The heavy snow flying all over the sky covered the courtyard in front of the temple in white. Looking around, there was only a black figure staying in front of the gate.
Sang Chiruo had been kneeling in the snow for more than half an hour. Even though he was wearing fur, the severe cold gradually made him exhausted and almost fainted.
My whole body felt like I was in an ice cellar, every inch of my skin felt like needle pricks of pain, and my knees, calves and feet that were in contact with the snow slowly lost all feeling.
Sang Chiruo knew in his heart that before long, he was afraid that he would freeze to death here.
But he didn't dare to get up. There was only one reason. Gemo Temple was his only hope of survival.
In the Battle of Shazhou, the Tibetan wing mobilized 25,000 troops.
This army was composed entirely of pro-army members of the nobles of their own wing, and many of them were children of noble families. They originally wanted to take advantage of the east wind of the great victory in Shazhou to break through Dunhuang and plunder the treasure house.
Unexpectedly, at the end of the battle, the only soldiers who returned to Tubo alive were the two thousand remnant soldiers brought back by Sang Chiruo.
The coach Mang Suzhen is dead, and there is no way to hold those nobles who encouraged the troops to be held accountable. After much deliberation, the only person who can bear the blame is Sang Chiruo, who "bragged" about his achievements before the war and "misled" the leader.
.
Before returning to Tubo, Sang Chiruo had already guessed the situation and predicted the people's hearts.
Therefore, after he returned to Tubo, the first thing he did was not go to Wangting Yazhang to recover his life. Instead, he came to Gemo Temple to beg for his life.
Holding in his arms the waist badge that Mang Suzhen gave to him before his death, Sang Chiruo endured the pain caused by the ice and snow and looked at the closed temple door in front of him.
I don't know how long it took, but Sang Chiruo suddenly heard some sounds in his ears.
He raised his head excitedly and looked forward.
What made him despair was that the temple door was still closed, but the sound came from behind him, the sound of horse hooves getting louder and louder.
The sound of horse hooves stopped behind Sang Chiruo, and a group of fully armed Yazhang guards slowly walked toward him. The leader of the Yazhang guards walked behind Sang Chiruo and said in a deep voice: "Follow us."
Sang Chiruo turned a deaf ear and stared at the gate of Gemo Temple.
Ya Jiang pulled out his sword and said coldly: "The order I received is to bring you to Zuzan... As for whether you are dead or alive, Zuzan has no restrictions."
A guard grabbed Sang Chiruo's arms and dragged him toward the horse.
The latter allowed himself to be dragged on the snow and closed his eyes in despair.
At this moment, the gate of Gemo Temple slowly opened, and a group of Tantric monks slowly walked out. Another believer carried a yellow curtain and carried a sedan chair out of the temple gate.
When General Ya saw the golden Sanskrit inscriptions on the sedan chair, he was startled at first, then quickly saluted and stepped aside.
Seeing the monks walking out of the temple, Sang Chiruo tried his best to yell in a hoarse voice: "I am Sang Chiruo from the Gar family..."
With just this sentence, Sang Chiruo could no longer hold on and finally fainted.
Huang Wei's sedan chair stopped beside Sang Chiruo. A monk approached the curtain, listening and nodding.
Then, the monk came to the tooth general again and said something.
Hearing this, General Ya objected loudly at first, then his voice became lower and lower. Finally, he glanced at Sang Chiruo, got on his horse, and left angrily.
When Sang Chiruo woke up again, he found himself lying on a mat and in a Buddhist hall. The four walls were built with diamonds.
Hearing the movement in the Buddhist hall, a young lama walked in and waved to Sang Chiruo to follow him.
Sang Chiruo struggled to get up, looked outside the door, and asked the lama: "Is this the Gemo Temple?"
The lama opened his mouth, and when Sang Chiruo saw that there was only a lump of sarcoma left at the base of his tongue, he realized that this man's tongue had been cut out.
In desperation, Sang Chiruo had no choice but to follow the lama, cross a trail built on the snow-capped mountains, and enter a Buddhist pavilion built on the top of the mountain.
Entering the main hall of the Buddhist pavilion, Sang Chiruo's ears were filled with the sound of chanting sutras. Hundreds of lamas were sitting in two rows on the left and right. There were long lanterns placed above their heads. Right in front of them was a statue of the sad wish clad in heavenly robes and with a solemn Dharma.
King Kong.
Passed through the main hall and entered the lecture hall in the back.
Seeing a golden silk tent in the hall, with monks standing on either side, Sang Chiruo knew that there must be an expert in the tent, so he knelt down on the ground without hesitation, and turned his palms over, palms facing up.
An old voice came from the silk curtain: "I don't know the secret words, but the truth is true."
Hearing this, Sang Chiruo lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "Although I am an ordinary person, I also follow the two vehicles."
The voice in the silk curtain stopped for a moment, and then sounded again: "Sang Chiruo, do you know why Mang Suzhen asked you to come look for me?"
Sang Chiruo hesitated for a while and replied: "Please ask Master Luoha to teach me."
Master Luoha in the tent said: "Because you have sinned against this world, only the Buddha can save you."
Thinking of the dangerous situation he was in, Sang Chiruo gritted his teeth and said, "I am willing to fast and enter the vehicle and practice the Four Noble Truths just for the sake of Pratyekabuddha."
Master Luoha called the attendants beside the golden tent and gave some instructions.
After a while, the serving monks left the hall, leaving only a few close followers.
Master Luohe looked at Sang Chiruo, sighed first, and then said: "For the Tubo people, the plateau is a barrier that isolates all threats, but the plateau is also a cage, which makes people close
soul."
Sang Chiruo remembered that Mang Suzhen said the same thing before he died.
Master Luoha: "Tantrik Buddhism has been spreading on the plateau for nearly a thousand years. The ancestors of all generations have hoped to promote Buddhism. However, the local nobles and common people, living on the plateau, closed themselves off and refused to accept anything from the outside."
When Sang Chiruo heard this, he was thoughtful.
Master Luohe: "Chide Zuzan inherited Songtsen Gampo's last wish and wanted to promote Buddhism and introduce Tantra as the state religion. However, the local Bon religion was so powerful that it was difficult to shake... As for you, you are from the Gar family.
Zan deeply hates this family. After this defeat, it stands to reason that there is only one way to die... If you want to survive, you can only prove to Zu Zan that you are still useful."
Sang Chiruo: "Master, how should I prove it?"
Master Luohe: "There are five Rus in Tubo, and among the five Rus there are sixty-one Dongbens. Most of these Dongbens are Bon believers, and there are less than ten Buddhists. In this battle of Shazhou,
Among the supporters of Buddhism, the loss of Mang Suzhen is a great loss."
Sang Chiruo listened carefully.
Master Luo He: "Mang Suzhen once told me that looking at Tubo, in terms of leading troops and fighting, and in terms of being flexible in mind, you are a rare candidate among the younger generation. If you are given a chance, you will definitely not let people down.
disappointment."
Sang Chiruo knelt on the ground, bowed his head and said, "Master, if you have a mission, just tell me. Sang Chiruo will risk his life and he will live up to it."
Master Luohe nodded slightly in the tent, and then said slowly: "Among the Bon nobles there is Lachida Dongdai, located at the southern foot of Domiyi. The family makes a living by hunting. Men, women, old and young are all soldiers. Over the years, not only
They expelled Buddhists, burned Buddhist shrines, and disobeyed Zuzan. Zuzan didn’t like them, but he couldn’t punish them in public.”
When Sang Chiruo heard this, he vaguely understood: "The master's intention is that I should get rid of these people without damaging the reputation of Zuzan and Tantric Buddhism."
Master Luoha: "I can only say so much. As for how you do it, that is your business and has nothing to do with others."
Sang Chiruo knew clearly in his heart that what the other party meant was that if the matter failed to be completed or the news leaked out, he was afraid that he would be treated as an outcast.
Master Luo He: "Buddhism emphasizes on persuading people to do good, but there are also vajra's angry eyes. If you make up your mind, talk to Kenbu in the temple, and he will tell you how to do it."