Chapter 2657 The Taoist priest who prays for rain, the man who doesn’t want to be a dog

The night was already dark, and Zhao Wuhao did not stay in the old library any longer. After all, he still gained a lot today. Not only did he gain a lot of insights from the book, but he also saw the practice methods of the Demon Sect in this world. Twenty The three-year cicada was indeed very interesting, and he even knew that there was a passage in the back hill of the academy that led directly to the old library. These gains were enough to make Zhao Wuhao very satisfied, so he walked down to the second floor of the old library with satisfaction, holding his hands behind his back and strolling leisurely. He walked towards his small courtyard, not like a young man at all, but more like an old man, an old man who has looked down upon everything in life, calm and full of wisdom.

When he passed the small courtyard in the morning again in the evening, the middle-aged man had left. Zhao Wuhao was not surprised by this. He didn't care at all about the identity of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Although he was already in a state of knowing his fate The pinnacle realm stands at the top of the human world, but as long as he is willing, he can transcend the human world at any time, step above the five realms, and become an extraordinary person. However, he is unwilling to do so now, so for the emperor of the human world He no longer cares about it, even if the other party is powerful, it has no meaning for people like him.

As long as a practitioner enters the realm of no distance, he can follow his heart's desires without any distance, and a saint's thoughts can reach thousands of miles away. This is so magnificent. Even the siege by a large army is powerless, so even the emperor has no choice but to treat practitioners who have transcended the five realms and must respect them because they are no longer human beings.

Zhao Wuhao, who returned to the lower courtyard, slept soundly. He had no idea that the third gentleman in the back of the academy was tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, and his mind was very restless and chaotic.

Of course, Zhao Wuhao didn't know that the little fat man Chen Pipi stayed up late studying hard and completed the homework assigned by the master in great distress, because he didn't want to get hit by the master's ruler a few times, even though he was now at the upper level of Dongxuan. , and cannot ignore Master's ruler. Every time a ruler is touched, it will hurt for several days. It is the most feared weapon for naughty children and the most terrifying weapon in the world.

Even if the ruler is ordinary, as long as it is held in Master's hand, it is invincible.

In the early morning, the sun slowly rose, and thick fog shrouded the ancient academy. In the yard, rows of green plants exude a fresh atmosphere and look particularly beautiful against the rays of the sun. The breeze blew and the leaves rustled, as if they were telling something.

Under the morning light, the air in the small courtyard is fresh and pleasant, and breezes blow by. In the center of the courtyard, there is a small pond. The water is crystal clear, with microwaves rippling on the surface, reflecting golden light, and the floating light is very golden. Bright and beautiful, like a tranquil landscape painting.

Zhao Wuhao has no classes today. He plans to go to Chang'an City to feel the fireworks and the mortal world. He has not left here for three years since he entered the academy. He is immersed in practice and seems to be separated from the world. .

Zhao Wuhao did not eat in the academy, but went directly to Chang'an City, where there were all kinds of delicacies and snacks, enough to fill his stomach.

To revisit the old place, Zhao Wuhao did not choose to take a carriage, but walked. Back then, he came to the academy holding a paper umbrella in the spring rain and became a teacher of this academy. He stayed there for three years and was a student at that time. He was about to graduate this year, so he had the idea of ​​going back to Chang'an City for a stroll, taking his time, feeling happy and extremely relaxed.

Zhao Wuhao went to Shenghuafang and Tongda Street, visited a bookstore, bought cheap lotus leaf rice, walked through Zhuque Street as fast as possible, and then found a lively place.

Dozens of Chang'an people, led by an old man in Taoist robes, were kowtowing at an altar somewhere. Zhao Wuhao asked the people watching the fun next to him, and found out that this was a Taoist temple at the south gate of Haotian Dao, where a blessing ceremony was being conducted, hoping to move some of the spring rain from Chang'an City to the arid northern border.

I saw the Taoist priest next to the altar with long silver hair and beard, and his robes were fluttering in the wind. He looked really as if he were a fairy. A wooden sword in his hand buzzed in the air, and several talismans were shaking in the direction of the sword's edge, with vermilion writing looming. After a moment, there was only a scoff, and the wooden sword rose up from the air and inserted into the yellow sand of the altar in front of him. The talismans had already burned with the wind at some unknown time and turned into pieces of ashes scattered on the surface of the yellow sand. .

The people who knelt in front of the altar and worshiped devoutly were still devout, but the people who were watching cheered in unison. The scene gave people the feeling of a juggler performing on a flyover, and the spectators were watching when they did a dangerous trick in the middle. reaction.

The blessing and rain-moving ceremony officially ended, and the Taoist boys were preparing to move the altar and ritual items into the Taoist temple. Unexpectedly, the sky suddenly darkened and the pattering of spring rain fell again.

Zhao Wuhao held up his hands and opened a paper umbrella. On it was a red plum blossom stepping on the snow. He was naturally proud, unruly and noble. It was the same paper umbrella from three years ago. There was a bit of pride on his face. He looked around.

The onlookers without umbrellas dispersed with a buzzing sound and hid under the eaves of the street. They looked at the somewhat embarrassed Taoist boys and pointed at them, and even faintly heard the sound of ridicule.

Looking at this scene, Zhao Wuhao couldn't help but laugh. When he looked at the old man hunched over in the drizzle, his eyes showed not only gloating but also pity.

Zhao Wuhao has such amazing eyesight. Those wooden sword talismans before were not tricks, but methods of cultivation! Although this old Taoist has not entered the third level of spiritual practice, he has at least been immersed in the second level of perception for a long time!

Apart from Xiling, Chang'an probably has the most practitioners in the entire world. This Taoist who is about to enter the real state is even so pitiful that he needs to rely on these means to perform.

It's a pity that the Taoist temple wants to recruit believers in this way, but Haotian, whom they worship, doesn't give him much face. It's true that even a magic talisman master doesn't have the ability to call the wind and rain, let alone this old Taoist priest who has insufficient cultivation level.

Zhao Wuhao watched the poor old Taoist priest enter the Taoist temple, and the door gradually closed, and he remembered something.

Haotian Dao is known as the only orthodox religion in the world, and its status is respected in all countries. The Taoist temples occupy countless fields and never need to pay taxes. The priests of each branch are even more noble and highly respected. In countries like the River Kingdom and the Southern Jin Dynasty, their kings are on the throne. At that time, it even needed to be blessed and approved by the Taoist priest from Xiling.

However, looking at the ridicule and ridicule of the people who were watching just now, we can know that the status of Haotian Dao in the Tang Empire is far from being comparable to that of fellow practitioners in other countries.

Although Yan Se, the priest of the South Gate of Haotian Dao, was granted the title of National Master of the Tang Dynasty, the whole world knew that the relationship between the South Gate of Haotian Dao and Xiling, where the main body of Haotian Dao worships the gods, has always been inseparable. All the rights of identification are in the hands of His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, and the Xiling Divine Sect has no way to interfere.

There are even rumors that when the Tang Empire was founded, Haotian Dao was prohibited from preaching within the territory!

Logically speaking, Haotian Dao, which is known as the most orthodox religion in the world, has hundreds of millions of followers, and is extremely powerful, cannot endure this kind of suppression and humiliation. In fact, they did not tolerate it, so they had the Seventeen Kingdoms Expedition. History of the Tang Dynasty.

At that time, the seventeen-nation coalition army, which was said to be one million, invaded the territory of the Tang Empire, but was directly crushed into pieces by the imperial cavalry that was as vigorous as the rising sun. Immediately afterwards, the army of the Tang Dynasty attacked Yanggu Pass like a wave and swept across. There are countless broken cities in the world.

After this magnificent battle, the so-called coalition forces dissolved like ice and snow. Three of them were directly conquered by the Tang Dynasty and became the three counties of Hebei Province today. These three counties were also the three counties that suffered the most when Emperor Taizu of the Tang Dynasty conquered the north.

What is puzzling is that in this magnificent battle across the world, the Xiling Kingdom has always stayed out of the matter, and the countless hidden strong men in the Haotian Dao Sect have never taken action.

Perhaps because of this, when the forces were re-divided after the war, the Tang Empire did not deliberately launch another campaign against Haotian Dao, and Hao Tiandao finally gained the qualification to preach within the territory of Datang.

After this battle, the Tang Empire established its position as the overlord of the world. Haotian Dao still has the largest number of believers in the world. One is secular and the other is religious. The two are disgusted with each other because they are not sure of winning each other, so they pretend to be They couldn't see each other, so they gradually lost interest in doing things to each other.

This situation has been maintained for thousands of years, and nothing has changed even now. Therefore, Haotian Dao is still superior in other countries, but in the Tang Dynasty, even the smallest Taoist temple must pay taxes; in other countries, all people are followers of Haotian Dao, but in the Tang Dynasty, even Haotian Dao controlled by the imperial court If the South Gate of Heaven wants to attract believers, it has to sadly send out practitioners to perform tricks on the streets for the people of the Tang Dynasty to watch.

"If there was no connection with Master, I would write my last name backwards!"

"The Xiling Divine Sect is not easy to mess with. There are countless masters. Even now, I am not sure that I can escape unscathed. There are many Apocalypse strongmen who have broken through the five realms. It is the most powerful and unfathomable place besides the academy. Only the master who transcends the human world and is the first person in the ages can intimidate him and dare not intervene in the war of the Seventeen Kingdoms to attack the Tang Dynasty, making the Tang Dynasty a place where Haotian's divine glory cannot shine!"

Except for umbrella sellers and carriage dealers, there are probably no businessmen in the world who would like the abundant and continuous rain in Chang'an City every spring, and brothels are no exception. Due to an accident that happened outside the side door a few days ago, Hongxiu Zhao was forced to close down for the night, and some unlucky rumors spread. Nowadays, the thin drizzle outside the building is suitable for playing the piano and painting, but in broad daylight It looks really deserted.

The boss of Hong Xiu Zhao is sitting in a quiet room on the top floor, talking to a middle-aged man in a blue shirt. The middle-aged man is about forty years old. He is sitting quietly at the small wine table with a handle on it. Sword, this sword was originally slung around the waist of the middle-aged man in blue shirt.

"I have driven away all the tenants in Alley 47. Now that all the leases are in my hands, what reason do you have to refuse Chang'an Mansion's expropriation of that street?"

The boss of Hong Xiu Zhao seems to have a bad relationship with the middle-aged man in blue shirt. There is a bit of pride on his face, as if he wants to see a trace of loss and unwillingness on the face of the man in blue shirt opposite.

"Even if you see that all the tenants on Forty-seventh Street have been driven out, what's the use? Have you ever seen me lower my head?"

The man in green shirt had a faint smile on his face, and his eyes were full of determination and strength, a power of faith that would not yield to money and power. He was a man with bottom lines and principles, so he faced Hong Xiu. When recruiting an unscrupulous person like the boss, he is always restrained and suppressed, but he can bear losses and still does not give in.

"Chunfengting Laochao has indeed never lowered his head, but do you know who you are facing?"

The smile on the man in green shirt's face faded a bit. He naturally knew who he needed to face. It was precisely because of this that he did not fight back and was always tolerant, even if all his tenants were evicted. He could bear to leave, but now it seems that the other party does not accept his concession.

The man in green shirt did not speak, but slowly closed his eyes, pretending not to hear the other party's question.

"Lao Chao, after all, I am asking you questions on behalf of the palace today. Can you be more respectful?"

The man he was talking to today was named Cui Mingdelu. Although it was a very vulgar name, he was definitely not a vulgar person. A man who could manage the number one brothel in Chang'an could not be too vulgar.

Most people in Chang'an thought that the background of this brothel was a certain high-ranking official in the Chang'an Palace, but only a middle-aged man knew that Cui Delu relied on the chief steward of the Prince's Palace, and some even suspected that the brothel itself was The prince's property.

"Hong Xiuzhao has been in some trouble recently. I really didn't expect that Brother Cui you would still have time to talk about those things."

Cui Delu looked slightly cold and said with a hint of cruelty on his face.

"Lin No. 47 Alley is not owned by the palace. You should know this very well. It was just because it was inconvenient for the Military Department and the Household Department to come forward, so it was entrusted to us idlers who were running errands."

"Who would have known that you had been holding on to it, which made the elders in the ministry unhappy, and this matter has become such a big deal now. A few days ago, Chang'an Mansion was trying to sweep your place, but you took it down, and in the end, the Yulin Army Everyone is out."

Hearing the words Yu Linjun, the middle-aged man in green shirt frowned slightly, as if there was a dull pain in his heart.

Seeing the reaction of the man in green shirt, Cui Delu changed the subject and continued with a smile.

"Of course you should know that the prince's government does some things for the two ministries, and there are always some benefits, but the chief steward said that the prince admires you more. He once mentioned your name after drinking and said that you There are rules and propriety in doing things in Chang'an City."

The middle-aged man remained silent, but the dark color between his eyebrows became more and more conspicuous. When Cui Delu saw this, his eyes flashed and he said seriously.

"You also know that a censor in my house died two days ago, which is very troublesome. The unlucky one died suddenly, but the family went to Chang'an Mansion. His Royal Highness and the censor had an old relationship. This I can't say anything at the moment, so I have to deal with it myself. If you can find a way to settle this matter for me, then I will never interfere with the matters over at Alley 47 from now on."

Although Cui Delu is just a brothel owner, and although he keeps talking about himself, the middle-aged man knows very well that the other party represents the attitude of His Highness, and the voice from the palace. After thinking for a moment, the middle-aged man smiled and asked .

"Even if His Highness and the imperial censor have an old relationship, it is too simple to settle the matter. Why does it require the intervention of people like us who are mixed up in the world?"

Cui Delu's expression suddenly turned gloomy, his eyes were cold and ruthless, he stared into the eyes of the middle-aged man and said.

"Do you really don't understand, or are you pretending to be confused with me? If it's the former, I will no longer see you as Chunfengting Laochao in my eyes, because you are too stupid! If it's the latter, I will no longer see you in my eyes. You, Chunfengting Laochao, are such a famous person, because you are too smart but don’t know how to praise me!”

Cui Delu's voice was extremely cold, full of blood and evil spirit, which made the temperature in the room drop, adding a bit of chill in this spring rainy season.

When the middle-aged man heard this, his expression was extremely calm and unmoved. Of course, he didn't really understand, nor was he pretending to be confused, but he just didn't want to bow his head.

"The matter of Lin 47 Lane is not a problem, it is not a problem to the prince, and it is not a problem to me, the Chunfeng Pavilion. If the imperial court really needs it, I will be willing to use both hands. I offer it, but you shouldn’t use this matter to pressure me.”

"The rule of Chunfeng Pavilion is not to get involved in the fights between the superiors. Whether it is the prince, the military department, or the household department, as long as the matter is related to these, I will go as far as I can. The more you pressure me, the more I It will go further.”

"You, Mr. Cao of Chunfengting, are the biggest gang leader in Chang'an City. You have thousands of people working for you. The imperial court rewarded you with the work of escorting water transport. But you said you wanted to leave? Do you think you Can you escape by yourself? Where do you want to go? Where can the three thousand brothers under your command go, to the prison of the Ministry of Punishment or to the prisoners of the frontier fortress?"

Cui Delu stared at the middle-aged man with sinister eyes, and the threat in his words was self-evident, and he said coldly.

"In the past few years, things were calm in the court, and it might have been possible for Mingzhe to protect himself, but now the fourth princess has come back. She wanted to protect her brother as the prince, but she forgot that the queen was on the throne, and the queen also had a son! Of course, these days’ family affairs have nothing to do with you, but if you don’t show your attitude at this time and choose to be the dog of whichever family, then no matter which family will tolerate you!”

"To be a dog, does it mean you have to find an owner?"

The middle-aged man sighed, stood up, looked down at Cui Delu, his back as straight as a mountain, indestructible, and asked in a deep voice.

"So, you want to conquer me for His Highness the Prince?"

"That's right! Now in the entire Chang'an City, everyone who has the right to speak out is oppressing you. Why? Because you are a dog without an owner. In this case, if you are willing to join any family, if you have an owner, what will others think? If I beat you, I have to look at the face of the person holding your rope."

"Can I ask a question?"

The middle-aged man frowned slightly, but suddenly opened it, with a smile on his face, and said to Cui Delu.

"you say!"

"Between the Queen and the Fourth Princess, who will His Highness support?"

A glimmer of light flashed in Cui Delu's eyes, and he said decisively without the slightest hesitation,

"Of course, no one will support it. Your Highness will always be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor. As long as His Majesty says who it is, then His Highness will support whoever it is."

After hearing this answer, the middle-aged man was silent for a long time, then slowly raised his head and answered with a smile.

"I'm sorry, as a man from the Tang Dynasty, I'm really not used to being a dog to others!"