CHAPTER 579: CHAPTER 294: THE SUTRA OF LIVING BEINGS AND THE LITTLE MONK

Dayong’s livelihood issues are numerous, and although the Bao Sheng Manual is passed down, it cannot transform into white silver to replenish the state treasury’s deficit.

Moreover, the seventy-year-old Emperor suddenly contracted a disease, and in the past two years, he has often flown into a rage within the palace.

The Imperial Physicians have been reserved in their words, unwilling to speak plainly, until Emperor Jingxing grew impatient and desired to make an example of them, did someone finally confess that the Emperor’s illness was neither wind nor cold, neither deficiency nor labor, but in fact a result of excessive consumption of alchemical concoctions, depleting the Innate energy of the kidney region, like the stem of delicate grass, already snapped.

And the bent root is truly difficult to straighten again.

Emperor Jingxing was not fond of these equivocations and only asked if it could be treated.

The old Imperial Physician knew that whether he answered or not, he would not meet a good end, so he simply played the fearless Imperial Censor, frankly stating that the Emperor’s condition stemmed from excessive indulgence, leading to serious depletion of fundamental essence. Now, it had progressed to a chronic state, beyond the reach of herbal remedies, and even a miraculous physician would struggle to cure a ruler of such unchecked indulgence.

How could Emperor Jingxing tolerate this, and he immediately executed all the Imperial Physicians who heard this within the palace.

Since then, no one dared to mention ’reproduction’, let alone present the Bao Sheng Manual before the imperial desk.

Chen Guangrui hinted at his meaning, and Xu Qing roughly understood what he implied.

That is, only when Emperor Jingxing passes away, could the advanced nurturing knowledge in the Bao Sheng Manual possibly spread across the world.

Xu Qing calculated the incense offerings in his hand; every day Emperor Jingxing didn’t pass away, his divine avatar would be delayed a day in cultivation.

Did that mean the one hindering his path was not diligence, but the dog Emperor lingering in the Capital City?

A seventy-year-old Emperor, Xu Qing was confident he could outlast him, but he didn’t want to.

It was known that when he demanded the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Pill, it was this fratricidal and impotent dog Emperor who accommodated Baiyun Daoist.

Now, with the matters involving Bao Sheng Temple, the enmity between Xu Qing and Emperor Jingxing deepened further.

"County Magistrate Chen, do not worry, perhaps before long, the Bao Sheng Manual will appear before the imperial desk..."

Chen Guangrui laughed quietly.

Could it be that the current Saint Emperor will not last much longer?

It must be known that Emperor Longping lived to over eighty before laying to rest; who could ensure that Emperor Jingxing would not surpass him?

The two conversed in the reception room for a while, then Chen Guangrui invited Xu Qing to the study to retrieve the initial edition of the Bao Sheng Manual.

However, before they reached the study, Chen Guangrui saw two brightly gleaming pearls in his line of sight.

County Magistrate Chen took a closer look, and behold!

Those were not two pearls, but rather two small bald heads. Two young monks stood in the courtyard, and that light was not of pearls but the glow of the setting sun falling on the two youngsters’ heads.

Chen Guangrui was initially taken aback. Upon realizing the two children were his sons, County Magistrate Chen immediately became angry.

Who had the courage to dare shave his sons’ heads?

If this got out, losing face would be minor; being critiqued was no big deal, but if someone submitted a memorial saying he did not adhere to etiquette or filial conduct, accusing him of mismanaging his household and charging him with grave unfilial offenses, then it would be a major issue!

In today’s world, filial piety is paramount; to not harm one’s body, hair, and skin is the beginning of filial piety as they are received from one’s parents.

Besides wandering monks, only unfilial people subjected to punishment would cut their hair.

According to Dayong law, one of the five punishments, "mo cheng", involves cutting of the hair.

Seeing Chen Guangrui was truly furious, Xu Qing knew that Chen Liu’Er was inescapably doomed today!

"Zi’an! Come here!"

When Chen Zi’an, of the same age as Chen Liu’Er, approached, Chen Guangrui said sternly, "Let me ask you, who cut the black hair on your head?"

Chen Zi’an, having just been scolded by his mother, was feeling very guilty and said, "It was shaved by the barber in East Gate Alley who trims and cuts hair."

In these times, there was no mention of barbers, only those who provided facial shaving, trimming stray hair, and cleaning scalp grime—the barbers or shavers.

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangrui immediately frowned, "A fine barber indeed, daring to compel children to have their heads shaved in broad daylight, utterly lawless!"

At this moment, Chen Liu’Er, who hadn’t spoken all along, suddenly said, "It wasn’t the barber who forced Zi’an and me to shave; I gave him the copper plate I bought for the sugar figure, and asked him to shave our heads."

"..."

Chen Guangrui was dumbfounded, looking incredulously at Chen Liu’Er.

This child has always been intelligent and sensible. How could he suddenly become so impulsive and run off to have his head shaved by a barber?

"Liu’Er, your body, hair, and skin are given by your parents and must not be disgraced. Tell your father, did someone entice you and persuade you to take Zi’an to get your head shaved?"

Chen Liu’Er tightly shut his mouth, refusing to speak no matter what. Seeing that Chen Guangrui was pressing him hard, the mischievous child pouted, as if about to burst into tears at any moment.

At this moment, the County Magistrate’s wife came forward with the wet nurse, saying, "The child is tight-lipped, unwilling to betray his friends, which is commendable. Since the hair has already been shaved, it’s like water spilled on the ground—it cannot be undone. Husband, don’t be too harsh."

"In the future, when Liu’Er and Zi’an go out, I’ll have the wet nurse follow them more closely. If Liu’Er returns to the family home, I and his mother will have a word with him, not allowing him to wander off alone to be deceived by those with ulterior motives..."

While Chen Guangrui was talking to his wife, Xu Qing beckoned to Chen Liu’Er, gesturing for him to come closer, and asked:

"Little Liu’Er, who taught you to shave your head?"

Seeing that Chen Liu’Er hesitated to speak, Xu Qing said, "Just tell me, I promise not to tell anyone else!"

"Really?"

"Of course, if I lie, I’m not a human!"

Believing Xu Qing, Chen Liu’Er immediately stretched out his small hand, beckoning Xu Qing to squat down and come closer, only telling Xu Qing privately.

After hearing Chen Liu’Er’s words, Xu Qing immediately stood up and said to Chen Guangrui, "Chen Liu’Er has told me the truth. The one who told him to shave his head is a Mad Monk from Qianzhou. The monk, whose Dharma name is Xinyuan, said that Chen Liu’Er is destined for the Buddhist path, wishing to initiate him into the order. Little Liu’Er thought it made sense, so he wanted to shave his head!"

"At that time, young master Chen Zi’an happened to be present. After hearing Chen Liu’Er talk about the benefits of becoming a monk, he felt he was born to be a monk. So, he followed Chen Liu’Er, took out the money meant for candy, and had the barber at the East Gate shave his head bald!"

Xu Qing spoke quickly, and as his words fell, the entire courtyard fell into silence.

Chen Liu’Er looked at Xu Qing in shock, stammering, "You clearly promised me you wouldn’t tell anyone..."

"Are your parents outsiders? Is your wet nurse an outsider? Since they aren’t, why can’t I tell them?"

Xu Qing clasped his hands together, tucking them in his sleeves, and said with a smile, "Compared to that mad monk spouting nonsense, he is the outsider. How long have you known him? Not even an hour, yet you’re willing to shave your head without telling the concerned elders of your family the truth?"

"I..."

The millennium-old tree demon would suffer before Xu Qing, let alone a child like Chen Liu’Er. How could he possibly be a match for Xu Qing?

The child at this moment even forgot his grievance, his mind a fog, vision dimming, and unable to speak coherently.

After learning the truth, Chen Guangrui wanted to order people from the government office to capture the Mad Monk, but upon looking at the sky, realizing it was late and that this was a private matter of his own household, he decided to postpone it until the next morning at the office to give the instructions.

However, Chen Liu’Er still needed to be educated!

It’s one thing to shave your own head, but how could you lead your brother to shave his head as well?

Xu Qing nonchalantly walked into the study, and when he saw the small stool in the corner, he thought of the young merchant who joined the Gu family.

He wondered whether, through Shang Shaoyang’s efforts, the situation in Jingzhou had changed...

In the study, after receiving the first edition of the care booklet, Xu Qing paused in surprise.

The seemingly inconspicuous booklet seemed to undergo some mysterious change.

Upon touching it with his palm, the feeling of bloodline connection was extraordinarily peculiar.

Vaguely, Xu Qing sensed the strong incense desire of the Bao Sheng booklet, causing the incense in his blood lake Dharma Realm to stir restlessly.

Leaving the study, Xu Qing walked briskly out of the County Magistrate’s residence. During this, he couldn’t even spare the time to find Chen Liu’Er to inquire about the green scale.

Upon reaching the outside of the residence, Xu Qing could no longer suppress the agitation in his heart, and he extracted a wisp of incense from his blood lake, attaching it to the Bao Sheng booklet.

The next moment, the Bao Sheng booklet spontaneously combusted without wind, and as the booklet turned to ash, a volume floated above the blood lake in Xu Qing’s Dharma Realm.

On the surface of the book, there were three gilded characters, which read—

The Canon of Life.