The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Xu Zhenguan's exquisite face froze with frost, her beautiful eyes filled with murderous intent, as she suddenly stood up, "These bald donkeys dare to assassinate a courtier, it seems my last admonition wasn't enough."

Speaking, she suddenly glanced at Zhao Douan and said,

"Rest in the palace and heal your wounds, I need to step out for a moment."

Having said that, she turned and was about to walk out.

"Your Majesty, please wait!"

Zhao Douan, in a panic, forced his battered body to rise and grabbed the Empress's slender hand with urgency in his voice,

"Your Majesty, please do not act impulsively, I always feel there's something highly strange about this affair."

As the victim of the sneak attack, Zhao Douan was, of course, furious with the Divine Dragon Temple.

But he knew better; anger wouldn't solve anything. The reason he had prattled on, explaining the causes and consequences, was to make the Empress realize that there was something odd about this incident.

However, Xu Zhenguan merely looked down at him calmly and said,

"Your concerns are noted. Perhaps you are right, there is something strange, even someone intentionally using others for their scheme, but that is not important."

Zhao Douan was stunned.

Xu Zhenguan gave him a look, slipped her hand out of his grip, and said,

"Heal in peace. I'll go get justice for you."

"Your Majesty..."

...

...

The moment Xu Zhenguan stepped out of the room, the biting winter wind brushed across her face.

She regained her majesty and dignity, and with them, a trace of unmasked fury flared.

"Your Majesty!"

The group waiting outside the door saluted all at once, Mo Chou had also hurried over and was among them.

It was roughly noon in the Capital, yet the sky was covered in gray clouds; the day was bleak, all life seemed withered, leaving only a desolate chill behind.

Xu Zhenguan spoke indifferently,

"Issue my command: Five divisions of the imperial guard are to move out, seal off the Divine Dragon Temple and Jizhao Temple."

"Issue my command: The Ministry of Rites is to draw up an edict, effective immediately, prohibiting all Buddha worship within the city. Notify all the other jurisdictions, following the Capital's example, to impose a two-month nationwide ban on Buddha worship."

"Issue my command: The Ministry of Justice is to issue a warrant, informing all military posts throughout the land to apprehend the criminal monk, Da Jing Master, from the Divine Dragon Temple."

"Issue my command..."

In the cold wind, command after command was issued; the female officials outside turned pale with shock, their expressions horrified. Mo Chou especially stared at the wrathful Empress, wanting to say something but too frightened to speak.

"I shall obey the command..."

Finally, taking a deep breath, Mo Chou suppressed the shock in her heart, quickly went to carry out the orders, her steps nearly a run, understanding in her heart:

A major incident had occurred.

After issuing the flurry of imperial decrees, Xu Zhenguan ignored everyone else and walked alone towards the Meridian Gate Square.

In the eerily silent deep palace, the Empress dressed in white, seemed like the only patch of snow in the winter day.

She suddenly raised her hand in summons.

From the direction of the Grand Temple of the Imperial Palace, where the ancestral plaques were placed, in the hall forever lit with the glow of incense, a Sword Box abruptly opened.

The Taia Sword, once worn by the Grand Ancestor Emperor, which Zhao Douan had called upon during the great Buddhist-Taoist competition, began to tremble with a sudden hum.

Thereafter, the Taia Sword leaped from the Sword Box, flew out of the hall, transformed into a streak of golden light escaping the Grand Temple, and delivered itself into the delicate hands of Xu Zhenguan.

With the sword in hand, Xu Zhenguan's invisible aura surged, and ethereal streams of Dragon Qi coiled around her body.

The Empress took a sudden step forward.

In that instant,

she left the Imperial Palace, appearing in the sky above the Divine Dragon Temple in the Capital.

Xu Zhenguan looked down at the cluster of temple buildings below; she could faintly hear the chanting from the halls, and the lingering scent of the burning incense wafted up to her.

Coldness flashed in her eyes; with sword in hand pointing towards the main temple hall, then across the entire Capital's sky, the majestic voice of the Empress resounded,

"Xuan Yin! Come out and face me!"

The voice was like thunder, stirring the clouds above, spreading throughout every corner of this grand city with a population of millions.

...

Zhao family.

You Jinhua was by the fire with her daughter in their room when the voice gave them a start.

Mother and daughter stepped out of their room, joining a group of house servants gathered in the courtyard, gazing at the vague Dragon Qi circling over the Divine Dragon Temple with blank expressions.

...

Jizhao Temple.

By the side of a pond with withered lotus, the Bodhisattva sitting on a swing suddenly looked up.

With wise eyes filled with astonishment, she gazed at the resplendent white-clad Empress standing in the sky opposite the temple, feeling the overwhelming imperial aura of the Heavenly Human Realm, tears flowed from her eyes.

The nuns within the temple were in chaos; Princess Yunyang walked out of her meditation chamber, witnessing the spectacle in the sky, and became transfixed.

...

Heavenly Master Mansion.

"Ting ting dang dang."

In the chunky Gongshu Tianyuan's workshop, amidst the sounds of striking, his work was abruptly halted; a disciple dressed in a crumpled priest robe walked out, looking bewilderedly towards the distant sky.

"The Empress?" A small figure came flying in; Jin Jian landed gently, pushed her crystal spectacles up her nose, and exclaimed in shock, "What's happened to Her Majesty?"

The other priests also came out, gathering in the square, looking towards the distance with uncertainty and apprehension.

In the backyard, Zhang Yan Yi, who had been dozing under a large banyan tree, was also startled awake.

On his rosy cheeks appeared a moment's bewilderment, as if this scene was not within his prognostication of the Heavenly Dao; he too frowned deeply.

...

"Xuan Yin! Come out and face me!"

Within the commanding voice, the Divine Dragon Temple was the first to be struck, countless monks within the temple felt the overwhelming imperial might descending in terror.

Highly cultivated monks managed somewhat, but the lowly cultivated young monks trembled, filled with an instinctive fear and subservience.

Monks after monks emerged from the various Buddhist Halls and meditation chambers, congregating in the largest central courtyard.

Dressed in white, handsome, and of great renown, Master Bian Ji stepped out and immediately became the anchor of all the monks:

"Mage!"

"The Mage is here!"

"What's happening? Why would Her Majesty do this? Where's the abbot?"