From eunuch to emperor

I heard that the Taoist priest came again yesterday, and he actually knew that two ghosts appeared in Zhuangzi last night. The housekeeper Zhu Xi did not drive them away immediately this time, but hesitated for a while, and said, "Go and hold that Taoist, I will Go report to the owner."

The brawny man smiled and ran out, and the butler Zhu Xi immediately went to Zhu Yong's room.

Martial masters He Peng and Zhuang Ding guarded the door with swords. Seeing Zhu Xi approaching, He Peng said softly, "The owner just fell asleep."

Zhu Xi said: "A Taoist came to the door and said he could catch ghosts. I'll tell the owner about it."

He Peng heard that people were hunting ghosts, He Peng immediately stepped aside, and the housekeeper Zhu Xi entered the room. Zhu Yong was fast asleep with a sharp knife in his hand.

Sitting beside the bed was a muscular man with a knife leaning against the head of the bed.

This person is Zhu Lie, Zhu Yong's eldest son.

"Eldest son."

"Butler? What's the matter?"

"A Taoist priest came outside the door and said he can catch ghosts and eliminate demons. I want to report it to the owner."

Eldest son Zhu Lie frowned, and said unhappily: "Housekeeper, our Zhujiazhuang has been enshrining and converting to Buddha, why do you believe in a Taoist priest of unknown origin?"

This Zhu Yong is the son of his wife, Mu Shi, and heir from the Qizi Hall of Zhaoti Temple.

Both Zhu Yong and the Mu family respected Buddhism, this Zhu Lie had been practicing in Zhaoti Temple for a while, and monk Kongji had taught him martial arts, so Zhu Lie naturally also respected Buddhism and naturally resisted Taoism.

Zhu Xi said that a Taoist priest came outside the door, and Zhu Lie was immediately unhappy.

The housekeeper Zhu Xi knew that he would be scolded for saying this, but he still said: "My lord, the person asking for help has just been sent out, and it may take a few days for the master from Zhaoti Temple to come over."

"People in Zhuangzi are panicking now. The watchman Lao Liu died when he returned to his room last night. It's not an option to keep making trouble like this."

"Besides, there is a war going on in Yangcheng, so Zhaoti Temple may not be able to send good masters."

"If it comes, stays for a few days, and then continues to appear, then our Zhujiazhuang will never have peace."

Zhu Xi said it very euphemistically, the monks from Zhaoti Temple have been here twice, but in fact it is useless.

This shows that Zhaoti Temple does not exorcise evil spirits and catch ghosts at all.

"Where are the people?"

Zhu Yong, who was sleeping, got up, his eyes were bloodshot.

He just woke up, lying down and listening to Zhu Xi.

Zhu Lie got up immediately and said, "Father, won't you sleep for a while?"

Zhu Yong waved his hand and asked Zhu Xi, "Where is he?"

Zhu Xi quickly replied, "I'm waiting at the gate."

Zhu Yong got up, Zhu Lie brought over the clothes and shoes, and waited for Zhu Yong to put them on.

"Let's go! Let's see what's behind it, dare to go to Laozizhuang to cheat food and drink, and kill him!"

Zhu Xi led the way, Zhu Yong went out, Zhu Lie and martial artist He Peng followed behind.

The helpers in the village happened to be riding out on horseback. They had nothing to do and went hunting again.

When he arrived at the door, he saw Long Chen standing by the side of the road, holding a handful of grass in his hand, feeding it to the donkey.

"The owner, that's him."

Zhu Yong and the people behind him looked at Long Chen coldly, Zhu Xi immediately ran over and said, "Master Dao, this is the owner of my family."

Long Chen didn't rush, waited until the donkey had finished eating the grass, then slowly turned around, walked up to Zhu Yong, shook the whisk in his hand, and sang: "The poor way is in vain, the owner is polite."

Seeing that Long Chen was young and had a prejudice against Taoism, Zhu Yong's expression was very rude.

"Where did the Taoist priest come from? Where is the fairy mountain?"

Long Chen chuckled and said: "The poor Taoist came from Daliang, and the dojo is in Luofu."

Hearing that Long Chen's accent was indeed Nan Liang, Zhu Yong was a little surprised in his heart, and the contempt in his heart was a little less after walking so far.

"Oh, did the Taoist priest just say that he can catch ghosts and exorcise evil spirits?"

Long Chen nodded slightly, and said with a smile: "I know a thing or two about talisman refining alchemy to exorcise evil spirits and catch demons."

Zhu Yong still didn't fully believe it in his heart, and was still hesitating.

Eldest son Zhu Lie took a step forward, pointed at Long Chen and said: "Taoist, this is Xixia, and it worships Buddhism. If you want to play the autumn wind in my Zhujiazhuang, I'm afraid you have gone the wrong way."

Long Chen looked up at the sky above Zhuangzi, and said with a smile: "This kind man, the poor man came to do charity when he saw that Guizhuang was infested by evil spirits."

"If a good person doesn't believe it, just leave the poor way, and a good person can ask another wise person."

After finishing speaking, Long Chen led the donkey and walked towards the road.

Zhu Xi looked at Zhu Yong anxiously, and said, "Master, this..."

Zhu Yong didn't make any moves, but those men who were helping out got excited.

"Mother, I have seen many monks, and this is the first time for a Taoist priest."

"Master, let's test the quality of this Taoist priest."

After finishing speaking, several idlers chased after him on horseback.

Zhu Xi said anxiously: "The owner, they..."

Zhu Yong and Zhu Lie didn't speak, and let the idlers chase after them on horseback.

Long Chen rode a donkey and walked slowly ahead, when he heard the sound of chasing horses' hooves behind him, he smiled coldly in his heart.

When a few people got behind them, Long Chen suddenly pulled out the mahogany sword on his back, turned around and slashed at the horseshoes of a few idlers.

An invisible air wave swept across, and the legs of several people sitting on the horse were cut with a bloodstain by the air wave. The front hooves suddenly knelt down, the horse fell to the ground, and the idler fell headfirst, rolling on the ground like dry cow dung.

"Whoops..."

The idle man let out a miserable cry.

Long Chen stopped, inserted the mahogany sword back into his back, and said with a smile: "How did you say that, such a great gift, I can't afford it."

This move stunned Zhu Yong, martial artist He Peng, and eldest son Zhu Lie.

What Long Chen was holding was clearly a mahogany sword, but it almost cut off the horse's leg.

This is... Taoism?

Butler Zhu Xi said in surprise: "Master, this is a man of virtue."

Zhu Yong immediately trotted over, and bowed to Long Chen: "This old man's eyesight is clumsy, and he doesn't recognize an expert, please condescend to Daoist Chongxu to come to the village for a sip of rough tea."

Long Chen chuckled and said: "Pindao is not an eminent monk of Zhaoti Temple, I am afraid that the poor cannot drink the tea from the owner."

Zhu Yong immediately apologized and said: "Don't blame the Taoist priest, it is rare to see a Taoist priest in Xixia, let alone a Taoist priest with profound Taoism like you."

Looking at the sky above Zhuangzi, Long Chen slightly nodded and said: "It doesn't matter if the owner drinks the tea or not, it's just that these two ghosts have been in Zhuangzi for some years, if they don't get rid of them, I'm afraid no one will be their opponent."

Zhu Yong rejoiced and said, "I ask the Taoist priest to drive away the evil spirits."

Long Chen nodded and said with a smile: "Please trouble the owner to lead the way, the poor Taoist can't get in by himself."

Zhu Yong bowed shamelessly: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Zhu Yong personally led Long Chen by the donkey's bit and walked in, the other idlers got out of the way one after another, and the butler Zhu Xi led the way.

When Long Chen passed by, Zhu Lie took a special look at the sword on Long Chen's back, it was indeed peach wood.

Zhu Lie was secretly shocked: this Taoist priest is so powerful, he is probably even more powerful than Abbot Kong Ji.

When Long Chen entered the Zhuangzi, the idlers on the ground slowly got up, and one of them broke his spine and was paralyzed on the ground.

"Brother, give me a hand."

Seeing that this man had become paralyzed, the leading idle man said impatiently: "You are like this, how can you help the owner with something? You can go back by yourself."

The idle man followed into Zhuangzi, leaving the man to fend for himself.

The strong man guarding the gate said to another person: "What did I say, this Taoist priest is a tall man."

After entering Zhuangzi, Long Chen saw the Buddhist hall in the middle at a glance.

Zhu Yong led the donkey to the main hall and stopped, and said: "Master, please have a cup of tea in the hall."

Long Chen turned over and said: "Please trouble the owner to feed the poor horse some fodder."

Zhu Yong immediately ordered Zhu Xi: "Feed the priest's mount with corn and beans."

Zhu Xi immediately led the donkey to the stable to feed.

Zhu Yong respectfully invited Long Chen into the main hall, and the guests of honor were seated on both sides.

Zhu Yong took the main seat, Long Chen was on the left, and Zhu Lie was opposite.

The servant served tea, and Zhu Yong smiled and said, "Please taste it, Taoist priest, this is a good tea bought in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty."

Long Chen didn't drink, but said: "Master, let's talk about business first."