Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 682 Intended for Buddhism

Seeing that Gongyang Ming was still busy, the others did not want to disturb him further and left the office.

Lu Zheng arranged accommodations for Yuan Tao and the others, and then went to handle other matters.

Having found a place to rest, Yuan Tao had no intention of doing so and paced back and forth in the room.

Fajue, who had come with him, and a group of followers also stood to one side.

Yuan Tao's expression was serious as he said in a low voice, "I really didn't expect that even the great Confucian scholar Gongyang would come here. Who knows how many more figures he will attract in the future..."

"I'm afraid this place really can create a new world..."

"Lu Zheng, Lu Zheng, I always thought his ideas were too idealistic back in Yunmeng Sect, but he actually succeeded. The heroes of this world are truly not to be underestimated!"

Yuan Tao's mind raced, and he murmured, "In a way, this is a good thing. The more ambitious people from all directions come, even if they are able to unify the Northern Region in the future, they probably won't establish a country here..."

After all, those who were recruited were idealists. If a country is established here in the future, who will be the ruler?

When the power struggles begin, this place may fall apart.

"If we don't establish a nation, what will become of our Great Wei..."

Yuan Tao pondered for a moment, "There are still some great demon kingdoms in the Northern Region, and they are the ones we should be most worried about."

Yuan Tao then turned to Fajue and asked, "What does the master think?"

Fajue said calmly, "What Your Highness says is not without reason. If this place wants to grow stronger, it cannot be done simply by adding one or two more great scholars. Of course, we must also be wary."

Buddhism is forbidden here. If certain ideas spread in Wei, it would not be a good thing for the Buddhist community.

This place is too close to the State of Wei, but it won't be easy to persuade the imperial court to send troops here.

Yuan Tao's expression shifted, and he said, "Master, please take your men back to report first. I will stay here for a few more days."

“Lu Zheng and I are old acquaintances, so there’s nothing to worry about if I stay here. Master, please don’t worry…”

After much persuasion, Fajue could not refuse Yuan Tao and had no choice but to take some of his followers back to Wei.

After Fajue and the others left, Yuan Tao found a place to sit down in the room, looking relaxed.

"Phew, finally gone. It was really uncomfortable having that old monk Fajue around..."

Yuan Tao didn't dislike Fajue, but because the other party was a high-ranking Buddhist monk, having him by his side made him feel like he was constantly being watched.

It wasn't very convenient for him to talk to Lu Zheng, Gongyang Ming, and the others about anything he wanted to discuss.

After Yuan Tao rested in his room for a while and sorted out his thoughts, it was already evening.

At night, bright lights shone through the windows.

When Yuan Tao stepped out of his room, he found that most parts of the city were still brightly lit, and many people were still busy.

Outside the city, numerous farms and workshops are under construction.

Yuan Tao led his men to take a look out of curiosity and discovered that, apart from some who were convicted and serving their sentences, many people were voluntarily working overtime to speed up the construction progress of Baize District.

Yuan Tao was filled with emotion, thinking of the situation in the State of Wei.

He was destined to become the emperor of the Great Wei, but the thought of inheriting such a country filled him with worry.

The rapid rise of this region, coupled with the various shortcomings of the Wei state, made Yuan Tao feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Why don't we see those nobles and officials of Wei doing such a thing, serving the country with such dedication and responsibility?"

"How can a country be built by being surrounded by a bunch of bloodsuckers!"

Yuan Tao looked distressed and couldn't calm down.

He found Lu Zheng, who was still working, and said sincerely, "Brother Lu, I have something important to ask you."

Lu Zhengdao: "What is it?"

Yuan Tao began, "I've heard that you contributed many ideas to the Anguo Reform, and the results have been quite good. The fact that you can govern such a place so well demonstrates your great talent for governing the country and ensuring its stability..."

"I would like to ask you for some advice on how to eliminate some of the long-standing problems in my great Wei Kingdom!"

"I know you are from Anguo, and our Great Wei cannot be considered an ally of your Anguo. But I, Yuan Tao, can assure you that the day I ascend the throne, I will certainly forge an alliance with Anguo, and we will not interfere with each other..."

Yuan Tao spoke with a serious expression and indignant words.

He had previously sought advice from many people, hoping to reform the government and change customs in Wei so that the dynasty could prosper.

He presented many ideas to the Wei emperor, but when they were implemented, they either failed to work or the policies were distorted.

Lu Zheng remained calm and slowly said, "Legacy problems? What legacy problems?"

Yuan Tao thought for a moment, realizing that there were probably quite a few issues to discuss.

His expression shifted several times before he said in a deep voice, "The Buddhist sect is the greatest thorn in the side of our Great Wei... The late emperor and my father both wanted to deal with the Buddhist sect, but its power was too great and it had become too entangled in too many affairs, making it a chronic problem..."

Yuan Tao, unafraid of the negative consequences of speaking ill of Buddhism, poured out his grievances to Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng listened quietly for a while, then couldn't help but ask, "You want to destroy Buddhism?"

"Uh, persecute Buddhism? It's not that bad..."

Yuan Tao quickly shook his head slightly, "Buddhism is the foundation of our Great Wei, and it cannot be eradicated. I only hope that there is a way to make those Buddhist monks restrain themselves... Of course, it is very necessary to eliminate some of the Buddhist forces."

If the suppression of Buddhism were carried out on a grand scale, the Great Wei Dynasty might perish along with Buddhism, which is not what Yuan Tao hoped for.

Yuan Tao thought he could restrict Buddhism and reclaim some power and benefits for the court.

However, it's difficult to find an effective solution. After all, almost everyone in the Wei court has connections with various Buddhist factions.

If someone tries to take action against Buddhism, it's hard to say who will be hurt more.

Lu Zheng nodded and said, "I understand. If that's the case, I do have a suggestion."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tao asked in surprise, "What method? Tell me about it!"

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "This matter is not urgent. You must agree to some conditions first."

Yuan Tao replied without hesitation, "Whatever the conditions, as long as they're not too outrageous, I can agree to them."

Lu Zheng said unhurriedly, "How about this, you first familiarize yourself with our rules and regulations. Once you feel comfortable here, I will show my sincerity. At that time, we can discuss the specific details..."

Yuan Tao thought about it and felt that it didn't seem like a difficult task.

He couldn't help but ask, "How do I know if I've truly integrated into this community?"

Lu Zheng said meaningfully, "You should ask yourself that, not me."

"Uh……"

Yuan Tao suddenly felt that things weren't so simple after all.

Lu Zhengdao said, "Brother Yuan is a smart and talented man. I believe you can do it easily. You don't need to worry that I'm playing you. I definitely won't let you down."

Yuan Tao quickly replied, "Brother Lu has real skills, I certainly have no doubt about it."

Lu Zhengdao said, "Alright, don't bother me anymore. Go and do your own thing."

Yuan Tao couldn't help but say, "I can help you with these things."

He felt that Lu Zheng was testing him, so he naturally had to perform well.

Lu Zheng waved his hand and said, "Since you're not good at construction, you should go and learn first."

Lu Zheng did indeed intend to test Yuan Tao, to see what kind of person he was. It would also be very beneficial to reform the thinking of this prince of Wei.

After all, it was said that this prince was the most likely to inherit the throne of Wei.

As for the matter of Buddhism, Lu Zheng did indeed have some ideas.

The incomplete scriptures that were previously presented served as a starting point.

Since this prince, and even the current Emperor of Wei, intend to suppress Buddhism, he can take this opportunity to do something and make arrangements.

Yuan Tao pondered for a moment and decided to ask Gongyang Ming and the others how they had integrated into this place.

When Gongyang Ming, who was still handling his affairs, heard Yuan Tao's question, he couldn't help but ask in surprise, "You want to come here to work?"

This prince of Wei doesn't seem like someone who can endure hardship.

Yuan Tao explained, "This... was told to me by Brother Lu..."

Yuan Tao recounted some of his conversations with Lu Zheng.

Gongyang Ming frowned upon hearing this. "You want to target the Buddhist sect in Wei? Do you think he can do anything about it?"

This is something you can't say or do carelessly.

The conflict between the Wei court and the Buddhist forces within Wei is not a good thing if an outsider gets involved.

This will not only bring no benefit, but may also attract retaliation.

Yuan Tao said, "I see that Brother Lu is confident and must have a brilliant plan. However, I need to pass a test first before I can know what his plan is."

If it were anyone else, he might still have doubts, but Lu Zheng could even keep a figure like the great Confucian scholar Gongyang alive, so he must really have some way to target Buddhism.

Moreover, Lu Zheng's demands weren't too unreasonable, so he wouldn't back down immediately.

Gongyang Ming pondered for a moment, then pulled out a large pile of documents.

"Take these back and read them carefully. It's best to write them down word for word so you can understand their meaning."

Yuan Tao was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "What is this?"

Gongyang Ming said, "These are the materials I used to verify your identity."

Yuan Tao's expression changed. "Does the master mean that you have to undergo an assessment to join this place, after reading so much material?"

Gongyang Ming said calmly, "A lot? Not really. By the way, the assessment includes a written test, an interview, a practical exam... there are several rounds."

Yuan Tao was dumbfounded. It was so complicated for a great Confucian scholar to join this place. Even the enrollment of students in the Imperial Academy of Wei was not this exaggerated.

Those who don't know better might think this is a sacred place where even great Confucian scholars are not allowed to enter easily.

Gongyang Ming chuckled and said, “The greater a person’s ability, the more comprehensive the assessment will be. This is to test your potential. For example, a three-year-old child in the city who can’t read doesn’t need to be tested at all; they can register their identity just by pressing their fingerprint. If you find this troublesome, you can talk to Lu Zheng and ask him to lower the requirements.”

Yuan Tao thought to himself that he should forget about it. As a prince of the Great Wei and the heir apparent, how could he say that he was not good enough at a time like this?

Yuan Tao took the heavy documents and glanced at them. He discovered that they contained Gongyang Ming's notes, and immediately felt that he had hit the jackpot.

He put away the documents, thanked Gongyang Ming profusely, and then left happily.

Gongyang Ming watched Yuan Tao leave with a knowing smile.

"This child is teachable..." (End of Chapter)