I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 266 Fishing on the Wei River, Invited by the Water God
After a short while, the prince quickly regained his composure and smiled as he asked the high monk for a favor.

"Your Highness, please speak freely."

"The fifth day of the eighth lunar month is the Autumn Festival. I have acquired a Buddha statue and would like to ask a monk to consecrate it for seven days before offering it to the Emperor, so that he may enjoy a long and prosperous life and that the nation may be blessed with peace and prosperity. Is this feasible?"

This is the first time in history that the emperor's birthday has been designated as a festival, celebrated by the whole nation, with a three-day holiday and a festive atmosphere that extends to villages and towns.

The monk raised his palm.

He reminded:

“I am just a mortal. Although I can fast and pray for blessings, the so-called consecration will not have any effect.”

The prince laughed.

"It doesn't matter."

The Crown Prince said, "The Master's intention is good enough. We, as subjects and children, only hope that the Emperor is healthy and that our country is at peace."

"But this is nothing more than a wish."

"Just like last year, wasn't there still fighting in Hexi?"

The monk agreed.

A smile appeared on the prince's face. He then discussed Buddhist and Taoist teachings with the monk for a while, and sent many gifts, which were delivered to his residence along with the Buddha statue.

After everyone took their leave.

Someone nearby asked, "Your Highness, the Sage admires Taoism even more, why not invite a Taoist priest to pray for Lao Tzu's statue?"

The Crown Prince sat leisurely on a low table, with a eunuch gently massaging his legs beside him.

He took a sip of the bitter tea.

There are plenty of Taoist priests in the world.

"But there can only be one Zhang Guolao and that immortal."

The crown prince recalled that a few years ago, he and his officials were walking on Mount Tai, gazing at the sky in the distance.

Immortals rode by on clouds.

At that time, royal power and wealth seemed insignificant and trivial. I wonder what he, the crown prince, and his father, the emperor, looked like in the eyes of a true immortal.

The prince murmured.

"It's been two months, and I still don't know if Zhang Guolao has arrived in Chang'an. I've heard that he loves to join in the fun, but I don't know if that's true or not."

"It would be best to invite that immortal friend as well."

……

……

"It's so lively!"

Sanshui and Chuyi walked along the street, where everything was bustling with activity. Chang'an was so big. They hadn't even reached the most bustling East and West Markets yet, and just walking along the roadside, they already felt that the hundreds of copper coins in their purses were about to burst.

The emperor's birthday is approaching, and there are singing, dancing, and banquets everywhere. Even the elm and locust trees on both sides of the road have been groomed, looking neat, beautiful, and lush with greenery.

Sanshui even saw someone swallow a long knife, which frightened her so much that she hugged her sword tightly, but she couldn't take her eyes off it.

It's been a long time.

She finally managed to pull her gaze away from the street performers who were swallowing knives and breathing fire.

Sanshui tilted her head back and looked at Jiang She.

"Senior, where are we going?"

Jiang She was holding his newly bought fishing rod, with Zhang Guo beside him, and he spoke in a relaxed tone.

"Let's go fishing on the Wei River."

Sanshui nodded, somewhat tempted as well.

When they heard about the Wei River, she and her junior brother didn't react much, treating it as just a trip. They had long forgotten that they had even met the Water Lord of the Wei River, and that the Water Lord even owed them a fish.

Behind the group.

Yuan Danqiu was already prepared, with two or three fishing rods tucked under his arm and a wooden bucket in his hand. He turned to Taibai and confidently declared:
"This time we must avenge our previous humiliation."

Li Bai was amused.

"Don't let yourself be worse than me this time."

Yuan Danqiu sneered.

He whispered his guess:

“I’ve figured it out. I haven’t been able to catch anything on my previous fishing trips, and I was fishing with the mountain god all the time. Maybe it’s the mountain god’s fault.”

"As the master of mountains and rivers, the mountain god possesses divine power. The fish sensed this from afar and dared not approach."

"Naturally, they wouldn't dare eat the fish food on the hook."

“That must be it!” Li Bai found it strange and said, “Hasn’t the mountain god already relinquished his duties as the mountain lord? How can the blame be placed on him?”

Yuan Danqiu Nahan.

"Then why do you think I shouldn't catch fish?"

Li Bai glanced at the Taoist priest and shook his head. He didn't say anything and walked on.

Although he didn't say anything, Yuan Danqiu, a friend of many years, immediately understood what he meant.

He angrily blew on his beard.

"Taibai!"

Chang'an is very large, with the Wei River to the north. The group walked for a long time. Sanshui and Chuyi, the two young disciples, wandered around various stalls along the way, eating until their bellies were round.

When they could no longer eat, they reached the Wei River.

The water ripples and the banks are shaded by willows.

In the distance, tourist boats dot the waterways, and the canal transport continues uninterrupted.

Jiang She found a place to sit down.

Nearby, there was a wooden boat where an old fisherman was casting his net. The net unfurled in the air with a "whoosh" and fell into the water, where it was pulled down by the stones attached to it.

Before long, the old fisherman pulled in his net.

Inside, silver light shimmered, and fish splashed and jumped around.

A young boy, tanned dark by the sun, flashed his white teeth upon seeing this and picked up his fish basket.

"Grandpa, come here—"

Not far away, on the shore.

Looking at the silver fish jumping in the fishing net, Li Bai laughed heartily and said to Yuan Danqiu, "You can try using a fishing net; that way you can catch some fish."

Yuan Danqiu moved to the side and ignored him, focusing on fishing.

"Don't talk too much, lest you startle the fish in the water."

Sanshui and Chuyi sat not far away, craning their necks to look, their eyes full of curiosity. They didn't know how to fish, they were just playing around. Before they had even caught a fish, they were already planning how to eat the fish for dinner.

"I've heard that bream is delicious."

Sanshui hesitated.

"Won't there be a lot of thorns?"

Chu Yi couldn't help but burst out laughing, immediately recalling how the other person had choked on a fishbone before.

"Then let's make fish soup. Fish soup has no bones and tastes delicious."

"They say mandarin fish is delicious too."

"How do you cook mandarin fish again?"

Yuan Danqiu simply set up fishing rods for the two men, taught them how to cast the rods into the water, and instructed them to hold the rods in place.

Sanshui asked:
When is the fish served?

Yuan Danqiu pointed to the feather quill floating on the water, "Just move this up, and remember to pull it up when the time comes. Do you have enough strength?"

Both nodded.

They were both incredibly strong, having cultivated themselves into Taoist practitioners since childhood. What was so difficult about lifting a fish?
Staring intently at the water's surface, his little head remained motionless, his expression full of seriousness.

……

……

Not far away, Ao Bai withdrew his gaze.

He bowed to the man in blue and laughed heartily:
"Sir, you actually came to Chang'an without informing me. If it weren't for the sudden rise of pure energy in the heavens and earth and the retreat of evil spirits during the storm last night, I would not have known of your arrival."

"I almost neglected it."

He was dressed in white, the raindrops shimmering around him.

Zhang Guolao squinted, sizing up the Water Lord he had met once before. He was handsome and tall, inevitably leading one to believe his true form was a dragon.

The vast Wei River is teeming with boats, supporting millions of people.

It's just a bed for the other party!
Ao Bai was completely unaware.

He raised his hand and invited, "Since you are here, sir, I can extend my hospitality as your host."

"Gentlemen, please follow me into the water—"

No sooner had he spoken than the waves crashed against the shore.

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)