up with it for now."
"Alright, let's just consider it as doing something purely for the people."
Bitao opened her mouth.
It's as if everything she says now is to defend Mingguang and to justify her feelings for him.
I won't explain the peach blossom part.
She took out several booklets that she had found a bookstore to print these past few days and had Big Eyes, who was serving tea and water, hand them to her brothers.
"Look, this is what we're going to distribute to the people next."
"The Ten Directions Saviors from Suffering are all incarnations of the Great Emperor of the Eastern Azure Flower..."
"Is this about the life of the Great Emperor Qinghua of the Eastern Pole?"
“Yes,” Bitao said. “Those Tsinghua cult branches that were shut down will definitely try to make a comeback.”
"We must make the people of that place aware of the true immortal position of the Eastern Azure Emperor before they make a comeback."
“These biographies can help believers understand the past achievements of the Eastern Azure Emperor, make them realize that a true immortal has never stopped saving people from suffering, and let them know what it truly means to ‘compassionately save all living beings from their suffering.’ But this is only the first step in cultivating believers.”
“People who have been poisoned by the Tsinghua cult will certainly not easily believe in a deity whose name is so similar to that of the Tsinghua Emperor.”
"Therefore, we still need to adapt to local conditions."
“Take Yunan, which we occupied first, as an example. Yunan officials have long colluded with the Qinghua Cult to plunder the people’s wealth. Yunan is clearly located in a fertile area with four distinct seasons, yet the general population is impoverished.”
"Many people from rural towns have gone out to make a living, leaving the area almost empty, with only some elderly people and children left behind."
“We’ve dealt with those villains from the Tsinghua Divine Cult, but the officials are still in their positions. We need to accumulate enough evidence in the capital before we can launch a decisive attack and prevent the Crown Prince’s forces from escaping or retaliating.”
"Therefore, Yunan City will not prosper in the short term just because it has lost the Tsinghua Divine Cult."
"But this is also the best opportunity for us to build temples and spread our teachings. People will have faith only when they have something to ask for."
Bitao said, "Yunan is located on a plain with fertile land. Spring plowing is just around the corner, but because of the inaction of officials, the gentry and big landowners are renting out farmland at two different prices."
"Tenants often paid lip service to the government's unified land rent prices but secretly defied them. They would work hard for a year and still end up owing rent to the landlords."
"As a result, barren land stretched into mountains, and the lives of the people became increasingly difficult."
"We can start by taking over the land in Yunan City."
“Landlords leave their land undeveloped but refuse to lower rents to tenants. We can lease their land in its entirety and then sublet it to tenants.”
"As for the rent for the whole place, let's use the ill-gotten gains they've accumulated over the years with the Tsinghua cult to cover it for now."
"If the government wants to interfere, I will have the imperial city take action."
"The only condition for tenants to rent farmland is that they believe in the new temple-building deity—the Great Emperor of the Eastern Pole Qinghua."
"During the spring planting season, we will use the money we plundered when we dealt with those cultists to buy some oxen, which we will then rent to tenant farmers for farming."
"The conditions are the same."
"If anyone asks what the difference is between the Tsinghua Emperor and the Eastern Tsinghua Emperor, just say they are the same."
"Are you here to preach for the Great Emperor Qinghua of the Eastern Pole?" Cang Ling asked.
The Eastern Azure Emperor is an ancient immortal who is on par with the Immortal Emperors of the Nine Heavens.
It is already very active in all realms, and if one carefully traces its lineage within the astral plane, its followers must have a long and rich tradition.
The Tsinghua Cult was actually formed by a group of uneducated men and barefoot doctors who had heard of the temple of the Eastern Qinghua Emperor, but who had never believed in him, lacked sufficient education, and had no patience to understand the divine positions passed down through generations.
What Bitao is doing now is nothing more than restoring order to what was wrong.
The brothers looked at each other for a moment, their only question being: if they had done so many good deeds and were preaching to the Great Emperor of Qinghua in the East, where did their faith come from?
The Great Emperor of Qinghua in the East did not participate in the competition.
However, they had only been in the mortal realm for eighteen years, and according to the time difference between the celestial realm and the human realm, the competition had not even been going on for two days.
It's not too late to focus on building faith in the team when the competition enters its later stages.
So the brothers swallowed their doubts and said they had no objections.
Bitao took a sip of the tea that Dayan'er poured for her and smiled at her.
The little girl is now very clean and tidy. She is quite pretty, meticulous and quick-witted, and has even started learning some culture. However, she always likes to stick close to Bitao in her spare time.
This peach blossom tea was brewed with plum blossoms in early spring and boiled with snow water from a rootless source, resulting in an excellent flavor.
After drinking it all with great appreciation, he handed the cup to Big Eyes, indicating that she didn't need any more.
Then they continued to explain the methods of preaching to each town they had wiped out.
"Furthermore, Jinzhou is located by the sea and is the production area of official salt of the Qingliao Kingdom. This is why there are four branches of cults here."
"The reason why the illegal salt trade is so difficult to eradicate is precisely because these corrupt officials collude with the officials of this prefecture to secretly carry out their schemes."
“I will write to Mingguang as soon as possible and ask him to find a way to shake the alliance of interests among the officials of Jinzhou.”
"We only need to pry open one corner to fish in troubled waters."
"Temples will be built at these locations. Once the salt-producing areas are cleared, those so-called 'outsourced' salt-producing teams, who are actually brought in from elsewhere to skim profits, will be eliminated first."
Then, they devised a way to allow these people, who depended on the "gold mine" for their livelihood but could only beg for food, to legitimately enter the salt-producing areas and profit from the government's wealth.
"It's the same. As long as they believe in the Great Emperor of Qinghua in the East, who saves them from suffering, they can live off the government for the rest of their lives."
Everyone nodded in agreement, and the young man Qiu Bai took charge of recording the words one by one.
"And then there's Jiangwu City, with its extensive waterways, a vital passage for ships traveling to and from the capital, and a crucial place for transporting supplies to the military from all directions."
"After the temple was built here, ordinary people were recruited to work in positions that they could do, such as loading and unloading at the dock, fishing along the water, cargo ships that ran for business, and even passenger ships that ferried passengers to the Sifang Ferry."
"Two shrines have already been built in Wind Chime City. You brothers can go and take a look. Apart from the fact that shrines don't need incense offerings, you can simply copy the other strategies for attracting people..."
“If there is any conflict with the local Buddhist community during the construction of the temple, we will temporarily avoid them. If they go too far, we will report it directly to the Tsinghua Divine Sect Headquarters.”
"Report to where?" Taiyin thought she had misheard.
Bitao smiled and said, "Report to the headquarters of the Tsinghua Divine Cult. We are not in a hurry to separate the Eastern Qinghua Emperor from the Tsinghua Divine Cult."
"When you go to 'persuade' the cult members, leave a few spineless leaders behind and use them to confuse the Tsinghua Cult headquarters."
“Demand money from them for spreading the religion, seize the tasks they assign, and then try to report these tasks to the local Buddhist community.”
"Buddhism saves all sentient beings, so they will definitely step in to help."
"Then let them fight like dogs and get all mixed up."
Anyway, they've been at each other's throats for years.
There are a few other towns as well; we'll discuss the details after dinner.
Bitao and her brother went to the largest restaurant in Fengling City and ordered a private room for dinner. The group of them drank some wine.
Although the matter of faith was still unresolved, they were making a lot of noise, and everyone was very happy.
Do good deeds and don't worry about the future.
This is something only true heroes and immortals can do, and only they can possess such magnanimity.
As Zhan Kui's shrines spread throughout the seven cities of Dayuan Prefecture, outside of Dayuan Prefecture, the Eastern Qinghua Emperor Temple also flourished on the map of the Qingliao Kingdom's borders.
They used the money they obtained from the cult headquarters to establish the Dongji Qinghua Divine Cult branch.
Because they genuinely do good deeds and practical things for the people, the number of believers reported by these "branches" is often hundreds or even thousands of times greater than that of the real Tsinghua Theological Seminary branches.
Because Tsinghua and Qinghua are not written on paper, no one can distinguish them by their pronunciation.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Bitao's people quietly replaced hundreds of Tsinghua Divine Sect branches across the country in just over three months.
Of course, some people noticed something amiss and reported it to headquarters.
Unfortunately, the newly emerging Dongji Qinghua Divine Cult not only has many followers and deep roots, but it has also caused the Buddhist communities in various places to decline in popularity, even though they claim to be saving people from suffering and in reality only receive offerings from their followers and do nothing.
These Buddhist sects existed specifically to suppress the Tsinghua University cult, and some of them were not even real monks. Nowadays, some temples in certain areas are deserted.
No one has repaired it. After a few rains, the Buddha statue, covered in rust, sits forlornly on the altar due to leaks.
Furthermore, the temples and shrines established by the new Eastern Qinghua Divine Cult still enshrine the same obese and ugly Qinghua Emperor statue, which is so fat that it is out of shape and so ugly that it incurs the wrath of heaven and man.
The only mistake was a single character misspelled in the pamphlet: Tsinghua University was written as Qinghua. Given that there are very few literate people in the church, this minor error was overlooked and no one pursued it.
The reformed Eastern Qinghua Divine Cult always completed its "missions" from headquarters in the fastest time.
The Tsinghua Cult is poisoning people and creating celestial maidens and celestial rulers; its ultimate goal is nothing more than to amass wealth and win over local authorities.
Bitao used the method of purging the Tsinghua Church branch to "offer" the money she had collected to the bishop.
It's practically like taking money out of their pockets and then handing it back to them as a gift.
They flattered the bishops, making them more willing to allocate funds to them so they could spread the faith and build temples.
As for winning over local powerful figures, indulging in alcohol and women, and dragging them down with him, those are the lowest-level methods.
It could very well be a coalition of interests, helping them take the right path to obtain the money, power, and even public support they desire.
After all, if there's a broad road, who would want to walk on a narrow bridge?
Due to a combination of factors, the bishop not only did not punish or suppress the emerging missionary methods, but also...
They even wanted to meet this capable person who "reformed" and "abandoned" the traditional methods of preaching within the church.
—The Fairy of the Peach Blossom.
Fairy Bitao was not so easy to meet. She repeatedly refused the bishop's summons, citing that she was preaching in a border town and that travel was too slow to return to Bishop Changshan Prefecture in time.
This displeased the other side, but soon Bitao's subordinates "excellently" completed the task of amassing wealth and consolidating power assigned by their superiors, so the bishop stopped caring.
As the weather gradually warms up, in the blink of an eye, we have entered the height of summer, the month of July when flowers bloom in abundance.
In summer, the Rong'an Prince's Mansion is even more beautiful, with flowers in full bloom and lush green trees.
A letter written by the window, with peach blossoms in the background.
To my beloved partner:
The Prefect of Qiangzhou is corrupt and lawless, colluding with foreign powers and selling the nation's iron for casting. We lack only conclusive evidence. I implore you to help me disrupt his power base within the capital. Once irrefutable proof is obtained, I will surely help my beloved rise to prominence! ②
"Tsk tsk tsk... You're not pretending at all now."
Zhan Kui was somewhat disappointed in Bi Tao's repeated efforts to help Ming Guang eliminate his rivals.
I'll find an opportunity to tease her a bit.
Alternatively, you could encourage her to bring Mingguang here, seduce him first, and then give him benefits.
Bitao no longer cared; no matter what Zhan Kui said, she would write it as she pleased.
As for why he keeps repeating cheesy phrases like "my beloved" and "my soulmate," there are naturally reasons for it.
Firstly, Bitao discovered that when she said these sarcastic remarks, Mingguang not only didn't "fear her like a ghost," but also replied to her letters very quickly and handled things quite efficiently.
Secondly, Bitao is using the illusion of being immersed in love to numb Mingguang's prying eyes.
The assassin he sent to watch over Bitao has already left. The only information his undercover agents in Dayuan Prefecture can gather now is the mixed truth and falsehood that Bitao presents to the outside world.
Bitao never forgot that Mingguang was her strongest opponent in the fight.
She is now using Mingguang's people to her advantage, and at the same time, she has made a preliminary assessment of his power in the court, which important positions he holds, and how long it will take for him to climb to the position of crown prince, which is second only to the emperor.
Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle.
If you receive this information and tangible benefits, is it enough to just say a few meaningless sweet nothings, or write them down on paper from a distance of thousands of miles?
This was practically a shortcut for Bitao.
Because Mingguang is really useful.
Although the two had a mutually beneficial relationship, without the assistance of Prince Danxi, who could get his hands dirty in any place in the capital, Bitao really wouldn't have been able to promote her Eastern Qinghua Divine Sect so quickly.
When Zhan Kui was sealing the letter with lacquer, he picked a flower from outside the window and scratched Bi Tao. Bi Tao hit him, and the petals and slender branches fell onto the sealing lacquer.
Too lazy to repaint the peach blossoms, Bitao simply sealed them and had them sent away.
Five days later, the letter, sealed with sealing wax and even stamped with a flower, finally landed on Prince Danxi's desk.
In the height of summer, the capital city was extremely hot, but Mingguang's temporary palace was the coolest place in the entire capital and even the imperial palace.
His staff members were all cooling off in his council hall, eating chilled fruits and discussing the situation in the court.
They discussed what benefits the job they had already secured could bring them.
Mingguang returned to his residence just before midnight, as he had previously decreed that his servants should not disturb him during his meetings in the hall unless he gave the order.
Therefore, he returned from the council hall under the stars and moon, only to find the letters on his desk.
Mingguang stood in front of the desk, but did not immediately reach out to touch the letter.
He stared at the small flower branches neatly burned onto the sealing wax, unconsciously clenching his fist.
She pursed her thin lips, imagining the outrageous terms of address and the unrestrained outpouring of longing directed at him...
He stood there, reaching out his hand several times, then pulling it back, never daring to touch the little flower.
The flowers are a delicate pink, densely packed, covering the entire branch.
It looks somewhat like... a peach blossom.
The Prince Danxi, who had just been so dignified and respected in the council hall, was now at a loss.
He stared at that unrestrained little flower branch and couldn't help but wonder if he had spoiled her too much.
He shouldn't have remained silent about those words without offering any advice or guidance.
His indifference was almost an admission of her address and his longing for her.
But... Mingguang frowned.
Since she resumed her previous mad declarations of love for him in her letter, her subordinates reported that Bitao had not visited Zhankui's brothel for the past three months.
Mingguang ultimately decided to continue ignoring those words.
So as not to cause her to become entangled with mortals and get involved in karma.
Wait until... wait until we return to the celestial realm.
He explained to her carefully that they could not develop a romantic relationship.
Little Peach Branch is so clever, she will surely understand his good intentions.
So he sat down at his desk and picked up the letter.
My fingertips trembled slightly before touching the tiny flower stem sealed with lacquer.
Instead of tearing off the lacquer, he turned the letter around and opened it from the side.
As he unfolded the letter, the sky outside was dark and boundless, with only a few solitary lamps in the study providing evidence of his slightly reddened ears.
Suddenly, the candle wick popped with a "pop"—the lamp flame exploded.
As the light and shadow flickered, the sky outside changed from dark to bright, and then from bright to dark again.
Then the lush branches and leaves of the large tree fell with the autumn wind, turning into snowflakes carrying a cool breeze as they landed.
The snowflakes melted in the sunlight, turning back into the steam of the blazing sun, rising slowly like sparks igniting the wilderness, and permeating the withered branches to sprout new buds.
The changing seasons are outside the window, where the square sky alternates, and the sun and moon take turns amidst the bursting lights.
It seems like only yesterday that the trees outside the window have changed their "clothes" three times.
It was another summer night, with countless stars twinkling and shining brightly in the sky.
Mingguang remained seated at his desk, in the same spot facing the window, and tore open the letter next to the sealed envelope, taking out the letter paper.
Inside, only a few lamps remained, their dim light casting his profile onto the wall by the window. The silhouette, sculpted by time, revealed his increasingly refined and mature features.
His fingertips trembled slightly as they touched the letter.
The flushed ears, hidden by the dim light, remain a secret unknown even to the stars outside the window, which appear and disappear but never change position.
However, today Mingguang is destined to reveal his secret in a "great shock".
After reading what the letter said, he couldn't help but suddenly stand up from beside the table.
Just then, the night wind swept through the treetops, rustling the lush leaves, which battled fiercely with the drumbeats in Mingguang's heart.
This time, the letter did not contain those words expressing his feelings that Mingguang had always dared not look at.
There was no intention to cooperate with him in eliminating any officials or powerful figures who were harming the people and colluding with cults.
Instead, there are only two lines, like a silent shooting star streaking across the sky, or like a star falling from the Milky Way, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.
Three years have passed, and I have heard that you are about to be named the Crown Prince. How could I not congratulate you in person?
The seal has been found and is ready to be delivered to you personally. I am on my way and will arrive soon. ③
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