The position of Rizhao County's pacification commissioner had been taken by Tian Antai, but Jiang Wang's title as Baron of Qingyang Town was a substantive grant, allowing him to maintain a degree of independence.
Chongxuan Sheng and Jiang Wang discussed the current situation at length. To maximize the spoils of war after losing the Rizhao County pacification commissioner position, they needed to strengthen their control over the Hengyang County pacification commissioner.
Huang Yixing was a minister of a fallen state with no foundation in Qi, now belonging to Chongxuan Zhuliang's faction and unlikely to switch allegiance easily, making him reliable.
But nothing was absolute. Just as Chongxuan Zun had swapped Chongjia Island for Rizhao County, he would surely try to contact Huang Yixing secretly. The resources he could mobilize were far greater than Chongxuan Sheng's, and the political risk of changing stance within the Chongxuan family was relatively much smaller—a precaution that had to be taken.
As for the other commandery in the Yang Domain, the Chiwei County pacification commissioner had been exchanged to the Jinghai Gao clan, so there was no need to worry about it. Even if they wanted to, the Gao clan wouldn't be willing.
Overall, the postwar division of interests hadn't achieved the optimal result due to Chongxuan Zun's interference, but the gains were still enormous, so there was no need to be too disheartened.
While the two were talking, Dugu Xiao came to the outer room. She had taken the Pulse-Opening Pill that Chongxuan Sheng had brought along, opened her meridians, and officially stepped into the extraordinary realm. Her steps were much lighter, and her breath more sustained.
Jiang Wang taught her the Return-to-Origin Formation as a foundational formation diagram.
"Master, there's a monk outside asking for you!" Dugu Xiao called out.
Jiang Wang felt a headache coming on. "Is it that old yellow-faced monk again?"
"This time it's a young monk!"
"What old monk, young monk?" Chongxuan Sheng was confused.
Jiang Wang briefly explained how Ku Jue had come demanding to take him as a disciple.
Chongxuan Sheng immediately narrowed his eyes. "The bald donkeys from Suspended Temple also have designs on the Yang Domain?"
His first thought aligned with the possibility Jiang Wang had considered after careful deliberation.
"I don't know," Jiang Wang shook his head. "I can't possibly be the Rizhao County pacification commissioner anymore, so they probably won't keep bothering me. And this new one might not even be a monk from Suspended Temple."
"Sit here a moment. I'll go check."
With that, Jiang Wang stood up and headed outside.
"I'll go with you." Chongxuan Sheng also scrambled up, his expression not too pleasant.
The thing was, Suspended Temple wanting to recruit Jiang Wang into their mountain gate was essentially poaching from under Chongxuan Sheng's nose, since Jiang Wang still held the身份 of Chongxuan Sheng's retainer.
Having the two meet would be awkward.
The reason Jiang Wang wanted to handle this alone was to avoid unnecessary conflict between Chongxuan Sheng and Suspended Temple. But Chongxuan Sheng insisted on coming along, so he couldn't stop him.
In the reception room sat a rather refined-looking young monk.
His monk's robes were washed spotlessly clean, and even his shaved head gleamed brightly.
He looked straight ahead with a gentle smile, and upon seeing Jiang Wang approach, he rose with palms together, appearing dignified and polite.
But the moment he spoke, it caught Jiang Wang off guard.
"Little Junior Brother, your Senior Brother has come to visit!"
It really was a monk from Suspended Temple! And from the looks of it, a disciple of that old monk Ku Jue.
Jiang Wang sweated. "Don't call me that, monk. I'm not your Junior Brother."
"How not?" The refined monk grew anxious. "Master told me everything! How could it be false?"
"What exactly did your master tell you?" Jiang Wang had a serious headache.
"It's 'our master,' Junior Brother," the refined monk corrected. "Master has already chosen your dharma name—'Jing Shen.' And I, your Senior Brother, am 'Jing Li'!"
Jing Shen? (Bodily Purity?)
Jiang Wang's eyebrows twitched. "Your master must be mistaken. I don't want to be a monk, and I certainly don't want any 'bodily purity'!"
"Why not?" Monk Jing Li asked curiously. "Master said, 'Sending a goose from a thousand miles—sentiment outweighs the gift!' Senior Brother Jing Li, Junior Brother Jing Shen—how perfect!"
Something seemed off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Jiang Wang was losing his composure.
It wasn't that his temper was usually this good. It was just that Suspended Temple's reputation was intimidating, and this monk had been nothing but polite the whole time—after all, one doesn't hit a smiling face...
Bah!
Forget smiling faces.
Jiang Wang shouted, "This has nothing to do with why your master chose those names. The point is, I don't want to be a monk at all!"
Monk Jing Li shrank back, blinked, and said pitifully, "Junior Brother Jing Shen, how can you yell at your Senior Brother?"
"You're not my Senior Brother, and I'm not your Junior Brother," Jiang Wang weakly protested, then suddenly brightened. "Oh right! The Rizhao County pacification commissioner has already been appointed—it's Tian Antai! Tell your master to go find him quickly. Isn't he desperate to take on a disciple? Hurry, hurry, don't delay your master's affairs!"
"Why would our master look for Tian Antai? What pacification commissioner—Master says fame and fortune are like clouds!" Monk Jing Li grew somewhat serious. "Junior Brother, can't you see through that?"
"I can't see through it," Jiang Wang said enigmatically.
Jing Li scratched his shaved head. "That's strange. Master said you had great spiritual roots..."
"Master said, master said!" Chongxuan Sheng, who had been watching the show for a while, finally couldn't hold back and blurted, "Who's your master?"
"Amitabha, this honored patron," Monk Jing Li replied politely. "My master's dharma name is Ku Jue."
Chongxuan Sheng pondered. "Don't you think it's possible..."
"That your master is a fraud and you're an idiot, and you're both sons of turtles and bastards?"
The last part came out in one rapid, fluent breath, making Monk Jing Li's eyes widen.
"You... how can you curse people?"
"Oh, perhaps I wasn't accurate enough," Chongxuan Sheng smiled apologetically. "Only your master is a son of a turtle and a bastard. You're not even worthy of that. You're an unweaned little turtle bastard. All you do is 'master said, master said'!"
Dugu Xiao, standing inside the room, nearly burst out laughing and had to suppress it hard.
Jing Li...