Chapter 63 Black Bean

The Wanli Emperor wore a strange expression. "Beans? What is that?"

Ji Xiang said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this is a cursed black bean. Eating it will cause a person to continuously encounter misfortune. If Your Majesty is truly worried about this temple priest, you can give him this black bean to eat, so that no matter what he tries to do, it will backfire."

This was Ji Xiang's plan.

*You're hiding well, hiding cleverly. It's true that I can't see any problems, so I'll just directly reward you with a black bean to taste, so you can honestly stay at home and not go out to harm others.*

Today was the 20th day of the sixth month in the 25th year of Wanli's reign.

For those who ate black beans, it was advisable to stay at home and avoid going out.

The Wanli Emperor's eyes lit up immediately. He had been avoiding the beans just now, intending to tell this unlucky thing to stay away from him, but now, looking at the black bean, the more he looked, the more he liked it.

Ji Xiang said, "Your Majesty only needs to wait two days. Since today has passed, there is only tomorrow left. After one day, Zhang Zhenren will enter the capital. At that time, no matter what strange evil god is here, it will be useless."

*When Lao Zhang enters the capital, gods and ghosts will retreat. If Lao Zhang comes and still can't do anything, then this humble subject suggests that Your Majesty choose a comfortable posture and lie down to await death.*

"If Your Majesty is still worried, after returning today, you can have someone invite Chan Master Shuizhai of Changchun Temple to investigate again. Chan Master Shuizhai's Dharma power is much higher than mine, and he may be able to discover the problem."

Wanli thought about it and felt it made sense, so he beckoned to Tian Fengyu, who came over eagerly, looking flattering, respectfully saluting, and shouting "Long live the Emperor."

"Rise. I bestow upon you a good thing, eat it for me!"

The Wanli Emperor handed the black bean to Tian Fengyu. In Tian Fengyu's eyes, a black light flickered slightly. Of course, he recognized what it was.

The Kitchen God's black bean, eating it would bring bad luck for the entire day, from slipping while walking to being hit by falling objects.

"Eat, this is a reward from me to you. You must chew it thoroughly before swallowing!"

*Eat it for me, those who recognize the situation are heroes!*

*Not eating it means not giving me face?*

The Wanli Emperor stared at Tian Fengyu, who secretly cursed his bad luck, and could only bite the bullet and eat the bean, chewing and swallowing it repeatedly.

The Wanli Emperor was relieved when he saw him eat the black bean.

After eating the black bean, it was also necessary to keep an eye on the temple priest. The Wanli Emperor was very dissatisfied that he hadn't found any problems in the Dongyue Temple today. It seemed that demolishing this temple required further consideration.

So he said to Luo Sigong, "Have the Embroidered Uniform Guards guard this place and strictly control the entry and exit of worshippers these few days!"

"No one, regardless of the reason, is allowed to enter! The night bell ringing of the Netherworld Gods is suspended!"

"Tonight, start the bell ringing from the First Red Shop, and the Dongyue Temple will rest!"

The Wanli Emperor forcibly gave the Netherworld employees of the Dongyue Temple a holiday. At this time, the Netherworld Gods who were out spreading the bells were about to return to the Dongyue Temple. The Wanli Emperor was waiting at the door, and in the process, someone started to speak up again.

Xu Wenbi, the minister who had given the Wanli Emperor advice earlier, stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, since there is no problem within the temple, then please choose an auspicious day to conduct a grand sacrifice to appease Heaven, Earth, the ancestors, and the gods..."

"What do you mean there's no problem? We just haven't found it yet. Is it up to you to say whether there's a problem or not?"

The Wanli Emperor looked at Xu Wenbi with a cold face. "As long as this temple is here for one day, I will not be at ease for one day."

*You, a minister, dare to question me?*

*The consecration ceremony and renovation ceremony of this temple were even grander than the Fire God Temple!*

*Are you questioning my ability to court death!*

Xu Wenbi also fully displayed the arrogant nature of Ming Dynasty officials, insisting, "The temple was built by a Xuan Sect Grandmaster during the pseudo-Yuan dynasty, and has inscriptions by Emperor Yingzong and renovations by Emperor Shizong. You said before that if there were no problems, you would return to offer sacrifices to the gods. Now, no problems have indeed been found. The Emperor's words, how can you go back on your word!"

The fire on Wanli's forehead flared up. He looked inside the temple, thought of a good idea, and said to Xu Wenbi, "I think there's a problem. If you don't believe me, then you can stay here for one night!"

Xu Wenbi then loudly said, "This minister accepts the decree! But if nothing happens to this minister after one night, Your Majesty must perform the sacrifice!"

The attitude was very clear: *Stay if I must, anyway, nothing will happen. You old man, don't scare yourself!*

The Wanli Emperor nodded. "Good, if nothing happens to you tonight, I will choose an auspicious day to come to the Dongyue Temple again for a grand sacrifice!"

Xu Wenbi sighed. "Your Majesty, how many years has this evil god been planning for this one occurrence? Shuntian Prefecture is, after all, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and there is also the Netherworld Heavenly Office, the universal constellations, and heavenly generals and true gods to protect it. You shouldn't scare yourself!"

"If there really is an evil god in this Dongyue Temple, occupying the clay statue of the Great Emperor of Dongyue, why didn't he take action when the Fire Lord burned the Forbidden City the other day, but remained quietly instead?"

Minister Xu Wenbi indicated that the Emperor should not be overly worried. Today, this old Xu would accompany the temple priest, sleeping on the floor for one night, and at the same time monitor this temple priest, to help him verify that this temple was safe, very safe!

The Wanli Emperor also gave a thumbs-up, indicating that he would send another batch of Embroidered Uniform Guards to "protect" him, but in reality, they were there to monitor the temple priest.

At this time, the sky had gradually brightened. Soon, those Netherworld Gods who had been patrolling and ringing the bells also returned.

The Fourteenth Department, the Bureau for Tracking Down Criminals and Collecting Evidence: The duty of this Netherworld department is to investigate and collect evidence before arresting criminals, so as to avoid harming the innocent. It is a detective agency.

The Thirty-ninth Department, the Department of Monstrous Beings: This Netherworld department is the general agency for governing monstrous beings, strictly forbidding them from wandering around causing trouble and bewitching people.

The Sixty-ninth Department, the Guiding Department: In charge of guiding souls after death.

The three departments went ahead, unaware of what had happened at the First Red Shop last night. At this time, they arrived in front of the Dongyue Temple and saw the Emperor there, along with the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander, the heavenly generals and true gods, and the Wudang Taoists, all at the door, so they quickly came to pay their respects.

The Wanli Emperor told them that starting tomorrow, you were on holiday. As for when the holiday would end, wait for notification.

The group left the Dongyue Temple, leaving behind a portion of the Embroidered Uniform Guards and Minister Xu Wenbi to guard the place.

Ji Xiang turned around and followed the Wanli Emperor away. After walking not far, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Startled, he turned his head slightly and saw the Netherworld Gods entering the Dongyue Temple, while Tian Fengyu was still standing at the threshold, standing beside Xu Wenbi, who was turning back to the temple, his eyes fixed on him, not blinking.

"Diming Divine Art?"

Although he didn't feel any divine power flowing, the divine tablet had a reaction!

[The Diming God is observing!]

Ji Xiang immediately recited, "Heaven and man are one, can one be careless!"

Looking at Tian Fengyu again, he had already run towards the temple door, and in an instant, he stepped up the steps and disappeared inside the door.

"Wait!"

Ji Xiang couldn't bother to report to the Emperor at this time. He turned back. Xu Wenbi was about to enter the door when he suddenly heard Ji Xiang's voice and immediately turned his head. Ji Xiang caught up and saw that Tian Fengyu was already almost at the main hall of the Dongyue Temple!

He immediately asked, "Lord Xu, how did that temple priest walk so fast just now..."

Just in the time it took to say this one sentence, it was as if he had teleported!

"Walk fast? That temple priest had already gone in. He wasn't here just now. What's wrong with the temple priest?"

Xu Wenbi looked at Ji Xiang strangely and told him that the temple priest had already gone in after everyone had left. When Ji Xiang turned his head, there was no one beside him.

Ji Xiang didn't believe it. He asked the Embroidered Uniform Guards next to him again, and the response he received was the same. He could only stare deeply at Tian Fengyu, bid farewell to Xu Wenbi, and slowly leave.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the temple.

Black divine light flowed in Tian Fengyu's eyes. His abdomen bulged, and his throat twitched. He slowed down half a step behind Xu Wenbi and spat out a dark, ghastly black gas. In that black gas, a complete black bean actually fell out!

"Damn Taoist, daring to make me, this noble Holy Ancestor God, eat a tiny black bean rubbed off the body of a small Kitchen God!"

"It's disgusting!"