The seventeenth day of the first lunar month.

The sky is dimming.

Yu Qing put on his crown and undressed his clothes. When his family brought the horse to him, he jumped up and turned toward the palace gate.

Mrs. Zhao personally sent it.

"My husband is careful and come back safely."

Yu Qingze nodded to his wife, clamped the horse's belly, and galloped away.

A few years ago, the war between the imperial court and the Turks had just stopped. He came back from the front to report his duties and happened to meet the Buddhist meeting during the Lantern Festival, so he was temporarily called to work as a servant and accompany him.

Today, there are many people like Yu Qingze, but not many.

Those who can follow the emperor to the Buddhist Association will naturally be important officials and close friends.

Almost all the important officials in the court who often participate in decision-making in the Political Affairs Hall arrived.

All this shows that the Emperor of Sui attaches great importance to this prayer.

After all, something like that happened just yesterday. Whether it is to repent to God or to appease the hearts of the people, the Buddhist Association needs to show the magnificent atmosphere of a great country to the subjects of the Sui Dynasty.

All the ministers gathered together. When the auspicious time arrived, they followed the imperial guards from Zhuque Gate and headed to Daxingshan Temple in Jingshanfang.

The snow on both sides of the road has been cleaned overnight, and the roof has a thick layer, but it has no problem with travel.

The residual white ice stains gradually melted in the sun, as if they were token that bad things were about to go away and everything would have a new beginning.

The eunuch He Zhong looked up at the sky.

He didn't dare to look at it anymore, and soon moved his sight down, looked ahead, followed the imperial chariot with his feet, but he didn't know how to breathe a sigh of relief in his heart.

He Zhong felt that his mood seemed to be much relaxed.

Since yesterday's Tiangou Food Day, a string has been tense in his heart.

Not only him, no one dared to breathe heavily in the entire Daxing Palace.

After the beginning of the year, the emperor's face almost never cleared.

The queen was recuperating in the palace and even showed her face very little.

On the night of the Yuan Dynasty, there was such an incident in the Qin Palace.

The emperor was in a low mood. As a close-knit official, He Zhong naturally couldn't be happy.

Even when he reached his position, even the important officials of the court had to make good friends with him. However, in front of the emperor, He Zhong was still the official who was walking on thin ice and loyal to his duties.

The Buddha's Association has already decided that if it snows heavily today, it will have to proceed as usual, but now the snow has cleared and cleared, it will undoubtedly bring endless hope.

I hope today goes well, don’t snow again, and don’t make any more food! He Zhong prays in his heart.

There are many people who think so like him.

The martial law was cleared today, and the shops on both sides were closed. Wherever the Imperial Horsemen went, no one spoke loudly except for the horse's hooves and the sound of footsteps.

Only birds pass by on the clear sky, with clear cry and beautiful sound, resounding throughout the sky.

He Zhong hasn't relaxed like this for a long time.

He was inspired by the sound of birds singing, and his eyes swept over the ministers.

The one who leads the way in front is a military general, and the one who follows is a civil servant.

Even pillar ministers like Yu Qingze are listed, which makes people feel much more at ease.

But He Zhong remembered someone again.

Fengxiao.

He is not in the team.

Because he had just been involved in the case of the Qin Prince's Mansion, he escaped from the Ministry of Justice yesterday and has been missing yet.

With the martial arts of the second Lord of Feng's palace, he will definitely make people feel more at ease.

When he thought of Feng Xiao, He Zhong recalled the emperor's dark face yesterday.

In fact, he didn't believe that the case of the Qin Prince's Mansion was done by Feng Xiao. What is the purpose of the second Lord of Feng's Mansion? With His Majesty's emphasis on him, if he wants to have a high official and a generous salary, he will just say a few words, why go around a long way to do such a thankless thing?

However, the evidence was conclusive. The prince, King of Jin and others also pointed out that if there was no explanation for this matter, the emperor would not be able to step down.

He Zhong had a special identity and often appeared around the emperor. He was nervous and didn't talk much. The emperor and the empress were trustworthy, so he also knew many secrets that ordinary people and even important officials of the court could not know.

For example, he knew that Zuo Yue Envoy had made a statement in front of the emperor and the queen, connecting all this with Princess Leping, pointing out that the princess was related to this matter.

He Zhong heard it before closing the door of the hall, and was shocked at that time and did not dare to get closer. He wished he had just become deaf and blind, even Zuo Yue's envoy had come.

He soon discovered that after this, the emperor and the empress did have some distance from Princess Leping and the rewards were no longer as frequent as before.

As soon as the Qin Prince's Mansion was in trouble, He Zhong quickly thought of the princess.

But Princess Leping was not in the Qin Palace that night, and she did not attend the banquet, and even had not been to the Qin Palace a few days before the incident.

The princess’ suspicion was ruled out, but the second master of Feng became the suspect in the murder case.

He Zhong didn't say it, but he also thought about it privately. Unfortunately, the more he thought about it, he found that the fog was everywhere around the truth and could not be cleared.

If the murderer was not Princess Leping or the second Lord of Feng’s Mansion, who would it be?

It's just Cui Zun's envoy, is it a thief who shouts to catch the thief?

He suddenly remembered that Cui Buqu is not in the team today, and he doesn't know where he went.

Having said that, why are there any trouble after the New Year? Should I change the year number?

The incense breath was getting closer and closer, and He Zhong's distraction was quickly interrupted.

It was the unique smell of sandalwood in the temple. He Zhong raised his head and the towering mountain gate appeared in front of him.

He cleared his throat and shouted: "Stop—"

The imperial guard stopped in time.

He Zhong hurriedly bowed and lifted the tassel curtain so that the emperor could come out of the imperial chariot.

This is what the emperor himself asked, and he wanted to walk through the mountain gate himself without the need for others to serve him to show his piety.

All the ministers dismounted and walked, following the Emperor of Sui.

The abbot, Master Lingzang, was greeted by himself. When the emperor was still following the Duke, Master Lingzang was already a former friend of the emperor. The monks in the temple were inevitably trembling with fear because of the arrival of the emperor. Only Master Lingzang was as peaceful as usual, which made the emperor respect him a little more.

The two talked for a few words, Master Lingzang led the way and led the emperor to the Main Hall, while the ministers stopped in front of the Heavenly King's Hall to wait.

"Your Majesty is confused and restless, and it is difficult to show sincerity when worshiping Buddha."

Only Master Lingzang dares to say this.

The emperor was not angry, but sighed: "I know, but I can't calm down. I specially used Anshen Dingqi Pill before leaving the palace."

Master Lingzang said the Buddha's name softly: "The person who tied the bell needs to be untied. The Buddha is in his heart. He worships the Buddha only for peace of mind. If Your Majesty is not relieved, worshiping is useless."

The emperor was silent for a moment: "I am too hampered and I must solve my doubts in front of the Buddha."

Master Lingzang had a compassionate face. He didn't say more, but reached out and signaled the emperor to follow him.

He Zhong pricked up his ears and listened to the conversation between the two, not to glimpse the emperor's thoughts, but to be able to react at any time and follow the emperor, and stay in a small way.

Lingzang and the emperor are in front, and he and the monk who followed the master are in back.

He Zhong then noticed that the young monk beside Master Lingzang had a handsome face and outstanding figure. He was also very determined in Buddha nature. He looked at his eyes and his nose and his heart, but he had never even given him the corners of his eyes.

Until the group burned incense outside the Main Hall, Master Lingzang asked them to burn incense as well to show their piety. He Zhong pinched three incense sticks and accidentally kicked the protruding stone slab under his feet. When he was about to fall forward and chew mud, one hand suddenly stretched out from the side and held him steadily. The three incense sticks that shook from He Zhong's hand were also caught up in the middle like a magic trick, and stuffed into He Zhong's hand.

Everything seemed to have never happened. He Zhong widened his eyes, his heart was still pounding, and he almost thought he had hallucinations.

He was injured in a minor situation and was injured in the front of the emperor. Especially at such a moment, if it weren't for the young monk next to him, he would have almost lost his head.

He Zhong was still shocked, so he took advantage of the gap between the emperor entering the hall to burn incense and thanked him in a low voice.

The young monk waved his hand and pointed at his mouth, ignoring him.

It turned out to be a mute.

He Zhong suddenly realized that it was not easy to be a monk by Master Lingzang these days. Not only was he outstanding in appearance, but he had to be skilled. Unfortunately, he could not speak, and he would never become a monk who preached in the cathedral in the future.

He looked at the other person silently, inserted the incense head into the incense burner, and quickly followed the emperor in small steps.

Buddha music floats over Daxingshan Temple.

The chanting of scriptures in the Main Hall seemed to turn into a tangible golden barrier, making the temple's outside like an iron barrel.

Even though I knew this was just psychological comfort, He Zhong's mood gradually calmed down.

He looked at the back of the emperor sitting cross-legged in the center, feeling that the other party should have the same peace of mind as him.

Feng Xiao didn't know He Zhong was just sorry for himself.

At the beginning, he actually never thought about entering Daxingshan Temple.

But at that time he came out of the Ministry of Justice and urgently needed to take a bath and change his clothes - Jie Jian Mansion could not go back for the time being, because a Fengxiao, who was indefinitely hiding in the dark, could pose a threat to the enemy.

When he passed by Daxingshan Temple, he was thinking about finding a Qinlou Chuguan. He was a fake romantic guest and completely washed away the smell that was brought out of the prison. The smell of sandalwood and the sound of chanting scriptures from the wall grabbed his pace.
To be continued...