The Shrine of the Holy Mother of Mount Tai, Heavenly Immortal Jade Maiden, was finally erected.
For two hundred years, the common people at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains had received much grace from Shaodian Qingnu and Chunyu Tiying. In the shrine, alongside the divine statue of Shaodian Qingnu, there was also a statue of Chunyu Tiying, the Medicine-Dispensing Fairy, enshrined as a secondary deity. This gave Chunyu Tiying an indescribable feeling.
She... had also become a person worshipped in a temple?
"It is all thanks to Your Ladyship’s protection!"
Hearing this, Shaodian Qingnu shook her head and said, "This is your own merit. The Medicine-Dispensing Fairy saving the world is a beautiful tale!"
She never took credit for the work of others.
Chunyu Tiying had traveled the world for many years, saving countless lives. It was only right to build a shrine for her!
Shaodian Qingnu felt that she should even have a separate temple dedicated solely to her!
...
Luoyang, the Han palace.
Liu Xiu, who was on the verge of death, was in a daze. The palace was magnificent and resplendent, but it held no color in his eyes.
Between dreams and waking, he only heard the disdainful voice of a woman.
"It's not as if the palace of Chang'an was unusable. Why fix the capital in Luoyang and build this new palace? I truly don't see the use for so many palaces. It really is a waste of the people's blood and sweat, used without a hint of regret..."
That voice was very familiar.
Liu Xiu opened his eyes and saw a woman in green walking leisurely toward him, sitting by his bed.
Shaodian Qingnu said, "Liu Xiu, I've come to see you off one last time."
"Thank you, Master..."
Liu Xiu thanked Shaodian Qingnu and explained, "It's not that I don't understand, but the great clans of Hebei are powerful. If I didn't settle in Luoyang, the world would not be stable."
His ability to establish the state relied on the support of the great clans; he was far from being like Emperor Gao, Liu Bang.
Hearing this, Shaodian Qingnu waved her hand, sighed, and said, "I don't care about such things! Let me ask you, the Shrine of the Holy Mother of Mount Tai was built a few days ago. You brat, did you treat my words like wind passing your ears? Are you looking for a beating?"
"Please forgive me, Master! I also sent people to visit the commoners and asked them. They were all willing to build a shrine for you."
Liu Xiu explained to Shaodian Qingnu.
"I know that."
Shaodian Qingnu nodded. It was precisely because of this that the shrine's fate had little hold over her, and she could easily cut it away.
If not for that, she wouldn't be so easy to talk to!
The snake girl never showed a kind face to those who calculated against her. Just look at the fate of the King of Huainan, Liu An; that brat was probably still looking lifelike in his grave right now.
The woman and the snake looked at each other in silence, and the atmosphere in the hall quickly became quiet.
After a moment, Shaodian Qingnu said, "How about this: you leave a final edict to send the prince to Chang'an to be raised. When he grows up, bring him back to succeed the throne?"
"...Why?"
Liu Xiu was puzzled.
Shaodian Qingnu was about to explain when she saw Liu Xiu cough violently.
Those waiting outside the bedchamber immediately pushed the doors open and entered. Shaodian Qingnu vanished to hide her form. As they reached the bedside, a world-shaking cry soon rang out.
"His Majesty has passed away!!"
Liu Xiu was dead.
Hearing that cry, Shaodian Qingnu fell silent.
On the mudflats of the Yellow River, the Yuan Tomb was vast.
Since the Han Dynasty began, the system of 'tomb towns' used to periodically harvest the world's powerful and wealthy families and suppress land annexation had completely collapsed during the time of Emperor Yuan.
However, although the Yuan Tomb had no tomb town, there were still many families who came to guard the grave for Liu Xiu.
Shaodian Qingnu gazed at the Yuan Tomb and suddenly asked, "He died before he could even finish listening to my words. It was you, wasn't it, you damned Heaven?"
"Correct..."
This time, Heaven's reply was very swift.
Perhaps it was scared by Shaodian Qingnu’s words last time, or perhaps it worried that if she didn't hear an answer, she would do something troublesome again. The moment her words fell, It appeared beside her.
Shaodian Qingnu turned to look at It and asked, "Why?"
"The price."
Heaven's answer was simple.
Clouds churned in Its eyes, and the glow of the fire meteor from that day at Kunyang flashed through them.
Heaven said quietly, "Heaven lent him a hand, so the later Han that began with him must pay back this karma."
"He didn't ask you to help him."
Shaodian Qingnu grumbled.
Heaven replied, "He did not have the right to choose."
Hearing this, Shaodian Qingnu sighed and said, "Truly, the Heavenly Dao is heartless, treating all things as straw dogs..."
"Those words mean..."
"I know those words mean you are perfectly impartial!"
Before Heaven could speak, Shaodian Qingnu interrupted It. But after saying this, she suddenly realized something. She looked at Heaven and asked, "They say the Heavenly Dao is emotionless, yet you sent a monkey down to accompany me. Thinking of it that way, you aren't truly an emotionless Heavenly Dao, are you?"
"Whether there is emotion or not depends on the need."
Heaven replied.
Oh?
It actually knew the ways of humans.
So slippery?
After It said this, Shaodian Qingnu bent down, tilting her head to stare at Heaven for a good while, and asked, "Damned Heaven, do you have emotion right now?"
Seeing the playful look in her eyes, Heaven closed Its eyes.
From Its expression, Shaodian Qingnu saw a sense of helplessness. Then, It raised a hand, pressed it against her head, and pushed her aside.
"Stop looking for trouble! It's better for both of us! If there is nothing else, I am going back."
Shaodian Qingnu stumbled back a few steps. When she turned around, Heaven had already vanished.
Seeing It leave so quickly, she clicked her tongue and whispered, "This damned Heaven runs quite fast! Hmph... I'll find trouble for you anyway! If you've got the guts, strike me with lightning! Bah, acting all high and mighty for a snake to see. Does It think a snake would be afraid?"
"Ow!!"
As Shaodian Qingnu was muttering to herself, a sharp pain suddenly hit the back of her head, as if someone had struck her.
She rubbed her head and turned around; the area behind her was empty.
"Who?"
"Who's ambushing a snake!"
The wilderness was empty; no one was there.
By the earthwork of the Yuan Tomb, the court officials began discussing the establishment of a temple for Liu Xiu.
Since the Eastern Han court considered itself the successor of the Western Han, they naturally had to honor the High Temple. But given Liu Xiu's achievements, who dared to say he couldn't have his own temple as a founder! However, to call him a 'Zong' was too common, and 'Sezu' had already been used! Although Emperor Yuan's temple name of 'Gaozong' had been removed, they couldn't just take it and give it to Liu Xiu, could they?
Over this matter, the Han court argued for many days.
In the end, it was Liu Zhuang who made the decision, giving his father the temple name of Sezu and building a new Ancestral Temple.
As the Ancestral Temple was built, the bustle around the High Temple gradually quieted down, but Shaodian Qingnu still preferred coming here to chat with the old rogue.
She had visited the Ancestral Temple after it was finished, but there were simply too many people.
The High Temple had few people, which suited her perfectly.
Originally, the snake girl was living leisurely, thinking that in the Eastern Han, no major events would happen for a while. But one day, just as she was about to head out, she opened her door to find the damned Heaven standing there, blocking her path. Those giant, cloud-churning eyes truly gave Shaodian Qingnu a fright.
She took a sharp breath and leaned back reflexively.
"Coming to catch a snake this early? Although I said I'd find trouble for you, I haven't even done anything yet!"
Heaven looked at Shaodian Qingnu, and after a moment of silence, said, "A Western religion is coming, called Buddha."
Buddha?
"What does that have to do with me?"
Shaodian Qingnu tilted her head and asked.
In this world, both Buddhism and Daoism were already being spread.
Heaven said, "This time is different."
Shaodian Qingnu blinked and was about to call Chunyu Tiying to wake up when she heard the damned Heaven say, "No need to ask. This year is the eighth year of Yongping. The Han Emperor has ordered men to travel west, toward the Western Regions to find the Kingdom of Tianzhu."
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