Chapter 147 Rumors
"This is for you."
Jikong took it with a smile and said, "Amitabha."
The child from the Zhang family who was running towards him was named Zhang Yu. He was only about as tall as his thigh. His family members watched him closely and doted on him. Even though the weather was not too cold, his worried relatives had already put thick clothes on him, almost wrapping him up like a bloated ball.
A wide headband covered the round forehead, which seemed a bit out of place, but the child was cute, so it didn't look out of place.
Jikong was already accustomed to people coming up to him and talking to him; all Buddhist disciples were like that.
The child looked Jikong up and down with curious eyes, and tried to act like an adult with a childish accent: "Master, why did you follow my aunt here?"
Jikong's smile froze, and he said awkwardly, "On the way."
"On the way?" Octopus tilted his head in surprise: "Are you going to Zhongzhou too? To the capital of Zhongzhou?"
Jikong said nothing and remained silent with an uneasy look on his face.
The secret sect member who was listening on the side sneered: "It doesn't matter whether he goes to the capital or not, he has to follow your aunt for the time being."
Ji Kong pursed his lips, and couldn't help but dig his fingers into the flesh of his palm. He whispered, "Donor Zhang is not in good health. If the evil spirit attacks again along the way, I will protect him."
"Is that so!" Octopus suddenly realized. Although he was young, only about a month old, his family members never avoided talking to him. He actually knew a lot. The evil ghost Octopus also knew that it was chasing them. But if he remembered correctly, the monk in front of him seemed to be chasing them as well. Octopus shrank his neck, carefully touched his headband, and said enthusiastically: "Master! If you feel uncomfortable, remember to tell me! I'll run to tell my aunt!"
Jikong hesitated for a while, and when he saw the enthusiastic child was about to turn around and leave, he still spoke in a low voice: "Hey, hey, little donor."
"Hmm?" The octopus immediately turned around and came forward, his enthusiasm making Jikong feel quite burdened.
Jikong's earlobes blushed quietly, and he couldn't help asking: "Donor Zhang, how was the journey? Why didn't I see him get out of the carriage to get some fresh air? Was he feeling unwell? I don't mean anything else, but the donor didn't get out of the carriage the whole way. Was he really feeling unwell?"
Jikong became flustered as he spoke: "I'm not saying that you are not feeling well, I'm just worried that you might be feeling unwell. I don't have any other intentions..."
Jikong's words were too confusing, and the octopus was unable to react for a moment. It was not until Jikong shut his mouth awkwardly that the octopus's brain reconnected. He simply combined Jikong's meaning and laughed heartily: "Master wants to see my aunt? Great! I'll push my aunt over here!"
"Master, wait for me!"
"Why--"
Jikong stretched out his hand, but his motion of trying to retain him stopped in mid-air.
The secret cultist who was watching the scene couldn't help laughing. "I'm talking to you! Is it necessary to be so nervous? Why don't you dare to walk up to the carriage of the miracle doctor and say loudly, 'I miss you so much, please come down and talk to me?'"
Ji Kong's face exploded instantly: "Be careful, be careful with your words! Donor! How can you do this! This is really too much, too rude!"
He spoke weakly, his hard muscles trembling.
The esotericist raised his eyebrows, a hint of mockery flashed across his eyes, he lifted his black robe and stood up, saying directly: "I told you that you and I don't get along. Anyway, watch me and see how I get the miracle doctor off the bus."
So, this extremely upright esoteric sect member walked straight to the front of the carriage, and under Ji Kong's dumbfounded expression and the strange looks of the people around him, he said loudly and without shyness: "Divine doctor! Can you get off the carriage and have a chat? I want to talk to you!"
Liuwei in the carriage: "......?"
He reluctantly lifted the carriage curtain and was forced to end his slacking career.
The name of the esoteric sect member is Weng Ke. He is a black-robed esoteric sect member with a very unique personality among the black-robed esoteric sect members. Specifically, he does whatever he wants and does whatever he wants without caring about the eyes of outsiders. He is self-willed to the extreme and no one knows how he came to believe in the esoteric sect.
When Weng Ke heard Liu Wei's doubts, he revealed the secret directly: "Family inheritance! Otherwise I wouldn't believe it! It's good that I believe you, and you still chat with me, and you don't even need me to bleed or cut flesh, and you still chat with me."
The Weng Ke people are from a tribe that lives in the deep mountains and forests of Nanzhou, and they always speak with a light and rhythmic voice.
"You didn't get off the carriage these few days. I almost suspected that you died in it!" Weng Ke complained affectionately, "You made it impossible for me to listen to my story!"
Because Weng Ke had an outrageous mouth, he was often poisoned by the Right Protector in Songcheng. He had basically tasted all of the Right Protector's masterpieces, and the pain was always related to the Right Protector's poison. Weng Ke would often wail in agony, and Liuwei would occasionally tell him a few stories to comfort him.
People who came from the deep mountains and old forests had never seen such colorful words before, and were almost instantly mesmerized. They always hung out with Jikong, who they didn't get along with, and it was entirely because Jikong seemed to have a good relationship with Liuwei.
"Just to hear my story?" Liuwei asked in a slightly raised voice, with a feeling of disbelief.
Weng Ke was hiding in a black robe, but he always gave people the impression that he was proudly holding his tail high and raising his head: "Humph! Good story! Good man! But I know that you outsiders always like to lie to us! Be careful with your mouth! Don't lie to me!"
"But now that you are here, you are the outsider." Liuwei teased innocently.
"..." Weng Ke cursed: "Then don't worry about it!"
"Go on telling me the monkey story!"
It's a pity that Weng Ke's strength is not as good as Jikong, otherwise he would be the best bodyguard. As Liuwei spoke, his eyes regretfully turned to Weng Ke who was concentrating. After all, Weng Ke accepted an invitation from others and went to the capital of Zhongzhou, which was on their way. Moreover, he was easy to be deceived, and was a scammer's favorite!
Weng Ke paused, then suddenly turned his head and said, "Hey! Big monk! If you want to listen, come over and listen together!"
Jikong immediately walked away in embarrassment.
"Huh? The wizard is here too?" Liuwei pretended to know nothing.
Weng Ke muttered, "Who knows what's wrong with him? It's inexplicable. Ignore him and continue talking."
***
Jikong was a little hesitant to get closer.
Even a little inferiority complex.
Weng Ke was more straightforward, more lively, and even generous than him. Compared with Weng Ke, he had nothing but stronger strength. Ji Kong couldn't help but start to wonder if the reason they had such a good conversation at the beginning was because Liu Wei had been deliberately trying to please him. Was he a burden to Liu Wei?
Jikong wandered in the shadows anxiously.
Moreover, he failed to live up to his trust and let him be held hostage by the evil spirit.
Not only was he unable to find the sinners who had offended the Buddha, but his promise also fell through.
People like him... People like him...
Jikong's pupils shrank slowly, and he couldn't help but pinch the bowl in his palm. The terrifying force caused the golden bowl to slowly tighten and directly deform.
But he quickly came to his senses, silently restored the bowl, and silently recited the Pure Heart Sutra.
“Not with the visible, nor with the invisible.”
"Are you chanting?"
Jikong's tall figure suddenly jerked, and he looked like an animal whose tail was stepped on, with his hair all over his body exploding. But when he soon found out that it was Liuwei, he couldn't help but relax quietly. He nodded awkwardly: "Yes, donor, I am, I am chanting."
Jikong closed his eyes in pain, and that was it. He stuttered again.
Liu Wei said mysteriously: "Master Jikong, I discovered a secret."
Jikong was stunned. He couldn't help but be curious about Liuwei's performance. He threw away other thoughts and squatted down subconsciously. He looked up and asked, "Secret?"
Liuwei raised a finger between his lips: "I'm telling you, but you can't tell anyone else."
Jikong nodded immediately and stammered, "Little monk, I guarantee it with my life!"
"Ah... that's not necessary." Liu Wei propped up his cheek and whispered, "I found that the goods transported by this caravan seem to be weapons."
Jikong's pupils shrank.
weapon?
***
The atmosphere in Zhongzhou's capital has become increasingly tense in recent days.
Shen Yu waited anxiously outside the palace gate. When he saw the maid in the palace calling him in, he quickly strode into the palace and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty."
Incense was lit in the main hall, and the fragrance was so strong that it almost made people dizzy when they smelled it for the first time. This was the smell of soothing incense, with a hint of bitterness.
The person in the hall whispered, "No need to be polite."
Shen Yu raised his head worriedly.
The handsome young man had jade horns on his forehead, was thin, had pale lips, and leaned weakly on the edge of the couch. His jade-white hands were placed on the desk with his fingers slightly curled up. The young ruler of Zhongzhou covered his mouth and coughed lightly. The cough echoed in the empty hall, inexplicably giving rise to a sense of sadness.
"Your Majesty!" Shen Yu couldn't help but shout, the dense pain in his heart overflowing, his hands clenched together tightly, and the muscles on his face twisted in pain.
"Haha, I'm fine, don't worry too much. The imperial physician said that I just haven't been sleeping well lately." The young emperor was still comforting his subordinates in a gentle voice.
Chen Yu tried hard to suppress the anger in his heart: "I understand, I understand."
"What's the urgent matter?" After comforting his confidant, Yan You lowered his eyelashes, picked up his pen again and began to review the memorials.
Shen Yu paused and reported: "Your Majesty, there are rumors in the palace now. Do you need to take action to control them?"
There have been rumors in the palace for a long time that Your Majesty cannot sleep at night because he is haunted by evil spirits.
This should have been an extremely absurd statement. After all, Zhongzhou was protected by Qilin, so how could ghosts get close to it? However, His Majesty had lived and ate with a ghost for nearly ten years, and anyone would have had doubts about this.
What's more, His Majesty has been suffering from sleepwalking since some time ago, and the news has almost spread throughout the palace. His Majesty is kind, but people's hearts are unpredictable, Shen Yu thought worriedly, his eyes darkening. Those people with ulterior motives actually spread the news of His Majesty's illness outside the palace, saying that His Majesty was affected by ghosts and gods, and was in harmony with ghosts, which lost the majesty of Qilin.
Thinking of this, Shen Yu’s hands couldn’t help but clench.
Those damned things, if it weren't for your Majesty's mercy, they should be mining in Coal Hill now, instead of gossiping here! How could they not appreciate God's grace! They really deserve to be cut into pieces!
"Ah..." Yan You paused, and the ink from the tip of his pen left a stain on the memorial.
Chen Yu nervously and anxiously waited for a reply from his superiors, begging His Majesty not to be so merciful and lenient and allow him to take some action to control the situation.
After a while.
Yan You's meaningful words were heard in the silent hall.
"Commander Shen, don't worry about it. The mouth is on the face, and the thoughts are in the heart. We can control the mouth, but how can we control the heart?"
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