The Legend of the Condor Heroes: Starting from the Bodyguard

Chapter 226 of the Lankavatara Sutra

As dusk fell, the sunlight on the horizon quickly lost its color, leaving only a trace of white on the western horizon. The winter plum blossoms in front of the Imperial Palace set off a touch of delicate red. Yang Kang strode into the hall.

"Father!"

The patron, Wanyan Honglie, put down the book in his hand and said gently, "Kang'er has arrived."

"Ok!"

Yang Kang replied in this way, his gaze fixed on Wanyan Honglie.

Since the Mongols conquered Daxingfu and the Jin Dynasty moved its capital, the Emperor had devoted himself to the affairs of state. His once good health had deteriorated, and he had lost weight. His hair was now in his fifties, but he was neatly combed, looked energetic, and had a more dignified air than before.

"If I become emperor, I will probably have a profound and dignified demeanor like my father," Yang Kang thought to himself.

"Father, I have something to report."

"Tell me slowly."

"it is good."

Yang Kang sat down and said, "Sha Tongtian and Hou Tonghai have returned."

Wanyan Honglie did not interrupt, but listened quietly.

"It was supposed to be foolproof, but when we were about to take action on the Poyang Lake section of the river, an old man whose skills were no less than Mr. Ouyang's suddenly appeared, and all our efforts were in vain. I am incompetent."

Wanyan Honglie said gently, "Kang'er, there's no need to blame yourself. It's certainly gratifying to succeed, but don't blame yourself for failure either. Learn from your mistakes and think more about where the problem lies and why there were no backup plans or remedial measures. Your status is different now. You will be in charge of the Jin Kingdom in the future, not the little prince you used to be. Don't act impulsively and without considering the bigger picture."

When Yang Kang heard that he would be in charge of the Jin Kingdom in the future, he felt his blood boil. He suppressed his emotions and said, "Father is right, I understand."

"The reason I say this is because killing Tolui, Huazheng and those people will not actually stop the Mongols from sending another imperial envoy to Lin'an. There will be a second team and a third team."

"What Father says is absolutely right."

"Therefore, we should start with the Lin'an court and try to get Shi Miyuan to persuade the Song emperor to refuse the alliance. This is a solution that addresses both the symptoms and the root cause. There is also the remedy I mentioned. Any plan must have a backup plan. The Jin Dynasty and the Khwarazmian Empire are on good terms. Now I will talk about the Khwarazmian Empire."

Yang Kang suddenly remembered that when they were in Zhongdu, his father had said that when he came to power, he would unite with the Khwarazmian Empire and be able to turn the tide and destroy the Mongols.

He blurted out, "Father is going to send an imperial envoy to Khwarazm."

“Kang’er is clever. With Khwarazm sending troops to attack from both sides, even if Genghis Khan had three heads and six arms, he would be no match for me.”

"The other thing I want to ask you about is that the Vajra Sect has sent people. I will go to Shaoshi Mountain and then go to Khwarezm on your behalf, and also pay a visit to the Vajra Sect leader."

When Wanyan Honglie heard Yang Kang's words, he was delighted. The Vajra Sect was powerful, and now the master protecting him was from the Vajra Sect.

With expert escorts, your journey will be worry-free.

He laughed and said, "Going to Khwarezm is a long journey, why bother Kang'er? You just need to handle things properly in Lin'an, and I will arrange for someone to bring generous gifts to the Vajra Gate."

“I understand, then I will go to Lin’an to find Shi Miyuan.”

"Yes, Kang'er understands immediately. I am very pleased. If we, father and son, work together, the world will surely belong to Kang'er in the future."

Yang Kang was thrilled. “Father, rest assured, Qiu Qianren is already helping me. The Iron Palm Clan has a strong presence in Jinghu Road and has connections with local officials. If Father wants to go south, with the Iron Palm Clan’s support, Jinghu Road will be as easy as picking up a straw.”

"Good, good, with a son like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

The father and son sat down for a long talk, discussing in detail how to negotiate after arriving in Lin'an, what the imperial envoy should say to Khwarazm, and how to use the Vajra Gate to get things done. As night fell completely, Yang Kang bid farewell to Wanyan Honglie, left the imperial city, and went to the lodgings where the Vajra Gate envoys were being received.

A gust of wind rustled by, carrying the fragrance of plum blossoms. Yang Kang walked through the corridors and buildings, and in the brightly lit hall, Bao Xiang, who had assassinated his former patron, was chatting with several monks.

He strode forward into the hall and said to a monk in the center who had a round face, large ears, a straight nose, a square mouth, and a waist ten spans wide, "Master Baoshu, you have been waiting for a long time. I have good news to tell you."

Bao Xiang said, "Senior Brother, I already told you that the Crown Prince is very hospitable, what do you think?"

Bao Xiang, the chief disciple of Huo Gong Toutuo, said that the monk Bao Shu, who had cultivated the "Vajra Finger" and "Vajra Prajna Palm" to the pinnacle, said: "Indeed, he is gentle, kind, respectful, frugal and modest. This humble monk is fortunate to have met the prince."

"You're too kind, Master. Please take a seat."

The Vajra Sect's trip was grand, with several of Bao Xiang's senior brothers accompanying them, along with dozens of martial artists from the Western Regions, determined to sweep through Shaoshi Mountain. After everyone took their seats, Yang Kang said, "My father sent an envoy to the Vajra Sect, offering ten years' worth of incense money, which is enough for the Vajra Sect to overpower the Shaolin Temple in the Western Regions. When Master arrives at Shaoshi Mountain, I will accompany Mr. Ouyang and Chief Qiu of the Iron Palm Clan to cheer him on."

"Amitabha, thank you, Your Highness."

Baoshu was overjoyed. It was secondary that Ouyang Feng and the others would accompany him to Shaolin Temple. The main reason was that the Western Regions were a harsh and cold place with few followers of the Vajra Sect. Ten years' worth of incense money would be enough to expand their power and overpower that old bastard Ku Hui.

Yang Kang and Bao Shu talked late into the night by candlelight. When the light came on, he was full of energy. He first found Qiu Qianren and told him about his plans for going to Lin'an after the trip to Shaoshi Mountain. He asked the Iron Palm Clan to send disciples to Lin'an in advance to find out about the Mongol envoy. Then he began to make arrangements for the trip to Shaoshi Mountain.

……

When Zhou Yan visited Shaoshi Mountain again, he still saw the long and wide stone steps stretching for eight miles. On the opposite mountain, five waterfalls cascaded down with great force, and after turning a bend in the mountain path, he came to the Shaolin Temple with its yellow walls and green tiles.

The old fisherman and Liang Xiaowu also accompanied him, but the eccentric old fisherman had little interest in ancient temples and monasteries, and he went to Mount Song to explore the mountains and rivers by himself.

Liang Xiaowu stayed at the inn and looked after the horses. When Yang Kang and his party arrived at Shaoshi Mountain in a grand procession, he would be able to find out the news. At that time, the young bodyguard would accompany the Fisherman of Misty Waves up the mountain.

Spring is still chilly, but wild plum blossoms are in bloom.

The Indian monks in front of the temple clasped their hands together, their eyes filled with piety.

Zhou Yan gave his name to the guest monk and waited for several hundred breaths. The young novice monk who had received him before hurriedly came over. The young monk first glanced at the Indian monk, and then said to Zhou Yan, "The abbot invites you."

"Thank you, young benefactor."

The young novice monk led the way, through the courtyard and the corridor. In the time it takes to eat a meal, the two arrived at the secluded Zen temple, where Abbot Kucheng of Shaolin Temple had been waiting for a long time.

"I pay my respects to the Abbot."

"You're too kind, Chief Escort."

"This humble monk greets the abbot," the Indian monk said, pressing his palms together.

"This is?"

"It's a long story, let me tell you slowly."

"Of course!" Ku Cheng returned the greeting to the Indian monk with his palms together. The three entered the meditation room. After the young novice served tea, he withdrew. Only then did Zhou Yan explain in detail the reasons for the Indian monk's arrival in the Central Plains and his discovery of the Vajra Sect disciples and martial arts figures from the Western Regions arriving in Kaifeng Prefecture.

Zhou Yan was delivering a message. He had known for some time that the Vajra Sect was going to provoke the Shaolin Temple. The abbot had also sent people to the Shaolin Temple in the Western Regions. Through this back and forth, he had a general understanding of the strength of the Vajra Sect, so he was not surprised.

On the contrary, it was the story of the Indian monk who traveled thousands of miles to the Central Plains to find the Golden Baby because the people of India were suffering from poisonous insects that moved Ku Cheng. Ku Cheng thanked Zhou Yan for going up the mountain to deliver the message, and then said to the Indian monk, "Master, you have a compassionate heart and do compassionate things. Well done, well done."

An Indian monk put his hands together and said, "Amitabha, fearless of great matters, and not taking small matters lightly. Exhausting all your compassion, wisdom and strength, to the very end without omission."

Ku Cheng said, “Master, your Buddhist teachings are profound. Why don’t you stay at our temple for a while so that my fellow disciples and I can listen to your teachings and learn from you?”

"This humble monk also wishes to study the scriptures and discuss the Dharma with the abbot."

"I can't ask for it!"

The two began to discuss Buddhism. Zhou Yan was well-versed in Taoist classics and understood them all. He found it easy to comprehend the profound meaning of Buddhism, much like when he listened to Wang Chuyi and Ma Yu preach.

In the evening, Zhou Yan, the Indian monk, the ascetic monk, and several elderly monks had a vegetarian meal. The monks then began to preach, and he listened attentively, his mind clear, and he gained a great deal.

……

It was late at night, and Zhou Yan returned to his room in the temple. The courtyard was quiet and secluded, with deep yellow lights spilling onto the mottled bluestone bearing the marks of time. A gentle night breeze caressed the ancient trees, and an Indian monk carrying scriptures walked over.

Zhou Yan, who was standing by the window gazing into the distance, asked, "Master, what is this?"

The Indian monk spoke up: "When Bodhidharma crossed the sea to the East, he brought the original scroll of the Lankavatara Sutra to China. This humble monk naturally wishes to read and study it."

“The Lankavatara Sutra?” Zhou Yan murmured to himself.

"The abbot said that there are four Chinese translations of the Lankavatara Sutra, three of which still exist today. They are the Lankavatara Abhadra Sutra, which has four volumes; the Lankavatara Sutra, which has ten volumes; and the Mahayana Lankavatara Sutra, which has seven volumes. This is the four volumes of the Lankavatara Sutra. I will recite and study each translation to see how they differ from the original."

"I see." Zhou Yan nodded, his heart filled with turmoil. The Nine Yang Manual was in the original scroll of the Lankavatara Sutra.

(End of this chapter)