Inheriting a Taoist temple, the story begins with Wu Zetian offering incense.

Chapter 43 A New Gift from Chen Tang! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"Is he hiring me to insult people again...?" Zhou Yi scanned the code to pay, and went outside with Li Bai, who was holding a precious sword. He then sent a message to Uncle Ming:
What type of business is it?

Uncle Ming replied with a meme that said, "You've struck gold, kid."
“There’s a wealthy family in the next county who’s been having a run of bad luck lately. They’re planning to hire a highly skilled Taoist priest to perform a seven-day ritual to change their fortune. It’ll cost 3,000 yuan a day, plus 4,000 yuan for his services, for a total of 25,000 yuan. Master Yi, are you interested?”

25,000 for seven days sounds pretty good.

However, judging from the extent to which Uncle Ming plucked feathers from a passing goose when Xu Tian was possessed, the reward given by the master was at least 70,000.

Such long-term religious ceremonies are quite complicated and require the help of fellow practitioners. In the end, you won't make much money. Moreover, Mao Cong's statue will be delivered soon, and then it will need to be consecrated in front of Guan Sheng Di Jun, who is worshipped in the Sanqing Hall. It can't be left unattended.

After thinking it over, Zhou Yi ultimately declined Uncle Ming's offer of business:

"I still have to make offerings to the statues of the gods, so I can't leave. Besides, I can't organize a large-scale Buddhist ritual by myself, so I won't join in the fun. I'm sorry, Uncle Ming."

As soon as the message was sent, Zhou Yi felt a sudden sense of relief.

Curious, he took out two ancient bronze coins from his pocket and performed a divination for himself under the streetlight, discovering that refusing the matter was actually auspicious.

This deal seems really strange.

Uncle Ming replied with a meme that read, "Bitter wine goes down the throat, heart aches."
"Alright, then I'll find someone else. Don't tell me Uncle Ming isn't looking out for you."

Zhou Yi sent a thank-you emoji:

"Just send me the Guan Gong statue as soon as possible, and we can cooperate again in the future."

"No problem, I'll send it out to you first thing tomorrow morning via SF Express."

Back at the parking spot, Zhou Yi and Li Bai put the swords they had bought on the back seat, went to the supermarket across the street to buy personal items such as towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, tooth mugs, and water cups, and then bought two boxes of Wang Shouyi spicy seasoning and five boxes of iodized salt from a nearby condiment wholesale store before driving back.

"Disciple, how did you feel about this tour?"

Li Bai was still savoring what he had just witnessed:
"Everyone says that Chang'an is known as the city that never sleeps in the Tang Dynasty. Today I realize that this is the real city that never sleeps."

Zhou Yi smiled and said:
"This is just a small county town. Once you get your residency in this world, I'll take you to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen for a tour so you can experience real metropolises."

Back at Hunyuan Palace, Zhou Yi and Li Bai washed up and went to their respective rooms to rest.

The next morning, while the master and apprentice were having breakfast, Chen Tang appeared brazenly at Hunyuan Palace, carrying a cloth bag and leading a sheep that was about a year old.

As soon as he arrived, he noticed Li Bai:
"Where did this little baby come from?"

Li Bai rose and bowed to him:
"Li Bai of Changlong County, Shu Prefecture, Tang Dynasty, pays respects to Marquis Po Hu Zhuang! Your words, 'Though they may be far away, they will be punished,' have always been my lifelong wish!"

Chen Tang really enjoyed being fawned over, so he immediately puffed out his belly and struck a pose as if he were a hero who didn't dwell on past glories:
"Hey~~ Don't say that, I only did a little bit of insignificant work, I don't deserve such praise... What did you eat?"

Zhou Yi pointed to the kitchen:
"I made some spicy soup, and there's half a pot left. If you can eat it, it's all yours."

In the Central Plains region, it's unthinkable not to drink Hulatang (a type of spicy soup). Hulatang is served with pan-fried buns and fried dough sticks, leaving you feeling warm all over and full of energy.

Chen Tang brought out half a pot of spicy soup, and just as he sat down, he suddenly patted his forehead, pulled a cow horn wrapped with gold thread from his cloth bag, and handed it to Zhou Yi with both hands:
"Sir, I had nothing to do the other day, so I detained Prince Cilimi of Wusun in the camp, intending to take him to Chang'an so that he would never set foot in the Western Regions again... This is a token of the Wusun prince. It looks quite exquisite, so I brought it over for you to enjoy."

Zhou Yi received the ox horn, which quickly weathered away, but the gold only dimmed slightly and did not change significantly... Hunyuan Palace collection +1.

Li Bai was quite knowledgeable about history; upon hearing the name Ci Li Mi, he immediately said:

"This man unified Wusun during the transition between the two Han dynasties, and even killed a Han envoy and besieged the Protectorate of the Western Regions... Now that the general has detained him, it is tantamount to interrupting the future of Wusun. I admire you!"

Li Bai had always admired unconventional military generals like Chen Tang, and now, with a casual conversation, Chen Tang had prematurely detained the future restorer of Wusun. Li Bai was immediately filled with excitement and wanted to go to the border to carry out a decapitation operation.

At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, not only did the Xiongnu split into the Southern Xiongnu and the Northern Xiongnu, but the Wusun also split into two kings and several tribes under the instigation of the Han Dynasty.

If it weren't for Emperor Yuan, who was poisoned by Confucian scholars, ascending the throne, neither the Western Regions nor the Northern Frontier would have posed a significant threat to the Han Dynasty.

Unfortunately, Emperor Yuan pursued a policy of persuasion and appeasement. In particular, after Huhanye of the Southern Xiongnu surrendered, Emperor Yuan not only allocated Shuofang and other prefectures to the Southern Xiongnu to live in, but also gave them a large amount of grain and fodder, which enabled the Southern Xiongnu, who were on the verge of collapse, to quickly recover their strength and rapidly annex a large amount of the Northern Xiongnu's territory.

After Wang Zhaojun's death, the Southern Xiongnu brazenly broke off all pretense of civility and once again harassed the Han territory. Chen Tang dipped his fried dough stick into the spicy soup, took a big gulp, and then remembered the important reason he had come to Hunyuan Palace:

"Sir, Old Gan is worried that our excessive actions over there might affect the course of history here... Could you help me check if there are any records of us detaining the Wusun prince in the local history?"

Zhou Yi was also quite curious, so he opened Baidu and searched for it, only to find that there was no relevant history at all. The only record in Chen Tang's entry was his expedition against Zhizhi Chanyu.

This shows that no matter what happens over there, it won't affect the world in which the I Ching exists.

After confirming this, Chen Tang was very pleased:
"Then let's go all out and do our best... We're still quite a distance from the Protectorate of the Western Regions. If we have the chance, we'll take one or two more princes with us and let them have as much fun as they want in Chang'an."

Li Bai, having never experienced these things, asked in bewilderment:

"You have taken away the heirs of various countries. What if the Western Regions countries support another prince to ascend the throne?"

Chen Tang already had a plan:

"When the time comes, the court will appoint the Hu prince in Chang'an as king and send him back. What was originally a small country will then be split into two."

Although the envoys of the Western Han Dynasty did not understand cell division, they were all very familiar with the procedures and methods of dividing a country.

Wusun, Dayuan, Kucha, Qiemi, Qiemo, Xiaowan, Cheshi, Pulei, Loulan... These countries that once dominated the Western Regions, through the efforts of Han envoys, some split apart, some migrated away, and some completely disappeared into the long river of history.

After eating and drinking his fill, Chen Tang took off his armor, took a nice hot bath, changed into a Taoist robe, tied up his long hair, and even trimmed his beard. The chief warrior of Hunyuan Palace, [Mage Tang], made his grand entrance.

He moved bricks for a while, and then told Li Bai some interesting stories about the frontier.

As they were talking, Zhou Yi brought over the goose-feather saber he had bought the night before. Chen Tang immediately looked as if he had lost his soul, his eyes fixed on the beautifully sculpted longsword.

"Sir, is this... for me?"

Zhou Yi nodded:

“You interrupted the rise of Wusun, this is your reward. The merchant who sold you the knife said it can cut through tree branches as thick as your wrist. Try it, and if it works well, I'll buy one for Gan Yanshou as well.”

As the head of the Protectorate of the Western Regions, Lao Gan was willing to play a supporting role to Chen Tang, his deputy. Such a leader deserves to be commended.

The black scabbard and hilt of the goose feather saber looked very stylish. Chen Tang slowly drew it out. The bright blade was so bright that it could be used as a mirror. The tip of the blade had a reverse edge, which increased the killing power of the upward slash. The double blood grooves ensured the speed of bleeding, and the one-finger-thick back of the blade further enhanced its armor-piercing ability.

Tom Cruise was completely captivated in less than a second:

"Truly an unparalleled divine weapon!"

Li Bai sighed:

"The peerless weapon that the generals of the Han and Tang dynasties sought so desperately is only 349 yuan here. It is said that it is cheaper online and there are more styles available."

Chen Tang was no longer listening to anything. He grabbed his knife and rushed out of Hunyuan Palace, where he went on a killing spree in the nearby bushes.

Half an hour later, when he returned to Hunyuan Palace, he had wreaked havoc on all the bushes near the mountain gate.

The Book of Changes asks:

"What do you think?"

"Sharper than the legendary divine weapon!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi decided to go to the county to buy two more and distribute them as welfare to the ancients.

Just as he was about to leave, Zhao Wei suddenly forwarded a message in the Yunwu Town residents' group:
"Have you heard? That charlatan Shi Xiangu from Sanlizhuang got beaten up by a bunch of young guys of unknown origin. They said she was too talkative and talked nonsense... Tsk tsk, it was a really horrible scene!"

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First update delivered, please vote with monthly tickets, brothers!

(End of this chapter)