pappabearbooks Chapter 44 Unexpected Gains
Chapter 44 Unexpected Gains
The door to the meditation room was wide open, and Zhang Laifu stood at the door with a knife slung over his shoulder.
Inside the room, an old monk without a beard knelt on a prayer mat in front of a Buddha statue, his eyes closed, silently reciting Buddhist scriptures.
Liu Feng dragged a chair over and sat down next to the old monk: "If your heart is not kind, it's useless to worship Buddha no matter how many times you pray."
The old monk's eyes remained closed.
Liu Feng: "Cultivation is about cultivating one's heart. If your heart is impure and your conduct is immoral, it won't matter who you worship."
The old monk paused slightly while chanting the sutra, then continued chanting silently after a moment.
Are you worshipping Buddha, or are you worshipping your own desires?
Seeing that the old monk still didn't answer, Liu Feng smiled and said, "People, when they do evil, never believe in any kind of retribution; when they seek peace, they hope for gods and Buddhas. They don't believe in divine retribution for their misdeeds, but they expect blessings from heaven for their good deeds... If your heart is not kind, praying to gods and Buddhas is futile. If your heart is open and honest, you will find a way even without worshipping gods and Buddhas. Don't wait until disaster strikes to regret it!"
Seeing that the old monk was still stubbornly refusing to admit his mistake, Liu Feng lost his patience and slapped him across the face.
The old monk fell to the ground, his face filled with disbelief.
Liu Feng slowly stood up, looking down at him: "Don't think that just because you served the Emperor Emeritus, no one will dare to touch you!"
He slapped her again, saying, "Confess honestly, or else..." Suddenly remembering a scene from a TV drama, he shouted, "Zhang Laifu!"
"grown ups!"
Zhang Laifu immediately drew his knife and rushed in, demanding, "Beheading, or severing limbs?"
The old monk closed his eyes and began to act like a bachelor.
Liu Feng laughed in exasperation and said to Zhang Laifu, "Go, search carefully and find his treasure."
"Baby? What baby?" Zhang Laifu looked completely bewildered.
Liu Feng pointed to the old monk's crotch.
Zhang Laifu was taken aback at first, then grinned wickedly: "Old man, if you don't confess honestly, I'll chop your thing up and feed it to the dogs, so you'll never be a man again!"
The old monk, terrified, quickly opened his eyes: "No, no, no, I'll talk! I'll talk!"
"Hurry up and tell me!" Zhang Laifu glared at him.
The old monk was a little confused: "What...what are you saying?"
Now it was Liu Feng's turn to be dumbfounded.
Zhang Laifu scratched his head: "Sir, it seems you didn't actually ask..."
......................
In the private room, Madam Wang, who already disliked Liu Feng, was now even more furious. She hugged Da Lianbao, calling him "my darling" repeatedly, and occasionally scolding and cursing Liu Feng.
Wang Li, standing to the side, suppressed a laugh. He had heard that his aunt spoiled his cousin, but seeing it with his own eyes, he still couldn't help but laugh.
Lady Wang Ziteng, fearing he would laugh out loud and lose the money he had just received, quickly said, "Go out and inquire when martial law will be lifted."
"Yes." Wang Li turned and ran out.
"This matter absolutely cannot be left like this!"
Madam Wang gritted her teeth, "I'm going back to the capital to reason with the old lady. I'll make sure she gives me an explanation tomorrow!"
Lady Wang Ziteng curled her lip. "Expedition? Who do you think you are? We've already let you off easy by not punishing you for obstructing the imperial mission."
"Let's pack up and head back to Beijing."
Lady Wang helped Jia Baoyu to his feet, but was stopped by Lady Wang Ziteng. "The Northern Garrison Command is always meticulous and keeps secrets strictly. It is estimated that the curfew will not be lifted until sunset."
Madam Wang frowned: "Can't we return to the capital today?"
Lady Wang Ziteng nodded: "The point is to prevent people from outside the city from returning to the capital, so as to avoid the news from leaking out."
Before he could finish speaking, Wang Li walked in from outside and said, "Liu Feng has left... He said he can move around the temple freely, but he can only leave after sunset."
With a cold snort, Lady Wang pulled Jia Baoyu to sit down and said to Wang Li, "We'll return to the capital first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes." Wang Li smiled wryly and withdrew.
Madam Wang Ziteng was quite disdainful. What kind of noble family's daughter was she? How could she be so narrow-minded? Instead of taking advantage of her excellent connections, she chose to make enemies.
Her eyes lit up. Perhaps she could go to the Rongguo Mansion with them tomorrow and use the Jia family connection to build a relationship.
The Northern Garrison Command has eyes and ears everywhere and is well-informed; we'll need them a lot in the future.
Liu Feng was unaware that he had caught the eye of a wealthy woman, and was currently rushing back home as fast as he could!
I learned from the old monk that an old eunuch in the capital had recommended two young men to the palace three years ago, for 100 taels each.
It wasn't just him; all the powerful old eunuchs in the past did this kind of thing, forming a complete industry chain. No wonder the palace was leaking like a sieve.
......................
After nightfall, the Forbidden City is pitch black, except for the Qianqing Palace, which remains lit.
Emperor Yankang strode in, with Dai Quan following behind carrying a lantern: "Your Majesty, slow down and watch your step."
Emperor Yankang walked straight into the Imperial Study: "Where is the secret box that Liu Feng sent?"
"It's on the Emperor's desk." The head eunuch on duty bowed and withdrew.
Emperor Yankang glanced at it, then turned and walked to the cabinet in the corner. He took the key from his waist, opened the cabinet door on the left, and found it filled with all kinds of keys, each with a name tag on top.
Emperor Yankang took the key marked with Liu Feng's name, returned to his desk, and opened the box.
After reviewing the trial records and confessions, Emperor Yankang nodded in satisfaction: "Liu Feng's studies have not been in vain."
He casually handed it to Dai Quan.
Dai Quan bowed and took the document, examining it carefully. He said, "This old servant will go and arrest the person immediately, interrogate them thoroughly, and find out who is behind this."
Emperor Yankang shook his head: "Send the person to Liu Feng."
Dai Quan dared not say more and withdrew in response.
Emperor Yankang put the key back in the cabinet, his gaze falling on Liu Feng's name tag, and murmured, "I hope this knife won't break too soon..."
......................
After seeing off Dai Quanqian's son at the Hundred Households Office, Liu Feng returned to the prison, cursing and swearing.
This dog emperor is really using him as a weapon, and a nuclear-powered one at that, with no rest.
The old eunuch had sent five people to the palace over the past few years, but the mortality rate for castration was too high, and only one survived. The last time he saw that person was a year ago, and the trail had long since gone cold. The only clues could be found with this young eunuch.
Before Liu Feng could speak, the little eunuch knelt down with a thud: "My lord, please, save my family!"
Liu Feng was a little confused.
The little eunuch said, "I was forced into it. Those Tartars kidnapped my brother and used him to blackmail me."
Tartars? Liu Feng's eyes lit up immediately; he hadn't expected such an unexpected gain.
"Pen, ink, paper, and inkstone!"
The young eunuch said that as the scribe wrote rapidly, Liu Feng's eyes grew brighter and brighter...
"Sir, please save my brother! Our family is counting on him to carry on the family line!"
After reading the confession, Liu Feng glanced at the man. To give his younger brother a chance to live, he was willing to enter the palace as a eunuch. Such deep brotherly love was truly heartbreaking.
After folding the statement, Liu Feng asked, "How can you be sure your brother is still alive?"
Man: "At the beginning of the month, I went out of the palace with my godfather to buy medicinal herbs to beat the summer heat, and I saw my younger brother in the distance."
Liu Feng nodded. The Tartars must have planted more than one spies in the palace. If they waited until dawn to report, there was no guarantee that it wouldn't leak out.
At this moment, Wang Daniu walked in: "Sir, everything is ready."
Liu Feng thought for a moment: "Put on armor and take a crossbow."
"Yes." Wang Daniu turned and strode away.
Liu Feng suddenly remembered: "Why didn't you tell the people in the Directorate of Ceremonial?"
The man was silent for a moment: "If I told them, they would torture my brothers and make us wish we were dead."
Liu Feng paused for a moment, then said, "Even if you rescue your brother, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs will not let him go."
"I know, I know everything."
The man suddenly laughed, tears streaming down his face. "Ever since I was captured, I knew I was doomed. Neither the palace nor the Tartars will let us go..."
He then kowtowed deeply, pleading, "I only beg you, sir... to bury my brother and me together."
Liu Feng turned and walked out.
"Prepare some good wine and food for him."
"Thank you, sir!"