Zhu Mo woke up feeling refreshed and more energetic than usual. Remembering that he had become a Hanlin Academician overnight, he couldn't help but smile from the bottom of his heart and sauntered towards the Hanlin Academy.
At this moment,
The twenty Jin Yiwei guards on duty had changed shifts. Those who had stood guard all night were now resting, replaced by a group of plainclothes officers in various disguises. All of them were centered around Zhu Mo, hidden in the surroundings, appearing as vendors, pedestrians, or watching from within rooms...
The entire family was to be executed,
Who dared to be careless?
The Old Ancestor had said that even the slightest mistake would bring the sky crashing down!
As Zhu Mo arrived at the entrance of the Hanlin Academy, Wu Feng, the chubby-faced man he had met yesterday, seemed to have been waiting for a long time.
Wu Feng approached with a smile, bowed deeply, his attitude extremely respectful, and said, "Academician Zhu, may I have a word in private..."
Zhu Mo, having met him twice, felt that this person was exceptionally respectful towards him. Moreover, Wu Feng had advised him not to speak carelessly, indicating he had no ill intentions. Zhu Mo, who had been curious yesterday about who was behind everything, could no longer suppress his questions:
"Uh, Mr. Wu, I have a question. Yesterday you mentioned that a Daoist entrusted you with a matter. May I have the honor of meeting this Daoist?"
"Heh heh, I've come precisely for that! The Daoist master has been waiting for a long time, please!"
Zhu Mo followed him through twists and turns in the alley. After nearly half an hour, they arrived at a secluded, dilapidated Taoist temple.
Looking up, the plaque above the door read "Fei Xuan Palace."
Upon entering the temple, Zhu Mo discovered that although the exterior was in disrepair, the interior was meticulously cleaned and filled with the aroma of incense.
To the left, under a small patch of purple bamboo, an old Daoist sat beneath the trees. Beside him stood an old man in plain clothes, with a gentle and respectful demeanor. He stood slightly behind the old Daoist. Originally, two people had been playing chess, but now the old Daoist was playing against himself.
Zhu Mo felt this old Daoist was rather extraordinary, yet also incredibly weathered. It was clear at a glance that he was someone who had experienced countless vicissitudes of life, his mindset far exceeding his physical age by decades... He couldn't help but think: This old Daoist, Wu Feng said he was a remarkable person in the capital. It seems he truly has some renown. Just looking at this temple, it's quite unusual.
Having grown up among Daoists, he naturally knew that the Great Ming revered the Dao. There were dozens of imperial Taoist temples alone. Moreover, his ability to find sustenance within the Hanlin Academy was thanks to his master's reputation. He had impersonated his master and, with the help of the Xuan Tian Temple's Immortal Lan, had managed to get by. This showed that Daoists were well-regarded in the Great Ming.
Those with supernatural abilities were, of course, honored guests of the powerful. The capital had never been short of such influential figures... Thus, he was not surprised.
At this moment,
Wu Feng respectfully said, "Daoist Master, Young Master Zhu has arrived."
With that, he turned and walked out.
The Daoist then put down his chess piece and turned to gaze at Zhu Mo.
As Zhu Mo met the old Daoist's eyes for the first time, he felt a fleeting glimpse of inexplicable concern, which then immediately returned to a profound and ethereal depth.
"Extraordinary, truly extraordinary... Young Master Zhu, you have great talent. Come, come, would you play a game of chess with this old man?"
Zhu Mo found the old Daoist quite interesting. His demeanor and bearing indeed held a touch of immortal grace. He immediately sat down with a smile and casually asked,
"May I ask your honored title, Daoist Master?"
"This poor Daoist is Fei Xuan Zi."
...
The two quickly played seven or eight moves.
Only then did Zhu Mo look up to examine the servant behind the old Daoist. He felt that although this person was dressed as a servant, he exuded an indescribable aura, as if he were accustomed to giving orders.
And at this moment, the old man was also sizing him up with a peculiar gaze, as if seeing the strangest person in the world...
This old man was naturally Lü Fang, the Director of Ceremonies of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Grand Eunuch.
Although he was a close attendant of Jiajing, he was practically like a brother to him. Jiajing could hardly bear to be apart from this loyal servant, and Lü Fang felt a familial affection for Jiajing that transcended the relationship between ruler and subject. He naturally paid exceptional attention to Jiajing's personal matters.
Early this morning, the Emperor had taken him out of the palace for a private visit, saying he was going to meet someone.
Lü Fang had followed Jiajing for forty years, and private visits were common. However, he wondered what had gotten into the Emperor these past few days? He couldn't even sit still while meditating, pacing back and forth, sighing, laughing heartily at times, and blaming himself with melancholy at others. He had completely changed his nature...
And today, seeing the scene, he was even more astonished!
This was because, according to his forty years of observation, Jiajing was an extremely arrogant man who never took anyone in the world seriously. Even men of great talent like Yang Tinghe, Yang Shen, Xia Yan, Yan Song, and Zhang Juzheng were never taken seriously by him.
Let alone sitting down to play chess with someone, Jiajing would even be impatient to speak a few more words!
But today,
Jiajing exuded a sense of ease, pleasure, and enjoyment he had never seen before. His eyes occasionally revealed a deep concern that had never been directed at anyone else.
Even more frighteningly,
Today, it was not others who feared and flattered him, but he was flattering someone else! He was the one being cautious, afraid of displeasing this young man...
"This, this... what is happening?"
"The change is too great..."
Lü Fang nearly stumbled.
At this moment,
From the side, behind him, Lü Fang could see that Jiajing was actually smiling!
It was a mysterious smile he had never seen before. With every move he made, he yielded to the young man, and no matter how the young man played, Jiajing's face showed a heartfelt admiration...
"This, this smile... it seems a bit forced..."
"What, what exactly is happening...?"
"Who is this young man?"
Is it because he appreciates talent?
Lü Fang pondered repeatedly and felt it was not the case.
Because back then, Yang Shen, the great scholar, he would strike without hesitation. A session of court杖 punishment, and then he was sent to Yunnan and Guizhou, wasn't he?
"That's truly strange..."
"Could it be... his illegitimate son from the common folk?..."
At this thought, Lü Fang's heart leaped, and a complex emotion surged within him—
If it were true, would that mean heaven favored his master too much?
But if so, what about Prince Yu? Would this give rise to many troubles in the future?
Lü Fang then smiled again, thinking he was overthinking things today.
...
Unknowingly, Zhu Mo and the old Daoist had reached the middle game.
The old Daoist, who had been in high spirits, suddenly slowly placed the chess piece he had raised back into the basket. He smiled calmly, his eyes revealing a profound and ethereal worry, as if he were afraid of extreme joy leading to sorrow and dared not savor it for a moment longer. He said leisurely,
"Young Master Zhu, I hear you are from Mount Wutai? Are you accustomed to living in the capital? This capital, it's good in everything, but the weather doesn't nourish people... I see your spirit is slightly lacking... Alas, young people should get more rest. As the saying goes, one snore is better than eating three pigs..."
Before he finished speaking, he turned to Lü Fang and said, "Li San, deliver my thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum to Young Master Zhu's residence at noon..."
"Yes."
Lü Fang nodded with a smile, but his heart mumbled:
Spirit slightly lacking? Slightly?
Thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum? There isn't much left in the inner stores? If he gives it to him, what will I use for alchemy?
I say, Your Majesty, that dilapidated room of his, why call it a "residence"?