You have truly caused me great suffering!

The mob's massacre in Nara shocked the entire Japanese nation.

They had never encountered such a brutal resistance from the lowest classes.

Inside the Imperial Palace, Toba's face was extremely grim. At this time, his father, Emperor Shirakawa, was too old to manage affairs.

The real power of the royal family was in his hands.

Fujiwara no Tadashi's face was even more gloomy. Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara had a close relationship with their Fujiwara clan, and Fujiwara no Tadashi, the chief steward of Kofuku-ji Temple, was his cousin.

"Fujiwara no Tadashiro is a complete waste of space, allowing the leader of these rioters to escape!" Toba threw the report at Fujiwara no Tadashiro's face.

Fujiwara no Tadashi stood up abruptly, his eyes wide with anger.

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the hall became tense and suffocating, and both sides' guards gripped the hilts of their swords.

Toba sneered, "What, you want to kill me?"

Fujiwara no Tadashi lowered his head and knelt on the ground again.

A hint of resentment flashed in Toba's eyes; he hated this man's hypocrisy to the core.

In his eyes, everything about the Fujiwara clan was an act.

After leaving the Imperial Palace, Fujiwara no Tadashi walked silently on the cobblestone path.

Behind him, Fujiwara no Yorinaga suddenly said, "We should kill him!"

"asshole!"

Fujiwara no Tadashi turned and slapped his son, saying, "He is the retired emperor, a descendant of Amaterasu Omikami, whose lineage has lasted for countless generations."

Fujiwara no Yorinaga was slapped, but he laughed. "I only said I would kill him. How did Father know it was the Emperor Emeritus? Did Father also have this thought in his mind?"

Fujiwara no Tadashi was stunned. His son continued, "Since he came to power, he has opposed us at every turn. I'm afraid that if you don't kill him, he will try to kill you!"

Fujiwara no Tadashi looked at his son, who was chuckling in a gloomy voice, and suddenly felt that he was stupid and arrogant.

She's always seemed so intelligent since she was little, doesn't she understand this simple principle?
"After the myth of the Emperor's unbroken lineage was shattered, we were the first to suffer. All the powerful clans came back to fight for our positions. As the regent and regent, we held the greatest power, which is why Toba hated us."

"And you, you actually thought of smashing this sign yourself. Do you know why he's angry? Because he has no other choice; this is his only means of fighting against us."

"As the heir of the Fujiwara family, what you need to do is use him and control him, not let him control your emotions."

The father and son remained silent for a while, then Fujiwara no Yorinaga said, "Why can't we just be the emperor ourselves?"

Fujiwara no Tadashi turned his head to look at his son, already sentencing him to death in his heart.

This fool must die. We cannot let him lead the Fujiwara clan into the abyss, nor can we allow such a hot-tempered and brainless person to become a stumbling block to our successor.

Even if such a person claims to understand, he will most likely still lead the Fujiwara clan to ruin in the future. Moreover, the Fujiwara clan was originally divided into four branches: the Northern Branch, the Southern Branch, the Shiki Branch, and the Kyo Branch. The Northern Branch was further divided into the Konoe, Kujo, Takatsukasa, Nijo, and Ichijo (five houses).

The various branches of the family are constantly fighting amongst themselves for the position of "Regent," and we must not let him harm our own lineage.

"Father, why are you staring at your son?"

Fujiwara Tadashi smiled and said, "You've lost weight. Eat more of your favorite foods."

Fujiwara no Yorinaga was baffled, wondering why he would suddenly bring this up. He frowned and said, "These rioters are so brutal that they dare to kill our Fujiwara clan members. This is something that has never happened in five hundred years. How can my son care about eating?"

Fujiwara no Tadashi nodded, said nothing, and turned to leave.
-
The vastness of Buddhism is even more evident in regions outside of Central China.

Buddhism is at the top in Dali, Tibet, Xizhou, Dongying, the Southern Wilderness, and even Goryeo.

Buddhist temples have absolute say and a great deal of power.

Royal families typically have a large number of members ordained as monks, using Buddhism to strengthen their rule.

Taking the first year of Jianwu in the Great Jing Dynasty as an example, the actual rulers and nominal heads of state in each country were:
Emperor Toba's younger brothers all became monks;
Half of the Fujiwara clan members became monks;
Two of the younger brothers of King Gae of Goryeo became monks.
Needless to say, in Dali, almost the entire royal family became monks;

Because Buddhism is just so useful.

Buddhism proclaims that this era is the "Dharma-ending Age," and that suffering in this world is inevitable; the only way is to recite the Buddha's name and seek rebirth in the Pure Land.
People need to accept the concept of "enduring this life for liberation in the next".

This weakened everyone's will to resist, making them feel that no matter how bitter this life is, they can just endure it and it will pass. As long as they worship Buddha properly and don't resist, they can enjoy happiness in the next life.

The Maitreya's descent to earth, brought by the monk Jing, was like a thunderclap, completely changing this deeply rooted Buddhist doctrine.

The importance of the right to interpret scriptures is clearly evident at this moment.

What utter nonsense about patience in this world!
Only by killing until blood is spilled everywhere can Maitreya be summoned to descend and rebuild the White Lotus World.

The more people you kill, the greater your contribution.

Especially the royal family, nobles, and wicked monks; killing one is worth a hundred.

If the Emperor were killed, Grandpa Miroku would have appeared in the world right then and there.

That's what Huiming and others said, that's what Tiebang Misan passed down, and that's what the people below believed.

As for whether Huiming and Tiebang Misan believe it or not, Huiming definitely doesn't believe it, and Tiebang Misan probably doesn't believe it either, or at least not entirely.

Because he added many of the settings himself.

Like Hong Xiuquan, unless he was a delusional person, he would know that his father was a handsome guy from Guangdong and had nothing to do with the so-called God of the white people.

As the intensity of the Japanese mob increased, the monks began to withdraw one by one, and Guo Hao received them, so they began to cross the sea back to Korea.

Most of them then returned to the Central Plains to receive rewards or continued to study Buddhism and interpret scriptures in Buddhist academies.

Wearing a kasaya, Huiming returned to Hyozu Port from Nara as if no one else was there. In the naval camp, he wiped his crossbow and prepared his luggage for the return journey.

At this moment, a general walked over from a distance, looked at him, and asked, "Are you Huiming?"

"This humble monk, Huiming, pays his respects to the General."

"No need for formalities, Master. I am Guo Hao, the General Who Guards the East."

Upon hearing that the visitor was Guo Hao, Huiming was somewhat surprised. "So it's Guo Jinglue. My apologies for not recognizing you sooner."

Guo Hao smiled and said, "His Majesty has decreed that you stay in Japan and guard the country with me."

Huiming turned and bowed towards the southwest to receive the decree. "Has Your Majesty said what this humble monk should do?"

"Nothing is impossible."

Chen Shao's meaning was simple: as long as the general direction was grasped, there was no need to report the other details; otherwise, plans could not keep up with changes.

In this era, without telephones or telegrams, the transmission of information was very slow.

Although traveling by sea would be faster, a round trip would still take at least ten days. Guo Hao, as the General Who Guards the East and concurrently the Commissioner for the Eastern Expedition, effectively held military, trade, and intelligence powers.

It has a high degree of autonomy.

Huiming was a talented person whom the emperor kept here, which shows that His Majesty recognized his abilities.

They will have decision-making power in the future.

The sea breeze of Bingjin Port blows, stirring up waves that crash against the rocks, while the distant sunrise shines on the vast ocean.

Huiming, who had instigated the bloodiest and most turbulent mob uprising in Japan, now found his monk's robes billowing, yet his heart remained calm.
-
The Iwami Ginzan has been discovered.

Xiao Ting stood in a daze in her courtyard by Xuanwu Lake.

Her caravan was also part of Guangyuantang, so she probably knew about Guangyuantang's methods and sphere of influence.

It makes no sense that someone could know in advance where there are silver veins overseas, and with such precision.

Biting her lip, Xiao Ting paced around the room several times, feeling uneasy.

"Xiaoling, help me change my clothes!"

She couldn't wait any longer and wanted to go and see for herself whether the current emperor was even human.

Does it have dragon horns or claws on its body?

Although she had eaten and seen them all, she still couldn't figure it out.

Given that such a large silver mine has been discovered in Japan, Chen Shao should logically be the one to come looking for her.

In the past, Xiao Ting would have waited patiently; she has always been a very patient person.

After arriving in the capital, Xiao Ting was led to the Kunning Palace.

Inside the hall, several women were playing mahjong together. Upon closer inspection, Xiao Ting realized they were all Chen Shao's concubines.

Zhong Lingxi was very happy to see her, and with a smile, she squinted her eyes and waved, "Come here and sit next to me."

Xiao Ting, who was beside her, caught a whiff of a delicate fragrance. She turned her head and looked around. On a table not far away, there was a stone mortar.

These people must have been grinding flower petals to make rouge.

Looking at the chattering and laughing Wu Chuntao, Jin Le'er, and Zhang Yinghan, Xiao Ting suddenly felt that there weren't as many constraints and rules in the harem as she had imagined.

During a break from playing cards, Zhong Lingxi grabbed a handful of candied fruit and handed it to her. "Since you're here, stay a few more days. But don't even think about it tonight, His Majesty isn't in the palace."

Xiao Ting blushed and lowered her head without saying a word.

Zhong Lingxi is a person who enjoys both activity and quiet. She can read quietly by herself, and she also likes to play games with a group of people.

Perhaps because of my seniority and the lack of relatives, I developed a love for reading in my childhood, but I was also afraid of being alone and longed for lively gatherings.

Xiao Ting watched them play curiously from the sidelines, and gradually understood the rules, finding them quite novel.

If I ever get tired, I could come here and be with them; that wouldn't be bad.
-
After Chen Shao finished processing the memorials at noon, he led Da Hu and others to the outside of the palace.

This is a quiet and secluded courtyard with artificial hills, a secluded pool, a stream, and pebbles.

Arriving here feels like entering a tranquil bamboo forest. But the bright afternoon sun makes the courtyard feel less secluded, and everything becomes much more open and airy.

Especially after the wind blows, the leaves rustle.

There was another bird chirping somewhere, its call soothing and melodious.

Inside the pavilion, Chen Shaohuai held Maode in his arms and gently stroked her belly.

Actually, she wasn't showing yet, but both of them knew that there was already a little life inside her.

Having children can be addictive when there's no pressure to care for or raise them.

This may be determined by genes, after all, every biological individual comes into the world with the mission of reproduction.

He thought to himself, "As expected, Maode is still the most beautiful. We've been together for so many years, and she's still very pretty."

A beauty like this usually doesn't have a particularly outstanding figure; she doesn't have such a large silhouette or broad shoulders.

But actually, she has a very good waist and figure; even when nestled in his arms, she still has a graceful and beautiful curve.

Unlike that slender and graceful type, it makes the curves of the lines very attractive.

Chen Shao loved watching her kneeling; he always felt that this was the proper demeanor for someone of noble birth.

She nestled in Chen Shao's arms, talking about her dreams for the future. Chen Shao told her to divorce her husband first.

Given his current state of mind and physical disability, he would probably agree.

Then, after serving as a Taoist nun for a few more days, she would personally escort the girl to the palace.

In fact, Chen Shao also wanted Song Shi to do the same, but she was reluctant because of her son's reputation.

Chen Shao didn't force him, after all, that bastard Cai You would never be able to escape labor for the rest of his life.

Maode was very happy. When she was excited, her charming eyes sparkled, which made Chen Shao a little stunned.

Maode revealed a smug smile, her red lips slightly parted as she softly said, "Haven't you seen enough yet?"

At this moment, Chen Shao felt an indescribable sense of comfort.

It's not just about beauty; the tranquil and elegant courtyard, the antique architecture, the melodious birdsong, the bright afternoon sun, the cool but not cold autumn breeze, and the beautiful woman laughing softly in your arms.

"I can't get enough of looking at her, I could never get enough of looking at her for a lifetime." Chen Shao stroked her black hair and asked, "Is it alright to look at her for a lifetime?"

Maode lowered her eyes, turned her face, took a deep breath, raised her charming eyes, looked at Chen Shao's face, and gently kissed him.

"Fine, I'll show you in my next life."

Chen Shao discovered that in this era, sweet talk is hundreds of times more effective.

Because women today are not yet exposed to all sorts of information, many women, even after becoming wives, have never heard sweet words in their entire lives.

Chen Shao sat down on the stone table, placed his hand on her slender shoulder, and Mao De, who was dizzy from being coaxed by a few simple sweet words, was now completely obedient to him.

The little bird in the woods, whose name is unknown, is still chirping tirelessly, sometimes softly and sometimes rapidly, accompanied by chirping sounds.

Chen Shao closed his eyes, peacefully enjoying the quiet and pleasant afternoon. (End of Chapter)