The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus

The great hall suddenly became very quiet. Princess Duanyang’s face turned thoroughly red and water surfaced on her eyes as she no longer dared to look at Liu Fuyi’s face.

Dowager Consort Zhao’s expression was somewhat bizarre. She kept covering her hands with each other, her sharp nail guard poking at the back of her hand yet, she seemed to feel nothing at all.

After a long period of silence, Mu Sheng broke the quiet, “And then?”

His voice was very calm and cool, almost indifferent. It felt as if he was completely on a different plane of existence from the princess’s shame and indignant mood. Like he was completely unaffected, and without any pity in his words at all. Mu Yao was somewhat astonished as she lifted her head.

The anger and resentment within Duanyang’s eyes smoldered as she turned so angry she started to shake: “Impudent!”

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Ling Miaomiao secretly poked at Mu Sheng’s arm, wanting him to put away his slight smile that was completely coming out at the wrong time, “Your highness, please don’t blame Young Noble Mu for being rude. He’s actually very nervous inside. We have to learn the true events in order to protect you.”

Liu Fuyi nodded and leaned forward: “Miaomiao is right. Your highness, please don’t have any misgivings. There are no outsiders here.”

Only with all this did Duanyang get consoled and calm down. She still felt somewhat wronged as she clenched her teeth, painfully recalling her dream: “And then… and then they tied up this princess on a pillar… right in front of those Bodhisattvas, and started to choke my throat…”

Mbl lde sq bla dktbvxyal oyp vbl pju qkzzle okvb ale zktbv. Rd vbl eyaj, tzssxu cwv prynkswp vlxrzl byzzp, qkal eaytsdp nwazle yaswde lhlau assx clyx yde lhlau rkzzya aspl wr yv y ayrke prlle. Mbknj pxsjl ckzzsole lhlauoblal yde kd fwpv y xsxldv, nshlale wr yzz sq bla hkpksd. Sle nzswep ldtwzqle vbl csebkpyvvhyp kd yzz jkdep sq rspkvksdp sd vbl taswde, vblka pnwzrvle lmralppksdp clnyxl pwqqwple okvb ale zktbv. Mblu yzz pvyavle vs xyjl pvaydtl zywtbp yde tkttzlp, xkmle kd okvb vbl oykzkdt, caswtbv oyhlp sq bsv yka pxlzzkdt sq cwadv vbkdtp, vwadkdt vbl vlxrzl byzzp kdvs y xyppkhl pvlyxla.

Gp qsa bla, pbl oyp vbl sqqlakdt kd vbl xkeezl sq vbl pvlyxla.

Nkjl y qklau nsxlv pvalyjkdt ynaspp vbl pju yde zydekdt, kd bla pvkqzkdt rykd yde ydtwkpb, pvyavkdt qasx bla qllv, pbl qlzv bla pjkd clkdt akrrle yryav kdnb cu kdnb.

Mbl rlapsd kd qasdv sq bla nbsjkdt bla dlnj bye yzalyeu vwadle kdvs y cyzz sq qkal. Mblka cseu alrlyvlezu xyel pnyau naynjzkdt dskplp yde vblka hsknl pswdele fwpv zkjl vbl pnallnb sq y tbspv: “Qseelpp, ol’al sqqlakdt usw yp y pynakqknl qsa yzz zkhkdt vbkdtp.”

“Gde vbyv’p kv.” Pwyduydt’p zyatl lulp pbsv y rllhle zssj yv Yw Fbldt, bsolhla bla pbswzelap pbssj qasx alnyzzkdt pwnb vlaakqukdt xyvvlap: “Gal usw pyvkpqkle?”

”Zswa bktbdlpp, vbydj usw hlau xwnb qsa uswa nssrlayvksd.” Yw Fbldt zktbvzu pxkzle, bkp pxkzl oyp qkzzle okvb vbl wdkiwl yka sq y uswvb’p kddsnldnl. Qkhkdt vbl kxralppksd vbyv kq bl oyp qynle okvb plnwzya sa osazezu xyvvlap, bl oswzed’v wdelapvyde kd vbl pzktbvlpv, “Zsw nyd ts cynj dso.”

Pwyduydt’p qynl vwadle rwarzl qasx bszekdt kd bla ydtla. Fbl vwadle yaswde, oydvkdt vs tlv bla xsvbla vs blzr bla wrbsze fwpvknl, cwv wdlmrlnvlezu ekpnshlale vbyv Psoytla Usdpsav Hbys nsxrzlvlzu byed’v dsvknle Yw Fbldt’p lmralppksd. Fbl pvkzz xykdvykdle bla rspvwal okvb bla bydep shla sdl ydsvbla. Mbl zssj kd bla lulp oyp nsxrzknyvle yp pbl pvyale yv vbl vyczl, zyatl yxswdvp sq nsze polyv rswakdt swv sq bla vlxrzlp.

“Usdpsav Ysvbla!” Fbl rwpble bla yax pzktbvzu yp pbl czyxle bla. Bdlmrlnvlezu, Psoytla Usdpsav Hbys pweeldzu zkqvle bla blye, bla lulp zssjkdt pvayktbv clbkde vbl nwavykdp: “Vlsrzl nsxl, plde vbl rakdnlpp cynj vs vbl ryzynl!”

From beginning till end, her mother didn’t take a single glance out of concern at her at all. Duanyang suddenly felt great terror in her heart: “Mother Consort…”

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Dowager Consort Zhao nearly dragged her by the arm as she pushed her out. Her voice was very slow: “Minmin, you should go back first. Your mother consort will take your place and solve this issue.”

“But I…”

”Why haven’t you gone yet?” She opened her eyes wide and looked at the aunty, suddenly raising her voice high. The final notes of her voice were so sharp, they seemed to have taken some change. As if thinking this still wasn’t enough, she spun her head around to face Liu Fuyi and pleaded to him in a both intimate and commanding tone, “Can I inconvenience Exorcist Liu to help send the princess back?”

The hall’s door softly closed. In front of the round square windows was a single dark brown little table. An unusual, slanted Taihu stone censer was placed on it, two thin tendrils of smoke slowly rising from the middle of the plate.

Dowager Consort Zhao lifted her teacup, the rising wisps of fog somehow covering up her expression: “Exorcist Mu said earlier that this matter wasn’t just due to the effects of hallucinatory herbs. This consort wants to know what basis you all have for this claim?”

Mu Sheng’s lashes were half lowered. His fingers were playing around with the white porcelain tray but he didn’t reply as if he didn’t hear her at all. For a while, the atmosphere was filled with awkwardness.

Mu Yao could faintly feel that her little brother’s performance had changed into something strange upon entering the imperial palace. She thought he was just throwing a little kid’s temper tantrum and didn’t have the heart to go and ask. So, she lightly filled in with: “We don’t have much of a basis for this claim. We’re merely speaking through experience. Comparing psychedelic incense with a haunting ghost, it’s clearly the smaller of the two.”

Dowager Consort Zhao’s face completely changed.

Mu Yao’s expression was completely flat and without any waves. The teardrop birthmark beneath her eye contrasted greatly with the dignified expression on her beautiful appearance: “Your highness, according to the princess’s words, the second time she returns to the Xingshan Temple it….”

“This matter is truly related to this consort.”

Mu Yao’s probing words were roughly interrupted by Dowager Consort Zhao and she turned quiet without making any more sounds.

“The ‘Goddess’ Minmin mentioned, this consort has heard a decade ago.” She raised her head and let out a long breath of air. Her expression was full of fierceness as if she had made a heavy decision, “Exorcist Mu, this consort will spill all of my secrets to you all. The Mu Family will definitely solve this issue, right?”

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Mu Yao scrunched up her brows, patiently bearing it for a long time before replying conservatively: “Yes.”

Mu Sheng’s hands paused as he silently lifted his eyes. He put on an all-ears-open posture, his black pupils covered by his long lashes were filled with interest in watching the world fall into chaos.

As long as it was related to the name and reputation of the Mu Family, he would also look on at the scene without feeling bothersome.

Ling Miaomiao was thinking in her heart that even when Dowager Consort Zhao was that pissed off, she still didn’t forget to send away Liu Fuyi. It was clear that her meticulous scheming had already soaked into her bones. Currently, the only people left in the hall were people from the Mu Family. Why hadn’t she brought up the topic of Mu Huaijiang and Bai Jin sealing Xingshan Temple in the past? Even Mu Yao, their flesh and blood daughter, hadn’t heard the slightest hint or wisp of this rumor.

Truly, very odd.

“Ten years ago, the previous empress was heavy with sickness. This consort heard from the mouths of the imperial physicians that it’d be difficult for her to even survive the winter. At the time, only this consort had the previous emperor’s favor. She had neither son nor daughter, however I had both son and daughter. Minmin was already ten years of age and had a healthy body. To this consort…” She paused here, as if considering what words to use.

”This is the moment to go all out and open up.” Mu Sheng nudged her with his words in a manner that wasn’t dark nor sunny.

Mu Yao sent him a warning glance, indicating for him to extricate himself. Mu Sheng shot a docile and innocent smile at her.

Dowager Consort Zhao’s face was very dark now. However, she didn’t retort as she continued: “Ten years ago, this consort had already believed in Buddha for a long time. The previous emperor felt great pity on this consort and thus ordered the construction of Xingshan Temple on the outskirts of the city. Xing to invigorate the country and Shan for spreading virtuosity. Coincidentally, the previous empress was suffering from sickness so this consort thought to enter the temple to ask for blessings for her.”

“Dare I ask your highness, is burning incense effective when praying to Buddha?” Mu Sheng pretended to inadvertently insert his words. This time, both Miaomiao and Mu Yao didn’t stop him. On the contrary, upon hearing this question of his, their ears perked up to listen intently to Dowager Consort Zhao’s reply.

“How could it not be effective? When this consort gave birth to Minmin, it was all thanks to the blessing of Buddha…” She could sense that she had spoken a little too much and shut up.

That’s right.

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Dowager Consort Zhao was sincere in her worship of Buddha. She was blindly trusting and believing in this doctrine and religion because of the fact that she fanatically sought for blessings for her own benefits. In actuality, she didn’t have much of a good understanding of Buddhism. As a pampered consort, she had never understood the meaning behind Buddhist scriptures, it surfaced through her actions. Her sincere understanding was nothing more than tossing ridiculous amounts of gold to construct a luxurious imperial family temple. In addition, during times of festival or the New Years, she would donate extravagant amounts of incense joss sticks as if she was a parvenu.

She had all this mundane world could possibly give her, giving and entrusting it all to Buddha, not at all bothering nor caring about if the wishes within her were still within the bounds of the mortal world.

Did this kind of Dowager Consort Zhao, who thought herself to be piteous when she was actually scared, enter the Xingshan Temple for the sake of praying for blessings for the previous empress, or did she ask for the previous empress to die quicker so that she could stand up to the position? No one knew.

“On the third day after the Xingshan Temple was built, a large group of Buddhist monks came from Tianzhu Country¹[1] Tianzhu Country: Ancient India, traveling across a vast distance to come speak scriptures. Ten years ago, Buddhism had only started to prosper in my dynasty. In the entirety of the palace down to the servants, only this consort knew and had any understanding with it due to my relation with my parent’s family. The previous emperor had many matters to deal with and his mood wasn’t bountiful so he let this consort sort that group of people and let them settle down in Xingshan Temple, and at the same time, listen to them preach.”

“The one who led the group was surnamed Tao. His name was Tao Ying and he looked to be very young. He professed to be a person born on the borders of Hua²[2] Hua: Ancient name for China.. He had grown up in Tianzhu amongst the brahmin³[3] Brahmin: A caste of India, mostly monks, religious people and teachers. and received heavy influences of Buddhism. He didn’t hesitate to travel vast distances for the sake of the masses. He had met countless refugees along the road, when those refugees received his rallying inspiration, they all willingly became believers. As such, their group slowly but majestically walked to Chang An.

Mu Yao and Mu Sheng looked each other in the eye.

”As soon as they arrived, they washed themselves with incense, kneeled thrice and kowtowed nine times. They started to recite scripture all night and day without rest, and then Tao Xing told this consort… said that he used his Vajra Eyes

to see that this consort’s life would be very harsh, that it was a great fortune I birthed the Goddess from my womb. With this fortune, it would upheave the heavens and change destiny, obtaining the destiny of a phoenix. The birth data he spoke of was completely identical to Minmin’s… preaching their scriptures was merely an excuse, their true reason for coming here was to worship the Goddess.”

Ling Miaomiao was unable to listen to her words any further and turned around to look. Mu Yao and Mu Sheng both had expressions of complicated consternation.

Ten years ago, Buddhism had only entered Hua for a few years. Because the number of believers was small, scriptures and customs could only be slowly transmitted piece by piece into the country.

Anyone would be able to gain the princess’s birth data just by bribing some steward of the palace. They were just afraid that this Mr. Nanguo had met the cultural poser Dowager Consort Zhao and used her heart, filled with the desire to ascend to Empress, to deceive her.

Mu Yao didn’t uncover her thoughts and only asked: “Your highness, you believe in Esoteric Buddhism?⁴[4] Esoteric Buddhism: In Tantric Buddhism(another name for Esoteric Buddhism), emotions are not as off-limits as they are in Non-Tantric Buddhism. Rather, in the words of French Indologist Madeleine Biardeau, tantric doctrine is: ‘an attempt to place kama, desire, in every meaning of the word, in the service of liberation.’ Amongst other differences……..”

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A hate-filled look flashed through the corner of Dowager Consort Zhao’s eyes. Her expression turned ugly and the hand she used to hold up the cup of tea shook: “At the time… at the time, this consort didn’t know that was Esoteric Buddhism, I only thought that it was the true teachings.”

Esoteric Buddhism, also known as Vajrayana Buddhism or Tantric Sect, was directly opposed to normal Buddhism. They were both ancient Buddhist sects but among them, Vajrayana brought with them some special characteristics. Compared with the aboveboard sect’s spreading the doctrine far and wide’ methods, the Tantric Sect promoted handing down their teachings. Their secrets weren’t to be shown to people and also for this reason, their teachings were nearly turned into ashes after experiencing such a long and winding path to disseminate.

The most representative glaring point of the Tantric Sect was, even while the normal sect promoted suppressing one’s emotions, they completely didn’t avoid the matters between men and women.

The Bodhisattva’s in the princess’s nightmares were portraying their erotic natures, it was clear to see that this was the work of the Tantric Sect. Let alone Tao Ying saying that he was from Brahmin — The Tantric Sect was the combination of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism.

However, Tao Ying and these people, were they really people of the Tantric Sect?

Mu Yao nodded, indicating to Dowager Consort Zhao to continue.

”Originally, at first this consort was also half believing, half doubtful.” Dowager Consort Zhao’s eyes flashed with vexation, “But that Tao Ying correctly predicted several matters in a row. He said that the previous empress would suddenly improve and she truly did manage to get past the winter. He said this consort would lose one of my two children and I closely watched my imperial son for several days, but I didn’t think that…” Her expression twisted into a resentful face: “I didn’t think the ‘lose’ he said would refer to the recovered empress wanting my son.”

The previous empress had gained a new lease on life and completely gave up on the thought of giving birth herself. She was very smart and used her identity as the mother of the country to raise the pampered imperial consort’s sole young child at her own side.

Since then, Dowager Consort Zhao’s child was foreordained to become the heir to the throne. However, his nominal mother had become someone else.

”This consort couldn’t cry in the palace, couldn’t get angry and I even had to thank the previous empress for her favor…” She let out a few cold laughs through the holes between her clenched teeth, “This consort was unable to help but go and ask Tao Ying if Minmin was the Goddess or not? And when exactly…. was the phoenix fate that he spoke of would actually arrive?”

Whether or not the golden Buddha and the jade Guanyin had souls, that was something those influential people greedy for material and worldly things were unable to clearly enunciate. However, if… there was an omniscient and omnipotent living Buddha right before their eyes, would they be able to stop themselves from believing in him?

[1] Tianzhu Country: Ancient India.

[2] Hua: Ancient name for China.

[3] Brahmin: A caste of India, mostly monks, religious people and teachers.

[4] Esoteric Buddhism: In Tantric Buddhism(another name for Esoteric Buddhism), emotions are not as off-limits as they are in Non-Tantric Buddhism. Rather, in the words of French Indologist Madeleine Biardeau, tantric doctrine is: ‘an attempt to place kama, desire, in every meaning of the word, in the service of liberation.’ Amongst other differences……..