The next day, just as dawn was breaking.
The golden crow rose, and purple qi flowed from the east.
The originally silent and solemn inner imperial palace was now bustling with noise, filled with the clamor of people and the din of carriages and horses.
Inside a certain grand hall.
Several dozen white-haired, venerable scholars sat upright and rigid, each holding a large wolf-hair brush, not daring to even take a deep breath.
Spread out before them was the most precious paper from the palace, the Chengxintang Paper.
And upon the main dais.
The young Emperor, with his hands clasped behind his back, paced back and forth, his eyes wide like bronze bells, fixed intently on the brush tips of the men below.
"Listen well, all of you!"
"Every single character, every single stroke, must be copied clearly and distinctly for Us!"
"If even one character is copied incorrectly, or if the slightest smudge mars it, We will hold you accountable!"
Cold sweat dripped from the scholars' foreheads, their wrists trembling.
If it were just ordinary correspondence, copying it would be one thing.
But the original manuscript placed before them as the exemplar... not only was the handwriting sloppy, but in some places, ink blots had smeared, making it truly difficult to decipher.
Yet, His Majesty regarded it as a priceless treasure, specially ordering it to be mounted and hung high up, only to be viewed from a distance.
An old Hanlin Academic squinted his eyes, staring at an ink blot on the original manuscript, hesitating for a long while.
Finally, gathering his courage, he asked, "Your Majesty... this spot here, it looks like the character for 'kill,' yet also resembles the character for 'go.' Which one exactly is it...?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor bounded forward a few steps.
He tilted his head back, carefully scrutinizing that spot on the original manuscript for a good while.
Then he turned his head, wearing an expression of profound mystery: "Concept, do you understand Concept?!"
"All of you, comprehend it according to its Concept!"
"Yes, yes, yes..."
How dare the Hanlin scholars contradict him? They could only murmur meekly in agreement and bury their heads in their arduous task.
They toiled away for a good half-day.
Until the sun hung high in the sky.
Only then were several hundred neatly copied volumes, with their orderly handwriting and fragrant ink, finally stacked neatly on the desk.
The Emperor casually picked up one volume and flipped through a couple of pages.
Seeing the characters were neatly written with no errors or omissions, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, you may all withdraw."
"Convey Our decree: send these Methods to the Demon Suppression Headquarters immediately!"
"Yes!"
The Old Eunuch beside him bowed to receive the order, gathered the copied volumes, and quickly retreated... Meanwhile.
Before the secret palace hall of the Imperial City.
Lu Changfeng was directing a group of strong laborers, loading the nine Golden Statues onto carriages.
"Be careful, all of you!"
Lu Changfeng wiped the sweat from his temple and shouted loudly, "Don't let them get bumped or scratched!"
Nine specially-made carriages had long been waiting in front of the hall.
Each carriage was lined with animal hides at the bottom, covered over with brocade.
It could be described as the height of luxury.
According to the previous discussion.
These nine Golden Statues were to be sent to nine different locations within the Capital Region.
However... as eight of the Golden Statues had already been loaded onto the carriages.
Lu Changfeng turned his head, looking at the last remaining statue, then at the Emperor standing to the side, deep in thought.
"Your Majesty?"
Lu Changfeng tentatively asked, "This final Golden Statue is to preside over the main temple in Chang'an. Which one does Your Majesty favor?"
The remaining statue was precisely the most simple and unadorned one, the Black-robed Dharma Form.
Actually, according to common sense.
The main deity statue presiding over the capital should naturally be as majestic and divine as possible.
For example, the one Entwined with Five Dragons, or the one Treading on Thunder and Fire.
Placed in a temple, they would be imposing, and commoners seeing them would easily feel awe and reverence.
But at present... "If Your Majesty finds it unsuitable, I will have someone retrieve it immediately and exchange it for another..."
"No need."
The Emperor waved his hand, cutting him off.
He walked slowly to stand before the black-robed Golden Statue.
At this moment, the sun was blazing brightly.
The Golden Statue shone brilliantly under the sunlight. Though it lacked Dragons or Phoenixes accompanying it, nor held any weapons in hand.
Its brows, its eyes, its expression.
Were the most vivid and lifelike among the nine.
Especially those slightly lowered eyes.
Seemingly indifferent, yet also as if exuding a steady, heartening calm.
The Emperor reached out his hand, gently stroking the cold sleeve of the Golden Statue.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a soft smile.
"This one."
"Huh?"
Lu Changfeng was taken aback and instinctively said, "But Your Majesty, compared to the others, isn't this statue a bit too... plain?"
After all, it was to receive the worship of the masses.
With such an appearance, wouldn't it seem insufficiently imposing?
"Plain is good."
The Emperor took two steps back, stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze never leaving the Golden Statue.
"Those Dragons and tigers, though they look intimidating, are ultimately external trappings."
"Only this one..."
The Emperor paused, then said softly, "Looks the most like her."
Just like that younger sister who always wore a cold expression yet time and again stood in front of him, shielding him from all storms.
Just standing there quietly.
Needing no Divine Beasts to accompany her, nor any divine light to enhance her.
As long as she was there.
That was enough.
"Attendants! Prepare the carriage!"
"Take this Golden Statue to the city of Chang'an!"
"We Ourselves will personally witness its installation!"
...With that order given.
Nine Bronze Carriages, escorted by thousands of soldiers, rumbled out of the Imperial City in a grand procession.
The commoners of Chang'an had long caught wind of the news and were already in motion.
Both sides of the streets were packed with people, a sea of humanity.
Though soldiers and officers maintained order, they couldn't dampen the people's enthusiasm.
"They're coming! They're coming!"
Someone shouted, no one knew who.
The crowd instantly erupted.
Countless people stood on tiptoe, craning their necks, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Divine Venerable's true form.
When that black-robed Golden Statue slowly passed by.
The crowd actually fell silent in an instant.
Although the divine light that filled the sky yesterday had already given the city's populace some inkling.
But it was still too far away then; they only saw a rough outline, not a clear, distinct view.
At this very moment.
The masses finally saw it clearly.
The Golden Statue was not like those ferocious-looking Buddhas and deities in temples, lofty and unapproachable, making people afraid to look directly.
It was just like the young maiden who once single-handedly vanquished demons in the two regions and fought alone against a host of immortals above Chang'an.
Having shed all her aura of slaughter and ferocity.
Leaving behind only a trace of the will to protect.
Transformed into an eternal Golden Statue, forever remaining in the mortal realm.
"Good heavens... it's really true!"
An old man rubbed his dim, aged eyes, pointing at the Golden Statue, his beard trembling with excitement.
"I said so! Besides Her Highness, who else could be worthy of this?"
"This is Establishing a Living Shrine!"
A Young Man nearby, who looked like a scholar, widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief.
"I'd long heard that the court had been recruiting craftsmen on a large scale these past days, repairing temples everywhere. There were vague rumors circulating that they were recasting a Golden Statue for Her Highness the Grand Princess, to receive the incense of the masses."
"At the time, I just treated it as a joke."
"After all, although Her Highness protected Great Tang, her Karma is immeasurable, establishing temples and casting Golden Statues have always been matters of posthumous deification since ancient times."
"Building a temple for a living person... this is simply too shocking and unheard of!"
As soon as the scholar spoke these words, a chorus of agreement immediately rose around him.
Indeed.
If this had happened in any other era, it would definitely have been mercilessly criticized by the Censors and Remonstrating Officials.
But now... "So what if it's shocking and unheard of?"
A burly Butcher glared, his eyes wide.
"If it weren't for Her Highness, whether we'd even be alive right now is uncertain, let alone you standing here talking!"
"Not to mention Establishing a Living Shrine; even if you replaced my ancestral tablet with Her Highness's, I wouldn't have a word of complaint!"
"Exactly! Exactly!"
The surrounding commoners all nodded in agreement.
In these troubled times, whoever could protect their lives was their heaven.
Whether you were alive or dead.
As long as it was efficacious, then it was worthy of worship!