Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 748 Postscript II: Xuanzang

Night fell, and the long street fell silent.

Inside the market, things began to liven up.

Dunyifang is located within Chang'an County. Da Ci'en Temple is located within Dunyifang, facing Taiyi Qinghua Temple across Zhuque Street and Jinchangfang.

Buddhist temples are tolerant, and many vendors often hawk their wares outside the temples, attracting crowds, especially after curfew, when the area outside Da Ci En Temple is bustling with activity.

"Tap tap tap tap..." A steady and orderly sound of footsteps suddenly came from the gate of the neighborhood. A large number of soldiers in red robes and gold armor suddenly appeared at the end of the long street and then strode towards the Great Ci'en Temple.

At that moment, the gates of Da Ci'en Temple suddenly opened.

Dozens of gray-robed monks, their expressions solemn, jogged out of the temple and began to quickly persuade the surrounding people and merchants to leave.

The people and merchants of Chang'an, having seen many grand occasions, immediately recognized that a distinguished person had arrived, and they quickly packed up and left.

Some people went home, while others hid in a side alley. However, as soon as they stood still, the solemn-looking Imperial Guards, holding long spears, filled the long street.

The emperor has arrived.

……

At the entrance of the Great Ci'en Temple, Li Chengqian, dressed in a black robe with gold thread and a black turban, dismounted with a solemn expression.

General Li Anyan of the Left Thousand Bull Guard, General Li Junxian of the Left Golden Guard, General Qiu Shenji of the Right Golden Guard, and others all dismounted.

A middle-aged monk named Kuiji, dressed in a gray robe, was already standing at the door. He put his palms together and said to Li Chengqian, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian nodded and asked, "How is the Master?"

Kuiji bowed and said, "Master is well."

Li Chengqian stepped into the Great Ci'en Temple, followed closely by Li Anyan, Li Junxian, Qiu Shenji, and others. Countless densely packed guards lined up from the entrance to the main hall.

Li Junxian walked past Kuiji, his eyes curiously scanning him up and down. He couldn't believe that Yuchi Jingde's nephew had become a monk.

Kuiji bowed and then followed the others into the temple. However, as soon as they entered, they saw the emperor's footsteps stop in front of them.

Li Chengqian turned to Li Anyan and said, "Send someone to summon Di Renjie."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed, then immediately turned to make the arrangements.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and strode towards the main hall, his solemn expression unchanged.

He came to the Great Ci'en Temple today to see Xuanzang one last time after receiving news of Xuanzang's impending death.

……

White candles flickered on either side, while the Buddha statue in the center stood solemnly.

Xuanzang, dressed in a red robe with gold thread, sat calmly on the futon on the left.

Li Chengqian stopped at the entrance of the Mahavira Hall, then turned to the side and said, "You all stay outside. When Di Renjie arrives, have him sit behind me."

"Yes!" Li Junxian bowed respectfully.

Li Chengqian then straightened his clothes, solemnly entered the hall, and went directly to sit down on the prayer mat on the right.

The Tang Dynasty traditionally regarded the left as the place of honor, so Emperor Li Chengqian rarely sat on the right.

Only on this special day can he sit comfortably on the right side.

"Your Majesty!" Xuanzang calmly raised his head, bowed solemnly, but his eyes held a trace of deep sorrow.

"Master," Li Chengqian sighed softly, nodding in return, "I never imagined things would come to this."

Xuanzang smiled calmly and said, "Your Majesty possesses the four seas and is invincible throughout the world. It is an honor for this humble monk to be here today."

Li Chengqian fell silent. After a moment, he gently shook his head and said, "Master, you are a Buddhist master of your generation, revered by both heaven and man, and have accumulated many years of merit. I should show you the respect due to you."

"Your Majesty is too kind." Xuanzang smiled gently, raised his head slightly, and said, "Time flies, and for a moment I can't remember whether the first time I met Your Majesty was in Chang'an or Luoyang." "Naturally it was in Chang'an." Li Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "At that time, my father had just conquered Liaodong after his eastern expedition against Goguryeo. I was then the Crown Prince and the regent in Chang'an. It was Chancellor Fang who went out of the city to welcome the monk into the city. By the way, that day was the fifth day of the first month, the nineteenth year of Zhenguan."

Xuanzang looked at Li Chengqian in surprise, then laughed and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty has a truly excellent memory; this humble monk is no match for you."

"I don't remember too clearly either, after all, twenty years have passed." Li Chengqian paused, his expression becoming solemn: "Today is the fifth day of the second month."

"Everything is preordained." Xuanzang said calmly, putting his palms together and bowing, "I am also grateful that His Majesty did not march south and invade India."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Last month, Nepal submitted a memorial requesting to become a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty. After the Fengshan ceremony, the territory of the Tang Dynasty will expand further. As for India, I have no interest in India."

"Why?" Xuanzang asked curiously. Since the emperor ascended the throne, he had destroyed Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, the Western Turks, the Western Tuyuhun, and Tibet. There were no rivals within the four borders of the Tang Dynasty. In fact, with just 10,000 cavalrymen, India would have surrendered and become a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, but the emperor still stopped.

“Because…” Li Chengqian stopped mid-sentence, turning to look at the entrance of the hall. Di Renjie, dressed in a blue robe, appeared at the door, bowed slightly to Li Chengqian, and then walked into the hall, kneeling down behind Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Xuanzang, his expression becoming increasingly calm: "Firstly, the princess of North India is my consort. When Tang destroyed Tibet, India cooperated in the process. I have never intended to attack allies. Secondly, I always felt that the feng shui of India was not very good."

"Oh!" Xuanzang asked with some surprise, "Why does Your Majesty think this way?"

“However eternal Buddhism may be, it has already completely disappeared in India. If the Tang Dynasty were to be influenced by India, I fear that the Tang Dynasty would also decline as a result.” Li Chengqian calmly raised his head.

Inside the main hall, the image of Shakyamuni Buddha is solemn, but a huge shadow is cast behind him.

Xuanzang smiled gently and said, "Your Majesty is indeed no ordinary person."

Li Chengqian lowered his head calmly.

Xuanzang sighed softly and said, "It is said that Buddha has compassion for all people, but in my opinion, Your Majesty is the one who truly has compassion for all people."

Li Chengqian looked up with a solemn expression.

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, although you have waged wars on all sides, you have always ended in great victory, ultimately benefiting the world and bringing peace to the people." Xuanzang looked at Li Chengqian with some excitement and said, "Within the country, Your Majesty has investigated hidden lands, cleaned up ill-gotten gains, and suppressed powerful families, allowing the people to farm in peace. Over the years, the people have become prosperous. Although we are still one step away from a golden age, we can already be said to be the first in history!"

"I also hope so." Li Chengqian smiled, then shook his head and said, "The so-called different times, let's not talk about Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Wen of Sui for now. Father Emperor's reign was only slow because the foundation was greatly damaged at the end of Sui Dynasty. Otherwise, with the talents of Fang Xiang and others, it is a fact that they are better than me. I am not good enough."

"Your Majesty is too modest," Xuanzang sighed softly.

Li Chengqian smiled faintly and said, "If we compare my father's time to a youth, his foundation was deep but his bones and muscles were not yet strong. As for me, I am merely a young man. My bones and muscles are strong, but my muscles are not yet powerful. Perhaps in another twenty years, when the people are scattered all over the land, I will be a strong and muscular middle-aged man, and then I will maintain my strength and prosperity, and the people of the world will be rich and prosperous. That is the Tang Dynasty I look forward to."

"Your Majesty is a ruler like Yao and Shun." Xuanzang bowed slightly and put his palms together, saying, "If this is the case, Buddha will surely bless the Tang Dynasty, making it prosperous and lasting for ten thousand years."

"Amitabha." Li Chengqian rarely put his palms together in a gesture of respect.

"Amitabha!" Xuanzang returned the greeting, then sat down, gently closed his eyes, and said nothing more.

Li Chengqian sighed softly, then bowed slightly, stood up, waved to Di Renjie, and walked out of the hall.

Di Renjie bowed to Xuanzang with his palms together, and then followed Li Chengqian out of the main hall.

Outside the hall, Li Chengqian stopped and turned to Di Renjie, saying, "You stay here and see the monk off."

"Yes!" Di Renjie bowed slightly.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, then strode towards the Great Ci'en Temple, never looking back.

……

At 11:45 AM, Li Chengqian had just returned to the palace.

Suddenly, a series of booming bell tolls came from the direction of the Great Ci'en Temple.

Li Chengqian stopped and looked in the direction of the Great Ci'en Temple with a complicated expression.

In his eyes, there seemed to be a seven-colored radiance rising from the direction of the Great Ci'en Temple and then flying towards the west.

On the fifth day of the second month of the seventeenth year of Yongwei.

Xuanzang passed away.

(End of this chapter)