Neon Clothes and Iron Clothes

Chapter 111
When Huicong left, Wang Wenzuo let out a long sigh of relief. Divide and rule is always the only rule of the ruler. If Datang wants to gain a firm foothold on the Korean Peninsula, it must establish a vested interest group among the locals that is dependent on its own rule. It is necessary to drive the locals to the opposite side, even if it is victorious, the cost of occupation will overwhelm the finances in the long run.The Baekje Fan soldiers who joined Yuan Fei and Sangqiu were a good start, but it was not enough. They needed more influential people from the middle and upper classes, such as monks like Huicong.Even though he is still somewhat reluctant now, as long as he can continue to do so, Wang Wenzuo is not afraid that he will not be able to pull him over, and at least he can serve as a role model.

"Join the army!" Shen Faseng stood at the door, his forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and his breath was short of breath.

"Come in and talk!" Wang Wenzuo waved his hand: "When there are no outsiders, you don't have to be so polite, just call me Sanlang!"

"Yes, Saburo!" Shen Faseng laughed, his white teeth gleaming: "I just came back from the dock, and I have already prepared four boats, and there are two more that need a few days of paint to dry!"

"Only six? How about two more?" Wang Wenzuo asked.

"There is a problem with the mainmast of one, and the hull of the other is always tilted to one side. It cannot be repaired in ten and a half months!"

"How could this happen!" Wang Wenzuo frowned: "It rains all night when the house is broken, and things always go wrong!"

"Sanlang, there are still a few old boats that are docked at the pier. How about I let the craftsmen repair them overnight?"

"That's all!" Wang Wenzuo shook his head: "The speed of the old ship is much slower. We are going to pass through Zhouliu City this time, and we are likely to be intercepted by the Baekje people. If it is fast or slow, the slow one will become a drag. The only thing we can do is not to carry horses on the boat, and we can think of a way after we go ashore! Monk Fa, let the soldiers adapt to the boat in the past few days, so as not to get seasick after going up!"

"Yes!"

Huicong clasped his hands together and recited the Lotus Sutra. Everyone in the altar bowed their heads, and the air was filled with sorrow.

On the altar, cypress logs were piled up in a neat triangle, and the unique aroma of oil permeated the air. After Huicong finished reading the last passage, he picked up a ignited branch from the incense burner and threw it on the cypress pile. The flames rose immediately, and the smoke rose. The morning sky was dyed gray, and along with the fireworks, there were sighs and cries from the crowd.

"There is no peace in the three realms, just like a house on fire, full of sufferings, very frightening, and there are always worries about birth, old age, sickness and death, such as waiting for the fire, blazing endlessly! If the karma is not completely emptied, delusion is cleared and the truth is realized, then there is no hope of leaving the three realms. Then there is only the Pure Land Dharma, but with true faith and earnest vows, and holding the Buddha's name, you can rely on the Buddha's kindness and be reborn in the West."

Huicong's thick and hoarse voice echoed above everyone's heads. The flames rising from the altar behind him enhanced the persuasiveness of his scriptures. It seems that all kinds of evil spirits described in the scriptures are trembling and ready to move.They think of their tragic experience, and the world is full of impermanence. The joyful things disappear in an instant, but the terrible things of birth, old age, sickness and death are endless, just like this flame, which may swallow themselves at any time. Only by reciting the name of the Buddha orally can we rely on the power of the Buddha to escape the suffering of this world and go to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss.So they all knelt down, put their hands together, and recited the Buddha devoutly. For a while, the sound of "Namo Amitabha Buddha" resounded through the sky and went straight to the sky.

"Sanlang didn't choose the wrong person, this Baekje monk is very good!" Liu Renyuan smiled and said: "Only with this voice and this appearance, if it is in Chang'an, I am afraid that it will be the guest of the nobles!"

"That's right, especially those women who like it more, I'm afraid there will be a fight over who will be invited home first!" Du Shuang laughed, and then the two of them burst into laughter, and Liu Rengui laughed twice, with a weird look on his face.

It turns out that the lords of the Northern Qi, Northern Zhou, Sui, and Tang all originated from the six towns of Daibei. Unlike the Central Plains aristocratic families who pay attention to etiquette and law, women's boudoirs are strict and solemn; Feng, such as Dugu Jialuo, the wife of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Lou Shi, the wife of Gao Huan, etc., are resolute and decisive, no less than men, and participate in political affairs.

According to the customs of Xianbei, both men and women can have adulterous affairs before marriage. If the man agrees, he can return home with the woman, regardless of whether the woman’s family is high or low. Part of the property comes from the woman, so the husband is also accustomed to obey his wife.Women in the Northern Dynasties had independent property (lawful women in the Northern Wei Dynasty could also be granted land), and had independent social interactions even after marriage. The Buddhist idea of ​​equality for all sentient beings provided the ideological basis for women to act freely, so noble women at that time Most of them believe in Buddhism and respect monks very much.

One of Du Shuang and Liu Rengui came from the Jingzhao Du family, and the other was also from the Wei family and Liu family. They both came from noble families who paid attention to Confucian etiquette.

"Wang Canjun's method is very good!" Liu Rengui coughed: "In my opinion, other places can follow suit!"

"Imitation?" Liu Renyuan turned around and said, "Why did Shijun say that?"

"A weapon that is an ominous weapon for a soldier, the sage has no choice but to use it!" Liu Ren said: "General Su defeated the enemy and destroyed the country, and made great achievements in the world. But slaughtering fathers and brothers, plundering people's children, and the heart of resentment hidden in the heart, just For a while, they were powerless to hide minions. Once the situation changed, they would rise up and attack them in groups. Therefore, during the ten-month period, wars raged everywhere, local bandits were everywhere, and Wang Shi was unable to defeat many battles, so he could only defend the city. If back then, as Wang Canjun did today, he used Buddhism to dispel resentment and appease the people, how could there be such trouble?"

If Wang Wenzuo heard Liu Rengui's words at the scene, he would definitely admire Liu Rengui's sharp mind.As an empire in the process of expansion, Datang faced a common problem of all empires—how to deal with the resistance of the conquered.The military victory is just the beginning. If the empire's rule over the occupied land is only maintained by violence, then as the war continues, the intensity of violence will inevitably increase in a spiral shape, and the empire's finances will gradually be overwhelmed by the cost of using violence. , This is also the common reason for the decline of most empires in human history, so it is extremely necessary to find cheaper tools with fewer side effects.

Buddhism is such a tool. Unlike other religions at that time, Buddhism in the East Asian world at that time was the only universal religion. According to its teachings, all living beings are equal, regardless of men and women, high or low, rich or poor, Tang people, Goguryeo people, Baekje people People from Japan, Japan, and Silla can all become believers.

(End of this chapter)