Chapter 174: Hello Chang’an
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Chapter 174: The Dimming of the General Star
"Pray with me," Holy Emperor momentarily broke her gaze from the young girl.
"Yes."
After entering the temple to offer incense with the Emperor, Chang Suining knelt before the prayer altar, her hands clasped in front of her as she silently listened to the monks chant sutras.
Six monks sat cross-legged, their chanting echoing through the tower.
Chang Suining closed her eyes as well, but the peacefulness of the chants became a maddening force, resonating with the prayer offerings around her. The sound felt like a death knell, vibrating painfully through her skull as though it might split her head open.
"Bang, bang, bang—"
Suddenly, the steady sound of a wooden fish began to ring out, breaking the oppressive chanting, as though it were a ripple across the surface of a lake.
Chang Suining’s mind settled a little as her eyes opened to see where the sound originated. It was Wu Jue .
He held the wooden fish in front of him, one hand tapping it rhythmically while his eyes were closed, looking like a compassionate Buddha.
Chang Suining quietly observed him for a moment before closing her eyes again.
The rhythmic tapping of the wooden fish seemed to ease the pain caused by the chanting, but it did not remove the physical agony she felt.
Fortunately, she had prepared for this. She had swallowed the pills from the porcelain bottle beforehand.
The medicine was something that Shen Sanmao, a performer on the streets, had once used. He had no real skills but relied on sleight-of-hand tricks to impress the crowd and earn tips. Before performing, he would take these pills, which numbed his pain, allowing him to endure it without flinching. However, it also dulled his senses, including his hearing and touch.
Shen Sanmao had used this to make a living, though he eventually gave up when the costs and physical toll outweighed the earnings.
The pills were not commonly used, but they were perfect for what Chang Suining needed. Shen Sanmao had given her a couple of them, and she had taken both before entering the temple to ensure her endurance.
The drug helped alleviate about half of her pain, but the formation within the temple was still quite sinister. The pain felt as though it was coming from the very core of her body, threatening to tear her apart.
It was an unbearable sensation, but soldiers like her were trained to endure. She had also deliberately conditioned her new body since assuming the identity of Chang Suining, honing her stamina. Without that, she could never have remained in her current position, seemingly at ease while kneeling in prayer.
During this agonizing time, Chang Suining replayed the temple's formation in her mind, trying to find any clues or hints.
Although she knelt with devotion, she had no actual intention of praying, and it seemed that Ming Hou shared the same sentiment.
She kept track of the time in her head. The effect of the medicine would only last another two to three hours. After that, her discomfort would be impossible to hide.
Today, she was in a passive position, bound by the will of others, and within this fog of uncertainty, she could only proceed cautiously, step by step, careful not to make any mistakes.
When the chanting finally stopped, Chang Suining opened her eyes, mentally calculating the remaining time. The hour was noon, and the effects of the medicine were already fading.
The prayer ritual had concluded. If she could leave the temple now, she would have successfully navigated this ordeal.
As long as she could get through this, she could prepare for what would come next.
But her instincts told her that this might just be wishful thinking.
She quietly observed Holy Emperor's movements.
Now was a critical time—there were many state matters waiting for her. The ritual at the imperial tomb had already taken up much time, and the mountain of affairs waiting for his attention could not allow the emperor to stay in the temple for long.
As expected, after Ming Luo helped Holy Emperor rise, a trusted eunuch quickly approached and whispered that several ministers were waiting in the study, urgent matters needing the emperor's attention.
The emperor nodded. "I know."
However, her gaze landed on Chang Suining as she rose from her kneeling position.
To her disappointment, he still saw nothing unusual in her expression.
But that didn’t seem to dissuade her from continuing her test.
"I still have state affairs to attend to. Whether it’s for the state or for prayer, it all concerns the fate of our nation. I cannot handle both at once. I would like you, Chang Suining, to stay in the temple and copy the sutras and pray for three more days. Will you accept?"
Perhaps it was because only the faint soul of Chongyue resided in her body that the formation's effects were slower to manifest. If a half day wasn't enough, a few more days would do.
Chang Suining lowered her gaze. "Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey."
She did not hesitate and was not surprised. It was clear that in this situation, there would be no room for luck.
Holy Emperor nodded with apparent satisfaction before turning to Ming Luo. "Leave Gu'an behind as a sign of my sincerity."
Ming Luo nodded in understanding.
Holy Emperor then looked at Wu Jue . "Let the younger ones stay behind to copy the sutras. Master Wu Jue will accompany me. I have some Buddhist teachings I wish to discuss with you."
Wu Jue felt uneasy, but he concealed it, smiling as he nodded.
In that moment, Chang Suining had an inkling of Wu Jue 's stance.
By leaving Ming Luo behind and sending Wu Jue with him, Holy Emperor clearly did not trust Wu Jue and was taking precautions against him.
Now, she could be certain that Wu Jue was not one of Holy Emperor's people.
Once Wu Jue left, there would be no one to warn her or keep her informed. All that would remain were the eyes watching her, making it clear that if the soul of Li Shang still resided in her body, she would have no choice but to remain in the tower until her true nature was exposed—wasn’t that right?
Chang Suining bowed, watching the emperor leave.
As Holy Emperor stepped out of the temple, she looked up at the sky, now clouded over.
There was a severe drought in Daozhou with no rain in sight.
In the capital, however, after the autumn rains began, they hadn't stopped, and today, with her prayer in the temple, the weather remained gloomy. The dark sky seemed to portend something bad.
Holy Emperor furrowed her brow, glancing back at the tall tower. He muttered to himself, "Could it be... I was wrong? I misjudged?"
Wu Jue sighed lightly, "Amitabha, perhaps the time has not yet come."
"The time... I wonder if this time will truly show mercy on my son. He accomplished great things for Da Sheng Dynasty and should not have met such a fate," Holy Emperor murmured, her voice faint with sorrow. "The national teacher once said that the fall of our general star began with the death of my son..."
Wu Jue paused as he heard this.
Had the national teacher truly said this?
Holy Emperor’s longing for his son’s return, was it to save the nation’s fate, or driven by mother-daughter affection and guilt?
....
Ming Luo’s eyes flashed with a hint of sarcasm. “It seems that Miss Chang isn’t worried about General Chang, who is out on the battlefield.”
Chang Suining rose nonchalantly and replied, “My father is a valiant warrior, so I need not worry too much.”
Besides, this cursed Dayun Temple was no place for proper prayers.
She stretched, as though to loosen her muscles, and casually walked over to Ming Luo’s side. She glanced at the half-page of scriptures that Ming Luo had copied. “I see you’ve also mimicked the handwriting of Princess Chongyue?”
Ming Luo’s expression darkened slightly. She instinctively picked up the scripture and covered the half-written page, then looked up at the young girl. “What exactly are you trying to do, Miss Chang?”
Her words were laced with anger, though her voice was deliberately low, as if she didn’t want anyone else to overhear.
Chang Suining surveyed the monks and eunuchs stationed around them.
Ming Luo’s reaction confirmed something for Chang Suining: if the eunuchs hadn’t noticed anything strange about her, then Ming Luo, though she might be suspicious, wouldn’t openly mention it to the Holy Emperor.
Ming Luo might be afraid to defy the Holy Emperor, but in the corners where her spies didn’t reach, she would certainly withhold information for her own selfish reasons.
That was Chang Suining’s opportunity.
“The Holy Emperor asked me today if Princess Chongyue resembled the statue of the Celestial Maiden in any way,” Chang Suining said, lowering her voice with feigned curiosity. “Do you know, County Princess Ming, whether the Dayun Temple has another purpose?”
Ming Luo’s heart filled with wariness and suspicion, but she only let out a dry laugh on the surface. “Why would Miss Chang ask me about such things?”
“I’m not asking for nothing.” The young girl leaned slightly toward Ming Luo, her voice dropping to a whisper in her ear. “Earlier, you asked me what I knew, didn’t you? In exchange, I can tell you a secret I know.”
Ming Luo’s expression shifted slightly. She stared at the girl before her, her gaze steady.
At such a close distance, Ming Luo noticed how the girl’s lips, usually soft and pink, had turned pale, almost colorless.
Though it seemed like a trivial change, it made Ming Luo instinctively grip the brush in her hand tighter.
The girl’s voice was soft and slow. “There’s no rush. We’re staying here for three days. You can think it over, County Princess Ming.”
While speaking, Chang Suining kept an eye on the direction behind Ming Luo. At the right moment, she quietly flicked a small golden bead from her hand, sending it flying through the air.
Then, she slowly straightened up and moved away.
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*End of Chapter*
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