Chapter 412: My target is never Shaolin, but the entire Buddhism
Although Qiu Shenji was ready to send the British Duke back to his home warmly, he was not in a hurry. He first asked the painter to paint Park Zhengen's appearance as described by Jin Renwen, and then went to the cell to have a heart-to-heart talk with Li Jingye to understand the situation in the Duke's residence.
Li Yanze looked at Guanshi Xu's son: "I wonder what is Xu Langjun's monastic name in the temple?"
The monk clasped his hands together: "The little monk's name is Zhi Xing."
Li Yan asked: "When did you come down from the mountain? What is the situation in Shaolin Temple now?"
Zhixing looked at him carefully and sighed: "Since Sanzang was killed by the thieves, our Shaolin Temple has been in a state of decline. More and more brothers and sisters are coming down the mountain..."
Li Yan knew very well that the murder of the Three Gangs of Shaolin was not the key, but replacing the three was. The most important thing was that many wanted criminals were found in Shaolin. When they were later taken to Luoyang, they were severely punished because of the obstruction of the people who worshiped Buddhism.
Made a name for himself.
The belief in Buddhism is hard to shake, and the incense in temples quickly returns to its former glory. People selectively forget that little thing and continue to worship Buddha and accept donations in order to seek good fortune. However, the reputation of a mere Shaolin Temple is ruined.
The Shaolin Temple was responsible for its own fault. Li Yan had no sympathy for it. Seeing that Zhixing was always at his command, he thought he was also one of the descendants and asked, "Which temple are you going to settle in next?"
Zhixing paused, not wanting to speak, but not daring to lie, so he whispered: "The young monk doesn't want to betray our temple. This time he came down the mountain to visit every household and promote my Shaolin faith."
Li Yan's face darkened: "Shaolin Temple is also preparing to lend money?"
In later generations, the Shaolin Temple got involved in the real estate industry, which shocked many people. In fact, it was unnecessary. It was just a return to the original intention, because the ancient Buddhist temples were the first places to start the loan business.
Temples in various places have a basis of trust among the people. After accumulating a lot of incense money, they saw that the people had a need to borrow money, so they showed great compassion, took it from the people, and loaned it to the people.
People who need to borrow money can use their houses, farmland and other things as pledges. Because they believe that if they don't repay the money owed to the temple, they will be punished. As long as they can pay it back, they will work hard to pay it back. If they really can't, the monks will just
Can accept their land with tears.
That's why temples in various places have more and more land. From the time when the Shaolin Temple was granted land by Li Shimin, until the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the land occupied by the Shaolin Temple almost doubled, which may have been due to the loan business.
When he discovered that Li Ge was obviously displeased, Zhixing became even more frightened, but he remained unwavering: "Li Ge, there are no more pilgrims in our temple, and those disciples from wealthy families no longer worship as disciples. If there is no profit from faith and money, the temple will support
I can’t go down anymore…”
Li Yan knew very well that this was nonsense. Shaolin Temple has hundreds of hectares of fertile land and many tenants, so why can't it survive? At most, it won't be as prosperous as before!
Of course, it is difficult to transition from luxury to frugality. It is precisely the deterioration of the quality of life that makes the monks who remain in the temple more and more intolerable. More and more people leave, and the remaining people do not want to leave, which also gives birth to differences with other temples.
Learn and implement the idea of trusting money.
But he really had no power to stop this matter, because it did not violate the laws of the Tang Dynasty. He pondered for a moment and said calmly: "Can the letter money you send compare to the capital of the public house?"
In this era, Buddhism was lending money at usury, and the government was also lending money at usury. State agencies prepared capital, selected wealthy households to lend money to them, and then collected interest to pay for officials' salaries, meals, and other expenses. The annual interest rate was not high, it was 100% of the principal.
, once you’ve chosen someone, you can’t even borrow it.
The original purpose was to gain profits from wealthy households, but by the Kaiyuan period in history, it had basically been passed on to the common people. "The profits are large and the bankrupts are numerous. The common people have been given heavy gifts."
It is somewhat similar to the Young Crops Law in Wang Anshi's reform, except that the scholar-bureaucrat class will make a big fuss after being damaged, and the people will find it difficult to make their voices heard when they are exploited.
Zhixing's face changed horribly when he heard this: "How can the mere trust money of my Shaolin Temple be compared with the capital of the imperial court?"
Li Yandao: "This year, the distribution of public funds has just begun. Shaolin Temple sent money to the temple. Isn't it competing with the imperial court for profit?"
It is ridiculous to say that in order to prevent social unrest caused by the rapid expansion of monasteries and to leave the people with no other choice, the government suppressed the Buddhist lending trend in the middle and late Tang Dynasty, otherwise it would have become even more out of control.
Zhixing also realized this. The imperial court could not directly stop the Shaolin Temple from lending money, but it was easy to suppress it. Especially if the powerful person in front of him showed a slightly disgusted attitude, people would naturally try to please him.
He immediately knelt down and begged in a pleading voice: "Leader Li, please give Shaolin Temple a way out. If the faith money can no longer be implemented, our Shaolin Temple will have to stop even fasting ceremonies, and it will really break up!"
"stand up!"
Li Yan raised his palm, and his strength came out of his body, and he pulled up the monk's burly body. He did not want to be worshiped because he had a new idea: "I was never targeting the Shaolin Temple, just the faith."
I really don't like lending money and exploiting civilians. Shaolin Temple has its own characteristics, so why would it do such things?"
Zhi Xing was startled: "The young monk doesn't understand what Li Ge Ling means..."
Li Yandao: "The rise of your Shaolin Temple is due to the thirteen stick monks helping the Tang Dynasty during the troubled times of the previous dynasty. Now there is an opportunity to serve the Tang Dynasty and show martial virtue. Are you willing to seize it?"
Zhi Xing was greatly moved. They were more professional than loan sharks in this regard: "Of course I am willing. The brothers and sisters in the temple practice martial arts all the time just to wait for such an opportunity."
Li Yan nodded and said, "Do you know anything about Silla?"
Zhixing thought for a while and said: "I heard the host mentioned that that small country is also very Buddhist..."
Li Yan said coldly: "Silla is stubborn and your Majesty intends to destroy it!"
Zhixing immediately changed his tune: "Although a small country has been converted to Buddhism by me, it is mediocre and hard to carve out. It is unfair to use form and does not change its fierce and stubborn nature. Your Majesty is wise!"
Li Yan said: "You go back to the temple and ask Zhijian to select a group of warrior monks who can join our inner guard as patrol soldiers and come in handy in the battle of Silla."
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! Hearing that he was really going to participate in the battle to destroy the country, Zhixing's breathing became rapid, but the desperate Shaolin Temple had no choice. He clasped his hands together and bowed heavily: "Amitabha! Thank you Li Ge
Give me the Shaolin opportunity!"
Li Yan said: "Go, just as the Shaolin monks rescued the children who were abducted by Yapo in the past, which is a meritorious deed. If it can reduce the casualties of our Tang army, I will ask your Majesty to award the Shaolin Temple with the recovered Taizong's edict "Inform the Lord of the Shaolin Temple in Baiguwu"
"Book" is re-gifted, which is much more meaningful than lending money to the people."
Zhixing couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, and hurriedly saluted again: "Yes!"
After watching this person leave, Li Yan revised Buddhism's plan and advanced it.
One sentence is correct, but it is only half said. He was never targeting the Shaolin Temple, but the entire Buddhism.
It's just that in his original plan, making Buddhists pay taxes was very low on the list, and was more difficult than other reforms.
There is no way, this religious power is really too huge, and the belief is unreasonable, so that the influence of Buddhism is so deep-rooted that even the imperial power can only forcefully promote the extermination of Buddhism, and it will reappear soon.
But if there are some unique temples within Buddhism, such as this half-abandoned Shaolin Temple, it may be different.
Just as he was thinking about the feasibility, Qiu Shenji took Li Jingye and walked out of the inner prison with a smile: "Liu Lang, I went to the British government to ask for clues."
Li Yan looked at Li Jingye and found that he had changed from a proud peacock to a defeated rooster in just one day. He couldn't help but shook his head secretly: "Go!"
Qiu Shenji led Li Jingye out of the inner guard and saw a gorgeous carriage parked not far from the door.
People in the Tang Dynasty mostly traveled on horseback. Those who rode in horse-drawn carriages were generally those who were too sick to ride, or those of high status who were not suitable for public appearances.
And this carriage looks like it is for a noble person. Not only is it twice the size of an ordinary carriage, the entire tent is sewn with fine horsehide, and the joints are interspersed with gold and silver threads.
Decorated with colorful feathers and various accessories, it looks very noble, and there are rows of servants standing respectfully in front and behind.
Qiu Shenji rarely saw such a high-end luxury car on the streets of Liangjing. He couldn't help but look at it a few more times. His expression was a little sour. Anyway, he wasn't wearing a scarlet robe. He spat directly on the ground: "It's no big deal to be rich. What's the point of showing off?"
!”
After scolding, he pulled Li Jingye a little harder. Li Jingye staggered and almost fell down, but he weakly said: "Qiu Jiyi, that's my carriage, I'm afraid it's coming from my house."
People."
Qiu Shenji exclaimed: "I was just thinking about who could have such a magnificent car. It turns out he is a British prince. No wonder!"
Li Jingye could hear the deep dissatisfaction, and his body trembled. He secretly blamed his family for causing trouble for him. Couldn't he be more low-key and use an ordinary carriage instead?
Oh, it turns out there is no low-key carriage at home...
At this moment, the servant noticed him, and a figure emerged from the carriage, calling with concern: "Brother! Brother, are you coming out!"
Li Jingye's eyes turned red when he saw his younger brother Li Jingyou rushing over. He couldn't help but went over and the two brothers hugged each other.
Seeing that his brother was so haggard after not seeing him for just one day, Li Jingyou couldn't help but get angry: "Did the inner guards torture you? How dare you, the noble prince, take it at your word? That Li Yuanfang is really arrogant.
Everyone is complaining about you, so I invited them all here!"
Li Jingye didn't cover his brother's mouth in time, his face turned pale, and he subconsciously looked back.
Sure enough, Qiu Shenji came up behind him and looked at them with a half-smile but not a smile: "It's okay, you continue talking."
Li Jingyou saw a very kind fat man walking over and asked, "Who are you?"
Qiu Shenji said honestly: "My father used to be the deputy of the old prince, and it was I who released your brother."
Li Jingyou immediately snorted arrogantly: "It seems that the internal guards are not all crazy people like Li Yuanfang, there are still sensible people..."
Halfway through his words, Li Jingye snorted in his arms and pulled away.
Li Jingyou was shocked: "Brother! Brother, don't leave us!"
Qiu Shenji stretched out his fleshy hand and pressed it on Li Jingye: "He was worried that he didn't sleep well last night. Don't worry, no one will torture him under my protection."
Li Jingyou felt relieved: "Thank you very much!"
Qiu Shenji smiled: "I just heard you say that all the people who complained for the British duke are in your mansion. What a coincidence. I was about to visit you!"
Li Jingyou looked at him carefully, looked at the harmless round face, and decided to give him a chance to integrate into the upper class. He nodded reservedly: "Okay, then come on, Your Excellency!"