I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 360 Hidden Dragons and Crouching Tigers, Twenty Years of National Fortune
Linjiang County, Tanggu Bridgehead.

Zhu Huai'an arrived at the bridge by carriage and saw a large crowd gathered in front of a fortune-telling stall at the bridgehead.

Seeing this, he laughed and said, "This fortune teller must be very accurate, otherwise why would so many people come to have their fortunes told?"

The old man driving the carriage slightly raised his eyelids and smiled as well: "Most fortune tellers in the hustle and bustle deceive people with their tricks. Who knows if there are any shills among them?"

Beside him, another middle-aged man with a fair complexion and no beard saw through Zhu Huai'an's intention. He smiled and said, "I don't think so. Look at those people who are having their fortunes told. There are men, women, young and old, all kinds of people. Even if there are shills among them, the fortune teller still needs to have some real skills."

Before his attendant could finish speaking, Zhu Huai'an jumped off the carriage and headed straight for the fortune-telling stall.

Seeing this, the others quickly followed.

Zhu Huai'an, dressed simply and with a simple entourage, arrived at the fortune-telling stall.

The stall owner was a fortune teller, with a very simple and ordinary appearance, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

On the table were a tortoise shell, three copper coins, and a pair of divination cups.

A wooden sign stands to the side, which reads "Three divinations a day, no waiting after the deadline".

At that moment, a local gentryman, his face ashen, sighed as he stood before the fortune-telling stall: “This year, my family’s harvest has been halved, and my mother has also fallen seriously ill. May I ask the fortune teller for my fortune?”

Bai Qiuyu calculated with his fingers, observed his complexion, and said with a divination: "The gentleman's forehead is dark, he has not accumulated much good karma in his daily life, and has made many enemies. He will soon suffer financial loss and even be subject to official punishment."

The local gentry, already having a run of bad luck, was furious upon hearing this and retorted, "I have always been kind to others and often worship the God of Wealth, both civil and military. My mother even built a Buddhist shrine at home and spends her days chanting scriptures and praying to Buddha. How can you say I lack virtue? Let alone any official punishment!"

Bai Qiuyu was not annoyed. She said logically, "The layman's pale face and irritability are already signs of impending disaster."

The local gentry did not believe it. Seeing that the price for the divination was listed as one to five coins, he threw a coin out of his sleeve and left in anger.

However, as soon as the gentry reached the bridgehead, a constable in his fifties led a group of yamen runners to block his way.

The constable chuckled and said, "Huang Dayou, I was just looking for you, and you've come to my doorstep. That's perfect, come with me to the yamen!"

The local gentry, Huang Dayou, was shocked and angrily asked, "What have I done wrong? Why is Constable Zhao taking me to the yamen without any evidence?"

A constable standing nearby shouted, "You've seized your neighbor's land, taken their property, and lent them three times the principal at exorbitant interest rates. How dare you claim to be innocent?"

"Today, all the witnesses and evidence are in court, and the magistrate is personally presiding over the trial. If you truly have a grievance, why are you afraid to face the court?"

Huang Dayou turned to run away, but was grabbed by Zhao Zhonghe, and then the group of people carried him to the yamen.

The crowd watching the events unfold at the fortune-telling stall erupted in uproar.

No wonder people say that the fortune teller at the bridgehead is very accurate; today they've witnessed it for themselves.

Upon seeing this, a merchant immediately stepped forward to consult the oracle.

Bai Qiuyu threw the hexagram cup in his hand, looked up quietly, and said:

"The wealth palace of the layperson is in a state of turmoil and misfortune. There will definitely be villains causing trouble within the month. Beware of thieves within the family!"

The merchant was startled and said, "The other day, my brother-in-law owed me gambling debts and asked to borrow money, but I refused to lend it to him. Could it be that I am my brother-in-law?"

Seeing that the fortune teller remained noncommittal, the merchant suddenly understood.

He thanked her repeatedly and offered her a silver coin, but Bai Qiuyu stopped him, saying, "According to the rules of our sect, the maximum fee for divination is five coins. If you don't have any small change, you can go to the divination room to exchange it."

"Yes, yes!"

The merchant, while marveling at the fortune teller's meticulousness, took out five silver coins and placed them on the fortune-telling stall.

Zhu Huai'an had been watching for a long time and found it very strange, so he stepped forward and said, "Sir, please tell my fortune."

"What does the layman wish to divine?"

"Since you are a diviner, why do you need to consult me?"

Zhu Huai'an gave a half-smile.

Bai Qiuyu raised her eyes to examine him closely. She saw that although the middle-aged man in front of her was dressed in ordinary clothes, he had an upright posture, a graceful demeanor, and a purple aura seemed to linger between his brows.

"."

wrong!

Bai Qiuyu felt a tightness in his scalp and his body hair stand on end.

This is the countenance of a ruler. The Great Yan Dynasty has only been established for three years, and only the founding monarch of the Great Yan Dynasty possesses this countenance.

A ruler like this, who is at the height of his power and embodies the spirit of the nation, is most restrained when it comes to demons.

Bai Qiuyu could vaguely sense that an imperial aura was enveloping this region. If she made the slightest move, she would probably be exposed by the fate of the nation in the next moment!
How to do how to do!
Bai Qiuyu suddenly remembered that she was a deity of the Cat Immortal Hall. She immersed her thoughts in the realm of the Immortal Hall and hurriedly communicated with the hall's staff, but only received a faint response.

"If he doesn't make things difficult for you, fine. But if he does, just tell him my name."

Bai Qiuyu felt relieved. After the sect leader's voice fell, her tense mood instantly calmed down.

So this is what it feels like to have a powerful backer.
Bai Qiuyu, being worldly-wise, knew what she should and shouldn't say. She immediately stood up, pretending to pack up her stall, and said:

"According to the rules of our sect, we can only perform three divinations a day. You've come at an inopportune time, as I'm about to close up shop."

Zhu Huai'an didn't move, but gave a signal, and his attendant stopped the fortune teller who wanted to pack up and leave.

"Let me ask you, sir, which is more important, your own school's rules or the rules of the Great Yan Law?"

Seeing Bai Qiuyu's expression change, Zhu Huai'an pointed a finger at the table and said, "Today I'll grant you an exception and do one more divination. This is the word of a gentleman. If your sect blames you, you can come and find me!"

Bai Qiuyu pondered for a moment, and finally stopped.

Zhu Huai'an sat leisurely on the stool, not saying what he wanted to know, just smiling as he waited for the fortune teller to divine his fate.

Bai Qiuyu took a deep breath and said, "Your Excellency comes from the capital. In terms of status, no one here can match you."

"Oh?" Zhu Huai'an's eyes flashed, and he said with feigned composure, "Sir, please don't talk nonsense. How could you tell at a glance that I am an important person?"

Bai Qiuyu pointed to the wooden sign displayed on the fortune-telling stall, which read, "Three fortunes a day, no exceptions."

“I only perform three divinations a day, without fail, and I never perform more than one.”

"But today, my esteemed friend has forced me to consult another divination."

As they were talking, Bai Qiuyu casually took out a fortune stick from the divination tube, which turned out to be a very auspicious red-headed fortune stick.

Bai Qiuyu held a red-headed slip in one hand and picked up a pen in the other, writing the character "three" on the table.

"The divination slip is vertical; if a single character is turned vertically, it represents the divination performed today."

"Three plus one vertical stroke, and you get the character '王' (wang)."

Bai Qiuyu continued, "My original surname was Bai. When the esteemed person asked me to tell their fortune, it was the character 'Wang' plus the character 'Bai'."

The character "王" with white
The onlookers whispered among themselves. One of the literate people suddenly changed his expression, but then looked at Zhu Huai'an with a puzzled look.

No, they are not qualified. What right do they have to see the face of the founding emperor here?

Either the divination was wrong, or they misunderstood; "王" plus "白" could also mean other characters.
However, the next moment everyone saw Bai Qiuyu bow deeply in greeting and say:
"Aside from the divination, this noble person walks with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, with eyes that seem to hold the sun and moon—this is…" Zhu Huai'an immediately raised his hand to interrupt, then ordered his attendants to disperse the crowd. Once there were no more bystanders, he pressed on, "What is this?"

"This is the sign of the ninth and fifth position."

"Bai, a mountain dweller, greets Your Majesty."

Not only was Zhu Huai'an surprised, but even the people protecting him were stunned. This person really had something.

"Sir, your wisdom and foresight are truly remarkable; you possess the ability to predict the future!"

Zhu Huai'an's eyes lit up, but he still had doubts in his heart. He was the emperor of a dynasty, and tens of thousands of people had seen him.

If the other party has seen him before, why are they trying to create an air of mystery here?
Zhu Huai'an suppressed his thoughts and continued, "Since you know my identity, you should understand that my previous words were all golden words!"

"Today, I hereby issue an imperial edict, granting you permission to perform another divination for me!"

Bai Qiuyu frowned slightly. She remembered how the sect leader had covered for her, but she didn't want to cause trouble for the sect leader or incur further favors.
After a moment's thought, Bai Qiuyu tentatively asked, "Is this the only divination?"

"Only this one divination is available!"

Bai Qiuyu breathed a sigh of relief, returned to the stall, and asked, "What does Your Majesty wish to inquire about?"

Zhu Huai'an pondered for a moment and said, "I have heard that there is a demon in the Baiyun Cave of Yunmeng Mountain in Quyang County. Is this true or false? If it is true, I will send a strong army to conquer it. Is it possible to eliminate it?"

"."

Bai Qiuyu blinked rapidly, her mind racing.

After a moment, she made a divination gesture with her fingers and said, "The fate of the world is uncertain. This demon was born according to the workings of heaven and earth and has its own destiny. If Your Majesty insists on starting a war..."

"It would take twenty years of the Great Yan dynasty's fortune to suppress it again. However, Heaven values ​​life, and eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path also brings merit, which may be able to give back a little, but ultimately the outcome is unpredictable."

Zhu Huai'an frowned.

This is clearly a high-stakes gamble. In the worst-case scenario, if he helps Xu Qing slay demons and monsters, he will gain a capable minister, but at the cost of twenty years of the nation's fortune...

But then again, without Xu Qing, where would he have his empire?

"However, a wise ruler relies on the law, not on wisdom, and on the public good, not on personal gain. As the ruler of a nation, how can I not prioritize the public good of the world?"

Zhu Huai'an's expression was solemn, and he remained silent for a long time.

Zhu Huai'an only came to his senses when the fortune teller was about to pack up and run away.

"I observe that you possess extraordinary talent, sir. Would you be so kind as to come to the capital? I would grant you the position of Lingtai Lang in the Imperial Observatory, responsible for overseeing celestial changes and divining good and bad fortune."

Entering Beijing?

Bai Qiuyu shook her head and waved her hand. She lived a life of luxury in the Cat Immortal Hall, with female ghosts making her new clothes. She had no worries about food or clothing. The hall also paid her a monthly salary for incense offerings, and if she was rated as an outstanding immortal at the end of the year, she would receive an extra reward.

Why would she give up her idyllic life to go to the capital and become some damned spirit medium?

Don’t go, don’t go!

Besides, she's still waiting for the sect leader to dig up and explore the ruins of her own Qingqiu!
Zhu Huai'an was still unwilling to give up, but just as he was about to use both kindness and force, two monks came from the bridgehead.

One of the monks was dressed in tattered clothes and wore a pair of monk shoes with his toes showing; the other was in his twenties, with a flat head, broad forehead, bright eyes and clear eyebrows, and was indeed handsome and extraordinary!
Zhu Huai'an glanced at him and subconsciously ignored the mad monk beside him. At this moment, his eyes were only on the young monk with rims on his ears and a saintly appearance.

"This person is truly extraordinary!"

Even Zhu Huai'an, who had seen countless people, couldn't help but take a second look.

Bai Qiuyu, observing the Emperor's expression, seized the opportunity to shift the blame when she saw him looking away.

"Chen Liuer!"

With delicate skin and a handsome appearance, Chen Liuer looked in the direction from which the sound came.

"Uncle Bai?"

When Chen Liuer was young, he often played in Jingxia Street. Shiyue, the embroiderer's goddaughter, was also a friend of Chen Liuer. It can be said that he knew everyone in Jingxia Street.

However, as he grew older, he formally became a monk and followed the monk Xinyuan into the Buddhist order.

Xinyuan has always been averse to Jingxia Street, always talking in a mystical way about how the place is evil and incompatible with his birth chart. He also doesn't want Chen Liuer to go there.

However, Chen Liuer felt completely different from his master. He found the people of Jingxia Street to be very kind, especially Mr. Xu, who used to take him out to play.

Unfortunately, Mr. Xu was gone for ten years. It was only recently, when he returned from his travels with his master, that he heard that Mr. Xu had returned.

Today, he was going to Jingxia Street to visit Mr. Xu.

Bai Qiuyu, carrying her makeshift fortune-telling stall and leaning on her divination banner, whispered to Zhu Huai'an as she saw Chen Liuer approaching:
"Is Your Majesty interested in Buddhist teachings?"

Zhu Huai'an, recalling his dark past as a monk, decisively shook his head and said, "Not interested!"

Bai Qiuyu raised an eyebrow and stepped forward before Chen Liuer arrived: "Good nephew, your uncle is introducing you to a distinguished person. Do you see this layman? He said he is not interested in Buddhist doctrines and does not believe in Buddhism. Can you tolerate this?"

"."

Beside him, Monk Xinyuan was looking at Zhu Huai'an with suspicion. When he heard Bai Qiuyu's words that stirred up trouble, his face instantly darkened.

This fox is clearly up to no good!

"Disciple, come back with me quickly, we're not going to visit our friends!"

Xin Yuan reached out to pull her apprentice away from the trouble, but it was clearly too late.

"May I ask for this monk's honorific title?"

Zhu Huai'an looked at Chen Liuer with great interest. Although he was unwilling to mention his dark history of becoming a monk, it was undeniable that Buddhism had protected him, allowing him to overcome numerous obstacles and reach the northern frontier.

Now that the Celestial Master's Mansion has monopolized matters such as divination, prayer, and sacrificial rites, Zhu Huai'an has long harbored the idea of ​​suppressing the Celestial Master's Mansion.

He might be able to leverage his past experience as a monk, claiming that he was protected by Buddha, and use this to support the monks, establish national Buddhist doctrines, and make them a model for temples worldwide.
Upon seeing Zhu Huai'an step forward to inquire, Chen Liu'er chanted a Buddhist prayer and said, "This humble monk, Sanjue, greets Your Majesty."

"."

Zhu Huai'an's breath hitched. How come everyone in Linjiang County could recognize him?
"Master, have you perhaps met me before?"

Chen Liuer shook his head.

Zhu Huai'an narrowed his eyes and said, "How dare that sorcerer determine my identity?"

Chen Liuer smiled and said, "A monk does not lie. Although I have not seen His Majesty's face, His Majesty's brows are imposing and there is a purple aura around him. This is the sign of a true dragon emperor. I have been practicing for many years and have some knowledge of physiognomy, so I can recognize it."

Zhu Huai'an's eyes gleamed with wonder; this small city of Tianjin truly held hidden talents.

Chen Guangrui, whom he promoted to the position of prefect of Tianjin two years ago, was already a dragon among men, a talent of unparalleled caliber.

Now, besides Xu Qing, there is also the distinguished-looking, highly skilled monk before us, and the one who can predict the future.
Zhu Huai'an remembered the fortune teller from before and hurriedly looked around, but she was nowhere to be seen!
He looked around and finally saw the fortune teller running for her life at the corner of the street, and the mad monk who was running even faster than the fortune teller.

(End of this chapter)