I studied in modern times

Chapter 11 Don't ask the common people, ask the ghosts and gods

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang waited for about a quarter of an hour in the side hall, but they did not wait for the news of the ministers' resignation.

On the contrary, they waited for a piece of paper to enter.

When Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang saw Zhang Maoze, they brought the entry documents signed by the ministers to them.

Both of them were amazed.

Looking at the text again, it is the request of the ministers to beg for the queen mother and the queen to speak.

Empress Dowager Gao looked at it, frowned, and asked Zhang Maoze: "You know Zhang Maoze, but you know Li Chen, why did you ask to see the old man and the queen?"

For hundreds of years in the Great Song Dynasty, when the emperor was still alive, there were too few examples of ministers requesting to meet the queen mother and empress.

There is almost no precedent for asking to see the queen mother and queen at the same time.

Zhang Mao lowered his head and replied: "Mistress Qizuo: I think it's because of the fire in the tribute courtyard of Kaibao Temple..."

"Gong Yuan?!" Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang were shocked when they heard the words: "Fire?"

"What's going on?" Empress Dowager Gao couldn't sit still.

Queen Xiang was also worried.

Of course they all know, where is the Great Song Tribute Academy?
Kaibao Temple!

The royal temple guarding the Wuzhang River in the southeast of the imperial city!
The temple with the highest pagoda in Bianjing!

Inside the palace, it is said that when Emperor Taizong rebuilt Kaibao Temple, there was a hopeful man who said to Taizong: Kaibao Temple should be the seat of Shaoyang, where the king's surname is, so don't be careless!

Today, Kaibao Temple caught fire!

Coincidentally, the virtue of the Great Song Dynasty had already been designated as the fire virtue in Taizu's time.

The place of kingly spirit, the seat of Shaoyang, the royal temple, the tribute courtyard... caught fire?
It happened that the official family was sick, and the world was in chaos.

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang immediately became nervous.

It's more tense than the chief executives imagined.

However, the direction of their tension is completely different from the worries of the chief executives.

For the empress dowager and empress who live in the deep palace.

No matter how many people are burned to death, it is only an external matter.

The queen mother and queen can neither see nor feel it.

But the Kaibao Temple where the royal temple was burnt and Wang Qi is located is different.

"Amitabha!" Empress Dowager Gao recited the Buddha.

"Bodhisattva bless you! Bodhisattva bless you!" Empress Xiang joined hands and bowed together, then looked at Empress Dowager Gao: "Your Majesty, what should I do?"

Empress Dowager Gao said worriedly: "I have heard about it for a long time. Ever since the fifth year of Yuanfeng, when the Japanese Master passed away, all the monks in Kaibao Temple have broken the rules and regulations, drinking and eating meat, marrying wives and having children, and even taking concubines to do business!"

"It must be these monks who don't abide by the precepts, and did the dirty things that angered the Buddha!"

In fact, even the Empress Dowager Gao in the deep palace knew it.

It is not the first day that the monks of the Song Dynasty did not abide by the rules and precepts.

There are many monks who occupy a lot of land, sell goods, lend money and collect interest, marry wives, have children and take concubines.

I don't know how many eminent monks in purple clothes are behind, followed by hundreds of people begging for food!
She also nodded to the queen, and said: "The bride has also heard from the wives who entered the palace that these desolate monks are called 'the prodigal sons without hair, and the Tathagatas with a living room'. What's more, there is a prodigal silver monk who claims to be the 'Master Nesting Red and Yicui'. He is proud of himself and swaggers through the market!"

The Empress Dowager and the Empress have reached an agreement at this moment.

It was those desolate monks who didn't abide by the rules and precepts, acted mischievously, and angered the Buddha, that's why such a disaster happened!

It must be so!

It must be so!

Otherwise, could it be that the empress dowager and empress who worshiped Buddha sincerely recited the wrong scriptures?
Zhang Mao, who was serving at the side, saw the situation, and naturally agreed repeatedly, and then took the opportunity to stuff some private goods, and also found out those monks in Daxiangguo Temple who were lending money in Tokyo, and criticized them.

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang heard that even the monks of Daxiangguo Temple were lending money? !
Immediately they all chanted: "Amitabha! Sin! Sin!"

The merciful monk not only lends money, but also uses all kinds of vicious methods to force people to repay the loan?So that someone was forced to death?

It is simply unreasonable!Where is there any compassion?
With such monks controlling the temple, how could the Buddha not be angry?
It's no wonder that some officials have prayed for officials recently, but it has always had no effect.

The reason is found!
Therefore, when the Zaizhi from the three provinces and two prefectures and the two Hanlin bachelors from the Hanlin Academy were led to the side hall by Tong Shiren at the gate of the pavilion, they met the queen mother and queen sitting behind the curtain.

Everyone found that the atmosphere seemed to be a little bit wrong?

Zuo Xiang Wang Gui had no choice but to bite the bullet, led his group of ministers, and Chi-Fen came forward, and said: "Minister, Shangshu Zuo Pushe, Wang Gui, the servant of the door, ask the queen mother, the queen is all right!"

"I'm fine!" Empress Dowager Gao replied angrily.

"My palace is fine!" Queen Xiang, who was behind the curtain, also replied angrily.

The officials thought that the Empress Dowager and the Empress were outraged by the fire in the Kaibao Temple Tribute Court, which killed three ministers who were closely related to the royal family. Just as they were about to explain, they heard the Empress Dowager behind the curtain ask: "All the ministers, do you know that among the monks in the world today, are there any monks who have accomplished cultivation, profound Dharma, and strict discipline, who can lead the monks?"

Wang Gui and Cai Que looked up at the same time, their eyes were full of surprise.

Queen Mother and Empress, what's the matter?
But Shangshu Zuocheng and his servant Zhang Dun, who were in the train, understood what Empress Dowager Gao meant.

The ruler, who came from Fujian together with Cai Que, shook his head and sighed in his heart: "Poor Ye Zhongxu, who doesn't ask the common people and asks ghosts and gods!"

It is different from the supervisory officials in the local military state.

The chief executives in the two prefectures get along with the officials every day.

I have known for a long time that the emperor is a man and not a god.

Not just to be fooled, but even teased.

The queen mother and empress in the palace are no different from the women and children in the folk.

Maybe even worse.

Therefore, Zhang Dun thought for a while, and then went out of the queue, and said: "Zouzhi Empress Dowager and Empress, I have heard that after Yuanfeng Zhongri said that the monk passed away, the officials ordered a secretary to visit the Western monks who were good at Buddhism and Sanskrit in Ming Dynasty. Master Tibetan 'given purple clothes and ordered the presiding officer to pass it on to the court..."

The restructuring of Yuanfeng put an end to the tradition of prime ministers concurrently serving as "translation and embellishment envoys" throughout the past dynasties.

As a result, the attention of the three provinces and departments to the translation of scriptures has been greatly reduced.

Except for Zhang Dun who had nothing to do and often went to the court to talk about Buddhism with the monk Jin Zongchi, almost no one in the three provinces and two governments took this matter to heart, so naturally they couldn't think of it for a while.

And Zhang Dun paid attention to the foreign monk, not because he believed in Buddhism.

On the contrary, as a Confucian disciple.

Zhang Dun has always kept a respectful distance from the Buddha and the old.

Zhang Dun made friends with Jin Zongchi because the monk had been in the territory of the West Bandit for many years and had been valued by the Bandit Chieftain.

And Zhang Dun has always been interested in military affairs.

He is planning ahead!In the process of collecting and inquiring about the military, political and state affairs details of the thief.

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang were overjoyed when they heard this!
Known as a monk every day, he is a famous monk in the Song Dynasty!
In the seventh year of Qingli, he was welcomed into the Chuan Court by Renmiao, and worshiped as "the most powerful official in the Western Heaven translation of Sanzang Dynasty, Shi Hongluqing, Master Xuanfan bestowed the title of Ziri".

From Qingli to Yuanfeng, this eminent monk, who traveled thousands of miles from the place where Master Sanzang sought the Dharma, came to China to teach the Dharma. He has been presiding over the translation of Buddhist scriptures for the court. The translated Buddhist scriptures amounted to dozens of volumes.

He even served as the abbot of Kaibao Temple, a royal temple in the Song Dynasty.

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang met this eminent monk from the west when they went to Kaibao Temple to offer incense.

It is indeed a solemn treasure, and the Dharma is profound.

Now, hearing Zhang Dun mention that there is actually an eminent monk in the city of Tokyo who came from the place where Tripitaka seeks Dharma, just like the Japanese monk, and he couldn't help but be very happy.

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang exchanged glances, and said, "Since that's the case, I think that Kaibao Temple is on fire now, or it's because of the lack of eminent monks in the temple to set an example and set an example for all monks!"

"Everyone, how about this monk presiding over Kaibao Temple?"

The ministers of the three provinces and two prefectures and the two Hanlin scholars all looked at each other in blank dismay.

Cai Que was somewhat disappointed in his heart.

But, there is no way.

It's the same as he always persuaded his wife not to burn incense, but he couldn't persuade him.

Facing the empress dowager and empress who believed in Buddhism, as a courtier, he had no other choice but to obey.

Fortunately, at least, today made a start.

Three provinces, two prefectures and Hanlin bachelors, two palaces of the same dynasty!

In Song Dynasty, the most difficult thing is always to set a precedent.

Today, he took advantage of the fire at the Kaibao Temple, which caused panic in three provinces, two prefectures and Hanlin scholars, and set this precedent. In the future, this example can be cited again.

"Your servant is equal to the order!" After the ministers bowed their hands and bowed, Cai Que took the opportunity to stand out and said: "I dare to play the Queen Mother and Her Royal Highness: Do you need to report the fire of Kaibao Temple to the officials?"

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang looked at each other after hearing this: Didn't this matter be reported to the official family?

Immediately they woke up.

Right!

If this matter is reported to the officials, there is no need to come before them.

Therefore, Empress Dowager Gao asked: "My fellow ministers, are there any evils involved in the Kaibao Temple being burned?"

Cai Que cupped his hands and bowed: "Qizuo Empress Dowager, Her Royal Highness: Four drums last night, Kaibao Temple Tribute Court flooded. Although Kaifeng Mansion Metropolitan Inspection, Dianqian Zuojun patrols and other troops led the troops to put out the fire, by dawn, the fire had been extinguished!"

"However, water and fire are ruthless, and the fire in the Gongyuan not only burned the provincial examination papers in the Gongyuan, but also burned dozens of officials to death..."

"Among them, Chengyilang Zhaiman, Fengyilang Chen Fangzhi, and Xuandelang Ma Ximeng have all been confirmed to be buried in the fire..."

"This is a big matter, and the ministers dare not be good at it..."

"Nowadays, the official family is sick, and the imperial physician asked the ministers to wait: it is better to have more happy events and not to worry, so as to rest in the holy body..."

"The ministers are dull and frightened, begging for the command of the Empress Dowager and Her Royal Highness the Empress!"

After finishing speaking, Cai Que bowed his head respectfully and bowed again.

All the ministers bowed their heads and bowed: "I will wait for the command of the Empress Dowager, Your Highness the Empress!"

At this moment, not everyone in the three provinces and two prefectures noticed something strange.

However, under the threat of conformity, they also had to hold their noses and dance to Cai Que's rhythm.

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang did not notice this strange detail.

Only Zhang Maoze, who was serving Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang, frowned inadvertently and noticed something strange.

But Zhang Mao didn't dare to interrupt, he didn't even dare to speak out!

Where is the place where the ministers can speak?
If he dared to speak out, he would have to pack up and go out tomorrow—the crows would be very happy to use a corpse known to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prove their loyalty and integrity to the world!

Empress Dowager Gao couldn't keep him, let alone protect him.

Because this is the ancestral system!
……

Note: The big temples in the Song Dynasty will have quality warehouses. At first, it was an organization for mutual help among believers, and then it developed into a financial entity similar to today's pawnshops, banks, and venture capital...

In the Northern Song Dynasty, there were many Hua monks and more unscrupulous monks.

Of course, the monk cannot be blamed for this.

Because the court of the Northern Song Dynasty spent more money than monks.

In the Song Dynasty, monks’ certificates basically played the role of today’s checks and credit certificates. Generally, when the court encountered no money, they would send a bunch of certificates to people as money. The normal price is 100-200 per certificate. It’s easy.

So, don't blame it, the fake monks ran all over the street.

Note 2: The symbol of eminent monks in the Song Dynasty was the purple robes bestowed by the imperial court.

Note 3: The Japanese monk is an eminent Indian monk who came to the Northern Song Dynasty to teach the Dharma during the Qingli period. Japanese monks from Xining and Yuanfeng came to Bianjing to seek the Dharma, and met the Japanese monk.Mr. Jin seems to be from Afghanistan. He first worked as a national teacher in Xixia for a few years, and then he heard that the Song Dynasty recruited a monk who could translate Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures, so he decisively ran to the Song Dynasty (he said it himself).

This person lived until the Southern Song Dynasty in history, and he was named in the notes of many Southern Song scholar-bureaucrats.

(End of this chapter)