Knife splashing

Chapter 717 The Missing Temple Keeper

"What do you mean?"

Hearing the old man address him, Li Yan frowned.

"This...this, didn't you tell me to go?"

In his haste, the old man gestured with his hands and began to recount what had happened.

It's actually quite interesting.

The old man's name was Sun Datong. He was originally a servant who did odd jobs and tended the fire. He had worked diligently in the temple for many years and, with the help of the old temple keeper, he was registered as a Taoist priest, which meant he would have some security in the future.

He was an honest and efficient worker, whose only hobby was drinking.

A few days ago, the old temple keeper left and never returned. He reported the case to the government but there was no news. No one was presiding over the religious ceremonies in the temple. The temple, which was not very popular to begin with, is now even more deserted.

Sun Datong was worried about the old temple keeper and also afraid that the temple would be taken away. He was so anxious that he kept scratching his head, but there was nothing he could do. So he drank a few more cups.

Li Yan had just rescued him on the way. The old man was in a daze and fell hard. Then he dreamed of the Five Paths General, who told him to guard the temple entrance and settle the people in.

The old man was half-believing and half-doubting, but seeing that the ice on the ground had not melted and that half of the clay statue in the temple was broken, he was uncertain and waited anxiously outside the temple.

Then, a strong wind arose, and after the wind subsided, Li Yan appeared outside the temple.

"I see…"

Li Yan nodded, his expression somewhat grim.

Having one's soul taken and one's body moved at will, both are major taboos.

Even if the other party was a god, he was still not happy.

We must be prepared for this kind of thing in the future.

He has many protective treasures, but he will probably have to find another way to deal with these great deities of the Dharma Realm.

Of course, these are things to follow.

General Wudao also took advantage of the situation, using the opportunity of capturing demonic energy to create a situation to meet him.

It seems that with the changes in humanity and the upheaval in the Great Luo Dharma Realm, the "Heavenly Rules" will inevitably be loosened.

If those behind the Jianmu tree can act with impunity, then naturally the others won't stand idly by...

General Wudao made two requests during this meeting.

Firstly, it helps him maintain a stable lineage.

This matter is not difficult in a way. He has connections with many bigwigs in the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect and can ask them for help to deal with those licentious Taoist temples that slander the Five Paths General.

However, to ensure its prosperity, some ingenuity is required.

Erlang Zhenjun and the Five Paths Generals may be his support in the Great Luo Dharma Realm in the future. In this turbulent era, without someone above him, he will often find himself in a passive position.

Another one is Mount Tai.

General Wudao was in a hurry to leave and didn't explain some things clearly.

Li Yan only knew that Mount Tai was very important to both him and Erlang Shen.

It seems I'll need to find an opportunity to visit Mount Tai sometime...

Thinking of this, Li Yan looked at the uneasy Sun Datong opposite him and said in a deep voice, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. Some things are best kept to yourself. Going out and talking about them will surely bring disaster!"

"Yes Yes Yes!"

Sun Datong was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt on the ground, his body trembling like a leaf.

Li Yan stood up and helped him up, his voice softening as he said, "You don't need to be afraid. As long as you don't say anything reckless, good days will naturally come. Tell me, did the old temple keeper say anything when he left?"

Zhao Qingxu, that demon, was cunning and far-sighted. During the Song Dynasty, he once used paper money to stir up national turmoil.

Unlike the others in Jianmu, this guy prefers to stay behind the scenes.

The idea that demonic energy would parasitize the statues of the Five Paths Generals was certainly not unfounded.

"this…"

Sun Datong frowned and quickly tried to recall, "I remember a few days ago, the temple keeper went out to meet with an old friend. When he came back, he was acting strangely. Sometimes he would talk to himself and sometimes he would laugh out loud, but he wouldn't say what happened when asked."

"The day before yesterday evening, a beggar delivered a letter. The temple keeper received it and left in a hurry, and has not heard from him since."

"Oh?"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Do you know who his friend is?"

Sun Datong shook his head and said, "The Five Generals Temple is not very popular. The temple keeper doesn't have many friends in the capital. I only know that there is a Lord Lu Xun in the Ministry of Works who often invites him for tea."

"Ministry of Works..."

Li Yan seemed to be deep in thought, and he remembered the name.

He thought for a moment, then took out a hundred-tael silver note from his pocket and said in a deep voice, "This place is being watched by evil spirits, and it may not be peaceful for some time to come. Take this money, close the temples and monasteries and go to the countryside to take refuge. Come back when I notify you."

After saying that, he quickly got up and left.

Watching that departing figure, Sun Datong looked at the silver notes in his hand again, as if in a dream...

…………

The next morning, the High Priest Xuan.

That's how it is...

Li Yan recounted what happened last night.

The capital's defense system was no joke. In addition to soldiers patrolling, it was also monitored by major temples and monasteries, local land deities, and the City God Temple.

The slightest disturbance in the Qi of Gang and Sha would be detected by the City God Temple.

The commotion last night was so great that even with the five generals covering it up, it still alerted the Enforcement Hall.

Since it concerned Zhao Qingxu and demonic energy, Li Yan naturally had to explain.

Of course, he dared not reveal the matter of General Wudao to anyone.

"Zhao Qingxu hasn't shown up?"

Luo Mingzi's eyes clearly showed some disappointment.

"No."

Li Yan said thoughtfully, "The matter of Qiankun Academy is making a big fuss now. It's obviously impossible for him to sneak in. He must have other plans. If we follow this line, we might be able to find out."

Without wasting any words, Luo Mingzi stood up and said, "Someone, come with me to the Ministry of Works!"

……

The stone-paved streets of the capital city gleamed wetly after the rain. Li Yan and his entourage bypassed the bustling streets and arrived at the central government office area in the southeast of Chengtian Gate.

This place was where the Three Departments and Six Ministries were located, and the people of the capital called it "Heavenly Street" or "Thousand-Step Corridor".

Unlike the imperial palace with its red walls and green tiles, the Ministry of Works had blue tiles and gray walls, and was grand and solemn in scale.

Outside the main gate, two robust stone lions, weathered by time, stand guard on either side. Their bodies are covered in moss, and raindrops from the previous day have accumulated in their curly manes. Above the vermilion gate hangs a huge plaque with the two large characters "Ministry of Works" in vigorous regular script.

"My lords, please follow me."

Not to mention that the Mo Clan, the most powerful force in the Ministry of Works, had a good relationship with Li Yan, no one dared to speak in official jargon just because of Luo Mingzi's waist token. Soon, a clerk came out to welcome them in.

Stepping over the high threshold into the main courtyard, the first thing that catches the eye is the spacious courtyard with its ceremonial gate.

The brick pavement had turned black from being soaked by rainwater.

The long corridors on the east and west sides were where the various Qing officials' offices were located.

Under the corridors on both sides of the entrance hall, piles of newly made model components and blueprints were stacked up like small mountains, almost blocking the passageway. Groups of minor officials and clerks hurried along, carrying thick documents or wooden trays full of materials, moving between the courtyards and corridors, their faces showing anxiety.

The air was filled with a mixture of smells of ink, tung oil, freshly cut timber, and sweat.

The doors of most government offices were wide open, with figures moving about inside and voices urging people to hurry.
"Quick! Has the material list requested by the Agricultural Settlement Office been delivered to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry? Supervisor Yan has urged us for the third time!"

"Which official signed off on the blueprints drawn by Zhang Langzhong of the Construction Department? Urgent!"

When will the batch of waterproof tarpaulins from the Water Conservancy Department arrive at Xishan?

"The river dredging can't wait; the rainy season is just around the corner!"

The offices of the Construction and Maintenance Office and the Forestry and Inspection Office were especially overcrowded.

As Li Yan and his companions passed by the window of the Construction Office, they heard a loud debate going on inside.

A man with a goatee was inspecting a huge construction plan: "No! The beams of the viewing platform are too cantilevered! The soil at the academy is newly filled in and can't support it!"

A younger official opposite him said urgently, "This is the officially designated design! It takes a long time to complete and uses a lot of materials, but the academy's opening ceremony is imminent, and the display platform for the divine artifact and the viewing platform must be completed at the same time! This is the only design we can have!"

“Adding another layer of support will cause costs to skyrocket. Where will the money and supplies come from? Am I supposed to go and beg those bookkeepers in the Ministry of Revenue?” “We can’t worry about that now! Even if we have to fight tooth and nail, we must make sure the divine artifact is presented to the world safely!” The young official’s voice was resolute.

Not far away, officials from the Yuheng Qingli Division were checking the list, their voices urgent:

"Coal, refined iron, tung oil, sulfur... the supply of materials to the Divine Machine Battalion and the Academy must be absolutely guaranteed. In particular, the materials needed for the 'divine weapon' training are all marked as top priority!"

Dian Bo, who was leading the way, looked exhausted. "Please forgive me, gentlemen. The academy is about to open, and the emperor has issued a last-minute decree to display the divine artifact. Many plans have to be revised, and I have been busy since yesterday."

"It doesn't matter."

Luo Mingzi looked around and whispered, "Where is Physician Lu?"

Once you have a name, your identity becomes easy to verify.

This Lu Xun was the Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau, a fifth-rank official.

The core officials of the Ministry of Works were naturally the Minister and the Left and Right Vice Ministers.

Within the yamen (government office), there were four major bureaus for investigating and punishing corrupt officials.

Among them, the "Construction and Repair Office" was in charge of the construction of palaces, mausoleums, government offices, and city walls. The "Marine and Water Resources Office" was in charge of the mining of mountains and lakes, the manufacture of military equipment, and the standardization of weights and measures. The "Water Conservancy Office" was responsible for water conservancy projects and the construction of bridges and roads. The "Tiantian Office" was nominally in charge of the reclamation of military farms, but in reality, it was in charge of the construction of imperial mausoleums and the procurement of timber.

The senior officials in each department were in charge.

The clerk led everyone into the tea room and then cupped his hands, saying, "Please wait a moment, gentlemen. I will go and invite Physician Lu here."

After saying that, he hurriedly rushed outside.

Li Yan and the others weren't in a hurry; they were just there to inquire.

The disappearance of the temple keeper of the Five Generals Temple may not necessarily be related to this Doctor Lu.

Just as the two were drinking tea, the captain of the military command secretly passed them a note.

The Commandant's Office was also responsible for supervising all officials, so they naturally knew everything about the officials in each department.

Luo Mingzi glanced at it, frowned slightly, and then handed it to Li Yan.

Li Yan examined it carefully, then seemed to be deep in thought.

This Lord Lu Xun is indeed no pushover.

The other party was a former official from the faction of the former Minister of Works.

The previous Minister of Works fell from power due to the "Yellow River dike breach corruption case." Although Lu Xun himself was not implicated, Han Mo, the master of the Mohist school, took office as Minister of Works and began to reform the Ministry of Works, promoting "Mohist methods to govern the industry" and making good use of pragmatic officials from the artisan class.

People like Lu Xun naturally became marginalized.

I'm afraid it won't be long before he loses his position as the Director of the Waterways Bureau.

Therefore, this Lord Lu has been very active since the beginning of the year, traveling around everywhere...

"There might be a problem."

Li Yan whispered to Luo Mingzi.

People who are desperate are most easily swayed by Zhao Qingxu.

"Oh no! Lord Lu has hanged himself!"

Just as they were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out in the courtyard.

Without saying a word, Li Yan and Luo Mingzi rushed out.

Following the voices, they quickly found the left wing of the central courtyard, only to find it in complete chaos, with a number of minor officials gathered outside watching the commotion.

"The Commandant's Office is investigating a case; please move aside!"

The accompanying captain shouted angrily and separated the men.

Li Yan and Luo Mingzi entered the room and saw an old man lying on the ground. He was wearing a Liang crown and a blue robe with a white pheasant embroidered on his rank badge. He had a thin face, gray hair and beard, and was panting heavily with lifeless eyes.

"What's going on?" Luo Mingzi asked in a cold voice.

"this…"

The official, with a bitter expression, said, "I came to invite Physician Lu, but he closed the door and said he was organizing some records. I heard something was wrong, and when I went in, I found that Your Excellency was hanging himself."

"Lu Xun!"

Luo Mingzi roared, "You've committed a crime, do you think you can get away with it by dying?"

This statement is pure bluff.

But Lu Xun was clearly hiding something, and his face turned even paler upon hearing this.

Just then, a loud shout rang out from afar: "The Minister has arrived!"

However, Han Mo, the Minister of Works, who was busy at work, rushed over upon hearing the news.

Li Yan looked up and saw that the man was about fifty years old, with a figure as gnarled as an old pine tree, his bones as rugged as an iron frame, his temples covered with frost, but he showed no signs of decline. He wore a scarlet official robe with peacock embroidered patterns, which was loosely draped over his body, and his face was stern.

What's most captivating is the other person's hands:

His knuckles were rough like the burls of a jujube tree, and his tiger's mouth was covered with thick calluses and freshly healed burn marks.

This demonstrates exceptional skill in hand techniques.

Li Yan wasn't surprised to see it.

Han Mo was not only the Minister of Works, but also the head of the Mohist school.

To be eligible for this position, one must be at the top level in the Mo Sect, whether in martial arts, spells, or craftsmanship.

The fact that the other party was able to rise to power was related to the new firearms.

"Meeting, Lord Han."

Li Yan and Luo Mingzi both bowed.

"Well, no courtesy."

Han Mo nodded, glanced around, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Are you all quite free?"

With a low shout, the surrounding officials immediately scattered and went about their business.

After dispersing the bystanders, he turned to Luo Mingzi and asked, "What happened?"

It almost resulted in a death, so it couldn't be hidden.

After Luo Mingzi finished speaking, Han Mo seemed to be deep in thought, and said coldly to the ground, "Take him to the backyard first. Explain what he did wrong, and then the Emperor will decide!"

Soon, the group led Lu Xun to the main hall in the backyard.

Seeing Lu Xun kneeling on the ground in a daze, Han Mo said impatiently, "If you wanted to die, you would have slit your throat long ago. Tell me what you have done, and I can plead for you. Don't implicate your whole family."

He was so busy he barely had time to breathe, and clearly didn't want to waste any more time on this.

If it weren't for matters concerning the Ministry of Works, they probably wouldn't have even shown their faces.

Upon hearing about his entire family, Lu Xun finally became frightened and hurriedly kowtowed, saying, "I will tell you everything, please, Your Excellency, plead for me."

“A few days ago, I did meet with Zhou Miaozhu and even hosted a banquet at the ‘Su Courtyard’, inviting the chief steward of the Prince of Yan’s Mansion and Luo Gongsheng, the president of the Iron Anchor Society. But I truly had no idea about Zhou Miaozhu’s death!”

Su Yuan, Prince Yan's Mansion, Luo Gongsheng...

Upon hearing these names, everyone present frowned.

In the capital now, no one wants to get involved in the matter of the crown prince's throne.

Li Yan, however, keenly noticed something amiss and sneered, "If this were a normal banquet, why are you panicking? And what right does the Temple Master Zhou have to be invited to a banquet by you?"

"What are you so afraid of that you're so eager to die?"

As he spoke, his voice became majestic and cold, like that of a god.

This is a clever trick I learned from Cheng Jianxian—to boost one's aura and intimidate others.

Han Mo, who was standing nearby, glanced at Li Yan with some surprise upon seeing this.

He had certainly heard of Li Yan's name before; Elder Tian Feng had praised him highly, and now it seemed he was indeed extraordinary.

At such a young age, he has already grasped the secrets of internal energy.

Just as he was pondering this, Lu Xun, whose psychological defenses had been breached, finally spoke:
"Your Majesty has learned something by chance: His Majesty intends to use that divine artifact to build an iron oxcart..."

"What did you say!"

Han Mo's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly stood up.

Li Yan was also completely taken aback.

Iron oxcart,
You're not talking about steam cars, are you...?

(End of this chapter)