"Master, Tao Zhongwen is outside, requesting an audience," said the eunuch.
"Let him in," replied the Emperor.
Tao Zhongwen entered Qianqing Palace and proceeded into Nuan Pavilion, bowing deeply, "This humble Daoist greets Your Majesty, wishing you eternal life, eternal life, eternal eternal life."
"Rise," Jiajing Emperor put down the book in his hand.
As Tao Zhongwen looked up, he caught a glimpse of the partially read book, "All-Encompassing Divine Light, Supreme Heavenly True Scripture."
"Is this the path of Daoism Your Majesty has chosen for himself?" he asked.
Jiajing Emperor glanced at the Daoist book, "I have briefly reviewed the Daoist ways in the national treasury of the Ministry of Revenue, the Daoist palaces in the palace, and the inner treasury. After much consideration, this path seems most fitting for me."
He looked up to Tao Zhongwen and asked, "What does Tao Zhongwen think?"
"The expanses of Eight Barren and Four Seas cannot compare to Your Majesty's broad-mindedness, the realms of Nine Heavens and Ten Earths all fall within Your Majesty's sight, hence what Your Majesty selects is naturally the best."
Jiajing Emperor nodded slightly.
Actually, what he truly wished to cultivate was not this "All-Encompassing Divine Light, Supreme Heavenly True Scripture." As for which one it actually was, even he himself was unsure at the moment, let alone others.
Having studied Daoist teachings for so many years, although he could not cultivate, he understood the principle of mutual generation and mutual inhibition of all things; how could he possibly reveal his own cultivation path to others.
After the pleasantries, Tao Zhongwen began to speak of serious matters.
"Your Majesty, this humble Daoist has something to report."
"Speak," said the Emperor.
Tao Zhongwen hesitated slightly as he glanced at Huang Jin.
Jiajing Emperor signaled to Huang Jin, who, along with the eunuchs and palace maids, was about to leave the Nuan Pavilion...
"Grand Eunuch Huang, please wait," Tao Zhongwen suddenly said, "Please remove all items containing water from this hall."
Huang Jin looked to Jiajing Emperor, who waved his sleeve.
Huang Jin whispered to the eunuchs and maids, "Move quickly."
The on-duty eunuchs and maids efficiently and silently removed all items containing water from Qianqing Palace.
Once everything was arranged,
"Your Majesty, the Heavenly Mechanism shows that Li Changzhou seeks not just half but three-quarters of the Dragon Vein, and once this man achieves immortality, no one in the world can control him, not even Your Majesty..."
Jiajing Emperor's expression tightened slightly.
Tao Zhongwen continued, "This humble Daoist has a talisman that, after Your Majesty wears the Golden Crown, can be activated to reduce Li Changzhou's mana by forty percent, severing his path to immortality."
Jiajing Emperor stood up, hands behind his back, slowly pacing in thought within the Nuan Pavilion.
He suddenly stopped, half-turned back, and stared at Tao Zhongwen: "Taking three-quarters, what would become of the Great Ming's destiny?"
"It would perish within a century."
"And I?"
"Embarking on the Dao, success or failure is uncertain,"
Jiajing Emperor remained silent.
"Your Majesty, Li Changzhou was originally the Heavenly Emperor of the Divine Sect, and in his heart... he inevitably harbors thoughts of becoming the supreme ruler," said Tao Zhongwen.
◇
Li Changzhou had escorted Yang Qinglan back, and now overseeing the site, turned one hundred sixty-nine golden Buddhas from Great Kindness Hall into thirteen thousand-plus pounds of gold.
After handling this, he went to Qianqing Palace because of a word from Xia Yan, he had something he sought the Emperor's help with.
Before he even reached the gate of Qianqing Palace, he saw Huang Jin leading a group of eunuchs waiting outside, and a palace maid hanging a parrot cage on a bare branch in the distance.
Parrots again?
Li Changzhou remembered the incident with the Zombie Fungus that Yang Qinglan and the others encountered during their previous visit to the palace, which Li Qianxia had mentioned involved a parrot that could say "Happy New Year! Blessings to the Empress!"
Keeping parrots in the palace was quite common.
The Ming Dynasty was historically the peak of feudal emperors breeding animals, with facilities in the capital such as Tiger City, the elephant house, Leopard House, Pigeon House, Deer Field, and Eagle House for raising various animals.
Jiajing Emperor's cousin Emperor Wu had even built the famously well-known Leopard House in the West Garden.
But at this critical time, if Li Changzhou wasn't cautious, when would he ever be?
Seeing him from afar, Huang Jin hastened over, his face full of sycophantic yet not overly humble smiles.
Before reaching him, Huang Jin bowed and said with a smile, "Daoist Li!"
"Grand Eunuch Huang!" Li Changzhou too bowed with a smile, his attitude casual.
"Daoist Li truly possesses the aura of an enlightened one who has transcended the mundane, unlike the civilian and military officials who respect us on the surface but disdain us at heart," Huang Jin said, his words carrying a bit more sincerity.
But he immediately pondered deeper, suspecting it wasn't that Li Changzhou held him in high regard, but rather that he looked down on both the civil and military officials as a whole.
For eunuchs, ministers, and nobles alike, in such a person's eyes, there was probably little distinction.
Just like in Huang Jin's eyes, there wasn't much difference between a Ninth-Rank Hanlin Academy Servant and a Fifth-Rank Prefectural Chief Secretary.
Li Changzhou smiled faintly, saying little.
He didn't possess any aura of transcendence; his mind was filled with thoughts of Yang Qinglan's face, lips, hands, breasts, waist, legs, and occasionally, the Turquoise Pool.
At most, he was a product of nine years of compulsory education, aware of the principle that everyone is equal.
"Where is the Emperor?" he glanced at the gate of Qianqing Palace.
"He is meeting with Tao Zhongwen," Huang Jin replied softly.
In a strict sense, no one was to disclose matters regarding the Emperor, but it also depended on the person and the situation.
As Li Changzhou nodded thoughtfully, about to speak of the parrot matter, he suddenly remembered from TV dramas how ministers often bribed eunuchs, and wondered if he too should offer a bribe.