Top Scholar

Chapter 565 Originally there was nothing, so where can dust settle?
Inside the abbot's meditation room, ambergris incense burned in a gilded incense burner. Hanging on the wall was an authentic work by the Tang Dynasty monk Jiaoran.

'My path is inherently without self, and I have never despised the people of the world.'

Now that I'm in the city, I realize how true this feeling is.

Monk Xinyong, dressed in a robe woven from Shu brocade, sat cross-legged on a cloud-brocade prayer mat, holding a string of mutton-fat jade prayer beads in his hand, each bead lustrous and full. His face wore a serene expression, completely unaffected by the anxiety around him.

"The notice clearly stated that it was simply to punish the lawless elements of Baolian Temple and Guanghui Temple."

"I'm afraid it's not just that!" the abbot of Fahai Temple said worriedly. "Those two temples have committed numerous evils, and they deserve their punishment. But the Emperor has gone to such lengths this time, beheading sixty-six monks in one go. Such ruthlessness shows how angry he is. I'm afraid it will affect innocent bystanders!"

Another abbot chimed in, "Yes, Master. I've recently heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guard's spies are searching everywhere for victims. Judging by their actions, they clearly want to take this opportunity to extort money from us!"

“That’s right!” another high monk chimed in. “The imperial court is desperate for money. Officials are constantly being fined rice. In Wanxiang, all the big rice creditors are now high-ranking officials.”

"Could it be that they're targeting us again?" the monks asked in unison, their anxiety palpable.

Only Master Shineei retained the detachment of a hermit, serenely gliding his prayer beads and saying:
"Elders, please calm down. Even if the court wants to collect money, it will only be a donation, not a serious financial blow."

"It's always the believers who donate to the temples, how can a temple donate to the imperial court?" the senior monks worriedly said. "This precedent cannot be set, otherwise the consequences will be endless!"

"This humble monk understands this principle. What I mean is that at most, it's just a matter of losing money to avoid further trouble," Master Xinyong said confidently.

"Please rest assured, everyone. The sky won't fall. Eunuch Liu's Buddha statue is still enshrined in this temple. Even if something unexpected happens, he will not sit idly by."

After saying this, he closed his eyes and recited a Buddhist chant: "Originally there is nothing, so where can dust settle?"

"Yes, I await your guidance." The monks clasped their hands in reverence and accepted the instruction.

~~
The next day was the day of the execution.

A group of death row inmates were brought out from the White Tiger Gate of the Ministry of Justice. All sixty-six monks had their heads shaved and were barefoot. They were bound hand and foot with the officials who had protected them, and each had a conspicuous paper tag stuck behind their neck, on which their respective crimes were written.

Officials from the Ministry of Justice escorted the death row inmates onto the prison carts, thus beginning the popular public spectacle of parading death row prisoners through the streets.

The local constable led the way, carrying a large list of prisoners, followed closely by officials from the Ministry of Justice, who loudly read out the charges along the route. Artillerymen accompanied the procession with cannons, firing them occasionally to intimidate the surrounding area; a geomancer held a timetable to keep track of the parade's timing; and executioners, their heads wrapped in red turbans and dressed in red skirts and blood-stained trousers, each carrying a gleaming, ghost-headed broadsword, followed the prison carts with solemn expressions, a truly terrifying sight.

The procession set off from the Ministry of Justice, proceeded westward along Chang'an Avenue, crossed Xidan North Street, and headed straight for the Xisi Archway execution ground. The streets along the way were already packed with people, many of whom were victims from the two temples.

When the victims saw the monks in the prison cart, they all gritted their teeth and hurled prepared filth at them while cursing loudly, venting their pent-up resentment.

Some monks were smashed until their heads bled, wailing and begging for mercy; others were ashen-faced with empty eyes, no longer resembling the dignified monks they once were, draped in robes.

Those officials who protected the evil monks were now even more dejected. They still couldn't understand why they couldn't be given a chance to atone for their sins by fining them rice.

In reality, the entire team was extremely lax in their defenses. Qian Ning, who was in charge of security, even secretly hoped that one of the thieves' accomplices would manage to hijack the prison van. That would make the rest of the operation much easier…

Unfortunately, when the group arrived at the Xisi Archway execution ground, nothing unexpected happened. It's clear that the monks in the capital are still too out of touch with reality and have few friends in the martial arts world.

He must be out of his mind. This is the capital city! How close must one's connections be to come here and die?

The prisoners were pushed onto the execution platform in order, and their identities were verified one by one.

In the execution tent opposite, Wang Jianzhi, the Minister of Justice who was supervising the execution, was talking quietly with Zhang Luan, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, who was standing next to him...

Wang Jianzhi frowned and said, "This matter is very strange."

Zhang Luan casually took a sip of tea and chuckled, "When has a case handled by the Imperial Guard not been suspicious?"

"Have you reviewed the case files?" Wang Jianzhi pressed.

Zhang Luan shook his head: "Not yet. Anyway, the verdict will be decided according to their wishes, so what difference does it make whether we look at it or not?"

Wang Jianzhi said solemnly, "You must take a look when you get back. This time the case file is handled very thoroughly. Although it is obvious that the person handling the case is not an experienced criminal investigator and the method is quite unfamiliar, the attitude is extremely rigorous. All the charges have been substantiated, and the ability is definitely not ordinary."

He paused, lowering his voice even further, "To be honest, this is definitely not something that Gu Da Yong's makeshift team could have accomplished."

Zhang Luan's expression hardened, and he leaned closer to ask, "Are you saying... the Western Depot is just a figurehead, and someone else is actually handling the cases?"

Wang Jianzhi didn't keep them in suspense, nodding slightly and saying, "Yes. It's those newly appointed scholars from the Imperial Academy who, on the surface, are writing letters to the Emperor, but in reality, they're investigating cases. Not just these two temples, they've investigated many large Buddhist temples in the capital." "Oh, you know all that? Impressive!" Zhang Luan said with admiration, "I also have a fellow townsman involved, but when I ask him what he's doing, he won't say, only that it's against regulations to keep it a secret."

"Heh, as the Minister of Justice, if I can't even figure out this little thing, I might as well resign and go home." Wang Jianzhi's lips curled into a faint smug smile.

“Think about it again, the case of the newly appointed Jinshi who was arrested and imprisoned in a black coal mine—that guy named Lu Ying, he was also investigated at a Buddhist temple at the time.”

Zhang Luan said, "I heard about this. They said that their graduation assignment for the Dragon Tiger Class was for each student to investigate a Buddhist temple. I thought it was quite novel at the time."

"Their graduation assignment was to investigate temples, and even after graduation, they're still fixated on the bald guy. It's strange, why are they so fixated on Buddhist temples?" Wang Jianzhi muttered to himself, then pointed to the execution platform and said, "At first, I didn't think much of it, but look here..."

Their gazes fell on the execution platform, where a group of bald men knelt, awaiting execution.

Zhang Luan's pupils contracted, and he said solemnly, "So, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is going to launch a heavy attack on the Buddhist temples in the capital?"

"Hmm." Wang Jianzhi nodded slightly.

Zhang Luan found it hard to believe: "They're just newly appointed scholars who have just entered officialdom. Do they really have this ability?"

“But don’t forget who’s in charge,” Wang Jianzhi said with a deep look in his eyes. “And to do something like this, you need that kind of fearless, youthful spirit.”

“That’s true. That’s the scholar Su, who dared to beat up Grand Secretary Jiao and challenge Eunuch Liu.” Zhang Luan suddenly smiled and said, “It would be a good thing if these temples could be put in order to be disciplined. These monks are really outrageous. They only take in money and never give it out, they’re the most comfortable people in the whole world. We still have to borrow grain to go to work…”

He added with mixed feelings, "But the waters here run deep. Which of those big temples doesn't have powerful nobles and eunuchs supporting them? I'm afraid that the top scholar will end up losing his teeth."

“This is what we need to see,” Wang Jianzhi said softly. “Whether the top scholar is as powerful as the legends say or not, we’ll see how well he can do this time.”

As they spoke, he suddenly noticed Zhang Luan's attendant listening intently. He frowned, about to order the attendant to move further away, when he heard Yin Yangsheng loudly report from below the stage:
"My lord, it is already noon!"

Wang Jianzhi said no more, immediately threw down the vermilion execution token, and shouted: "Start the execution!"

The token clattered to the ground, and the executioners responded in unison, their voices echoing across the surrounding area.

"Order!"

Two executioners then joined forces, holding a convicted monk down on the execution block and removing the plaque detailing his crimes from his back.

Some of the sinful monks were limp as mud, their mouths agape as if they were suffocating; some wailed and begged for mercy; others uttered foul language and shouted:
"I gave birth to Minister Jiao's son!"

The next moment, the executioner stuffed a walnut into his throat, and only sobs escaped from his mouth...

"Cut!" The lead executioner raised his demon-headed broadsword high, the blade blindingly bright in the midday sun.

As beams of cold light fell, muffled thuds echoed as bald heads rolled off, blood gushing from their necks and instantly flooding the execution platform…

~~
There is also a temple in the Leopard House, called Baoan Temple, located in its northwest corner.

At this moment, Su Lu was in Bao'an Temple, standing in front of the Buddha statue, holding three sticks of incense in his hands, and solemnly offering incense and praying.

Having executed sixty-six monks and over a dozen convicted officials in one fell swoop, he had no choice but to come and explain to the Buddha that he hadn't intentionally targeted him...

Furthermore, this is the first time someone has died because of his will, and Su Lu needs to calm down and examine his own heart...

"I did all this for the sake of the Ming Dynasty and for the sake of the Chinese nation." But he found that his heart remained as firm as iron and he was not affected at all.

He bowed respectfully, carefully inserted the incense stick into the three-legged gold incense burner, turned and walked out of the Buddhist hall, regaining his usual composure and decisiveness.

Qian Ning had been waiting outside the Buddhist hall. He quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Godfather, the matter in the West Market has been resolved."

"Hmm." Su Lu nodded slightly and asked, "Have all the notices been posted?"

"It's all posted. It's posted at the entrances of the Shuntian Prefecture, Daxing, and Wanping County governments. The farmers and merchants who spearheaded the complaints have all been arranged; they are all victims driven to ruin by usurious loans from temples, or whose land has been forcibly seized. They've all been clearly instructed beforehand that they won't turn against us. With them leading the way to the county government to cry and file complaints, it's guaranteed to attract even more victims," ​​Qian Ning said shrewdly and efficiently.

"Actually, Godfather, you don't need to worry. No one will come to complain. This year, there are just too many people who owe money to the Buddha. Who can afford an interest rate of four or five percent? I've already spread the word. As long as someone comes to complain, they don't have to pay off their money first. I guarantee there will be a huge number of people coming to complain."

(End of this chapter)