I studied in modern times

Chapter 578 Extreme Pressure
When Zhao Xu arrived at Qingshou Palace, it was almost Shenshi.

Shenshi, also known as Bushi, has been the time for the second meal since the Qin and Han Dynasties (people in ancient times had two meals).

The dignitaries will have tea and snacks at this time.

Similar to the modern afternoon tea format.

Usually, entertainment activities such as tea fighting are also held at this time.

Therefore, after Zhao Xu greeted the two palaces, he was pulled by Queen Mother Xiang to sit down.

Then, Empress Dowager Xiang personally prepared a bowl of tea soup for Zhao Xu.

"Brother Six, try it. This is the new tea method from the Royal Kitchen."

"I added some milk to prepare it. It is said to be very popular!"

Zhao Xu took it, tasted it, and his eyes lit up.

Next, wait until the elementary school and primary school of Bianjing Academy start.

Under his instructions, the imperial chefs also embarked on the road of entrepreneurship - Zhao Xu instructed Feng Jing to arrange for the Ministry of Internal Affairs to fund the imperial chefs, and the wives/husbands of these imperial chefs (both male and female imperial chefs in the Northern Song Dynasty), Outside, various restaurants were opened according to the palace rules, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs only had to share half of the profits.

Unfortunately, today's Bianjing City already has such a trend.

But for these three big drug stores, it’s not too much to make a fortune every day.

The imperial chef named Zhang Gang must be a member of the entrepreneurial army.

The taste is a rich tea aroma mixed with a rich and smooth milk flavor.

"My mother's craftsmanship is so good!"

However, the taste is far better than those modern milk teas that Zhao Xu has drunk.

For example, Sun Qi, who has served the Zhao family for three generations, owns three large drug stores on Ma Xing Street.

Nowadays, the tea in the palace is all imperial tea from Jianzhou Beiyuan.

Although the doctor sitting in the hall is not Sun Qi, but his apprentice and descendant.

The signboard clearly stated: The prefix of Jinzi Medical Officer Pharmacy.

It is quite similar to modern milk tea.

Then he patted his belly and said comfortably: "So full!"

The food will always be eaten and nothing will be wasted.

In modern textbooks, it has been clearly written that the bourgeoisie has erased the sacred halo of all professions that have always been respected and awe-inspiring. It turns doctors, lawyers, priests, poets, and scholars into laborers it pays to recruit.

After Zhao Xu came to the throne, the situation further collapsed.

Empress Dowager Xiang suddenly became happy and said: "This is a recipe presented by Zhang Gang, the imperial chef. It is said to be a new recipe used this year at his Yinzi shop in Bianjing. Because it was well received, it was presented to the palace."

"If this continues, I'm going to gain a few more pounds!"

"How does it taste?" Queen Mother Xiang asked with concern from the side.

His eating habits have always been very good.

You can understand it if you think about it!
Modern commercial milk tea uses very ordinary tea leaves.

In the new world, everything will depend on money.

"That's it, it's very good!" Zhao Xu said, holding the tea cup and eating the snacks.

Those snacks and tea soup were indeed made by herself in the palace with Wen Xunniang and Di Qiang.

The sanctity of the teaching profession will also collapse in front of Brother Kong Fang.

If a Shezhe family in the capital wants to ask him to make a prescription, Qian Guan will have to do it!
In addition, Qian Yi, the imperial doctor next to Zhao Xu, now also opened a 'Qian Family Medical Official Pharmacy Store' in Bianjing City.

It was the same this time. He quickly ate all the tea and snacks given to him by the Queen Mother.

Queen Mother Xiang looked at it, very happy.

What are the characteristics of capitalism?

how to say?

Zhao Xu nodded as he listened.

The imperial doctor who served the emperor opened a medical clinic on Ma Xing Street.

Today, some characteristics of modern capitalism are vaguely present.

This subtle method of boiling frogs in warm water was extremely effective in a society like the Song Dynasty.

I heard that I also made a lot of money.

In a citizen city with a high degree of commerce like Bianjing.

"Very good!" Zhao Xu praised: "Excellent!"

I am afraid that only when everything is irreversible will moralists suddenly wake up and realize that pastoral songs are a thing of the past.

Naturally, it was all the business of the royal physician.

It belongs to the top-grade Tuancha, and its price even exceeds the same weight of gold.

"As long as Brother Six likes it," said the Empress Dowager Xiang, "When Brother Six grows up, the Queen Mother will be in the palace and prepare food for Brother Six every day."

"Okay!" Zhao Xu said obediently.

The Empress Dowager was listening beside her, somewhat amused.

He said, "Guan family, there will be a Buddhist feast tomorrow. I ordered someone to make some new sets of clothes for Guan family. Later, Guan family will try them on to see if they fit."

"Thank you, Mother-in-law." Zhao Xu thanked him quickly, and then asked, "Sun Chen heard that Mother-in-law wants to test Sun Chen's homework?"

The Queen Mother then sat up straight, became serious, and said, "This is indeed the case."

"I heard that during the summer vacation, the official family has been reading. I wonder what books they are reading?"

Zhao Xu counted on his fingers: "Replying to my mother-in-law, Sun Chen has been reading history books in the palace in the past two months, except for visiting Kaifeng Mansion."

"I've read historical records and Chinese books."

Naturally, the two palaces had heard about this for a long time, but this was the first time they heard Zhao Xu personally admit that he was reading history books.

This is incredible!
It should be noted that one of the signs of the emperor's adulthood is that he can understand history books.

Especially national history!
After reading the history of the country, the emperor is generally considered to have the ability to issue orders.

So, the Empress Dowager asked: "Can officials and family members understand this?"

Zhao Xu nodded and said, "Sun Chen also wrote a lot of notes!"

He, who once ruled the world in his previous life, naturally knows the importance of history books.

In a Confucian civilized society, history books are not just carriers for recording history.

It is also a political statement.

If you understand the history books, you will also understand the politics of past dynasties.

If we can deduce the truth hidden behind the words from the words.

Then, this emperor will be qualified.

Therefore, all the wise kings of the past dynasties have read history, and they have the discipline to read a piece of history every day.

"What a blessing from our ancestors!" Empress Dowager Xiang smiled and said to the Empress Dowager: "Sixth brother is so smart and handsome, he will surely prosper my Zhao family."

The Queen Mother nodded: "What the Queen Mother said is true."

So, she conducted a formal test on the contents of some historical records and Han books.

And Zhao Xu answered fluently.

After listening to Zhao Xu's answer, the Empress Dowager felt somewhat lonely in her heart.

Because she knew that if things continued like this, the world in which she would be able to obey the government and hold power would be much less than she expected.

I'm afraid the courtiers will be impatient before the official wedding.

I'm afraid it wouldn't be very respectable at that time.

If you want to be decent, you have to hand over your power in advance!
For her, what is comforting is that this grandson is filial and has nothing to say to the Gao family. It can be said that he thinks of the Gao family in everything and gives him all the grace he can.

So much so that the Gao family is even closer to this grandson than to her.

Gao Zunhui and Gao Gongji are the best examples.

What these two guys are doing outside is actually reported to Funing Palace first and then comes to Qingshou Palace for instructions!
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager also sighed in her heart: "The official family is a holy master with destiny."

"I've been taking care of him for two or three years, and it's time to quit..."

Even the Gao family is closer to and supports this grandson.

Does anyone else need to think about it?
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager winked at the Empress Dowager Xiang, who understood the situation and said to Zhao Xu: "I heard that Sixth Brother recently issued an edict, ordering the Kaifeng Prefecture to test the Buddhist teachings of the temple abbots and monks in Beijing? "

Zhao Xu nodded and said: "It is true!"

He knew that the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Xiang were both devout Buddhist believers.

Both palaces are in the palace and enshrine Buddha statues.

On every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, we will eat fast and recite the Buddha's name.

When encountering the Ying Temple, the birthday or death anniversary of the late emperor, people will be sent to Taiping Xingguo Temple, Huguo Temple and Kaibao Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.

He explained: "My son, this is based on the stories of our ancestors."

"The ancestors had a system of 'Guaranteeing Ming's Conduct', which restrained the monks and strictly enforced the rules and precepts."

"However, recently, many monks do not practice Dharma, and monks frequently suffer from the six impurities."

"The Secretary of the Kaifeng Prefecture reported that a monk who was bestowed with purple robes gathered people in the Bathroom Department of Bianjing to have sexual intercourse. He also said he was practicing Zen in the desire to walk. When faced with criticism from others, he even said to himself, 'I am self-adjusted. Heart, what are you doing?"

"How can I tolerate Buddhism being so dirty and peaceful in this peaceful place?"

The two palaces listened and agreed with Zhao Xu's words.

In fact, they also hate the behavior of those great monks on the market today. The monks do not chant sutras, but do business.

Monks do not become monks, but instead hang out in gangs, even live with prostitutes, associate with officials, and pursue fame and fortune everywhere.

Almost all famous ministers and officials have a few monk friends.

The Empress Dowager nodded and said: "It is good for officials to strictly follow the Buddhist rules."

"It's just that many contemporary monks don't study Buddhist scriptures. If there are officials who use Buddhist scriptures to take exams, I'm afraid many people won't be able to pass..."

The monk does not understand Buddhist scriptures.

In other times, this might have been a joke.

Particularly in the Song Dynasty, this is a social reality.

Because the mainstream of Buddhism in the Song Dynasty is Zen, which is idealistic and does not practice Buddhist scriptures much. It just talks about "the meat and wine pass through the intestines, but the Buddha's heart remains".

Therefore, these great monks are all eloquent, and their mouths are full of excitement.

But asking them to recite sutras? But it's catching someone blind.

Especially the great monks in Bianjing are in a place as materialistic as Bianjing.

There is also Zen thought, which adds fuel to the fire.

The great monks are doing various activities under the banner of "walking meditation".

When outsiders question me, they say, 'I am cultivating my mind. What do you know?' '.

Zhao Xu didn't bother to care at all.

However, these great monks hold the treasure trove of treasure in their hands.

He was really hot-eyed.

The great monks, on the other hand, were neither willing to cooperate nor hand over the pledge.

This put him in a difficult position.

I have no choice but to increase their strength, seize their weaknesses, and repair them severely.

Zhao Xu then asked: "Mother, if you want to test monks, if you don't test Buddhist scriptures, what else can you test?"

"This is like the scholar-officials. If they don't take a test on the classics and meanings, how can they take a test on singing and dancing?"

The Empress Dowager was speechless after hearing this, and had no choice but to tug on Empress Dowager Xiang's sleeve.

Empress Dowager Xiang had no choice but to say softly: "Sixth Brother, all the temples in the world were built by imperial edicts from past dynasties."

“This is especially true in Bianjing!”

"If a temple is ordered to be built by the abbot or the head of the monks, it is revealed that the abbot or the head of the monks do not practice Buddhism deeply..."

"What do people in the world think?"

This is true.

According to the ancestral system of the Great Song Dynasty, new temples in the world must be built by the royal family before they can be allowed to exist. Otherwise, it is illegal and can be regarded as akin to obscene worship, and should be destroyed by the authorities.

The ancestral system of the Great Song Dynasty also stipulated the "Guaranteeing the Ming Dynasty" for temples and Taoist temples all over the world.

That is to say, the abbots and monk heads of major temples must guarantee the character of the monks and nuns in the temple.

If someone commits adultery and commits a crime, he or she will be held accountable together. Generally, the blame will be shared with the offending monk or nun.

Secondly, the source of monks was also regulated.

A monk must obtain the consent of his or her living grandparents and parents (if not, the closest elder) and issue a document. At the same time, the temple abbot and head of the monks must inspect the monk's body to confirm that there are no tattoos before being allowed to become a monk.

This is to prevent criminals and deserters from escaping into Buddhism.

Therefore, almost all temples, especially those in Bianjing City, which appeared after the founding of the People's Republic of China, were built by royal decree.

Including, the same is true for the ancestral temples of the Xiang family and the Gao family.

But once the temple was built, the abbot and head of the monks failed to pass the examination.

The royal family would indeed be embarrassed.

It will also seriously affect the reputation of official temples - once official temples are not recognized, wild monks will rise.

Wild monks are not as easy to control and obedient as these official monks.

The mixed beliefs and schools are even more diverse.

Maybe they are people from the Maitreya Cult or even the Vegetarian Demon Cult.

That wouldn't be fun.

But Zhao Xu still insisted on his opinion. Of course, his attitude was somewhat relaxed and he said: "Mother, the son knows this."

"So, the test questions issued by Ming Seng Lu Si are also very simple Buddhist principles."

"They are mainly the contents of the Shurangama Sutra and the Diamond Sutra."

"If other people don't even understand this..."

The queen mother lowered her head as she listened.

Even she knows the Shurangama Sutra and the Diamond Sutra.

But the problem is...

"Sixth brother..." Empress Dowager Xiang had no choice but to remind Zhao Xu: "Maybe you don't know something. The Song Dynasty was not exempt from the taxes of temples and Taoist temples."

"The abbots and monk heads of each temple can only work for the livelihood of the whole temple..."

This is a fact!

Last year, Han Jiang presided over a review of the service law and decided to exempt the fifth-class households and below from the service fee, and at the same time reduce it by half for the third-class households and below.

However, the tax reductions and exemptions did not disappear, but were passed on to monk households, female households, single households and sons-in-law.

These four types of people were also the first choice of the Song Dynasty government for tax increases.

Speaking of which, monks also have to pay taxes, which is the result of Zhou Shizong's extermination of Buddhism.

Including, the ancestral system in Zhao Xu's mouth is also the result of the summary of Zhou Shizong's policies.

Therefore, in the Song Dynasty, eminent monks never appeared as temple presiding officers or monks.

But those unknown old monks.

For example, none of the monks convened by President Kim's Translation Court and Sutra Translation Academy were presiding officers or monk leaders.

Hosts and monk leaders were like merchants in the Song Dynasty, far better than monks.

They are all very skilled at making an abacus, but they don’t know how to chant sutras.

Many people may remember to recite "Amitabha".

Therefore, Zhao Xu's edict was aimed at the seven inches of these people.

Just deliberately trying to choke their necks.

Of course, Zhao Xu was actually just showing off.

As the Empress Dowager Xiang said - the great monks are the executors of Zhao Guan's family's religious policies.

If you get rid of them, the reputation of the official temple may be greatly reduced, which is shooting yourself in the foot.

Especially the great monks in Bianjing City, almost all of them are members of the system.

In a sense, they and Zhao Guan's family are actually in the same boat.

This is also the reason why great monks can do the quality warehouse business.

Therefore, Zhao Xu is actually playing a coward's game and using extreme pressure.

It is to force the great monks to give in and compromise.

Empress Dowager Xiang didn't know this, so she just held Zhao Xu's hand and said softly: "Sixth brother still has to consider these things, and give or take mercy at his own discretion."

Zhao Xu naturally wanted to give face to the two palaces.

Of course, this was already in his calculations. From the beginning, he had already figured out the bottom line.

He said: "Since the mother-in-law and the queen mother have said so, I will think about it again..."

“Find a way to get the best of both worlds!”

"It can not only strictly regulate the Buddhist rules and clear out a small group of unscrupulous monks who ruin the reputation of the Buddha and do not abide by the precepts, but at the same time do not harm those who truly worship the Buddha sincerely."

The emperor issued an edict.

If there is no flag-sacrifice, where will the emperor's face be put?
Naturally, we need to capture a few typical examples to offer sacrifices to the flag!

At the same time, it also kills the chicken to show the monkeys, so that the great monks can know something powerful.

Of course, this matter is actually the same as the story of Journey to the West.

Someone with a background and a backer.

There are Buddhas and Taoist ancestors interceding for mercy.

Those who don't have heels can only blame themselves for their bad luck and have to walk under the golden cudgel.

When the two palaces heard Zhao Xu's statement, they immediately laughed.

After all, they actually don't care much about the affairs of the great monks.

The reason why they intervened in this matter was based on their own reasons.

At the same time, it is also a hindrance to face.

Others came to ask for help, so I had no choice but to help and talk.

After all, those temples have decades of connections with the Gao family and the Xiang family. Plus what they said did make sense, so I chose to help.

(End of this chapter)