Ji Tang

The Potala Palace was originally built by Songtsen Gampo to marry the Tang princess. It was built to be extremely splendid to show his sincerity. However, it was repeatedly rejected by the Tang Dynasty, so it lost its intention. Now it has become the Tubo Palace. of the royal palace.

When Zhang Shaoling came here, he looked at the different buildings in front of him. Next to the vast snow-capped mountains, beside the turquoise lake, and under the blue sky and white clouds, they looked like a heavenly palace.

Although it is not as grand and majestic as the Palace of the Tang Dynasty and shows the style of a great country, it has a sense of holiness and purity. He didn't know what the Sanqing Taoist Palace built by Li Chunfeng was like, but with the full support of Taoism, it must be even better!
"Everyone, please!"

Lu Dongzan was very satisfied with the application of Zhang Shaoling and his party. This is a unique building and palace on the plateau since ancient times. It is not only a representative of Tubo's strength, but also a reflection of Tubo's wealth.

"Originally, my king wanted to receive him in person, but it's a pity." Lu Dongzan couldn't bear to say it.

At this time, a Taoist priest couldn't help but said: "My Taoism is also unique in medical skills. Even the miracle doctor Sun Simiao is a member of our Taoism, so it doesn't matter."

"Shut up!"

Zhang Shaoling shouted angrily: "You and I are both of the younger generation and have not yet mastered spiritual practice. How can we make such arrogant remarks? Stand back!"

The Taoist priest was startled, as if he understood something, his face turned pale, and he quickly retreated.

"It makes you laugh. We are all the younger generation in Taoism. We are young and loyal. However, His Excellency Songtsen Gampo's illness is so serious that even the disciples of Lord Xing are helpless. What can we do?"

But it was okay if Zhang Shaoling didn't explain. Lu Dongzan became anxious after this explanation.

"What the Taoist said is wrong. As the saying goes, bystanders know better. If you still ask for diagnosis and treatment for my king, if it fails, I will not blame you at all."

"Please give the Taoist priest a try~"

Zhang Shaoling was silent. The Taoist priest who was speaking beside him was already on the verge of collapse. His words put them into such a situation. Should he save them or not?
If he is saved, it means that the Duke of the State of Xi is in vain. If he is not saved, it means that they will not save him. Once Tubo becomes angry, they are afraid that
"Why does the prime minister need to embarrass the poor Taoist? Duke Xi has a high reputation in the Tang Dynasty. Even he can't do it. What can we do?" But seeing how Lu Dongzan continued to insist, he could only say helplessly: "Then let him I’ll take a look at it, but I can’t guarantee whether it will work or not.”

"Okay, okay, everyone, go and rest first, I will make arrangements right now!"

He couldn't care about anything else now. The existence of Songtsen Gampo was too important to Tubo. As long as he could hold on for a while, he would be sure to quell the civil strife and hand over Tubo to Xiao Wang.

Arriving at the inn, Zhang Shaoling suddenly turned back to look at the Taoist priest who had just spoken, and said calmly: "Junior Brother Jingxu~"

"Senior brother!" Jingxu was sweating. He didn't expect that his words would put him in danger.

"What did the elders say when they came here? Come and tell us!"

Jingxu's face turned pale, but after all, he was an elite disciple carefully cultivated by Taoism. In the end, he gritted his teeth and said, "Everything outside will be obeyed by senior brother. Don't say what you shouldn't say, and don't see what you shouldn't see."

"Keep an open mind, preach quietly, don't enter official circles, and don't get involved in royal affairs."

Zhang Shaoling opened his eyes and said calmly: "Since you know you are wrong, then go outside to meditate and practice. When you truly understand your mission, come see me again. If you are not convinced, you can leave."

"Yes, senior brother!"

Until Jingxu left, a middle-aged Taoist priest on the side said worriedly: "Taoist Master, I'm afraid this matter will be a little difficult to handle. If the disciple of Mr. Xi was..."

"Okay, who are the disciples of Duke Ning? Who doesn't know who the Tang Dynasty is? It's impossible to do such a thing. Otherwise, after a few years, Tubo wouldn't be aware of it at all? There may be something we don't know about. Since you agreed, let’s go and see it!”

"Yes!"

When Lu Dongzan came to the palace, he stood back and looked at the thin figure in the curtain. His heart felt like a needle pricking his heart, and he was heartbroken.

At that time, the king was already terminally ill. Without strong medicine, he might not have much time left. In the end, Wang Xuance and others couldn't bear Lu Dongzan's request, so they could only use some medicine.

However, the after-effects of this medicine are great, and you will become more and more dependent on it, and in the end you can only die in pain. Of course Wang Xuance and others would not hide it, because once Tubo knew about it, they would be destined to die.

Therefore, in the end, tell the other person everything, and it is up to the other person whether to use it or not.

As if hearing movement, a weak voice came from the curtain: "Is it the Prime Minister? Have you received anyone from the Tang Dynasty?"

Lu Dongzan's heart suddenly tugged, as if someone was holding his heart, and he felt extremely aggrieved. But in order not to distract the king, he still said: "I got it, they are all young Taoist priests, they don't have any big plans against me, Tubo!"

"Well, that's good, that's good!"

"Cough cough!"

"Your Majesty."

"stop!"

Just when Songtsen Gampo coughed violently and Lu Dongtsen was about to step forward to check, Songtsen Gampo's urgent voice suddenly came from inside.

"How are you, Your Majesty? Let me take a look at you!" Who could know how sad Lu Dongzan was feeling? The plateau eagle back then had been tortured by illness and was no longer human. Sometimes he thought that maybe it was a good thing that the king just left like that.

"No, don't come in!"

Songtsen Gampo calmed down and murmured: "It's worth it. My illness has given Tubo a few years of peace, and my son has a chance to breathe and grow up. It's all worth it."

"Your Majesty, there are many Taoist priests in the Central Plains who have miraculous arts. I have begged them to treat you and will bring them here tomorrow!"

Songtsen Gampo was silent for a long time and said: "You have your heart, but my body knows that it is a blessing to be alive these years. It has already exhausted its full potential. I am afraid that the arrival of the gods will not help."

"Forget it, since you invited them, let them take a look."

"I am tired. Prime Minister, please go and do your own business!"

Lu Dongzan gave a deep salute, which was not only admiration for the Tubo eagle, but also admiration for his sacrifices in recent years. He dedicated everything to Tubo.

"My lord, resign!"

In the early morning of the next day, Lu Dongzan had already been waiting at the post house. When he saw Zhang Shaoling coming out, he hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "How did you rest, Taoist Master, last night?"

"Thank you for your trouble, the Prime Minister. Pindao and the others are outsiders. It is enough to have a house to cover themselves and food to fill their stomachs. But the Prime Minister is too polite!"

Lu Dongzan said indifferently: "Why don't you bother? The Taoist priest and his entourage are my distinguished guests from Tubo. How can we be negligent? If word of this spreads, people think that I don't understand the rules of Tubo."

After speaking, he said a little anxiously: "I don't know now."

Zhang Shaoling sighed softly and said: "Let's go. I also want to see the eagle on the plateau. He must be a real hero!"

Lu Dongzan's face became a little sad, but he still managed to smile and said, "Would you like to know if you go see me? I'm sure you won't be disappointed."

Soon, a group of people arrived at the palace. When they were about to enter the main hall, Zhang Shaoling's nose moved and his face suddenly turned extremely ugly. Lu Dongzan seemed not to have seen it and made a gesture of invitation. Zhang Shaoling looked at him deeply and said without looking back: "Everyone else should wait outside and don't come in!"

The group of Taoist priests looked at each other in confusion. Only the middle-aged Taoist priest looked ugly. He already knew why Songtsen Gampo, who died frequently, survived until now. It turned out that he used that thing. "This is a real cruel person!"

When he walked into the palace and found that no one was waiting there, he understood something.

"Taoist Master please!"

Facing Lu Dongzan's invitation, Zhang Shaoling shook his head and sighed: "Since you already know that it is useless, why bother bothering people? Even the gods can't do anything with it."

Lu Dongzan's eyes became extremely sharp, and just when he was about to say something, Songtsen Gampo's weak voice sounded.

"Prime Minister, it's better not to worry about growing up."

Through the curtain, Zhang Shaoling could clearly smell the smell of decay. This was the smell that people who were about to die would give off. How could he, who was doing things in Chang'an, not understand?

"But the king."

"say no more!"

Zhang Shaoling suddenly admired this man's courage and perseverance. He could still maintain a normal state of mind after eating that food. What kind of perseverance is this?
He suddenly said: "Has your Majesty ever resented Duke Xi?"

Silence, deathly silence,
The sound of needle dropping could be heard in the main hall. Ludongzan even planned to take action, but was interrupted by Songtsen Gampo.

"Hahahaha~"

Songtsen Gampo laughed loudly until he was out of breath, and then he said bitterly: "It would be a lie to say that I don't hate it. Every time I fall into pain, like thousands of ants gnawing at bones, I wish I could Cut him into pieces."

"But I am grateful to him for giving me time to extend my life for Tubo and for my son to grow up."

Zhang Shaoling suddenly felt like he was being stared at by a tiger. He knew that Songtsen Gampo was watching him.

"The fact that you were chosen by Ji Song shows that you are absolutely extraordinary."

Zhang Shaoling was stunned and explained: "Pindao was ordered by the Taoist ancestors to voluntarily go west to preach."

"Okay, they say the person who knows you best is your enemy. Although this king and Ji Song are not life and death enemies, they have always regarded him as the most powerful enemy. All his actions and everything in the Central Plains will be immediately understood. Pass it to this king."

"In my impression, every step he takes is calculated and he never does anything useless. Although it is not clear why you had the idea of ​​traveling to the west to preach, it definitely has something to do with Ji Song. Although this This feeling has no reason, but I firmly believe that it is not wrong. "

"Because the Tang Dynasty established a vast territory in the Western Regions. If you have never been there, you may not know how big a piece of land it was. Because he needed stability in the Western Regions, Li Chunfeng preached vigorously in the Western Regions. But this was not enough. He needed people even more. Go further and spread your civilization in the Central Plains.”

"Buddhism can't do it, because Buddha comes from his own poison, which is unacceptable to many countries in the Western Regions. But your Taoist philosophy will not have much conflict with the sects of the Western Regions. Due to the majesty of the Tang Dynasty, as long as If you don’t do too much, nothing big will happen.”

Zhang Shaoling suddenly understood. All the things that he couldn't understand before were now understood.

He was silent for a long time and said: "In any case, this is Pindao's ambition. Pindao was born in the Central Plains and grew up in the Taoist family. I have been a descendant of Longhu Mountain since I was born, and all I have heard and heard are Taoist classics."

"I was born for the Tao, and I am willing to die for the Tao. I will have no regrets in this life!"

"Good good!"

Songtsen Gampo laughed loudly and said: "What a man with no regrets. Perhaps only with such persistence and dedication can he have such a great ambition."

"I have a request, and I ask the Taoist Master to agree to it!" Suddenly, Songtsen Gampo said with a hint of pleading in his tone.

Zhang Shaoling was stunned for a moment, thought for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, please tell me, if you are poor, you must do what you can. A poor man will not refuse!"

"Okay, then please ask the Taoist priest to stay for a while and preach in Tubo!"

"what?"

How could he not be shocked by the words spoken by this king who had great prestige in Tubo?

"What? Are we, the people of Tubo, unworthy of education and unable to carry your Taoist teachings?"

"Don't dare!"

Zhang Shaoling shook his head and smiled bitterly: "This is different from Pindao's original intention. According to the previous plan, we should go directly to the Western Regions, but now you..."

"Taoist Master, don't worry too much. You may not know the situation in Tubo. Let the Prime Minister explain this!"

Lu Dongzan pondered for a moment and said: "The Bon religion in Tubo has retreated to the mountains. Although the Buddhism introduced by the king in Shendu has improved from before, it cannot be the only one."

"Buddhism in the Central Plains is not suitable for me, Tubo, but your Taoism is different. In the Central Plains, Prime Minister has discussed with many Taoist priests, and it is clear that your Taoist philosophy is more in line with my Tubo."

"So, the king invites you to stay and preach. It is a good thing for you and the Tang Dynasty."

"Please think about it, Taoist Priest!"

Zhang Shaoling looked thoughtful. To be honest, it wasn't that he didn't want to preach in Tubo, but this might increase Tubo's strength. Although he was a Taoist, he was also from the Tang Dynasty. He didn't hope that one day Tubo would rely on Taoist knowledge. If he goes to attack the Tang Dynasty, wouldn't he become the sinner of the Tang Dynasty?

"I know that you are concerned about yourself, Prime Minister," Songtsen Gampo said to Ludongzan, who saw Ludongzan take out a letter of credence from his arms.

"This is the letter of credence signed with Wang Xuance, a disciple of Duke Nang. As long as you agree, I, Tubo, promise not to do any disloyalty within a hundred years."

"As for a hundred years from now."

He smiled bitterly: "How can I care about the things behind me?"

Zhang Shaoling was moved. Being able to make such a promise shows Tubo's sincerity, and then said: "I really can't make the decision on this matter. General Chai happens to be in the Dongnu Kingdom. I can send a letter to inquire. If nothing happens, Da Dao will Tang also wishes to have a happy relationship with Tubo for a hundred years."

Lu Dongzan nodded and said: "That's good! Then the king and the Prime Minister will wait for the Taoist Master's good news!"

"I will not keep the king and the prime minister waiting for a long time, so I will leave first!"

After saying that, he turned around and left, but when he was about to walk out of the palace door, he took out a porcelain bottle from his arms and said: "This is a medicine to calm and relieve pain. I hope it will be useful to the king!"

"Goodbye, poor man!"

When Zhang Shaoling's figure gradually faded away, Songtsengan preached in the curtain: "This son is a truly compassionate person!"

Lu Dongzan nodded and picked up the medicine bottle. He was going to let someone test the medicine. Although I know that the other party is unlikely to be harmful to the king, as a minister, I cannot take any risks.

Songtsen Gampo did not refuse, he just waved his hand to indicate that he was going to rest (End of Chapter)