Chapter 793: Give Them No Breathing Room

All of them lifted their heads at once, and Xiao Ningchen asked, "Who are the newcomers? Where are they?"

"There are seven of us in total, riding horses; three wear monk robes, four are guards, all carrying swords."

"The one leading them is an elder, stopped five li from the Main Camp."

"Monk?" Xiao Ningxun looked at Xiao Yuanhang, "Father, what do you think?"

Xiao Yuanhang said, "Let them pass, let those three monks in, and keep the others waiting where they are! If they dare step closer, kill them."

"Yes!"

Xiao Ran, with a strange expression, asked, "We're at war; why send monks?"

Lu Qi snorted, "They have no good intentions."

Zheng Wucheng nodded, "I think so too."

Xiao Yuanhang said, "Xiao Er, go fetch the National Preceptor."

"Yes!"

Soon, Chu Yuan entered the tent.

"Master!" Tuan Tuan shouted, "Sit beside me, Master!"

Xiao Ningchen personally brought a stool and placed it beside his sister, "National Preceptor, please sit."

"Thank you." Chu Yuan smiled and sat down.

Tuan Tuan clutched his father's neck, "Father, what kind of people are monks?"

Xiao Yuanhang pondered, "They are practitioners similar to your Master."

"Similar to my Master?" Tuan Tuan shook his head, "I don't believe it! He's definitely not as strong as my Master!"

Chu Yuan raised his hand and patted his disciple's little head, "Beyond heaven there is heaven, above a person there is another; Tuan Tuan, there are many more people more capable than your teacher."

Tuan Tuan blinked, "Even if there are, none are as good as Master!"

Chu Yuan laughed so hard his mouth couldn't stay closed, "Your mouth is sweet!"

Tuan Tuan gave him a sweet smile, "I'm telling the truth, Master."

Chu Yuan scooped up Xiao Feifei from the ground, cradled it, and gently stroked its back fur.

Xiao Feifei's eyes squinted from his petting.

Soon, the tent curtains were lifted and three monks entered.

The leading elder, about sixty years old, wore a golden robe, held a string of rosewood prayer beads, and had a slender face.

Two young monks, one on each side, followed behind him, each holding a scripture scroll.

Xiao Yuanhang raised his hand and signaled, "Attendants, give the Master a seat."

The soldiers brought a low stool and placed it at the side of the tent.

The old monk pressed his palms together, bowed slightly, and slowly sat down, his demeanor exceedingly humble; the two disciples stood upright behind him.

He scanned the assembled generals in the tent, finally fixing his gaze on Xiao Yuanhang: "I, humble monk Ci Yuan, am now the Great Abbot of the Eastern Sea Tiantai Sect."

"Today, under the command of the Conquering Barbarian Grand General, I have come to pay homage to the fierce nation's commander."

Xiao Yuanhang remained silent, not replying.

Tuan Tuan curiously asked them, "Where is your hair?"

Ci Yuan was startled, then smiled, "I, a humble monk, have shaved my hair and beard, as per the Buddhist precept of purity, to sever worldly ties and cleanse the six senses."

Tuan Tuan, half understanding, turned to look at his own Master, "But my Master is also a monk; his hair is perfectly fine, not a single strand missing!"

"So," she lifted her little face, seriously, "are you ill, causing your hair to fall out? You should see a doctor!"

The three monks: "......"

Everyone lowered their heads, straining not to laugh out loud.

Only Xiao Ran couldn't hold back, turned and hid behind Chen Hao, his shoulders trembling.

Chen Hao suppressed a laugh and patted his back.

"Young benefactor, you jest," Ci Yuan said calmly, getting straight to the point, "I am here not for military affairs nor political matters, but to perform rites to liberate the dead."

"In this war, many Korean civilians have been killed or wounded, and many Japanese warriors have also perished."

"I, the humble monk, wish to set up a ritual altar outside your army's Main Camp, hold rites for three days, recite the sutras ten thousand times, to liberate all the souls slain in this war, to soothe their spirits in heaven."

"Please keep your troops from moving, and open the gate for this benevolent act."

Having finished, he lowered his head slightly, the prayer beads sliding slowly over his fingertips, his demeanor supremely compassionate.

Zheng Wucheng's fist clenched hard, about to speak.

Xiao Yuanhang spoke first, "Ci Yuan Master, your compassion moves me; I, the Prince, admire you."

"However," he said sharply, "are you truly here to liberate souls, or to buy three days' delay for Kamakura Castle?"

Ci Yuan's finger paused on the beads, "Prince, why say that? I am a man of the outside world, I do not concern myself with war."

"Not concerned with war?" Xiao Yuanhang laughed, "When I was in Korea, I saw countless pits of corpses, the Korean civilians bound to the city walls by Japanese warriors."

"If you truly are compassionate, why weren't you there then?"

"Now I lead my army into Japan, and you only now come to perform rites; don't you think it's too late?"

Ci Yuan pondered briefly, then said slowly, "I have come only to follow the Buddha's will. This war is not my desire."

"Hearing the Prince's words, I also cannot bear further bloodshed, lest this world produce more widows, orphans, and the like."

"Then, Prince, why not consider withdrawing the army now?"

"General, I am willing to present the head of the chief culprit Fujiwara Liangxin as tribute to the world."

"The suffering of the Korean civilians, the General also wishes to compensate with a large sum of money."

"Chief culprit?" Zheng Wucheng could no longer hold back, sprang to his feet, "Did Fujiwara Liangxin single‑handedly lead a hundred thousand troops there?"

"When your Japanese slaughtered my Korean people, where was your General then?"

"You have finished killing people, razing cities, burning houses, and now, seeing the battle reach your own doorstep, you suddenly think of pushing Teng Yuan Liangxin out as a scapegoat?"

"Simply utterly hypocritical!"

Ci Yuan turned to him: "Patron, your grief and anger, this humble monk naturally understands."

"But Teng Yuan Liangxin's actions were not the General's true intention; they were his alone."

"Not the General's intention?" Xiao Ningchen scoffed, "If we were to follow Teng Yuan Liangxin, we would march on, slaying generals, massacring your Eastern Japan civilians, destroying your forests and fields."

"Then tell you it wasn't the Prince's intention, offering ten thousand gold plus one person's head as compensation. Master, do you think that General of yours would agree?"

Ci Yuan was silent for a moment, then raised his head, his gaze falling on Tuan Tuan: "You must be the Immortal Envoy of the Fiery Nation, I have long heard your great name; seeing you today, indeed you are exceptionally graceful."

He paused, his tone becoming more earnest: "The campaign is arduous, Immortal Envoy, you are so young—do you not miss your family at home?"

"This humble monk sees Prince Ning's brow shrouded with a lingering murderous aura, caused by excessive slaughter."

He slightly bowed, like a kind elder: "Young patron, since you bear the title Immortal Envoy, why not admonish your father not to commit further slaughter?"

Tuan Tuan tilted her little face, staring at him, grasping only half of the old man's words.

But she understood her father's words completely: "You've said so much, isn't it just to stall for three days?"

Ci Yuan was startled.

How could this child repeat her father's question word for word?

Tuan Tuan pouted: "You said you would compensate the Goryeo people with silver."

Ci Yuan nodded: "Correct."

But what's the use of silver?

"But what use is silver?"

"Those Goryeo children, their parents were killed by you; they will never return!"

"From now on they can only eat alone, sleep alone, celebrate the New Year alone, and no one will give them New Year's money!"

"Can your silver compensate their homes for them?"

Zheng Wucheng listened, his eyes turning red, tears swirling in his sockets.

The princess spoke so well! Why can't I say the same?

Tuan Tuan put her hands on her waist, glaring at Ciyuan with puffed cheeks, eyes wide: "You killed people and still want to act like good people! Do you think chanting sutras and giving silver makes it as if you never did? Rotten egg!"

Tuan Tuan crossed her little waist, fuming, glaring at Ci Yuan, eyes wide: "You finish killing people and still want to act righteous! Thinking that chanting sutras and giving silver erases your deeds? You destructive brat!"

Ciyuan didn't catch on for a moment; being a bad egg is fine, but how come it's also broken?

Ci Yuan couldn't find a way around it; a villain is one thing, but why call it 'destructive'?

Xiao Feifei rose from Chu Yuan's arms, baring her teeth at Ci Yuan continuously.

Xiao Yuanhang's lips curled slightly; he bowed his head and kissed his daughter's little cheek: "Good girl, well said."

Tuan Tuan turned, leapt into her father's arms, burying her face against his chest, voice muffled: "Father, I miss Jing Ning; because of them, Jing Ning has no parents any more."

Xiao Ran recalled the tragic scene outside the Goryeo Royal City, turned his head and stared intently at Ci Yuan.

Old thing, if you dare speak back to Tuan Tuan, see how I'll deal with you!

I'll slaughter you, then chant sutras for you!

Ci Yuan let out a long sigh, and in the end said nothing more.

Xiao Yuanhang ordered: "Send the Master out; if he returns again, just beat him out."

Ciyuan led her two disciples in a bow, then rose and walked out.

Ci Yuan, with his two disciples, performed a bow, then rose and walked out.

"Tuan Tuan is truly impressive," Chu Yuan patted his disciple's little head: "I, as your teacher, still wanted to help you, but you alone made that old monk speechless."

Tuan Tuan turned her head and smiled at him.

Xiao Ningxun said: "Father, the enemy's ruthless stalling must be due to insufficient troops."

【101】 "Our army should quickly withdraw the camp and advance, giving them no chance to catch their breath!"