There was silence in the hall for a moment, and Yang Jian and Li Yuan were stunned and stared at the lamp on the table.
"His Majesty."
Lu Liangsheng took the cloud-patterned lamp pole and removed the paper cover, revealing the wick and oil pan inside so that the emperor could see it clearly.
In fact, he didn't know what it was. He got this Zishan Temple from Shenghuo Mingzun, and he was not clear about many things inside. After all, it was impossible for the other party to write a list for him to receive.
"Your Majesty often stays up late to handle state affairs. This lamp is perfect for your use."
The Taoist who took the porcelain bowl curled his lips and sat aside muttering, "Poor but generous."
Lu Liangsheng's mouth twitched slightly when he heard this. Yang Jian, who was holding the lantern reluctantly, put it away excitedly and handed it to Li Yuan behind him. He raised his head and glanced at the screen with hollow carvings on the dome extending to the beams and pillars, and the clouds and mountains and waters flowing eastward, and nodded in admiration.
"This Taoist temple of the Imperial Master is very elegant, but I feel that it lacks popularity. How can an Imperial Master, who is of such high status, not have servants to serve him?"
Without waiting for Lu Liangsheng to speak, he waved his sleeves and gave instructions to Li Yuan who was holding a lantern behind him.
"After returning, send a group of maids to the Imperial Master, and also select two hundred guards from the palace to be ready to take orders from the Imperial Master at any time."
"yes!"
Over there, the Taoist who said "poor and generous" just took a few steps towards the alchemy room, then suddenly stopped, his eyes lit up, and his steps quickened a little with excitement.
'Finally, there's a woman...'
With his peripheral vision, he watched the Taoist go to the alchemy room. Lu Liangsheng tried to refuse a few times, but Yang Jian insisted on seeing him off. In his words, the county magistrate always had several yamen runners following him, so how could a national master travel without any pomp
Well…
For some reason, Lu Liangsheng thought of the Dharma Master Pu Du Ci Hang, who protected the country and whose travels were accompanied by a group of nuns holding ceremonial guards and chanting incense music.
It’s a grand occasion, but I’m afraid it’s a bit scary.
Thinking of this, Lu Liangsheng couldn't help but laugh in his heart. He asked the old man to sit down, added tea, and chatted with him in the hall, also mentioning the matter of going south to Tianzhi.
"The big ship on the Ba River is ready. We can set off in two days. However, the waterway is not smooth and the land route is far away. So I think that in the future, if this waterway is connected in all directions, it can reach Jizhou in the upper part and Yuhang in the south. I have also sent people to measure along the way. In the future, this matter will still be completed by my son. What do you think of this, Imperial Master?"
Lu Liangsheng frowned slightly, and subconsciously drew a long line on the table with his fingers. As the old man spoke, the line meandered to the north and south.
"Your Majesty, opening up rivers to facilitate water transport is a move that benefits the country and the people. However, the project is too huge. I have never seen it in person, so it is difficult to make a hasty decision. However, if it is dug slowly and does not harm the people, it is feasible, but it will take a long time."
Yang Jian smiled, stroked his beard and looked at the sky outside the door: "So, I gave it to my son, the next emperor of the Sui Dynasty, to complete it."
After talking for a while, it was almost noon and Yang Jian was ready to leave. Lu Liangsheng sent him to the gate of the mountain and watched him leave in a carriage. Thinking of the long journey back to Tianzhi, he told the others about this. Lu Pan and the other eight had never been far away from home before, so they naturally missed home, so they must be taken with them. However, after some calculation, they realized that the only one left here was Li Sui'an.
"Your senior brother and junior brother live in Yuwen Mansion. I don't know them well and have told them not to meet for the time being. I am worried that if you bring your cultivation to the court, it will attract the attention of the Heavenly Dao and bring disaster to them. For now, you can stay and ask them to come here for a walk."
Li Sui'an had been traveling abroad in Japan for several years and was tired. He thought it would be nice to take a break for a while, so he agreed.
The next day, the maids sent by the emperor and the palace guards also came. Sun Yingxian was so happy that she wanted to stay immediately. However, Lu Liangsheng glared at her so hard that she dared not speak. She went back to her room in a huff, changed into a black Taoist robe with seven stars painted on the back, put on a Taoist crown with beads, and came out holding a whisk in her hand, looking like a master.
Everyone gathered in the hall. Zuo Zhengyang carried two long swords on his back and a thin knife on his waist. The old leather armor on his body was replaced with a dark two-stage armor covered with small fish-scale-like armor plates. The cloak under the two long swords on his back concealed many flying knives hanging on it.
Lu Pan and others who were noisily packing their luggage were also wearing armor, which made their muscles look tight and tall.
Soon, the Toad Taoist walked out of the bookshelf, straightened his black robe with gold edges, and walked over with his flippers on his back.
"Liangsheng, let's go."
…
The warm sunshine of early summer brushed across the long, bustling street. People passing by wiped the sweat from their foreheads and bargained with the vendors. Peddler carrying loads on their shoulders shouted as they walked out of the alley and came to a prosperous street. The teahouses and restaurants were bustling with people. Waiters carrying wooden trays shouted out the names of the dishes. Guests from afar shook the chest of their clothes, stood on the street and looked inside, but seeing no seats, walked down the curb in disappointment.
Afterwards, the rushed officers used water and fire sticks to carry them back to the eaves.
"The Imperial Master is traveling, my dear, please stay by your side—"
The crowds of people were moving away from the street. In the distance, the sound of horse hooves could be heard. A team of cavalrymen were carrying long weapons. In the middle, on a large black horse, a one-armed man with two swords on his back urged his horse to move forward. The blue bricks made a sound as he stepped over this side and his eyes swept across the two sides of the street with a majestic look.
At the rear, more than a hundred infantrymen carrying weapons stood in two rows, guarding a sedan chair. Beside them, there was a Taoist priest on horseback holding a whisk in his hand. They walked straight along the long street to the east gate. Under the daylight, it seemed as if they were dizzying. In a few breaths, they had reached the end of the official road from the sight of the soldiers on the city wall.
The shaking curtain was slightly opened, and Lu Liangsheng saw the lush green woods outside the city. He let out a breath and put the curtain down again.
"Your Majesty, this is such an embarrassing scene."
The sedan was spacious. On the low table opposite, Taoist Toad was lying on his side with his head propped up. He held a grape in one webbed foot and threw it over. He opened his mouth, rolled up his long tongue, pulled the grape into his mouth, chewed it comfortably, and spit out the grape skin.
"I think it's not bad... You are used to being alone. When you become the national teacher, you will have to pay attention to the pomp and circumstance in the future. For example, when I was a teacher, there were huge crowds of people..."
"As long as the master likes it."
Lu Liangsheng smiled and interrupted him quickly, then opened the curtain of the sedan chair. The bright sunshine fell on his face, and birds flew across the sky. The Taoist priest sat crookedly on the horse's back and almost fell off.
He still felt that the mountains and rivers outside looked more comfortable.
…
The sky stretched out, and in the direction where the long queue was heading, a long river was like a jade belt blocking the endless green hills, and the rippling water reflected a sparkling scene.
The reeds were swaying, and a water bird jumped off the reed pole, spread its wings and brushed the water surface, splashing a string of water droplets, and caught a small fish and flew into the sky.
Looking down from the bird's eye, people were coming and going on the dock, shouting slogans as they moved goods, and soldiers with weapons were patrolling by. On the river bank, there were several large ships anchored, swaying quietly with the flowing water.