Chapter 79 Jiangdu
Li Jiancheng's expression gradually became serious: "Or do you want to enter the palace and wait for an opportunity to assassinate His Majesty!"

It is not surprising that this person wants wealth and fame, but it is strange that he is willing to castrate himself for the sake of wealth and fame. Wang Yi is a man with a good tongue. He can even please Yang Guang. With this ability, he will never lack a place to eat when he travels around the world.

It really hasn't reached the point where I would rather hurt myself than do anything else.

Wang Yi said sincerely: "Although I have been lonely since childhood, I am just unlucky. I have no hatred with others, let alone any relationship with Your Majesty. I am really drifting and I think it would be better to ascend to heaven in one step and gain real wealth."

"I am in this situation today, thanks to you, my lord. Therefore, I dare not lie to you in the slightest and will tell you about my hidden illness."

"I am short in stature, and the same is true for that job. Although I have had a few confidantes, they have not yet become successful and it is difficult for me to have children. I think it is useless to keep them, so it is better to give them up."

"Besides, I have met a wise man in this world, and I am willing to die for him. How dare I blame my wife?"

After saying that, he untied his robe neatly and Li Jiancheng waved his hand with a wooden face: "Okay, I'll grant you your wish, put it on."

"I will never forget your kindness."

Li Jiancheng had many friends, so he could find someone to do anything for him. A few days later, the eunuchs in the palace bureau in Beijing who were responsible for this matter sent their apprentice to catch up with him, bringing a packet of anesthetics, which could be mixed with wine to make the person feel no pain after taking it.

There is also a packet of magical medicine for stopping bleeding and closing wounds. It is made of pearls, amber, and various rare treasures. It can heal wounds by rubbing it on. This was only given to Li Jiancheng because of his face. Otherwise, ordinary people would not have this magical medicine for cleansing themselves, and they would have to leave it to fate.

Wang Yi was a straightforward person, and the one who wielded the knife was even more straightforward. So a few days later, Wang Yi, with a pale face, knelt down before the emperor and said with a smile: "I am willing to accompany Your Majesty in and out of the forbidden gate. Now I have endured death and purified myself. I hope Your Majesty will have mercy on me."

Yang Guang ordered the eunuchs to take a look, and when they saw that it was indeed the case, they were moved and said, "Such loyalty and righteousness is rare."

So he was promoted to the position of Internal Attendant, which was the pinnacle of eunuchs, the fourth-rank internal attendant. For a time, he was so powerful that even the accompanying officials and nobles vied with each other to please him.

It was not in vain that he gave up his life, as this was his first step to success.

…………

After a month's journey, the imperial carriage finally arrived in Yangzhou. As the saying goes, if one does not return to his hometown when he is rich and powerful, it is like wearing embroidered clothes and walking at night, and no one will know what is going on!
Although the emperor was not born here, he spent his best years here, so this is his spiritual home.

The emperor immediately issued an order: "All prisoners south of the Yangtze River and Huai River will be exempted from detention and released to go home. Yangzhou City will not have to pay taxes for five years, and the people in the Yangzhou General Administration will also not have to pay taxes for three years."

The grace extended to the people, which naturally aroused praise from the people. They spontaneously kowtowed before the imperial carriage. The line stretched for more than ten miles and seemed endless. The emperor was extremely happy and pleased, thinking that the people supported him.

Li Jiancheng's mission was thus concluded. Under the leadership and introduction of the Xiao family, he became acquainted with the Wang family of Langya, the Xie family of Chenjun, the Gu family of Wujun, the Lu family, the Zhang family, the Yu family, and the Yao family of Wuxing.

Jiangnan values ​​literature, so Li Jiancheng is naturally very popular. However, he dares not compose poetry. After all, Your Majesty is in a poetic mood these days. If he surpasses him, it will be a big deal.

One day, Li Jiancheng was ordered to invite the monk Zhili from Mount Tiantai to the Jiangdu Palace. The emperor personally went down to the palace to greet him and even called him a disciple, showing great respect.

After a few words, the emperor asked the monk to sit down and said, "I once asked Master Zhizhe to give me precepts. Before I had served him for long, he wanted to return to the temple. I asked him to come back again, but he passed away on the way. I have always felt guilty."

Zhiluo consoled him, "Master, you knew before you left that you would never be able to return, but you were willing to go anyway. It's not your Majesty's fault, it's just that your fate has come to an end." Yang Guang took out a letter from his bosom and said, "Master, you have kept the letter you left for me before I went to heaven. Please take it back and offer it to the Buddha."

Zhili took it and read it. "I know that I will not live long, but the king summoned me. I came here to show my heart. I am sick and I am here. Now I am going to die. I have expressed my feelings and I will not leave."

Zhiluo put away the letter and put his palms together and said, "The master has spent his whole life realizing the wonderful Samadhi and Vipassana of the Three Truths. He has also spread the Bodhisattva precepts, preached, practiced repentance, released animals, encouraged people to recite the Buddha's name, and given food to ghosts and gods. Now it seems that he has indeed realized it."

After praising the wise master together, Yang Guang asked, "Has the temple I built for the monks been completed?"

"It will be completed on the day your majesty ascends the throne. I dare not disturb your majesty over trivial matters, so I will wait until your majesty is free to come here and ask for the name."

"Oh, I wonder if Master Zhizhe left behind the name of the new temple?"

"Your Majesty, in the Chen Dynasty there was a Zen Master Dingguang, whose virtues were hard to fathom. After his spirit was transferred, Master Zhizhe dreamed of his spirit saying, 'It is not the right time to build a temple now. If the three kingdoms become one, a powerful person should build a temple for the Zen Master. If the temple is built, the kingdom will be clean, and it must be called Guoqing Temple.'"

Yang Guang said happily: "Now my Great Sui has unified the Three Kingdoms, and in terms of power, no one is better than me. The temple will be established and the country will be clean. Great!"

So he immediately wrote the three big characters "Guoqing Temple" in his own handwriting and gave them to Zhili to take back.

When he stepped down, the longing and smile on Yang Guang's face disappeared. He was only one step away from showing kindness to the people and winning over religion, and Jiangnan would be as stable as a rock.

The next day, the emperor issued an edict to take Chen Yangdi's sixth daughter, Chen Xi, as a noble lady. All the royal family members of the Chen Dynasty who had been exiled to various places when the Chen Dynasty was pacified were returned to the capital and employed according to their talents.

For a time, the entire southern counties and prefectures were filled with praises of the emperor, and when the literati in the south held a poetry gathering, they would first compose a poem in praise of the emperor.

The counties and prefectures that had previously seen some undercurrents immediately became peaceful and calm, and countless auspicious signs emerged and were sent to Jiangdu to be presented to the emperor for viewing.

Li Jiancheng also learned a lot from Yang Guang. Everyone thought that the emperor was just for fun, but now it seems that the main purpose is clearly to stabilize Jiangnan.

Of course, after achieving his goal, the emperor completely relaxed and began to enjoy himself. It was also a reward for himself for accomplishing a great thing, but his ministers had no objections.

So the emperor stayed in Jiangdu to celebrate the New Year with peace of mind, and from time to time he held grand banquets to compose poetry and watch singing and dancing. Every time Li Jiancheng composed a poem, he was inferior to the emperor and never dared to take the lead.

This made the emperor quite satisfied, and with the help of Empress Xiao and Wang Yi, Li Yuan finally got his position back. Just like when he was demoted, there was no reason, and when he was returned, the only thing he did was to serve loyally and diligently.

The New Year was celebrated with great enthusiasm. The Crown Prince even came all the way from Chang'an to offer congratulations, hoping to celebrate the New Year with his father, the Emperor and his mother. However, the Emperor said he had a heavy responsibility as regent and could not leave for long, so he sent him back.

After the New Year, the emperor felt that his chariot, robes, and ceremonial guards were too simple. How could this demonstrate the majesty of the emperor? He quickly ordered the Minister of Personnel Niu Hong and others to discuss the chariot, robes, and ceremonial guards system.

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(End of this chapter)