Chapter 175 Buddhism’s Invitation
In the closed pavilion, a ray of sunlight came in through the crack in the door and hit the empress' fair face.
Xu Zhenguan sat cross-legged on the futon, a ray of divine light flashed in her beautiful eyes.
Then, the invisible and immaterial divine thoughts spread out in all directions with her as the center.
Covering the palace city, trying to capture the location of the "dragon soul".
But the next second, the aura that suddenly appeared suddenly disappeared again.
"Huh?" The empress was disappointed and when she withdrew her spiritual thoughts, the aura reappeared.
She swept away with her spiritual thoughts again, only to see the breath disappear again.
This time, Xu Zhenguan learned wisely and always maintained the coverage of his spiritual thoughts.
But he only felt that the dragon soul's aura was regular, appearing for a moment and then disappearing for several breaths, and so on.
And no matter how much she probed, she couldn't pinpoint the location.
Finally, with the last disappearance, he did not appear again for a long time.
"What happened?" Xu Zhenguan withdrew his thoughts and frowned, his expression blank.
This was something she had never experienced before.
"Could it be related to the upcoming Ghost Festival?" Xu Zhenguan thought about it and could only barely draw this connection.
The reason why we worship the gods on the Hungry Ghost Festival is that on that day, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth is the most intense.
"That's it," Xu Zhenguan sighed softly. Since she had gained nothing from her spiritual thoughts, there was no need for her to leave seclusion.
Counting with my fingers, I have been in seclusion for several days.
“I don’t know how far the New Deal has been advanced in Xiuwenguan, and whether there is a direction.”
Xu Zhenguan couldn't help but think that in her opinion, the planning of the New Deal would be slow.
When she leaves the customs in a few days, she is afraid that there will be no progress. She just hopes to have a plan to replenish the national treasury, and she will be satisfied.
As an emperor, she was not good at these things, so she could only hope that scholars like Han Zou would work together to share her worries.
Eliminating distracting thoughts, the empress closed her beautiful eyes and entered into meditation again.
From beginning to end, there was never any connection between the New Deal and a certain small Forbidden Army.
…
…
"Wow!"
Under the bridge, Zhao Duan came out of the water, his wet hair sticking to his scalp.
He took a big breath, using fresh oxygen to relieve the stars in his eyes that had been held for too long.
Climbing ashore, he hurriedly took out his clothes, put on a dry coat, and left quickly.
When he was far away, he let out a deep breath and frowned.
"Can't open it..."
At the bottom of the lake, he tried repeatedly but failed to activate the dusty formation.
"Is it because my cultivation level is too low? Not enough to open it? Or is it the wrong way to open it?"
Zhao Duan was basically certain that the formation at the bottom of the lake was the entrance or exit of the "secret passage".
"Since it's a door, it stands to reason that it should have a unique key."
Zhao Duan thought about it and decided that he had to start with Lao Xu.
There is no reason to be inaccessible when encountering a treasure trove. He always felt that since it was such a secretive existence, it must not be simple.
"We can only leave temporarily and think of a solution."
Zhao Duan made a decision and left immediately, and decided not to come again until he found a way to open the door.
…
…
In the next few days, Zhao Duan's life became regular.
I practice visualization and practice every day, and use all kinds of saucy words and make innuendoes.
Trying to get more information about the "secret passage" from Lao Xu.
Whether there are jujubes or not, let’s take a shot and let’s talk about it.
Lao Xu ignored him and led him firmly towards the East China Sea, throwing Mubei Forest further and further away.
During the day, he usually checks in at the imperial office, occasionally goes to the Baima Prison, and sneaks into the Xiuwen Hall to make suggestions from time to time.
Inside the museum, the New Deal was advancing at a terrifying speed.
Under normal circumstances, they would have been quarreling with each other and negotiating for at least half a month, or even a month, before the prototype could be finalized.
But the "three strategies" given by Zhao Duan were too superior and complete, so what a group of bachelors had to do was to refine the existing mature plans.
Progress is naturally progressing by leaps and bounds.
at the same time.
For some reason, some opinions began to rise in the circle of scholars in Beijing.
At first, many literati were just envious and jealous of the first batch of bachelors in Xiuwen Hall. The status of the scholars headed by Han Zhou increased with the tide.
In fact, a large number of scholars took the initiative to seek refuge, and the threshold of Han Banshan's family was almost crossed.
Everyone understands that a group of young upstarts will be born.
As the reputation of Han Zou and others began to grow rapidly, the so-called praise and praise began to grow rapidly.
During this period, Zhao Duan, who also rose to fame, was naturally compared with him.
As a target of pulling and stepping.
Scholars hated and despised Zhao Duan, and their voices of scolding him never stopped.
After Zhou Cheng's case, Zhao Duan focused his energy on the Xiuwen Museum, and because of his confidentiality, he seemed particularly calm in the eyes of outsiders.
His reputation was gradually surpassed by Han Zhou and others.
I don’t even know who lit the fire.
Claiming that His Majesty still knows who is less important and who is more important after all, compared to Han Banshan who may ascend to "Zaifu" in the future and become the tailor of the Great Yu Dynasty.
Zhao Duan, the pretty boy under the empress's skirt, who is determined to retaliate against the true villain, is made even more shameful by the contrast. "Zhao Du'an? Hehe, it's just a vicious dog raised by His Majesty. It can only be left in the imperial office and other places, and released from time to time to bite people... How can it be compared with Han Banshan?"
"That's right, haha, His Majesty has not been in court during this period, so Zhao Duan really put his tail between his legs, stopped making any noise, and didn't bite anyone again. It's really like a dog relying on human power..."
"A cruel official is just a cruel official after all. I heard that Master Dong also criticized him a lot. He even wrote to His Majesty, saying that he wanted to kiss the wise minister, Yuan Xiaoren...
Presumably, Zhao Gou also heard about it... After the Xiuwen Museum was established, Master Dong had great power. How could Zhao Gou dare to offend him? Aren't you afraid of making the Grand Master unhappy? "
After tea and dinner, wherever scholars gather, there are similar sounds.
"Sir, I heard that the scholars in the city have formed a group to scold you recently, aren't you angry?"
On this day, in the Lihua Hall, Qian Kerou, the round-faced secretary, washed a basin of pears and handed them into the inner hall.
He looked at Zhao Duan who was reading leisurely and asked.
"Why are you angry?"
Zhao Duan sat carelessly on the Taishi chair, his legs resting on the table.
Glancing at the pear, he motioned to the secretary to feed him:
"There are so many people in the world who scold me. If someone scolds me, I will get angry. What else can I do?"
After a pause, he lazily said:
"Besides, you have to understand. They are envious and jealous. They were suppressed by their own officials before and dared not say a word. Now they have finally opened a literary library, which is like cheering up their scholars.
It’s interesting to think about it. Those bachelors in Han Zou are so powerful, what does it have to do with them?
Students always have this problem. They like to care about others and rarely care about themselves. "
Qian Kerou peeled the pear with a knife, nodded seriously, and said with the same hatred: "My lord said, scholars are the most annoying."
After a pause, he said again:
“But that Korean porridge is really famous recently.
It is said that the Xiuwen Museum is planning a new policy, and what he proposed is called the "Ten Strategies", but outsiders don't know what they are. "
Zhao Duan smiled and said nothing.
As the New Deal advances, the outside world will inevitably learn something.
It's not that the bachelors leaked the news, but in order to prepare for the New Deal, Grand Master Dong had to make some arrangements with the six departments and other yamen, obtain some information, etc.
These actions cannot be hidden.
Although the new policy will be announced sooner or later, and at this rate, it will be basically completed and ready to be released in a few days.
But the Grand Master believes that it is always good to hide for a while.
So, after conspiring with Zhao Duan, they jointly set off a smoke bomb outside.
He pushed out the abandoned "Ten Strategies of Korean Porridge" to mislead the courtiers.
To make outsiders think that the New Deal was implemented in accordance with the Ten Policies, Korean porridge was also thrown out, attracting the attention of outsiders.
This is to cover Zhao Duan's "Three Golden Strategies".
Therefore, Zhao Duan wanted to laugh when he heard those scholars compare Korean porridge with himself, praise it and criticize it.
These days, his greatest pleasure is to go to the Xiuwen Museum every day, find Han Banshan, and tell him in front of him how people outside are praising him.
Every time, Han Zou was so embarrassed that he wanted to dig out the three rooms and one living room with his thumb.
However, Master Dong refused to let him clarify and only said two words:
Hold it in.
Zhao Duan was very happy.
"Well, that's right. It seems that those bachelors are indeed quite capable."
Zhao Duan opened his mouth and took a bite of the peeled white pear that the secretary offered to his mouth attentively.
Take a sip, full of juice.
Qian Kerou nodded and said: "Yes, I don't know how those scholars are so smart, but sir, you are no worse than a bachelor..."
"Haha, the touting technology needs to be improved,"
Zhao Duan smiled and changed the subject: "By the way, the day after tomorrow is the Ghost Festival. The government office will be on holiday then. How are you going to spend it?"
Qian Kerou blurted out:
"Go to Shenlong Temple. During the Ghost Festival, Shenlong Temple will hold the Obon Dharma Ceremony, and many people will go to worship their ancestors and pray for blessings. It is said that Master Bianji, a disciple of Abbot Xuanyin, will personally abbot this year.
However, Master Bianji is in the Zhaiyuan opposite Shenlong Temple.
Those who can enter Zhaiyuan are not ordinary officials like us, but dignitaries, literati and celebrities invited by others...
Speaking of which, when the Xiuwen Museum is held this year, those bachelors must also be invited, and the Grand Master must also go, as well as Mr. Yuan, ministers of various ministries...
After all, it is a Buddhist Dharma gathering, so face must be given.
In previous years, His Majesty would even show up, but since His Majesty has not been in court recently, Mo Zhaorong should have attended instead.
There are also scholars. Buddhism likes to invite scholars. Many students from the Hanlin Academy and even the Imperial College will make an exception to be invited..."
Zhao Duan looked surprised.
He didn't understand this, so it seemed that this so-called Bon Dharma Assembly was a place where big figures from the capital gathered.
The people he is familiar with, as well as the people who scolded him, will all be present.
"Sir, you are so popular this year, you might even be invited."
Qian Kerou said suddenly, and then hesitated a little:
"But the monks at Shenlong Temple are very particular about Buddha nature and mind... Sir, your reputation is not very good after all..."
The implication is that with Zhao Duan's bad reputation, Shenlong Temple may not invite him.
"Is the invitation from Shenlong Temple based on reputation?" Zhao Duan was curious.
"Well, our Governor is not invited every year anyway..." Qian Keruo said weakly.
Zhao Duan: "..."
OK.
It seems that the monks do have tempers. I think it would be embarrassing for me to say so.
As he was talking, Shen Juan stepped in from outside the hall, holding a Buddhist note in his hand: "Sir, a monk from Shenlong Temple came outside and invited you to participate in the Bon Bon Dharma Ceremony during the Ghost Festival. ”
(End of chapter)