National Division

Chapter 94 The Demon Queen, Just You Wait! (5600 words. Worldly matters are settled. Two updates will resume tomorrow.)

Qianyuan Hall

As Cui Yan left the court and requested to retire, Lu Dezhen also realized what was happening. He stepped out from the side, his face filled with grief and indignation. Holding an ivory jade tablet, he loudly proclaimed, "This old minister begs to retire."

The Empress, seated on the golden throne, gripped the armrests tightly with both hands. Her indifferent gaze fell upon Cui Yan and Lu Dezhen, her fair skin and jade-like face as icy and aloof as ever.

Should we dismiss Cui and Lu from their positions as prime ministers?

Thinking this, the Empress turned her beautiful eyes to Shen Xian, meeting his firm and sharp gaze.

With a heavy heart, I decided to seize the opportunity to resign as prime minister; why delay any longer!
Originally, the plan was to adjust the personnel of the court after the court quelled the rebellion of Prince Qing. The intention was to proceed step by step, but now that the opportunity has arisen, we might as well accomplish it all in one battle!
"The two traitors, Cui and Lu, are old and frail, and their energy is failing in handling state affairs. Now that they have retired, I cannot bear to continue to employ them and burden them with paperwork." The Empress's majestic yet indifferent voice rang out in the hall.

Lud was dumbfounded. Shouldn't they be trying to persuade him to stay?
Not even bothering to put on an act?
Cui Yan showed no reluctance to remain in his position. He removed his black gauze hat and said in a hoarse voice, "This old minister thanks Your Majesty for your great favor. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"

He practically choked out the words "Long En" through gritted teeth.

Empress, just you wait!
When the world is in chaos, the wicked empress will surely be dethroned amidst the condemnation of thousands!

At that time, the Cui family made a comeback, supported Li Jing's regime, and then asked whose empire it was!
And that brat Shen Xian, we'll settle accounts with him later!
Seeing Cui Yan express his gratitude, Lu Dezhen was caught in a dilemma, feeling a surge of grief and indignation. He finally bowed and said, "Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty the Empress for your great grace. May you live a thousand years!"

As Cui Yan and Lu Dezhen requested to retire and return to their hometowns, the ministers in the hall looked at each other, each with their own thoughts.

Upon seeing this, Wei Cong looked dejected and sighed inwardly.

After that, he was the only member of a prominent family left in the government office.

Shen Xian held the ivory jade tablet, his expression solemn, and cupped his hands, saying, "A thousand sails pass by the sunken ship, and ten thousand trees bloom before the withered tree. Your Majesty the Empress has shed your incompetence and restored a bright and clear world to the court. This is a renewal of all things, beginning from today."

The Empress's reaction was slightly unexpected, or rather, he hadn't anticipated Cui Yan's resignation.

But on second thought, it doesn't seem strange.

Cui Yan, after all, came from a prominent family. He felt humiliated and ashamed after being rebuked in court. He thought it best to resign and leave, so that he could at least retain some of his good reputation.

This resignation might be a sign that the court is watching how it will function without the Cui family's leadership.
Even if he steps down from power, he might still use the influence of the Cui and Lu clans to cause trouble afterward.

The Empress looked at Shen Xian and thought to herself, "Mr. Shen is not only a man of great talent in reasoning, but also has remarkable attainments in poetry."

As Liu Yuxi once wrote in a poem...

In fact, the poem was quoted aptly, giving people a sense of a renewed atmosphere in the imperial court, the beginning of a prosperous era, and a profound historical turning point.

The princess, with her delicate, arched eyebrows, gazed intently at the eloquent young man, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

On his first day in court, he brought down two prime ministers. From now on, it is likely that the court and the public will discuss the name of Scholar Shen.

Meanwhile, Gu Nanzhu, standing beside the Empress, had a slightly dazed expression on her beautiful face. She had clearly witnessed the heated debate that had just taken place in the court.

Regardless, Shen Xian was indeed a man of exceptional eloquence, and his appointment as an academician of the Zhaowen Pavilion was a testament to the Empress's skill in employing him.

As for whether Shen Xian possesses the talent to govern the world, it is likely that the Empress will come to understand him as time goes by.

Upon hearing the poem Shen Xian casually recited, Cui Yan and Lu Dezhen's expressions became even more annoyed.

Who is the sunken ship, and who is the withered tree?
Cui Yan cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, since there is nothing else, this old man will take his leave now."

Lu Dezhen then bowed and took his leave.

The Empress Dowager remained calm and pondered for a moment before saying, "Gao Yanfu, see the two ministers off on my behalf."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Gao Yanfu responded, and then, together with several eunuchs, escorted Cui and Lu out of the hall.

In an instant, all eyes in the hall fell on the tall, slender young man dressed in a light scarlet fifth-rank official robe, their hearts filled with astonishment.

This Shen Muzhi, regardless of whether he was a disciple of Xing Jin, was indeed exceptionally talented, like a divine sword.

Faming narrowed his eyes, a bad feeling creeping into his heart for some reason.

Grand Secretary Cai Heng cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Your Majesty, with the departure of Grand Secretaries Cui and Lu, who will succeed them as prime ministers?"

The Empress pondered for a moment and said, "This matter will be discussed later. Minister Cai, summarize today's court discussions into a memorial, copy it into the official gazette, and let it be heard by envoys both inside and outside the court."

The dismissal of two prime ministers today has likely caused surprise and suspicion both at home and abroad. Although Shen Muzhi’s words were strong, they may not be unable to quell public opinion to some extent, so as to prevent Cui and Lu from using their reputation to confuse the public after they step down.

As for the choice of prime minister, she originally had someone in mind, but she still needed to consider it.

Cai Heng cupped his hands in agreement.

After discussing the matter of the two prime ministers, Cui and Lu, the Empress turned her gaze to King Zhao, Yang Youxing, and asked, "King Zhao, you mentioned earlier that Faming wanted to build a pagoda at Baima Temple to welcome all Buddhas and scare away demons in the world?"

This was a proposal put forward by Faming: to build stupas for all Buddhas, so that the illusory images of the Buddhas and Arhats of the Brahma world would descend.

King Zhao Yang Youxing stepped forward, cupped his hands, and reported: "Evil spirits are causing chaos throughout the land. Master Faming has a method to subdue demons and eliminate evil."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Faming, who was dressed in a red kasaya, and said, "Master, you can tell us your plan to subdue the demon in front of the goddess."

He thought to himself, "Luckily, Cui Yan and Lu Dezhen have both been dismissed from their posts. Otherwise, there would have been a heated debate today. Cui Yan is particularly eloquent, and although Fa Ming is good at witty banter, he might not be his match."

"Amitabha." Faming stepped out of the ranks, clasped his hands together, and loudly proclaimed the Buddha's name, his voice like a bronze bell: "Empress Dowager, as long as Buddhist temples are built throughout the world and people worship Buddha statues, we can receive the Buddha's Dharma bodies to descend. Under the Buddha's light, demons and evil spirits will no longer dare to cause trouble!"

The Imperial Preceptor, Murong Yue, frowned almost imperceptibly, and the scene of the entire Xiao Qi dynasty worshipping Buddha in the previous dynasty involuntarily appeared before her eyes.

He sighed inwardly.

She didn't approve of the matter, but her senior brother and the elders in the sect seemed to have other plans.

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's face remained ashen, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Faming continued, “The Empress is the reincarnation of the Pure Light Heavenly Maiden, who descended to the mortal realm of Dajing to save people from suffering. This humble monk believes that a stone cave could be carved in the land of Longmen and Yique, using the Empress’s appearance as the image of a Bodhisattva, to suppress all demons in the world.”

Upon hearing this, the Empress's phoenix eyes, beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows, flickered, clearly showing that she was quite interested.

He connected his thoughts with the national guardian beast, the Vermilion Bird, to inquire about its opinion, and received a "yes" message.

Shen Xian watched this scene, taking in the changes in Murong Yue's expression, but remained silent.

The purpose of bringing Buddhism into the world is essentially to counter the Taiqing and Yuqing sects. Unless he also has the support of a celestial sect, he cannot stop this trend of the resurgence of Buddhism.

However, the diva will probably ask for his opinion afterward.

The Empress seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, "Carving stone statues, conscripting laborers, and undertaking large-scale construction will inevitably burden the people and waste resources."

Zhao Wang Yang Youxing said, "Your Majesty, I have already found craftsmen and laborers. As for money, wealthy merchants and gentry from all over the country have donated money for such a great meritorious deed as repairing a Buddhist temple, so the imperial treasury will not have to worry about a single tael."

The Buddhist sect only wanted freedom to spread its teachings in the Great Jing Dynasty. Initially, it did not aspire to be like the Taoist sect, using all the land under heaven to support the construction of Taoist temples.

Of course, the salami-slicing tactic gradually changes people's thinking.

Emperor Xiao Qi's three acts of self-sacrifice to enter Buddhist temples were not accomplished overnight.

Cai Hengcang said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid the Taiqing and Yuqing families will not agree to this matter, and there will be many obstacles and unexpected twists and turns."

The Empress said coldly, "Now that demons and evil spirits are causing chaos in the world, and the disciples of both families are standing idly by, if you do not agree, then you should do more to subdue demons and eliminate evil spirits."

As she spoke, the Empress looked at Faming and said, "Master Faming, please build temples and pagodas first. You need not worry about the Taoists."

Upon receiving permission, Faming was overjoyed and said, "Your Majesty, after the White Horse Temple is completed, this humble monk will gather all the Zen masters of our sect at the White Horse Temple to hold the Ullambana Festival. We will use the Water and Land Ritual to spread the Dharma and deliver demons and ghosts. I would like to invite Your Majesty to attend the ceremony."

Upon hearing Fa Ming's words, Shen Xian couldn't help but turn his gaze to Murong Yue, who was standing beside the Empress.

The Shangqing family seems to be tolerating the expansion of Buddhism for the time being.

"Master Faming, I grant your permission," the Empress Dowager announced loudly.

Faming said, "I recently received several volumes of the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Precious Rain Sutra from my fellow disciples, and I wish to translate them into the scriptures of this dynasty."

The Empress thought for a moment and said, "Xu Qing."

"Your subject is here," said Xu Shi, a third-rank official of the Secretariat-Chancellery, Grand Academician of the Zhaowen Hall, and Minister of Rites, bowing respectfully.

"Summon all those from the Zhaowen Hall who are fluent in Sanskrit to the White Horse Temple to translate the scriptures spoken by Master Faming into the local script for dissemination," the Empress Dowager instructed.

"Your subject respectfully obeys the imperial edict." Xu Shi's expression turned solemn, and he bowed in response.

After giving her instructions, the Empress Dowager said, "Master Faming, please rest first. Prince Zhao, you will accompany Master Faming down here to fully assist in the repair of the temple, the excavation of the Buddhist cave, and the translation of Buddhist scriptures."

Upon hearing this, King Yang Youxing of Zhao bowed and agreed.

It seems that Her Majesty has given her permission for the eastward transmission of Buddhism, and there will be no further setbacks.

As Yang Youxing spoke, he led Faming and the two monks out of the Qianyuan Hall.

However, when Yang Youxing passed by the Princess and her two companions, he couldn't help but glance at Shen Xian again.

After Prince Zhao, Yang Youxing, left, Yao Zhiwei, the Chamberlain of the Palace, emerged from the court with a solemn expression and a worried tone: "Your Majesty, if Buddhism is to spread throughout the land again, I fear that after Buddhist temples are built everywhere, people will sell their children and daughters to donate their wealth to these temples to help with incense offerings."

"Don't worry, Yao Qing, I am not Emperor Qi Wu," the Empress said dismissively.

She will combine Buddhism and Taoism, using Buddhism to suppress Taoism and Taoism to control Buddhism, so as not to allow one to dominate.

Upon hearing this, Yao Zhiwei's worries did not lessen in the slightest. She advised, "It's just that the problems were already deeply entrenched, and it won't be easy to completely eliminate the influence of the Buddhist sect."

As the saying goes, it's easy to invite a god but hard to send him away. Zhang Huaidao, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, echoed, "Your Majesty, Buddhism is adept at bewitching people. The common people are unaware of the truth and are easily misled. Even if local officials and high-ranking officials in the imperial court are currently discussing metaphysics, they may not be talking about Zen in the future."

Wei Xueqian cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I implore you to reconsider."

Shen Xian thought to himself that these prime ministers were quite accurate in their judgment.

Or rather, there are no fools in the court; everyone is speaking from their own perspective.

Yao Zhiwei thought for a moment, then turned to look at Shen Xian and asked, "Scholar Shen, you are a learned scholar, knowledgeable in both ancient and modern times. What is your opinion on the eastward transmission of Buddhist teachings?"

Upon hearing this, all the ministers in the hall turned to look at the handsome young man with a composed expression.

It can be said that during a court assembly, he impeached two prime ministers with sharp words, causing them to resign in shame.

Shen Xian has successfully made himself remembered by the officials of the Great Jing court.

Shen Xian thought to himself, "Is it really Mr. Shen who can answer all questions about the world?"

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager also turned her gaze to Shen Xian and asked, "Mr. Shen, why did you remain silent just now?"

She thought that since Faming was spreading the Dharma, Shen Muzhi would offer some advice, but unexpectedly he remained silent just now.

Shen Xian said, "This is a temporary expedient measure forced by the situation, and I do not know where to begin."

Upon hearing this, the Empress remained silent for a moment.

Shen Xiansheng indeed had a keen understanding of the situation.

It wasn't that she wanted to introduce Buddhism, but rather that she had no choice but to.

Li Jingyi established Taoism as the state religion, gaining support from powerful families in the central government and protection from officials and commoners in the prefectures and counties. The Vermilion Bird Envoy, cultivated by the dynasty for a century, could hardly contend with him.

Shen Xian said loudly, "The Holy Emperor reigns supreme over the world, governing all the lands and regions. He employs Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, gods, demons, and ghosts, making them work for the world, for the nation, and for the common people, rather than allowing them to oppress the people and act recklessly. Your Majesty already possesses the demeanor of a Holy Emperor."

Can it be used in Buddhism? We can make do with it for now, and change it later if the times change.

Upon hearing this, Yao Zhiwei sighed inwardly and said, "What will we do if the Buddhist sect becomes too powerful and uncontrollable in the future?"

Shen Xian remained silent for a moment, then said, "We must trust the wisdom of future generations."

Upon hearing this, Yao Zhiwei paused for a moment, then sighed.

Minister of War Wei Xueqian gave the young man a deep look.

The eldest princess asked, "Scholar Shen, do you have any strategies to nip problems in the bud and prepare for the future?"

Shen Xian said, "Yes, there are."

Upon hearing this, all the ministers in the hall were astonished.

The Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue also looked at the young man and thought to herself, "This person has a way to control the rampant spread of Buddhism."
Shen Xian carefully considered his words and said, "The court should promulgate the 'Precepts for the Propagation of Buddhism,' which would restrict the areas where the Dharma is propagated and the number of monks in Buddhist temples. It should manage all matters, big and small, and not grant monks judicial privileges that would allow them to be above the common people. In short, it should insist on independence, self-propagation, and self-management, and guide the propagation of the Dharma to be in harmony with the rule of the Great Jing Emperor."

The so-called judicial privilege means that monks often receive reduced or waived punishments for their crimes, which is why many fugitives hide in Buddhist temples.

Upon hearing this, the Empress's phoenix eyes sparkled like water, and she seemed to understand something. She exclaimed, "Mr. Shen is truly a national hero."

When the ministers in the palace heard the Empress Dowager address Shen Xian as Mr. Shen, they were once again taken aback.

A national hero... an unparalleled national hero, how could the Empress have such a high opinion of Scholar Shen?
Shen Xian cupped his hands and said, "Xian, I am unworthy of such praise."

The eastward spread of Buddhism was primarily aimed at containing Taoism, and under this historical trend, the influence of Buddhism was bound to expand.

Shen Xian's first appearance at the court assembly upon arriving in Dajing thus came to an end.

The Empress's tone became lighter as she said, "It's getting late, everyone should go and rest, and enjoy your lunch."

"We, your subjects, take our leave." Led by Cai Heng, the Grand Secretary, and Yao Zhiwei, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, all the prime ministers bowed and took their leave.

In the Qian Yuan Hall, only the Empress Dowager, the Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue, Consort Gu, the Eldest Princess, Xue Zhihua, and Shen Xian remained for a moment.

The diva exclaimed, "What you just said was truly enlightening, like the resounding toll of a great bell, clearing the mind and ears."

Then, he said to the eunuch beside him, "Please take a seat and come closer to talk."

"I was merely going with the flow. Now that Prince Qing's rebellion has been quelled and the situation in the court has been resolved, it is time for Cui and Lu to step down," Shen Xian said, thanking him and explaining.

Ultimately, it was because the diva had secured her position and it was time to make personnel adjustments, and he undoubtedly accelerated this process.

The Empress nodded and said, "However, after this incident, you will inevitably be resented by the Cui and Lu clans, and there will be a lot of trouble for you later."

"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it," Shen Xian said.

He wasn't too worried about this matter; if Cui and Lu only used humanitarian methods, he wouldn't care.

If word gets out about what happened today, it will likely spark a media war.

The powerful and influential families control public opinion, and I'm afraid they will slander and defame him both in and out of the court, confusing him with the two men from the next two weeks.

Isn't this how they slander Zhang, Cai, Xu, and Yao as the four great traitors?

Regarding the court assembly just now, I don't know how the four prime ministers are in terms of minor matters, but they do have practical abilities, although their reputations are not good.

This is also why the Empress Dowager had compiled his impeachment of Cui and Lu today.

Right and wrong should be left to the people of the world to discuss.

Xue Zhihua cupped her hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Cui and Lu clans have members who practice immortal arts and martial arts, and even raise assassins. I'm afraid they might secretly send people to harm Scholar Shen."

Shen Xian looked at Xue Zhihua, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

He had considered this matter before, but it was not appropriate to bring it up. Xue Zhihua's ability to think of it shows how much thought she had put into it.

The Empress nodded and said, "Zhihua is right. I will send martial arts experts from the Thousand Bull Guards to accompany you. As for the immortal path, Xue girl, you must protect it well."

"Your Majesty, my cultivation is low. I can deal with martial artists and immortal sorcerers below the third realm, but I'm afraid I'm no match for those with higher cultivation." Xue Zhihua said, looking expectantly at the Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue, and said in a clear voice, "Master, please have mercy and bestow upon me something for self-defense."

Murong Yue met her beloved disciple's earnest gaze, her heart filled with a mixture of doting helplessness. She turned her slender hand over, revealing three jade slips in her palm. The jade slips shimmered with light, their colors a blend of jade, gold, and silver. The nun's luscious pink lips parted slightly: "Recently, I've had some free time, so I've condensed three jade slips containing Daoist techniques. Each slip contains a phantom of divine thought, capable of performing the Void-Piercing Sword Technique, the Divine Illumination Finger Technique, and the Dao Embryo Palm Technique, respectively. I'm giving them to Scholar Shen for self-defense!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian's eyes lit up, and he asked, "A jade slip containing Daoist techniques?"

Xue Zhihua explained, "Master is a seventh-realm immortal, capable of sealing divine thoughts and illusory images, as well as jade slips of the Dao Embryo Realm. Even a fourth-realm Dao Embryo Realm expert would suffer severe injuries if he were not careful."

This is because it is a jade slip containing the divine thoughts of a seventh-realm immortal master, which contains the master's profound understanding of the Dao.

The Empress smiled and said, "Scholar Shen, the Grand Preceptor Murong is a giant of the immortal path, whose Taoist magic and supernatural powers are unparalleled among the three religions. With these three Taoist magic jade slips for protection, ordinary enemies should not be able to harm you."

Shen Xian's eyes were full of sincerity as he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for the gift of the letter from Grand Preceptor Murong."

He thought to himself, "The immortal arts are indeed profound and mysterious. They can even store the illusory image of one's divine thoughts in a jade slip and use them to perform magic. I still need to hurry up and cultivate, strive to cultivate both Taoism and martial arts, and suppress the three religions!"

If you can take action, don't just talk.

A sword that penetrates the void, a finger that illuminates the divine, a palm strike that embodies the Dao...

He suddenly had a sense of déjà vu, as if he had previously debated with a group of scholars and rebuked the two prime ministers, Cui and Lu, only to find that the biggest challenge had been put on by the Grand Preceptor Murong Yue.

We must quickly improve our cultivation in both the Immortal and Martial arts!

He cultivates both immortal and martial arts, suppressing the three religions with his palm and dominating Buddhism with his sword!
A sense of urgency welled up in Shen Xian's heart.

His biggest problem right now is that he doesn't have enough time to cultivate both immortal and martial arts. If he were given enough time, he is confident that he could be invincible in the world within twenty years!

time……

Shen Xian suddenly remembered the Evergreen Pagoda that Xue Zhihua had mentioned earlier.

The Empress Dowager's gaze fell on the young man's face, and she asked, "Sir, do you have any suggestions regarding the transmission of Buddhist teachings?"

With all the ministers and officials present, there were some things that were not appropriate to say in public.

Shen Xian pondered and said, "Your Majesty, you should be cautious about the matter of spreading Buddhism. I believe that Buddhists are accustomed to speaking eloquently. However, I do not know much about the affairs of the immortal path. I am unaware of the distribution of immortal forces and the struggle between demons and monsters. Therefore, I should not speak rashly. Since Your Majesty intends to introduce the Buddhist sect, it must be due to the circumstances."

To know is to know, and to know is not to know.

He excels at analysis and logical deduction, mastering solutions in complex situations; in worldly terms, he is resourceful and decisive.

But without a basic database, even the most skilled cook can't make a meal without ingredients, and he had no way to analyze it.

The Empress nodded and said, "Xue and Grand Preceptor Murong know a great deal about matters of immortality. Mr. Shen can ask them for information."

The Imperial Preceptor, Murong Yue, said in a clear and cold voice, "Your Majesty, I intend to lead Scholar Shen to meet some of my fellow disciples later."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian's heart stirred slightly.

Is it the Shangqing sect?

We are finally about to encounter the immortal forces of this realm.

(End of this chapter)