Di Ming

Chapter 470 "Zhu Di! I will order you to exhume his body, whip his corpse, and scatter his bones to the winds!"

Why is His Highness the Regent so furious?

It turns out that Fan Yi'an discovered that the Great Bao'en Temple was also colluding with the Jesuits, helping them to spread their faith, and planning to have foreigners contact Ning Qingchen under the guise of medical exchange, in order to influence Ning Qingchen.

At the same time, he also attempted to lure Ning Caiwei to a temple to offer incense, devise a plan to seduce and rape her, and then secretly control Ning Caiwei.

This completely touched Zhu Yin's sore spot!

I don't know where Da Hui got her confidence to make a move on the Regent's Consort, thinking that she could make Ning Caiwei submit with those disgusting and despicable methods.

Based on this alone, this lewd and wicked monk will surely die a horrible death!

However, the sorcerer monk also concealed something from the missionaries: his desire to control Caiwei was not only for the sake of the Jesuits, but also for his own benefit.

The evil monk knew that Caiwei was incredibly wealthy, and he loved money more than anything, so he tried to control Caiwei and then take her money.

Another intention was to use Caiwei to influence Zhu Yin, to use Caiwei as a backer, and to seek more gold, silver and power.

Finally, of course, it was also for Caiwei's beauty.

Killing four birds with one stone!
But this wicked monk thought he was clever, but he never dreamed that Caiwei was not the kind of lonely, easily brainwashed rich girl, nor would she be bound by any reputation. How could she possibly give in?

Even if his plot hadn't been exposed, Caiwei would never have fallen into his trap.

Ning Caiwei had just entered the study carrying Yingning when she saw Zhu Yin's somewhat gloomy expression and couldn't help but ask with concern:
"What's wrong, little tiger? Which blind fool has made you angry again?"

After saying that, she touched Zhu Yin's face with her daughter's little hand, "Give Daddy a smile. Daddy is unhappy."

Zhu Yin chuckled, put down the report, took his sweet-smelling daughter, hugged her, and kissed her, saying, "Yingning, you're looking more and more like me."

Holding his daughter, as tender as a sprout, Zhu Yin's heart was filled with sunshine once more. Haha, Qingchen was just like this ten years ago.

"Doesn't it look like me?" Ning Caiwei glanced at him and smiled, then picked up the report on her desk. Her bright smile gradually froze, like the cold moon shining on frost.

"Trying to take advantage of me and Qingchen... they're courting death." Princess Wu gritted her teeth, her starry eyes as cold as ice. "No wonder you're unhappy."

"Little Tiger, what do you plan to do with them?"

As Zhu Yin soothed his daughter, his body trembling, he pressed his cheek against her little face, his expression exceptionally gentle, and said in a calm tone, "What should we do? Destroy the temple."

The words "destroy the temple" were uttered lightly, yet they were destined to become a stain of blood in Nanjing.

Many people will die!
Upon hearing the words "destroy the temple," Yingning suddenly giggled. Although she didn't understand them, the breath from those words tickled her ears!

Zhu Yin held his daughter in his arms, his refined and ethereal yet strikingly handsome face framed the back of Ying Ning's head, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Ning Caiwei:
“I feel sorry for Emperor Chongzhen.”

Ning Caiwei's beautiful face stiffened slightly. "Why did you suddenly bring up Chongzhen? Your train of thought is so jumpy..."

Zhu Yin said, "The Great Bao'en Temple holds millions of gold and silver, plus land and other properties, totaling tens of millions. Even if Chongzhen had only confiscated the Great Bao'en Temple, with that amount of money, he might not have suffered such a tragic fate."

“I feel sorry for him because he never resorted to large-scale confiscation of property to raise funds for the army until his death. Otherwise, why would he have worried about military expenses? If the Ming army had 100,000 soldiers with full pay, he wouldn’t have hanged himself on Coal Hill.”

"If the Great Bao'en Temple alone has so much property, what about the whole world? How rich is China, and how poor is it?"

Ning Caiwei gently shook her head, seemingly disagreeing. "It's not that he hadn't thought about it, but rather that he couldn't do it. He doesn't have a loyal team to execute his orders, he doesn't have reliable troops..."

“That’s just an excuse.” Zhu Yin shook his head. “He was, after all, the emperor. He reigned for seventeen years and held real power. How could he not have the ability to find a charge to confiscate his property? He could kill a minister but not confiscate his property? How is that possible? He’s not Emperor Xian of Han.”

Ning Caiwei asked, "Why is that? Is it because you don't like it? Is it a saintly heart? Kindness?"

Zhu Yin patted the little girl's back. "Because he doesn't know. He thinks everyone is as poor as the national treasury. For example, if we hadn't searched and confiscated the Great Bao'en Temple, would we have known that it had so much gold and silver? If we hadn't searched the Xu family in Huating, would we have known how wealthy the Xu family was?"

"Emperor Chongzhen was confined to the inner palace and never left the palace in his entire life. The intelligence capabilities of the secret police also deteriorated to an extreme degree. He was deaf and blind, and he didn't even know that his father-in-law had millions in wealth. Even if he didn't believe the officials who pretended to be poor and pitiful, he wouldn't think that the officials could be that rich."

"He didn't conduct a large-scale raid on their property, not because he lacked the ability, but because he lived in an information cocoon. He was unaware that there were countless people in the world whose wealth rivaled that of a nation. If he knew that there were tens of millions of taels of silver in Beijing alone, would he have hanged himself?"

"Wei Zhongxian wasn't good at managing money; he just knew that the officials had money and knew who had money. That's all."

Ning Caiwei also found it ironic; the Ming Dynasty emperors were practically begging for food while sitting on a mountain of gold. Their cognitive problems were too severe.

Zhu Yin continued, "Our descendants must not grow up in the deep palace. No matter how smart a child is, he can be ruined. Emperor Baijin had talent, didn't he? Look at what he became. If I hadn't taught Changluo, he would have become a waste too. Emperor Chongzhen actually had talent, but he was shallow and narrow-minded, so he was ultimately no good."

Ning Caiwei said, "Our descendants will leave the palace to study at the age of seven, then go to the military academy for training, and train on the grasslands, in the countryside, and on warships, as well as in the merchant guild. Only those who excel in these areas can be made crown prince."

Zhu Yin suddenly smiled, "We've gone off-topic. How did we get to this? Let's get back to the point: I want to destroy Buddhism!"

The Regent's gaze turned cold, and his tone became somewhat impassioned as he spoke:
"According to intelligence, the temple nobles are very wealthy, but they are also parasites and vampires. Large temples are all about seizing land, bullying men and women, harboring people, and sucking the people's blood and sweat. They have privileges and don't pay taxes! Those monks are called monks, but most of them are scum who have tarnished Buddhism. If we don't take action against them, are we just going to let them harm the country and the people?"

"Back then, the emperor issued an edict stating that if a monk committed a crime, the decision should be made by the monastic officials, and local officials should not arrest or question him. What kind of logic is this? This is judicial privilege! Less than 20% of monks who commit crimes are actually handed over to the government for punishment! As a result, countless monks have become emboldened and committed crimes!"

"These so-called eminent Buddhist monks not only drink alcohol and eat meat, but also have many illegitimate children. What kind of rules and regulations do they follow? What's even more despicable is that they actually practice hereditary succession! The positions of monks in temples are passed down from father to son! The abbot of Jingci Temple in Hangzhou has been a descendant of the Yao family for eight generations! Do they think my Great Ming Dynasty is a Buddhist kingdom?"

"In order to amass wealth, many temples have even innovated financial practices. They have even come up with 'incense loans,' allowing worshippers to borrow money from temples at high interest rates to donate incense money to the temples! It is truly the height of absurdity! This Great Bao'en Temple has also privately issued 'incense money,' called something like 'Bao'en Treasure Notes,' which can be exchanged for real gold and silver from devout men and women."

"Which of the major temples in the world isn't a large landowner with vast tracts of land? Temples collectively own 20 to 30 million mu of land, accounting for half of the country's total! Shaolin Temple owns 200,000 mu of land, has 1,200 monks as soldiers, and even secretly possesses armor and firearms! Is this a rebellion?"

"These scoundrels are truly insane!" Ning Caiwei also felt murderous intent. "What do they need so much silver for? They hoard it because they can't squander it all. They just keep accumulating wealth and hoarding it without circulating it. They are truly bringing disaster to the country and the people!"

"What's the use of having lots of silver if it can't be used to achieve your goals? Money has to be used! I'm getting sick of hearing this stupid stuff!" Zhu Yin gently placed his sleeping daughter in the cradle by the stove and rocked it as he spoke.
"To be honest, the Manchu Tartars were ruthless. They were barbaric and didn't tolerate these temple lords. When the Qing army marched south, they looted the gold and silver of the Great Bao'en Temple to pay their military expenses. Emperor Shunzhi and Emperor Kangxi issued the edict restricting the use of official documents and levied heavy taxes on temples. Emperor Kangxi also made temple land public and confiscated temple estates on a large scale. Emperor Yongzheng even levied a head tax on monks. They were not polite at all."

"In the legal system, monks who committed crimes were all punished by the Qing government, just like ordinary people."

"The Ming Dynasty treated them well, but when the Ming Dynasty was about to perish, did they do anything to help?"

"Although the Manchu Qing dynasty did not persecute Buddhism, it was still a calamity for the temples and large landowners. Like the gentry and large landowners, they obediently paid off their wealth to avoid disaster under the Manchu Qing's butcher's knife."

"When the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom came to power, Hong Xiuquan ordered the demolition of all temples and the confiscation of all temple property. The Great Bao'en Temple, which was built in the early Ming Dynasty, also became the sacred treasury of the Taiping Army and disappeared completely."

"This is a case of 'the wicked need the wicked to grind them down'."

"Hmph, if the Qing Dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom could do it, why can't I? Am I afraid of becoming a great demon king in Buddhist history? Am I afraid of them cursing me?"

"These Buddhist nobles never learn their lesson. There have been three major persecutions of Buddhism in history! Are we missing a fourth? Fine! Then I'll handle the fourth one, making it a total of four persecutions of Buddhism by the same emperors!"

Ning Caiwei frowned slightly. "Little Tiger, shouldn't we slow down? I don't know about the Three Wu Emperors' persecution of Buddhism in history, but there are so many temples and believers in the South. A large-scale attack on the temples could create a huge wave of opposition."

"But right now, the Xiaoling Incident is still fresh in our minds, and the blood of many rebellious officials is still fresh. If another anti-Buddhist movement were to erupt, the world would inevitably be in turmoil. Besides, you and your godfather will be leading a large army on a campaign right after the New Year..."

“I’m not afraid of anything. You shouldn’t be either,” Zhu Yin laughed. “Caiwei, a qualified monarch cannot be too concerned about his reputation. Because the power of writing and speaking is not in the hands of the poor and lowly. If you are too concerned about your reputation and afraid of being criticized, you can only become like Emperor Renzong of Song or Emperor Xiaozong of Ming, and you will not be able to accomplish anything great.”

"There are millions of monks and nuns in the country, and the people support them so that they have no worries about food and clothing and live a life of luxury. Every day they are carefree, the people suffer. We must confiscate the wealth amassed by the temples, liberate the people enslaved by the temples, return most of the monks and nuns to secular life, and return the profits to the people. This matter must be done, and we must bear the infamy. It is better to do it sooner rather than later."

"First, if we don't take advantage of this rare opportunity to act now, I'll be leaving Beijing after the New Year, and won't be back until next summer at the earliest. This six-month period is enough time for the other frightened temples to transfer their gold and silver assets!"

"Secondly, if we don't act immediately, other temples, fearing they will follow in the footsteps of the Great Bao'en Temple, will certainly destroy evidence and clean up their mess. This is tantamount to giving them time to clear their names. If we wait until later to take action, their gold and silver will have already been transferred and their evidence destroyed, leaving the court without a legitimate reason to wrong innocent people. This will only provoke greater resistance and bring them even greater infamy."

"Third, the Great Bao'en Temple is the highest-ranking royal temple and the foremost Buddhist temple in Jiangnan. Over the past two hundred years, it has long since woven a network of relationships throughout Jiangnan. If it is confiscated, it will force the monks and nobles to collectively side with the opposition. If the two groups unite, our enemy will become even stronger. If we don't want them to unite, we must eliminate the monks and nobles before they do, so we must act immediately!"

"Fourth, the monastic aristocracy has money, manpower, and control over the thoughts of many believers, making them a naturally organized and dangerous force. Historically, monastic rebellions are not uncommon. The Faqing Rebellion in the Northern Wei Dynasty almost destroyed the Northern Wei. The Beizhou Rebellion in the Song Dynasty, the Peng Monk Rebellion at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, which mobilized two hundred temples, the Wucheng Rebellion during the Zhengde era... many rebellions and uprisings are related to temples. If we don't act immediately, we are giving them time to organize believers and prepare for rebellion. Isn't this like raising a tiger to cause trouble?"

“At that time, my adoptive father will be in western Sichuan and I will be in Yunnan. The main force will be gone. If the monks and nobles join forces with the powerful clans to launch a rebellion and sweep across the entire Jiangnan region, and then contact the Northern Dynasty, how dangerous will the situation in Jiangnan be? If the rear is on fire, my adoptive father and I may be defeated on the front lines, and then it will be even more uncontrollable.”

"Caiwei, are my four reasons enough to justify immediately taking action to destroy Buddhism?"

Ning Caiwei no longer hesitated, gritting her teeth as she said, "Little Tiger, you're right! We should indeed launch a large-scale extermination of Buddhism immediately. Unless we spare the Great Bao'en Temple as well, we really can't delay. Just using the excuses of transferring gold and silver and destroying evidence, we can't give them any time! The sooner the better!"

The princess was persuaded.

Zhu Yin nodded, "Then let's do it! Using the evidence of the Great Bao'en Temple's crimes as an excuse, we'll seize the opportunity to escalate the matter, issue the 'Edict to Investigate Buddhist Temples,' and, with the help of the Tiger Fang and the Imperial Guard, launch a massive anti-Buddhist campaign with lightning speed! We won't give them time to react."

Ning Caiwei's nostrils flared, her eyes sparkling, and she asked, "What about the plan's objectives?"

Zhu Yin thought for a moment, then said seriously:

"First, 80% of Buddhist temples should be closed, especially large temples. At least 70% of monks should return to secular life. Only the remaining 30% who pass the Buddhist scripture exam can continue to be monks. Nuns under the age of 30 should all return to secular life and get married. For those over 30, only 30% who are truly devoted to Buddhism and pass the exam can continue to be nuns. All ordination certificates nationwide should be withdrawn and new ones should be issued."

"Secondly, all the property of the closed temples will be confiscated by the government. The few temples that were not closed will retain only 10% of their property. If monks are truly devoted to Buddhism, why would they care about money? Isn't the ascetic life of ancient Buddha statues, green lamps, and simple meals the most desirable thing?"

"Third, guilty monks, especially the ringleaders, should be executed or exiled as appropriate, and all should be dealt with in accordance with the Great Ming Code. Those who commit heinous crimes should not be allowed to escape justice."

"Fourth, after the confiscated land is converted into government land, it is allocated or returned to the nearby landless people for cultivation."

"Fourth, all the evidence and crimes uncovered in the temples should be made public to expose their true colors—their cover-up of corruption and misdeeds—and shatter any illusions they may have. ..."

Ning Caiwei laughed and said, "If you step on me again, I won't be able to turn over for ten thousand years!"

Zhu Yin's expression was resolute. "I refuse to believe that with my knife in hand and my impartiality, I can't defeat these Mara and Rakshasa dressed in cassocks!"

Ning Caiwei tilted her head playfully, looking at Zhu Yin with admiration, and said, "Little Tiger, you are most like a ruler at times like this."

As she spoke, she realized that she hadn't finished reading the report, so she lowered her head and continued flipping through it.

But as she turned the page, the beautiful and elegant princess suddenly narrowed her eyes, and her pretty eyebrows trembled slightly.

"Little Tiger, have you finished reading this report?"

Zhu Yin shook his head, "Not yet. I only saw that the Great Bao'en Temple was plotting against you and Qingchen, and then you came in and interrupted me."

Ning Caiwei handed the report to Zhu Yin, saying, "Take a look at this. Fan Yi'an dug it up. Don't be angry after you see it."

Zhu Yin took the report and saw that it read: "...After interrogating Da Hui and secretly investigating the old archives in the temple, I finally found the burial place of Empress Lü, the mother of Emperor Jianwen!"

Zhu Yin's eyes widened in surprise. The tomb of Empress Lü was a mystery in Ming Dynasty history, and the truth had actually been uncovered?
Zhu Yin quickly continued reading, and then his eyes slowly turned leaden gray, his face ashen, and he squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth:

"A gentleman's enmity can be avenged even after ten generations!"

"Zhu Di! I will order you to exhume the body, mutilate it, and scatter the bones to the winds!"

...

P.S.: That's all for today. What exactly caused the little tiger to be so angry? Will he ultimately do it? The possibility seems unlikely. After all, rulers need to be rational. So, will he ultimately choose historical forgiveness, or a vengeful spirit that lasts for ten generations? Is this a revenge story? No way, no way? Thank you, goodnight!

(End of this chapter)