Chang'an City, An Guo Temple.
The Court's reverence for Buddhism is quite strong, and since An Guo Temple is a Bodhisattva's Dojo bestowed many times by the Empress Dowager, the news of the fire at An Guo Temple spread like wildfire throughout Chang'an County. Not only did many within the city come to help extinguish the fire, but even devout individuals from outside the city hurried over to assist. Even those elders who couldn't help would kneel from afar and pray to heaven for protection.
Events like this occurring within Chang'an City would naturally attract the attention of the Grand Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Duke Jin. Hence, the most flustered at the scene were those from the Wu Hou Shop. While they were adept at catching petty thieves, fires were rare in the city, and their firefighting training had been neglected. Naturally, they found themselves scrambling amidst the blaze at An Guo Temple.
The shopkeeper directed people to carry water to extinguish the fire, while discreetly observing Duke Jin's expression, fearing that he might be demoted to a gatekeeper in some remote area. Why is my luck so bad, running into such a disaster during my tenure? Alas...
"Duke Jin."
Yao Shi Moke was staring in a trance at the burning An Guo Temple when he heard a voice. Turning his head, he saw an elderly man in a wheelchair slowly approaching. The man wore a hat, with wrinkles and scars crisscrossing his face, and his beard was neatly groomed. Even seated in the wheelchair, his broad shoulders gave his luxurious garments a warrior's elegance. Although someone followed behind him, no one was pushing the wheelchair; it was evidently the old man controlling its movement himself.
"Mr. Yang." Yao Shi Moke hurried forward, bowing to assist the wheelchair, showing the courtesy of a junior: "To trouble you to come here..."
"I've spent too long at home, stepping outside to bask in the sun does good." Old Yang laughed lightly: "Pardon my inability to salute."
"Your words are too modest! If not for you rescuing me from the chaos back then among the armies, would there be a Moke today?" Yao Shi Moke said quickly: "Next time, just send someone to tell me, why the need to tire yourself unnecessarily?"
"I didn't wish to be conspicuous coming out in a wheelchair, but upon hearing my granddaughter who had gone missing long ago was finally found, I was overcome with urgency and love for my granddaughter." Old Yang sighed: "They say she escaped from beneath An Guo Temple, starved for many days. My poor little granddaughter..."
Yao Shi Moke glanced behind old Yang, seeing a little girl being cared for by several women. Although she had been simply cleaned, her worn appearance and skinny face were enough to show the hardships she endured recently—imprisonment and starvation, circumstances akin to those suffered by the impoverished.
Meanwhile, another voice was heard beside them: "Make way!"
Accompanied by the clanging of armor, a tall young warrior strode boldly, even squeezing past the Evil Ghost Warrior. He approached Yao Shi Moke and kneeled on one knee: "Your humble servant pays respects to Duke Jin!"
"Dragon Minister!" Yao Shi Moke helped the young warrior up, noticing a youth sipping hot soup in the distance, "Does your relative also..."
"He's my nephew, known for his unruly behavior, falling for deception is quite expected." The young warrior clasped his hands: "But for An Guo Temple to have the audacity to privately store fire oil in Chang'an City, their malicious intentions are blatantly clear. All who knew must be eradicated as a warning to others!"
Even monks know the wondrous use of fire oil, naturally, the Great Zhou Court couldn't be unaware. According to the laws of Great Zhou, fire oil within Chang'an City is an absolute contraband, punishable by death upon discovery. The resulting fires are secondary; more significantly, anyone can douse themselves in fire oil to become a walking inferno, which others cannot prevent or harm.
If An Guo Temple hadn't privately stored fire oil, the mere trafficking of women and children—even if these women and children were born into good lives—wouldn't matter much to An Guo Temple. In this world boasting the mighty power of messengers, Secret Realm Demon Fiends resurrecting infinitely, and safe zones like the main city, the need for faith is unparalleled, and everyone believes, or rather, requires a supreme presence to elucidate these incomprehensible yet unavoidable phenomena.
Not just the common people, even among messengers, believers seeking the Buddhist path are nine out of ten. Such an overwhelming religious atmosphere makes even the greatest atrocities committed by An Guo Temple lead only to stripping the offenders of their monk status, ensuring the purity of the Buddhist ranks...
But hiding fire oil is different.
Even a Third-Turn Messenger, caught off guard, could be burned to death by a self-exploding fire oil person—most protective talismans consume spiritual power either by number of uses or by the second, as with the Martial Monks burned to death in the flames at An Guo Temple, their Arhat Robes enduring several seconds of flames only to have their spiritual power eventually depleted and be engulfed by the fire. Even if a Third-Turn Messenger could resist for longer, the fire's toxicity would still present a dire threat to them.
"I have already ordered the search and confiscation of Zhengde Temple and Dajue Zen Temple within Chang'an County." Yao Shi Moke's face turned somber: "The runaway monks of An Guo Temple will soon be captured. Their audacity in hiding fire oil deserves death without mercy!"
He looked around and proclaimed loudly: "An Guo Temple's heinous crimes span many years, kidnapping countless innocent women and children. I vow to leave no stone unturned and will strive to find all your missing relatives, ensuring justice for you all!"
"It's Duke Jin!"
"With Duke Jin handling this, there's justice to be had!"
"Duke Jin, you must find my poor child!"
The people surrounding Yao Shi Moke were not ordinary folks; they were the notable figures of Chang'an City, either scions of noble families or wealthy landlords and merchants. Without exception, they had relatives who disappeared in Chang'an City. Now discovering An Guo Temple might be the culprits, their hearts that had long surrendered to hopelessness ignited with hope, yearning to reunite with their relatives.