Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 109 Chain Cannon!
The snow had just stopped when the first light of day appeared. Han San personally led a dozen trusted guards and rode out of Beijing in the wind and frost.

Along the way, there were strong winds and heavy snow.

Not long after he left Beijing, Zhang Yunxiu also struggled to get up from the bed.

He tilted his head to glance at Zheng Xier who was still sleeping. The blush on her face had not yet faded, and her long black hair, like a waterfall, was draped over her white shoulders.

Her cherry lips were slightly parted, gently exhaling fragrance, and she was sleeping peacefully like a baby.

Last night, after a passionate love affair between the two, Zhang Yunxiu felt that the resentment that had accumulated over the days had completely dissipated.

When he got up early this morning, he didn't seem tired at all, but full of energy.

Smiling, Zhang Yunxiu tidied up the hair that fell to Zheng Xier's ears, then carefully got up from the bed, took his clothes, and dressed neatly.

Then he tiptoed out of the room and closed the door gently.

Looking up at the rare clear sky, Zhang Yunxiu was in a good mood. He walked out of the courtyard with his hands behind his back and headed straight for Zhaoning Temple.

By the time he arrives, the sun will be rising from the east.

The Zhaoning Temple, which was bustling in the past, is now deserted.

The bluestone steps were covered with snow and there were few pilgrims. Only a few young monks with brooms were sweeping the steps.

Zhang Yunxiu walked up the snow and followed the stairs to the square in front of the main hall.

Inside, the heavy sound of burning mixed with the cold wind penetrated into Zhang Yunxiu's ears.

In the middle of the hall, an old monk with a strange appearance, white hair and gray face, wearing a cassock inlaid with gold thread, sat in the front.

Around him were disciples who were listening attentively.

Listening to the Sanskrit sounds, Zhang Yunxiu was secretly surprised and walked into the hall unconsciously.

The monks in the hall were still aware of the situation and kept reciting Buddhist scriptures. After they finished a chapter, the old monk in the middle opened his eyes and shot a ray of light at Zhang Yunxiu.

The disciples around him also noticed Zhang Yunxiu's presence and turned their eyes to look at him.

"Donor, our temple is not receiving pilgrims recently, so please go back." A middle-aged monk who was closest to Zhang Yunxiu clasped his hands together and persuaded in a low voice.

"I'm not a pilgrim. I just have something I want to discuss with Abbot Yiru." Zhang Yunxiu shook his head, smiling, and looked directly at the old monk in the middle.

Master Yiru nodded slightly, stood up, and led Zhang Yunxiu inside.

The two of them came to the small hall in the inner room and sat down with the etiquette of host and guest. Two young monks came forward to refill their tea and then left respectfully.

Zhang Yunxiu turned his eyes and scanned the surrounding environment.

This place is exquisitely decorated and meticulously furnished. Although it cannot be called luxurious, it is also something that not everyone can afford.

"Master Yiru, I have a question. Please enlighten me." Zhang Yunxiu said with a smile.

"Please ask, benefactor." Master Yiru put his hands together and motioned Zhang Yunxiu to speak.

"The Buddha said: 'All living things suffer.' Why is it that none of your masters here can see the pain, but instead have a smile on their faces every day, as if they are not meditating, but acting like a master?"

"That's because they have converted to Buddhism and have long transcended the six realms of existence. After eliminating the seven emotions and six desires, they naturally no longer have the sufferings of the world."

"Oh, so that's how it is. So you are all beyond the secular world." Zhang Yunxiu stroked his chin and smiled, then suddenly stopped laughing and shouted, "If that's the case, why did your monk Huineng dare to rape a woman?!"

"Does the donor have any evidence?" Master Yiru knew that the visitor had ill intentions, and his tone became cold.

"The confession of Monk Huixin is the evidence." Zhang Yunxiu smiled coldly, and seized upon Monk Yiru's previous flaw, and continued to attack, "You just said that everyone here is beyond the secular world, so they must be masters of Taoism."

"In that case, what he said couldn't be a lie, right?"

Master Yiru frowned his white eyebrows and remained silent.

Zhang Yunxiu continued, "Since you trust your believers so much, do you dare to swear by this Buddha in front of you? If you dare, I will turn around and leave, and never set foot in your Zhaoning Temple again."

"Donor, please forgive others when you can." Master Yiru's tone softened completely.

"Old monk, let me give you a message. In the boundless sea of ​​suffering, it is better to turn back before you reach the shore. One wrong step leads to all the wrong steps. One thought can make you a Buddha, and one thought can make you a devil.

If you don't even understand this principle, what kind of Buddhist teachings have you been contemplating all these years?" Zhang Yunxiu pressed on.

Witnesses are another aspect, but it would be better if the old monk could reveal his own dirty laundry.

"I won't scare you anymore. I've already found that woman. I didn't tell anyone about this right away because I wanted to save face for Empress Dowager Li. Think about it carefully. Truth will come to light sooner or later. If you turn back now, maybe the Buddha will forgive you."

After saying that, Zhang Yunxiu walked away.

Just like the master, his brows were furrowed into a lump, and he stood there in a daze, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

When he learned that Huineng had violated the law, he was immediately furious and prepared to send him to the government.

But when I think about it, if Huineng’s guilt is proven, it will be a devastating blow to the reputation and prestige of Zhaoning Temple.

He has worked hard for decades to build Zhaoning Temple to its current glory, and he will never allow Zhaoning Temple to be destroyed.

So he compromised.

He betrayed Buddha and concealed the matter.

Just as Zhang Yunxiu said, one wrong step leads to another. He has been suffering for the past two months, spending every day in pain and guilt. Several times, when he met with Empress Dowager Li, he wanted to tell her the truth.

But when the words came to his lips and met the gaze of Empress Dowager Li, he became like a deflated ball and completely lost his courage.

Regardless of whether what Zhang Yunxiu said was true or not, this time, he finally had the courage and determination to expose the matter.

He put his hands together, bowed to the Buddha statue on the stage, and murmured, "Amitabha, if I don't go to hell, who will? This is destined to happen to me."

Cining Palace.

After being questioned by Zhang Yunxiu, Monk Yiru realized that the matter had failed, so he came here on his own initiative, ready to tell the Empress Dowager Li about the matter.

He was led by a palace maid to a side hall and sat down. After a while, Empress Dowager Li came out with a smile: "Master Yiru, the Heart Sutra you explained to us a few days ago was really good. Now I have a better understanding."

"That's because the Queen Mother has a predestined relationship with Buddha, that's why she can understand it."

Monk Yiru watched as Queen Mother Li walked up to the embroidered couch. He smiled at first, then took a few seconds to collect his thoughts before continuing, "I came here today to bid farewell to the Queen Mother."

"Ah?!" Empress Dowager Li was startled and asked hurriedly, "Is it because of Zhao Yong's murder?"

"Yes."

"Well, they are so bold that they even dare to hold you accountable!"

Queen Mother Li was furious. Just like the monk, she shook her head repeatedly and said, "No, no, it is not my fault. I knew that Huineng had done something wrong, but because of the word 'reputation', I went further and further away."

"I think it's because my six senses are not pure, so I have such evil thoughts. I plan to travel outside to cultivate my mind."

"Ah, how could this happen?"

Empress Dowager Li was in a daze. She had not expected things to develop to this point.

Blinking her almond-shaped eyes, Empress Dowager Li leaned forward and asked tentatively, "Master Yiru, was this done by your subordinates without your knowledge, and you only know about it now?"

"I have said, this is all caused by my evil thoughts and has nothing to do with others." Master Yiru said in a very affirmative tone.

Empress Dowager Li still tried to make amends: "Master, you can expose your family's shame, which shows that you have a broad mind. How can you abandon your disciples and believers just because of such a small matter?"

"Empress Dowager, everyone has a Buddha in their heart. The Buddha in my heart has been cracked. A broken mirror cannot be mended. I know that I have sinned deeply. I will practice asceticism in the future and pray for the emperor and Empress Dowager Li."

After saying this, Master Yiru put his hands together, bowed to Empress Dowager Li, turned around, and ran out of the hall tremblingly.

Empress Dowager Li's eyes turned red. She waved her hand and called her personal maid, saying, "Go, call the emperor to the Cining Palace. I have something to discuss with him."

That evening, a four-man apricot-yellow sedan chair slowly landed in the sedan chair hall of Grand Secretary Zhang's residence, and a eunuch wearing a dragon robe walked out.

It was Wei Qing, the eunuch in charge of the Qianqing Palace.

After leaving the sedan hall, Wei Qing, led by You Qi, went straight to Zhang Juzheng's study.

Walking around the screen wall and passing through two long corridors, Zhang Juzheng's large study appears before your eyes.

"Eunuch Wei, please go by yourself." You Qi said, pointing to the lighted study.

"Okay." Wei Qing nodded, picked up his robe and walked quickly forward.

When I arrived at the door and looked inside, I saw Zhang Juzheng leaning over the table, writing something.

Hearing the noise outside, Zhang Juzheng raised his head, and the two looked at each other. Wei Qingxian smiled and said, "Mr. Zhang, I'm sorry. I know you are very busy, but this matter was instructed by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, so I have to talk to you in person."

"You're too polite, Eunuch Wei." Zhang Juzheng threw down his pen and asked Wei Qing to sit down with a smile.

"I just have one sentence to say and then I'll leave." Wei Qing shook his head and continued, "The emperor and the queen mother said that Zhao Yong and Monk Huineng had a fight because of a quarrel, and Monk Huineng died afterwards. It was due to a serious illness."

"What does the Empress Dowager mean?" Zhang Juzheng looked at Wei Qing tentatively.

Wei Qing shook his head and smiled flatteringly, "We dare not guess what the Queen Mother meant, but since the Queen Mother wants to make a big deal out of a small matter, Mr. Zhang will just give them fifty lashes and the matter will be over."

"I understand." Zhang Juzheng nodded and sent someone to see Qi off.

Afterwards, he sent someone to call Zhang Yunxiu and told him the Queen Mother's intention.

"Sure enough, the Queen Mother still favors those monks." Zhang Yunxiu felt bitter, but fortunately, this result was still good after all.

The worst that could happen if they fought each other was a beating with a stick and a fine.

While Zhang Yunxiu was thinking, Zhang Juzheng lowered his head and started writing.

"I have checked the Ministry of Revenue and found that there are 100,000 monks in the world, and the number increases by 2,000 to 3,000 every year. If there are too many monks, there will be too few people. If there are too few people, the country will be exhausted. I humbly hope that Your Majesty will examine the monks in the world with the scriptures and remove those who are just filling the numbers."

"Father, what are you doing?" Now it was Zhang Yunxiu's turn to be surprised.

"Humph, do you really think I don't know the harm this monk has done?" Zhang Juzheng glared at his son and told the story slowly, "Emperor Wu of Liang in the Southern Dynasty believed in Buddhism and even became a monk twice, asking his ministers to pay money to buy him off, which eventually led to the destruction of the country and the death of the people."

"We need monks, but we can't have so many. This time we've thought it through. Of the 100,000 monks, we'll only keep 10,000 at most."

"Aren't you afraid of offending Empress Dowager Li?" Zhang Yunxiu asked with his neck shrunk.

Zhang Juzheng waved his sleeves and said stiffly, "What's the point of saying this now? Your first shot was so loud, I have to follow up with this one, so as not to be underestimated."

(End of this chapter)