I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

Before long, Yan Song, holding a snow-white fox fur cloak, quickly approached Zhu Houcong.

Carefully unfurl it and gently drape it over the emperor's shoulders.

He said respectfully, "My lord, it's windy outside. Your health is important, so please don't catch a cold."

"You do have a heart."

Yan Song lowered his head and tidied Zhu Houcong's clothes, his voice filled with humility.

"Being able to serve my master is a blessing I have accumulated over many lifetimes."

After he finished tidying up, Zhu Houcong adjusted his cloak, his gaze distant and thoughtful.

"You are the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and you must take care of not only me, but also the food, drink and daily needs of the 100,000 eunuchs in the harem."

“Your teachings are correct, and I will keep them in mind.”

"Gao Zhan has returned with the Taoist Tianzong forces. He has served me for over twenty years and has made great contributions, but he is getting old after all."

"He has made a great contribution this time, and it's time for him to get some rest."

Yan Song was shocked by what he heard. A surge of excitement welled up in his heart, and then he let out a long sigh of relief.

Since taking up the position of Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, he has become the "ancestor" of the 100,000 eunuchs in the inner court.

His power was immense, and no one dared to disobey him.

But during this time, he had a weight on his mind.

That was Gao Zhan.

Gao Zhan served Emperor Liang for over twenty years, possessing profound experience and an extraordinary bond with him.

If he returns to the palace, will I still be able to hold onto my position?

The answer is self-evident.

But now, Zhu Houcong's words have undoubtedly reassured him.

This person will never come back.

The term "retirement" is merely a polite way of putting it.

Eunuchs, having no children or heirs, are like rootless duckweed once they leave the palace; how can they possibly enjoy their old age in peace?

Yan Song also understood the deeper meaning behind Zhu Houcong's words.

He handed over all of Gao Zhan's power in the inner court to Gao Zhan.

Since the emperor entrusted him with taking care of the eunuch's food, drink, and bodily functions, who was this eunuch?

It was naturally Gao Zhan.

This tacitly allows him to become Gao Zhan's successor, and all of Gao Zhan's accumulated experience in the palace over the years will be transferred to him.

From then on, there were no more obstacles in the inner court.

Yan Song was the true "ancestor".

Yan Song immediately knelt down, his forehead pressed against the cold gold brick, his voice filled with utmost respect and earnestness.

"This servant dares to humbly request Your Majesty's permission to personally take care of Eunuch Gao."

"When I first entered the palace, I received much guidance from Eunuch Gao. Now that he is old, it is my duty to show him filial piety."

Zhu Houcong nodded slightly. It still has to be Yan Song!

That's how humane they are!

"Okay, the most important thing in life is not to forget your roots."

"Since you have this intention, then you shall go and greet Master Xiaomeng and Gao Zhan's party on my behalf."

"Remember, don't be impolite."

"This servant obeys the decree!"

Yan Song kowtowed deeply, his voice filled with undisguised joy.

The palace gates are majestic, and the vermilion walls and golden tiles gleam in the morning light.

As soon as Xiaomeng and the others arrived at the palace gate, they saw a group of eunuchs dressed in brocade robes already lined up to wait for them.

The leading eunuch had an extraordinary air about him; he was none other than Yan Song, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Gao Zhan squinted his cloudy old eyes, and when he saw the person's face clearly, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Gao Xiaosong? What are you doing here?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Song's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"Godfather, Your Majesty has bestowed upon me the name 'Yan Song'."

Having said that, he ignored Gao Zhan and turned to bow deeply to Xiaomeng, who had an ethereal air about her.

"Master Xiaomeng, His Majesty has been waiting for a long time and specially ordered me to come and greet you."

Xiaomeng glanced at Yan Song with her eyes as clear as water.

"Lead the way."

She uttered three words softly, her voice cold and devoid of any emotion.

Yan Song unconsciously bent over again.

This young leader of the Taoist Heavenly Sect exudes an even greater sense of pressure than Grandmaster Meng Zhi.

"Master, please follow me."

He dared not be negligent in the slightest and quickly led the way.

The imperial road, paved with white marble, gleamed with a cold, faint light in the morning, while armored guards stood solemnly on both sides, as if cast in bronze and iron.

These are all elite soldiers carefully selected from the Imperial Guard.

At that moment, as the woman in blue passed by, he unconsciously tensed up and held his breath.

Xiaomeng walked with ease, and with a gentle flick of her wide sleeves, an invisible pressure spread out like a cold pool.

That wasn't a deliberate attempt to intimidate, but rather a natural display of composure.

Like a towering mountain, it stands there quietly, inspiring awe and fear.

Yan Song, who was leading the way, bowed his body, but his eyes were fixed on Xiaomeng's toes out of the corner of his eye.

It was the dead of winter, and the fresh snow that had fallen the night before had not yet been swept away, yet the sect leader of Tianzong was able to walk on the snow without getting a single snow stain on his feet.

What's even more alarming is that the snow she walked on didn't leave a single dent.

It was as if what had just passed by was not a person, but a gentle breeze.

His ordinary walking is so effortless that it leaves no trace in the snow. His martial arts skills are so profound that even a master like Meng Zhi would find it difficult to match him.

At this moment, a north wind swept across the imperial road, carrying snowflakes, but strangely split off just three feet away from Xiaomeng.

As she gazed at the majestic palace before her, a ripple of emotion stirred within her.

Who exactly is this Emperor of Liang? He actually sent people from afar to invite her out of seclusion, as if he was already certain that she would not refuse.

Gao Zhan, standing behind Yan Song, watched his departing figure, a chilling glint flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

Just as he was about to step into the palace gate, two eunuchs dressed in crimson robes suddenly blocked his way.

The eunuch on the left said in a high-pitched voice, "Eunuch Gao, His Majesty has decreed that you have made great contributions on this trip and are hereby granted permission to retire and return to your hometown."

"Eunuch Yan has been ordered to prepare a residence in your hometown."

The smiling eunuch on the right then stepped forward and made a "please" gesture.

"Eunuch Gao, please!"

Gao Zhan was struck dumb, and his wrinkled face instantly drained of all color.

"Impossible! His Majesty would never say such a thing. I must see His Majesty."

The two eunuchs exchanged a glance, and their fake smiles gradually turned cold.

The one on the left said in a sinister tone, "Eunuch Gao, you're an old servant of the palace, don't make things difficult for us servants."

"Get out of here!"

Gao Zhan suddenly sprang to his feet, his withered arms bursting with astonishing strength as he shoved aside the two men blocking his path.

"I've served His Majesty for over twenty years, and now I can't even enter the palace gates?"

The two eunuchs were pushed and stumbled, their faces immediately turning ashen.

The one on the right suddenly yelled in a shrill voice, "You're asking for it!"

The two rushed forward like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey, grabbing Gao Zhan's arms tightly from both sides.

"You...you have such audacity!" Gao Zhan struggled violently.

"I'm sorry."

The two men dragged the former chief eunuch out of the palace like a dead dog.

Gao Zhan's boots left two deep marks on the snow, which were gradually covered by fresh snow and eventually disappeared.

It has never appeared since.

Chapter 60 Zhu Houcong's Theory of the World

The Tianzong disciples who came with Xiaomeng were properly taken care of by the eunuchs.

Xiaomeng doesn't need to worry about that.

She followed Yan Song all the way to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Yan Song bowed and said, "Please wait a moment, Master, while I inform him."

Xiaomeng paused, then nodded slightly.

Yan Song had barely stepped into the hall when he heard a stern, self-important pronouncement from within.

"Announce!"

Xiaomeng's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile.

Finally, I'm going to meet this interesting emperor of the Great Liang Dynasty.

With a light step, she vanished from the spot like a dream.

At the same time, a yin-yang symbol suddenly appeared on the carpet inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The blue and white colors flowed endlessly, slowly rotating and emanating a mysterious Taoist charm.

"I am not self in this world, yet I am everywhere."

The ethereal voice echoed in the hall, each word seemingly containing the ultimate truth of the universe.

"Profound and mysterious, the gateway to all wonders."

As the last word was uttered, wisps of mist, like green smoke, emerged from the Tai Chi diagram.

The mist was formed from pure Taoist energy, and it instantly filled the entire hall.

A tall, slender figure gradually emerged from the misty air.

Qin Banruo had already withdrawn, and Zhu Houcong sat alone on the soft couch.

Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

As expected of a true Taoist lineage, it truly possesses a magnificent and awe-inspiring presence.

The mysterious scene before them was completely different from the methods of fierce generals like Meng Zhi.

Meng Zhi's martial arts emphasize a single, fatal strike, and his moves are filled with the chilling aura of war and battle.

Taoist martial arts, on the other hand, are imbued with the profound and mysterious essence of the Dao.

This is precisely what makes Taoism so formidable as a prominent school of thought in the world.

Their martial arts were not only killing techniques, but also a means of educating the masses.

Those mysterious phenomena and ethereal Taoist charms all reveal to the world the supreme realm of following the natural way.