Chapter 45: Holy Monk 11 (The Emperor Finally Has an Empress)

Holy Monk 11 (The Emperor Finally Has an Empress)

The day after Jiang He moved in, an assassin came to the door to kill him.

The Emperor's specially dispatched secret guards hadn't noticed yet, and the parrot flapped wildly around the house, shrieking, "Help! Save the bird! There's an assassin! They're going to kill the bird!"

The parrot's sharp cry was highly damaging, startling the entire residence.

The monks, all alumni of Xiangguo Temple and currently debating Buddhism with Jiang He, immediately grabbed their staffs and rushed to kill.

Before the abbot went down the mountain, he had hinted to them that there might be some unscrupulous demonic cultivators heading toward Master Xuanji, urging them to protect Master Xuanji at all costs; certain demonic cultivators who habitually take shortcuts would certainly be restless upon seeing Buddhism flourish.

If they were Taoist priests from Changchun Temple, it would be fine; they wouldn't use such petty tricks, but some people might act under the name of Changchun Temple.

Feng Ming leapt down from the wallhead, excitedly saying, "Master, don't move your people; leave it all to me! I can handle it!"

He hefted a massive, death‑weight broadsword and charged, yet his relaxed swing made it seem as light as a dagger.

"Oh my, what a force," the parrot commented. "But little Feng isn't tall; host, do you think the sword is too heavy, weighing him down from growing?"

Jiang He twirled his prayer beads, looking like an enlightened monk, and said, "Would you like to say this to him in person? I guarantee your living bird will become a dead bird."

The parrot fell silent instantly; a child of the plane intends to kill it, and without revealing the system's secret, it might not be able to escape.

Over there, Feng Ming went on a frantic killing spree, while here Jiang He was very satisfied.

"Truly worthy of me," Jiang He boasted, "Even while staying calm, little Feng's killing power doesn't diminish at all; my medical skill is indeed superb!"

Sure enough, Feng Ming killed without laughing as before, his eyes no longer reddened like a ghost.

His gaze now is very excited, but anyone with eyes can see he is actually quite clear‑headed.

The parrot couldn't help but say, "If the bold Mrs. Wen were to see little Feng's current state, she certainly wouldn't be scared."

The gossiping parrot, when idle, would climb onto people's walls; this flaw was carried over from the previous world, where the lazy host often let its cat‑shell spy on information.

Over time, it also tasted the thrill, getting fresh melons each time, and became especially excited.

"Host, the Minister of Rites' family doesn't really observe propriety, and Mrs. Wen is also working hard; she's pregnant, yet the mother‑in‑law is impatiently arranging a concubine for her through the matchmaker." The parrot expressed that it truly couldn't stand it; Mrs. Wen's pregnancy was disturbed twice, and that old devout mother‑in‑law even feared the daughter‑in‑law might die from the stress, forcing her to assign a woman to serve her son. Moreover, that old devout mother‑in‑law's niece from her natal family is disgusting, constantly meeting her own cousin and rushing to become a mistress.

"Mrs. Wen is both clever and daring," Jiang He said calmly, "The prescription I gave her can guarantee she safely bears a child; once she has a child, a concubine won't be her opponent."

I'm just afraid that once she becomes a winner in the inner palace, she'll act against her husband's other consorts.

These days, whether a winner or loser in the inner palace, it's all tragic, rooted in men; if men themselves lack the intention, can women force them to act?

Jiang He ignored the fighting outside, pondering whether to lend a hand.

In the previous world, the conquered lands increased, the economy surged, labor couldn't keep up, and the emperor's nephew, who was especially competitive in governing, felt there weren't enough wage slaves, so he personally liberated women, insisting that everyone in the world—regardless of gender or non‑gender—must work for him!

When he died, one‑fifth of the court officials were female, and even more female officials were sent abroad; the emperor's nephew also contemplated revising the succession law, as his princess was truly outstanding, commanding troops and governing the nation better than his son.

Jiang He lowered his gaze and suddenly said, "The worlds that Qianzi the Primordial Deity visits are mostly inhabited by women, right?"

The system replied oddly, "Why are you talking about the Primordial Deity? She is a female Primordial Deity; the worlds she possesses are essentially women."

One flower, one world; genders are evenly split, yin and yang balanced. Interstellar and cultivation worlds are fine, but in feudal societies, women's fates are unimaginably harsh, and the resulting resentment doubles. Qianzi Primordial Deity, compassionate at heart, strives to save every world she can.

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Actually, he somewhat misses his wife; he wonders how his wife is doing in other worlds.

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Sigh, I truly hope to meet my wife again someday! But she is also a workaholic; after her soul returns, it's not easy to encounter her in a mission world now.

Outside, the fighting has almost ceased; few can still stand.

Jiang He let out a long sigh, "System, indeed every feudal society cannot escape the topic of women's liberation."

Feng Ming walked in, his body drenched in blood; he casually wiped the blood from his face, smiling to reveal a set of bright white teeth, "Master, rest assured, with me here, no one can harm you."

The martial monks sat together, hands clasped, chanting the Rebirth Sutra for the departed, since no intact corpse could be found on the ground.

Jiang He let out a soft sigh and also joined the Rebirth Sutra chanting.

He hopes that in the next life, these people will be born into a peaceful, prosperous era with happy families, and will no longer become knives in the hands of aristocratic families.

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The Emperor was overjoyed; when Jiang He entered the palace, he eagerly grasped his hand, "Master, what do you desire? I shall reward you greatly!" He was scheming in his mind, perhaps to have Master Xuanji also see his Hougong concubines; then many children and blessings would not be a dream!

Jiang He placed his hands together, performed a clasped‑hands salute, and interrupted the Emperor's daydream, "Your Majesty, you are fated to be childless; this child is forcibly obtained, and the Great Celebration's national fortune is closely tied to the child in the Empress's womb…"

He hinted to the Emperor to quickly fulfill his imperial duties, otherwise his son cannot achieve merit.

The Emperor was startled in vain, but he naturally understood Master Xuanji's hint.

He is destined to be childless; this child was summoned by Master Xuanji's spell, linked to the nation's fortune, and if the country's power wanes, the child may perish.

The Empress, however, breathed a quiet sigh of relief; a lone seedling in ten thousand miles of fertile fields is precious, and if the Emperor has many children, even if her own child is the Crown Prince, future conflicts are inevitable.

The Emperor first signaled the Empress to step back, then stared intently at Master Xuanji and whispered, "If I wish for many children and blessings…"

Jiang He remained silent for a while, then subtly said, "Many children, yes; many blessings, difficult."

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Your father's, it cost me an outrageously expensive elixir to give you a son; the dead parrot laughed so hard its feathers flew to the heavens, and you still want him to buy a second Child‑Bearing Pill? No way!

The Emperor was suspicious in his heart, "Wasn't it said that his poison was all cured? How can he only bear one?"

Jiang He said plainly, "Your Majesty, you are destined to be childless; because of the poison, you met an early death in middle age, and the child in the Empress's womb was forcibly summoned by this humble monk, tied to the Great Celebration's national fortune…" He sighed, "Your Majesty, even if the child is born, it may not survive to adulthood; whether your son can grow up well depends on you."

The Emperor's expression wavered, "If the nation's fortune is strong, my imperial son will be safe; if the nation's power is weak, the imperial son may perish?"

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Jiang He thought that no amount of words could compare to letting the Emperor see with his own eyes, so he generously gave the Emperor a holographic experience; this skill costs no points, and Grandma Zhang of Shilan Village watched it, as did the Emperor.

When the Emperor opened his eyes again, he was drenched in sweat, his gaze filled with fear.

Just now, Master Xuanji cast a spell that let him glimpse the future; he forcibly summoned nine sons, each adorable in childhood, but as they grew up, each one wanted to become emperor.

The child the Empress bore was titled Crown Prince at birth, becoming a target for the other children; the Crown Prince was subjected to various plots and poisonings from childhood, and died before marriage.

His ever‑kind and generous Empress went outright mad, locating the mastermind and having him dealt with.

The emperor, feeling heartbroken, still decided to cover up the matter; he had already lost a child of the crown prince, did he still want to lose a second child?

However, the emperor's attitude encouraged the remaining children, who continued to slaughter each other; after all, killing brothers was fine, since their father the emperor was reluctant to kill them.

The final result was a trembling realm, Hu invaders, and ultimately the state fell!

His princes either died or were maimed; those who were neither dead nor maimed became slaves of a fallen state, beheaded by rebelling mobs and hung on walls, dying with eyes unclosed.

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The emperor cried out in fright, turned his head, and saw the master sitting beside him, eyes closed, fingers turning prayer beads, visage solemn. He then looked up at the sky outside the window; the sun's position had not changed, and the tea on the table still rose with green steam.

It turned out he had experienced half a lifetime in the dream—was this just a millet dream?

"Your Majesty, what did you see?" Jiang He asked, curiosity in his brow.

The emperor's expression quickly composed, only his eyes still showing a hint of doubt; he asked, "Master, can you not divine my dream?"

A certain master put on a pure visage, intoned "Amitabha," then said, "Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, I, a humble monk, cannot divine; I only know that the future is not set in stone—what you saw is merely one possible evolution of the future."

The future is not set in stone? Can present choices affect the direction of the future?

The emperor's heart stirred slightly: "If I tell you, I saw in my dream that I had nine sons..."

"The realm of Daqing will surely encounter trouble." Jiang He said with a compassionate expression, speaking tactfully.

Yet even so tactful, it failed to comfort the emperor's heart; his face turned extremely grim.

Jiang He did not want Daqing to be toyed with; the mission's difficulty would surely have to double, so he continued: "Your Majesty, the dispersion of national fortune is not good for Daqing..."

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After a while, the emperor waved his hand to dismiss him, turned his head, grabbed the cooled tea, and gulped it down with a glug-glug.

The two, in unison, forgot their pets and solemnly redirected their attention back to the sand table.

The emperor was delighted; having a magical sprite follow would be great, saving trouble—he even considered raising some parrots, which can talk, surely more useful than carrier pigeons.

Jiang He, this monk, was truly helpless; what on earth is wrong with the emperor's mind? Why does he only think of fighting and killing?

The emperor couldn't help but wonder: what is Master Xuanji's weakness? He has emptied the four elements—does he still have a weakness?

The grasslands are vast but sparsely populated; unless large numbers of Central Plains people migrate there, but those accustomed to farming from the Central Plains would mostly suffer from maladaptation.

"How did the master obtain such a detailed map?"

"Your Majesty, I will offer counsel in the future." The Empress made up her mind: "You must become a sage ruler for the ages."

The emperor felt satisfied; having a weakness is good—if the person were flawless, he would truly dare not employ them.

Next, Jiang He began to lecture the emperor on history.

At that moment, the Empress thought of many things, though her expression gave nothing away.

She softly smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you have a father's compassionate heart; have you forgotten that the master also has a son?"

No wonder Master Xuanji would bow before him; if his son had experience in the Hu lands, then even if he later returned to Daqing, unless he refrained from office, he would become a liability for the enemy to exploit.

All this counts as accumulating hidden virtue and reputation for the child in her womb.

As long as they are one family, his son has no blemish at all—exactly so, no mistake!

Jiang He said, "Cough... in the future, wherever the humble monk goes, he will sketch the terrain."

"The humble monk knows that as a renunciant one should empty the four elements, life has seven sufferings, yet the humble monk still cannot let go." The master's eyes held a glint of tears: "The Buddha loves all beings; how could he not include my son among them?"

Jiang He nodded, indicating understanding, and said, "Then today let us discuss why governing the grasslands is difficult for the Central Plains."

As an emperor, he has too many things beyond his control, yet also possesses supreme power that allows him to do as he pleases, requiring greater rationality.

The emperor's eyes shone; as a benevolent warrior emperor on horseback, he could instantly gauge the device's utility, and at once ordered the summoning of General Weiyuan and his brother-in-law Fengming.

As for whether a child under ten's battlefield merits contain any moisture, being the emperor, his word is law—who would dare question?

Brother Fengming said his head ailment had greatly improved lately; the bump from his father's strike no longer hurt much, and in combat he would not lose his reason.

"Master, this thing is made incredibly lifelike." The emperor couldn't put down the sand table, "Is this the border between Daqing and the Hu? Oh, this is Qihuo Mountain... I once passed through there myself."

He promised, "Master, if you recover your beloved son, as long as it is not the grave crime of rebellion, I will protect him."

As an emperor, he absolutely will not allow any existence that threatens his realm.

As expected, the master for the first time bowed his head before the emperor, renouncing his monastic identity, all for his missing son.

The Empress is clever; she naturally knows the emperor will not disclose everything, but she only wants to know matters concerning the child.

In the past, there were yearly small-scale wars, and the court top and bottom did not treat them as serious, fearing to burden the people and waste wealth, always keeping conflict within a certain limit; now he no longer thinks so—wolfish ambitions like the Hu should still be thoroughly crushed.

Jiang He let out a long sigh, embodying the helplessness of an old father: "The humble monk daily divines for his beloved son, sparing no lifetime of merit... My son now resides in Hu lands, taken in by the Hu."

"General, charge!" the parrot squawked loudly, "You are a wolf, you cannot lose to a mere dog!"

Damn it, he just praised the dead bird as heroic and valiant, and now it turns around to sabotage him!

The master's face showed pain: "Your Majesty, I speak plainly; after renouncing, the humble monk suddenly awakened latent wisdom—whether martial arts or medical skill, everything suddenly became clear... naturally, his talent for divination likewise; things he could not fathom before renunciation suddenly became clear."

He values talent; even the parrot can be used, let alone a high monk with such great ability—surely he cannot be let go.

He certainly would not dare tell the Empress he wanted to find other consorts to bear children; even if she were kind and broad-minded, she would likely change her expression. The emperor has realized that such a future would be too grim; better to have just one child, nurture him well, and make him an outstanding heir, so Daqing can entrust him.

As for warfare, the emperor has always been interested: "Come, let's hear."

The emperor, however, understood, sighing: "Conquering is easy, governing is hard."

Jiang He tactfully pointed out, "Your Majesty, from a thousand years ago to the present, Hu lands have been a grave menace to the Central Plains; have you considered completely subduing Hu lands, so that thereafter there would be no Hu, only Central Plains people?"

"It is not the humble monk; it is the bird speaking, and the humble monk merely draws what it says." Jiang He pointed to the window where the dead parrot stood on a wolf-dog's head, the parrot feigning wolf's might.

The emperor silently closed the window; he also did not wish to see his beloved dog quarrel with a mere pet dog, which would make himself, who had bestowed a generalship upon it, look foolish and naive.

While the Empress guided the emperor, she was thinking of her own brother.

Jiang He tactfully pointed out: "Your Majesty, from a thousand years ago until now, the barbarian lands have always been a serious internal threat to the Central Plains. Have you ever considered completely subduing the barbarian lands, so that thereafter there will be no barbarians, only people of the Central Plains?"

"It's not the monk speaking; it's it speaking; the monk merely drew what it said." Jiang He pointed to the parrot outside the window; this dead bird was standing on the head of a wolf dog, the parrot feigning the wolf's might.

The emperor silently shut the window; he also didn't want to see his beloved dog quarreling with a mere pet dog, which made himself look foolish and naive for having conferred the rank of general upon it.

While the empress was guiding the emperor, she was secretly thinking of her own brother.

The Central Plains is a history of integration; a thousand years ago there were also the Ten Kingdoms standing side by side, with border wars and integration, and also there was an emperor of all ages, with uniform tracks and uniform script; up to the present day, setting aside regional dialects, the script is nevertheless unified.

The treasury of Daqing is not wealthy, yet there is an emperor who loves war, always wanting to cripple the Hu people; if this continues, Daqing's national strength will surely decline, it would be better to pursue peaceful evolution.

Jiang He shook his head, refusing the emperor's kindness: 'Your Majesty, monastics cannot create killing karma.'

Being a monastic is really a good identity, for example one can be an unfilial son and people won't say anything, after all they have already severed the red dust.

Concerning the child in her own womb, the empress is very concerned.

The emperor asked, 'Master, is your son now in Hu lands?'

The empress knows, the emperor merely had a fleeting stray thought.

After Master Xuanji arrived in the capital, because of his words, the emperor had soldiers help the people sweep snow and repair dangerous houses; this winter the empress called on the noble clans to donate old clothes, and the number of poor people who died in the capital this winter was not greater than in previous years; the emperor and empress thus gained great popular support among the populace.

He could only steer the conversation elsewhere: 'Your Majesty, have you ever considered that over the past thousand years, the Central Plains has repeatedly conquered the steppes, yet why has it never incorporated the steppes into the Central Plains?'

Immediately he again promised, 'Master, rest assured, I will personally erase this experience of his; no one will discover it.'

But the emperor recalled the dream of Hu invaders destroying Daqing, and he gritted his teeth, 'Master, I will now gather provisions and go to war with the Hu!'

Jiang He's forehead immediately displayed the 'well' character.

When the emperor summoned Master Xuanji again, he tentatively asked.

Jiang He was truly helpless.

Jiang He immediately apologized, left for a moment, and upon returning brought in a huge sand table and placed it on the ground.

From now on, the child in the empress's belly will be his only son in this lifetime, and the empress's mood is of utmost importance.

Could it be that previous emperors had no desire to expand territory?! Don't joke, the craving for territory is written into every emperor's genes.

The emperor, understanding this, knew how to speak: 'Master said, I am fated to have no son; whether this child, once born, can grow up safely depends on whether the nation's fortune is strong.'

However, this is nothing to someone who is an emperor.

He patted his own pounding heart—truly, this scared the emperor! Forget it, he won't insist; having just one child is fine! Better than having nine and then all of them dying.

The emperor suddenly realized, finally recalling that Master Xuanji had a missing son; aside from his unfathomable supernatural abilities, he is also a father.

To keep his son's experience secret, how many innocent people must die? Furthermore, if the foster Hu parents of his son died, his mission would be equivalent to failure, and his son would never forgive him in this lifetime.

The emperor recalled the future he had previously seen; in that 'future' he seemed not to have lived past sixty?

After examining the sand table, the emperor could not help but be amazed by Master Xuanji's abilities; this map is even more detailed and accurate than the one privately kept in the palace.

The emperor's face was full of sudden realization.

"Master Xuanji indeed has some miraculous methods." The emperor's expression wavered; for such an extraordinary person, he felt wary, and this power surpassing the mundane—if he could not use it for himself, he would rather mistakenly kill.

As a father of a child, the emperor could deeply empathize with the master's current suffering.

The parrot said the dog was a pet dog kept by the ladies of the Hougong; it slid all the way down the icy steps, its speed exceeding that of the wolf-dog, which made the invincible wolf-dog angry, it was howling and vying with this pet dog for first place.

In an instant the emperor stared at him with blazing eyes, having already forgotten that the bald-headed person before him was not his subject but an enlightened monk. Uh… never mind, as long as he can be used by me, whether monk or Daoist, it's fine.

Thoroughly transformed into Daqing people, becoming Daqing's populace.

"That's right, the great ethnic fusion indeed even unified the script." The emperor thought, "Therefore, the lands we have conquered must have people sent to teach the locals our script, so they speak the official language."

He died in his fifties, but that counts as having lived long enough; he had sufficient time to leave his son a peaceful and prosperous era.

The emperor, panicked by the 'future,' directly went to the empress for comfort.

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