The night gradually turned darker, and a ray of morning light shone from the eastern sky. The golden color pushed the edge of the darkness, extending across the undulating mountains and rivers, and enveloping the majestic city walls in the distance.
On the shimmering surface of the lake, an old duck to the east emerged from the reeds, flapped its webbed feet and splashed in the water, neighing. In the farther streets, common people, who had been bustling all night, walked out of their homes, looking for a living, buying vegetables, and fetching water. On the streets, there were orders for cavalry to rush to the government office, and soon, notices were posted on the east and west markets.
Just after the Lantern Festival, there was movement in the government office. Many people came to watch the fun, surrounding it in three layers inside and outside, standing on tiptoe and craning their necks just to get a glimpse of what was written on the notice. Among the people squeezed in the front, some who could read simply opened their voices to read it out to the people behind them.
"The emperor issued an edict, which was passed to the government office and announced to the people in the city. Since I ascended the throne, I have strived to ensure peace and prosperity for the people of the Sui Dynasty and tranquility on the border. However, Yang Su, a duke of the state, used his merits in destroying the Chen Dynasty in the south to deceive the emperor and control the government. On the Lantern Festival, I took advantage of the fact that the rebels were celebrating the festival and were less prepared, and sent troops into the city to arrest him. After the Lantern Festival, Yang Su was executed, and the government was clear. I have reflected on my mistakes. How could such a huge evil enter the court? Since it starts today, I must be conscientious and diligent in government affairs..."
The sound of the notice being read aloud spread to the back, shocking many people and causing an uproar.
On the morning of that day, the news had spread throughout the city. Some people even made a special trip to the official residences just to verify it. When they saw the lanterns with the word "Dian" hung on both sides of the government gates, they knew the news was confirmed and the whole of Chang'an was in an uproar.
"How could a famous general like Duke Yue, who is so famous throughout the world, actually do such a thing?"
"That's right. If your majesty hadn't announced it to the world, we wouldn't have known about it. It's true that you can only know a person's face but not his heart."
For a time, teahouses and restaurants were crowded with people, and many scholars and gangsters also gathered to see if there was any more news leaking out.
"No wonder there are more soldiers patrolling the streets recently. It seems that His Majesty has already made a plan."
"You are truly a wise and enlightened ruler."
"Alas, what a pity! Once this person gets credit, he becomes cocky."
"You are the same. If you were the Duke of Yue, you would be more excessive than anyone else."
"Hey, that's not necessarily true..."
In the gossip of the market, far away in the Wanshou Temple of Furong Pond, the morning light shines on the square. Little men are waving, kicking, punching and kicking, humming and hawing. They stand in the attic in the sun, and the light pours in from the window. In the past winter, the Toad Taoist stands on the windowsill, spreading his webbed feet and jumping up and down. Suddenly, a cloth towel sweeps across his feet and pulls them back. His round body leans forward, and his arms flap wildly, flapping back little by little, and he almost falls downstairs. He sits on the window frame, wipes the sweat stains with sweat dripping down, and looks back behind him.
Hong Lian and Qi You were cleaning the room, one holding a broom and the other holding a rag. Qi You originally wanted to use magic power, but was stopped by Hong Lian, who said that it was a good omen to clean the room by hand at the beginning of the year.
No one paid attention to the Toad Taoist on the window. He walked past the desk, jumped to the ground, walked out of the room with his flippers on his back, and went downstairs to eat the breakfast prepared by the Taoist. However, he saw a figure sitting under the eaves of the hall door, staring at a group of children in the square.
Lu Liangsheng rested his hands on his knees, and even ignored the old donkey who came over and stuck out his tongue. With a dazed look in his eyes, he was thinking about the deceased old man. Like his mentor Uncle Hua Gong, he could never understand why the old man died as a martyr.
After all, Master once said, "Alive." As long as people are alive, they have more opportunities to change, rather than relying on death to warn others.
'Defending the Way...'
As he whispered the word, a voice suddenly rang out from behind him: "What's that smell? How come I didn't smell it?"
"Master, I said to defend the Dao with my own body."
Lu Liangsheng looked at the spring sunshine and smiled, "Master, how many people like my mentor and Duke Yue are there in this world?"
"Wait for the master to come out first."
On the threshold, Taoist Toad turned over and jumped down, pressing his belly. He brushed the dust off his robe, walked to his disciple, sat on the small recliner, kicked his flippers, and looked at the square over there together.
"In this world, there are many people like your mentor and that guy. Some of them studied too hard and died without changing anything. Yes, I'm talking about your mentor, Uncle Hua Gong. He was beheaded, but what happened in the end? The emperor still lived a peaceful life. Just as I once told you, people need to be open-minded and live..."
At the side, Lu Liangsheng leaned over and said, "Alive!"
"You're still competing with me to tell the story." Toad's eyes were full of sunshine, and he smiled comfortably. He patted his apprentice on the calf twice: "You're still competing with me to tell the story. It seems that you're not too sad in your heart."
Lu Liangsheng felt the frog webs hitting his trouser legs, and his heart felt warm. He smiled and said, "I learned this from my master."
"Just be like that old donkey and learn everything that is bad about being a teacher."
A bald donkey with its tail wagging in the distance turned around and looked at the master and apprentice under the eaves. It tilted its head, as if someone mentioned him vaguely. It ran over excitedly with its tongue wagging, but Lu Liangsheng put his hand on the donkey's mouth and pushed it away.
The man and the toad, who were standing side by side under the eaves, looked at each other and laughed out loud.
After a while, the laughter stopped. Lu Liangsheng took a deep breath and felt much better. However, his tone was still a little melancholy. He looked at the branches swaying in the sunlight and sighed softly.
"Master, if there was a country that would never change, there would probably be fewer people like my mentor and the Duke of Yue. At that time, everyone would be busy studying or teaching, generals would be guarding the borders or expanding the territory, and the people would be busy with their own things, gossiping about family matters, and watching their children go home from school."
“Delusion.”
Taoist Toad followed his disciple's idea and imagined such a scene in his mind, but he immediately threw it out of his mind. When he was about to speak, his head suddenly drooped and he became silent.
The scholar, who was still waiting for the next words, lowered his head and looked, "Master?"
The short figure sitting on the small lounge chair suddenly moved. His expression was no longer as relaxed and kind as before, but rather majestic. He slowly stood up, holding his flippers and raising his chin.
"There really is such a method in this world. Lu Liangsheng, do you know why I sent Xu Fu out of the East China Sea to search for the Immortal Mountain?"
Ying Zheng
Lu Liangsheng quickly realized that the First Emperor in his master's body had awakened again, but he was not surprised. He followed the other party's words and asked, "Why? Looking for the elixir of immortality?"
“That’s just one of them.”
The First Emperor, with his bulging white belly, jumped off the recliner, walked to the stone steps, closed his eyes and sniffed the scent of spring.
"When my Ancestral Dragon Seal was damaged, the destiny of Qin was released and flew to various places in Kyushu. I asked the monks around me to inquire and search the classics, and finally found another way to re-establish the destiny of the country. It will last forever, and even the gods from heaven cannot destroy it."
Lu Liangsheng became curious, "What method?"
"Kongtong Seal!"
The First Emperor slowly turned his head and spoke slowly, "There is the power of the Five Heavenly Emperors above, and the seal of the Four Seas Dragons. In the beginning, I went out to the sea three times just to find this seal. If the fate of the country is suppressed by it, there will be no messy dynasties today. I will live as long as the heavens and be the king of the world. There will only be my Great Qin in this world!"
"Unfortunately, Your Majesty, it was not found."
Lu Liangsheng said jokingly: "The world is in chaos, but it's a pity that this kind of magic weapon is nowhere to be found."
"There is one person who knows."
The First Emperor narrowed his eyes, looked across the square to Mount Li, "Old Mother of Mount Li, my ancestor."
As soon as he finished speaking, he shuddered suddenly. The short figure standing on the steps with his hands behind his back blinked, and turned back to look at the small recliner in a daze.
"When did the old man come here?"
Then he sat back down and said, "Liangsheng, where were you talking about just now?"
However, the scholar next to him stood up and walked quickly to the mountain gate, making Toad anxiously shout, "Come back, where were you just talking about? Let me remember it! Quack-"