For warlords, religious beliefs are like chamber pots, just tools that can be used.
For example, Tang Shengzhi, who implicated Jiang Baili in jail, was a Buddhist believer. He organized an entire division of "Buddhist soldiers" back then.
At that time, Tang Shengzhi had a conflict with Zhao Hengti, the governor of Hunan Province. Zhao Hengti also believed in Buddhism, so he spent a lot of money to invite a white lama from Tibetan area to hold the "Great Light Dharma Conference." Do you think Zhao Hengti was really holding a Dharma conference? Haha, he was just taking the opportunity to win over
They were just various warlords who believed in Buddhism in Hunan, and Zhao Hengti's power quickly grew.
Tang Shengzhi couldn't even pay his troops, let alone pay for the great lama. Faced with Zhao Hengti's attack, Tang Shengzhi quickly discussed countermeasures with Gu Boxu, a Tantric layman, and he really came up with good ideas for them.
The two of them took matters into their own hands and ordained the officers and soldiers from battalion to battalion, and the unique "Buddhist Army Manchu Master" in Chinese history was born. All the officers and soldiers were wearing cassocks and holding medals. They were so majestic that no one could look directly at them.
The Buddhist warlords who were watching the situation looked at it and thought, Damn, this army can't be beaten. They are all ordained monks. How can we attack them without angering the Buddha?
In this way, the alliance of Buddhist warlords that Zhao Hengti had won over through the puja collapsed. The morale of Tang Shengzhi's Buddhist army was greatly boosted, and he quickly drove Zhao Hengti away and proclaimed himself the chairman of Hunan Province, opening a glorious chapter in his rule of Hunan with Buddhism.
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It was a pity that Tang Shengzhi met Wu Peifu, who was more profound in Buddhism than him. In order to inspire the soldiers, Wu Peifu vowed that as long as China was unified, he would go to Mount Emei to become a monk. He also invited eminent monks to recite sutras to save his dead wife and soldiers who died in battle.
As a result, Tang Sheng failed in the battle of wits and was driven out of Hunan by Wu Peifu.
Tang Shengzhi simply led his Manchu divisions of the Buddhist army to join the Northern Expeditionary Army and fought back to seize the territory. Today, the Tang Marshal has once again improved his Buddhist teachings and understood the ultimate theory of Buddhist rule.
He believes that the Buddha said that all sentient beings are liberated and I am liberated, and Mr. Sun Yat-sen said that the world is for the common people. In fact, the truth is the same. As the so-called return of all dharma to the sect, everyone's ultimate goal is to save the common people, but
The means are just different.
The Buddhist theorist Tang Dashuai often appeared in person to explain Buddhism to the soldiers. He said that the "three-kaya Buddha" means: purity is the dharma body, compassion is the sambhogakaya, and loyalty is the response body.
Having said so much, the key is the word "loyalty". Tang Shengzhi just wanted the soldiers to be loyal to him.
And what about Liu Xiang?
Liu Xiang had always been dubious about Liu Congyun's Taoism. The reason why he trusted Liu Congyun so much was that he needed Liu Congyun's help in delivering intelligence information, used religion to win over other warlords, and was concerned about Liu Congyun's influence among the people.
Just using each other.
The most abominable thing is that Liu Congyun actually encouraged Liu Xiang to establish the "God Army". This army was composed entirely of "Confucius and Mencius" believers. Liu Congyun wanted to have absolute control, but Liu Xiang needed to pay for the equipment and military pay.
Would Liu Xiang be happy if he was asked to provide money and equipment to support an army that he could not control?
Liu Congjun had been nagging as early as three years ago, and Liu Xiang had to laugh and deal with it. Now Liu Congyun is urging him harder and harder, and even secretly makes small moves, secretly contacting other warlords to cause trouble for Liu Xiang.
For example, Yang Sen didn't believe in any ghost Taoist priests at all, but he kowtowed to Liu Congyun in public. Yang Sen's intention was very simple, which was to win over Liu Congyun and, by the way, those religious warlords.
What is the situation in Sichuan now?
The warlord must worship Emperor Zhenwu, thank Liu Congyun, and be given a title by Liu Xiang. If Liu Xiang has any ideas, he will let Liu Congyun convey them in the name of the gods. Those who do not obey orders are violating the will of God.
So now all the warlords in Sichuan believe in "Confucius and Mencius", because those who do not believe in religion have long been destroyed by other people.
But if you do this kind of trick, you will burn yourself sooner or later.
For example, Yang Sen teamed up with Liu Congyun and passed down the decree through the mouth of the gods. He has been confronting Liu Xiang for a while.
Liu Xiang has reached the point where he has no choice but to agree to the divine army that Liu Congyun wants to build. Unless he completely controls Sichuan, he will not dare to fall out with Liu Congyun. As long as he dares to expel Liu Congyun or kill Liu Congyun, all warlords in Sichuan will inevitably
Using Liu Xiang's violation of heaven as an excuse, they united to attack him.
Now Zhou Hexuan jumped out and wanted to fight with Liu Shenxian. Of course Liu Xiang was happy, and he longed for this demon to be severely slapped in the face.
Of course, this face shouldn't be slapped too harshly or publicly. After all, Liu Xiang still needs to rely on Liu Shenxian to control other warlords.
The melee among warlords in Sichuan is really called a fight between gods, because all warlords have dharma titles, and after death they can obtain the status of immortals.
The fight between Zhou Hexuan and Liu Congyun was arranged to be held at Liu Xiang's mansion, where warlords of all sizes in Sichuan could watch, but no other people could spy on it.
After noon, Liu Shenxian appeared on the stage wearing a Taoist robe, and asked his disciples to set up the altar and bring in many of his magical instruments.
I saw the evildoer pull out a peach wood sword, hold the talisman halberd in his left hand and lightly wipe it with his fingers. The talisman paper in his hand burned out of thin air, and he began to recite incantations and perform spells in front of many warlords.
"good!"
"Liu Shenxian has great magic power!"
"Master will perform another one!"
"..."
The warlords cheered and applauded, just like they usually do when watching Sichuan opera, and only threw dozens of oceans as rewards.
After Liu Congyun finished reciting "The sky is clear and the earth is clear," it was Zhou Hexuan's turn to perform. Master Zhou saw a glass rod in his left hand and a silk handkerchief in his right hand, shouting loudly: "The great gods of science are above, Copernicus, Galileo, and Leonardo da Vinci."
, Newton, Leibniz, Faraday... many sages, please give your disciple Zhou Hexuan the supreme scientific power! Hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine and neon, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon and phosphorus... Mani is quick and urgent.
Laws and Orders!”
Many warlords stared at Zhou Hexuan chanting a curse in stunned silence, but no one recognized it as the periodic table of elements.
A bunch of illiterate people!
Fan Haer said to Li Jiayu next to him: "Hey, I didn't expect that Brother Zhou also has a few brushes. He can recite the incantation very fluently."
In the surprised eyes of everyone, they saw Zhou Hexuan wrapping a glass rod in silk and rubbing it frantically. Then he waved his hand and all the scraps of paper on the table in front of him were attached to the glass rod.
"Burn, the sacred fire of science!"
Zhou Hexuan's mouth bloomed with lotus flowers, and when he snapped his fingers, the paper scraps on the glass rod burned one after another.
"Okay! What a great spell!" Fan Haer stood up and clapped his hands.
The warlords from all walks of life could not understand the principle and looked at the burning confetti stupidly, with endless doubts in their eyes.
Liu Xiang, who was in charge of guest refereeing, announced: "The first round is a draw! Please continue, both of you."
Liu Congyun glared at Zhou Hexuan fiercely and called to his disciples: "Please bring me a magic weapon and see my technique of 'touching water and turning it into ice'!"
