In the early morning, all the squares in Chang'an City opened their doors to let people go. People's hearts were surging and noises were heard. Near Yongyang Square, the residents of Heping Square listened to the faint ringing of bells.
Although today's saints respect Taoism and suppress Buddhism, hundreds of years before the collapse of the world, Buddhism had unimaginable influence on all levels of society.
The Dazongchi Temple, which occupies half of Yongyangfang and most of Hepingfang, was built under the order of Emperor Wen of the former Sui Dynasty. It was the work of Yu Wenkai, the general who presided over the reconstruction of the Luoyang capital. It occupies a very large area and contains a tower over 100 meters high.
The magnificent pagoda is a temporary tourist attraction.
By the early Tang Dynasty, Da Zongchi Temple had grown into the first-class temple in Anseong, and most of the monks who traveled from other places chose this place to stay.
Xuanzang, who was sitting cross-legged on the futon, slowly opened his eyes amid the faint sound of the Buddha bell.
He grew up in the Pure Land Temple in Luoyang since he was a child. He was ordained and became a monk at the age of eleven, and he was already able to read the Lotus Sutra.
After receiving full ordination at the age of ten, he traveled all over the world in search of famous teachers. When he returned to Chang'an with his brother, his reputation was already high.
Xuanzang, long before he started his ground-breaking feat, was already a leader in the Buddhist world in Chang'an. Many eminent monks did not hesitate to publicly declare that he was a thousand-mile horse in Buddhism.
Such a person is naturally qualified to inspect the abolition of temples on behalf of the Ten Great Virtues. What's more, because the two emperors of the former Sui Dynasty believed in Buddhism, there are many temples in Guanzhong. The Ten Great Virtues have been in their sixties for many years, so how can they have such energy?
A novice outside reported that someone wanted to see him. Xuanzang frowned. He had been obsessed with Buddhism since he was a child. He had no choice but to take over the inspection of the temple, but he did not expect to be involved in the political whirlpool.
"That's all, it's better to go west, it's better to go west..." Xuanzang murmured in his heart.
From yesterday to now, this idea has been swirling in Xuanzang's mind. He has traveled all over the world in the past few years, and when he returned to Chang'an, he had more doubts in his mind. There were different laws in different places, and the descriptions were different.
It wasn't until yesterday that Xuanzang suddenly woke up and went west to Tianzhu to solve his doubts.
In history, Xuanzang made up his mind to go west to obtain Buddhist scriptures after being encouraged by a monk, but these thoughts had long been buried deep in his heart.
The novice monk added, "He's from Dongshan Temple."
Xuanzang immediately thought of the handsome young man from yesterday and said, "Please come in."
In the small guest room, Li Shan stared at Xuanzang, who was bowing his head in obedience, and said with a smile: "Seeing that the Zen master looked worried and his eyebrows were not smooth, I came here today to relieve the Zen master's worries."
Since he knew what the fish wanted, Li Shan would naturally not let it get off the hook.
"Relieve worries?" Xuanzang sighed without even raising his head: "Yesterday, when I returned to the city, I heard that the Tang army was defeated in Hebei. King Huai'an and Li Shiji only escaped with their lives, while brothers Xue Wanjun and Xue Wanche were captured."
Li Shan was shocked. Li Shiji was the later British Duke Li Ji. He remembered that "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" had such an evaluation. Li Jing and Li Ji were not as good as the ancient Han, Bai, Wei, and Huo.
He could be compared with Li Jing, Han Xin, Bai Qi, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing, but he only escaped defeat. Li Shan's throat moved, Liu Heitai was so fierce!
After being silent for a while, Li Shan said quietly: "As a result, the military strength is becoming increasingly insufficient, and it is imperative to dismantle the temple. Only Dongshan Temple, once it is dismantled, will have hundreds of soldiers."
"And Dongshan Temple is the first temple to be inspected. If the Zen master lets it go lightly, I'm afraid the saint will be displeased. The saint loves Taoism and hates Buddhism..."
"The young monk plans to resign today."
"Zen Master really wants to go west?"
Such a quick answer, although it was a question, had a conclusive meaning. Xuanzang finally raised his head, looked at the young man in front of him carefully, and sighed: "I am so clever, I think I fell into the benefactor's trap yesterday.
"
Li Shan seemed not to have heard anything, and continued: "Start from Chang'an to the west to Tianzhu, pass by Tianshui, Lanzhou, pass Guazhou and cross Yumen Pass.
Kush Mountain, thousands of miles of Gobi, vast grasslands, the road is difficult and dangerous..."
It was about traveling to the west, Xuanzang listened attentively.
"Even if all countries are allowed to pass through, without being robbed by Turks or encountering horse thieves and bandits, it will be difficult to reach them in three to five years."
"What's more, now that the Turks sometimes go south, if you come back someday and the sage orders you to describe the details of the tribes for military use, will you be willing?"
"Once you go west, you will most likely not be able to reach Tianzhu, and it will be even harder to survive."
Xuanzang's expression did not waver at all.
"I have a way." Li Shan did not play riddles and said directly: "Yesterday it was indeed a game, but the scriptures did come from Tianzhu. I can let the Zen master reach Tianzhu safely, but please let the Zen master let Dongshan Temple go."
Seeing Xuanzang's suspicious look, Li Shan chuckled and said, "There are no lies."
Xuanzang lowered his head and gritted his teeth secretly. Just when he was about to speak, there was a young novice outside the door reporting, "A man from Kaiyang County, Scholar Du, is here to visit."
As soon as Xuanzang arrived at the door, questions came from outside.
"I inspected Dongshan Temple yesterday and the Zen master discussed Buddhism with the abbot. I wonder what the result was?"
The speaker was the young man who went with him yesterday. He looked at Xuanzang who was coming out. He stood at the door and said with a smile: "But the two verses I saw yesterday are very meaningful. I think the host is also proficient in Buddhism.
"
The middle-aged man who had been dark-faced at Dongshan Temple yesterday immediately retorted: "We have already checked that Dongshan Temple is occupied by villagers from Zhujiagou at the foot of the mountain. None of the monks understands Buddhism, and even the presiding officer has no ultimatum!"
The two argued endlessly, Xuanzang just listened silently, and Li Shan inside was a little restless... These two were together yesterday, but listening to this argument, they seemed to have completely opposite attitudes towards the abolition of temples. In this special period during the Wude period,
, which gave Li Shan an unknown premonition.
It wasn't until the two of them were dry that Xuanzang spoke slowly, "Zen Master Wuchao, the presiding officer of Dongshan Temple, may have no ultimatum, but he came east with scriptures and has made great contributions to Buddhism, so he cannot be dismissed."
The young man showed joy on his face, while the middle-aged man had a gloomy face and was about to speak, when he saw Xuanzang turned sideways, revealing a rather familiar figure in the room.
Li Shan secretly scolded the bald man for being unkind, smiled dryly and saluted, "I'm visiting the Zen Master today to inquire about this matter."
The young man laughed, pointed at Li Shan and scolded: "You are very courageous to offend Master Du twice in two days."
When he heard the name "Xueshi Du", Li Shan tried hard to control his legs and feet that were no longer in control, lowered his head and remained silent.
Seeing this posture, the middle-aged man was stunned for a moment and immediately realized that he had the same judgment as the young man.
Xuanzang kept silent on his return trip yesterday, but now he gave a negative answer... Obviously, Xuanzang's decision must be related to this young man who suddenly appeared.
Xuanzang said softly: "The sage issued an order to inspect the temples in Guanzhong and remove those that did not comply. The young monk followed the order, but Dongshan Temple..."
The middle-aged man's face looked a little better, and he cupped his hands and said: "Half a year ago, during the war in the Central Plains, the army continued to move south, and it was difficult to recruit the old soldiers from Guanzhong immediately. Now there is a chaos in Hebei, and the troops are tight. I would like to ask the Zen Master to check it as soon as possible."
Although the first temple encountered a snag, if the rest goes well, it will only be a loss of face.
One pulled a face, the other smiled, and watched the two of them leave. Xuanzang and Li Shan sat down in the house again.
"That Bachelor Du is from Tiance Mansion..." Li Shan's voice was a little hoarse. In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the word Bachelor was a literary attendant, but during the Wude years, he had to think of the Eighteen Bachelors.
Xuanzang nodded slightly, "He is a lieutenant in Tiance Mansion, the first of the eighteen scholars in the Literature Hall, and Du Ruhui, a Du family member in Jingzhao Mansion."
Li Shan swallowed, "That man from Kaiyang County?"
"Prince Zuo Wei leads the inspection team of the East Palace, and Wei Ting of Jingzhao Prefecture is said to be a close friend of the prince since he was young."
Li Shan's eyes were dull. By getting involved in this kind of thing, was he seeking death?
What's even more embarrassing is that although others may not care, he actually stands on the side of the East Palace and abandons the thigh of Prince Qin's Mansion...