Chapter 2060: Chapter 1504: Praise the Chief Divine! We Meet Again!

"Is it him, Mori no Kiyoshi?"

"Correct! This time heading north, Mori no Kiyoshi is the deputy of the fleet. He wants to completely sever ties with me and has made preparations in advance to watch my downfall. But under the current circumstances, the trouble I’ve caused is far beyond his Buddhist Law’s estimations. The sect’s losses are so severe that it could throw everyone overboard! If I can’t make it back, he’ll be the only one held accountable..."

"In fact, if I’m gone, this Shandan’s defeat will have no cover within the sect. Moreover, this significant issue will surely be exaggerated and publicized by my fellow disciples from this line. They’ll first pin the defeat on me, the ’dead man,’ and then drag Mori no Kiyoshi’s faction down with them, sharing the blame! And your gold trade cannot remain concealed, it will surely reach the Hiei Mountain sect, making it known to the Shogunate!..."

"Amitabha! Cause and effect are intertwined, fortunes are ever-changing. Therefore, to save himself, to share this responsibility, to maintain this gold trade... no matter how much Mori no Kiyoshi disliked me before, now he will wish to save me! And the key to turning disaster into fortune through the gold trade is the only way..."

The campfire flickers, glowing with orange light, like the ever-changing human heart. But the true Buddhist Law always illuminates the complexity of ’human heart,’ witnessing the varied futures. Master Juehui sighed gently, his face showing a compassion for the roots of human nature. He looked at the Shandan leaders and recited the Buddhist name once more.

"Amitabha! Only by cooperating with Mori no Kiyoshi can we work together to turn this big affair into a minor one, and then into nothing. If you put out another batch of gold for trade, not only can the sect’s internal troubles be resolved, the validation of next year’s tribute trade can be bolstered with capital. As for the ’good karma’ traded to you, it’s known to the sky and earth, you know I know, but it can’t be openly discussed..."

"This is the true ’karma’! After undertaking this significant task, Mori no Kiyoshi and I will be like grasshoppers on a string. And behind this string are also tied your Shandan tribes. Later, we’ll all be ferrymen on the same ship... Well done! Well done!"

After hearing the Great Monk’s ’Buddhist Law,’ the six leaders of the Kingdom gathered and discussed for a long time before reaching a consensus to accept the "Great Monk’s" proposal. Both Kingdom Priests were clear that the core aim of establishing the "West Sea Route" was never to plunder wealth or expand territory, but for "technical trade!"

This ’gold trade route’ with Japan is by far the most valuable trade route for the Kingdom. Through this route, the Kingdom can continuously acquire craftsmen, resources, and even sea ships, in exchange for ’cheap’ gold.

And just as Mori no Kiyoshi mentioned before leaving, the "Monkey Group" of the Tiantai Temple doesn’t constitute much of a threat; after a strike, it should be well appeased. The intention of the two priests is also to release the "Great Monk," demanding a ransom in gunpowder. As for exchanging gold for a ’status’ of Japanese Glory Nobility, a thoroughly local identity within this ’Japanese Market,’ it was considered a delightful surprise.

Otherwise, if the ’Monkey Group’ screamed and brought in those tens of thousands of Japanese Great Tribes, and those truly powerful ’tigers and wolves’... that would be a complete disruption of trade, with unending battles causing great trouble!

"Master Juehui, the leaders of Shandan have said they will dispatch two Ocean Shielding Ships to transport Mizhu Monk and ten Monk Soldiers to Omi as soon as possible. However, only when the Shandan’s representative contacts the ’broker’ on Mori no Kiyoshi’s side and confirms stability, will the fleet hand over a 200-pound gold deposit!... What? You ask who the Shandan’s representative is? Haha!"

Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong burst into laughter, bowed to Master Juehui, with barely concealed joy on his face. Because, for the first time, he was dispatched by Zuwaro Priest, becoming the Kingdom Envoy heading south to Kyushu. This also meant that he was one step closer to returning to his clan’s homeland in Hizen...

"Bless the Chief Divine! Yes, the person in charge of communication this time going south is no one other than myself! I will make good acquaintance with Mizhu Monk along the way. The stops and supplies along the way still require Mizhu Monk’s identity and the banner of the Tiantai Sect... When we reach Kansai, if Benefactor Mori no Kiyoshi sees me, he will surely be greatly surprised and delighted!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Time is tight; the sooner we go south, the better! Please, Master Juehui, write a handwritten letter and leave a sect token, give them to me! What? How will you be arranged? Master, please don’t worry, the Shandan Chieftains will first escort you north, to the northern camp of the tribes for good hospitality! Yes! Yes! You are our friend, you will receive the hospitality of friends, no need to worry about safety!"

"Praise the Chief Divine! Excellent, excellent! Please board the ship, Master! The snowy landscape of the Northern Country, the serene meditation huts, and the pure-hearted, enthusiastic devotees await you at the far end of the Sea of Ezo!"

November’s north wind whistled its way down from the endless Siberia to the North Sea Coast. The fluttering snow descended upon Maoshili Island, the harsh winter had officially arrived. And before the icy winter ensued, a fleet of sixteen large ships from the Kingdom, laden with goods, craftsmen, and captured sailors, arrived at the camp of Divine Kutadai Port.

"Namu Amitabha! Is this the camp of your division? This is truly... has a pure and ancient charm!"

When Master Juehui emerged from the dimly lit prison hold, what greeted him was the endless, rugged mountain forest, knee-deep snow, and a harbor whose location was unknown, leading to the camp where the Shandan were gathered. Those endless tents, low thatched huts, drying fish, piled firewood, whinnying horses in herds, dogs pulling sleds, and various "simple and honest" barbarians all left him deeply shaken! Of course, his main concern was still...

"With such a primitive tribal appearance, in such a vast Black Forest... could there really be a Gold Mountain? And where exactly did the Shandan’s large ships come from?"...

Within the animal skin tent, Master Juehui sat cross-legged, without any answers. He also had no opportunity to interact with the outside Shandan tribes. Two axe-wielding warriors of the Kingdom lived and ate with him, and the gleaming axes were an insurmountable "Buddhist Law" to him. Outside the tent, various shouts occasionally mixed with many Japanese accents. However, the most frequently mentioned term among these accents was no longer the Buddha and Bodhisattva, but another name from the "Shinto Divine Spirits," "the Chief Divine of flying birds"...

Snowflakes danced southward, and over three thousand miles away in the Wakasa Nation, someone already knew the answer. The great merchant Mori no Kiyoshi rode swiftly, racing tirelessly from the Capital Region to a secluded coast within Roxia Bay. Master Mizhu, panting heavily, caught up from behind, jumped off his horse, and pointed towards a certain spot on the coast. There, two Ocean Shielding Ships of the Tiantai Sect were silently anchored not far away.

"Buddha! This is? This is! The Shandan’s large sea ship, it turns out to be... my missing Ocean Shielding Ship!"...

Mori no Kiyoshi widened his eyes, and after just a moment’s gaze, he was so astonished that his whole body froze. He recognized it! Among these ships was the very Ocean Shielding Ship he had sent out, which had gone missing four or five years ago in the North Sea! In the entire Northern Sea Domain, other than the one he dispatched, there was no such ocean-going ship of this kind at all. Yet, this long-missing sea ship had appeared in the hands of the Shandan, and appeared here? Could it be that the reason for its disappearance was...

"Buddha! That damned fool! These barbaric Shandan! ...Poor me, Mori no Kiyoshi, ran till my legs broke, yet I couldn’t escape this damned vortex!"...

Mori no Kiyoshi stood there for a moment, his already ugly expression turning even nastier. Yet, for the enormous blunder that "fool" caused, for fear of being dragged down by him, he had no choice but to hold his nose, leave behind the preparations for tribute trade, and rush overnight to board the dangerous ship of the Shandan again...

"Praise the Chief Divine! Mr. Sen, we meet again!"...

On the Ocean Shielding Ship, Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong was dressed in the attire of the Martial Family, smiling serenely as he looked at Mori no Kiyoshi boarding the ship with Master Mizhu. Mori no Kiyoshi paused in surprise, staring at "Watanabe Masumi," who had grown short hair. His gaze gradually changed, and his expression became complicated.

"Masumi, it’s truly you! You had already joined the Shandan Tribe, hiding within their ranks all along... Could it be that the southward march of the Shandan Tribe was led by you?!"...

"Mr. Sen! It’s a long story, I just went with the flow... The current me is no longer a monk soldier but a priest of the Chief Divine!"...

Ryuzoji Temple Jia Hong smiled faintly, spread open eight fingers, then pointed to the small table on the deck. A small brazier boiled a ceramic pot, and a pot of tea was already prepared. Two cushions were placed on either side of the table, vacant and waiting...

"May the Chief Divine protect us! How about we chat over tea? It’s been a long time since I last tasted good tea from the Kansai. As for what Mr. Sen wishes to know, whether it’s past karma, present trade, or certain future possibilities... we can talk about the Kingdom, we can talk about it all!"...

"Hmm? The Kingdom?!"...

Mori no Kiyoshi squinted, nodded slowly, and walked towards the kneeling cushion. Warriors of the Kingdom surrounded them on both sides, carefully watching the Roxia coast, watching the smoke from distant villages. This was the first time an exploration fleet of the Kingdom had reached such a southern Japanese coast, seeing so many Japanese towns...

The long wind continued to howl, and the complexity and scheming of Japan were all hidden within the swirling snowflakes. Meanwhile, on the eternally spring-like Mexican Plateau, the third surrender negotiation between the Kingdom and Cloud Mountain City had begun again in the "Prophet’s Tent."

Xiulote, dressed in a dark ceremonial dress and wearing a tall feather crown, sat solemnly opposite an elderly Mistec Divine Descendant. Both of them wore grave expressions, occasionally arguing in Nava language, and occasionally sipping red cocoa. A map of the Lower California Coast lay open between them. As for the positions they occasionally pointed to, the map had a prominent red circle drawn on its southern part, the mouth of the Great Sand River, where the flooding Great Sand River Plain lay...