Once the fifth watch had passed, the curfew was lifted, and those who were doing business went about their business, while those who were attending court went to court.
"I'm leaving now. Please be careful. If anything happens, just call me. Don't worry about whether I'm with the Jiajing Emperor or not!"
"Yeah, you too, brother. Just call us if you need anything."
Li Changzhou was teleported directly back to Chaotian Palace.
Yaochi sat cross-legged on the couch, flipping through the jade book in her hand. When she saw him return, she merely raised her eyes and coldly said, "Kuaihuo is back?"
Li Changzhou ignored her and entered the side hall, where he changed into the purple robe and jade belt bestowed upon him by the Jiajing Emperor.
Once the clothes are put on, the ethereal气质 (qi zhi - inherent quality/temperament) gains an added touch of worldly elegance.
Yaochi's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she smiled, praising, "So handsome."
I have absolutely no idea when she gets angry or when she doesn't.
Not long after, Jiajing indeed sent someone to summon them and received the two in a side hall.
Neither of them knew ancient etiquette—Yaochi might, but based on her impression from TV dramas, she casually bowed.
I don't know if this is right or wrong, but the Jiajing Emperor didn't say anything.
After offering seats and exchanging pleasantries, the Jiajing Emperor asked directly, "Two Daoist masters, I am devoted to cultivating the Dao, do you have any methods?"
Li Changzhou smiled, and the hearts of the palace maids around him visibly quickened. He asked the Jiajing Emperor in return, "Has Your Majesty studied any magic techniques?"
"Over the years, I have been surrounded by countless Taoist priests, but they have only learned two things: rituals and the practice of absorbing yin energy to replenish yang energy."
"What is a vegetarian ritual?" Li Changzhou asked.
The Jiajing Emperor glanced at him, his eyes filled with suspicion.
You don't even know about Buddhist rituals?
It was unknown that Li Changzhou was the top scorer in the liberal arts exam, but the word "Zhaijiao" was not included in the exam scope.
If an ordinary Taoist priest had asked this question, Emperor Jiajing would have immediately lost interest. However, Li Changzhou acted calmly and composedly, displaying an attitude of knowing what he knew and admitting what he didn't know, which dispelled Emperor Jiajing's initial contempt.
Most importantly, Li Changzhou had thunder and snow yesterday.
"The so-called 'fasting and ritual' is to build a Taoist altar, fast and cleanse oneself, pray to the gods for blessings, and offer prayers," explained a eunuch serving the Jiajing Emperor.
"How long has Your Majesty been practicing the rituals?" Li Changzhou asked again.
"Starting in the third year of the Jiajing reign," the eunuch replied again.
Does it work?
“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” the eunuch continued, but the Jiajing Emperor remained calm and composed.
He let the eunuch speak, testing Li Changzhou's strengths and weaknesses. If the eunuch said something wrong, he could still salvage the situation.
“Wrong,” Li Changzhou said. “It doesn’t work at all. The so-called effectiveness is just a coincidence.”
The Jiajing Emperor finally frowned slightly.
The eunuch waited a moment, and seeing that the Jiajing Emperor still showed no intention of speaking, he continued, "May I ask, Master Li, where did you go wrong?"
"There are no gods in the world," Li Changzhou said.
"No immortals?" The eunuch was startled, not because of any immortals, but because he was afraid of angering the emperor.
Over the years, any official who advised the emperor against believing in Taoism was either demoted or imprisoned. Emperor Jiajing's obsession with Taoism had become a kind of fanaticism.
"What's the use of praying to gods if there are no gods?" Li Changzhou waved his sleeve.
The beautiful yet ethereal Yaochi looked at him with her eyes, seemingly quite pleased with his demeanor.
The eunuch glanced at the Jiajing Emperor's face and then said, "What about yin-yang replenishment?"
"Tell me more about it."
"To have intercourse with a virgin and consume an elixir made from the blood of a virgin's first menstruation."
"Does Your Majesty wish to hear the truth?" Li Changzhou asked, looking at Emperor Jiajing.
"That depends on whether it's the truth or not," the Jiajing Emperor finally said.
"The two arts Your Majesty has learned, the rituals and sacrifices, are completely fictitious and a waste of money; as for the practice of 'yin replenishing yang'... at most, they are only useful for enriching the harem and producing imperial offspring."
The eunuch trembled with fright.
All the True Immortals in the palace, including the Great True Immortal Shao Yuanjie, taught the Emperor this way. Yet this newly arrived True Immortal Shenxiao dared to spout such nonsense, claiming it was all false!
In terms of skill, Shao Yuanjie and the others are all highly skilled in Taoist arts. Why do you say that you are right and they are wrong?
The Jiajing Emperor did not get angry; instead, his tone became even gentler: "How can you prove that the rituals and the practice of 'yin replenishing yang' are fake?"
"Would Your Majesty be willing to come with me?" Li Changzhou asked with a smile.
Where to?
"moon."
"The moon?!" Emperor Jiajing stood up.
“Seeing is believing,” Li Changzhou also stood up. “Your Majesty, why don’t you go and see if there is Chang’e on the moon? If not, it will naturally prove that the ritual was fake.”
As he spoke, he quickly took two steps forward and, before anyone could react, grabbed the Jiajing Emperor's sleeve, staring intently at him.
The eunuchs rushed to stop them, and the guards outside the hall already had their hands on their sword hilts. As soon as Emperor Jiajing gave the order, these guards would rush in, break Li Changzhou's legs, and await his punishment.
Any Taoist priest would be dealt with in this situation.
Within a certain radius around the Jiajing Emperor, magical powers and Taoist arts were as nonexistent as superstition.
"Master, Master, let go quickly!" The eunuch couldn't pull Li Changzhou's hand away.
Emperor Jiajing did not order the guards to come in. He felt that Li Changzhou's eyes were like an immortal asking him: Do you have the courage to become an immortal?
"Very well!" said the Jiajing Emperor. "Personal Master, take me to see the moon!"
"Your Majesty—" The eunuch was so frightened that he almost knelt down.
There's no such thing as a moon. Who can go up to the moon? That's the celestial realm; only gods can go up there!
"Haha!" Li Changzhou laughed loudly, "To become an immortal, one need not perform rituals or absorb yin energy to replenish yang. All that is needed is the method and a courageous and diligent heart. Your Majesty's day of becoming an immortal is just around the corner!"
"Congratulations, Your Majesty." Yaochi rose and bowed with a smile.
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