King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 769: Buddhist Scriptures Must Be Learned

Going back half an hour ago, Zhu Jinghong climbed up Longtan Mountain on foot and stood on a big rock, from where he could see the Yangtze River under the setting sun.

At this moment, he couldn't help but think of the old incident when he was reciting poetry by the Yangtze River and was interrupted by Hou Jing.

Thinking about it now, he just smiled knowingly.

"Longtan Mountain, Longtan Mountain..."

After reciting two sentences in a row, Zhu Jinghong looked back at Lu Yuxin and said with a smile: "They say that there is a dragon's den and a tiger's lair. Now that the dragon's den is here, where is the tiger's lair?"

Hearing this, Lu Yuxin could only laugh dryly. Being in a dangerous place was too unlucky, and he didn't want to discuss it too much.

The two stood on the mountain for a while, chatted about some anecdotes about Jinling, and then walked towards Nanjing Temple not far away.

Although Nanjing Temple is not too big and is dozens of miles away from Yingtian Prefecture, the incense here is very popular and all the nobles in the provincial capital are willing to come here.

Speaking of temples, Zhu Jinghong has been in this world for ten years, but he has rarely been to such places, mainly because he is too busy on weekdays.

He was busy leading troops to fight, busy with military training, busy with forming cliques and factions, and also busy with flirting with other women!

Thinking of this, Zhu Jinghong shook his head again. He found that he had been prone to wild thoughts in the past two years. The reason was that he no longer had an opponent.

The fact that the fourth and sixth brothers were crippled made him unconsciously feel at ease, which was a very dangerous situation.

After entering Nanjing Temple, although it was not yet dark, the lights were on and the guards were guarding every place. Zhu Jinghong did not see a single monk.

As we toured the area, we found that there were five courtyards inside, so the scale was not small at all.

In addition to the main courtyard in the middle where the Buddha statue is enshrined, there are two cross courtyards of the same size on the left and right, which are responsible for the monks' eating, living and other functions.

Since he was visiting a place, he had to listen to the history of the place, so he asked someone to invite the abbot over.

Standing inside the Buddhist temple, Zhu Jinghong waited for about five minutes before he heard some noise outside. Then Lu Yuxin came to report that the abbot had arrived.

"I kowtow to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May you live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!"

In an era when imperial power was supreme, monks were no exception and had to perform grand ceremonies to pay homage.

Zhu Jinghong did not turn around, but continued to look at the exquisitely decorated Buddha statue and asked, "How many years has this Nanjing Temple been built?"

"Reply...Reporting to Your Highness, there is approximately..."

Kneeling on the ground to answer, the old abbot was indeed very nervous. On weekdays, she mainly received noble ladies and was already unfamiliar with the specific business. She had long forgotten such topics of historical evolution.

"Reporting to Your Highness, in the fourth year of Zhizheng, Emperor Taizu conquered Yingtian. Many soldiers died for the country that year. Emperor Taizu issued an order to provide pensions to the soldiers' widows!"

"Some of the women were lonely and helpless, so the local government settled them here to pray for the dead soldiers and the Ming Dynasty. Later, the world was peaceful... This place was also renamed Nanjing Temple!"

Zhu Jinghong was really surprised that such a small temple had such a long history.

In the fourth year of Zhizheng, Zhu Yuanzhang was still one of the warlords in the south, and it was still more than 20 years before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty.

In other words, the history of Nanjing'an is longer than that of the Ming Dynasty!

"When this temple was first built, it was just a small courtyard outside, with 20 to 30 lonely women huddled together. Later, the world was at peace..."

Tanchun continued to speak, and Zhu Jinghong turned around.

This little nun has a pretty nice voice... This was Zhu Jinghong's first thought.

But because Tanchun lowered her head, Zhu Jinghong could not see her face clearly, so he just listened quietly.

Tanchun talked eloquently and recounted all the major and strange events that had happened since the establishment of Nanjing Temple, which surprised Zhu Jinghong deeply.

But what interested him more was the little nun who was still kneeling on the ground in front of him.

"Get up and answer!" Zhu Jinghong said calmly.

Tanchun was delighted, but did not look too excited. As she stood up, she adjusted her micro-expressions to make the best first impression.

Using beauty to please men was the method she despised the most in the past, and for this reason she distanced herself from her biological mother.

But now she also used this method, because she understood how difficult it is to live in this world, so that at this moment she understood her mother and also felt a little guilty.

Tanchun stood up. When Zhu Jinghong saw her face, he felt that she looked familiar, but he couldn't remember who she was for a moment.

But one thing is certain, the woman in front of him is extremely beautiful, especially the subtle charm in the corners of her eyes, which makes him unable to take his eyes away.

It really works... Tanchun was secretly delighted, as she had been exposed to Aunt Zhao's seductive skills since she was a child.

Now that it was used for the first time, Zhu Jinghong was fascinated by it, which made Tanchun even more grateful to her mother.

But she had no idea that what really worked was her outstanding appearance, plus the additional effect of the monk's robe.

"Abbot, please step aside. I will just chat with this young master!"

The abbot was more than happy to leave here, so he bowed and left.

"Go on!" Zhu Jinghong said with a smile.

"I just mentioned that Emperor Shizu came to Nanjing..."

When Tanchun was talking just now, Zhu Jinghong listened carefully, but now he just let it go in one ear and out the other, with his attention completely focused on Tanchun.

"We seem to have met somewhere before!" Zhu Jinghong suddenly said.

Tanchun had been to Prince Xiang's Mansion several times, so Zhu Jinghong had some impression of her, but they hadn't seen each other in the past few years, so it was normal that he didn't recognize her now.

"Your Highness is right. We have indeed seen it. It is a thing of the past before I became a nun. It is better not to mention it!"

"Master, you don't want to talk about your past, so I shouldn't ask you too much, but now I really want to get to the bottom of it. Master, are you willing to tell me?"

"If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has an order, how dare I disobey it!"

"Using power to pressure others is a mean act. I don't like it!"

At this time, Tanchun did not want to make things worse, so after a few breaths of silence, she replied: "Your Highness, you don't remember me, but you always remember my sisters?"

"Who are your...those...sisters?" Zhu Jinghong emphasized the word "those". Tanchun's way of expression was indeed very novel.

"The Crown Princess is my aunt's cousin, the Concubine Daiyu is my aunt's cousin, and Yingchun, who you left in the palace, is my cousin!"

Hearing these words, Zhu Jinghong was shocked for a moment, the relationship was too complicated for him to understand.

Lu Yuxin, who was standing aside, felt extremely confused at this moment, and secretly wondered how the Thirteenth Master could be so romantic!
"So you are..."

"I am... the third daughter of the Jia family in Rongguo Mansion. My maiden name is Tanchun!"

Zhu Jinghong stood there in a daze. He didn't expect that he would meet people from the Jia family here when he went hiking on a whim. He also didn't expect that Miss Tanchun had become a nun.

"You are at the Jia family...why are you here?" Zhu Jinghong asked.

"My family is in misfortune, and I don't want to deal with those troubles, so I cut off my hair... and live in seclusion here!"

After nodding slightly, Zhu Jinghong signaled Lu Yuxin to go out. After all, the next words might involve the prince, and it would not be convenient for others to be present.

Tanchun posed no threat, so Lu Yuxin stepped out of the door so that he could provide support as soon as possible if anything happened.

"Although the Jia family has fallen on hard times, it is still a noble family after all, so there is still room for you to stay!"

Tanchun replied, "Mr. Su once said, 'My hometown is where my heart is at peace. The Jia family is in constant turmoil, gossips are endless, and people's hearts are scattered and unstable. I feel uneasy among them... How can I find shelter?"

"Now that you are in the nunnery, I think you have found peace of mind!"

"I originally thought that this was the case, but even though I meditate every day, I still feel uneasy!"

Sitting on a chair nearby, Zhu Jinghong looked at Tanchun and asked, "Are you missing your family? Or are you feeling lonely?"

"It's because of Your Highness!" "It's because of me?" Zhu Jinghong felt more and more curious.

He is not a fool. The repeated surprising things that happened today made him realize that this might have been a deliberate arrangement.

Who arranged this? The Jia family is a major suspect, and it will be clear once we investigate.

The reason why I don't bring these up now is simply because there are too few fun things for him, so I'm willing to go along with the conversation.

"All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people in the world are his subjects. Even though I have escaped from the Jia family, I am still on the land of the Ming Dynasty!"

Still looking at Tanchun, Zhu Jinghong asked, "Do you mean to say that there is no place for you in the Ming Dynasty?"

This question cannot be answered casually. In fact, the person being asked this question is already in an extremely dangerous state.

Tanchun was only a girl after all. Her heart began to beat wildly. After adjusting her breathing in silence, she finally answered, "I am afraid that His Highness will not be able to accommodate us!"

Hearing this, Zhu Jinghong's face turned grim, and Tanchun became more and more nervous, to the point where she could no longer remain calm.

Seeing her panic, Zhu Jinghong continued, "I don't quite understand what you're saying!"

At this time, Tanchun had already made up her mind, and continued, "The Jia family is related to the late crown prince, so Your Highness must know what the Jia family is worried about!"

After staring at Tanchun for a while, Zhu Jinghong finally laughed and said, "So in your opinion, I am such a petty-minded person?"

"Your Highness has a broad mind, but those who curry favor with the powerful do not have your magnanimity!"

Zhu Jinghong had naturally heard about the things implied in Tanchun's words, but he did not interfere in any way.

But in fact, his non-interference was also a statement of his stance to a certain extent, so the crisis that the Jia family has been in for the past two years is indeed related to him.

"You are very brave!"

Having passed the most dangerous stage, Tanchun heaved a sigh of relief. She bowed her head and replied, "Your Highness is a great hero. I don't think he will embarrass a weak woman like me!"

"Not necessarily!"

Zhu Jinghong was just joking, but Tanchun responded, "It may not be a big deal!"

This made Zhu Jinghong feel even more amused, and he then asked, "What do you mean by maybe it doesn't matter?"

"Your Highness is the Crown Prince, and will be the Emperor in the future. All the people of the Nine Provinces are your subjects, and it is only natural that you can take whatever you want!"

"If Your Highness wants to embarrass me, I will accept it calmly!"

Zhu Jinghong laughed even louder. This conversation was indeed very interesting. He hadn't felt this novel for a long time.

"Interesting, interesting!"

Thinking that Yingchun was already in the mansion, he came up with an idea to bring Tanchun back as well.

One Buddha, one Tao, that’s perfect… Zhu Jinghong muttered to himself.

However, just as this thought came to his mind, a new idea came to his mind: why not take Xichun back with him as well, so that the collection of the Three Chuns would be complete.

He even had a better idea later, but he quickly suppressed it.

At this time, Tanchun said, "I am a nun, but Your Highness said it was interesting. It is indeed interesting!"

"A monk is free from all precepts, yet you keep bickering with me. This is a violation of the precepts!"

"Your Highness, are you going to punish me on behalf of the Buddha?"

These words were somewhat provocative, and combined with Tanchun's sad expression and the simple monk's robe, Zhu Jinghong suddenly found it very interesting.

After Tanchun said so much, Zhu Jinghong already understood her intention. Now he was the fish that Jiang Taigong was fishing for, and he would take the bait if he was willing.

"Have you made any progress in Buddhism?"

"Know a thing or two!"

"Over the years, I have fought for my country and shed a lot of blood. Can learning Buddhism help me get rid of my resentment?"

Finally taking the bait, Tanchun was overjoyed and immediately replied, "Of course!"

"The Sutra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Original Vow can help liberate the souls of the dead, the Sutra of the Original Vow and Merit of the Tathagata can help remove karmic obstacles, the Lotus Sutra can help eliminate sins, and the Heart Sutra can help increase blessings..."

Professionals are different. Tanchun listed a bunch of scriptures at once, demonstrating her proficiency in her business.

After nodding slightly, Zhu Jinghong replied: "In that case, we must learn this Buddhist scripture!"

Tanchun said at the right time: "I am willing to help Your Highness to resolve the disaster and solve the problem!"

It took great courage for her to say this on her own initiative.

When she was in Beijing before, she had been to Prince Xiang's Palace many times. Seeing Baochai, Daiyu, and Xiangyun enter the palace one by one, Tanchun was naturally extremely envious.

After her summary, she found that she was too timid, even worse than the cowardly Yingchun.

Faced with the only opportunity today, she mustered up the courage to say a lot of things, and at this moment she uttered this sentence.

Success or failure depends entirely on God’s will!

"It's not impossible!" Zhu Jinghong smiled slightly.

Then he shouted outside, "Call Yu Hai!"

After a while, Yu Hai, the eunuch in charge of the Prince's Mansion, rushed over and listened to Zhu Jinghong's instructions with a respectful look.

"Bring this..."

"Your Highness, my Buddhist name is Hui Xin!"

"Hui Xin... Not bad, really not bad!"

Zhu Jinghong then looked at Yu Hai and instructed, "This Dharma Master Huixin is very knowledgeable in Buddhism and wants to help me resolve my problems. You should find a way to properly arrange for him and follow me on my journey!"

"Remember, Master Huixin doesn't like publicity, so you have to handle this matter carefully!"

Having worked for Zhu Jinghong for so many years without any incident, Yu Hai was naturally an extremely smart man. He understood the hidden meaning of these words.

Simply put, the master likes this woman, but doesn't want to make it known to everyone, so he has to find a way to handle the matter himself.

"I understand, Your Highness, don't worry!" Yu Hai replied.

"Master, this is not the place to talk. It's getting late... How about we have a long chat?"

How could Tanchun not know what they meant when they had a long conversation late at night? At this moment, she was extremely nervous, but she had to respond quietly.

Tanchun responded, "How dare I disobey your Highness' orders!"

The matter was settled, and then Zhu Jinghong walked around the temple for a while, while Tanchun explained everything one by one.

With a tour guide, the tour became more interesting and allowed Zhu Jinghong to learn more about the history of this place.

About half an hour later, when night fell completely, Zhu Jinghong left Nanjing Temple.

Afterwards, the guards withdrew one after another, and only a team of Jinyiwei stayed behind to continue to guard the people in Nanjing'an and interrogate them individually one by one.

The interrogation had only one purpose, which was to determine whether Tanchun's appearance here was the result of a deliberate arrangement by the Jia family.

Although the results have not come out yet, Zhu Jinghong knew that there was no such possibility after thinking about it carefully.

Because the Jia family had no way of knowing when he would go to Tongzhou, and could not be sure that he would set up camp in Longtan Mountain, so all this was really just a coincidence.

(End of this chapter)