Zhenguan: I, Dou Fengjie, will not be the first cuckold.

In the office of the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, several assistants sat around a tea table, eating tea and snacks, while listening to Zhao Dekai, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, read out the preliminary list of candidates for the highest rank.

The list was drafted by Liu Shan, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, and Changsun Huan. If the subordinates had no objections, it would be considered approved.

Dou Fengjie ate a mouthful of flatbread, then took a sip of tea to soothe his throat, appearing exceptionally content.

It's obvious that someone as young and new to officialdom as him wouldn't know much about the Three Cardinal Guides.

The older one gets, the more serious they become about being a devout Buddhist.

"The master of Fahai Temple in Longzhengfang, Daozhen..."

When Zhao Dekai received the name, several officials glanced at the carefree Dou Fengjie, their smiles somewhat eerie.

"Hey, why are you looking at me? Although I don't like the monk Daozhen, it doesn't mean I'm going to block his path."

"Do I look like the kind of person who's petty and narrow-minded?"

Dou Fengjie spoke in surprise.

"Be more confident, and remove the word 'like'."

Changsun Huan glanced at him sideways, his words carrying a hint of personal grudge.

From his time at the Imperial Academy, Dou Fengjie was a vindictive person, wasn't he?

The dormitory was filled with cheerful laughter.

Dou Fengjie stated that he would not obstruct Daozhen, so the possibility of the entire list being approved is very high.

However, Dou Fengjie unequivocally opposed the last Buddhist name.

"Why is Abbot Falin of Longtian Temple, a highly respected monk who previously assisted Master Paramitara in translating scriptures at Daxingshan Temple, now added to the list of highly respected monks?"

Longtian Temple was built by Li Shimin after abandoning the abandoned Taihe Palace, and he appointed Falin as the abbot.

The monk Falin was very knowledgeable and had even borrowed books from Fang Xuanling's residence. His only flaw was his obsession with protecting the Dharma, which led to a bitter feud with the Taoist sect.

Changsun Huan took a breath: "These two kinds of virtues don't conflict with each other, do they?"

Dou Fengjie glanced at Changsun Chong: "Discourse on Correcting Errors."

Farine loves writing books and is argumentative, but she lacks sufficient sensitivity and dares to write about anything and everything.

He dared to consult ancient texts and research to prove that the royal Li family originated from the Tuoba clan of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

From a purely academic perspective, regardless of whether this argument is flawed or not, it can be dismissed with a laugh.

However, when it comes to politics, this thing can cost you your life.

According to the "Wu De Law" which prohibits marriage between people with the same surname, those who come from the same origin, except for those whose surnames are derived from the Ji clan of the Zhou Dynasty, are considered adulterers if they are forced to divorce.

Therefore, the Yuan and Changsun clans, which originated from the Tuoba clan, naturally could not intermarry with the Li clan.

Furthermore, "Bian Zheng Lun" can be interpreted as implying that the marriage between Emperor Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun was illegitimate.

No one is focusing on this, so it was an unintentional mistake on Farine's part;

Some people are holding onto this, and Farin has ulterior motives!

When Falin got into trouble, even the Court of State Ceremonial, which had recommended him for the position of Dade, couldn't escape being implicated!

When Changsun Huan thought of this, he was instantly horrified and wished he could dig open Farin's head to see what was inside!

In particular, it even slandered his aunt!

Changsun Huan gritted his teeth: "Cross out Farin's name!"

The news that Falin, a Buddhist protector, had failed the selection process by the Court of State Ceremonies spread like wildfire throughout the Buddhist and nunneries of Chang'an.

Daozhen suddenly felt very lucky; at least this time, that unscrupulous Duke Zan next door didn't really trip him up.

He himself knew that even if he passed the Honglu Temple examination, he would not be of high regard to the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Sacrifices.

After all, there are too many famous monks in Chang'an now, and he is not among them.

-----------------

Zhongnan Mountain, Longtian Temple.

Wearing a Vairocana hat, Falin appeared solemn and remained silent on the other temple abbots' discussions.

Farin remained completely unmoved when the Court of State Ceremonial dismissed her without a word.

As a devout protector of the Dharma, Falin did not care much about personal honor or disgrace, but was particularly concerned about upholding the Buddhist community.

"Amitabha! I heard that Xin Xu, a courtier of the Crown Prince, wrote a 'Question and Answer' to challenge Huijing. I wonder how well Huijing responded?"

Farin remained calm and undisturbed.

"Disciple Huijing has written 'Analysis of Doubts' in response to Li Sheren. Please review it, Master."

Huijing, a monk from Jiguo Temple in Yanfufang, respectfully presented an article written on white hemp paper.

Within the Buddhist community, Falin possessed extremely extensive knowledge, but whether that knowledge was acquired legitimately or whether the imperial court recognized it was another matter entirely.

After carefully reading it once, Falin asked the novice monk to hand her paper and pen, and then she sat down and wrote down "A Comprehensive Analysis of Doubts," which was essentially an endorsement of Huijing's work.

"It is known that one receives retribution according to one's karma, and the two birds do not discriminate based on their size; they are born from dampness, and the two insects have no choice but to fly and transform."

As Kan Ze once said, "Confucius and Lao Tzu followed the laws of Heaven, and all the heavens followed the laws of Buddha."

"Zhongshe is learned and talented, his writings are profound and insightful; a single word from Qin is worth a thousand pieces of gold in Shu. Falin, merely sharpening a leaden knife, how can he compare to such extraordinary beauty?"

Unlike her confrontation with Taoism, Farin's words were less sharp. She flattered Xin Xu while also defending Hui Jing, ending the debate with "two articles revealing the truth," a skillful attempt to smooth things over.

It wasn't that Farin had changed his temper; it was that Xinxu's position as a retainer of the Crown Prince made him somewhat wary.

After all, for Buddhism to flourish, it needs the support of the crown prince.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian maintained a balance between Taoism and Buddhism, ensuring that he did not lose interest in Buddhism.

Dao Zun Chong Hua Fang west Hua Guan;

The temple is located in the Banzhengfang area of ​​the Buddha Temple, and some people also write it as Puguang Temple.

Lawyer Xuanchan softly chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Amitabha! Brother, are you truly unconcerned about what the Honglu Temple did?"

"As far as I know, the Court of State Ceremonies is keeping quiet about it because the 'Treatise on Correcting Misconceptions' may contain some forbidden passages."

Farin remained calm: "The Treatise on Dialectics may not be perfect, but every word and sentence is the result of my own research."

"Even if Buddha and Mara were to appear together, not a single word could be changed."

The old monk was exceptionally confident, and he was willing to risk his life for his work.

Bowing your head is absolutely unacceptable!

Xuan Chan sighed softly, then fell silent.

When they were both at Daxingshan Temple assisting Bopo in translating scriptures, he already knew of Falin's stubborn temper, and giving her a reminder was already doing his best.

-----------------

Chonghuafang, Xihua Temple.

Abbot Qin Ying was brandishing his magic sword with the agility of a dragon, his long beard flowing, exuding an air of otherworldly elegance.

While the Honglu Temple's rejection of Falin's qualifications as a great master pleased him, one thing remained unresolved.

"Are you saying that the actions of the Court of State Ceremonial were not influenced by my Taoist followers?"

With a single thrust of his sword into the wooden stake, Qin Ying sheathed his sword, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"Although it's unexpected, it's true. It's said that Farin has something on her hands."

Li Chunfeng, a junior official in the Imperial Observatory, spoke with absolute certainty.

The title of Jiangshilang was a minor official of the ninth rank, not a formal official position, which shows that Li Chunfeng's position at this time was rather awkward.

Approaching thirty, he was still very young in the emperor's eyes.

Although everyone suspected that the problem might lie in the books written by Farin, Farin was such a prolific writer that her surviving works comprised more than thirty volumes, making it difficult to pinpoint the problem.

Despite their opposing stances, Qin Ying had to admit that Falin was erudite and her use of classical allusions was quite skillful, making it difficult for anyone to maliciously label her.

"Find out who first rejected Falin's proposal at the Court of State Ceremonies. If possible, recruit him as a protector of our Taoism."

Qin Ying said firmly.

Whether the Dharma protector believes in Taoism or not is not important, as long as he does not believe in Buddhism!

"Please inform the Xuandu Temple again, so as not to put me in a difficult position."

Li Chunfeng also agreed with this opinion.