Li Mu finally entered Ci'en Temple. Not only did he enter, but he was also arrested and confiscated. The bald monks were taken to Taichang Temple one by one, and were guarded by people sent by the Jinyi Guards. The basement of the temple was also opened, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs dispatched
More than 30 counting rooms were counted and packed in three times. Cars of gold and silver and countless copper coins were transported to the temple gate, waiting for the escort truck from Datang Bank to arrive before they were transported away.
I don’t know whether it was intentional or the need for counting, but these boxes containing property were all open. The people looked at it from a distance and couldn’t help but talk about it. If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, no one would have thought that Ci’en Temple had accumulated so much.
money.
People in the world all have a hatred of the rich. When the common people saw that the monks who received alms on weekdays were all richer than themselves, they thought about what Li Mu said and the behavior of these monks in peacetime. It seemed that Lord Hou
What he said made sense. Suddenly he felt that he had been deceived. They all became filled with righteous indignation and blocked the door of Ci'en Temple, shouting curses, as if they had been defrauded of their money and were waiting to get their money back.
Li Mu ignored them and was summoned to the palace by Li Shimin. Changsun Wuji did not follow. Queen Changsun had something to say, not to enter the palace casually during his "recuperation" period. Judging from Li Shimin's reaction speed, the bad guy
There must be an informant around Li Mu, so his every move would be reported to Li Shimin so quickly. When Li Mu did this, as the queen's brother, he stood up to stop him, and his affection was already done. He couldn't stop it, it was
Li Mu is too arrogant and domineering, and he can't stop him. When he appears here today, his goal has been achieved. It doesn't matter whether he enters the palace or not.
The person who delivered the order was a godson of Eunuch Gao, but he was not a factory guard. He was just an errand eunuch who delivered the order. His attitude towards Li Mu was also very good. From that day on, Li Mu helped Eunuch Gao defeat Yuan Tiangang.
After that, the people under Eunuch Gao became closer to Li Mu, and when they met and spoke, they were less polite, and they no longer avoided some things that "shouldn't be said".
"Does the Marquis know why Your Majesty summoned the Marquis to the palace in such a hurry?"
"I don't know,"
The little eunuch looked around, moved a little closer to Li Mu, and said: "Ci'en Temple is different from other temples. In the past, the queen was suffering from an incurable illness. She performed a ritual in Ci'en Temple, and she didn't know whether it was the Buddha's appearance. Then she got a headache.
The disease has improved a lot. When the little prince was born the year before last, he prayed at Ci'en Temple, and last year when Princess Jinyang was born in the cold winter, all because Ci'en Temple was safe and sound. His Majesty once said that the master of Ci'en Temple was kind to the royal family.
Based on what the Marquis has done today—"
"I understand." When they arrived at the entrance of the palace, Li Mu interrupted the little eunuch, took out a gold ingot from his sleeve and handed it over. The little eunuch didn't dare to say anything, so Li Mu grabbed his arm and stuffed it into his hand.
He shook his hand and entered the Tai Chi Hall.
…
"Li Mu, you are too presumptuous!"
Li Shimin was furious and said: "Whatever you want to do, can you discuss it with me before you do it? You are always so impulsive! How many times have I told you to make a decision before taking action. Do you not understand what I say or do you?
Are you deliberately causing trouble for me?"
"Your Majesty, why can't I understand? Changsun Chong was the one who started what happened today. He couldn't handle it. I, the master, went to help. How can I be wrong when a master helps his apprentice? Your Majesty, you are too
Isn't that too bullying?" Li Mu slapped him down and said in a displeased manner: "This official is really hard to get. Why don't your majesty withdraw my title and dismiss me as an official? I'll have a few days of free time.
.I am also thinking about building a big ship to go to Silla to pick up my wife, but I am worried that I have no time."
"You," Li Shimin was about to say something, when he suddenly heard Li Mu saying that he wanted to build a big ship. He couldn't help but was distracted and asked: "What about building a big ship? How big a ship do you want to build?"
"I build a ship, no matter what, I need ten thousand stones. If it is small, it will not be majestic enough."
Li Shimin sneered and said, "Just brag. Don't think that I don't know how to build a ship, so you can make it up randomly. The dragon boat of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty was only twenty feet long and weighed six thousand stones. It had reached its limit and could not sail normally.
Trackers are needed. Commonly used flat-bottomed sand boats are about four thousand stones, and warships are even smaller. Can you build a ship of ten thousand stones?"
"What can't be done?" Li Mu smiled casually and said: "During the Lantern Festival, didn't your Majesty see that all the ministers flew into the sky? The boat was still in the water, right? It was just a little bigger.
Although it is difficult, it is by no means impossible. I am confident that I can build a ship of ten thousand stones..."
"Really?" Li Shimin's tone was a little excited. If he could really build a thousand-stone ship, the Tang Dynasty could transport troops from the sea to attack Baekje and Goguryeo. The great conquest that the former Sui Yang Emperor failed to complete would be in his hands.
Completed here. Such great achievements will surely go down in history!
Li Mu said seriously: "As long as I have money, I can definitely do it."
"This is bullshit!" Li Shimin said angrily: "If you have money, I can build an invincible cavalry that can kill everyone without taking a boat!"
"So, it's still money."
When it came to money, Li Shimin was also worried. Li Mu had plundered Gaochang's treasury some time ago, and the hundreds of thousands of money he got were divided up by various ministries before he could use it to build cavalry. The six ministries seemed like six hungry wild wolves.
No matter how much meat there is, it is not enough for them to eat.
"Alas..." Thinking of the difficulty of having no money, Li Shimin sighed and was about to express a few words. Suddenly he remembered what he came to see Li Mu for. He slammed the table and said, "You almost interrupted me.
, even if I am short of money, I am not so bad as to rob a monk. Is it still reasonable for you to block the gate of other people's temples and arrest people to rob money? You have to give an explanation to the Queen!"
Obedient and listening to the sound, Li Mu heard what Li Shimin said and understood his attitude in his heart. Li Shimin just asked him to give an explanation to Empress Changsun, and did not feel that he had done something wrong. Thinking about it carefully, if Li Shimin felt that he had done something wrong
Well, how could he not stop him and allow the Jinyi Guards to inspect Ci'en Temple? Moreover, Li Shimin should also understand that if the temple's land occupation cannot be rectified, the New Deal will be like a piece of paper and cannot be implemented at all.
Therefore, it is Li Shimin's wish to renovate the temple, but he does not want to bear the reputation of "destroying Buddhism", not only because of Queen Changsun, but also because of the influence of Buddhism. Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Buddhism has become popular in the Central Plains, and believers do not know how many people there are.
.If it is used by someone with intentions, it will be a big disaster sooner or later.
Therefore, he could not do this, he had to "kill someone with a borrowed knife". Li Mu's approach can be said to be "deep in my heart", but Li Shimin expected that Li Mu would be more tactful, and now his approach is still very flawed.
some.
"Old fox..." Li Mu figured this out and muttered in a low voice. Li Shimin looked up at him: "What did you say?"
"I say that your Majesty is wise." Li Muchui said with a smile: "I will go and explain myself to the queen. Your Majesty, you know that I am not an unreasonable person. Since I did such a thing, it is naturally reasonable.
"
Li Shimin's eyes drifted to somewhere in the hall, and he turned around without Li Mu noticing: "Then you might as well tell me what your reasoning is first. I happen to be curious as to what your hatred for the monk is.
Where does it come from?”
"Then let me tell you."
Li Shimin gestured with his hand, and Eunuch Gao brought a brocade pier. Li Mu was not polite and sat down directly. He happened to be a little thirsty, so he stood up and picked up the teacup on the table, raised his head and drank.
The corner of Li Shimin's mouth twitched, but he didn't say anything, he just shook his head helplessly.
"As your Majesty said, I have an opinion about monks, not Buddhism. On the contrary, I think Buddhism is very good and encourages people to do good. If everyone is kind to others, great rule of the world will not be far away. Former Sui Dynasty
As a result of being pro-Buddha, the emperor was prosperous, the people lived in peace, and the country was at its peak."
"Yes, I am also trying to imitate him."
Li Mu shook his head and said: "Your Majesty must never follow suit."
"Why?"
"Things are different."
"The former Sui Dynasty inherited the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and there were no major wars in the founding of the country. Compared with the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, the change of dynasties was the most stable situation. To put it simply, before the founding of the emperor, there was already a lot of accumulation among the people. Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty wanted to be friendly to Buddhism.
If we educate the world through Buddhism and make people do good, fighting will be reduced and it will be easier to govern the country. With the support of the court, the temple does not need to pay taxes or bear corvee, but there will be rewards and offerings. These monks live their lives
Life is too comfortable. This encourages the evil thoughts of monks such as Ci'en Temple, making them unable to recognize their own position and thinking that enjoying everything they have now is natural and should be done. This determination will not work.
.After all, the country still has the final say of the imperial court, and His Majesty has the final say. You can have faith, but it cannot be excessive or outside the law."
Li Shimin nodded slightly, Li Mu's words were exactly what he thought.
"Now, the Tang Dynasty is at a time when everything is waiting to be revitalized. All resources are very useful..."
Li Shimin interrupted: "What are 'resources'?"
"Everything that can be utilized, such as population, money, land, etc., is considered a resource."
Li Shimin nodded, indicating that Li Mu could continue.
"Let's talk about the population first." Li Mu talked eloquently and said: "According to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, all common people, including men, must bear corvees and taxes. But after becoming a monk, these two items are not required.
From the perspective of the court, there will be less taxes and corvee. From the perspective of Dingkou, if a man becomes a monk, it means that one family may be cut off, and the population of the Tang Dynasty will be reduced as a result. In the long run,
Look, it’s very disadvantageous.”
"Let's talk about the money again," Li Mu paused and asked, "Does your Majesty know how much money was confiscated from Ci'en Temple?"
Li Shimin really didn't know this. He thought for a while and guessed casually: "The incense in Ci'en Temple is very strong. It must be tens of thousands of incense sticks?"
Li Mu smiled and said, "Your Majesty must be talking about Abbot Yongxin's personal deposit."
"What?!"
"Your Majesty, when Cai Chen left, the number had exceeded 200,000 guan. This does not include the gems and antiques that have not been discounted. If they were all discounted, I dare not say more. There must be 3 to 500,000 guan.
.”
Li Shimin was shocked and said: "How can there be so much money? I thought it was only eighty or ninety thousand guan at most... but there is so much money. How dare a monk's temple amass such wealth?"
At this moment, Li Shimin had no regrets at all. If he had known that Monk Temple was so rich, he might have thought of a way to take action.
"Your Majesty, I am thinking more than just this little money." Li Mu said seriously: "Three to five hundred thousand dollars may seem like a lot of money, but it is far from enough to do anything. Moreover, Ci En
The temple is different from ordinary temples. Not all temples in the world are Ci'en Temple. Some small temples cannot have so much money. The reason why I operate on Ci'en Temple is for money, but it is not just for money."
"what else?"
"I want to tell you something about money."
"speak."
"What does your Majesty think is money? Is what is piled in the cellar money?" Li Mu shook his head and said: "No, the reason why money is money is that it becomes money only when it is spent.
Meaning. Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, and all walks of life, all have to make money, spend money, and use money to trade, then money has meaning. If it is like a temple, if you put money in the basement, the more you accumulate where there is no spending.
, then there will be less money in the market. Once there is a shortage of money in the market, people, farmers, industry and commerce, and all walks of life will be affected, so this matter must be corrected and put to an end."
"When the temple has more money, they have no place to spend, so they have only two choices. Either to make loan sharks, the harm of which I will not say much. Or, to buy land. Spend money to buy land, see
It seems fair, but there are many hidden dangers. Not everyone can clearly calculate the pros and cons. For the common people, most of them can only see the immediate benefits. For the common people, after they sell the land,
, although they can get a lot of money, but this money is not enough to support them for a lifetime. On the contrary, because they have lost their land, their lives will become worse and worse, and they may even be sold into slavery, and they will never be able to stand up for the rest of their lives."
"This is why I emphasized the need to redistribute land in the New Deal. Food is the most important thing for the people. Your Majesty must not forget this sentence. The prerequisite for living and working in peace and contentment is that you must first have enough food.
To eat this food, you need land to grow it."
"Is this all your reasons?"
"No, this is just the reason I consider as your Majesty's minister." Li Mu said calmly: "Personally, I don't like the monk very much."
Li Shimin smiled and said: "I know it, then tell me, why do you hate monks?"
"Your Majesty, may I hear that in troubled times, Taoist priests go down to the mountains to save the world, and monks close their doors to avoid disasters. In prosperous times, Taoist priests retreat to the mountains, and monks go out to seek alms?"
Li Shimin frowned and shook his head: "I have never heard of it. This is the first time I have heard of it. But when I think about it, it seems that this is really the case. Li Mu, why is this?"