Chapter 47 – The Unconventional Monk
“What the heck?”
Jiang Pengji’s face was a complete question mark. Were ancient people always this unreasonable, throwing out nonsensical statements right off the bat?
Meanwhile, what was once a calm live stream room had erupted, with numerous viewers expressing that the monk’s words packed quite a punch.
【JingmingWangxian】: Wait… was that old monk implying that the host has the aura of an emperor?
【Xuemitixia】: Today’s live stream vibe feels off… isn’t this supposed to be a palace struggle stream?
【NideYida】: Oh my gosh, the palace struggle may end up with the emperor dead, and the host becoming the Martial Emperor? A Martial Emperor version of “Zhen Huan Zhuan”?
【NongfuShanquanYoudiansuan】: Nonsense! If the host goes into palace struggles, that’s still palace struggles? It’s just a snake game version of palace intrigue!
Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but twitch slightly at the thought. What was a Martial Emperor version of “Zhen Huan Zhuan”? She knew what snake games were, but what did palace struggle version even mean?
At that moment, a little angel in the live stream demonstrated what a palace struggle snake game looked like.
【KeleleYile】: Congratulations to the host for consuming XX beauty, level up +1; congratulations to the host for consuming X concubine, level up +2; congratulations to the host for consuming X favored consort, level up +3; congratulations to the host for consuming XX noble consort, XX imperial noble consort, XX empress, level up +…
Jiang Pengji: “…”
Liu Zhi, oblivious to Jiang Pengji’s wandering thoughts, wore an unmistakable frown on his clear face. “Master Liaochen, you said…”
Master Liaochen, the old monk, performed a Buddha salute, murmuring, “Goodness, goodness. This time is different from that time. The little benefactor is no ordinary person. Saying this is beneficial for her, to avoid walking a misguided path later. Liu benefactor, you worry for your daughter, so you wouldn’t want her to face hardship, just let things flow naturally.”
Jiang Pengji dropped her questioning face, unable to care about the etiquette as she interrupted their riddle game.
“May I ask if my father and Master Liaochen can clarify for me what this ‘emperor’s aura’ is? Is it… that kind of meaning?”
Liu Zhi nodded expressionlessly while the old monk smiled kindly, peeling back the false front Jiang Pengji wore.
“The little benefactor has a proud spirit, a fiery temper, and aspirations that touch the clouds. How could she bring herself to stay beneath others?” The old monk, with Liu Zhi staring daggers at him, leisurely twirled his prayer beads. “Little benefactor, do you agree?”
Jiang Pengji was speechless. This was no ordinary monk!
What happened to monks urging people to put down their swords and achieve enlightenment?
This guy seemed to be encouraging her to boldly raise the sword…
If Liu Zhi was the trendy feudal patriarch, this monk was a non-mainstream figure in Buddhist circles… Communication with ancient folks was indeed a challenge.
Just as Jiang Pengji was about to respond, the old monk turned to Liu Zhi, saying, “I have something to tell the little benefactor. Please excuse Liu benefactor for a moment, as these words might not be suitable for your ears. The tablets for your wife and two little sons are worshipped in the side hall…”
After a moment’s hesitation, Liu Zhi still stood up with a cold expression, giving Jiang Pengji a gentle pat on the head like a form of consolation before leaving.
Once Liu Zhi was far away and there was no one else around, Jiang Pengji finally frowned in impatience.
The old monk’s demeanor softened considerably. “About twenty-nine years ago, I met your late mother. She was just this little…”
Jiang Pengji grew more curious about her stepmother and asked, “You knew her?”
“Yes, back then she wanted to establish a tablet for a little girl named Gu Min.”
Jiang Pengji nearly crushed the cup of tea the old monk had prepared for her, realizing that Liu Lanting’s birth mother’s given name was indeed Gu Min.
“Could it be that Master’s eyes have aged, and you remembered the name wrong? How could a child so young establish a tablet for herself?”
She said this calmly, secretly observing the old monk’s expression for any unusual signs.
“That girl was no ordinary person; her soul often showed signs of leaving her body, and there was quite a heavy yin energy around her.” The old monk reminisced in a casual tone, “And that little girl died young in early June, giving off a lifeless aura, yet she was still alive at that time.”
Jiang Pengji felt that the Zen room was inexplicably chilling; this old monk had indeed seen through her.
The old monk continued, “Upon hearing of my modest fame, she kneeled and begged me, wishing to find a glimmer of hope. I should not have intervened, as seizing a living body is a dark act, yet she had a bit of fortunate destiny and sincerely sought help…”
Jiang Pengji squinted slightly, certain now, “They say monks don’t lie, so why is this old monk lying to me?”
The old monk paused, locking gazes with Jiang Pengji for quite some time, then suddenly sighed, “Little benefactor, you’re making it hard for me.”
“Tsk, I just don’t believe that life can be so easily rekindled. Life is not something that can be easily rewritten, right? If it were, those scared emperors seeking immortality would’ve all ascended by now. I’m more inclined to believe you’re just helping her out without thinking it through…”
Jiang Pengji smiled widely, revealing a set of white teeth. “Maybe that little girl should never have died, perhaps due to some reason she met her end, and my mother ended up in her body due to fate. You were just helping with the yin energy removal as a favor, right?”
She had expected the old monk to get angry, but to her surprise, he shamelessly nodded instead.
“Little benefactor is indeed wise; all things have cause and effect, and some destinies are already sealed. That little girl should have perished, and your mother was meant to appear, just like you were always destined to be Liu Lanting.” After finishing, the old monk began to chant softly while fiddling with his prayer beads.
At this moment, the system, which had been quiet for a long time, piped up, “Feels like this old monk just rambled on with a bunch of useless nonsense…”
Jiang Pengji thoughtfully replied, “Maybe it’s not useless chatter. He might want to convey some important message to me.”
System: “What message?”
“Not sure; ancient people think in such twisted ways, they’re not even on the same wavelength. I can’t understand.” Jiang Pengji complained, half-serious.
System: “……Then why are you being all philosophical and saying stuff?”
Jiang Pengji rubbed her forehead and straightforwardly asked, “I don’t care about what happened in the past; I just want to know how you and my stepmother deceived my cheap father and stepmother? They know it’s the same body, but the soul is swapped; by today’s standards, wouldn’t they just treat me as a monster and burn me to a crisp?”
Did they think she was stupid?
Whether it was the stepmother or her ‘cheap’ father, keeping this secret under wraps, thinking she wouldn’t figure it out?
Jiang Pengji said unceremoniously, “I am inhabiting a body that was already dead; when I woke up, Liu Lanting was gone.”
Clearly, both the stepmother and the cheap father knew that Jiang Pengji was not Liu Lanting, yet they still regarded her as their daughter. This development provoked her inexplicable anger. At first, she thought it was their self-deception, but seeing this old monk, she suddenly understood—it all came down to this!
“This isn’t deception; the little benefactor is indeed Liu Lanting, as it should be. Monks don’t lie.”
Jiang Pengji set the record straight. “You just lied to me once before!”
Master Liaochen: “……”
