The Beacon of Kyushu

Wang Shize thought for a moment and said, "If I remember correctly, that place should be Quyue. I heard that Quyue has a new king recently. He is a very vicious and cruel person. He is leading his army to fight against our Song Dynasty and intends to annex the Song Dynasty."

Wan Jianfeng nodded, "Brother Wang, I didn't realize that you care so much about national affairs that you even know about the war between Quyue and Song Dynasty. That's right, I just came back from Quyue some time ago. To be honest, I came to report military intelligence to the emperor. The emperor just said that if Song Dynasty and Quyue fight to the end, it will only benefit Liao Kingdom and Dangxiang, so we decided to negotiate peace. As for this envoy, he wants me to find one myself."

As he spoke, he took out the stone that Wang Shize had given him a few years ago from his arms, "Brother Wang, when you gave me this stone, you promised to fulfill one of my requests. Do you still keep your promise? If you still admit it, I hope you can help me with this. But if you don't admit it, I'll have to ask someone else for help."

Wang Shize was shocked when he heard this and asked hurriedly, "Master Wan, are you serious? You actually kept the stone I gave you with you all the time?"

Wan Jianfeng smiled and said, "Yes, I have been planning to do something with this stone for a long time. Unfortunately, you, my brother, never gave me this opportunity. Now I can finally realize my wish."

Wang Shize said gratefully: "I have studied hard for ten years just to contribute to the Song Dynasty and relieve the government's worries one day. If you can really win such a glorious mission as the envoy to Quyue, I will be grateful to you!"

Wan Jianfeng patted Wang Shize on the shoulder and handed the stone to him. "Hahaha, if you agree, you will really help me a lot. I should thank you! We agreed that I will go to the palace to recommend you to the emperor tomorrow morning. You don't change your mind at the last minute!"

Wang Shize sat on the bed and bowed deeply, "Master Wan, you have helped me one after another, and I really have no way to repay you. If I can return alive from Qu Yue, I will follow Master Wan's lead in this life. If I do anything to let Master Wan down, let me..."

"Alright, alright!" Wan Jianfeng waved his hands and said, "Don't worry, I am such a nice guy, I will definitely not push you into the fire pit. I will protect you the whole time during this mission to Quyue. As long as I am alive, I will never let Li Huan do anything to you."

Wang Shize had just been thinking that "a real man should die for his country and his benefactor", but when he heard that Wan Jianfeng would accompany him, he was relieved. He was about to say a few more words of thanks, but Chen Tuan slowly opened his eyes and said to Wan Jianfeng: "Jianfeng, you will be safe on your trip to Quyue and will definitely live up to your mission."

Wan Jianfeng said happily: "Master, you are a living god, you are not allowed to fool a disciple like me! If we return safely, the government will definitely give us rewards. The yellow ones are gold, the white ones are silver, the round ones are pearls, and the bright ones are treasures!"

Chen Tuan sighed helplessly, closed his eyes again, and fell into sleepwalking.

The next day, early morning.

Today, Zhao Guangyi got up earlier than usual, and sat in the imperial study room, enjoying breakfast while flipping through the "Taiping Yulan" compiled by Li Fang. This book is divided into 55 parts in the order of heaven, earth, people, things, and objects, which can be said to cover everything from ancient times to the present. He always read three volumes every morning before going to the palace to discuss matters.

Zhao Guangyi stared at the contents of the book and read softly: "Friendship is based on mutual understanding, not on blood ties. Sweet words are not faithful, and the world is full of Su Qin. The wind blows away the grass for a while, but wealth and honor rise to the sky. There are no trees on the top of the mountain, and the woodcutters are used as firewood. How dare you stay in the mud of the well? It will become dust when it comes out."

"Alas, friendship is based on mutual understanding, why bother about family ties. Sweet words are not faithful, the world is full of Su Qin..." Most people find it difficult to understand these lines of poetry, but when they are seen by Zhao Guangyi, they make him sigh, "I am now the king of the Song Dynasty, rich, but where is there a soulmate around me? My eyes are full of servility, my ears are full of sweet words of flattery, but there is no minister who can tell the truth to me. If I had known that being an emperor would be so lonely, I would rather be the King of Jin for life. Unfortunately, I understood it too late, it's too late. Now the only way to protect me and my descendants is to hold on to the throne firmly."

While Zhao Guangyi was sighing, Wang Jie'en walked in quickly from outside the room, "Your Majesty, Young Master Wan brought a young scholar and an old Taoist priest to see you. They said they have something important to report to you. Do you want to summon them to see you?"

"Wan Jianfeng is here?" Zhao Guangyi said as he slowly closed the book, looked out the door, and asked, "Ji'en, did you see the two people he brought with him? I'm sure you don't know the old Taoist priest, but you should know the young scholar. Who is he from the newcomer who passed the imperial examination yesterday?"

Wang Jie'en said without hesitation: "Your Majesty, this young man has an ordinary appearance, his clothes are dirty and torn, and the most noticeable thing is that he has a limp. I dare to assert that he is definitely not a new Jinshi, otherwise I would have remembered him." "Not a new Jinshi?" Zhao Guangyi repeated softly, with a relaxed smile on his face, "Yesterday I asked him to choose his own envoys to Qu Yue, just to see how familiar he is with these Jinshi. Now he neither found Lu Mengzheng, nor Li Hang, nor Wang Dan, but found an outsider. Obviously, these people are just casual friends of him, and he can't order them around with his face. My concerns yesterday may be a bit exaggerated."

Wang Jie'en had always understood Zhao Guangyi's thoughts best, and upon hearing this, he said, "Your Majesty, I saw the reaction of Lü Zhuangyuan and others when they saw Wan Jianfeng outside Donghua Gate yesterday. If they were not old friends, I would not believe it anyway, but if they wanted to cause trouble with just a few young people, it would be too much to overestimate them. If we are to be on guard, Your Majesty should be more careful of the Eighth Prince, the Prince of Wei, and the Prince of Zheng."

Zhao Guangyi seemed to agree with him and said, "Ji'en, you are right. I don't need to be too wary of these people. Instead, I should focus more on the royal relatives and the old people of the previous dynasty. At least, they are the ones who pose the greatest threat to me right now."

Wang Jie'en looked towards the palace gate and asked, "Your Majesty, the battle in Qu Yue is urgent. Can I let Young Master Wan and the others in now?"

Zhao Guangyi nodded, "Okay, call them in."

Wang Jien followed his instructions and slowly left the imperial study room and went to the palace gate to pass on the imperial edict. Zhao Guangyi picked up the book again, his eyes once again lingering on the ancient poem that made him think deeply, and thousands of emotions once again came to his mind.

Soon, three footsteps were heard in the distance, two light and two heavy, gradually approaching, and in an instant they entered the imperial study. Zhao Guangyi put the book on the dragon desk and looked up at the three people. He thought the three people in front of him were just ordinary people in the martial arts world, and he didn't take it too seriously at first. But when he saw clearly that the old Taoist priest standing in front of him was the respected master Chen Tuan, he was really surprised and happy.

"Master Xiyi!" Zhao Guangyi stood up and walked a few steps to Chen Tuan. He took his hand and said excitedly, "Master, when did you come to Tokyo? Why didn't you tell me that you were coming? I should have treated you well!"

Chen Tuan smiled slightly, "Your Majesty, we haven't met for decades. I am still the free and easy Taoist, but you have long since become the emperor. How dare I trouble you to come and entertain me, the emperor?"

Zhao Guangyi shook his head and said, "Master, when we last met, you were already nearly 70 years old. Now you are well over 100 years old. Who would have thought that you are still so healthy! I wonder if you have any methods to prolong your life and maintain your health. Can you teach me some?"

Chen Tuan said with a smile: "I have been enlightened for several years now, and I swallow the Erqi Pill every day. When I drink the immortal wine, I add lacquer to my hair, and when I drink the peaches, I add a youthful face. I stay at Yuntai Temple late at night, and go to the Dharma Altar when I get up in the morning. Your Majesty asked me for the method of self-cultivation, and I can relax in the depths of Huashan Mountain."

Zhao Guangyi sighed and said, "Master, the days you spent at Yuntai Temple were truly like those of a god! Unfortunately, I have to worry about worldly affairs every day. It would be great if I could be as relaxed and at ease as you one day."

Chen Tuan waved his hand, "Your Majesty, it is because of your diligence and love for the people that I can enjoy a peaceful and leisurely life! If you ever stop caring about worldly affairs, I will have to carry my sword down the mountain again and eliminate all injustices for the people of the world. But I am old and I am afraid I am powerless, so I hope your Majesty will put the people and the world first!"

Zhao Guangyi nodded slightly and said to Wang Jie'en, "Jie'en, move three chairs over. I want to have a good chat with Master Chen, Young Master Wan, and this young man."

"Yes!" Wang Jien followed his instructions and left the imperial study, and returned with three young eunuchs. Each of the three young eunuchs held a tall, gorgeous rosewood chair in his hand, and respectfully placed it next to the dragon desk.

Zhao Guangyi smiled and looked at the three people, making a gesture of invitation, "Three of you, please take a seat." (End of this chapter)