0p0 Chapter 407 Master, are you willing to help me?
Chapter 407 Master, are you willing to help me?
At the foot of Huguo Temple.
Jiang Yueyang got off the carriage, and Qin Shi also got off the horse. Behind them were two teams of Dali Temple officers and soldiers.
Jiang Yueyang looked up at the top of the mountain, hoping that there was a cable car leading directly to the top.
When she thought about having to climb a 999-step ladder in addition to climbing the mountain, her face became even uglier.
After hesitating for a while, her eyes flashed, and then she opened the system mall.
Then, she bought a potion from an interstellar merchant. The potion could make one as light as a swallow, walk as fast as a flying bird, and eliminate fatigue.
Qin Shi watched her take something out of her sleeve, unscrew it, and drink the blue liquid inside.
The blue liquid must have tasted bad. When she drank it, her brows were furrowed and her face looked bitter.
After drinking, Jiang Yueyang gave an order: "Let's go!"
As her voice fell, everyone began to follow her footsteps and climb up.
Jiang Yueyang and Guyu walked at the front of the team, while Qin Shi and Cui Yuan were one step behind them.
The system asked: [Host, you asked the Dali Temple to assist you in handling this matter, and brought so many officers and soldiers with you. What do you want to do?]
Qin Shi was about to ask this question, but he took back his words when he heard it, and waited quietly for Jiang Yueyang's answer.
Jiang Yueyang: [I want to take this opportunity to drive out all the parasites and lawless people in Huguo Temple, and make Huguo Temple a holy temple and a pure land.]
"Aren't you asking me to help you screen them? There are over 3,000 people."
"What? Are you feeling stressed out by over 3,000 people?" Jiang Yueyang deliberately provoked him.
[Just kidding, if more than 3,000 people gathered together, it would only take a few seconds for me to deal with them.]
"That's all." Jiang Yueyang smiled. "But before that, I need to go see Master Wu Nian first."
【Why do you want to see him? 】
[Of course, it depends on whether he will help me! ]
An hour later, Jiang Yueyang led everyone behind him to climb the ladder and arrived at the gate of Huguo Temple.
The temple gate was closed and there was no one guarding outside.
Jiang Yueyang tilted his head and ordered, "Qin Shaoqing and Cui Sicheng, follow me in. The rest of you will wait outside. If anyone attempts to leave Huguo Temple, they will be stopped."
"Yes!"
Then, the four of them walked up the stone steps in front of the door and headed towards the vermilion gate.
Soon, they reached the door.
Guyu picked up the ring on the door and knocked on it. After a while, the door slowly opened from the inside.
The person who opened the door was a monk, who looked to be in his early twenties.
Upon seeing Jiang Yueyang and the others, the monk's eyes flashed with surprise, but he quickly regained his composure and clasped his hands together, saying, "Dear donors, may I know why you have come to my Huguo Temple?"
Jiang Yueyang also clasped his hands together and said with a smile: "Master, I have been ordered to come to Huguo Temple to do something, and I need to see Master Wunian."
When the monk heard Jiang Yueyang say "I came here on your orders", he didn't ask any more questions and stepped aside to let them in.
Jiang Yueyang nodded to the monk, then led his men to the back mountain as if he was familiar with the place.
Before long, they arrived at a courtyard gate. Just like the first time they came here, two young monks holding wooden sticks stood outside the courtyard.
Jiang Yueyang glanced at the two monks and asked, "Master Wunian, you should know I'm coming today, right?"
Upon hearing this, one of the monks replied, "Master Wu Nian has been waiting inside for a long time."
Jiang Yueyang slightly raised the corners of her lips and led her people into the quiet and peaceful courtyard.
The door of the meditation room opposite was open, and Master Wunian was sitting upright on a cushion, along with his disciples and Abbot Wuwang.
Jiang Yueyang walked into the Zen room and sat down opposite Master Wunian, but did not speak in a hurry.
Qin Shi sat down beside her, while Guyu and Cui Yuan stood guard outside the meditation room.
After a moment of eye contact, Master Wu Nian spoke first, "How is Mr. Jiang doing these days?"
"Very good. Where's Master Wu Nian?"
"I am also very good."
"That's good." Jiang Yueyang smiled, "Master Wunian, do you know why I came here today?"
"I know."
"Then Master, are you willing to help me?"
Master Wu Nian smiled slightly, "Master Jiang, how do you want me to help you?"
"The Master's Buddhist teachings are boundless. He knows the past, present, and future. He can see through all the affairs of the world with a single thought. I'm sure he also knows who is good and who is evil in this temple."
Master Wu Nian: "Donor Jiang also knows this, so why do you need my help?"
"Whether I need it or not is one thing, whether the master is willing to help me is another."
"What will you do if I am unwilling to help you?" asked Master Wu Nian.
"The monks in that temple probably live a simpler life than we do now. For example, they cultivate the Buddha fields themselves and pay appropriate taxes." Jiang Yueyang looked at Master Wunian across from him with a smile. "Master, don't you think the monks in Huguo Temple live better than most people, or even the soldiers guarding the border? They don't even have to work."
Upon hearing Jiang Yueyang's words, Abbot Wuwang's expression became solemn, while Master Wunian remained calm.
Seeing that Master Wu Nian was smiling but silent, Abbot Wu Wang slowly spoke, "Donor Jiang's words make sense. However, the monks in this temple are devoted to Buddhism. If we impose labor taxes on them, it might distract them from Buddhism."
Jiang Yueyang chuckled, "Master, don't worry. The labor taxes are all within an acceptable range. This will also help the monks better understand the suffering of the people, which will be beneficial to the practice of Buddhism."
Upon hearing this, Abbot Wuwang reached out and took a book from the pile in front of Master Wunian and handed it to Jiang Yueyang.
Jiang Yueyang took it and opened it to have a look. On it were the Buddhist names of the monks, some of which were circled.
Abbot Wuwang explained, "This is the list of monks in Huguo Temple. The circled ones are monks who can return to secular life. Senior Brother Wunian has already selected them for Donor Jiang."
Jiang Yueyang glanced at Master Wunian, then flipped through the book again and found that some of the Buddhist names were circled in red ink.
She pointed at the Buddhist names circled in red ink and asked Master Wu Nian, "Who are these monks..."
"Didn't Master Jiang come here just for them?"
Jiang Yueyang understood that those monks circled with red ink had committed crimes.
"Thank you, Master Wu Nian, for your willingness to help." Jiang Yueyang thanked him and turned to look at Abbot Wuwang. "Abbot Wuwang, please summon all the monks in the temple to listen to your holy will."
Abbot Wuwang clasped his hands together and said, "Very good. I will arrange it right away."
After saying this, he left in a hurry.
More than two quarters of an hour later, the lecture hall of the Huguo Temple was filled with monks, and officers and soldiers from the Dali Temple were on standby outside.
Jiang Yueyang stood in front of the Buddha, facing Master Wunian and Abbot Wuwang, as well as a group of monks behind them.
She took out the imperial edict from the box held by Guyu and said aloud: "The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, proclaims: I, the ruler of the world, shall regard the people's livelihood and the prosperity of the country as my top priority.
Huguo Temple has always been a pure place for Buddhism. It has made many contributions to promoting Buddhism and saving all living beings. I am very pleased.
However, looking at the Huguo Temple today, monks are gathering here and their number is gradually increasing.
Although Buddhism is a pure place for practice, the excessive number of monks in the temple has caused many inconveniences.
Firstly, it costs a huge amount of money and grain, which does not help the people's livelihood. Secondly, it goes against the original intention of pure cultivation and is not conducive to the promotion of the correct path of Buddhism.
I am deeply concerned about this, so I have issued this decree to reduce the number of monks at Huguo Temple and allow them to return to secular life.
The monks chosen may have unfinished worldly ties or may not have a deep connection with Buddhism.
After returning to secular life, one must strictly abide by the laws of the land and not become lazy simply because one has been a monk. One can cultivate the land or learn a skill, earning a living with the hard work of one's own hands.
I also hope that the monks who stay behind can devote themselves to practice and improve Buddhism. The Huguo Temple should continue to uphold the idea of compassion and saving the world and pray for the people of the world.
You should strictly follow His Majesty's will and not cause any trouble.
Admire this! "