The Heirloom Seal, also known as the Imperial Jade Seal, was not something Daniel had never seen before. The seal used by the First Emperor of Qin was made from the Heirloom Seal, but aside from being a precious piece of jade, it held no special powers. Its prestige and honor were derived solely from its use as the imperial seal by the First Emperor. However, the Heirloom Seal in this world was different—it possessed the ability to cleanse and refine a martial artist's meridians. Initially, Daniel wasn't particularly interested in this effect, as his current strength rendered such benefits useless to him. Even for someone like Chelsey, the effect would be negligible.
Daniel had plenty of resources that could cleanse and refine meridians, such as the spiritual water purified by the Water Spirit Pearl. While its effects might not be as potent as the Heirloom Seal, the sheer quantity made up for it. Long-term use of this spiritual water could yield results comparable to the Heirloom Seal. The reason Daniel wanted to see the Heirloom Seal was simply because it was the Imperial Jade Seal, a symbol of legitimacy and authority. In this era of warlords vying for dominance, possessing the seal would significantly boost one's reputation and gain the people's recognition. While reputation mattered little to the elite, it was crucial for winning over the common folk.
For instance, Du Fuwei's Jianghuai Army had such a notorious reputation that the people fled at the mere sight of them. For a warlord, losing the support of the people meant losing their greatest asset. Without peasants to till the land, the primary source of tax revenue in this era, a warlord's power would crumble.
"It's actually the power of belief. How unexpected. It seems that the Twin Dragons wasted this treasure by destroying it. What a shame."
After sensing the Heirloom Seal's peculiar energy, which could disrupt a martial artist's true qi, Daniel quickly realized that this energy resembled the power of belief he had encountered before—specifically, the Divine Mask. This meant that the Twin Dragons and Ba Fenghan had used the power of belief to refine their meridians. Daniel's criticism of the Twin Dragons wasn't about their use of the power of belief but rather their destruction of the Heirloom Seal, a vessel capable of storing such energy. Vessels capable of storing the power of belief were exceedingly rare. Even Daniel only possessed a pair of gloves that could do so.
What made the Heirloom Seal even more remarkable was that the power of belief it stored was purer and free of impurities compared to what his gloves could hold.
"If the Heirloom Seal has such an effect, I wonder if the Suihou Pearl is the same."
The Suihou Pearl, often mentioned alongside the Heirloom Seal, was in some ways even more mysterious. While many had seen the Heirloom Seal, the Suihou Pearl seemed to have vanished without a trace after a few legends. Even during the Qin Dynasty, Daniel had never encountered it. The Suihou Pearl was originally obtained by the small state of Sui during the Spring and Autumn period. After Sui was conquered by Chu, the pearl fell into Chu's hands. When Qin conquered the six states, Ying Zheng sought the Suihou Pearl but, surprisingly, never found it.
"I can't create a fake. It seems I'll have to take it with me."
The Heirloom Seal's unique properties made Daniel reluctant to leave it in the Pure Land Chan Sect. While he could easily replicate other jade artifacts, the seal's extraordinary energy made it impossible to duplicate.
"These so-called monks, who claim to be detached from worldly affairs, have been safeguarding the Heirloom Seal for decades. What a wolf in sheep's clothing. By the way, could Monk Liaokong's youthful appearance be due to him using the seal's energy for cultivation?" With this thought, Daniel vanished from the bronze hall in an instant.
The current abbot of the Pure Land Chan Sect was a tall, handsome, and youthful-looking monk. While this might seem unremarkable at first glance, it was important to note that he was a contemporary of Ning Daoqi, meaning he was at least a hundred years old. Maintaining such a youthful appearance at that age was extraordinary, even for a martial artist. While martial arts could preserve one's youth to some extent—Zhu Yuyan, for example, looked quite young—there was still a noticeable difference between her and younger women like Wanwan and Bai Qing'er. Monk Liaokong, however, showed no such signs of aging.
"They're quick. They've already noticed the Heirloom Seal is missing. What will they do next? Spread the news or keep it a secret and search for it themselves?"
Daniel's theft of the Heirloom Seal was entirely different from Xu Ziling's intrusion. Daniel had entered and taken the seal without being detected by anyone. The seal's disruptive energy had no effect on him, so no one could possibly know he was the one who took it.
"This energy is quite troublesome. I'll have to store it for now and figure out how to seal its disruptive effects later. Using this as the imperial seal would certainly deter any martial artists from stealing it."
Back in the palace, Daniel examined the Heirloom Seal before tossing it into his spatial ring. The seal's energy could disrupt the flow of true qi, affecting even Grandmasters if they were nearby. The only way to mitigate its effects was to encase it in copper or a similar material, like tin foil. However, the degree of disruption varied depending on the individual and their cultivation techniques. The characteristics of the "Longevity Scripture" seemed to minimize the effects, which was why Xu Ziling had been able to carry the seal out of the Pure Land Chan Sect alone.
"Your Highness, there's movement at the Pure Land Chan Sect."
Daniel soon received reports that the monks at the Pure Land Chan Sect were mobilizing. Daniel had taken the Heirloom Seal during the day. While nighttime was typically the preferred time for martial artists to act, Daniel had no need to adhere to such conventions.
Since the Compassionate Peace Nunnery and the Pure Land Chan Sect had announced their possession of the Heirloom Seal and their role in selecting the emperor, the sect had been under close surveillance by martial artists. In fact, this surveillance had begun even before the Twin Dragons encountered Fu Junshi and Song Shidao. After all, this was the Heirloom Seal. If not for the combined strength of the Pure Land Chan Sect and the Compassionate Peace Nunnery, Wang Shichong would have sent troops to seize it by force.
Even now, martial artists frequently infiltrated the Pure Land Chan Sect, hoping to steal the seal. Even if they failed, they wouldn't be killed—Buddhists were known for their vow of non-violence. At most, they would be detained for a few days.
"Do we know what's happening?"
"Not yet, but we're investigating."
"Good."
Although Daniel knew the reason for the commotion, he couldn't reveal it to his subordinates, not even to Wanwan or the others.
"The population is still too small. Even if we conquer those nations, we won't have enough people to occupy their territories."
Daniel gazed at a holographic map of the Central Plains and its surrounding regions. This wasn't a map he had created himself but one he had found in Luoyang and integrated with Red Queen's data. For Daniel, unifying the Central Plains and conquering neighboring nations wasn't difficult. The real challenge was the lack of population. Throughout Chinese history, many victorious campaigns ended with the withdrawal of troops, leaving the conquered territories unoccupied.
Daniel had no intention of following such a strategy. His plan was to fully occupy the conquered lands and spread Chinese culture. However, with the current population, expansion would have to be delayed.
"It's time to promote knowledge about family planning. I'll have to borrow the name of that old sage."
Daniel's concept of family planning was different from the modern one. It focused on educating people about childbirth, prenatal care, and ensuring the safe delivery of babies to prevent complications like stillbirths or maternal deaths. Promoting such knowledge in this era would undoubtedly draw criticism from Confucian scholars. The content of the "Great Tang Daily" had already annoyed Daniel with its Confucian rhetoric.
The newspaper's appearance had been well-received, with many clamoring for it to promote Confucian ideals rather than the legalist and miscellaneous content Daniel included. Currently, Daniel was the sole editor of the "Great Tang Daily." In his spare time, he would publish puzzles, riddles, and simple medical knowledge.
"Extra, extra! Today's headline: Shocking revelation! How does the Child-Giving Guanyin grant children? Medical expert Sun Simiao explains!"
As a modern man, Daniel knew how to grab attention. The newspaper, a novelty in itself, was already popular. With sensational headlines, it was bound to sell out. Initially, Daniel hadn't expected to make money from the newspaper, but its popularity, combined with Bai Qing'er's management and the influence of the Demon Sect, had spread the "Great Tang Daily" far beyond Luoyang.
Today's headline, featuring the renowned medical expert Sun Simiao, was enough to entice many to buy a copy.
"So this is the truth behind the Child-Giving Guanyin. How shocking."
The truth about the Child-Giving Guanyin was almost unimaginable in this era, but in modern times, it was no secret. This was one of the Buddhist community's darker secrets. While such temples were rare, they did exist. Daniel's article aimed to kill three birds with one stone.
First, it would spread essential medical knowledge, helping people understand the dangers of marrying too young, which often led to maternal and infant deaths. Even if Confucian scholars didn't prioritize this, they had mothers too. Confucianism emphasized filial piety, and Daniel planned to use this to counter their arguments. He had already included relevant explanations in the newspaper to preempt any criticism.
Second, the article targeted the Buddhist community. While temples offering fertility blessings were rare, they did exist. Once the news spread, the fallout would be significant.
Third, Daniel hoped to draw Sun Simiao out. The renowned medical expert's endorsement was crucial for promoting medical knowledge. Without his name attached, few would believe the article, and some might even attack Daniel for it. But with Sun Simiao's backing, the credibility of the article would be unquestionable. If Sun Simiao was right, then who was wrong?
As the King of Tang, Daniel had to follow certain rules. While he found the Confucian scholars endlessly irritating, he couldn't simply execute them all.
The medical knowledge in the newspaper would undoubtedly attract Sun Simiao's attention. Daniel was confident that the medical sage would come to Luoyang to meet him.
"This is fake! Slander! Utter nonsense!"
In a small tavern on Luoyang's West Street, a man in his thirties erupted in anger upon reading the newspaper. He tore the paper to shreds.
"Brother, it seems you've been to one of those temples to pray for a child. My condolences. Don't worry too much; you're not the first."
The other patrons in the tavern looked at the man with sympathy, as if a green pasture had sprouted on his head.
"Does the King of Tang have nothing better to do? Brother, is what's written here true?"
In a private room at the Dong Family Restaurant, Song Yuzhi blushed as she read the newspaper. In this era, such knowledge was considered private and inappropriate for public discussion. Naturally, it would draw criticism.
"Such a significant matter wouldn't be false," Song Shidao replied, his expression grim. With Sun Simiao's endorsement, he had no reason to doubt the article's authenticity. He didn't believe Daniel would dare to fabricate Sun Simiao's words.
"The Buddhist community is truly despicable," Song Yuzhi said, her face darkening. As a woman, she was particularly disgusted by such practices.
"This is a fatal blow," Song Shidao remarked, exchanging a meaningful glance with Song Lu. Daniel's actions left them deeply impressed.
Even if only a few corrupt monks were involved in such practices, the exposure would tarnish the entire Buddhist community. Moreover, those who had sought fertility blessings at temples would be furious upon learning the truth. While the anger of ordinary people might be inconsequential, some noble families had also sought such blessings.
Even minor noble families, when provoked, could cause significant trouble for the Buddhist community. After all, for noble families, heirs were their greatest concern. Everything they did was for the sake of their family's legacy.
Some minor noble families, after successfully conceiving, might have publicly praised the temples for their efficacy. The more they had celebrated, the more humiliated they would feel now.
If anyone else had made such claims, people might have doubted them. But with Sun Simiao's endorsement, there was no room for skepticism.
"Abbot, we have a major problem."
The news quickly reached the Pure Land Chan Sect. Before they could resolve the mysterious disappearance of the Heirloom Seal, this new scandal erupted. After years of practicing the Vow of Silence, Abbot Liaokong felt an overwhelming urge to curse.
If Liaokong and Zhanguo were to meet and learn of each other's predicaments, they would undoubtedly find common ground.
"Inform Abbess Fan."
Despite his wisdom, Liaokong was at a loss.
"Yes."
Soon, a carrier pigeon flew out from the Pure Land Chan Sect's courtyard. However, as it soared into the sky, an arrow pierced its body.
(End of Chapter)
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