CH 71

Chapter 71: Change of Ownership

Buddhism was inherited from Tianzhu, but the monks of the Central Plains did not live the begging life that was popular among the monks of Tianzhu.

Most people in the Great Zhou believed in Buddhism, and since the previous dynasty, the court had supported Buddhist monasteries by building them, providing for them, and granting them land and privileges.

Over the years, the monasteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty became very wealthy.

Almost every large temple had a group of tenant farmers who worked the land for the temple. In addition to renting out land, courtyards and Buddhist scriptures, the temples would also lend money to the public and collect interest.

This way, the Buddha and the people competed with the imperial court for profits. It was no wonder that the folk saying “of the ten parts of the world’s wealth, the Buddha takes seven parts.”

Dong Sheng was originally trained as his master’s personal servant, and such people are very clever and eloquent.

As he said this, the inexplicable nervousness he originally felt standing in front of Xiao Jingxi subsided a lot, and his diction became more and more sensitive: “…I think that the Yanbei Royal Family might as well take the lead in overhauling the army before the court’s disarmament order is officially issued so that some of the men ‘unload the armor and return to the field’. Anyway, we have so many temples in Yanbei, and we are not afraid that we will not be able to support these generals who only can pick up arms and fight.”

Xiao Jingxi looked at him somewhat playfully and said, “Aren’t you afraid that the Buddha will condemn you?”

Dong Sheng smiled and said with a straight face, “We are all followers under the Buddha’s seat, and the old man will not favour one over the other!”

Xiao Jingxi could not help but laugh lightly.

Dong Sheng looked at him with some nervousness in his gaze, “Second Young Master Xiao, do you think it is feasible?”

Xiao Jingxi’s eyes were slightly averted as his long, white fingers tapped on the chessboard in front of him, and Dong Sheng’s heart went into a tizzy.

I saw Xiao Jingxi suddenly smile lightly: “Although it is a bit whimsical… but it is not completely impracticable to carefully deploy it.”

Dong Sheng’s eyes lit up.

“You came up with this on your own?” Xiao Jingxi asked carelessly.

Dong Sheng glanced at Xiao Jingxi and bowed his head, “I thought of it.”

He could not implicate Young Miss in this.

Xiao Jingxi tilted his head slightly. His playful eyes swept over him, with his soft smile as warm as the winter sun and seemingly with some imperceptible meaning, he said slowly, “In that case, I am afraid you will not be able to return to serve your master.”

Dong Sheng’s face paled at his words, and after glancing at Xiao Jingxi, he said with some uncertainty, “What does Second Young Master Xiao mean?”

Xiao Jingxi smiled and said blandly, “Since you have guts to come and offer me advice, you will naturally be my subordinate from now on. Isn’t this the truth that loyal subjects do not serve two masters?”

Dong Sheng was silent for a moment, then resolutely bowed his head and knelt on one knee in front of Xiao Jingxi, saying respectfully, “I, Dong Sheng, have met my master.”

He had been determined to die, but now this was the best possible outcome. At least his master would not be implicated by him again, and he had not lost his life. It was only when he thought of his master, Li Tianyou, whom he had served for so many years, that his heart was feeling a little pain.

Xiao Jingxi was surprised at his decisiveness for a moment, then smiled faintly. He said softly, “Go back and say goodbye to your master, and come over tomorrow to welcome you for becoming my subordinate.”

Dong Sheng obediently answered yes and respectfully retreated.

Outside the window was a thunderstorm, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and grass.

Dong Sheng walked into the rain without hesitation, seemingly oblivious to the raindrops hitting his head and face. His not-so-sturdy back was firm and determined, and he soon disappeared from sight.

“Someone come.” Xiao Jingxi said in a faint voice.

His voice was not loud and was easily drowned out by the sound of the rain outside, but in just a moment, the servant Tong He pushed the door open and came in: “What are your orders, my lord?”

Xiao Jingxi picked up the letter that Dong Sheng had placed on the pit table earlier. Without even looking at it, he handed it to Tong He, who quickly bowed and took it.

“Give it to Tong De and let him take care of it.” Xiao Jingxi’s casual voice rang out in the room.

“Yes.” Tong He answered. Seeing that Xiao Jingxi had no other orders, he retreated again.

Xiao Jingxi turned his head and quietly looked out of the window, his dark jade-like eyes were filled with emotions that no one else could understand.

After coming out of Xiao Jingxi’s west courtyard, Dong Sheng did not go back immediately, but went to the Bailong Temple first.

At that time, Ren Yaoqi had just finished his dinner. He was sitting in the west wing with Ren Yaohua, drinking tea in silence.

When she heard the old servant who had been sent by Eldest Madam to guard the door say that the uncle had sent someone to look for the Fifth Miss, Ren Yaoqi immediately thought that there might be news from Dong Sheng.

She put down her tea bowl. She instructed the servant who had come in to inform her, “Lead him to the south room in front, I will be there in a few moments.”

Ren Yaohua looked at Ren Yaoqi and said, “What did you ask him to do for you? Don’t you have anyone around you?”

Ren Yaoqi shook her head, “It’s not a big deal, I just want him to find some trinkets for me, he’s outside and the people at home may not be able to buy what I want. I’ll be right back.”

So Ren Yaohua left her alone.

Ren Yaoqi took the two maids along the corridor and went to the south room, where some maids were still on duty. When they saw Ren Yaoqi enter, they got up, bowed, and retreated.

Dongsheng was drenched all over, but he didn’t care. Ren Yaoqi was almost splashed by the water from his sleeve when he came up to salute.

After sending Pingguo and Sang Shen to stand guard at the door, Ren Yaoqi asked Dong Sheng to follow her to the inner room to talk.

As she was out and about, she had fewer people with her, so she didn’t have so many complicated rules.

“Have you seen Xiao Jingxi?” Ren Yaoqi looked at his wretched appearance and asked straightforwardly.

Dong Sheng nodded in silence, “This subordinate had said what you ordered, and he has promised to help us cover up this matter.”

Ren Yaoqi’s heart finally fell to the ground, and his face could not help but take on some joy: “He thinks it’s feasible?”

When Ren Yaoqi told Dong Sheng about her idea, she was not sure if the plan would work. She was just taking a gamble.

Dong Sheng nodded, “Second Young Master Xiao said that it is not impossible to plan carefully.”

When Ren Yaoqi let go of the boulder in her heart, she also noticed something wrong with Dong Sheng’s expression, she said sharply, “Is something went wrong?”

Dong Sheng shook his head and said with a gloomy expression, “Nothing is not going well, but… I can no longer serve beside the master in the future. The Second Young Master Xiao wants me to follow him from now on.”

Ren Yaoqi was stunned at his words and said somewhat strangely, “You want to be Xiao Jingxi’s subordinate?”

Dong Sheng continued to nod, “He seems to mean that. He asked me who came up with that scheme. When I answered that I came up with it myself as we had agreed before, he said that I could no longer serve beside my master in the future.”

Ren Yaoqi thought about it and sighed softly, “That’s still better than losing your life. Uncle’s side…”

Dong Sheng pursed her lips, “This matter was originally caused by myself, now that it has been resolved, I don’t want to put Master to the trouble. Fifth Miss, can this matter not be mentioned to the masters? Let them think that I am dead. I was only a servant at the master’s side. I only know how to serve people, my kung fu is poor. Without me there is nothing will change around Master.”

Ren Yaoqi was silent at his words.

In his last life, Dong Sheng had left without a word, and in this life he had gone to Xiao Jingxi’s side, then who-knows what kind of situation he had been in in his last life.

She knew that most of these people in her maternal grandfather’s family had not actually signed the deed of sale, so they were free to stay or go, but they would not easily turn their backs easily

“Are you going back to say goodbye to them?” Ren Yaoqi asked.

Dong Sheng nodded, “I still have to go and kowtow to my master. I can’t serve by his side in the future, I have to… always say something.” Saying this, Dong Sheng this big old man, suddenly choked up.

He was also a little embarrassed and covered his face with his own wet sleeve, and it took him a while to recover.

Ren Yaoqi didn’t know what to say, as it would be better to serve the Second Young Master of Yanbei than to follow Li Tianyou. But Dong Sheng’s group was different; many of them had lived for the Royal Family from birth.

It was just that Ren Yaoqi could not understand why Xiao Jingxi had to have Dong Sheng by his side. He could not possibly be unaware of the extent of these people’s loyalty to Prince Xian.

Dong Sheng rubbed his face with both hands, “Take care of yourself, Young Miss, this subordinate will take his leave.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded. Originally she wanted him to tell her whenever there was any progress from Xiao Jingxi’s side regarding the temple’s hidden army. But thinking that Dong Sheng would be Xiao Jingxi’s man from now on, and that the most taboo thing for a master was for people below him to be disloyal to him, she did not say anything.

If Xiao Jingxi really took her advice, she could always find out about the movement.

After all, that method was just a cover-up, it was not really possible to hide it from everyone.

Dong Sheng retreated.

Ren Yaoqi also came out of the south room, just in time to meet Qiu Yun and Yun Wenfang, who were walking past under the eaves.

When Dong Sheng came out, he met them face to face and with a quick salute he rushed off into the rain again and walked away.

Qiu Yun looked at Dong Sheng’s back and smiled, “Where did this servant come from?”

Ren Yaoqi said, “My uncle wanted me to pass on a message to my mother, so he asked someone close to him to come and deliver it. Where are Cousin and Young Master Yun going this time?”

Qiu Yun glanced at Yun Wenfang and smiled back, “I heard that the Second Young Master of the Xiao Family is recuperating around here, so Zishu was about to take me to visit. Oh, and Third Cousin is going too, so we are really waiting for him here.”

As he was saying this, he saw Ren Yijun coming this way from under the veranda of the east wing, followed by a young man with a thick cloak who was running after him and persuading him.

Most people would like to get to know someone like Xiao Jingxi, even Ren Yijun was no exception.

“However he rarely sees outsiders, so don’t get your hopes up too much. I haven’t even seen him more than a few times.” Yun Wenfang said lazily.