Lady Yin was nearly ten months pregnant when Li Jing angered her so much that she clutched her stomach and cried out in pain.
Seeing this, Li Jing knew immediately that Yin Suzhi was about to give birth. He quickly picked her up and rushed back into the house. Some of the servants rushed to find a midwife, some rushed to the palace to report, and others busied themselves boiling water. The entire mansion was instantly bustling with activity.
In the original story, Nezha, who was the incarnation of Lingzhuzi, stayed in his mother's womb for more than three years. However, the Nezha we know today is not Lingzhuzi and is just like any other normal child.
Li Daoyi saw this scene through the mirror, then turned around and disappeared into the Zhutian Tower.
Half an hour later, the couple's bedroom was surrounded by people, including Emperor Xin and the Queen. Li Jing was so anxious that he kept blaming himself, wishing he had told them about his two sons becoming disciples sooner.
"Li Jing, you're really foolish! How could you make such a decision on your own?" Queen Jiang scolded Li Jing after learning the whole story.
"Yes, yes, I know I was wrong." Li Jing wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Ah…ah…” came Madam Yin’s painful voice from inside the room.
"Logically speaking, Su Zhi has already given birth to Jinzha and Muzha, so why is she still in so much pain?" Queen Jiang asked with some concern.
"I'm afraid this kid is a troublemaker, isn't he? Hahaha." Yin Shou laughed.
Soon, another half hour passed. The maids went in and out, constantly changing the hot water. Madam Yin's cries of pain never stopped. Not only Li Jing, but even Yin Shou became worried.
Just as Yin Shou was hesitating about whether to ask Li Daoyi for help, a baby's cry rang out, deafeningly loud.
"Wow...wow...wow..."
"She's given birth..." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Madam, Madam..." Li Jing called out from the doorway.
A moment later, the door opened, and the midwife came out carrying the swaddled baby. She was also covered in sweat, showing how difficult the ordeal had been.
"Madam is fine, just tired. Congratulations, Lord Li, it's a baby boy," the midwife said with a smile.
"Let me see." Queen Jiang quickly stepped forward and took the child.
Li Jing, disregarding the child, rushed inside, indicating that his wife was more important to him than the child at that moment.
"What a reckless fool," Yin Shou said helplessly.
"Your Majesty, look how handsome this child is!" Jiang said happily as he held the child in his arms.
"Guards, bestow rewards upon everyone," Yin Shou said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Everyone was overjoyed.
"Jinzha, Muzha, come and see your younger brother," Queen Jiang said.
Two children, about seven or eight years old, walked up from behind. They were Li Jing's two sons, Jinzha and Muzha. The two came over and looked at the baby, who was covered in red, with expressions of surprise and delight.
"Eeya?"
"Let me see, let me see too."
Mengmeng also squeezed through the crowd. She had been playing in the palace before, so she came to the Li residence as well.
"It's so tiny," Mengmeng said, looking at the baby.
"What's his name?" Mengmeng asked.
"This..." Queen Jiang was stunned. How could she know? Besides, the name should have been given by Li Jing and his wife.
“He was just born, he doesn’t have a name yet,” the Queen said.
Mengmeng rolled her eyes and then looked at the two brothers, Jinzha and Muzha.
"Hehe, I'll give him a name, Nezha," the little guy said with a grin.
"......"
Everyone was stunned and didn't know what to say. Naming a child should be the parents' job, so how could Mengmeng be asked to do it?
Yin Shou looked at Mengmeng, about to explain, when a figure appeared in the air, it was Li Daoyi.
“Master,” Yin Shou bowed quickly.
"Greetings, Immortal." The others also quickly bowed in greeting.
"Hmm." Li Dao nodded, then fell from the air.
Li Daoyi first walked up to the Queen, looked at the child in her arms, and then looked at Mengmeng.
Why did you decide to name him Nezha?
Mengmeng tilted her head and said.
"I don't know. I thought of the names Jinzha and Muzha, and then the name Nezha popped into my head, hehe," Mengmeng said.
"Hmm, Nezha, Nezha is a very suitable name." Li Daoyi nodded. He had originally planned to name Nezha as well, but Mengmeng beat him to it. That child is really strange.
Seeing that Li Daoyi had agreed, Yin Shou dared not say anything more, and Li Jing and his wife naturally could not object either.
A moment later, Li Jing came out. Upon seeing Li Daoyi, he quickly bowed.
"Li Jing, your son's name has been chosen. It's Nezha. Mengmeng and my master agreed to it." Yin Shou said to Li Jing, winking at him as if afraid he wouldn't like it.
"Nezha, Nezha, Nezha, alright, let's call him Nezha, thank you, immortal." Li Jing repeated it several times, growing more and more fond of it.
"You may all leave now," Li Daoyi said to the servants around him.
"Yes." The servants all withdrew.
"Mengmeng, you guys go out and play first," Li Daoyi then said.
"Oh, let's go, let's continue catching tigers." Mengmeng called to Jinzha and Muzha, and they left as well.
Seeing that everyone had left, Li Daoyi slowly spoke.
"You all know about Nezha. I took away that Spirit Pearl back then, but Taiyi Zhenren doesn't know yet. According to the original plan, after the Spirit Pearl devoured Nezha, it would take at least three years for it to be born. Now it has been born ahead of schedule, and Taiyi probably doesn't know yet."
Upon hearing this, Li Jing's expression turned extremely ugly. He never expected that his senior from his sect would do such a thing.
“Immortal, once my wife’s health improves, I will definitely make a trip to Kunlun to ask my master to make a decision for me,” Li Jing said in a deep voice.
"Oh? To make the decision? Li Jing, why do you think Master Taiyi would persecute your own flesh and blood for no reason? If it's just to hope that Lingzhuzi will be reincarnated, why would the whole world choose your family? You're thinking too simply." Li Daoyi shook his head and said.
“That’s right, there must be other reasons behind this, Li Jing, you must think this through.” Yin Shou nodded as well.
Upon hearing this, Li Jing also began to ponder. He too found it strange; Taiyi knew he was a disciple of the Burning Lamp Daoist, so why would he do such a thing?
"Please enlighten me, Immortal," Li Jing said, bowing.
“Destiny,” Li Daoyi said.
"Destiny?" Li Jing and Yin Shou asked at the same time.
“Your son was born at the right time, and his destiny is beyond measure. Becoming a general or a commander is a minor matter. Once he cultivates the Tao, it will naturally come to fruition, and he will achieve sainthood in his physical body. Tell me, who wouldn’t be envious of such a destiny? Who wouldn’t want to take him under their wing?” Li Daoyi said.
Upon hearing this, the three gasped in shock, with Queen Jiang staring at the swaddled baby in utter disbelief.
“But, but…” Li Jing murmured.
"You're asking why, if that's the case, you still needed to use the Spirit Pearl to possess someone's body? Is that right?"
“Yes, after all, I have become a disciple of the Chan Sect. As long as they give the word, I will naturally have this child become a disciple of Kunlun in the future,” Li Jing said with a wry smile.
“Alas, because you are a mortal, the prejudices of people’s hearts are like a mountain. In the eyes of others, you are not only a mortal but also an official of the Shang Dynasty. How could those people trust you? Only by turning Nezha directly into one of their own will they feel at ease.”
Li Jing was about to retort when Li Daoyi continued.
"Besides, do you think Taiyi Zhenren has the guts? Randeng is the vice leader, how could he dare to risk offending him to do this? To tell you the truth, the Spirit Pearl came from the hands of Yuanshi Tianzun."
"What?" Li Jing was completely stunned and stood there dumbfounded.
"Think it over carefully. But I advise you not to go to Kunlun, otherwise, your family of three will be in immediate danger." After saying this, Li Daoyi turned and disappeared.
"Bring Nezha to me in three months," Li Daoyi's voice came from the air.
“Hey, Li Jing, my master is incredibly insightful. He’s never wrong. There are some things I can’t tell you too much for now, but you must understand your place. You are first and foremost a human, a subject of the Great Shang Dynasty. Only secondly are you a disciple of the Chan Sect. You should be able to tell which is more important.” Yin Shou stepped forward and patted Li Jing’s shoulder heavily.
Jizhou in the north is the fiefdom of Marquis Su Hu of Jizhou. Although Jizhou is not as powerful as the four major vassal states, it is still among the top ten vassal states and belongs to the major vassal states. This time, when the new king ascended the throne, Su Hu did not go to Chaoge, but sent his son Su Quanzhong instead.
Inside the Marquis's residence, Su Hu sat alone in his study, holding an official document in his hands, his brows furrowed tightly.
"Father, you wanted to see me?" A young man in his twenties walked in; it was his eldest son, Su Quanzhong.
"Zhong'er, you've arrived." Su Hu smiled. Although he was in his fifties, he looked very well-preserved, like he was in his early forties.
"Father, are you worried about the slaves again?" Su Quanzhong asked.
"Hey, Zhong'er, has Chaoge City really changed that much?" Su Hu asked.
"Yes, things have changed a lot. Both nobles and common people are very supportive of the emancipation of slaves; they have been preparing for this for many years."
“Yes, we’ve been preparing for many years, but do we still have time? Zhong’er, I’m afraid the world will be in chaos within five years,” Su Hu sighed.
"How could this be?" Su Quanzhong was shocked.
“Some people can’t hold back any longer,” Su Hu said, shaking his head.
"Are the feudal lords going to rebel?" Su Quanzhong asked in a deep voice.
“Ordinary people only see the liberation of slaves, but the feudal lords see the king’s reforms. Slaves are just a trigger. Next, Chaoge will target the feudal lords,” Su Hu said.
"Father, do you mean that the King wants to weaken the power of the feudal lords?"
Su Hu nodded and said.
"The conflict and resentment between the feudal lords and the king have been deep for nearly a hundred years. Both sides have been restraining themselves. When the late king was on the throne, he had expressed his dissatisfaction with us on many occasions. Now that Emperor Xin has ascended the throne, he first granted a general amnesty to win people's hearts, and then liberated the slaves, causing the feudal lords to fall into chaos. Once the feudal lords are in chaos, Chaoge will have an excuse to weaken their power. This move is brilliant."
"Father, what should we do?" Su Quanzhong asked.
"I need to go to Chaoge," Su Hu said, standing up.
"What?" Su Quanzhong was startled upon hearing this.
"I have no choice but to go. Don't worry, he won't do anything to me. I just happened to use illness as an excuse to not go and offer my congratulations last time. If I go in person this time, the other lords won't suspect anything."
“Your father and Prime Minister Shang are old friends. With him here, nothing will happen,” Su Hu reassured him.
Upon hearing this, Su Quanzhong nodded and did not stop him.
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