Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 106 The Three-Day Dharma Assembly: Jingtai Temple is Crowded with People, Hiding a Secret

The news that Jingtai Temple was going to hold a blessing ceremony quickly spread throughout the capital.

The incident happened so suddenly that even the most prominent figures in the capital were astonished.

However, Abbot Xuyun specially ordered a notice to be posted at the mountain gate, stating that everyone was welcome to attend the blessing ceremony, which would last for three days, wishing that all under heaven would receive the clarity of the Buddha's teachings and receive the emperor's boundless grace.

Jingtai Temple was a famous Buddhist temple in the capital, and it had always had dealings with the imperial family and noble officials.

Seeing that everyone could attend the blessing ceremony, even ordinary people became interested.

"Why are we suddenly holding a blessing ceremony?"

"Why do you care? If you can go, go and see what's going on."

"Nonsense! This is a sacred Buddhist temple; how can you call this 'watching the show'?"

"Then are you going?"

"Of course we should go and offer incense to Buddha to show our sincerity."

"Isn't that enough?"

When the Dharma assembly arrived, Jingtai Temple was packed with people, and dignitaries and their carriages gathered at the mountain gate.

The abbot of Jingtai Temple, Xuyun, had a terrible temper. He would rather pay out of his own pocket to organize a three-day blessing ceremony, but he insisted on one of Jingtai Temple's rules.

Starting from the mountain gate, regardless of status, wealth, poverty, gender, or age, everyone must climb 107 steps on foot.

By practicing what they preach, they show their respect for the Buddha through physical suffering, explore the profoundness of Buddhism, and comprehend the essence of the Buddha's universal salvation.

Therefore, during the Dharma assembly, the steps of Jingtai Temple were crowded with people, and even noble families could only walk slowly, surrounded by servants.

Among them, some people saw Zhang Fu.

"General, I never expected that you would also come to the Dharma assembly."

The man was able to speak with Zhang Fu, so his servants made way for him and approached.

"Anyone may come. So may I."

Zhang Fu had a stubborn temper, and spoke even more harshly.

The visitor hurriedly explained, "I also brought my family. It's a rare opportunity, and I wanted to let my family experience the Buddhism in our capital."

Zhang Fu remained silent, because he felt the statement was empty and meaningless, and there was no need to reply.

The visitor, realizing he was being frivolous, bowed to Zhang Fu's family and then withdrew.

Although the conversation was brief, news of Zhang Fu's attendance at the Jingtai Temple Dharma Assembly quickly spread.

As he climbed the 107 steps, Zhang Fu frowned slightly.

Inside the mountain gate, a large crowd thronged. With so many people, what was Prince Qi's intention?
"Lord Zhang, the abbot requests your presence."

The young novice monk quietly approached Zhang Fu and whispered something.

Following the young novice monk, Zhang Fu and his family entered the inner hall. This was where Master Xuyun held his sermons; the space was spacious, and many dignitaries and their families were also waiting here.

They were all invited by Xu Yun.

Zhang Fu glanced around and found that many of them were former colleagues or old acquaintances. The group chatted quite happily.

Before the day's Buddhist ceremony had even ended, news arrived from the army requesting Zhang Fu's presence. Several other officers in the army also urged their horses to return. Most of their families returned home on their own, but Zhang Xiuping said that her brother had instructed her to sincerely worship Buddha and not to travel back and forth to the Zhang residence, telling her to stay at the temple in peace.

When the news of Zhang Xiuping's arranged marriage first spread, people looked at her with some strangeness. Now, seeing her sincerely worshipping Buddha, they all guessed that she did not want to marry Prince Qi and was therefore using this to relieve her depression.

Zhang Xiuping remained silent and offered no explanation; she simply sought out Master Xuyun to express her purpose.

"Please follow me to the hermitage behind the mountain."

Xu Yun granted Zhang Xiuping's request and took her to a lay Buddhist residence specifically for people to worship Buddha.

The families of other officials and nobles also heard about this, and for a time the hot topic of discussion at the blessing ceremony became the betrothal between Zhang Fu's younger sister and Prince Qi.

Zhang Xiuping calmly pushed open the gate to the courtyard.

She was also the daughter of a high-ranking official, with a special status, and with maids accompanying her, she naturally had a quiet courtyard to live in. But Zhang Xiuping didn't go to the bedroom; instead, she directly opened the door to the small Buddhist prayer room.

Sure enough, Prince Qi was waiting inside.

Zhu Gaoshuo sat upright before the Buddha, his back and legs aching from trying to make a good impression on Zhang Xiuping.

When Zhang Xiuping actually pushed the door open and came in, he actually felt his heart race.

"Your Highness Prince Qi."

Zhang Xiuping's voice was calm and steady.

"Please sit down, young lady."

It wasn't that Zhu Gaoshuo was putting on airs and refused to get up to greet him; it was simply that his legs were numb and he couldn't stand up.

But this is too embarrassing to talk about.

Zhu Gaoshuo could only stubbornly maintain his composure.

Zhang Xiuping didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly opposite him.

The space in the Buddhist hall was not large to begin with, and the fragrant incense enveloped the two of them, creating a moment of tranquility between them.

“Young lady, you must have something to say to me if you want to see me.”

Zhu Gaoshuo spoke first.

Zhang Xiuping said calmly, "That's right."

"please."

"Your Highness Prince Qi, is everything Tianmu said true?"

Zhu Gaoshuo thought for a moment. Zhang Xiuping, like the others, probably only saw the first half of the scene. He didn't yet know if she would really marry him or go to Xunzhou to research gem design.

"What the heavens say are all things of the future. The world is full of illusions and uncertainties, so what is said now is not reliable."

Unexpectedly, Zhu Gaoshuo's answer, which he thought was satisfactory, displeased Zhang Xiuping.

"You don't need to use Buddhism as a pretext here. If Your Highness only wants to discuss Buddhism today and is unwilling to speak the truth, then I have disturbed you. I will take my leave now."

"Hey, hey, no!" Zhu Gaoshuo gave in.

This Zhang Xiuping is as spicy as a chili pepper.

But Zhu Gaoshuo happens to love spicy food.

The spicier it is, the more flavorful it is.

"What Tianmu said may be true. Please let me finish, young lady."

Zhu Gaoshuo hurriedly grabbed Zhang Xiuping, who was about to leave.

The two men's sleeves brushed past each other, and Zhang Xiuping hurriedly retreated.

There is a strict separation between men and women. Even though she was the daughter of a military family, she understood this principle, let alone the fact that the other party was Prince Qi.

Zhu Gaoshuo wanted to explain, but didn't know where to begin. He then noticed that Zhang Xiuping's face was already flushed.

“Young lady, the future is uncertain. Anything that hasn’t happened yet can change. This is not Buddhist teaching, but simply the truth.”

Zhu Gaoshuo bowed and hurriedly said, "After all, there was never a Heavenly Curtain in this world. Father... Your Excellency would never have known what the future would hold."

"But now, the Heavenly Curtain has shown Father all the future and all of Xunzhou. It has also revealed the process of Xunzhou's construction and development, as well as the planning ideas behind it. These are things that the Ming Dynasty has never seen before."

"Yes, something that has never happened before. Will the situation still develop according to the established path?"

"Intelligence on the battlefield changes rapidly. If we could know the situation on the front lines in advance, would we still use the same military tactics and formations?"

Zhang Xiuping, being the daughter of a military family, knew at this moment that everything Prince Qi said made perfect sense.

His Majesty is no ordinary man. What appears in the heavens to ordinary people may be nothing more than a dream or a vision of the future. But in His Majesty's eyes, every single event is a matter of vital importance to the nation and its people.

(End of this chapter)