Chapter 32 Deep in the Mountains, Ancient Temple Pei Muwei's calm and handsome face suddenly changed...
The impressive convoy stopped at the foot of the mountain. A large flock of birds, startled, flew out from the trees and disappeared into the horizon in an instant.
Chu Yueyuan stepped down from the carriage and gazed at the lush green mountains.
Amidst the verdant peaks, an ancient temple lies serenely on the mountainside, its high-reaching gray eaves reflecting the blue sky and white clouds, resembling a slowly unfolding light ink landscape painting, exuding tranquility and mystery.
"I will not accompany the Empress Dowager on this trip. Instead, I will send Commander Lin and a squad of Imperial Guards to protect Your Highness and the Emperor."
Chu Yueyuan turned around and saw the Regent leading a white horse towards her. He was dressed in black and gold riding clothes, with a gold crown carved with orchids on his head. The leather of the beast head outlined his lean figure, and he had a carved bow and sword at his waist. The blazing sunlight fell on his broad shoulders and back, gilding the lion head relief armor on his shoulders with a dazzling golden light.
Since Xiao Yun was young, the heavy responsibility of offering incense and praying for blessings fell entirely on Chu Yueyuan's shoulders. The regent and the two vassal kings escorted her to the foot of the mountain, and then rode off to the nearby hunting grounds to hunt.
Chu Yueyuan raised her hand to cover her eyes and brows, smiled slightly, and said softly, "Arrows have no eyes. Minister Pei and the two princes should be careful in the hunting grounds. I will ask for a string of Buddhist prayer beads for you at the temple to pray for your good health and longevity."
"In this way, Minister Pei can protect me and the Emperor forever."
Pei Muwei looked into the woman's dark, watery eyes. The words "forever and ever" revealed her dependence on him, like a supple vine that quietly wrapped around his heart. He did not feel constrained, but only a strange emotion spreading in his heart.
A barely perceptible smile played on his lips: "Your Majesty, I thank you. I will dedicate my life to protecting Your Highness and the Emperor."
Chu Yueyuan smiled contentedly. She had made a huge profit by exchanging her Buddhist prayer beads for a promise from the Regent!
There are two thousand stone steps from the foot of the mountain to Tanzhe Temple. The mountain is gentle and the steps have been newly repaired, so it is not difficult to walk. Chu Yueyuan and the two princesses chatted and laughed along the way and arrived at the temple in about an hour.
Sunlight filters through the gaps in the tree branches, casting dappled shadows. The ancient and tranquil temple, surrounded by bluestone, is adorned with a string of wind chimes hanging from its upturned eaves. The chimes tinkle gently in the breeze, their sounds light and melodious.
The abbot and supervisor of the temple, along with more than ten eminent monks, waited respectfully outside the courtyard. When the young empress dowager and her entourage entered the ancient temple, they placed their hands on their chests and joined their fingers together to show their respect.
Chu Yueyuan returned the greeting with her palms together and smiled, "Abbot, there's no need for such formalities."
The abbot led the young empress dowager into the Buddhist hall.
The temple was filled with the fragrance of incense. A huge, golden Buddha statue stood in the center of the main hall. The Buddha's eyes were slightly closed, the corners of his lips were slightly raised, his expression was serene, and his hands were in mudra, exuding endless compassion and peace.
Chu Yueyuan accepted the three incense sticks handed to her by the abbot and placed them in the gilded incense burner. She clasped her hands together, her expression devout, and silently recited prayers in her heart.
Because she was going to the temple, she dressed simply today, wearing a light blue long dress with dark floral patterns and a silk gauze outer garment, and her hair was styled in a simple single bun with a jade hairpin with a lingzhi and bamboo joint pattern.
Sunlight streamed down through the skylight, casting a soft golden glow on the woman's silk robe, reflecting off her fair face as if water were slowly flowing through it, making her look like a fairy in the water.
After all the sacrificial rites were completed, Chu Yueyuan donated a considerable sum of money to the temple as incense money.
Princess Consort Chen usually enjoys Buddhist rituals and chanting scriptures. When she has the opportunity to travel with the Emperor, she becomes quite talkative and says, "I have heard that Tanzhe Temple enshrines the true relics of Shakyamuni Buddha, and the divination slips there are very accurate. Would Your Majesty like to try your luck?"
Chu Yueyuan looked at Princess Liang beside her and asked with a smile, "What does Princess Liang think?"
Princess Liang appeared restless ever since entering the ancient temple. At this moment, she frowned and looked at the monks in the hall who were striking the wooden fish, ignoring the Empress Dowager's question.
Chu Yueyuan had no choice but to ask again.
Princess Liang snapped out of her daze, a somewhat unnatural smile playing on her lips, and said softly, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I will follow your arrangements."
It was still early before the time for the vegetarian meal, so Chu Yueyuan and her group went into the back hall to draw lots.
An elderly monk took the divination stick container from the altar and said, "After the Empress Dowager and the two princesses have drawn their divination sticks, please give them to this humble monk for interpretation."
There are sixty sticks in the divination tube. Among them, the Jiazi stick is the most auspicious, the Yichou stick is a good stick, the Yiwei stick is a bad stick, and the Bingzi stick is the most inauspicious stick.
Chu Yueyuan took the divination tube from the monk's hand. She shook it three times in front of the incense burner where the gods and Buddhas were enshrined, then stood facing the gods and Buddhas, holding the divination tube and slowly shaking it up and down.
Princess Liang and Princess Chen followed behind her and took the divination sticks one by one. The two knelt on the prayer mats and shook the sticks. For a moment, the crisp sound of the sticks echoed in the hall.
With a "thud," a stick jumped out of the container and landed on the floor tile.
Chu Yueyuan bent down to pick up the fallen slip, her gaze falling on the young man's calligraphy on the bamboo slip, her dark pupils suddenly contracting.
The Bingzi divination slip indicates great misfortune.
Behind her came the joyful voice of Princess Consort Chen: "Oh my, it's an extremely auspicious fortune stick! I drew an extremely auspicious fortune stick! Hey, Consort Liang, what fortune stick did you draw?"
Princess Liang said softly, "Congratulations, Consort Chen, I drew the Yi Chou lot."
"That's a very auspicious sign. I always said the fortune sticks at this temple were accurate. The Crown Prince's wife is newly pregnant, and with the Princess's fortune stick helping her, the Liang Prince's mansion will have another child next year, maybe even twins..."
Princess Consort Chen drew a very auspicious fortune slip, and she was radiant with joy. Her words were as sweet as honey, and after a few sentences, she made Princess Consort Liang smile as well.
The two chatted and laughed for a while before remembering the Empress Dowager who had been silent all along.
What fortune slip did Her Majesty the Empress Dowager draw?
Chu Yueyuan turned around calmly and said with composure, "My luck is not very good today. I drew the Bingzi lot."
The smiles of the two princesses instantly froze on their faces, especially Princess Chen's smile, which was almost reaching her ears. She didn't know whether to let it go or not.
The Empress Dowager's luck was not just bad, it was absolutely terrible. The most auspicious and superior fortune sticks accounted for 60% of the sticks, the least auspicious ones for 30%, and the inauspicious ones for only 10%.
Of all the ten percent, the young empress dowager managed to draw the winning ticket.
Princess Consort Chen chuckled dryly: "Your Majesty need not take it to heart... the fortune sticks at the temple are definitely... definitely not accurate!"
Princess Liang then gently comforted him, saying, "The King of Qi is the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha, and the Empress Dowager is the mother of the Emperor. They are both Buddhas to the people of Qi. As the saying goes, the Buddha of today does not worship the Buddha of the past. Your Highness is the least likely to believe in these things."
"Yes, yes, Sister Liangfei is absolutely right."
Seeing the nervous expressions of Princess Liang and Princess Chen, Chu Yueyuan felt that her bad luck had dampened their spirits, but she smiled dismissively:
"You two princesses should go and find a high monk to interpret your divination slips. I will accompany the Emperor to have a vegetarian meal."
"Your Majesty, I respectfully see you off."
Tanzhe Temple is bustling with worshippers, and more and more people are coming up the mountain to pray for blessings. The monks in the temple have cultivated dozens of acres of vegetable gardens at the foot of the mountain, picking vegetables, fruits and mushrooms every day, and cooking vegetarian dishes that are light and delicious.
Xiao Yun was used to eating delicacies, but when he tasted fresh and delicious vegetarian food, he ate two bowls before putting down his chopsticks. Afterwards, he was thinking about going to the hunting grounds to shoot leopards.
Chu Yueyuan wiped his little mouth clean with a handkerchief: "His Majesty can't ride a horse yet, so he definitely can't go to the hunting grounds..."
Xiao Yun grinned, about to start howling, when she said, "However... when Commander Lin inspected the temple, he found many deer and birds in the back mountain. Didn't the Regent give His Majesty a fine iron slingshot? His Majesty can use the slingshot to shoot the deer and wild birds in the forest, what do you think?"
"Okay, let's go now!"
Ever since Xiao Yun learned to walk, he has been eager to make up for all the steps he had missed before. His short legs moved incredibly fast, like a golden rabbit running wildly through the dense forest.
Chu Yueyuan, lifting her skirt, chased after him anxiously, calling out, "Commander Lin, protect the Emperor Zhou!"
Lin Mu was agile, and he led several imperial guards to closely follow the leaping and bounding young emperor, never leaving his side.
The mountain path was rugged, surrounded by dense forests with lush foliage. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves. After walking for an unknown amount of time, the view suddenly opened up before us.
There stood a Zen temple perched on a cliff, its walls weathered and covered in moss. A towering ancient banyan tree stretched out outside the temple, its canopy spreading wide. Three meters away lay a deep pool, its clear waters like a piece of jade inlaid in the valley, reflecting the ancient and elegant Zen temple.
A young monk was bending over to fetch water from the pool when he was startled by Xiao Yun, who suddenly darted out of the bushes.
"Amitabha Buddha, this humble monk pays his respects to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager."
The monk quickly put down the water ladle and bowed to Chu Yueyuan in a Buddhist gesture.
Chu Yueyuan chased after Xiao Yun, her body breaking out in a light sweat, her cheeks flushed a faint pink. She looked at the dilapidated temple, a hint of surprise in her eyes, and asked:
Where is this place?
"Your Majesty, this place is called Yutan Peak. It was the site where Tanzhe Temple was first built a hundred years ago. Because the mountain road was difficult to travel and there were few pilgrims, the abbot moved the temple to its current location, Cuiyun Peak. Since then, the temple has become very popular. Because there is a Buddha statue in this temple, Abbot Xuyun and a few disciples were left to look after and manage it."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and a thought flashed through her mind. She remembered that during the mountain climb, Princess Chen had mentioned that a high-ranking monk named Xuyun lived in seclusion in Tanzhe Temple. This monk was proficient in Buddhism and could guide people through their confusion and help them avoid misfortune.
She reached into the purse at her waist, her fingertips gently pinching the bamboo skewer inside, her heart filled with conflict.
Just now, when she was drawing lots in the Buddhist temple, she asked about her and Xiao Yun's future fate, and a very unlucky lot fell out.
Chu Yueyuan appeared calm and collected in front of the two princesses, but in her heart she was filled with anxiety. She carried a shocking secret, and every day in the harem was like walking blindfolded on the edge of a cliff. If she were to slip and fall, she would fall into an abyss of no return and be shattered to pieces.
Could it be a coincidence that led her to this place, so that the hermit Master Xuyun could guide her through her confusion?
Just as Chu Yueyuan was hesitating, her sleeve was gently tugged. She looked down and saw Xiao Yun with his rosy cheeks pouting, saying, "Mother, I'm thirsty."
Her gaze softened, and she reached out to touch his cheek before finally making up her mind: "Then let's go into the Zen temple and have a drink of water."
The monastery is not large, and only one Buddhist hall and three connected rooms are well preserved. Chu Yueyuan and her group arrived uninvited and filled all three rooms.
Master Xukong was chanting sutras in the Buddhist hall when he heard the news of the Emperor and Empress Dowager's arrival. He continued to strike the wooden fish, his eyes lowered, silently reciting Buddhist scriptures.
The young monk returned to his room and whispered, "Please wait a moment, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager. My master said he will come to pay his respects to Your Majesty and Empress Dowager after he finishes reciting the Lotus Sutra."
Lin Mu raised his thick eyebrows, tightened the fine iron wrist guard on his wrist, and scoffed lightly: "Master Void has quite the airs! Your Highness, why don't I go and invite him myself?"
Chu Yueyuan raised her hand to stop her, and smiled faintly: "It's alright. Monks are not bound by worldly affairs. Besides, it was I who came to visit without prior notice and disturbed Master Xukong's meditation. It just so happens that the Emperor and I are thirsty, so let's have some tea first."
The young monk had never seen a soldier like Lin Mu with such a fierce and indifferent expression before, so he hurriedly brewed a cup of tea and wild fruit juice and brought it over.
Lin Mu tested the two cups of water with a silver needle, and after confirming that there was nothing wrong, he presented them to Lin Mu.
The fruit juice of the wild plants in the mountains, whose names were unknown, was bright red and tasted sweet and sour. It was refreshing and helped to relieve coughs. Xiao Yun drank it with great relish.
Chu Yueyuan took a sip of the tea, her eyes lighting up. She smiled and asked, "The tea leaves aren't top-grade, but the tea is rich and fragrant. Little master, what kind of water did you use to brew this tea?"
The woman smiled, revealing a unique charm in her eyes and brows.
The young monk was so captivated by the sight that he stood there dumbfounded, forgetting to reply.
“Amitabha, the tea here is all taken from the Lingjing Pool outside the Zen Temple.”
Upon entering the house, the monk clasped his hands together, bowed deeply to the young Empress Dowager, and said in a calm tone, "This humble monk has been negligent; please punish me, Your Majesty."
Chu Yueyuan returned the greeting with a Buddhist salute and a smile: "The Emperor and I happened to pass by this place and saw this Zen temple. We were curious and came in to take a look. It was my fault for disturbing Master Xukong's meditation. How can you say that I should be punished?"
“Amitabha Buddha, all things arise from causes and conditions and are empty of inherent existence. Everything is cause and effect. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor came as they came, how can it be considered a disturbance?”
Master Xukong was about forty years old. He was tall and wore a dark brown monk's robe with lotus patterns embroidered on the hem. He held a string of Bodhi seed prayer beads in his hand. His eyes were as deep as the sea, and there was a faint smile on his lips. He exuded a calm and composed demeanor.
Chu Yueyuan gestured for Lin Mu to take a seat.
She talked about Buddhist scriptures with the void for a while, but Xiao Yun, who was sitting in the armchair, couldn't understand. He had been running around too much earlier and was now feeling tired. His little head bobbed up and down like a chick pecking at rice.
Chu Yueyuan pulled the dozing Xiao Yun into her arms, casually took out a bamboo skewer from her purse, and said with a smile:
"Today, I drew a fortune stick in the Buddhist hall. I have long heard of Master Xukong's unique insights into Buddhism. Could you please interpret the poem on this fortune stick for me?"
Xu Kong took the bamboo stick, his gaze falling on the three small characters "Bingzi" at the top of the stick. His expression was like a deep pool outside a Zen temple, and he only calmly raised his eyes to look at the beautiful young empress dowager.
“The Buddha said: If you do not believe, there is nothing; if you do not doubt, you have nothing to ask for. If Your Majesty wants this humble monk to interpret this divination slip, it will disturb the pure land in Your Highness's heart. I urge Your Majesty to think twice.”
Chu Yueyuan stared at the tea leaves floating in the cup, her fingertips gently stroking the cup's surface covered with fine lines, and said in a light tone, "Master Xukong, please speak freely, I will not blame you."
Xu Yun seemed to have already known the woman's choice. He put his palms together and slowly uttered a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha. The Empress Dowager's request regarding fate concerns heavenly secrets. This teaching cannot be passed on to just anyone. Please dismiss the idlers around you and allow this humble monk to explain it to you privately."
Chu Yueyuan pondered for a moment, then turned and ordered, "Commander Lin, you all go and wait outside the door."
Having learned from the previous experience with Eunuch Su, Lin Mu carefully searched Xu Kong's body and found no sharp weapons before leading his guards to line up at the door.
The outer door was wide open, so they could rush in if there was any noise inside.
The back of the divination slip was turned over in the void, revealing two lines of text: "Like a swan flying into a cage, it tries to climb back up but cannot. Neither north nor south will find a suitable match; this divination truly suggests boundless sorrow."
He twirled the prayer beads in his hand and said in a deep voice, "This is a very unlucky divination. Literally, the Empress Dowager is like a swan trapped in a cage, now trapped in an inescapable predicament. If Your Highness can extricate yourself as soon as possible, there is still a glimmer of hope. If you cannot extricate yourself, you will be trapped and die in the cage..."
Chu Yueyuan's eyelashes trembled slightly, and the five fingers resting on the cup suddenly tightened: "Oh, I'd like to know what the master meant by 'a glimmer of hope'?"
With hands clasped together, a voice said, "Amitabha, the person who built the magnificent golden cage for the Empress Dowager is filled with anger, has deep resentment, and is burdened by karmic obstacles, making him comparable to a malevolent spirit. The Empress Dowager should stay away from this person as soon as possible to avoid being defiled by his turbid aura and sinking into eternal damnation with him."
The evil spirits mentioned in the void were all too obvious, and Chu Yueyuan couldn't help but picture the Regent's handsome face in her mind.
It seems that not all evil spirits are blue-faced, fanged, and ugly.
However, Chu Yueyuan could not agree with Master Xukong's advice.
If the regent is a malevolent spirit, then she is an accomplice to evil. Without the protection of a malevolent spirit, such a lowly spirit cannot see the light of day.
Chu Yueyuan slowly relaxed her five fingers that were tightly gripping the cup, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips.
To panic over a single unlucky fortune slip is no different from desperately seeking any treatment when one is ill.
So what if the Regent is not Xiao Yun's biological father?
At worst, she and Xiao Yun would be imprisoned in Beiting for life, and she would take this secret to her grave forever.
Chu Yueyuan nodded slightly: "I will keep Master Xukong's words in mind. In the future, I will draw closer to Buddhism, copy scriptures, and cultivate my character and virtue. I have troubled you a lot today. Another day, I will send palace servants to deliver incense and repair the Zen temple, so as not to waste the tranquil scenery of this place."
After she finished speaking, she lowered her head and softly called to Xiao Yun, who was sleeping in her arms, "Your Majesty, wake up, we have to go back."
No matter how much she pushed and called out, Xiao Yun kept his eyes tightly closed, sleeping soundly without moving.
A sense of unease suddenly settled over Chu Yueyuan's heart. She slowly raised her head, and her gentle, watery eyes were suddenly covered with a layer of frost.
"What did the master just give the emperor to drink?"
The Void lowered its eyes, its face still compassionate like a Buddha, but the words it spoke sent chills down one's spine: "Amitabha, since the Empress Dowager is so stubborn, then let this humble monk help Your Highness get rid of the evil spirit and restore peace to the people of Great Qi."
Seeing that the Empress Dowager and the young emperor had not come out for a long time, Lin Mu, who was waiting outside, sensed that something was wrong. He rushed into the house, followed closely by the imperial guards.
It was still too late.
Xu Kong suddenly ripped open the Bodhi seed bracelet in his hand, and the scattered prayer beads splashed onto the ground like raindrops. The fine, hair-like Vajra threads wrapped around Chu Yueyuan's slender neck, instantly leaving a glaring bloodstain.
———
The royal hunting grounds behind Tanzhe Temple.
At sunset, the earth seems to be draped in a thin, pale golden robe, and the sky is painted with magnificent colors by the fiery red sunset.
After a half-day of exhilarating hunting, Prince Chen returned to his tent to rest, where attendants immediately came forward to pour him tea.
Prince Chen had a fruitful hunt at the hunting grounds, shooting three roe deer and seven doves, a perfectly auspicious number. He looked radiant and waved his hand dismissively.
"Take away the tea and replace it with two cups of Tusu wine. This is a rare and beautiful occasion. We brothers haven't been together for many years. I want to drink and chat with my elder brother until we're drunk!"
The servants quickly brought over two cups of wine placed on a plate of crushed ice.
King Liang had an old injury on his shoulder, so he couldn't draw his longbow and therefore didn't ride into the forest to hunt. Instead, he fished by the lake for half a day.
His shoulder injury was alright, but the real problem was the injury on his face. If that bandit's knife had fallen just a fraction of an inch lower back then, it wouldn't just have been his eye; it would have probably sliced off his entire head.
If that person hadn't arrived in time and decisively blocked the attack with his sword, he would already be in the underworld.
He saved his life, so should he repay that favor?
"Third brother seems to be in a good mood?"
The King of Liang spoke calmly, but his gaze did not fall on the Prince of Chen. Instead, he looked towards the serene ancient temple nestled amidst overlapping green mountains.
Prince Chen poured himself a cup of chilled wine, drank it down, raised his thick eyebrows with satisfaction, and smacked his lips, saying:
"Tsk, it's been many years since I've returned to the capital. Returning to the hunting grounds today reminds me of the autumn hunts of the past, when my eldest brother and ninth brother always caught the most game. Back then, Father praised my eldest brother's outstanding virtue in front of all the civil and military officials, saying he was humble and modest, a model among all the princes. He even rewarded my eldest brother with the Xuanyuan Bow. I was truly envious at the time..."
King Liang listened silently, his expression complex, the scar under his eye appearing as red as blood in the setting sun.
He said calmly, "But Ninth Brother's horsemanship, archery, and swordsmanship were all personally taught by Father..."
Prince Chen nodded: "That's precisely why I've never understood Father. When Ninth Brother was young, he fell ill, and Father always remained indifferent, never celebrating his birthday even once. I originally thought Father disliked Ninth Brother because of his background, but when Ninth Brother was poisoned, I'd never seen Father so furious. He almost killed all the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital, and even before investigating the matter thoroughly, he executed him..."
Prince Chen abruptly stopped speaking. He looked at Prince Liang, whose face was gloomy, and chuckled dryly twice: "Brother, please don't be offended. You know I can't hold my liquor. After three cups, I start talking nonsense..."
King Liang pursed his lips and remained silent. He was blinded by the dazzling sunset and lowered his eyelids. He raised his wine cup, tilted his head back, and drank it down. When he raised his eyes again, there was only coldness in them.
Yes, he missed the throne and fell from being a revered prince to his current predicament, all thanks to that person. What favor could he possibly owe?
Prince Chen realized his slip of the tongue and quickly changed the subject: "Alas... my wife loves to dress up and insisted that I hunt a leopard for her to make a fox fur cloak. But leopards in the forest are faster than arrows, and these beasts can climb trees. Today I exhausted three horses and emptied ten quivers of arrows, and I didn't even manage to touch a hair on one of these creatures..."
He had barely finished speaking when the sound of horses' hooves echoed through the woods.
The two people sitting under the tent looked up at the same time and saw a group of people coming out of the forest. The man in the lead was sitting on a horse, with a graceful demeanor and extraordinary martial skills.
As the setting sun cast its golden rays upon the earth, Pei Muwei's shoulders were also bathed in a dazzling golden light, highlighting his refined and handsome appearance.
At the end of the procession, eight guards emerged from the woods, panting heavily, carrying a massive creature on their shoulders. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a leopard with smooth, glossy fur. An arrow had struck the leopard's brow, with only the feathers at the tip of the arrow shaft visible.
A moment later, two more groups emerged from the jungle, carrying out two more leopard carcasses.
Prince Chen stood up, speechless with envy, almost drooling.
Pei Muwei lowered his eyes and instructed the guards beside him: "Send all the game I hunted today to the Imperial Wardrobe and order them to select the best furs to make a cloak for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor respectively."
"Your subordinate obeys."
Prince Chen, his belly protruding, strolled over slowly. Seeing the three leopards spread out on the ground, his eyes gleamed, and he gave a thumbs-up, praising them:
"Ninth Brother's arrow-cutting skills have improved considerably! Every arrow hit the mark right between the eyebrows, without damaging a single hair. Alas, your sister-in-law has always dreamed of owning a leopard-fur cloak, but alas, my archery skills are lacking. I've been busy for most of the day and haven't even caught a glimpse of this beast. It turns out that Ninth Brother has already captured it..."
Pei Muwei remained expressionless and said calmly, "It seems that Third Brother's luck isn't very good today."
Prince Chen: .....
Just then, a rapid sound of hooves rang out. The rider seemed not to have seen Prince Chen, and the dust kicked up by the horse's hooves flew all over the rider's face.
Lin Mu dismounted and knelt on the ground with a thud, saying urgently, "Your Highness, the Emperor and Empress Dowager have been kidnapped by several evil monks at Tanzhe Temple and their lives are in danger!"
Pei Muwei's usually calm and handsome face suddenly showed signs of distress.
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