Chapter 731: Chapter 472: Baihua Village
Have you taken a liking to my mana for saving people...?
Bodhi’s face remained unmoved, she clasped her single hand together, "Amitabha, in the battle between two armies, there’s bloodshed and slaughter. This humble nun is of little power and light word; I only wish to stay in Cold Mountain Temple to recite sutras and pay homage to the Buddha, with no intention to go to battle."
"Is that so..." Prince Jing’s face was full of regret. He tried to persuade her a few more times, but seeing Bodhi’s insistence, he smiled and said:
"If that’s the case, I won’t force you. I shall take my leave now. Bodhisattva, rest assured, I have instructed my people not to offend any Buddhist temples along Jiancheng Road, big or small."
Bodhi gently saluted, "Thank you, Prince. This humble nun will see the Prince down the mountain."
One monk and one noble, exchanged pleasantries until they reached the mountain gate.
After burning a stick of incense, Prince Jing took his leave and descended the mountain. Walking on the mountain path, a trusted commander by his side murmured, "Prince, since this woman didn’t give you face, should we...?"
Prince Jing’s smile faded, he shook his head and let out a cold snort, "The old nun doesn’t know how to appreciate favors... but after all, she is from the lineage of the Divine Dragon Temple, best not to provoke."
Even though Bodhi had a disagreement with Xuan Yin, ultimately, they both belonged to the lineage of the Divine Spirit Temple.
Prince Jing had allied secretly with Xuan Yin; he couldn’t, at this critical moment, displease Xuan Yin and suppress the Divine Dragon Temple.
"It’s a pity, Xuan Yin, perhaps concerned about the reputation of the Buddhist sects, was unwilling to publicly choose sides. He was either too closely watched by Zhang Yan Yi, or simply wouldn’t leave the Capital. Before the Sealing of Mount Tai, he’s only willing to send the Magic God to assist in battle."
Xu Wen secretly frowned.
He didn’t know the truth—that the "Magic God" was actually Xuan Yin’s avatar; he simply believed that the Magic God was an extremely powerful expert cultivated by the Divine Dragon Temple in the martial world.
Before this, the Divine Dragon Temple had also used the Magic God Sect, a martial world force, to secretly connect with several of the favored among the Eight Princes.
Indeed!
Master Xuan Yin was placing bets on several of the Eight Princes at the same time, not just supporting him, Xu Wen!
This is why he dared not offend the Divine Dragon Temple; there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
"Prince, what if this nun secretly aids the Fake Emperor and the Zhao family?" another trusted aide whispered.
Not long ago, the news of Zhao Douan and the Empress’s whereabouts being exposed and their escape into the Huai River path had reached Prince Jing.
The intelligence that Eunuch Hai was leading people to obstruct Ouyang Ye, resulting in a failed capture, was recorded in detail.
"So, I have people monitor Cold Mountain Temple; enter occasionally to check if the old nun is around. As long as she doesn’t wander around, then don’t worry."
Prince Jing said calmly:
"As for those escapees... truly, do they think they can return to the Capital alive, with just those two? Hai Chunlin and his men can obstruct my people, but they can’t stop those coming south from the north."
According to the plan, if the Empress died directly on Luo Mountain,
Then the Divine Dragon Temple would keep to themselves and no longer participate in the struggle.
But the Empress didn’t die... she’s still alive, which has become a huge hidden threat. With her wisdom, she’ll surely guess it was Xuan Yin who acted.
Thus, Master Xuan Yin must continue to exert effort to ensure that the Empress can’t return to the Capital.
And because the Empress didn’t die, the previous orders are still in effect, with Zhang Yan Yi keeping a close eye on Xuan Yin to ensure that the Heavenly Human Realm doesn’t intervene further.
Wu Xiankui, that martial artist with a mysteriously slow mind from training, only agreed to make a move once, and at the crucial moment, he even struck the Magic God. He can’t be relied upon at all.
So...
Prince Jing had already used magic to learn that the Divine Dragon Temple had secretly dispatched a team heading south, to encircle the Empress.
"In this way, my people will come from the south to north; Divine Dragon Temple’s people will move north to south, front and back trapping her—she can’t escape even with wings!"
Prince Jing coldly laughed, lifted his hand to flip open the bright red cape beneath his armor, striding towards the heavily armored troops in neat rows, stationed at the base of Cold Mountain Temple.
"If the Yu Country seeks prosperity, and the ancestral inheritance aims for longevity, how can we entrust this magnificent rivers and mountains to a woman? If she truly gives birth to some offspring and then passes the throne down, should this country be named Xu or Zhao? Usurpers, doomed to perish!"
Prince Jing mounted his horse, tugged the reins, turning his gaze towards Chang’an, with eyes burning:
"This world should bear the surname Xu, for ten thousand generations! No failure allowed!"
Inside Cold Mountain Temple.
"Bodhisattva, the army at the foot of the mountain has left." A monk pushed open the door, speaking to the Bodhisattva with his back to him.
"Understood." Bodhi spoke softly, her eyes lowered as she overlooked the large water jar before her.
A lotus was planted in the water jar; lotus leaves covered half the jar, with a fiery red dragon fish swimming beneath.
Folk legend has it: when the dragon fish emerges, heroes strive for supremacy.
"Turmoil in every direction. What a pity for that exquisite Lu Ding..." Bodhisattva murmured, as if still thinking of Zhao Douan.
She then shook her head, not believing that Zhao Douan, having lost the Empress’s backing, could still be alive.
"And... Xuan Yin... are you involved in all this?"
Bodhi looked into the water jar; the clear water surface rippled, vaguely depicting a scene of the Capital.
The old nun frowned deeply; she wanted to return to the Capital immediately, yet knew that Prince Jing would not allow her to go north.
"I wonder how things are at the temple in the Capital."
...
Capital.
In this era where letters travel far, the transmission of news was always slow.
However, due to various magical methods, the disappearance of the Empress and the news of the Eight Princes raising armies were still known to a select few in days.
On this day, Master Bian Ji knocked on the doors of the Jizhao Temple.
Next to the pond in the courtyard where Bodhi once lived, he found Princess Yunyang.
After Bodhi left, within the nunnery, no one could suppress this Great Princess. Though she was still under "house arrest" and could not leave,
Inside the temple, she moved freely, and no one dared to restrain her.
Thus, the princess, nearly driven mad by confinement, occupied the nest, claiming Bodhi’s residence as her own without concealment.
At this moment, she donned a long bright red dress, sat barefoot by the pond, dipping her jade feet into the water.