For ten consecutive days, Li Xiuyuan came to Hongfu Temple to chat with Sanzang for an hour every afternoon.
Sanzang helped Li Xiuyuan solve his doubts, and Li Xiuyuan explained Sanzang's explanation.
In the blink of an eye, when the scorching heat in Chang'an was about to pass, Li Xiuyuan bid farewell to Sanzang and returned to the snow-capped mountains alone to live a pastoral life.
Xiaobao has become accustomed to life in the academy and will only come to the mountains with Gao Yuer to stay with her husband for a few days during holidays.
Qin Xiangyu is busy running his own inn, and there is no news about Qingyu who went to Jiangnan.
In the old man's opinion, Qingyu, who rarely leaves home once, might not return to Chang'an until it snows.
The turmoil seemed to have passed, but little did they know that the turmoil in the palace had just begun.
Mingkong quietly raised the fetus and had no intention of competing with others for favor.
Even if she had a little thought, she would have to wait until the child was born before she would talk to the Queen.
But just because she doesn't say it, doesn't mean others won't say it.
On this day, the imperial city seemed much cooler after the rain.
Just after noon, it is the last hour.
At this time, Mingkong was resting, and the emperor would not come to see her at this time.
In the Qingning Palace, the Queen Mother was leaning in front of the window, looking at the imperial garden in a daze. The maid standing behind her was none other than Xiaojuan, who was waiting for Mingkong.
When Mingkong entered the palace, the maids around him were also personally selected by the Queen, just to avoid any surprises.
Today, Xiaojuan waited for Mingkong to rest before running over to talk to the Queen.
The master and servant chatted for a while, and Xiaojuan thought for a while and said, "It is said that Ming Kong has a brother with a different surname, who is very powerful."
The Queen was stunned and couldn't help but ask: "How powerful is it? Isn't it more powerful than the generals in the Forbidden Army?"
"How can the Imperial Guards compare with him?"
Xiaojuan whispered: "I heard that the imperial army broke hundreds of horses outside Xuanwu Gate last time, and a group of soldiers were also seriously injured. They just offended Mingkong's brother..."
"Don't talk nonsense about this, be careful if it is heard by someone who is interested."
As soon as she heard about the forbidden army, a frost appeared on the Queen's face.
He said coldly: "Some people are worried that they can't find a reason to blame Ming Kong. If this word spreads, what do you want the emperor to do, and what do you want me to do?"
Xiaojuan pouted her lips and replied: "What are you afraid of? If you are afraid, some people are afraid."
The Queen heard a different meaning from her voice and couldn't help but frown.
He asked calmly: "Oh, tell me, I would like to know what the reason is?"
"My dear, don't worry."
Xiaojuan then replied: "I heard that it was a woman from the south of the Yangtze River who came to Chang'an to find her fiancé. Unexpectedly, the man was attracted by the young lady from Xiao Mansion... Isn't he just a small official..."
"The young lady from the Xiao family not only forced the man to break off the engagement, but also forced the Wang family girl to live in a street teahouse and make a living by playing the pipa and performing arts."
"That day, Miss Xiao Mansion came to the teahouse and wanted to sell the Wang family girl into a brothel... Guess what, Mingkong's brother happened to be in the teahouse... People in the world hate evil like enemies..."
Having said this, Xiaojuan took a big sip of the herbal tea in front of her and sighed quietly.
He smiled and said: "The people of the Xiao Mansion are no match for others. Finally, Miss Xiao Mansion recruited more than a hundred forbidden troops to go to the teahouse to find trouble for Brother Mingkong and the Wang family girl..."
"This matter has been reported in the imperial city for a long time, but no one knows that Brother Mingkong is the chivalrous man who took action. My dear, you can't sell your slave."
When the queen heard this, she was not angry, but smiled thoughtfully.
After a long time, he clapped his hands gently and said, "Interesting."
Xiaojuan continued: "When Mingkong first returned to the palace, he told the emperor about his brother's return from the desert. The emperor wanted to give him an official position. What do you think Mingkong said?"
"How to say?"
The Queen frowned when she heard this: "Is it possible that he still wants to be a national teacher?"
Shaking her head, Juan'er said with a smile: "If his brother is really allowed to be the national preceptor, only you, my queen, will be able to enjoy the blessings... However, Mingkong told the emperor that her brother cares about heaven and earth and does not want worldly wealth."
"interesting……"
When the empress heard this, she couldn't help but sit up straight and murmured to herself: "In this world, the only people who regard imperial power, wealth and honor as dirt are the born masters."
"Who says it's not?"
Xiaojuan sighed and replied quietly: "She said that even though she suffered so much injustice back then, her brother didn't take any action, saying that everything was God's will..."
"Bang!" sounded.
This time, it was the porcelain cup in the queen's hand that fell to the ground and shattered.
"This... is so interesting!"
Within a quarter of an hour, the Empress said three interesting words, and she was clearly deeply shocked by Mingkong and Mingkong's brother.
He knew clearly that his sister was being forced to leave home and become a nun, but he could remain calm and unmoved and endured it for three years.
Even in the court, no one knew that Mingkong had a brother who was an outsider.
If she hadn't put some thought into placing Xiaojuan next to Mingkong, I'm afraid that even today, she still wouldn't know that Mingkong had such a powerful backer.
She naturally understands that people who are born in this world seek the road to immortality, and they don't care about the ups and downs in the secular world.
But the one who endured it the most was Mingkong, who had to recite Buddhist scriptures in Ganye Temple for three years.
There was one thing she didn't know.
That was before Li Xiuyuan went to the desert, he told the old man that the old man was not allowed to help Juier except at the time of life and death.
Everything has its own destiny. Neither Li Xiuyuan nor the old man can interfere with Juier's life trajectory.
That's why after Duo'er was forced to become a monk, only Qin Xiangyu went to see her senior sister. The world didn't know that there was an unclear cause and effect between her and the wine shop opposite Hongchen Inn.
When Xiaojuan said this, she looked at the Queen and said, "Mingkong remembers your kindness. I guess he will come to say hello to you when the child is born."
The Empress smiled bitterly and sighed: "I hope she can remember my kindness and help me solve that trouble."
Xiaojuan didn't know what the empress was thinking, so she said softly: "Empress, don't be anxious."
The queen glanced at her and said in a low voice: "Don't worry, we will discuss the case in detail when Ming Kong gives birth to a dragon son for Your Majesty."
"This slave is going back. When the noble man wakes up, there will be no one to attend to him. He will be blamed again for some reason."
Xiaojuan smiled sheepishly and said: "Think about it, my slave, this matter is a good thing for both the empress and Mingkong. Without His Majesty's will, who would dare to mobilize the imperial army out of the palace without authorization?"
"Don't panic." The Queen said quietly: "Remember this in advance, there are hundreds of horses missing in this palace, and hundreds of forbidden troops have been injured, it must be recorded..."
As soon as these words came out, Xiaojuan couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh: "I'm planning to save it first, and then we can settle the accounts together."
The queen replied: "I don't want to settle accounts, I just remember this for the emperor."
He waved his hand and said: "Go back now. If you don't have anything important to do, don't run to me all day long. If people see you, what do you want Mingkong to think?"
Xiaojuan chuckled and said, "Don't worry, my dear, I'm leaving."
Watching Xiaojuan leave quietly, the Queen leaned softly on the recliner and murmured to herself: "What kind of charge should I give you for mobilizing the imperial army out of the palace without authorization?"
…
Li Xiuyuan on the snow mountain wants to continue his practice of the Nirvana Sutra, and Sanzang at the bottom of the mountain is compiling Buddhist scriptures brought back from Tianzhu.
Mingkong in the inner courtyard of the palace is enjoying the suffering of motherhood.
Fortunately, as the autumn wind approaches, Chang'an Imperial City finally gets some cool breeze.
On this day, Emperor Gaozong came to see Mingkong. He was more concerned about when the child in his belly would be born.
"It's not that fast either."
Mingkong smiled lightly and said, "The imperial doctor has already said that we have to wait until next spring."
For some reason, Emperor Taizong suddenly became a little uneasy and whispered: "Did the doctor say it was a prince or a princess?"
The expression on Mingkong's face changed, but his mood was very complicated.
She never expected that the emperor would care about whether the baby in her belly was a boy or a girl at this time, even though she knew that this matter was important to both herself and His Majesty.
But, the imperial doctor doesn’t know about this either?
So I had to smile and reply: "It all depends on God's will. The imperial doctor is not a god. How can he know whether the baby in his belly is a boy or a girl?"
As if aware that his idea was somewhat novel, Emperor Gaozong sighed.
He smiled leisurely: "They may not know, but I have to know..."
"Oh, I forgot that Your Majesty is also a god."
Although Mingkong was happy, he also knew his current identity and could not say too much.
In the blink of an eye, he changed the topic: "Since my brother has returned to the imperial city, next spring, I can ask my junior sister to go up the mountain and ask for some spiritual tea to give to Your Majesty. Taste it.”
"What kind of spiritual tea can make you remember it in your heart?"
Emperor Gaozong smiled and said: "In this case, I will wait until our child is born next year to taste the spiritual tea from the snow mountain. I think it will be a beautiful thing."
"Brother's spiritual tea depends on his mood, and it doesn't come every year."
Mingkong said softly: "If you talk too much, your Majesty will be angry again in a while. It is better to wait until next spring and let junior sister go up the mountain to find brother. I hope he will not be in seclusion at that time."
When Emperor Gaozong heard this, he couldn't help frowning and asked: "Is it possible that he will stay in seclusion for a year?"
Mingkong smiled and replied: "My brother once stayed in seclusion in the desert for ten years... He is not from the same world as us."
Emperor Gaozong couldn't help laughing when he heard this: "Since you have a god-like brother, then the child in your belly will naturally be a prince!"
It wasn't until the emperor left that Juan'er came over.
While changing a dish of tea for Mingkong, he asked: "Why don't you tell the emperor about that?"
"What are you talking about?"
Sighing, Mingkong replied quietly: "Remember, no matter what happened, don't mention it in front of Your Majesty now, at least, until my child is born..."
Juan'er seemed to understand her words somewhat and smiled: "Then let's just raise the baby with peace of mind, don't think about anything, and wait for the arrival of next spring."
Mingkong looked at the innocent girl in front of him and sighed softly.
Now she suddenly remembered the dream she had that night. Could it be that a miracle would really happen to her?
However, Li Xiuyuan didn't tell her about this, not even Gao Yuer.
In his opinion, splitting a dragon ball into two parts could only be done by an old monk with peerless cultivation. Not even Hong Yuanhai in the wine shop could do it.
Without telling the two girls, he just wanted to turn the dragon ball divided into two into spring rain to slowly nourish their physiques.
Instead of letting Gao Yue'er break through the realm overnight and return to his previous cultivation level.
This is also the reason why the old monk did not take action to refine the two girls... But he was never misunderstood by Mingkong. In the dream that night, Longzi flew into his stomach.
Thinking of this, Mingkong patted Juan'er's hand and said with a smile: "If you talk too much in the future, I will send you back to the queen sister."
Juan'er was startled, shook her head and said, "No!"
