Chengping Year 2, June 19, Guanyin's Birthday
Guanyin's birthday was originally a Buddhist grand ceremony known to all, and Guanyin Bodhisattva was an eminent Buddhist monk who had attained the Dao! Little did anyone expect a White Lotus Sect to pop up, claiming Guanyin Bodhisattva was the White Lotus Sacred Mother of the White Lotus Sect, not some Guanyin Bodhisattva at all—just look at the white lotus throne she sat upon! Was she not the White Lotus Sacred Mother then?
Therefore, the White Lotus Sect designated Guanyin's birthday as the Birthday of the White Lotus Sacred Mother! Because of this, the Buddhists and the White Lotus Sect wrangled endlessly, and in the end they could only compromise and hold their own separate events without interfering with each other.
On this day, the Buddhists held grand ceremonies across the Thirteen Prefectures of the Great Qian in hopes of overshadowing the White Lotus Sect, as that was the only way to prove Guanyin Bodhisattva was orthodox and that the White Lotus Sacred Mother they propagated was heretical nonsense.
The White Lotus Sect did not show weakness either, stepping up their promotion of the White Lotus Sacred Mother's Birthday! Although their momentum was not as vast as the Buddhists' and they could not run activities across all Thirteen Prefectures of the Great Qian, in the cities where their influence reached, activities for the White Lotus Sacred Mother's Birthday could be seen everywhere.
Even Cloud Sun City had been making intensive preparations for over a month, wishing to ride the momentum of the White Lotus Sacred Mother's Birthday in one go and establish a Cloud Sun branch altar.
Early this morning in Cloud Sun City, commoners stepped out of their homes one after another, converging toward the West City Gate. Slowly the procession grew larger and larger, and no one spoke along the road as they all shared the same destination.
Outside the West City Gate, a towering stage constructed from towering giant timbers stood erect, its four corners draped with colorful long cloths. Atop the stage rested a white lotus throne, empty and vacant.
When the stream of commoners arrived outside the West City Gate, the crowd was densely packed. At a rough glance there were at least tens of thousands of people, making for a formidable momentum. Upon seeing the high platform, the commoners' procession consciously crossed their legs and sat down around it, making no noise and quietly waiting, while more people continuously joined from behind.
When the hour reached noon, a white figure slowly drifted down to land upon the white lotus throne atop the high platform. Four attendants followed behind, two boy attendants and two girl attendants, respectively holding a pure water vase, a ruyi jade pendant, a medicine-pounding pestle, and cosmic silk.
The surroundings of the high platform were filled with White Lotus Sect members before anyone noticed, and one of them, presumably leading the ritual, shouted: "The White Lotus Saintess has majestically descended! Kneel!" Saying this, he took the lead and knelt down himself.
Following that, all the White Lotus Sect members knelt, and the commoners attending the gathering knelt as well.
The White Lotus Saintess gave a slight signal, and the girl attendant holding the pure water vase spoke: "The Saintess's decree, rise!" Without even hearing the girl shout loudly, the commoners merely felt as though someone were speaking right beside their ears, showing that this girl attendant possessed profound martial arts cultivation.
Half an hour later, the White Lotus Saintess drifted gracefully away. As for the commoners, they remained kneeling on the ground in prostration without rising, while the remaining White Lotus Sect members continued holding the grand ceremony.
At the rear of the high platform, a doorway was open, blocked off by a felt cloth. White Lotus Sect members guarded the entrance, and from time to time commoners were led inside. A short while later, those commoners brought inside emerged with faces full of excitement.
This White Lotus Sacred Mother's Birthday lasted until the city gates were about to close before it finally ended.
In the East District of Cloud Sun City, at the Cloud Sun City branch of the Martial Prohibition Hall, Lin Pingfan, the person in charge of the Wind Division and a Vice Centurion, hurried with rapid steps toward the direction of the main hall.
The Martial Prohibition Hall was an organization established by the imperial court specifically to control and regulate Jianghu factions, with the Martial Division, Wind Division, Crane Division, Inspection Division, and Guard Division set up underneath it.
The highest might in the Cloud Sun City Martial Prohibition Hall was the peak sixth-rank Centurion Yu Heming. Beneath him, the heads of the four major branches were all sixth-rank experts; otherwise, how could they have so easily subdued the various factions of Cloud Sun City?
Seeing Lin Pingfan hurry in anxiously, Yu Heming asked doubtfully: "What is the matter? What's the great rush?"
Lin Pingfan stepped forward and said: "Lord Centurion, the White Lotus Sect is making unusual moves!"
Yu Heming looked at Lin Pingfan and said: "Hasn't the White Lotus Sect always been inactive in Cloud Sun City? How is it that they've appeared here?"
"The specific reason is unclear, but it should just be normal sect activity! I will inquire with the prefecture city later to see if there are any discoveries!" Lin Pingfan said uncertainly.
"Keep a close eye on them and don't let them seize any loopholes. Nowadays these Jianghu factions are growing daily, yet the imperial court blindly adopts a pacification policy—heaven knows whether that's a good thing or a bad thing," Yu Heming said with a headache.
"Alas! Indeed! Think back to when our Martial Prohibition Hall was first established, how majestic we were! Whenever we appeared anywhere, which of those Jianghu factions wouldn't retreat thirty miles? Unlike now, where they care less and less about our Martial Prohibition Hall, especially those large sects and aristocratic families," Lin Pingfan said with utter grievance.
"Alas! Ever since Commander Lu took office, our Martial Prohibition Hall began indulging those Jianghu factions! There are rumors saying...!"
"Shut your mouth! Unverified matters must not be spoken of casually. Be careful lest trouble stems from your words!" Before Lin Pingfan could finish, Yu Heming interrupted him.
"Understood, this subordinate spoke too much! Many thanks, Lord Centurion!" Lin Pingfan said gratefully, bowing.
"Very well! If there's nothing else, go down and continue monitoring the White Lotus Sect. Report any further unusual moves to me immediately!" Yu Heming instructed.
Lin Pingfan bowed in acknowledgment and said: "Yes!" He turned and vanished outside the door.
Yu Heming sat upon his high chair in deep thought, and after a long while, he rose and headed toward the secret chamber.