Pillars of the Wu family

In the early summer of May, Kyoto is already a season of luxuriant summer flowers and green trees. The cool wind blows the treetops and sways gently. The bright sunshine is especially gentle under the breeze. The streets that have just been washed by heavy rain It is exceptionally refreshing and clean, the air exudes the fragrance of earth, mixed with the fragrance of flowers, making people unconsciously fascinated by this thousand-year-old capital,

A group of monks were ushered in the village near Ziye Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto. They were dressed in gray-white black clothes, wearing hats on their heads, holding rosary beads in their left hand and tin sticks in their right. The devout men and women sent some vegetarian food to eat, and these monks did not refuse. All the vegetarian food they sent would be reciprocated with palms together, and recited a piece of "Heart Sutra" for Tanyue who gave alms.

The atmosphere of Buddhism in Kyoto is very strong. If you count the Buddhist temples and shrines in Kyoto, there are about ten Buddhist temples and one shrine. There have been hundreds of large and small Buddhist temples for thousands of years, and some of them are dilapidated. Many Buddhist temples are left unattended. If there are monks to renovate and re-enter, there will be more Buddhist temples. Buddhism has been introduced to Japan for nearly a thousand years. Even the emperor, who is known as the spokesperson of the gods, believes in Buddhism. One can imagine how huge the influence is.

Most of the townspeople living in Kyoto also worship Buddha. The eminent monks of Buddhism are all wise men, even if it is the evil Ichikozong Honganji Temple, so many Buddhist masters are all very elegant cultural people, unlike those blond hair and blue eyes The Nanman monks recite crooked sutras, and often use tricks to lure believers into their sect.

After resting for a while, the monks take out the food they got from alms and eat quietly. No matter how exquisite or poor the meal is, as long as it is a gift from believers with good intentions, it will be accepted by the monks.This is a virtue and a process of practice.Passers-by saw this group of more than a hundred monks chanting scriptures and eating quietly.They couldn't help clasping their hands together and saluting devoutly, and some people even praised that they really had the bearing of an eminent monk.

After a while, a wealthy businessman in plain brocade gown came over and saluted with palms together: "Great masters! This is Masarai Midaoya, one of the supporters of Dade Temple. I don't know where you come from? Where do you want to go?" Where to go? Do you need to arrange accommodation next?"

A white-browed monk got up and returned the salute: "Thank you Tanyue! We are from Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. Hiei, and we want to practice at Kannon-ji Temple in Dazaifu, Chikuzen Kingdom."

"It turned out to be an eminent monk from Enli Temple! I'm sorry!" The rich businessman hurriedly saluted again, and asked curiously, "I heard that the shogunate's army besieged Mount Hiei. I wonder if Enli Temple is good?"

The old monk with white eyebrows lowered his eyebrows and replied obediently: "The poor monk came out early, so I don't know about it yet."

The rich businessman seemed a little discouraged.Then he said: "It turns out to be like this! Speaking of it, the mother mountain of Buddhism is really ill-fated. It was burned by a fire more than ten years ago, and this time it was surrounded by the shogunate army... I hope the disaster will pass as soon as possible and return to Kyoto. What a peaceful and peaceful day!"

The white-browed old monk accompanied helplessly and said: "Tan Yue said..."

"Hey! Look at my memory! Here are some dry food rice balls, and I will give them to all the masters to eat on the road. Please don't refuse your kindness." The rich businessman ordered the shop assistants to bring over the rice balls in the big basket and distribute them to everyone. In the hands of the monks, the monks could not refuse the kindness of the believers, so they folded their hands and took the rice balls.

When it was sent to an elderly monk who was a little different, he hesitated and handed over the wrapped rice ball.Turning around, he muttered softly: "It's strange, how can there be an elderly monk with such good skin care. His hands are so white, they must have never worked hard, just like the nobles and gentlemen in the capital at the banquet... "

After taking a nap in the afternoon, I suddenly heard a cry of surprise, and the pedestrians on the street were in a mess. Just when the monks were a little at a loss, the rich businessman trotted over again and said out of breath: "It's not good. The shogunate army is burning Mount Hiei! Masters, you should leave as soon as possible! The sooner you leave, the better!"

"Thank you Tanyue for your advice! The poor monk is leaving now!" The white-browed old monk hurriedly stood up and saluted, then turned around and ordered the monks to leave immediately. A team of more than a hundred people hurried forward to the northwest direction. The monks took turns supporting the elderly monk to move forward, and the strong monks around him supported him tightly.

The rich businessman looked worriedly at the monks who were going away, turned around and bumped into the head of the person behind him, and was about to apologize while covering his forehead, but found that his own buddy ran out to watch the fun, and angrily scolded: "Don't go back! See what the store is doing? There is one thing missing, watch your skin!"

The guy was about to run away in embarrassment when he was suddenly stopped by the rich businessman, and he timidly walked up to his boss. The rich businessman said angrily and funnyly: "Go back and remember better, we must not see the monks of Yanli Temple." If your big-mouthed fork spreads all the words and provokes the officers and soldiers of the shogunate to take you and me, then you will be sent to a big prison to be tortured, and you may even lose your life in it. Moving your head is such a trivial matter, can you rest assured that your parents are involved? Returning the daughter-in-law that your family said will be cheaper for other bastards, do you want to end up in such a situation? "

The guy's face turned pale from being bluffed, he kept shaking his head, and kept saying, "I don't want to!"

"Just don't think about it!" The rich businessman nodded in satisfaction, and ordered in a low voice: "Go back and remember not to say anything. If someone asks you what you did just now, just say that you went to the street to watch the excitement, and ask you about rice balls. I just presume that I don’t know and let them come to me, and I don’t know about other questions, understand?”

"Yes!" The clerk nodded numbly, and ran back to the shop along the street.

Two hours later, on a hill next to Tango Street in the northwest of Kyoto, the group of monks stood on the top of the hill and looked at the mountain forest billowing in black smoke in the distance. The old monk in the village suddenly said: "I shouldn't have taken refuge in Mount Hiei, another good place has been destroyed to protect me!"

The white-browed old monk, known as Jue Xing, is the head of the Zixing Temple of Enryaku-ji Temple in Mount Hiei. Seeing the self-reproach of Emperor Masakimachi, he hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, you don't have to blame yourself. This is a destiny that cannot be forced. Everyone It is righteousness for a Buddha to sacrifice his life to protect His Majesty, and he will be taken into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss by the gods and Buddhas!"

"I hope so! It's getting late. Hurry up as soon as possible!" Emperor Masakimachi took a deep look at Kyoto.Gradually walked down the hillside and left without looking back.

at the same time.The fire at Enryaku-ji Temple in Mount Hiei was slowly entering the central part. Nobunaga Oda ordered 15 troops to surround Mount Hiei and set fire to the mountain from both east and west directions. Numerous monks were crying and fleeing for their lives. It was burned, and the painstaking efforts of Mount Hiei for thousands of years were lost.

The entire east pagoda was on fire, the west pagoda was completely destroyed, and countless eminent monks fled in panic.Countless good men and women are hiding like helpless cats and dogs. Except for the passage near the Hiyoshi Shrine guarded by Oda Nobunaga, which is very strictly guarded, the generals defending the other passages have softened their hearts and quietly let them escape. .

A small number of Buddhist disciples were lucky enough to escape from birth, but most unfortunately became humble dogs slaughtered by everyone. They wailed, wailed and begged the officers and soldiers to let them live. Many warriors were shaken at that moment. , They firmly believe in the faith of the Wu family, and the gods and Buddhas they worship tell them that they cannot kill these poor Buddhists, but some people are killing Buddhists everywhere like crazy.

The tears of the Buddhist disciples were almost dried up.They knelt on the spot and begged the gods and Buddhas to forgive their sins. They kowtowed over and over again, leaving bright red blood marks on their heads.But the gods and Buddhas seem to be blocked from Mount Hiei, helplessly watching the believers wailing, and being decapitated by the Oda Army without any effort.

The Oda Army Headquarters is really crazy. Under the strict order of Oda Nobunaga, he took out a stance against a strong enemy, brandished a butcher knife and chopped off the head of an old monk who was waiting to die with his eyes closed, and raised his big gun to provoke only The corpses of seven or eight-year-old children are even more shameless. When a warrior sees women and children, his eyes glow and his mouth drools.

All the Garan Pagodas that were not burned by the Ashikaga Yoshikado of the Evil Gosho in those days were set ablaze. At this moment, the mother mountain of Buddhism has turned into a glowing red furnace, exuding a sea of ​​flames and hell with billowing heat, but the victims are these devout Buddhists.

The Lord of the Tiantai Zuojue forgives Prince Fa, who sits in the fundamental nave that has been turned into a fire pit. His clothes are smoky and tattered, and he no longer looks like a prince. Buddha! Save the poor disciples of the Buddha. If Yanli Temple is really guilty, please punish the poor monks and the monks! Let go of the poor old and weak women and children at the foot of the mountain, they are innocent! "

Several monks who were protecting him were killed on the spot by the falling beams of the burning house from the root hall. The remaining monks looked at each other and put their hands together and said, "Master! Please leave quickly! The root hall is about to collapse. !"

The head of the Tiantai seat firmly shook his head, and said: "The poor monk will not go anywhere! This is the fundamental hall dedicated to the ancestors of my Tiantai sect. The poor monk wants to watch the demise of my Enryaku Temple in Mount Hiei..."

"You are the last hope of Enryaku Temple in Mount Hiei. As long as you can go out and call on Buddhist temples all over the world to attack Oda Nobunaga, you can avenge us!"

"No! The poor monk is going to die here, and be a guide for all the dead Buddhist disciples under the underworld!" Prince Jueshufa coughed violently, covering his mouth and nose, and looked up at the burning beams that were about to collapse. Standing up trembling, he cursed mournfully: "Oda Nobunaga! You devil crawled out of hell! You devil king of the sixth day! Even if the poor monk dies, he will not let you go! You must die a terrible death! Die badly..."

The fundamental central hall collapsed, collapsed, and destroyed in the fire. The 160th and sixth Tiantai lord became the first lord to be killed during his reign, and he was also the prince of France who was killed first and last. At this moment, Oda Nobunaga at the foot of the mountain was still completely ignorant of all this, and still angrily scolded Hieizan Enryakuji Temple for being ignorant of good and bad.

"These monks are so cunning that they deserve to be killed!" Oda Nobunaga walked back and forth in front of the big tent indignantly, muttering as if he was constantly encouraging himself: "Since the Heian era, these mountain mages have always opposed the court. If there is nothing to do, it is extremely rude to carry the mountain king's god to come out and complain! My Nobunaga is just venting my anger for the imperial court shogunate, but my family is the three ministers and the deputy general of the shogunate, not to mention how dare they harbor the emperor and burn them. They should too!"

It seems that I am very satisfied with my reasons, no matter how unconvincing my words are, anyway, as long as I don’t feel guilty and ashamed about burning Mount Hiei, it also reflects Oda Nobunaga’s psychological pressure from the side. The burning of Mount Hiei has always been regarded as an immoral act, at least from the present it seems that none of the people who burned Mount Hiei ended up with a good end.

Ashikaga Yoshinaga burned Mount Hiei for the first time, and then he was decapitated by Akamatsu Misuke during the Cargill Rebellion. Hosokawa Masamoto burned Mount Hiei for the second time, and then he was assassinated by his adopted son Hosokawa Sumyuki, and he was burned for the third time. Mount Hiei, then Honganji Temple was accused by the Tendai Sect as the enemy of Buddha, once abandoned Kalan and defeated Kii, Honganji Temple passed away like a gloomy end, the culprit, Kaga Issei, was captured by the Kanto Ashikaga family, and fell to the verge of extinction. And what about Oda Nobunaga?

The ancients believed in fate very much. An ominous weapon will bring bad luck to the weapon holder, and an ominous evil event will bring bad luck to himself or even the whole family. When Oda Nobunaga realized that Prince Shufa He refused to escape and died in the fundamental middle hall, and the curse he issued was spread word of mouth along with the escaped monks. Oda Nobunaga suddenly felt that his whole body was not well.

"You mean that Prince Shufa, the master of the Tiantai seat, cursed the family...Cursed Yu? Why did he curse Yu? Why?" Oda Nobunaga dealt with the anger, loudly roaring to vent the panic in his heart, he was really nervous and worried, as the saying goes He said what he was afraid of, the more he was afraid of walking at night, the more likely he would run into ghosts, and unfortunately he did.

Prince Jue Shufa, who was clearly able to escape, chose to fight with death and cursed terribly before he died. Do you still want Oda Nobunaga to sleep peacefully?Probably not, from the expression of Oda Nobunaga, it is impossible. If you don’t do bad things, you will not be afraid of ghosts knocking on the door. People with a guilty conscience are especially afraid of curses. The more afraid they are, the more they will hit him. No wonder Oda Nobunaga’s expression It became very strange, probably because she was frightened.

The Oda retainer showed a look of sympathy, and Akechi Mitsuhide couldn't help but chuckled secretly, stood up respectfully and persuaded: "My lord, rest assured, there are no witnesses for the last words of Prince Shufa, and most of them are rumors and fabrications. Those who came out, these monks of Yanli Temple deeply hate us and other officers and soldiers, it is very possible to fabricate a lie and put it on the general!"

"Hinata Mamoru is right! What he said is very reasonable! As expected of the samurai in Kyoto who are well-informed, they immediately punctured the little tricks of the monks of Enryaku Temple! Good! Very good!" Oda Nobunaga looked very happy, and immediately Standing up, he shouted an order: "The rest of the generals will issue an order to the capital, and the monks of Hiei Mountain will confuse the people with their rumors and frame the crusade against the shogunate. All those who spread the rumors will be sent to the source of the six rivers and beheaded to show the public!" (To be continued...)