Water Margin people

Chapter 1418 Daming Temple (Part )

"Your Majesty, you are the emperor, why do you have to argue with a group of monks?"

Hua Chan looked at Sun Lei and asked, although she shouldn't be involved in state affairs, she still wanted to say something now that she was traveling incognito.

"Hehe, it's just because those monks have dirty thoughts!"

Sun Lei smiled and took Hua Chan's hand and said that the problem with Daming Temple was not just about Jianzhen, but a problem for the entire Jiangnan coastal area. The Japanese pirate rebellion in Daming was also related to these people.

“Are those monks bad people?”

Hua Chan asked in surprise, she had also heard that there were some Huai monks in the world.

"Pretty much, but I like to call them egoists and saintly bitches."

Sun Lei pulled Hua Chan into his arms and said with a smile.

Hua Chan blushed and felt a little embarrassed.

"Okay, you stay home and look after the kids, I'll go take a look!"

After a while of tenderness, Sun Lei finally let go of Hua Chan.

"Ok!"

Hua Chan blushed and hummed.

Sun Lei led his men out of Yangzhou City and headed northwest.

"I have to say these monks have some vision. They have occupied all the famous mountains and rivers!"

Sun Lei looked at the Daming Temple in the distance, with its back against green mountains and facing a large lake. If nothing else, the scenery was quite nice.

"Your Majesty, if you don't like it, just give them all titles! These monks are so greedy!"

Zhang Qing said in a low voice that he had no good feelings towards Buddhist temples. Temples were very good at making money.

"Go and take a look first. If they are stubborn, we will ban them!"

Sun Lei smiled and said that Qi State copied the management of Buddhism in the early Tang Dynasty. There was strict management on becoming a monk, and ordination certificates were not issued easily.

As soon as we arrived at the gate of Daming Temple, we saw a large group of monks guarding the gate with sticks, and a large number of soldiers were outside.

"The government is conducting a search. Get out of the way immediately. Those who resist will be killed!"

The leading captain shouted harshly at the monks.

"Amitabha, Buddhism is a pure place, and monks do not touch the secular world. I wonder what crime I have committed that the government has sent an army to search!"

An old monk wearing a khaki robe, a bright red cassock and holding a staff, surrounded by a group of monks, walked to the mountain gate, performed a Buddhist ceremony, chanted a Buddhist name, and then slowly spoke.

"This government has received a report that your Daming Temple is colluding with pirates and causing cholera along the coast. This government is conducting a search in accordance with the law. Old monk, tell them to obey him, or they will be executed on the spot!"

The prefect spoke rudely to the old monk, and the soldiers immediately drew their bows and crossbows.

Seeing the bows and crossbows in the army, the monks holding sticks were all frightened and their legs trembled unconsciously. Most of these soldiers were from the battlefield and were used to seeing blood, so they had a strong murderous aura.

"Old monk, are you still colluding with pirates?"

Lu Zhishen's voice was heard, and Wu Song and others also came down from the mountain gate. They stood directly to the side.

"Sir, our temple has always abided by the law. I don't know who made the false accusation."

The old host looked at the prefect and asked.

"Why are you talking so much nonsense! We are here in accordance with the law. Do you want to search or not?"

The prefect was too lazy to waste time talking to these monks.

"Old monk, it is reasonable for the government to conduct a search after receiving a report. If there is no answer, we will naturally give you an explanation!"

Lu Zhishen looked at the old monk and advised him that he was also a Buddhist, but he was also a duke and privy councilor of the imperial court, so he was more inclined to the imperial court.

"Amitabha, Buddhism is a pure place. You all are too murderous. I am sorry that I cannot obey your orders."

After the old monk finished speaking, he sat down on the ground, held his staff across his body, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes and began to recite Buddhist scriptures.

When the other monks saw this, they all followed suit. They sat behind the old abbot and began to recite Buddhist scriptures. A group of monks blocked the mountain gate tightly.

"Old monk, do you think I dare not kill anyone?" The prefect's face darkened. These monks were acting like scoundrels.

"Amitabha, Buddha said: If I don't go to hell, who will? Since monks like me cannot keep Buddhism pure, it is only natural for me to go to hell and practice!"

The old monk looked at the prefect and spoke.

"Brother, these monks are so shameless!"

Lin Chong whispered that this group of monks were clearly acting like scoundrels and making it difficult for the government. If they really started a killing spree, given the influence of Buddhism in the world, it would definitely incite believers to cause trouble and have a huge impact on the State of Qi.

"It's so shameless!"

Sun Lei said this with a smile, but he had no intention of managing it. If a Yangzhou prefect couldn't control a group of monks, then that would be the end of his job.

Lu Zhishen and Wu Song had already discovered Sun Lei and others and immediately came over.

"How are you guys? You didn't suffer any loss in the fight!"

Sun Lei asked while looking at Lu Zhishen and Wu Song. The two men were dressed neatly and it seemed that they had not done anything.

"This Daming Temple practices Zen and Vinaya Buddhism, there are no warrior monks!"

Lu Zhishen said with regret.

"These monks only know how to preach Buddhism, how boring!"

Wu Song also spoke up. He also thought he could have a fight with the Buddhist master, but who knew that the monk only knew how to talk about Buddhism, and there was no way the two of them could win.

"As long as you didn't suffer any loss, I brought people here to help you vent your anger!"

Sun Lei pointed at the army in front of him and said with a smile.

"Brother, it's just a misunderstanding. Did we suffer any loss? There's no need to do this, right?"

Lu Zhishen said that he just debated Buddhism but failed. This was an exchange of faith and academic knowledge, and there was no need to resort to violence.

"As a brother, how can I let my younger brother suffer? I must get back at him! Otherwise, how can I lead my brothers in the future!"

Sun Lei said seriously.

Lu Zhishen didn't expect Sun Lei to be so serious, but he didn't know how to persuade him when faced with such a sense of loyalty.

"Brother, is there something else?"

Wu Song looked at Sun Lei curiously. If he wanted to help his brothers, there was no need to call the officers and soldiers. They had quite a few brothers coming out this time, and there was no need to go to so much trouble to deal with a temple.

"By the way, teach these lawless monks a lesson!"

Sun Lei said.

"Unruly monks? What did these monks do?"

Wu Song asked doubtfully. Although he had only been in Daming Temple for half a day, he could tell from the monks' words that they strictly observed the precepts.

"What? Treason!"

Sun Lei only uttered two words.

"Treason?"

Lu Zhishen and Wu Song were both shocked. This was a serious crime. How could a group of monks commit such a crime?

"Push it to me!"

The Yangzhou prefect did not give the order to kill after all, but instead ordered the soldiers to charge forward directly.

The soldiers put away their weapons, stepped forward and kicked the monks who were blocking the way, kicking them to the ground and begging for mercy.

"You...you guys..."

The supervising monk was furious and was about to curse the officers and soldiers, but he stuttered for a long time and did not dare to say the word "bandits". It was a well-known fact that the State of Qi originated from the bandits of Liangshan.

It was okay to call them bandits in the past, but it is different now. Liangshan has overthrown the Song Dynasty and established the Qi Kingdom. The world has changed dynasties. Calling them bandits at this time is tantamount to cursing the current court, which is a capital crime.