Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 687 The Foreign Monk Can Chant Sutras

Wei State, Sizhou, Pingcheng.

As evening fell, the Prince Huaiyang's palace was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.

The streets outside the mansion were bustling with traffic, and luxurious carriages were parked side by side.

One by one, people dressed in fine clothes and exuding wealth were led into the mansion by their attendants.

All the guests who came to the Prince's Mansion were people of noble status.

Most of them were high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and eminent monks from Buddhist temples in Pingcheng...

They had all received invitations from Prince Huaiyang, Yuanzhong, and were coming to the Prince's residence as guests.

As for why Yuan Zhong invited them, none of them knew the reason.

However, how could one not attend the banquet hosted by Prince Huaiyang?

Normally, even if someone wants to enter this gate and submits a visiting card, they still have to go back and wait for notification, and they may not even have the opportunity to meet Yuan Zhong.

A grand banquet had already been set up in the back garden of the Prince's mansion.

Yuan Chong sat in the main seat, receiving greetings from the arriving guests.

Hu Qing sat quietly at a table next to Yuan Zhong, observing the guests coming and going.

When the auspicious time arrived, Yuan Zhong ordered the banquet to begin.

Singers and dancers gracefully appeared to entertain the banquet.

The sounds of string and wind instruments lingered, their echoes resonating and never ceasing.

The entire palace was instantly bustling with activity, as guests clinked glasses and chatted, filling the air with laughter and joy.

People would come up to Yuan Zhong from time to time to toast him and shower him with praise.

Yuan Zhong was in a good mood and greeted the guests with a friendly expression.

When the wine was flowing freely, Yuan Zhong slowly stood up from his seat.

He raised his hand and waved his sleeve, and the singing and dancing in the banquet immediately fell silent.

Some of the guests who had been chatting quickly noticed the situation and fell silent, restoring quiet.

They all knew that today wasn't a holiday, and the fact that the prince had suddenly invited so many people over meant it wasn't just for a simple meal; there must be something more to it.

"Cough cough..."

Yuan Zhong coughed lightly and cleared his throat.

"I am delighted that you gentlemen have taken time out of your busy schedules to attend my banquet..."

Yuan Chong paused, then looked at everyone, "The flowers bloom the same every year, but I think this year is quite different from previous years. What do you all think?"

Everyone was puzzled, wondering what Yuan Zhong was trying to say.

Looking at the night sky, Yuan Zhong raised his hand and sighed, "It's only the beginning of winter, but I already feel that the weather is colder than in previous years!"

Someone couldn't help but say, "It seems so... but the cycle of heaven and the changing of seasons are unpredictable... has Your Highness discerned something?"

Yuan Zhong smiled and said, "A master has predicted that there will be a disaster this winter, with a possible heavy snow disaster. I don't know how many people will freeze or starve to death."

"I reside in Pingcheng and serve as an official in Sizhou. How can I stand by and watch the people under my jurisdiction suffer from disasters and calamities?"

Yuan Chong held the Buddhist prayer beads in his hands and clasped them together in a gesture of respect.

"Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha taught us that we should universally save all sentient beings and deliver them from suffering, only then can we attain enlightenment..."

"With the snow season approaching, I intend to purchase 100,000 shi of grain to provide relief to the local people, thus performing good deeds and accumulating merit..."

Upon hearing this, the guests present all showed subtle changes in expression, each with their own thoughts.

They knew that the meal Huaiyang was going to have wasn't very good.

I'm afraid the next thing to do is to ask these people to contribute money and food for disaster relief.

Whether there is any actual disaster remains to be seen...

As for the idea that Prince Huaiyang wanted to do good deeds and accumulate merit, they didn't really believe it.

They knew a little about what kind of person this prince had been in the past.

And what's with this talk of attaining enlightenment? Even some of the eminent monks in the temples here don't have that ability. When will you, a prince, have such talent and wisdom?

Yuan Zhong remained calm, ignoring everyone's speculations, and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"You were born into the Wei state and reside in Sili Province; you should also show some compassion for the people..."

Beside him, a steward from the Prince's mansion, holding a pen in one hand and an exquisite booklet in the other, went straight to the nearest guest's seat.

The booklet was opened, and the names of all the guests had already been written down.

The guest's eyes darted around nervously. Good heavens, what was the difference between this Prince Huaiyang and outright robbery...?

When they arrived, all the guests brought gifts.

The gift was quite generous; I never expected this turn of events.

The guest raised his hand and gestured, before he could say anything.

The steward moved his mouth and hands rapidly, announcing loudly, "Thirty thousand shi! Wang Yu of the Pingcheng Wang family has donated thirty thousand shi of grain!"

Wang Yu was completely stunned. The words he was about to say were abruptly cut off by the shout.

Thirty thousand bushels of grain! In ordinary years, it would cost ten thousand taels of silver to purchase that amount.

In years of severe famine, the price of these 30,000 shi of grain could increase several times over.

He clearly meant to say three thousand bushels of grain.

He could allocate three thousand bushels of grain from his family, without having to buy any...

However, before Wang Yu could explain anything, the steward of the Wang residence had already taken the booklet to the next guest.

Wang Yu stood there, stunned and speechless, feeling as if his heart was bleeding.

"I'll offer five thousand shi of beans..."

"I have no extra grain at home, so please contribute two hundred bolts of coarse cloth..."

Having learned from Wang's example, the other guests dared not make any random gestures and instead offered to donate supplies.

Soon, the steward came to an old monk.

The old monk was the abbot of a large temple in Pingcheng.

When the steward held up the booklet in front of him, the old monk's expression changed slightly.

Normally, other people would donate money and incense to the temple, but sometimes they would also receive money from Prince Huaiyang.

Why has Prince Huaiyang changed his ways and started taking money from him now?

Facing the gazes of the crowd, the old monk clasped his hands together and said slowly, "Our temple enshrines many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and the monks in the temple consume a lot of food, clothing, and daily necessities. We really don't have much money or food. Our temple will contribute one thousand taels of silver!"

Yuan Zhong's smile remained unchanged upon hearing this, but a cold sneer rose in his heart.

Only one thousand taels? You're trying to fob me off like a beggar!

Which of the temples in Pingcheng wasn't piled high with gold and silver?

Do you really think he's an ordinary person who's easy to fool?

Does it take a lot of money and food to make offerings to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? Can they receive them?

You spend a lot on food, clothing, and daily necessities? What, are you all eating miracle drugs like they're food?

Yuan Chong twisted the prayer beads in his hand, not believing this nonsense at all.

Perhaps it was a high-ranking monk in the temple who set this precedent.

Other guests also started complaining and playing the victim.

"I've lost a lot of money in business this year, how about I give you five hundred taels..."

"Our family has suffered a great misfortune and has already incurred huge expenses. We really can't raise much money, so we'll donate two thousand shi of wheat and grain..."

……

Hu Qing sat there, watching the performance with a blank expression.

If you stripped off the clothes some of them were wearing, they probably had more money than that; they really know how to act.

Before long, all the guests had donated money or goods to varying degrees, and no one was left out.

Seeing Yuan Zhong's entourage, everyone assumed he was desperately short of money.

The steward of the manor, holding the booklet, scurried over to Yuan Zhong's side and stood there.

Then, Yuan Zhong said with a smile, "It is a blessing for the people of Sizhou that you are able to lend a helping hand."

"In order to cope with the impending disaster and to better benefit the people in the future, I intend to build Mahayana Buddhist temples in various cities within the state and plan the use of funds for disaster relief. I also hope for everyone's cooperation..."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Mahayana Buddhist temple? What Mahayana Buddhist temple? Why would Prince Huaiyang want to build a temple himself? Is he serious?

Immediately, some high-ranking monks in the temples were puzzled and even displeased.

So you took our money and now you want to set up your own temple? What kind of nonsense is this? Making robes for someone else?

Seeing the strange expressions on everyone's faces, Yuan Zhong put his hands together in a solemn gesture.

“Amitabha Buddha, I have now taken refuge in Mahayana Buddhism and will only practice Mahayana Buddhism from now on. I will dedicate my efforts to building temples to demonstrate my devotion to the Buddha.”

Upon hearing this, the guests present were all surprised and puzzled.

They all knew that Prince Huaiyang was fond of Buddhism and often invited eminent Buddhist monks from various places to discuss scriptures and doctrines. They had never heard of Yuanzhong valuing any particular school of Buddhism the most.

Now that Yuanzhong has chosen to convert to Mahayana Buddhism, this matter is of great importance.

If word gets out, it will have a significant impact throughout Pingcheng.

One of the monks couldn't help but ask, "Mahayana Buddhism? I wonder which Buddhist sect Your Highness has converted to? This humble monk has never heard of it."

There are many Buddhist sects in the Wei Kingdom, but the name of Mahayana Buddhism is really unknown and no one has heard of it.

They only knew it as some minor sect, not famous at all.

Yuan Zhong's expression was solemn. "Mahayana Buddhism is the orthodox tradition of the Buddha, the true Dharma of the Buddha..."

Upon hearing this, the guests could hardly keep their composure. They thought to themselves, "Your Highness, if you want to make money under any pretext, there are plenty of ways. There's no need to spout such nonsense."

They even invoked the banner of the Buddha's orthodoxy; isn't that a bit too audacious?

With so many eminent Buddhist monks present, aren't they afraid of biting off more than they can chew?

Yuan Zhong paid no attention to what the others were thinking, and turned to Hu Qing beside him, introducing her. "This master comes from Mahayana Buddhism and practices the orthodox methods of the Buddha..."

Everyone present immediately turned their attention to Hu Qing.

They had previously assumed that this woman was a favorite concubine of Emperor Yuan and had not paid much attention to her.

Hu Qing's expression remained calm, but she was secretly a little excited. It was finally her turn to shine in front of others.

She couldn't let people down; she had to do a great job.

Whether Lu Zheng's promises to her will come true depends on her own abilities.

"Amitabha……"

Hu Qing formed a lotus mudra with her hands, and golden Buddhist energy emerged, shining brightly.

A Buddhist monk's eyes flickered, and he said in a low voice, "Mahayana Buddhism? This humble monk has never heard of it. How dare you claim to be a true successor of the Buddha? Your Highness, don't be fooled! This humble monk observes that this woman is a demon, not one of my kind!"

The monk who spoke was a renowned high-ranking monk from Pingcheng, with profound spiritual attainments.

Upon hearing this, the guests' expressions changed slightly, and they all wanted to leave their seats and retreat to avoid any unexpected accidents.

Hu Qing remained calm upon hearing this. "Buddha is a great sage of the human race, compassionate towards all beings, and teaches without discrimination. What's wrong with me practicing the Buddha's orthodox methods? Are you questioning Buddha?"

The monk frowned upon hearing this and rebuked him, "You're spreading heresy! You claim to be the orthodox one, so you are? Your Highness, please step back, we need to exorcise this demon..."

"I'm not you, then who are you?"

Hu Qing glared angrily, and her whole body shone with golden light.

A pure Buddhist atmosphere surged and swept across the entire garden like a tidal wave.

A tall, golden statue appeared behind Hu Qing, its golden light dazzling and awe-inspiring.

Everyone present was shocked.

Those Buddhists immediately felt a mysterious suppressive force, a suppression emanating from the Buddhist power.

It seemed that the Buddhist power cultivated by Hu Qing was even purer than theirs.

How can it be……

Some eminent Buddhist monks were horrified and found it difficult to remain calm.

Hu Qing sat cross-legged on the ground, with a Buddhist mark appearing and disappearing between her eyebrows.

She parted her lips slightly and began to recite scriptures.

Its sound echoed gently, making people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

However, no one could clearly hear which scripture Hu Qing was reciting; they only felt it was incredibly profound and gave them a sense of profound enlightenment.

When Hu Qing revealed her Dharma form again, it was as if a true Bodhisattva had manifested.

These distinguished people are used to being exposed to Buddhist atmosphere quite often, so they can still distinguish the differences to some extent.

To say that the demoness before them was not a true disciple of Buddha seems unreasonable...

Hu Qing looked solemn. She had come into contact with the true scriptures a while ago, and it wasn't for nothing.

In terms of true Buddhist orthodoxy, she is more qualified than these eminent monks present.

Some Buddhist monks couldn't help but look grim; there were some things they were unwilling to admit.

If someone were to become the orthodox Buddhist, what would become of the other Buddhist sects?

Given the current situation, they would never admit that Hu Qing understands Buddhism better or is better at chanting scriptures than they do.

If they admit it, wouldn't that be a disgrace to their own reputation?

"Shut up, you insolent fiend!"

A Buddhist monk, radiating golden light, shouted loudly, attempting to interrupt the chanting.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Zhong frowned and said, "Enough. This manor is a peaceful place, not a place for you to fight."

Now is not the time to fight with certain Buddhist sects; he has to stand up and stop them.

Upon hearing this, Hu Qing calmly and deliberately suppressed her aura.

Seeing Yuan Zhong standing next to Hu Qing, the Buddhist monks hesitated to make a move.

This is a prince with real power, the younger brother of the Emperor of Wei.

If they were to injure Prince Huaiyang, they would be in deep trouble.

Someone couldn't help but speak up and advise, "Your Highness, do not listen to this demoness's sorcery. This woman is not a true Buddhist orthodox. Your Highness, do not be misled by her words!"

Yuan Zhong sneered inwardly. He had already read the true scriptures and witnessed this woman's abilities.

If this isn't orthodox Buddhism, then other Buddhist sects certainly aren't either.

If it weren't for the fact that some things were not yet suitable to be revealed, he would have liked to let these people see the true Buddhist scriptures for themselves.

Yuan Zhong said calmly, "I know what I'm doing. Do you think I'm someone who's easily swayed?"

It's hard to say... a murmur arose in everyone's hearts.

Yuan Zhong coldly replied, "Mahayana Buddhism aims to universally save all sentient beings and alleviate suffering! Is it wrong for me to establish a Mahayana religion to save the people of Sizhou?"

One of the monks couldn't help but say, "Although it's cold now that winter is here, there are no signs of major disaster yet. How can Your Highness believe such a thing so easily..."

Yuan Zhong raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You mean we can only start raising funds for disaster relief after a heavy snowfall has frozen the people to death?"

The monk quickly replied, "That's not what I meant..."

Yuan Zhong snorted coldly, thinking to himself that these people just didn't want to admit certain facts, nor did they want to contribute any money or supplies.

They're all reluctant to spend money now, but he'll make them bleed even more in the future.

Yuan Zhong's eyes flashed with a sharp, piercing light.

This was just a test, and some people's true colors were already revealed.

Just then, a guard rushed over, came to Yuan Zhong's side, and handed him a letter.

Yuan Zhong's expression shifted, and upon opening the letter, he was overjoyed.

Although he had received the news beforehand and was only having his subordinates put on an act with him, it was still a genuine expression of his feelings.

"Okay, okay, okay, haha..."

Yuan Zhong burst into laughter and handed the letter to the guards, saying, "Read it to them!"

The guards hurriedly announced in a loud voice: "Prince Tao has been appointed Crown Prince, and an auspicious day has been chosen for him to enter the Eastern Palace!"

The audience erupted in uproar.

This news is even more concerning than what just happened, as it concerns the future of the Great Wei.

The position of crown prince has remained undecided for many years, with various opinions circulating.

The major powerful clans placed their bets on different princes, hoping to ride the dragon to prosperity.

The sudden announcement that Yuan Tao had become the crown prince caught many people off guard.

Not to mention the old capital of Pingcheng, the situation in Luoyang is already causing quite a stir...

Yuan Zhong beamed, “Your Highness is virtuous and talented, gentle and kind... Now that you have finally been appointed as the Crown Prince, it is a blessing for our Great Wei. Excellent, excellent!”

"What a wonderful nephew!" Yuan Zhong said with a bright smile.

He was already overjoyed when he first heard the news.

It was only because Yuan Tao was appointed as the crown prince that he felt at ease about establishing Mahayana Buddhism.

Then, before the news reached the rest of Pingcheng, they held this banquet.

Yuan Chongle burst into laughter and said, "This is Heaven's blessing upon our Great Wei! Steward, add another 100,000 shi of grain, unrelated to the disaster, and use it to relieve the poor people of Sili Prefecture, to demonstrate His Majesty and His Highness's benevolence..."

The steward beside him quickly scribbled a few strokes.

Then, the steward, with a smile on his face, took the booklet and came to a guest.

Guests: ...

No, will this ever end...?

For a moment, the expressions of the guests became even more tense.

So this prince really treated them like sheep?

However, now that Yuan Tao has been appointed Crown Prince, how could they not express their gratitude? How could they dare not express their gratitude?

They not only have to donate, but they have to give even more than they just did...

Otherwise, if Yuan Zhong were to say a few words to Crown Prince Yuan Tao, some people's future days might not be easy.

Some guests were on the verge of tears; this meal hosted by Prince Huaiyang was probably the most expensive banquet they had ever eaten in their lives.

Yuan Zhong saw some people showing smiles that were more like cries, and thought to himself, "This is nothing, there's more to come!"

The people of Sizhou are too poor; if we're going to squeeze money out of them, we'll have to squeeze money out of the wealthy.

As a result, the guests contributed another round of money.

Even some temple representatives who were previously stingy had to contribute more supplies.

It's impossible for a banquet to be one where both host and guests are completely satisfied.

One by one, the guests arrived at the Prince's Mansion with smiling faces, but left with stiff expressions.

Those Buddhists also left quickly, and as for Hu Qing and Mahayana Buddhism, they didn't care much anymore.

They were also thinking of finding out what was going on in Luoyang and sending someone to try and get closer to Yuan Tao.

Oh, and you can also take the opportunity to file a complaint on behalf of the major Buddhist sects in Pingcheng.

Ban this Mahayana Buddhism that appeared out of nowhere.

He even wanted to use his connection with the Prince of Huaiyang to build a temple in Sizhou and spread Mahayana Buddhism.

No way! They're going to take this all the way to Luoyang! (End of Chapter)