The National Master’s brow furrowed again. "Your Majesty," he said, "to start a war with Buddhism would require a great sacrifice. Can you afford to pay such a high price?"
"I can," the Emperor stated. "If Buddhism dares to confront us today, I will not compromise."
The Emperor’s words conveyed a significant ssage to the National Master.
"There is one issue I cannot comprehend, Your Majesty," the National Master said. "Could you resolve my confusion?"
"Your Majesty would not start a war with Buddhism without reason, just as Buddhism would not detain the Long Princess without cause. As for war with Buddhism, we of the Daoist Sect have nothing to fear. But we need to understand what we are fighting for. We must at least know the secret concerning the Long Princess. Otherwise, even if I support Your Majesty, I will have no grounds to convince my Sect to declare war on Buddhism!"
The National Master was no fool. Earlier that day, he had visited Qixia Temple and seen the Emperor’s three thousand elite soldiers surrounding it. He had also seen the Empress Dowager. Ostensibly, she was there to pray for the disaster-stricken people of Yunhang. However, upon seeing him, her first anxious question had been, "Did Xiaosuisui not return to the Palace successfully? Has the National Master co to rescue her?"
"’Rescue the Long Princess?’" he had asked. "’Empress Dowager, could you tell why the monks of Qixia Temple have detained the Long Princess?’"
The Empress Dowager’s expression had imdiately changed, and she had remained silent.
The National Master had ways to make the Empress Dowager reveal the truth, but he had not employed them.
His reasoning was simple: the imperial family did not trust him! If he could not gain their trust, then undoubtedly, he had failed as National Master.
"Your Majesty," he had continued, addressing the Empress Dowager, "as the National Master of the Great Han Imperial Family, personally appointed by His Majesty the Emperor, I would naturally not harm the Great Han royals. Although the Long Princess is a princess from common origins and not of imperial blood, she is still considered a mber of the imperial family. I will, of course, protect her. However, if protecting her ans going to war with Buddhism, it is not out of the question. But I must be able to justify this to my Sect, and the Sect, in turn, must answer to all Daoist Sects under Heaven. Empress Dowager, you have your burdens, and I, too, have mine."
The National Master had stood calmly before the Empress Dowager. He was no longer in a hurry to press her about the Long Princess. He had stated his purpose and made his aning clear. All he could do was wait for the Empress Dowager’s response, for her decision.
"National Master," the Empress Dowager had finally spoken after a long silence.
"Regarding Xiaosuisui’s matter," she’d said, "I promised the Emperor not to speak of it to outsiders. But she is a blessing to this old woman, and she is the future of our Great Han Imperial Family."
After these words, the Empress Dowager had said no more.
The National Master had waited a mont longer. Seeing that the Empress Dowager did not intend to speak further, he bowed respectfully and then turned to leave.
After taking his leave of the Empress Dowager, the National Master had not departed Qixia Temple imdiately. Instead, he wandered around the grounds for a while longer and paid homage at a Buddhist shrine.
The National Master of Great Han was a prominent figure in the Daoist Sect, a young genius who had once been widely acclaid. A disciple of the Daoist Sect coming to worship Buddha? The monks of Qixia Temple found this baffling.
When Liao Kong received this news, his expression changed instantly. The National Master is going to intervene! Previously, he’d thought the imperial family might not be aware of the little girl’s special nature, or perhaps they knew and were deliberately concealing it. Otherwise, attracting outside scrutiny would lead to imnse trouble. But now, due to his rash actions, the imperial family, likely seeking the Daoist Sect’s protection, might have revealed the little girl’s situation to them. The Daoist Sect would undoubtedly intervene and try to take her.
Liao Kong suddenly grew anxious. He imdiately descended from Mingwu Building to find the Abbot.
The Abbot was very surprised to see him. "Amitabha!" he exclaid. "Martial Granduncle, are you planning a long journey?"
His Martial Granduncle would not seek him out in his ditation chamber unless it was an ergency. The Abbot asked anxiously, "Is sothing wrong?"
Liao Kong lifted his gaze to the darkening evening sky and slowly said, "Amitabha. Tomorrow is the final Dharma Assembly. You will preside over it personally."
"Wha—what? Martial Granduncle, you...?"
"I must take the Long Princess to the Western Regions tonight. Any delay, and it may be too late!"
The Abbot’s expression changed drastically upon hearing this, his heart filling with worry.
"You need not worry," Liao Kong assured him. "I will do it discreetly, ensuring no one discovers it. The Long Princess is, for all intents and purposes, no longer in Qixia Temple. As long as I act with utmost secrecy, the Emperor of Great Han will have no pretext to apprehend any disciples from our temple!"
Having said this, Liao Kong turned and departed.
anwhile, the National Master was still in the Imperial Study conversing with the Emperor. He had no idea that his dayti visit to Qixia City had made Liao Kong so suspicious. Thus, Liao Kong was now waiting for the dead of night to spirit away the Long Princess of Great Han.
"National Master," the Emperor suddenly said, "the Long Princess’s eldest maternal uncle returned to the capital tonight."
The National Master froze.
Outside, Xiaosuisui, who had been listening, sat up straight, her ears perking up.
"Your Majesty tells this now..." the National Master began, "Could it be that Sect Leader Ji has a plan?"
Only then did the National Master realize: the Long Princess also had a powerful backer in the Illusion Sect Leader. This man was a genius from the Central Plains, possessing formidable martial prowess and unparalleled skill in Illusion Techniques! Although he was crippled, the battle outside Nanyang Town three months prior had shown that his physical disability did not diminish his combat strength in the slightest!
"Sect Leader Ji intends to storm Qixia Temple and seize two of Buddhism’s cultivation techniques: Mind Reading and Silent ditation!" the Emperor declared.
"What?" The National Master was shocked, his face a mask of incredulity. "Does Sect Leader Ji intend to convert to Buddhism? Is he planning to beco a monk?"
After his initial shock, he realized he had missed the point. If Sect Leader Ji truly intended to switch to Buddhism, why would His Majesty describe it as ’storming Qixia Temple to seize Buddhist cultivation techniques’?
"Your Majesty!" the National Master asked, his voice tense. "For whom are these techniques, Mind Reading and Silent ditation, intended?"
The National Master stared at the Emperor, his gaze filled with nervousness, expectation, and apprehension. He hoped the Emperor would say the na he was thinking of, yet he also dreaded that very na—the one associated with sothing, or soone, that required Buddhist cultivation techniques for suppression... That person...
"Naturally, the Long Princess is to learn them!"
When the Emperor confird this, the National Master visibly staggered. He looked as if he wanted to ask more, but after a mont’s hesitation, he simply bowed and excused himself.
The National Master opened the door and saw the Long Princess perched on a large armchair outside, her wide eyes fixed on him. Then, she shifted her gaze to the Emperor, who erged from the study behind the National Master.
"Your Majesty, Godfather!" Xiaosuisui exclaid. "My eldest maternal uncle is back! I want to go ho!"
Seeing the Emperor erge, Xiaosuisui hopped down from the large armchair. She scampered over, clutched a corner of his Dragon Robe, and looked up at him.
The Emperor bent down, scooped her up into his arms, and gently tapped her small nose.
"Your eldest maternal uncle is back?" he asked. "How did you know?"
Xiaosuisui replied, "Soone delivered a letter to ."
"Soone delivered a letter to you?"
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