The position of Pacification Envoy of Rizhao Prefecture was taken by Tian Antai, but Jiang Wang’s title of Baron of Qingyang was a real fief, allowing him to maintain a certain degree of independence.

Chong Xuansheng and Jiang Wang discussed the current situation for a long time. Having lost the position of Pacification Envoy of Rizhao Prefecture, to maximize the fruits of their victory, they needed to strengthen their control over the Pacification Envoy of Hengyang Prefecture.

Huang Yihang was a minister of a fallen state, lacking a deep foundation in Qi. He now belonged to Chong Xuan Chuliang’s faction, and could not easily change allegiance, making him relatively reliable.

However, nothing was absolute. Just as Chong Xuanzun had exchanged Chongjia Island for Rizhao Prefecture, he would inevitably try to contact Huang Yihang in secret. Chong Xuanzun could mobilize far more resources than Chong Xuansheng, and changing his stance within the Chong Xuan family carried less political risk. This was something to be wary of.

As for the other prefecture in the Yang Region, the position of Pacification Envoy of Chiwei Prefecture had already been exchanged for the Jinghai Gao family, so there was no need to worry about it anymore. Even if they wanted to, the Gao family wouldn’t allow it.

Overall, the post-war division of benefits, due to Chong Xuanzun’s intervention, did not achieve the optimal result, but the gains were still substantial, so there was no need to be too discouraged.

As the two were talking, Dugu Xiao walked in from outside. She had already taken the Vein-Opening Pill that Chong Xuansheng had brought, opened her meridians, and officially entered the extraordinary realm. Her steps were much lighter, and her breathing was more even.

Jiang Wang passed on the Returning Origin Array to her as a foundation array.

“Master, another monk has come from outside! He specifically asked to see you.” Dugu Xiao called out.

Jiang Wang immediately felt a headache: “Is it that yellow-faced old monk again?”

“This time it’s a young monk!”

“What old monk, young monk?” Chong Xuansheng was completely confused.

Jiang Wang briefly explained the matter of Ku Jue trying to force him to become a disciple.

Chong Xuansheng immediately narrowed his eyes: “Are the bald donkeys of Suspended Temple also coveting the Yang Region?”

His first thought was the same as the possibility that Jiang Wang had considered after careful deliberation.

“I don’t know.” Jiang Wang shook his head: “I can’t be the Pacification Envoy of Rizhao Prefecture anymore, so he shouldn’t bother me anymore. And the new one might not even be a monk from Suspended Temple.”

“Wait here for a moment, I’ll go out and take a look.”

After speaking, Jiang Wang got up and walked outside.

“I’ll go with you.” Chong Xuansheng also scrambled to his feet, his face not looking too good.

Speaking of which, Suspended Temple wanting to recruit Jiang Wang into their order had the implication of poaching Chong Xuansheng’s retainer, since Jiang Wang was still technically a guest of the Chong Xuan family.

If the two sides met, it would be unpleasant.

The reason why Jiang Wang wanted to handle this matter alone was because he didn’t want Chong Xuansheng to have any unnecessary conflicts with Suspended Temple. But since Chong Xuansheng insisted on coming along, he couldn’t stop him.

In the reception hall, sat a young monk who looked rather handsome.

His monk’s robe was washed clean, and even his bald head was shining brightly.

He didn’t look sideways, and wore a gentle smile. As soon as he saw Jiang Wang coming over, he stood up, put his palms together, and appeared polite.

But as soon as he spoke, he caught Jiang Wang off guard.

“Little junior brother, senior brother has come to see you!”

It really was a monk from Suspended Temple! Judging from the looks of it, he was a disciple of that old monk Ku Jue.

Jiang Wang sweated: “This monk shouldn’t call me that. I’m not your junior brother.”

“How can you say that?” The handsome monk was anxious: “Master has already told me! How can it be false?”

“What did your master tell you?” Jiang Wang had a headache.

“It’s ‘our master,’ oh junior brother.” The handsome monk corrected: “Master has already decided on your Dharma name, it’s called ‘Jing Shen’. As for me, I’m ‘Jing Li’!”

Purified Body?

Jiang Wang’s eyebrows twitched: “Your master must have misunderstood. I don’t want to be a monk, and I don’t want any purified body!”

“Why don’t you want to?” Monk Jing Li asked curiously: “Master said, ‘Sending a goose from a thousand miles away, the gift is light, but the affection is deep!’ Senior brother Jing Li, junior brother Jing Shen, how wonderful!”

Something seemed wrong, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Jiang Wang was a little frantic.

It wasn’t that he had such a good temper. It was just that, first, the name of Suspended Temple was intimidating, and second, this monk was polite throughout, and one shouldn’t hit a smiling face…

Bah!

Forget about smiling faces.

Jiang Wang roared: “This has nothing to do with why your master chose such a name, but the fact is, I don’t want to be a monk at all!”

Monk Jing Li shrank his neck, blinked his eyes, and said aggrievedly: “Jing Shen junior brother, how can you yell at senior brother?”

“You’re not my senior brother, and I’m not your junior brother.” Jiang Wang retorted weakly, then suddenly thought of something and perked up: “That’s right, the Pacification Envoy of Rizhao Prefecture has already been decided to be Tian Antai! Tell your master to go find him quickly, isn’t he anxious to accept a disciple? Go quickly, don’t delay your master’s affairs!”

“Why would our master look for Tian Antai? What Pacification Envoy or not, master said, fame and fortune are like smoke!” Monk Jing Li said somewhat sternly: “Junior brother, can’t you see through it?”

“I can’t see through it.” Jiang Wang said faintly.

Jing Li scratched his bald head: “That’s not right, master said that junior brother you have great wisdom…”

“Master said, master said!” Chong Xuansheng, who had been watching the show for a long time, finally couldn’t hold back and interjected coldly: “Who is your master?”

“Amitabha, benefactor.” Monk Jing Li replied politely: “My master’s Dharma name is Ku Jue.”

Chong Xuansheng pondered and said: “If you think something is wrong, is it possible…”

“That your master is a liar and you’re an idiot, and you’re both tortoises and bastards?”

He said the last sentence quickly and coherently, causing monk Jing Li to widen his eyes.

“You… how can you curse people?”

“Oh, maybe I wasn’t accurate enough.” Chong Xuansheng smiled apologetically: “Only your master is a tortoise and a bastard, and you’re not worthy. You’re an unweaned little tortoise and bastard. All you do all day is ‘master said, master said’!”

Dugu Xiao, who was standing in the room, almost laughed out loud, and tried hard to hold it back.

Monk Jing Li’s face had already turned red, and he looked at Jiang Wang and said: “Jing Shen junior brother, this person is cursing your master and senior brother! How rude!”

This monk’s style was different from his master, but they were both the same in their entanglement.

Jiang Wang persuaded: “If you don’t call me junior brother anymore, I’ll make him stop cursing you and even apologize to you.”

Jing Li thought for a while, probably thinking it wasn’t acceptable. He turned back to glare at Chong Xuansheng for a long time before saying: “You’re not allowed to curse people anymore!”

Chong Xuansheng pretended to be surprised and said: “When did I curse you?”

“Just now!” Jing Li said angrily: “You cursed me as an ‘unweaned little tortoise and bastard’!”

“Let me ask you, are all living beings equal?”

Jing Li was very angry, but still replied: “Naturally equal.”

“Then do little tortoises and bastards belong to all living beings?”

Jing Li replied: “All sentient beings in the vast world are called living beings.”

“Since that’s the case, why do you feel like I’m cursing you when I say you’re a little tortoise?” Chong Xuansheng deliberately imitated his previous appearance, scratching his head: “Could it be that you’re high above and look down on sentient beings?”