Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 171 On Zen at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda

"Moreover... think about it, in your mother's eyes, you are one of the few good children in the Li clan. Your mother is eager for you to behave well so that you can set a good example for the Li clan. And now he runs up to your mother and bites you."

"Moreover, they used the excuse that you and Liu Rengui don't get along."

"Tsk tsk, a three-dynasty veteran who died, the only member of the Li clan who didn't oppose her, I don't even want to think whether he can survive after taking that bite."

A playful yet cruel smile appeared on Liu Jianjun's face.

Li Xian carefully pondered Liu Jianjun's words, a chill creeping up his spine, yet also a strange sense of enlightenment washing over him.

"So, by whipping the deputy envoy in the street in such a grand manner, you were not only doing it for Lai Junchen's benefit, but also to make a big scene and force him to file a complaint?"

Li Xian suddenly realized.

"Otherwise, how can we make it seem like we have a deep-seated grudge against Lao Liu?"

Liu Jianjun grinned, "If we don't make a big fuss, how can we appear arrogant and domineering, daring to lay a hand on an angel sent by the Empress Dowager? And how can we make Lai Junchen think he has caught us in a huge trap, and rush back to claim credit and reward?"

He paused, then his tone turned cold: "He climbed to this position by fabricating charges and making baseless accusations."

“If we give him one that’s already there, why wouldn’t he take it?”

"Moreover, given his personality, he will surely exaggerate and exaggerate our disrespect for the Empress Dowager and our gloating over Liu Rengui. The more outrageous his words, the faster he will die."

Li Xian nodded silently, and after a moment, asked again, "But... wasn't he the troublemaker you sent to the Empress Dowager's side? His death... won't have any impact?"

Li Xian thought to himself that the description of a "stirring up trouble" was truly brilliant. The imperial court in Luoyang was like a giant cesspool, crawling with filthy maggots and filth.

“It doesn’t matter. People like Lai Junchen are not important. If he’s dead, he’s dead. Even if he’s alive, he’s just a troublemaker. Your mother can kill him anytime.” Liu Jianjun paused and said, “What we need are real talents. You can’t govern a country by just attacking each other. Your mother will soon realize this.”

Li Xian nodded.

Liu Jianjun has his own method for judging talent, and it's very accurate. Li Xian doesn't understand why, so he doesn't ask.

"So what should we do?"

"We've managed to recruit all the talent before she did... but right now, we have something more important to do... your brother, his post-traumatic stress disorder."

"Post-traumatic... what?"

Li Xian didn't understand the word, but he roughly knew that it was Liu Jianjun's description of Li Xian's current situation.

"In other words, he's terrified, his soul hasn't returned," Liu Jianjun explained succinctly. "Just leaving him like this won't work; we need to find something for him to do, to distract him, to gradually make him feel safe, and to make him feel that he's still somewhat useful..."

Liu Jianjun sighed halfway through his sentence: "I don't know if it will work, but that's what I've heard. Let's go back and take a look."

……

The two returned to the Prince of Pei's residence and went straight to the secluded courtyard where Li Xian lived.

The courtyard was quiet. When the eunuch on duty saw them return, he reported in a low voice: "Your Highness, Chief Secretary Liu, Prince Luling has woken up, but... he is still somewhat absent-minded. He has eaten very little of the food that was sent to him, and most of the time he just stares out the window in a daze."

Li Xian sighed inwardly, exchanged a glance with Liu Jianjun, and gently pushed open the door to enter.

Inside the room, Li Xian did not curl up on the couch, but sat alone on the folding chair by the window, wrapped in a thick fur blanket.

He heard the door open, his shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly, and he slowly turned his head.

His face was still pale, his eyes filled with undisguised exhaustion and a lingering fear, but it was no longer the utter panic of complete collapse. Seeing that it was Li Xian and Liu Jianjun, the wariness in his eyes lessened slightly, revealing a faint light, and he softly called out, "Second brother... Jianjun..."

His voice was somewhat hoarse and low, but no longer broken and off-key.

“Brother Xian,” Li Xian stepped forward and asked gently, “Have you eaten anything? Are you feeling better?”

Li Xian shook his head slightly, then turned his gaze to the window, his voice heavy with weariness: "I can't eat... I always feel uneasy, like something is hanging in the air, something I can't quite settle down on."

His hands, resting on his lap, unconsciously clenched the edge of the fur blanket, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Liu Jianjun glanced around the room and, seeing the almost untouched porridge and side dishes on the table, pulled over another folding chair and sat down. His tone was much gentler than usual, but still direct: "Staying cooped up in the room like this all the time can make even a good person sick. Xianzi, do you want to go out for some fresh air? Changing your place might help you clear your mind."

Upon hearing this, Li Xian's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. He turned his gaze from the window, his expression filled with obvious hesitation and resistance: "Go out? With my current status... how can I easily show myself? If..."

He swallowed the rest of his words, but his worry was evident.

Li Xian felt touched, but also guilty.

Although Li Xian was brought to Chang'an, it also meant that he would have to stay in the Prince of Pei's mansion from now on. If he went out and showed his face in public, not only would he get into trouble, but the entire Prince of Pei's mansion would also get into trouble.

Li Xian was clearly aware of this, which is why he said such a thing.

"Don't worry, we're not going to the city center."

Liu Jianjun understood his concerns and said, "Let's go to a quiet place, where we're safe... How about the Big Wild Goose Pagoda? Ci'en Temple is a sacred Buddhist site, and although there are many worshippers on weekdays, it's quiet on the pagoda. Climbing up to look out over Chang'an City and listening to the chanting of sutras is the best way to calm your mind."

"The Big Wild Goose Pagoda..."

Li Xian repeated the sentence in a low voice, a very subtle ripple flashing in his eyes, as if recalling some of his time in Chang'an.

But then he frowned, worried, and said, "I'm afraid there will be too many people around..."

"Don't worry about this."

Li Xian took over the conversation, saying confidently, "I will make the arrangements. We will enter through the side gate and go directly up the tower without attracting attention. The monks at Ci'en Temple are also reasonable people and will not cause any trouble."

Looking at Li Xian's face, still etched with weariness and unease, he advised, "Brother Xian, sitting idly all day can easily give rise to wandering thoughts. The Pure Land of Buddhism might help calm your mind. Why not give it a try?"

Li Xian remained silent for a moment, his gaze shifting between the encouraging expressions of Li Xian and Liu Jianjun, before finally nodding with difficulty.

"...Alright. Thank you for making the arrangements, Second Brother and Jianjun."

Seeing this, Liu Jianjun finally relaxed a little: "Alright, then it's settled. Xianzi, go arrange the carriages and horses, make sure they're the least conspicuous ones. I'll go find some ordinary clothes." Li Xian nodded and immediately turned to instruct the servants to prepare.

……

Soon after, an inconspicuous blue-canopied carriage quietly drove out from the back garden of the Prince of Pei's mansion.

Inside the car, Li Xian was wrapped in a hooded cloak, with most of his face hidden in the shadows.

He remained silent, his body slightly tense, constantly watching the sounds outside the window. He did not tremble uncontrollably or mutter incoherently, but his eyes would occasionally show a wary look when he heard the noise of children playing by the roadside, which made Li Xian feel a pang of heartache.

The carriage arrived smoothly at Ci'en Temple in Jinchangfang and entered through a side gate.

A pre-arranged monk quietly led the way, bypassing the main halls and heading straight for the majestic Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

The tower was empty and quiet, with only the sound of their footsteps and the whistling of the wind blowing through the tower windows. As they spiraled upwards, Li Xian's breathing became a little rapid, and Li Xian carefully supported him from the side.

Upon reaching the top of the tower, a panoramic view and a biting cold wind simultaneously greet you.

Li Xian subconsciously tightened his cloak and walked to the tower railing.

Then, gazing blankly at the sprawling city of Chang'an beneath his feet, a complex emotion flickered in his eyes—a mixture of bewilderment and unfamiliarity. The wind ruffled his hair and clothes, and his stiff back seemed to relax almost imperceptibly in the vast wind.

Liu Jianjun didn't say much. He took a scroll of scripture from the shelf inside the pagoda, walked to Li Xian's side, and handed it to him: "Try reading this? Don't try to understand it too well. Just let the wind from the top of the pagoda carry away your voice and the pent-up emotions in your heart."

Li Xian saw that the content above was the Diamond Sutra.

Li Xian hesitated before taking the scroll. The paper felt cool to the touch. He looked up at Li Xian, who nodded encouragingly at him.

He took a deep breath, lowered his head, and focused his gaze on the scriptures.

His voice was initially low, hoarse from not speaking for a long time, and trembled slightly, but he began to recite clearly: "Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove of Anathapindika's Park in Shravasti, together with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks..."

Li Xian quietly stayed by his side, occasionally whispering a word or two when he paused.

Such a quiet time even made Li Xian feel somewhat enjoyable. Li Xian recalled when his mother made him copy scriptures as punishment when he was a child. Li Xian always liked to read the scriptures aloud while copying them. After copying so many, Li Xian didn't remember them, but Li Xian had almost memorized the entire scripture.

Liu Jianjun suddenly leaned closer, glanced in Li Xian's direction, and then whispered, "Xianzi, speaking of which, isn't your mother quite devout in her Buddhist practice these days? Ci'en Temple and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda must be receiving more favor from the court than before, right?"

Li Xian was taken aback by what he heard. He frowned slightly and looked at Liu Jianjun with confusion, not understanding why he would suddenly bring this up at this moment.

Liu Jianjun didn't look at him, his eyes still glancing in Li Xian's direction, as if he were talking to himself: "Laozi... uh, I mean that Laozi, the ancestor of Taoism, if he could still think right now, he'd probably be furious."

"Back in the day, Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong revered Laozi as their ancestor and adopted Taoism as the state religion. How come now, the incense at this Buddhist temple is becoming more and more abundant, and imperial favors are being sent to this temple like a flowing river?"

He turned his head and suddenly looked at Li Xian: "Haven't you ever thought about it? Why does your mother insist on promoting Buddhism from India, while intentionally or unintentionally suppressing our native Taoism?"

Li Xian remained silent.

Liu Jianjun chuckled: "Suppressing Taoism is just a roundabout way of suppressing your Li family, isn't it? Taoism is recognized as the ancestor of your Li family, and it is one of the foundations of the divine right of kings of your Li Tang imperial family."

"If we loosen this leg, wouldn't fate be even easier... to fall somewhere else?"

He leaned closer to Li Xian and continued, "She praised this Buddhist temple so highly, not only because she herself might genuinely believe in Buddhism, but also because the roots of Buddhism are not in the Central Plains. It has no old grudges with her maternal family, the Wu clan, or with her, the person who is about to change the world. On the contrary, it can be used by her more effectively, giving her the destiny she desires."

"If I'm not mistaken, your mother is about to start loudly proclaiming auspicious omens to prove her legitimacy. That old woman, she really takes things one step at a time..."

At this moment, Li Xian noticed that Li Xian's hand holding the scripture was trembling slightly. He didn't know when, but Li Xian had also heard their conversation and stopped reciting the scripture.

Even when Liu Jianjun mentioned "taking one step at a time," Li Xian loosened his grip on the scripture, and the Diamond Sutra fell to the ground with a "thud."

Liu Jianjun noticed it too. He stepped forward, bent down to pick up the scroll of scriptures, and casually patted off the dust.

"Of course, the scriptures are not wrong. The problem lies with the people who use them, the bald monks... uh, the monks chant their scriptures, and we enjoy our peace and quiet. It's none of our business."

"This place has a good view and the wind is strong, which is perfect for clearing up the muddy water in my head."

He stuffed the scroll back into Li Xian's hands and patted him on the shoulder: "Xianzi, keep reciting yours. Don't worry about anything else. Even if the sky falls, your brother and I, being tall, will hold it up for you. The most important thing for you right now is to find your soul and get your body back in good shape."

"In the future..."

He paused, lowered his voice, but with a firm strength: "There's still a long way to go."

Li Xian suddenly understood the purpose of Liu Jianjun's words.

Buddha cannot save people; he only deceives them.

These clay bodhisattvas with golden bodies built a small square pavilion and called it a shrine. They can only live in a corner, so how can they have the ability to save people?
It's nothing more than deceiving people into building the same shrine in their hearts, seeking peace of mind.

Li Xian's problem also cannot be solved through Buddhism. Liu Jianjun simply borrowed this place to strengthen his heart.

Li Xian wasn't sure if Li Xian had figured it out, but Li Xian held the scriptures that had been handed back to him, looked up at Li Xian, then at Liu Jianjun, his eyes still filled with confusion and fear, but deep within them, there seemed to be a faint glimmer of light that Li Xian couldn't understand.

He ultimately stopped reciting the scriptures, instead clutching the scroll tightly, his gaze returning to the vast expanse of Chang'an beyond the tower, remaining silent for a long time.

The wind grew stronger, making the copper bells under the eaves of the tower tinkle, as if they were singing an unknown ancient ballad.

Li Xian walked to Li Xian's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, gazing at the city of Chang'an outside the tower.

Then he suddenly said, "Hundreds of thousands of houses are like a game of Go, and twelve streets are like vegetable plots."

Li Xian turned his head in astonishment.

“Liu Jianjun wrote this,” Li Xian turned to look at him, “This is a city that my father and Emperor Taizong poured their hearts and souls into building. It is the foundation of our Li Tang dynasty. As your brother… I want to protect it.”

……

(End of this chapter)