Chapter 10

"Master, you are really not being fair!"

Li Shan, with a dark face, took out an envelope from his chest and handed it over, "The route map to the Persian sea ship from the Guangzhou Governor's Office in Lingnan has been drawn. If all goes well, we can reach India within a month."

Li Shan remembered this very clearly. When he was in elementary school, he once watched *Journey to the West*, and his devout Buddhist grandfather mentioned that although Tang Sanzang's journey to the West to obtain scriptures was admirable, it was not very smart. In the same Tang Dynasty, another monk set sail from Guangzhou and reached India in just twenty days!

After the transaction, Li Shan left with a sullen face, taking Zhu Ba for a stroll on the street.

"Big Brother, we really can't go to Pingkang Fang today!"

Li Shan looked at him speechlessly. You really have a wide range of control!

Zhu Ba whispered, "Uncle Seven said that in a few days, he will buy two maids to serve you."

That was the old society's custom, but I am a model student who grew up under the red flag... Li Shan pondered whether he could choose the maids when buying them. He couldn't find someone like Xiaoman, but he couldn't settle for a misshapen one either.

However, Pingkang Fang really couldn't be visited again. That day, he had claimed to be Li Bai, styled Taibai...

After some thought, Li Shan returned to Zhujiagou, still thinking about today's events... Who would have thought that Du Ruhui would go to Dongshan Temple yesterday.

Du Ruhui didn't seem to be in a good mood yesterday... Li Shan chuckled bitterly. Could it be that when he mentioned cunning methods, he was actually talking about Du Ruhui?

Back in the village, Li Shan still looked troubled. Zhu Wei, who had been waiting for news, sighed when he saw Li Shan's expression and then came to console him... The village's young men were eager to join the conscripted soldiers, and the overdue taxes would be paid tomorrow, and the sale of the Jade Dew would begin.

Li Shan listened absent-mindedly for a while before he reacted, and then he smiled dryly, "The monk agreed. If there are no unexpected events, Dongshan Temple will not be on the list for closure."

Zhu Wei was stunned for a moment, then he slapped his thigh in joy, "Is that true? We'll go into the city tomorrow to investigate!"

The doubt in Li Shan's mind grew. What was the background of Zhujiagou? Clan leader Zhu Wei could have known in advance that Xuanzang would be inspecting the temples, and he seemed very confident that the truth would be confirmed tomorrow.

Zhu Wei noticed Li Shan's unusual state, "Big Brother, why are you so unhappy?"

"Today, I met two people at the temple." Li Shan squinted and sized up Zhu Wei, probing, "One is the Left Guard of the Eastern Palace, Wei Ting of the Wei family in Jingzhao, and the other is the Middle Secretary of the Heavenly Strategy Office, Du Ruhui of the Du family in Jingzhao."

Zhu Wei's expression changed, and he asked in detail. Li Shan evaded, half-truths and half-lies.

After all, Li Shan was a穿越者 (time traveler) and one who was relatively familiar with Tang Dynasty history. On the way back to Zhujiagou, he had already figured out the whole situation.

Now, none of the generals in Hebei were a match for Liu Heita, even Li Shiji suffered a crushing defeat. Next, Prince Qin Li Shimin would certainly lead the expedition. To put it more darkly, Li Jiancheng would be delighted if his brother suffered a few defeats at Liu Heita's hands.

As the second son, Li Shimin's status and prestige in the court were earned through his invincible military achievements. He could not accept the possibility of failure.

Liu Heita swept through Hebei, winning battle after battle, with a sharp and fierce army. The troops in Guanzhong were insufficient, and Li Shimin would never risk his core forces, the Six Armies and the Black Armor Cavalry, in a direct confrontation.

Therefore, the Heavenly Strategy Office was trying to push for the closure of temples as quickly as possible to make up for the lack of troops, which was also very important for the Heavenly Strategy Office itself... After all, this was an order from the Emperor Li Yuan.

But what the Heavenly Strategy Office wanted to do, the Eastern Palace would certainly oppose. Li Shimin was ambitious, so Li Jiancheng had to show his magnanimity. This was just a small collision... but the problem was that Dongshan Temple unfortunately became the target, and Li Shan unfortunately jumped into this whirlpool.

"Prince Qin is not only the Supreme General of the Heavenly Strategy Office but also the Chancellor. Why would he care about such a trivial matter?" Zhu Wei laughed and shook his head, "Big Brother is thinking too much."

Looking at Zhu Wei's flickering gaze and then at his mother, Lady Zhu, who had come out of the inner room at some point, Li Shan did not argue. He was certain that this Uncle Seven was not an ordinary farmer.

An ordinary villager would not understand the complex political situation, nor would they know that Li Shimin was also the Chancellor... Of course, an ordinary person would not have found out that Xuanzang was responsible for inspecting the temples.

Uncle Seven was not an ordinary farmer, and clearly, Lady Zhu was not an ordinary woman from Lingnan. Li Shan couldn't help but speculate... Lingnan was the main place where the Sui Dynasty exiled officials and their families.

And Li Dewu himself was exiled to Lingnan, finding a fellow sufferer to form a family... it seemed logical.

"Big Brother, don't worry. If that monk doesn't play tricks, other temples will be closed. How would a great man like Prince Qin notice Dongshan Temple?"

Li Shan nodded slightly. Great men like Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng, even Du Ruhui, would not be petty enough to seek trouble for Zhujiagou.

Putting aside these worries, Li Shan smiled, "After today, with Xuanzang's praise, Dongshan Temple will surely become famous... the Zen Master from Wuchao bringing the true scriptures to the East, Uncle Seven, don't laugh, don't laugh."

Zhu Wei couldn't help but laugh, "You sly fox, using a mute servant to fill in, if it's exposed..."

"The mute uncle can't speak. If there are visitors, he just needs to close his eyes and rest. I've already talked to Xuanzang. Dongshan Temple has new translations of the *Diamond Sutra* and the *Heart Sutra*. People from the city will surely come to seek the scriptures..."

Zhu Wei stopped laughing and said, "No wonder you didn't let the Jade Dew be sold in the East and West Markets before. You had this in mind."

"A high monk bringing scriptures to the East, staying at Dongshan Temple, and making the secret Jade Dew, how could it be sold cheaply!"

Zhu Wei looked at Lady Zhu and clasped his hands, "Such a mind, seeing the big picture from small details, will surely not be ordinary in the future."

Li Shan looked serious. Selling tofu pudding in the East and West Markets wouldn't earn much money, not even enough to pay the overdue taxes.

Attached to the name of the high monk and the scriptures at Dongshan Temple, either it would gain fame or maximize profit.

Moreover, if Dongshan Temple was not closed, the villagers wouldn't need to pay the overdue taxes, and the money from selling tofu pudding...

Just as Li Shan thought this, Zhu Wei decided, "Everything will be under your control. The profits from the Jade Dew will all be yours."

I really want to agree, but my mother, who values righteousness, is right here. Li Shan carefully observed Zhu Wei's expression, suspecting that the old man was deliberately bringing this up in front of his mother.

"Uncle Seven is joking. The *Records of the Grand Historian* says: a hundred pounds of gold is not as valuable as a promise from Ji Bu." Li Shan forced a smile, "A promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. How can I go back on my word?"

Zhu Wei stroked his beard and praised him, then turned to Lady Zhu, "Although that's true, if we find out tomorrow that Dongshan Temple is not being closed... in the future, when you two settle down, build a house, and buy land, you will need money. Let's say, regardless of the amount, Big Brother gets fifty percent of the profit."

Li Shan stood aside, watching the two of them argue back and forth, thinking if they were to build a new house, should it be a quadrangle courtyard...

Finally, after Li Shan's persuasion, they agreed that the Li family would get thirty percent of the profit, and the remaining seventy percent would be used for other purposes in the future.

Zhu Wei sighed, "Saving lives, resolving the temple's crisis, and... such great kindness, Big Brother, wait, that day you said you wanted to take concubines. I will definitely pick two charming girls for you!"

Li Shan was stunned for a moment, then he bowed solemnly, "I dare not refuse the gift of an elder."