The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 124

Chapter 124: Your Majesty, Please Punish the Prince of Shixing

The next day, also the eighth day of the fourth month of the second year of Taijian, was Buddha’s birthday. On this day, several high monks, led by “Master Zhiyi,” gathered in front of Miaofa Temple. It was said that they were there at Your Majesty’s decree to engage in a debate with erudite scholars representing the four schools of Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, and Miscellaneous. This debate was of great significance, directly determining whether Buddhism should exist in the world and whether Buddhist teachings should be passed down!

Because there were so many Buddhist monks and the news spread far and wide, countless commoners, scholars, and court officials came to watch. The crowd surged, a vast sea of people. If the Prefect of Jiankang, Wang Mao, hadn’t sent officers to maintain order, the temple might have been crushed.

Fortunately, a large open space had been cleared in front of the temple for the ten representative high monks to debate with the scholars and Confucian masters.

But outside the open space, the surroundings were already a sea of people, even more impressive than the Pure Conversation Gathering on Mount Fahua.

When the Prince of Shixing learned the news, it was just when he was able to get out of bed. After taking the medicine according to the prescription given by Princess Yunyin, his injury had indeed improved a lot.

Learning about the debate between the monks and the scholars, such a grand occasion, how could he miss it?

Not only him, even Crown Prince Chen Shubao and Prince of Changsha Chen Shujian rushed over impatiently and occupied a seat early on.

However, what these princes were brewing under this debate, no one knew!

When Gao Changgong arrived here, it was already a quarter past seven. The debate had just begun. The spring day was bright, the breeze gentle. Occasionally, there were bursts of voices from the vast temple, a scene of bustling noise. But in Gao Changgong’s view, it seemed that he could only hear her voice.

“To speak of it in terms of reason is called Dao, to speak of it in terms of teaching is called unity, to speak of it in terms of essence is called nothingness, to speak of it in terms of the subtle and unfathomable is called spirit, and to speak of it in terms of responding to changes is called Yi.”

“Nothingness exists before all transformations, emptiness is the beginning of form, also known as original nothingness. This sentence is originally an explanation of ‘the emptiness of Prajna nature,'”

“But Daoism also says, ‘The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of ten thousand things.’ Laozi’s meaning here is that the true Dao lies in the formless!”

“Therefore, Dao follows nature, Buddhism speaks of Prajna, whether it’s the Daoist heart or the Buddhist heart, it’s all the human heart!”

“What is there to think and worry about in the world? All things in the world return to the same destination but take different paths. So, don’t Buddhism, Daoism, Legalism, and Confucianism have something in common?”

This was a debate around the topic of “the human heart.” Facing the monks’ questions, Xiao Jinyu presented the view that what Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, and Buddhism discuss is all the human heart.

At this time, a high monk asked: “Young Master Xie, what is your explanation of the human heart?”

“The human heart is benevolence. The heart is reason. The unity of knowledge and action is to achieve conscience.

No matter how big the world is, as long as there is a thought towards good, with conscience in the heart, even ordinary people can become sages!”

“So, whether it’s Buddhism, Daoism, Legalism, or Confucianism, the human heart is the foundation, benevolence and kindness are the beginning and the end. Venerable monks, and all the esteemed Sirs present, am I right?”

The debate had reached this point, the echoes lingered. It was unknown if it was because the sun was high, but the monks were already sweating profusely!

“If that’s the case, Your Majesty wants our Buddhist temples to return the land, the monks to return to secular life, forcing Buddhism to a dead end, how can this be called benevolence and kindness?”

“Master Zhiyi, you misunderstand. Your Majesty’s intention is not to force Buddhism to a dead end. Buddhism can still exist in the world. If Buddhism is truly pure and benefits the world, it should exist. But if someone uses the identity of a monk, hiding in Buddhist temples, to do harm to the people, Master Zhiyi, what do you think should be done?”

“Impossible, Young Master Xie. The Buddhist temple is a sacred place, how can you slander it?”

“Master Zhiyi, is it truly pure and spotless?”

Xiao Jinyu, disguised as Xie Zhen, asked again in a loud voice.

Master Zhiyi wanted to retort, but he saw that half of the other monks who came with him lowered their heads in guilt.

At this time, Prince of Changsha walked out from behind the monks, held up a handwritten letter in front of them, and said loudly: “I have evidence here. This is the evidence I found in the room of the high monk Guanding from Tianning Temple. This high monk, learning from the likes of Lu Xun and Sun En, used the preaching of Buddhism as a cover to deceive good women into giving large amounts of incense money and had relations with them. His behavior can be described as extremely filthy. This handwritten letter is the evidence written by Guanding himself!”

After speaking, Prince of Changsha Chen Shujian passed this handwritten letter to Emperor Chen Xu.

Cold sweat had already appeared on Master Zhiyi’s forehead, he hurriedly shouted: “Your Majesty! The appearance of such a scoundrel in Buddhism is a misfortune for Buddhism, but a few scoundrels do not represent the entire Buddhist community!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard another sentence from Prince of Changsha:

“Besides the high monk Guanding from Tianning Temple, there is also Huitong from Changuang Temple, who privately trained the monks into his own private army, and even has the suspicion of rebellion!”

Upon hearing the four words “suspicion of rebellion,” the several high monks present were even more terrified and could no longer sit still.

At this moment, even the Chief Censor, Wang Zheng, stood up and presented a handwritten letter, saying: “Your Majesty, this handwritten letter was written by Fan Yong, the son of Fan, the Assistant Minister of the Secretariat, from the Sunyang Fan Clan. It details very clearly how Fan Yong took advantage of the convenience of high monks in Buddhist temples for corruption and bribery, and conspired with them to abduct women and raise private armies. Please have a look, Your Majesty!”

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When it came to raising private armies, Chen Xu’s face changed drastically!

And when he heard the two words “Fan Yong,” Chen Shuling, standing in the crowd, also changed his expression. At this time, Chen Shuling already had a very bad premonition in his heart. He always felt that the prelude to this debate seemed to be prepared for him!

At this time, he hurriedly called his advisor Wei Liang to him, seemingly instructing him on something. While watching the scene, he prepared to quietly withdraw from the crowd.

At this time, he saw the look in Chen Xu’s eyes getting darker and darker, angrier and angrier, as if he was about to breathe fire!

Just as he was about to flee to the back, suddenly, all the ministers and scholars present knelt down in unison.

“We have also received this handwritten letter, and we were all coerced by the Prince of Shixing before and had no way to speak out!”

“The Prince of Shixing is unforgivable, please Your Majesty uphold justice and punish the Prince of Shixing!”

The sonorous and forceful voices immediately resounded throughout the entire temple, the echoes reverberating.

Chen Shuling suddenly felt as if thousands of arrows were shooting at him, turning him into a hedgehog. His blood froze, and he couldn’t move for a moment.

So, he cast a resentful look at “Xie Zhen,” who stood at the forefront, in front of the emperor, straight as a bamboo, seemingly aloof and independent!

“Father, the high monk Guanding from Tianning Temple, the high monk Huitong from Xiangguang Temple, and even the high monk Huiwei from Tiantai Temple who assassinated Lanling Wang before, all have correspondence with my brother, the Prince of Shixing. Huitong even admitted that the private army he trained was for the Prince of Shixing, just for the day of assassinating the Crown Prince and replacing the Eastern Palace!”

“Insolent! Do you know what you are saying?” Chen Xu finally couldn’t help but shout angrily.

Prince of Changsha was so frightened that he immediately knelt down and shouted again: “Father, what I said is true! At this moment, that Huitong is in this temple. I can immediately bring him out to confront my brother!

Moreover, even among the common people, there is a rumor: ‘The thousand-year-old skull grows teeth, the Tomb-Raiding Prince plots against the Eastern Palace.’ Isn’t this Tomb-Raiding Prince referring to my second brother?”

At this time, Chen Shuling was so angry that his eyes were spitting fire, he wished he could draw his sword and slash at Prince of Changsha!

But at this time, he couldn’t get angry. He had to stay calm and argue!

He couldn’t let them say whatever they wanted!

“Father, I’m wronged! Please, Father, you must investigate clearly!”

Thinking in his heart, Chen Shuling also knelt down, “They are just saying things, I haven’t even argued a word. This is clearly Prince of Changsha setting me up!”

He pointed at the ministers kneeling on the ground, gritting his teeth and saying, “These people are all Prince of Changsha’s partisans!”

“You shut up too!” Chen Xu shouted sternly.

At this moment, Chen Xu only felt dizzy, the development of the situation was completely beyond his expectations!

Wasn’t this a debate prepared for the “elimination of Buddhism”?

Wasn’t the result he wanted to make the Buddhist community return the land and all the wealth they possessed to the national treasury?

Why was the filth hidden in Buddhism also related to the Prince of Shixing?

At this time, Xiao Jinyu stood up again and questioned the emperor:

“Your Majesty, do you know why so many farmers and commoners would rather become monks and flee to temples?”

Chen Xu suddenly woke up and looked at her in disbelief, only to hear her say,

“It’s because, just like the Prince of Shixing, they are corrupt and break the law, excessively exploiting the people’s wealth, making it impossible for the common people to pay taxes and leaving them in dire straits. That’s why they hide in temples to avoid taxes!”

Hearing this sentence, Master Zhiyi nodded repeatedly, and other high monks also echoed in agreement.

“Young Master Xie is right. Not all Buddhists are scoundrels. Most of them are forced to become monks because they have nowhere else to go!”

At this time, Xiao Jinyu asked again: “Doesn’t Your Majesty know that during the Southern Liang Dynasty, Emperor Wu was precisely because he treated the nine clans with kindness, favored court officials, and showed leniency to those who committed crimes, while the common people were punished strictly according to the law. This is unfair to the world.

Therefore, during Hou Jing’s rebellion, tens of thousands of soldiers joined the rebel army because they were dissatisfied with the unfair laws of the court!

Does Your Majesty still want to follow in the footsteps of Emperor Wu of Liang and show such favoritism to his relatives?”