The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 110 Use magic to defeat magic
For so long, what Zhang Mujin saw the most and most clearly was Li Ying's back.

She hardly dared to look Li Heng in the eye, so she discovered that Li Heng's eyes were also very beautiful, like the stars in the sky, charming and deep.

Zhang Mujin couldn't help but be stunned.

Li Ying smiled and said, "Yeah, I don't look scary."

"Yeah." Zhang Mujin answered softly and nodded heavily.

Yang Yuhuan, who was standing by, clearly felt Zhang Mujin's extremely suppressed love. She couldn't help but put her hand on Zhang Mujin's other shoulder and said, "My husband and I will go to the temple to pray for blessings tomorrow. Sister Mujin, will you come with us?"

"Okay." A smile spread across Zhang Mujin's face.

……

……

……

The next day.

Li Ying, Yang Yuhuan and Zhang Mujin went to the temple to pray together.

Yang Yuhuan and Zhang Mujin prayed sincerely under the Buddha statue. Li Heng bowed to the statue and then began to look around the Buddhist temple.

Li Ying saw that there was not much incense ash, so he asked the Zen master beside him, "Master Huaiwu, aren't there many people coming to worship Buddha recently?"

Huai Wu said: "Your Highness is really a wise man. Recently, a Tiantong sect has emerged in Qiuci. The leader of the sect is called Tianwang. He claims to be the reincarnation of the son of Ningshen. He can cure all diseases and eliminate all disasters for people."

"Ningshen?" Li Heng thought for a moment, "Isn't Ningshen the god worshipped by Tubo?"

"That's right." Huaiwu replied.

Li Ying asked, "According to Master Huaiwu, can this so-called Heavenly King really cure all diseases and eliminate all disasters for people?"

Huai Wu said: "I am afraid that I may be too arrogant."

Li Ying couldn't help but smile and said, "Master Huaiwu is quite honest and doesn't play dumb with me."

Huai Wu said, "Your Highness asked me a sincere question, so I dare not hide it."

"That's right." Li Heng said, and walked out of the door and said to Cen Shen, "Huang Jie is in charge of religious affairs. Ask him to check what is going on with Tiantong Sect."

Cen Shen said: "Your Highness, as far as I know, Huang Jie also believed in Tiantong Sect. He built a Tiantong Sect statue at home and chanted scriptures all day long."

"Oh?" Li Heng frowned.

On the way to Xiaobolü, Li Heng and his men had performed a river sacrifice, which shows that feudal superstition still had a profound impact on military operations at that time, and now it was affecting the administration of Anxi.

At that time, Li Heng had the idea of ​​rectifying this trend.

However, Li Heng also knew that it was impossible to eliminate feudal superstition at this time, but it was feasible to eliminate cults, which could also be regarded as improving cultural customs.

Moreover, he just wanted to rectify the administration of Anxi. Now these two points combined would save him some trouble.

So, Li Ying said, "We have to go and meet this Tiantong Sect."

After that, Li Ying returned to the temple and said to Huai Wu, "Master Huai Wu, would you be willing to go with me to meet Tian Tong Jiao?"

Huai Wu said: "Your Highness, I am a monk, I am afraid..."

Li Ying interrupted, "Master Huaiwu's master once said, 'There is no Bodhi tree, and there is no mirror stand. There is nothing, so where can dust gather?' If this is true, then no matter what Master Huaiwu does, it will not affect your practice."

Huaiwu's master was Huineng. In addition to Huineng, Huaiwu had several famous senior brothers, such as Nanyue Huairang, Pingyuan Xingsi, Yongjia Xuanjue, etc.

The prosperity of the Tang Dynasty was reflected in all aspects. Not only was poetry and prose brilliant in culture, but religion was also very prosperous. Li Longji himself advocated Taoism, and he employed a group of Confucian disciples, and he did not suppress Buddhism or other religions.

Therefore, many famous monks emerged during the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

After hearing what Li Heng said, Huai Wu said, "With your great talent, why do you need to employ a humble monk?"

Huaiwu was right. Li Heng did have many ways to deal with the Tiantong Sect, and he could even send troops to capture them directly.

But the situation in Kucha is special.

Kucha is the intersection of various cultures, with many ethnic groups and complex religions. Faced with this situation, if Li Heng only used force, it would inevitably provoke conflicts.

Therefore, Li Heng decided to ask Huai Wu to help, drive the tiger to devour the wolf, and use magic to defeat magic.

But Li Heng definitely couldn't say such thoughts out loud.

Li Ying thought for a while and said, "Back then, the Buddha cut off his flesh to feed the eagle, and Master Huineng also helped the emperor to change. Wouldn't Master Huaiwu be unwilling to help the deceived people of Anxi?"

Li Heng had said this, and Huai Wu could no longer refuse. He clasped his hands together and bowed, saying, "I am willing to serve you."

Li Ying said, "Thank you very much."

At this time, Yang Yuhuan and Zhang Mujin had finished praying.

Seeing Yang Yuhuan praying so devoutly, Li Heng asked curiously, "Madam, you seem to believe it firmly."

Yang Yuhuan nodded and asked with a smile, "My dear, what do you think I am best at among all the musical instruments?"

"You are good at everything." Li Ying praised first, "but if I were to say what you are best at, it seems that you play the pipa the best."

"Yes." Yang Yuhuan took Li Ying's hand, "The pipa is divided into straight-necked pipa and curved-necked pipa. The sound of the curved-necked pipa is one of the Buddhist music. The "Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Robe" that my husband presented to the saint before is also an improvement of Buddhist music."

"I see." Li Heng looked at Yang Yuhuan, "It turns out that you know a lot about these things. No wonder your pipa skills are so superb."

"I know a thing or two." Yang Yuhuan smiled.

Li Ying asked, "Then do you know who was the first person in Central Plains to reform Buddhist music?"

Yang Yuhuan said: "Cao Zhi, the Prince of Chensi, once visited Yushan Mountain and suddenly heard the sound of Buddhist chanting in the air. It was elegant and mournful, and moved his heart. He listened to it alone for a long time, and then he imitated the rhythm of the sound, wrote it down as a Buddhist chant, composed a text and made it sound, and passed it down to later generations."

"If you call this knowing a little, then I am a blank slate." Li Ying laughed.

"No." Yang Yuhuan realized that Li Ying had asked that question on purpose to praise her.

So Yang Yuhuan also had a naughty idea and said, "Just now, I heard that my husband seemed to understand Buddhism."

Li Heng knew that Yang Yuhuan was also trying to trick him, so he said with a smile, "You don't even know the basics."

Seeing that her tricks didn't work, Yang Yuhuan acted like a spoiled child, pulling Li Heng's hand and saying, "My dear, you can't say that. If you want to say it, you know a thing or two."

"Okay." Li Ying smiled dotingly and said, "I know a thing or two."

"Yes." Yang Yuhuan nodded happily, thought for a while, and asked: "The Vimalakirti Sutra says that when one reaches a certain level of practice, one can sink the vast Mount Sumeru into a mustard seed. Do you know how to sink Mount Sumeru into a mustard seed?"

Li Heng thought for a moment and said with a smile: "My heart is only the size of a fist, but I can hold you inside forever. Do you know how I do that?"

Hearing this, Yang Yuhuan chuckled and said, "This is a solemn place for Buddhism, my dear, please be careful with your words."

"These are my solemn words." Li Ying said, turning his head to look at Huai Wu next to him and said, "Master Huai Wu, what do you think?"

Huai Wu said: "Your Highness is very intelligent. In his every move, every word and every joke, he has revealed the true meaning of Buddhist practice."

(End of this chapter)