The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 272 My name is Su Ming, nice to meet you, Taoist Priest!
Guanzhong, Chang'an.

An important place of the Yuwen family.

All the members of the Yuwen family gathered together. The head of the family, Yuwen Shang, sat at the head of the table, his eyes showing a little sharpness. "Have you all read the news from the south?"

In the hall, a sturdy and heroic young man stepped forward and reported, "Father, we have all seen it. We thought that the Song clan had been making constant moves in the past two months and would retreat to the south. We didn't expect that they would actually send out troops."

This person is the rising star of the Yuwen family, Yuwen Chengdu, and the son of the head of the family, Yuwen Shang.

"Then what do you think the Song clan is up to?"

At this time, another young man stood up and said, "Father, in my opinion, the area south of Dongting Lake is under the influence of the Song clan. In my opinion, they must want to attack the Chu region in southern Jing."

"The Central Plains is in flames. Dou Jiande, Du Fuwei, and Qu Rang will have tens of thousands of soldiers and occupy dozens of prefectures. Although the Song clan is strong, the south is a barren land with no population and output. In addition, Lingnan is remote. We can report to the emperor and send troops to encircle and suppress them."

"This way, we can not only consume the imperial court's military strength, but also delay the Song clan's progress. When they take over Chu, the overall situation in the Central Plains will be decided. By then, no matter how powerful Song Que is, he will be powerless to save the situation."

Yuwen Chengdu glanced at him. Yuwen Wudi held his head high with a proud look on his face. "Father, although what Wudi said is good, in my opinion, His Majesty may not take action against the Song clan."

Yuwenshang looked thoughtful, "Tell me what you think."

Yuwen Chengdu thought for a moment and said solemnly, "There are countless people rebelling in various parts of the Central Plains. Large and small forces are entrenched in many mountains. They seem to be powerful, but in fact they are not a force to be reckoned with. However, the Song clan is different. The late emperor led an army of 100,000 to fight in person, but was defeated by Song Que. Your Majesty may not dare to touch this tiger's whiskers. The current court cannot withstand turmoil."

The Yuwen family members in the hall also nodded, "What the eldest master said is true. Your Majesty traveled around the south of the Yangtze River and built a large-scale project in Jiangdu. The rebel Du Fuwei occupied Liyang, but the court couldn't do anything about them, let alone the Song clan far away in Lingnan."

Yuwen Shiji also agreed with his point of view, "Your Majesty may be dim, but not stupid. The three failed expeditions to Goguryeo have already shaken the foundation of the country. If the war against the Song clan fails again, Your Majesty may not even dare to stay in Jiangdu."

"In my opinion, let's not worry about this matter for now. No one should think about being the first to speak out. Let's wait until the other companies speak out, so as not to be put on the spot."

Seeing that most of the clansmen agreed with Yuwen Chengdu's idea, Yuwen Wudi was so angry that his nose was crooked.

After the clan discussion, Yuwen Shang asked Yuwen Wudi to stay and consoled him earnestly, "Wudi, what you said does make sense, but at this time, it is not appropriate for our Yuwen clan to step forward."

"You should practice hard, and you will have the opportunity to go to the battlefield in the future!"

"Thank you father."

……

Such scenes also happened in the other two major clans. Like the Yuwen clan, they all chose to stand by and watch, turning a blind eye. The Dugu clan was in a period of transition, and the Li clan had no prominent figures to show off, let alone speak out against the Song clan.

The situation in the world was still unclear. The Song clan was the first of the four major clans to be destroyed. The news spread like wildfire, and in less than half a month, everyone knew that the Song clan in Lingnan had rebelled.

Emperor Yang Guang in Jiangdu was still living a life of drunkenness and dreams. He was completely dazzled by the graceful beauty of the women in the south of the Yangtze River, and the power of the government gradually fell into the hands of a group of children from powerful families.

The three major clans sat back and watched, and other officials dared not get involved. The people outside the palace all knew that the Song clan had rebelled, but the emperor still didn't know. Perhaps he knew, but he couldn't deal with the Song clan. In order to maintain the emperor's majesty, he could only sit back and watch, and numb himself with wine and sex.

As long as the matter is not brought to the table, it means that it did not happen. Sometimes, silence is also a solution.

……

Lingnan.

Song Que led 10,000 elite troops through Guangnan and attacked Shu directly.

There are deep mountains and old forests, and the roads are steep. There are towering mountains along the way, poisonous snakes, insects and ants are everywhere, and the air is filled with miasma in the early morning and evening. This is the army's nightmare. The Song clan and hundreds of tribes in Lingnan have lived here for hundreds of years and have long been accustomed to such a living environment.

Song Que had made sufficient preparations before the expedition and had arranged food and supplies along the way, but even so, many soldiers were still lost.

In the camp, Kou Zhong lay on the mat and said weakly, "Xiao Ling, when can we arrive?"

Xu Ziling also hung his head, looking listless. "I don't know either. Just go with everyone else. The leader of the clan won't let us die."

They had been walking in the mountains with the army for almost a month. At first, they found it fresh and new, but later they found it boring. They imagined that war was about fighting with the enemy, not marching like this.

Central Army Camp.

Song Que and a group of generals stood in front of a map. This map was a map of the south, covering Shu, Qiongzhou, Ryukyu and other islands. The Song family sold private salt, but they did not just sell salt. Their trade routes spread throughout the south, and it took more than 20 years to make this map.

"We will be there in half a month. The news of the army's expedition has probably spread. I'll have Song Lu and his men feint an attack on Jingnan to delay time. People in the world might think I'm still in the Song family."

"Feint to the east and attack in the west, the master has a good plan!"

"They thought we were going to expand our territory, but they didn't expect us to take over Shu."

……

All the generals of the Song family in the tent flattered and praised him, but Song Que just raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard it, and was not too happy. As the art of war says, if you are weak, make the strong one, and if you are strong, make the weak one. He has been accumulating for more than 20 years, but a piece of Jingnan can't satisfy his appetite!

"This battle is the first battle of the Song clan. We must let the world see the prestige of our Song clan. I have seen what you have done these days. After we conquer Shu, we will reward you based on your merits!"

"I will follow the orders of the master!"

"As ordered!"

Afterwards, the army discussed the next marching route and left.

After everyone left, Song Que invited Su Ming to sit down and drink tea together. "Sir, the army is on the march, so it is inconvenient to pass on information. I plan to send an elite team to Shu to gather intelligence first."

Su Ming knew what he meant, nodded but then shook his head, "I can take them there, but I have something else to do when we get to Shu!" "What is it?"

"Establish the Daoist lineage!"

These three simple words shocked Song Que's heart. He stared at Su Ming quietly, waiting for what to say next.

Su Ming put down the teacup, and his voice was filled with a sense of heaviness. "If the name is not right, then the words will not flow. If the Song family wants to unify the world, it may not be enough to rely on one's own strength. The foundation of the Song family is still too weak."

It is no exaggeration to say that the Song family today is supported by Song Que alone. The Yuwen clan has Yuwen Shang, Yuwen Wenji, Yuwen Chengdu and other masters. The Dugu clan has the veteran master You Chuhong, and his younger generation disciple Dugu Feng is also quite famous. Not to mention the three sons of the Li clan. Excluding Li Shimin, Li Jiancheng, Li Yuanji and Li Yuanba are all the best choices at the time. They may be inferior in terms of martial arts, but don't forget that they have the support of the entire Buddhism behind them.

Apart from the aspect of military power, the three major clans all rose during the Northern and Southern Wei dynasties and dominated the north for many years. Whether in politics or military, they were superior to the Song clans in every aspect.

The aristocratic families intermarry with each other and maintain close ties with each other, and this is not just talk.

In comparison, the Song clan has nothing left except Song Que. The so-called Silver-bearded Song Lu and Earth Sword Song Zhi are not even masters. Even if Su Ming joins, they still seem weak.

Song Que was silent for a moment, and a bitter smile appeared on his handsome face, "I'm sorry, sir."

Su Ming raised the corners of his lips slightly, "This matter is beneficial to me, and even more beneficial to the Song family. I will do it for both public and private reasons."

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

"I wonder what your plan is, sir?"

"Daomen, this is my next target, what do you think, Master?"

Song Que was stunned for a moment, then laughed, "Sir, your words really enlightened me. Taoism has a long history, and its followers are all over the country. After the Taiping Dao and Tianshi Dao rebellions, Taoism is not as powerful as before. If they can support my Song clan, it will be a win-win for both of us."

Su Ming's smile grew wider. "The three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are hindering each other. However, Confucianism is the most prominent school of thought, but it is divided into many aristocratic families of all sizes. Their interests are mixed and it is difficult for them to reach a consensus. Most of their power is in the court. The Demon Sect is a place of filth and evil, with a bad reputation and sinister behavior. We should not associate it with them. In the world, the only power that can check and balance Buddhism is Taoism."

Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Buddhism has gradually grown with the help of the Hu people, and even built a Buddhist kingdom on land during the Southern Liang Dynasty. It was precisely because of this that Taoism had to retreat to the mountains and ignore worldly affairs. Even Tao Hongjing, the great Taoist master at the time, was forced to shave his head and become a monk. This is enough to show how powerful Buddhism was.

There are four hundred and eighty temples in the Southern Dynasties, and countless pavilions are shrouded in mist and rain. This is a poem from the Tang Dynasty. However, the Tang Dynasty respected Laozi Li Er as its ancestor. However, at that time, Buddhism in the South was still prosperous, which is shocking.

During the Three Wus and One Zong period of the Qing dynasty, only two emperors were born: Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei and Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yong. Unfortunately, both of them died young and their ban on Buddhism lasted only a few years. In addition, the country was divided into pieces, and the foundation of Buddhism could not be shaken at all.

If you want to truly restrict Buddhism, only a unified country can do it. Although the Song Dynasty did not openly destroy Buddhism in later generations, it made many small moves in secret.

Song Que had not thought about it in this way before, but now that Su Ming said it, he suddenly understood, and then he said, "It may be difficult to complete it with your own strength. After the matter in Shu is completed, I will go there in person. Otherwise, it will not be enough to show my sincerity."

Su Ming refused immediately. "No, the safety of the Song clan depends on the clan leader. Don't act rashly. I will handle this matter. If it fails, the clan leader can think of other ways. This way, there will be room for maneuver. As long as the Song clan grows stronger, they will be more convinced by my words."

"Okay." Song Que knew he was telling the truth, so he could only nod and said regretfully, "Then I'll have to trouble you with everything, sir."

"I wonder sir, where do you plan to start?"

"Shuzhong Daomen!"

Taoism is declining in the world nowadays, but they have a long tradition and live in deep mountains and old forests, so they are not well-known. Qingcheng Mountain in Sichuan is one of the holy places of Taoism, so of course I have to visit it.

……

That night, Su Ming bid farewell to Song Que, left the army and headed for Shu.

Qingcheng Mountain is located near Dujiangyan in Sichuan. Surrounded by undulating peaks and lush green forests, it is known as "Qingcheng is the most secluded mountain in the world". The forests on the whole mountain are lush and green all year round. The surrounding peaks look like a city wall, hence the name Qingcheng Mountain. There are thousands of red stairs and winding paths leading to secluded places, which are famous for their seclusion and purity.

People like famous mountains and rivers, so since ancient times, many senior masters have lived in seclusion in Qingcheng Mountain to practice Taoism, leaving behind various legends. The one who really laid the foundation for the fame of Taoism in Qingcheng Mountain was Tianshi Zhang Daoling. In the second year of Han An in the Eastern Han Dynasty (143 AD), two years after writing the Twenty-Four Taoist Books, Zhang Daoling arrived at Qingcheng Mountain, built a hut here to preach, and founded Taoism, making Qingcheng Mountain the first of the four famous Taoist mountains. (For example, the Five Pecks of Rice Sect is not considered a real Taoism)

Su Ming walked on the mountain road, climbing up the steps. The beautiful scenery along the way came into view, and the mountains were lush and green.

After walking in the mountains for several days, one day he came to a mountain stream. The mountain walls were shrouded in mist. It was the transition from autumn to winter outside, but the mountain stream was as warm as spring, which was amazing.

He moved, and it seemed as if the wind lifted his feet, and his sleeves fluttered into the cave on the mountain wall.

The smoke was coming from the cave. Under the large bluestone rock layer, several figures were sitting cross-legged on the mountain wall. When they noticed Su Ming's arrival, they did not move and still closed their eyes to regulate their breathing. After a moment, they opened their eyes.

The moment they saw Su Ming, their eyes lit up and they couldn't help but exclaim: What a Taoist! Su Ming was wearing a green Taoist robe, with his black hair pinned up with a purple wood hairpin. He had a handsome face, a free and easy temperament, and he seemed to be one with the nature of heaven and earth.

Su Ming bowed and nodded slightly, "I am Su Ming, nice to meet you Taoist priests!"

He bowed to show his identity, and they returned the greeting one by one.

There were five of them in total, dressed simply, wearing straw sandals, their hair casually tied up with wooden hairpins, simple and clean, two elderly people and three middle-aged people.

The old Taoist had white hair and beard, and a ruddy complexion, but his eyes were very bright, as if they contained the vicissitudes of life. The middle-aged Taoists were one tall and one short, one thin, but their faces were peaceful and tranquil, and they were not very surprised at Su Ming's arrival.

One of the old men, who had white hair and beard, said, "It's a rare opportunity to have a Taoist friend here today. Come, let's drink tea together!"

Then, a middle-aged Taoist priest walked into the cave, took out a steaming pottery jar, took out a bamboo tube from his arms, poured some tea leaves into it, and then used the bamboo tube as a teacup to pour a cup for everyone.

Seeing this, Su Ming was a little surprised. These Taoists actually used the same method of making tea. The clay pot was burning hot due to the fire, but the middle-aged Taoist was able to withstand the high temperature without showing any abnormality. This skill was not simple.

Su Ming picked up the bamboo tube and took a sip. It was bitter, very bitter. The bitter taste exploded on his taste buds, but there was still no change in his expression. The boiling hot tea went down his throat, and soon the bitterness turned into sweetness.

"Haha, this fellow Taoist is very determined. They all think my tea is not tasty. This is the first time for you to drink tea, but you can drink it. It's rare, rare!"

(End of this chapter)