In the evening, the sun sets in the west and the sky is filled with sunset glow.
The lights of Yunjing have just begun.
The streets and alleys become more lively than during the day.
After a busy day of work, people come out with their families to have fun, find something to eat, or get together with friends.
The restaurant is already crowded with guests.
All kinds of news are floating around the restaurant, passing among the guests quickly and conveniently.
"Everyone, have you heard? Divine Monk Fa Kong is going to open a forum to lecture on scriptures."
"Fakong Divine Monk?"
"Why, you don't know the Divine Monk Fakong?" Someone asked in surprise: "No way?"
"Of course I know, I just want to confirm whether it is the divine monk!"
"Who else in this world is worthy of the name of a divine monk?"
"It's strange, how could Divine Monk Fakong suddenly think of opening a Dharma altar? Hasn't he been closed in the temple and never left the temple?"
At a large round table with eight people, people were talking a lot.
"Perhaps you feel that the time is ripe and the opportunity has arrived?"
"I know the reason."
"Old Wei, tell me quickly."
"Old Wei, what do you know! I really know."
"Old Wei, Lao Guan, you guys are all telling me, stop pretending, what's the reason?"
"I heard that Divine Monk Fakong gave a lecture in Dayong Capital." A middle-aged, thin man stroked his beard and said with a smile, "The response was great."
"Lecture in Tianjing?"
"Exactly."
"I have also heard about it, and I have also seen that someone copied it into a book. It talks about the Diamond Sutra. Every word is like pearls, every sentence is thought-provoking, and the wisdom of the holy monks is really like the incarnation of heaven and man."
"The holy monk is talking about the Diamond Sutra?"
"You want to see it?"
"certainly."
"Then let's do it tomorrow. I'll go back today and have someone copy it."
"Lao Guan, thank you then."
"Why are you so polite?" Lao Guan is plump and has a kind face and kind eyes, which makes people approach him.
"This time the sacred monk will also give a lecture in our Yunjing. You must not miss it."
"It's natural."
"Where?"
"It's Qixia Peak just outside the city. It's time in three days."
"We will go there together when the time comes."
"I will call a few more people to support the holy monk. My cousins and their whole family all believe in Buddhism."
"The more the better, everyone is looking for someone."
Everyone was talking and excited.
This news was also passed around in restaurants, and people kept coming over to ask for confirmation whether Divine Monk Fakong really wanted to hold a forum at Qixia Peak to give lectures.
When they were about to finish their meal, more than a dozen groups of people came over to inquire.
Lao Guan wiped the corners of his mouth and said with a chuckle: "I thought few people would come to listen to the scriptures, but I didn't expect so many."
A sneer appeared on Lao Wei's thin face: "I'm afraid they are not thinking about Buddhism, but the divine monk Fa Kong."
This is an impure mind.
Buddhism is the foundation of Fakong Divine Monk, and it is also the most worthy of praise, while supernatural powers and martial arts are secondary.
"I'm afraid that's exactly what happened."
"Even if you don't believe in Buddhism, it's good to meet the Buddhist monk Fa Kong. He rarely shows up."
"To be honest, I actually want to meet the divine monk Fakong and see his style."
"Old Xu, you are going to be disappointed. The appearance of Divine Monk Fa Kong is not strange at all. He is ordinary."
"Is that so?"
"Back to basics, this is the level of the divine monk Fa Kong. We can't see how powerful he is. Only Buddhism can do that."
——
Dayun Palace
Humble Administrator's Hall
Hu Lieyuan sat behind the dragon chair, leaning back with his feet on the dragon table and looking up at the caisson of the main hall.
The hall was quiet, no one dared to make a sound.
The chamberlains all knew that he was in a bad mood.
If you disturb him here, you will be scolded by him. Even if you are not punished, you will be scolded and kowtowed a dozen times to apologize.
Hu Lieyuan finally sighed and shook his head.
The thick felt door curtain was suddenly lifted, and a middle-aged chamberlain wearing a purple robe with a white face and no beard floated in. He cupped his fists and saluted: "Your Majesty, Master Fakong wishes to see you."
The servants were sweating coldly and took a breath, fearing that he would be punished.
"Please!" Hu Lieyuan retracted his feet, immediately sat up straight, and said in a deep voice: "Please come quickly."
The middle-aged servant Piao Piao retreated, led Luan Luan out, and soon led Fakong into the main hall and to the foot of Danqi.
Fakong wore a purple and gold cassock, with a calm expression, and said with a tithe: "Your Majesty, you came unexpectedly, it's rude."
"Master is a rare visitor." Hu Lieyuan raised his voice and said, "I'll give you a seat."
A waiter brought an embroidery pier.
Fakong sat down and looked up at Hu Lieyuan: "The poor monk is asking for forgiveness from the emperor."
"Oh——?" Hu Lieyuan said with a smile: "Master, what is your crime?"
"It's a crime to behead first and report later," Fakong said with a smile: "The poor monk wants to open a forum outside the city to give a lecture and promote Buddhism."
"I just heard the news." Hu Lieyuan said, "I wonder why Master has this idea?"
He shook his head and said: "The Buddhist Dharma in Dayun is weak. Even if the master opens an altar, I'm afraid there won't be many believers."
Fakong said: "As a disciple of Buddhism, you must do your best and cannot just sit there and do nothing."
Hu Lieyuan nodded: "Most Buddhist disciples take the promotion of Buddhism as their own responsibility."
"The Dharma is a boat, and it is also the fundamental virtue and responsibility of the monks to ferry sentient beings across the sea of suffering and reach their destination." Fakong said: "Poor monks are not immune to secularism."
In fact, one's own merit has nothing to do with whether one can save others or not. One's own merit is a separate system.
It would be a great merit to prevent the war from starting this time. It would also be a great merit to prevent the dragon from rising into the sky and wreaking havoc on the world last time.
There is no merit in opening a forum to lecture on the Dharma.
Hu Lieyuan frowned and said, "Master, you know the effect is minimal, but you still want to give it a try?"
Fakong nodded: "You know you can't do something, but you do it because it's your responsibility."
"...Then I can't say anything." Hu Lieyuan said calmly: "But the master cannot force it. If they believe in Buddhism, then we can leave it to them. If they don't believe it, we have to leave it to them."
"That's right." Fakong said: "For matters of faith, force is not sweet, so naturally I won't force it."
Hu Lieyuan said: "How are you doing, Master? The last time we suppressed Longyuan, it was thanks to Master's presence."
Fakong smiled and said: "Your Majesty's award is entirely due to everyone's efforts. I am just the icing on the cake."
Hu Lieyuan said slowly: "After the masters of Zhen Longyuan dispersed, everyone was calm, right?"
This was beyond his expectation.
I originally thought there would be a fuss. After all, with so many masters returning, the grievances between the various sects should be cleared up, right?
But the result turned out to be quiet, with no noise or movement.
If there is one person who can make them all feel at ease, it is only Fa Kong, and only Fa Kong has this prestige.
Fakong said: "We are worried about each other, and after all, we were in retreat together, and we have developed friendship, so we have channels for communication."
He shook his head and said: "The most important thing in everything is communication. Only by understanding each other's ideas can we avoid misunderstandings, and misunderstandings are often caused by poor communication."
"Yeah..." Hu Lieyuan sighed: "Indeed, things in the world are often caused by misunderstandings."
Fakong smiled and said: "Your Majesty is disappointed, right?"
This sentence is sharp and unexpected.
Hu Lieyuan was startled, then laughed: "Why am I disappointed?"
Fakong looked at him with a half-smile but not a smile: "Your Majesty, don't you even have the courage to tell the truth in front of a poor monk?"
"...Okay, I'm really disappointed." Hu Lieyuan looked at him, suddenly smiled, and nodded calmly: "It's quite disappointing, very disappointing."
If they make a fuss, Dayun will save a lot of trouble.