The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 485 - 385, Your Majesty, Mr. Zhao is dying! (Two in one)_2
The government ship inevitably made frequent stops along the way, and if traveling overland in winter hadn't been so uncomfortable, Zhao Douan would have preferred to disembark and take a carriage back.
That day.
The group anchored at a town beside a canal on Linfeng Road to rest and resupply, and the government ship slowly approached the shore.
Zhao Douan stood on deck, the land before him desolate.
The old eunuch slowly emerged from the cabin and came to his side, glancing at him:
"Are you so impatient to return to the Capital to claim your achievements before His Majesty?"
Wind-reddened cheeks betraying him, Zhao Douan stubbornly replied:
"Not at all. I'm contemplating the matters concerning the Buddhist sect."
On that day, the search for the rebels within Hu Ting City proved fruitless, yet Zhao Douan hadn't given up his investigation.
Before heading back, he found the Imperial Shadow Guards of the locality and ordered an inquiry.
Not long after setting sail, he received the investigation results from the Shadow Guards.
Among them, on the day of the assassination attempt, Long Shu Bodhisattva and "Little Heavenly Master" from Heavenly Master Mansion were suspected to be nearby, and afterward, the Little Heavenly Master was believed to be shadowing the former as he left, which caught his attention.
"According to the Shadow Guard's findings, Long Shu Bodhisattva seemed to also have plans to take part in my assassination that day but was intercepted by the senior disciple of Heavenly Master Zhang… Hmm, while it's not confirmed, both parties being there seems too coincidental."
Zhao Douan's expression was grave, and he turned to look at the Tributor:
"If Divine Dragon Temple is really colluding with the Eight Princes, then this matter is significant." freёnovelkiss.com
Eunuch Hai uttered an "oh" and casually remarked:
"Do you think it's plausible?"
"It's not plausible," Zhao Douan said, troubled:
"That's exactly my confusion. If Long Shu Bodhisattva's appearance represents Divine Dragon Temple's stance, then there would have likely been major changes in the Capital by now, yet no news has come through. Moreover, it makes no sense for Divine Dragon Temple to suddenly align with the Eight Princes and partake in such worldly matters."
Eunuch Hai glanced at Zhao Douan, who was rarely seen so perplexed, and softly offered a thought:
"Just like you may not fully represent His Majesty, Long Shu might not necessarily represent the will of Divine Dragon Temple."
"Are you suggesting… this act was done in a personal capacity?" Zhao Douan exclaimed, surprised:
"Because I defeated Tianhai in the arena, thus thwarting the plans Long Shu Bodhisattva had been plotting for years? And that's why he came after me? But…"
He wanted to say, would a Cultivator with the status of Bodhisattva act so irrationally?
Even in vengeance, wouldn't one wait for an opportune moment to strike in secret? Such a blatant approach…
Zhao Douan suddenly paused, struck by inspiration as he recalled what Old Heavenly Master Zhang Yan Yi had once said to him about the four factions within Divine Dragon Temple and the intricate and complicated situation similar to the court's politics.
"Could it be…
"Long Shu Bodhisattva's actions were deliberately meant to draw the court's attention to Master Xuan Yin? No… Has the internal conflict in Divine Dragon Temple become so intense? This is a tactic of mutual destruction…
"Wait, I might have overlooked something. That is the influence of Western Regions Buddhism's Zu Ting… Zhenbao once mentioned to me that after the Buddhist-Taoist competition, Western Regions Buddhism grew restless. Perhaps, it is this external pressure that is causing changes within Divine Dragon Temple…
"That time, the fifty-year-old nun Prajna approached me for Dual Cultivation… Now Long Shu Bodhisattva intentionally gets involved in my assassination attempt… These are both manifestations of Divine Dragon Temple's internal struggle turning fierce…"
For a moment, Zhao Douan felt as if he had unraveled many things, yet due to missing information, fell into even greater confusion.
"Young man, don't waste your mental energy like this; just focus on your own affairs. The world is vast, can you really worry about all of it?"
Eunuch Hai sighed with heartfelt advice, patted his shoulder, and turned to head back to the cabin.
Zhao Douan chuckled at himself mockingly, without the Emperor's command, he was indeed overly concerned with the Emperor's worries.
Yet a thought crossed his mind:
With Prajna and Long Shu Bodhisattva making their moves, when would the remaining one, Da Jing Master, reveal himself?
...
Not long after.
The government ship docked, and the travelers either stayed in their cabins or disembarked for some fresh air.
The sailors and soldiers operated the ship and conversed with the dock's government officers, acquiring supplies for the ship.
Zhao Douan felt the sudden urge to relieve himself; he went ashore to a hill overgrown with wild grass to take care of his needs and then, adjusting his trousers, headed back toward the dock.
Suddenly, he was drawn to a dark, covered boat moored at the bank.
The small boat was unremarkable, but from within the low canopy, a middle-aged monk slowly emerged.
He appeared to be about fifty, and despite the cold season, he wore only a thin monk's robe, exposing half of his shoulder to the frigid air.
Over his robe, he draped an old red kasaya, which stood out vividly against the dry, yellow landscape.
Beneath the shaved head, an austere face stared calmly at Zhao Douan, the corners of his mouth lifting slowly as if chanting "Amitabha."
Zhao Douan felt chills run down his spine, an acute sense of danger engulfing him.
The monks entitled to wear kasayas were few, and in such weather, with bare half-arms, even rarer.
But most important was that unfamiliar, yet familiar face.
In that moment, Zhao Douan's mind raced, searching his past memories for the owner of that face, and finally, he found a match from an image he remembered seeing in the Imperial Court's archives.
Zhao Douan's pupils constricted, his right hand reaching for the Flying Knife in his sleeve, as he uttered a name:
"Da Jing Master!"
Simultaneously, from the dark boat, one of the three Bodhisattvas from Divine Dragon Temple, the old seasoned worldly master of Perfection, Da Jing Master took a step forward and was already in front of Zhao Douan.
