Emperor Xiaoyao of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 215 A Smoke-Free War Between Two Men (Fourth Update)
Taoism has a special and deep relationship with the Li and Tang dynasties. One of the important reasons is that the traditional influence of the aristocratic families in the early Tang Dynasty was still very strong. If they were not from famous families, it would be difficult to gain respect from the society.

Many people say that Li Yuan was so stupid that he caused his son to kill his brother Shi. In fact, Li Yuanxiong's talent is no less than that of Li Er. The governance will be delayed for more than ten years.

Li Yuan is also a person who is good at making use of public opinion. From the very beginning, he purposely found some people to advocate the "Destiny Theory" for him. The above-mentioned student Wen is an example.

Of course Li Yuan would not be so stupid as to only use this method.Classmate Wen belongs to Confucianism, and Li Yuan has also caught Daoism!He also wanted to catch Foliu, but unfortunately he failed, because the Sui Dynasty worshiped Buddhism, and a new dynasty replaced the Sui Dynasty. What benefits could the Buddhist family gain?The answer is obvious, at most it is equal, so Foliu seldom accepts Li Yuan's olive branch.

At the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, there were few scholars, and many people believed in local religions. If we want to win the power of the working people, the most important thing is to win the Taoism born and bred in our hands.Now it is impossible to verify what method Li Yuan used, but he succeeded.

At the end of the Sui Dynasty, Taoist Wang Yuanzhi pretended to follow the order of the old monarch, and "secretly passed on the fate" to Li Yuan, and also predicted that Li Shimin would become the "Taiping Emperor". Crown, expanding Li's influence.

After doing this, Li Yuan found that those clans still looked down on him, the royal family, so he changed his trick again.In the fifth month of the third year of Wude, a man named Ji Shanxing saw a white-bearded old man riding a red-haired white horse on Yangjiao Mountain.The old man told him: You go and tell Tang Tianzi that I am his ancestor. After the rebellion is put down this year, the sons and grandchildren can be the emperor for a thousand years (obviously impossible, the entire Tang Dynasty is less than 300 years, minus Wu Zetian's reign, the number of years) even less).Ji Shanxing later told Li Yuan, and Li Yuan immediately built a temple for the old man on Yangjiao Mountain.Needless to say, this old man is the Supreme Lord.Li Yuan and Li Shimin, who claim to be the descendants of the Supreme Lord and sit in the world according to the order of heaven, have greatly improved the status of Taoism.Since then, I have truly confirmed that I am a descendant of the Taishang Laojun "Li Dan", a "miao descendant of the gods" (the Li royal family originally had Xianbei blood, but now it has been completely changed, even changing its own race).The Li family increased their social status, and Taoism has since become an important religion in the Li and Tang Dynasties.

There are always opportunistic people. Some people see that they have a chance to climb a big tree, so they ran to the Qin Palace and said that you have the fate of the emperor, such as Xue Yi, Qi Hui and the like.Of course, there may have been other Taoist priests who went to Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji to say the same thing, but their luck was a little bit worse.

However, where there are people, there are struggles, and monks who pay attention to the purity of the five roots are not immune. They planned to win the support of the court, but unfortunately they chose the wrong team at the beginning, so they were at a disadvantage in all the struggles of the Tang Dynasty (Wu Zetian period Except, she didn't see herself as a person with the surname Li, and even named her father as Emperor Taizu of the Southern Zhou Dynasty Supreme Xiao Minggao after she came to power).

In the eighth year of Wude (625), Tang Gaozu Li Yuan even directly issued an edict declaring that among the three religions, Taoism ranked first, Confucianism ranked second, and Buddhism ranked third. The status of Taoism is like a skyrocket.

As for whether Li Yuan and Li Er are really religious, no one is sure, but Hue He personally feels that political factors outweigh religious factors.During the Zhenguan period, Taoism still had the upper hand, but Li Er noticed it, and under the guise of confession, he sent Xuanzang to learn Buddhist scriptures to balance the balance of domestic religions.

The reason why Li Er kept Qingxiazi was because of his meritorious deeds on the outside, but Li Er was actually interested in the secret of Qingxiazi's longevity.They have also been emperors, and Qingxiazi is also romantic, which is more in line with Li Er's appetite.If it is said that Buddhism may also have long-lived eminent monks, but Li Er couldn't stand the clear rules and precepts, so he took the initiative to ignore them.People, that's how it is sometimes, choose what's best for them.Li Er wanted to find Qingxiazi's flaw first, as long as one person wanted something, it would be easy to control, this is Li Er's experience over the years.

"I pay homage to Your Majesty, the poor Taoist." Qing Xiazi received the imperial edict, stood in front of Li Er and performed a Taoist etiquette. His performance was extraordinary and refined, and he could not tell at all that this was the sloppy Taoist priest from the Jin Family Zhuangzi.If you don't say that he is a magic stick, his acting skills are definitely at the level of "Oscar Best Actor".

"The Taoist leader doesn't need to be too polite." Li Er also replied with a Taoist etiquette. As Li Er, who claims to be Li Dan's descendant, he still understands some basic Taoist etiquette.

Qingxiazi was very obedient, and obeyed Li Er's wishes. She did not show any more politeness or words. She acted like a master outside the world, making Li Er feel like a dog biting a hedgehog—he had no way to start.

Li Er, who was used to being surrounded by officials and flattering him, was obviously not used to it, but Qingxiazi's cultivation method made him feel itchy, so Li Er took the initiative to find a topic and said, "I heard that Daoist Master Yuan is Daoist Master Yuan's uncle?"

"Of course." Qingxiazi smiled, nodded and admitted, neither making Li Er feel alienated, nor making Li Er feel unapproachable.

"I also heard that the Taoist priest is over 130 years old?"

"Yes." Qingxiazi's expression remained the same.

"The Taoist priest is from the former royal family?"

"The past can't be pursued with the wind, why is your majesty still mentioning it? Poor Dao is now focused on pursuing the Dao." Qing Xiazi's expression remained unchanged, and she admitted her identity frankly.

"The Taoist leader is really immeasurable, and he does not fight for what he does." Li Er praised Qing Xiazi.

"Your Majesty's reputation is too high." Qing Xiazi's 130-year-old life has not been in vain, who hasn't seen it?He didn't believe that Li Er was free to chat with him, so he acted extraordinary and refined, just waiting for Li Er to enter the urn, so that he could take the initiative himself.

"I still want to thank the Taoist priest for saving the Dai Wang. I don't know what wish I have? I will do my best." Li Er began to lure Qingxiazi, as long as he bites the bait, is he afraid that he will not spit out the cultivation method?
"The poor Taoist only seeks the Dao, and money and silk are like floating clouds to the poor Taoist. If Your Majesty really wants to thank you, you can give it to Gui Tang. Gui Tang and the poor Taoist have a kindness, so the poor Taoist agreed to Gui Tang Lue's help." Qingxiazi looked like an outsider, and his words truly reflected doing what he wanted without fighting.What Jin Yu did also showed that he would not fight for it, that's why Qing Xiazi saw Jin Yu so pleasing to the eye.

"The Taoist priest is indeed an expert!" Li Er was convinced. Who among the people around him these days didn't want something?Those people in Zhongnan Mountain were just taking a shortcut. The reason why Li Er cooperated with those people's actions was to show his humility and thirst for talent, similar to Bole's "thousands of money buy horse bones", in order to win the hearts of the world.

"Your Majesty is overrated."

"I've been suffering from severe headaches these days, and I've been tossing and turning. I don't know if there's a good way to grow up?" Li Er asked, pointing to the position of his temple.

"Fasting, chanting scriptures, doing things to save the dead." Qingxiazi said in a spirited way.As a magic stick, careful observation and comprehensive deduction are compulsory courses.Qing Xiazi had seen the medical skills of Zhen Quan and Sun Simiao before, and their medical skills were by no means inferior to hers.If what Li Er said could be cured with medicine and stones, it would have been cured long ago, so Qing Xiazi didn't talk about the treatment method, but replaced it with psychological treatment.A few years ago, Qingxiazi also discussed with the great monk on the issue of Buddhist rituals. The great monk said that Buddhist rituals are effective, but Qingxiazi didn't quite believe it.Let’s take fasting and chanting scriptures as an example. Both Taoism and Buddhism exist. Why do I fast and chant scriptures according to Buddhist rules have the effect of peace of mind?I don't believe in Buddhism, but Qingxiazi finally found the answer. On the one hand, sandalwood has a calming effect, and on the other hand, a quiet environment and sincere prayers help to calm my heart.To put it bluntly, it is high-level self-suggestion, which belongs to the category of psychotherapy.

"Under my rule, the country is prosperous and the people are safe, singing and dancing is peaceful, there is nothing wrong with it?" Li Er was a little guilty. The throne, no matter whether it was forced or voluntary, at least it was his idea that led to what happened later.Li Jian was seriously ill, these days he always dreamed of Li Jiancheng standing in front of him covered in blood.Before he knew it, Li Er had already stepped on the edge of the pit Qingxiazi dug for him, and if he kicked it again, he would fall down.

Qingxiazi smiled inscrutably, and Li Er felt even more guilty, "Perhaps your majesty's early expeditions, there were always some souls who refused to go back." The more vague the words, the better, who has never done a A bad thing?As long as someone guides them, they will take the initiative to think of these bad things.It's okay if you don't believe in religion, but if you believe in it, it's really hard to jump out.

Li Er was skeptical about the theory of ghosts and gods. Why did he kill so many evils in his life? The more time Li Er entangled in it, the more suspicious he would be in this regard.

"I would like to ask the Taoist priest to do some rituals, but I don't know what to do with it?" Dreaming about Li Jiancheng overnight, no matter how nervous Li Er is, he can't bear it, let alone there is an unpredictable magic stick beside him who is helping the flames?Li Er couldn't hold back, and finally jumped into the pit Qingxiazi prepared for him.

Hearing Li Er's invitation, Qingxiazi was still a little excited in her heart. She wanted to revitalize Taoism and take Taoism to a higher level without the support of the imperial court, but she still showed a lot of embarrassment. "Hey! The poor Taoist is used to idle clouds and wild cranes, no matter! Your Majesty is the Lord of the world, and doing things for His Majesty is also a blessing to the people in the world. The poor Taoist is an exception. However, this poor Taoist can't do it alone, and he still needs to learn from Master Yuan." My nephew borrows some manpower, and I hope His Majesty will make it easier for you."

"Sure!" With a wave of Li Er's big hand, Yuan Tiangang's first large-scale ceremony in the five years of Zhenguan was scheduled.

(End of this chapter)