Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 378

Volume 3 - Chapter 93: A Game of Chess, Part 1

When Chu Jiuyue returned to the back garden, he saw Emperor Yu sitting in a pavilion, savoring pastries.

Emperor Yu sensed that the few people outside had already left. He glanced at Chu Jiuyue, who was approaching, and thought to himself that this fellow was becoming more and more talkative.

"Xian'er is here too. She’s trying to persuade her older brothers to plead for that child," Emperor Yu said with a sigh. "Since Li Junye’s death, she’s harbored resentment against me, her father. But she’s made exceptions for that child time and again."

Chu Jiuyue whispered, "It means the little princess has grown up, and understands that the blame for Li Junye’s death doesn’t lie with Your Majesty."

Emperor Yu’s eyes slightly glazed over for a moment before he smiled lightly, as though his mood had lifted.

"That child, with his dissolute nature, has decent connections. The Xia family has come forward to plead for him, even willing to offend the Buddhist sect. The other three Divine General Mansions, however, have kept their silence."

Chu Jiuyue couldn't help but smile bitterly inside. If the other three Divine General Mansions had also come to plead, it might backfire.

After all, if the Five Divine General Mansions pleaded for one person, who would still have any say over the world?

Not to mention Emperor Yu—any ruler would be fearful and wary of that...

"The Xia family is repaying that child’s favor, so it’s only natural for them to come," Chu Jiuyue said softly. "If they hadn’t come, it would’ve looked like they were deliberately avoiding suspicion, and in that case, they would have been showing disrespect for Your Majesty."

"The Li family’s ancestor is more composed. No wonder he was one of the old generals who fought alongside the previous emperor. He knows what’s right, what’s reasonable, and what’s advantageous or harmful. I won’t take action against this child at this moment."

Emperor Yu gently tapped his fingers on the table, a smile in his eyes.

"The Buddhist leader is too impatient. So eager to conspire with demons, his desire to claim the Dao and achieve sainthood is too strong."

"But in this world, we value reason. It’s the reason of the Dao, not the reason of the Buddha."

Chu Jiuyue’s eyes flickered. He was not surprised. The secret alliance between the Buddhist sect and demons was well-hidden, but Emperor Yu had already been aware of it, and so had he. It was no surprise. After all, no paper can hide a fire, and the Buddha’s light and robes couldn’t conceal it.

"That child has at least helped us solve a major problem. Unfortunately, his methods were too crude," Emperor Yu continued.

"But there’s a benefit to his crude approach. It’s helping me set up my next move."

A faint smile lingered on Emperor Yu's lips.

Chu Jiuyue remained silent. After the court session today, he still couldn’t be fully certain that Emperor Yu would forgive that child.

Although the child’s actions had benefited them, the ministers hadn’t been wrong in their concerns. That child’s growth was too fast, too fast to be ignored!

He had become a threat, one far beyond the Buddhist leader.

Although he was one of Emperor Yu’s most trusted confidants, he couldn’t claim to completely understand the emperor’s mind.

After all, when the previous emperor passed away, the princes fought for the throne, and Emperor Yu’s ruthless nature was evident to all. He was no soft-hearted ruler.

After a brief silence, Chu Jiuyue finally asked the question that had been bothering him for some time.

"Your Majesty, there’s something I don’t understand."

"Speak."

"Why do you trust that child so much?"

Chu Jiuyue’s gaze became more focused.

This was the question he could never quite figure out.

Was it just because of the game of chess by the willow tree by the river?

Or did he feel that the child’s extraordinary talent might allow him to achieve sainthood in the future, and thus not pose a threat to the imperial throne?

But if the child became a saint, it would be difficult to overcome the threshold of incense offerings.

Moreover, human hearts are hard to read. The stronger the individual, the more they like to keep control in their hands rather than trusting others with it, relying only on fragile trust.

Upon hearing Chu Jiuyue’s question, Emperor Yu’s smile faded slightly. He didn’t answer immediately, instead raising his head to gaze at the late-season peach blossoms in front of him. The petals, like leaves blown by the wind, fluttered and scattered.

The summer heat scorched, and the spring flowers had already withered.

"I think it’s time for another game of chess," Emperor Yu said softly.

Chu Jiuyue was momentarily stunned.

Emperor Yu stood up and said, "You don’t need to follow me. Tomorrow’s court session, just say that I’m deeply distressed over the Buddhist leader’s death and am feeling unwell."

Chu Jiuyue’s pupils contracted slightly but quickly masked his surprise, whispering, "But Your Majesty, if the Buddhist disciples are unwilling to accept this, and cause trouble, what then?"

"Wait for my return. There will be an answer," Emperor Yu replied.

With that, his figure disappeared into the back garden.

Chu Jiuyue stood there, staring at the empty pavilion, the petals gently falling onto the stone bench that still held some warmth. He gazed at them, slightly lost in thought.

...

Qian Dao Palace.

The Taoist temple standing on top of Mount Tianmen was majestic and towering. Originally a quiet and austere temple, due to its proximity to the royal palace and numerous imperial rewards, the temple had become more adorned with golden hues, making it seem even more grand and solemn.

At this moment, in the inner sanctum of the temple, only a faint beam of light illuminated the tranquil secret chamber.

Emperor Yu, dressed in a black dragon robe, silently appeared behind a Taoist priest seated on a meditation cushion. The priest exuded a faint, decaying aura, and before him was an image of a Taoist saint.

"I plan to go on a long journey to see that child," Emperor Yu whispered.

The Taoist priest slowly opened his eyes, and after a moment, he spoke softly, "Have you made your decision?"

Emperor Yu remained silent for a while, then replied, "I’ll see him first."

The Taoist priest paused slightly, then said, "My lifespan is nearly at its end. I had intended to take the Buddhist leader with me before I pass, but unexpectedly, that child solved it first. It saves me the trouble of waiting."

Emperor Yu nodded slightly.

Previously, he had planned to wait for the celestial sect to open again, for the Jiang family’s people to return, and then clean up the situation. The Buddhist leader had already realized this and had been racing against time, secretly cultivating the Mo Luo by damaging his own cultivation eight hundred years ago.

Unfortunately, at that time, he had failed to act quickly enough to catch the Buddhist leader at his weakest.

"He conspired with demons, racing against time because he realized I had sent a message to the celestial sect. Several of my uncles and Old Eighteen are working on finding a way to contact the sages and reopen the celestial sect. Unfortunately, in the sage’s secret realm, one year passes like ten years in the mortal world."

"Originally, when they returned, it would have been the Buddhist leader’s burial period, and the incense offerings that had been collected by the Jiang family would ultimately return to the Jiang family, with interest."

"But now, it’s been discovered by people from the celestial sect. The three desolate gods behind them might be controlled by a stronger force. Their actions don’t appear to be just simple killings."

Emperor Yu’s gaze turned cold: "Whoever it is, they cannot stop the resurrection of my Jiang family’s ancestors. It is nearly complete now, and no mistakes can be made."

The Taoist priest nodded slightly and sighed, "Their foundation in the celestial sect is too shallow. Their situation is difficult, and it’s uncertain whether they will be able to gain favor with the sages. The time to reopen the celestial sect may be longer than expected."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yu fell into silence.

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