"The sky is covered with frost over the ten-mile flat lake, and every inch of blue silk hair is filled with worry about the past. Looking at the moon to protect each other, I only envy the mandarin ducks but not the immortals... In the end, Ning Caichen buried Nie Xiaoqian's ashes and wandered around the world with Yan Chixia."
In the ward, Chen Jingke read his newly written story to Yi Nu who was lying on the bed. This time he copied the classic movie "A Chinese Ghost Story" by Leslie Cheung and Wang Zuxian in his previous life.
He has already thought about what he will write in the future. He will write more fairy tales. All the good guys will be Taoists and all the villains will be monks.
Don't underestimate these stories. The influence of easy-to-understand stories on ordinary people is more effective than any preaching.
In previous lives, the United States used cultural works to achieve cultural invasion. How many people were unknowingly brainwashed and regarded it as a beacon.
Chen Jingke is ready to study.
Moreover, these cultural works can not only be used to promote Taoism and suppress Buddhism, but can also be spread to the outside world, achieving the effect of cultural invasion.
It wasn't until he finished the last sentence that Yi Nu said sadly: "What a beautiful story, but the ending is too sad."
Because of the wound on her chest, her voice was very low, and Chen Jingke had to get close to her and tilt his ears to hear her.
Hearing her say that the ending was sad, Chen Jingke shook his head and said: "It's not sad at all, it's just a happy ending."
Yi Nu looked at him, his big eyes full of doubts.
Chen Jingke smiled and explained: "Nie Xiaoqian got rid of the control of the tree demon and was reincarnated as a human being. Ning Caichen grew up through this incident."
"Yan Chixia has fulfilled her promise to slay demons... Everyone has achieved liberation and ushered in a new life. Isn't this still complete?"
Yi Nu couldn't help but nodded first, then shook his head and said, "I almost got deceived by you. I think what Nie Xiaoqian wants to do most is not to be reincarnated, but to stay by Ning Caichen's side."
After saying that, he looked at Chen Jingke affectionately, the meaning couldn't be more obvious.
Chen Jingke felt a sense of warmth in his heart, and couldn't help but lean over and suck on her lips a few times.
"Ahem..." At this moment, there was a dry cough at the door. Chen Jingke stood up pretending to be nonchalant and said, "What's the matter?"
A nurse said: "Master, Master Falin from Longtian Temple is here to visit. Lady Wu, please come over."
"I know." Chen Jingke first dismissed the nurse, then turned to the blushing Yi Nu and blinked narrowly, saying:
"I'll go over there and have a look first, and then I'll tell you the next story when I come back."
"Yeah." Yi Nu said like a kitten.
…
Chen Jingke's face turned gloomy when he left the house. In recent days, many Buddhist people asked to see him, and Fa Lin came every day. However, he and Wu Shu deliberately wanted to show off to them, so they all refused to see him.
Now Wu Shu suddenly asked him to meet him, probably because he felt that he had done enough and could talk.
All the way to the lobby of the side hall, it was the place where Fang Ming committed suicide. The chair Fa Lin was sitting on was exactly the same one that Fang Ming sat on before committing suicide.
It’s not that I mean to humiliate...well, I mean that I mean to humiliate him and Buddhism as a whole.
Wu Shu sat in the first place, with Yang Tianlu protecting him. Seeing him come in, she stood up to greet him and gave up the first place, and sat down in the second place.
Chen Jingke sat down and said honestly and politely: "Did Master come here today to figure it out and want to give me an explanation?"
Fa Lin was silent for a while before sighing and saying: "The person who assassinated you has already paid the price with his life, and my disciple Fang Ming also died because of it. Why should Master Chen be so aggressive anymore."
Hearing this, Wu Shu's heart moved and he showed a thoughtful expression, but he did not say it in public.
Chen Jingke shook his head and said: "Master, what you said is wrong. If you think Buddhism has paid a sufficient price, that's because in your opinion, the life of a monk is very valuable."
"But in my opinion, the whole of Buddhism is not as important as a hair of my concubine, so the price you paid is far from enough."
"Amitabha." Fa Lin proclaimed the Buddha's name and said, "Then how can a real person be satisfied?"
Chen Jingke naturally didn't know how to catch the ball, but said: "Then it depends on your Buddhist sincerity."
Fa Lin sighed again and said with a solemn face: "Does the real person really want to fight to the death with my Buddhist disciple?"
Chen Jingke sneered: "Are you qualified to fight me to the death now? Threats are useless to me."
"I'm telling you right now, if one of the people around me dies in an assassination, I will bury him with one hundred, one thousand monks. I will do what I say, and you can try it."
Faline's face froze and she was speechless for a long time.
Chen Jingke was not prepared to say anything more to him. When the matter reached this point, it was no longer possible for the two of them to just sit here and talk about it.
Meeting Fa Lin today was just to let some news out, so he said bluntly: "Remember what I told you before, that the princes and kings acquiesced in my turning into a beard, right?"
"Now let me tell you again, all of this is true, the mastermind behind it is the saint, and we Taoists are just following orders."
"The purpose of His Majesty and the princes and kings is very simple, which is to complete the ideological unification before enfeoffment. In short, everything is returned to China."
"In this way, even if there are enfeoffments in the future, everyone will still be descendants of the same Chinese ancestry, and they will not become two completely different ethnic groups in two or three generations."
"Before you carried out the assassination, the saints and princes were actually hesitating whether to use strong measures."
"And your assassination has completely dispelled their worries. No one likes people who break the rules easily. The princes and kings are also afraid that one day they will accidentally offend you, and they will die inexplicably."
"That's why the saints immediately listed Laozi's Hu Jing as a required book for the Imperial College after your assassination, and even added it to the imperial examination."
"The princes and kings, including the nobles who believed in Buddhism before, have collectively remained silent because of this."
"So now it is no longer a dispute between Taoism and Buddhism, but the court and the princes collectively taking action against Buddhism in order to eliminate hidden dangers."
"Of course, I, Taoism, are also happy to see the results. I even say without humility that today's situation is all the result of years of planning by me, Taoism."
Fa Lin showed a true expression, just as he had guessed, all this was a Taoist plan.
This layout is really terrifying, terrifying and terrible.
Chen Jingke continued: "But you are also a smart person, and you should know that the matter is no longer up to us."
"The only people who are truly qualified to decide this matter are the saints and the princes. Instead of wasting your time with me, you should think about how to lobby them."
"That's all I've said. It's up to you what to do... I have something else to do and I won't accompany you. Yangdu Guan will see off the guests for me."
After saying that, he stood up and left, and Wu Shu also followed behind.
When they were far away, Yang Tianlu said: "Master Falin, please."
Faline hurried away with a heavy look on her face.
…
Back in the backyard, Chen Jingke smiled and said: "Sister Wu, how was my performance just now?"
Wu Shu gave a thumbs up and said: "The acting skills of real people are getting better and better. Even I was almost deceived."
"Haha..." Chen Jingke laughed proudly, and after a while he said: "Actually, your script is better."
"It perfectly integrates what Taoism has done intentionally or unintentionally over the years, the movements of the imperial court, and what Fa Lin and I said before. If I didn't know the truth, I would have believed it myself."
Wu Shu pointedly said: "That's not the case for me. After I finished writing the script, I almost thought it was all your plan."
Chen Jingke shook his head and said: "This is really not my intention. It can only be said that it was a mistake."
Wu Shu said: "But whether it is the innovation of Taoism or the reform of the imperial court, they all originated from you. Anyone who knows this matter will probably have such thoughts."
Chen Jingke smiled bitterly and said, "You know me. With my intelligence and courage, I can't do such a big thing."
Wu Shu couldn't help laughing and said: "Of course I know that Zhenren is not the kind of scheming person, but I'm afraid other people won't think so."
"Even if they don't doubt you, they will suspect that you received guidance from your family elders before you were born, and you have been executing their elders' plans."
Chen Jingke shook his head helplessly and said: "Whatever they think, I can't control their brains, as long as you don't misunderstand me."
Wu Shu nodded and said, "That's right. The more they think of real people, the more they will be afraid of us, and the less they dare to offend us."
Chen Jingke sighed and said: "I just hope that Buddhism will change its target after listening to Fa Lin's words. I don't want any of you to have problems. In that case, even if Buddhism is destroyed, it will not be able to make up for it."
Wu Shu turned around and lay in his arms, saying: "This is also our idea. We must protect ourselves and prevent regrets from happening."
Chen Jingke stretched out his arms to hug her and said, "Well, we must live well and stay together until we grow old."
After being gentle for a while, Wu Shu remembered something and said, "By the way, I know how to find the mastermind who assassinated you."
Chen Jingke's eyes lit up and he said, "Have you discovered anything new?"
Wu Shudao: "Do you still remember that Fa Lin just said that the person who assassinated you has paid the price with his life?"
Chen Jingke nodded and said: "Remember, Buddhism should be responsible for killing people and silencing them, leaving us to die without any evidence."
Wu Shu smiled and said: "No matter how this person died, this just exposed their flaw."
Chen Jingke said in confusion: "Oh, where is the flaw?"
Wu Shu analyzed: "Every Samana protector is very valuable and cannot be used by ordinary people. The person behind the scenes must be a distinguished monk."
"We only need to investigate which eminent monks have passed away recently, and then we can identify the target."
Chen Jingke suddenly understood, clapped his hands and sighed: "As expected of Sister Wu, you can find such flaws that are not flaws."
But immediately he frowned and said: "What if Buddhism is kept secret?"
Wu Shu said confidently: "If it is really an eminent monk, such a big thing cannot be hidden. We just need to list the famous eminent monks, focusing on the eminent monks near Chang'an, and then investigate them one by one."
"Any eminent monk who has not shown up recently will be suspected. In this way, even if the person cannot be found directly, the scope of suspicion can be minimized."
Chen Jingke nodded repeatedly and said: "Okay, narrowing down the scope is a good way. Let Yang Tianlu investigate immediately."
…
When Yang Tianlu learned about Wu Shu's discovery, he couldn't help but admire her wisdom.
No wonder the protagonist of the story resisted the pressure from the royal family and wanted her to be the wife of the Sun family. No wonder Chen Zhenren had great trust in her. This is the reason.
However, he also reported good news to Chen Jingke: "The identity of the assassin has also been found."
Chen Jingke said in surprise: "So fast? Tell me who he is?"
Yang Tianlu replied: "I took the portrait and found the East Palace Guards during King Xi's period. Those people recognized the assassin at a glance as Jiang Zian, the former guard of King Xi. He was very skilled in martial arts."
"This man was loyal to King Xi. He once wanted to escort King Xi's young son to escape, but he was surrounded and killed by the imperial army. I just don't know why he didn't die and became a Samana protector."
King Xi was Li Jiancheng, and that incident was the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
Chen Jingke couldn't help but feel frightened. He was more concerned about another thing than Jiang Zian's identity: "Where is King Xi's youngest son? Have you caught him?"
Yang Tianlu nodded and said: "If you catch me, you will be executed on the spot by the imperial army, otherwise the saints would not have turned the world upside down in these years."
Chen Jingke then put down the stone in his heart and said: "That's good. But it's useless to just find out his previous identity. What's important is his activities in the past ten years and who took him in."
Yang Tianlu said seriously: "Don't worry, the saint already knows about this matter. He wants to find out more than anyone else who dares to hide the traitor secretly."
Wu Shu couldn't help but laugh and said: "I'm afraid Fa Lin and the others don't know the true identity of this assassin, otherwise they would have no intention of causing trouble for us."
Although Li Shimin issued an edict to pardon Li Jiancheng for all his deployments, and indeed no liquidation was carried out afterwards, the scope of the pardon did not include people like Jiang Zian who had stubbornly resisted.
Later, Li Shimin became secure and no longer held these people accountable. As long as they lived quietly, no one paid attention to them.
But this does not mean that he can tolerate people harboring imperial criminals or rebels in the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
The Xuanwu Gate Incident was a taboo for the Tang Dynasty, and no one dared to mention it. For Li Shimin, it was also a scar that could never be touched.
Now you, the Buddhists, know that the other party is the imperial criminal in that matter and yet you take the initiative to take him in and make him a Samana protector. You are simply ignoring him as an emperor.
To take a step back, if you are harboring an imperial prisoner, then you can just let him live an honest life without anyone knowing about it.
But now you are using this imperial prisoner to carry out an assassination, and the person you killed is Princess Jinyang's quasi-consort. This is tantamount to shitting on the emperor's head.
If Li Shimin could bear this tone, he would no longer be the emperor of Tang Taizong.
Thinking of this, Chen Jingke couldn't help but said: "How about we reveal his identity and add fuel to the fire."
"No." "No." Yang Tianlu and Wu Shu said at the same time.
Then Wu Shu explained: "This matter has touched His Majesty's side. Whoever is involved will be unlucky. It's best for us to pretend that we don't know anything."
"Next, we just need to investigate who is assassinating you, and then tell the saint the results."
The mastermind behind his assassination must be the one who took Jiang Zian into custody, and Li Shimin will not let him live in peace when the time comes.
