Chapter 41

After letting out a bunch of sentimental and nostalgic musings, I led Xiaolian, whose little face was flushed from the wind and emotional agitation, down from the Xita tower slowly. At that moment, I heard some voices carried by the wind.

"We are originally good people, but why is the world in such turmoil?"

"Family members are scattered, young men are driven to death on the roads, the elderly and weak starve at home,"

"Roosters and dogs no longer hear each other, for a thousand miles bones lie exposed, tigers and wolves roam the roads,"

"Soldiers and bandits are as numerous as hemp, women and children hang themselves."

Then I realized that although they were quite far away, I could still hear and see a group of young men wearing headscarves, surrounding someone who was giving a loud speech, with a considerable number of benevolent men and women forming a crowd around them.

I couldn't help but smile slightly, which reminded me of university life in another time and space, and seemed to overlap with my life as a student in the capital. Clearly, the central authority of the court was no longer, and the world had long suffered from turmoil, but there were always idealistic and ambitious people who wanted to do something to change the situation, leading to the changes in Luoyang, where decades of pent-up passion and enthusiasm were finally unleashed.

On the other hand, although the world was in turmoil and had been divided and fought over for a long time, the official and private educational systems that had accumulated during the prosperous years of the Tang Dynasty still had some remnants in the regions. Clearly, there was such a place in Pengcheng as well.

However, the peaceful days of the past were gone, and these eager students could only continue the old traditions in small circles, such as visiting ancient sites, composing poetry during festivals, and gathering to sing and drink, to reminisce about the glory of the past.

Large temples, which traditionally opened their doors widely and provided long-term accommodation for a small fee, became the place where most of them lived and gathered at a relatively low cost.

When I was studying in Luoyang, I often used the pretext of socializing to sneak in wine and meat with students from different departments, to play with the relatively poor students who lived in the temples, and then hide behind the Buddha hall or on the tower or in the stele forest to drink and eat, and then run away when the cleaning monks discovered us, which was also a kind of fun.

Of course, if you read the background stories of some famous works, you would find some interesting common points, such as temples often becoming the birthplace of famous works and stories.

In peaceful times, this would also be a way for poor students who had no money or connections to gain fame and recognition, as the threshold for entering these temples was low, and they were not lacking in the presence of high officials and their families. As long as they could attract their attention, it would be a way to increase their chances of passing the imperial exams or to attract the attention of potential sponsors from powerful families.

Historically, figures like Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, and Gao Shi all followed similar paths, with works like "The Chanting at the Great Ci'en Temple" and "The Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup" becoming well-known.

Of course, temples were also high-frequency locations for romantic and talented stories, as for those from humble backgrounds, this was one of the few places where they could closely observe the women of noble families and have the possibility of close contact, although the probability was as unpredictable as the Armstrong Free Spin Cannon.

But if they were noticed, whether it was a night of pleasure, being accepted as a disciple or a guest, or even being chosen as a son-in-law, it could easily save them from struggling for ten or even twenty years, and such things had indeed happened.

The speaker was handsome and had a loud voice, looking like a student council president. However, after listening for a while, I lost interest. Although their speeches were grand, they were not empty, but mostly theoretical, with little practical application.

I bypassed them and went to visit other halls, but Xiaolian seemed very interested in their propaganda and appeals, and even looked back a few times before I pulled him away.

We slowly turned around a corner of the Ksitigarbha Hall and saw another group of people, some with their hair tied up, others wearing headscarves or square headscarves, sitting on the ground and discussing something. Among them was a young monk with a shiny head.

Various high-sounding words were being said enthusiastically and passionately, with a flavor of ancient scholars sitting and discussing, attracting many young listeners who were quietly listening, not noticing our passing.

"What are they talking about?"

I asked casually.

"They are discussing the roots of the historical Buddhist persecutions."

A voice answered.

I stopped and listened for a while, shaking my head slightly.

It was nothing more than human greed, the lack of progress within the Buddhist community, unscrupulous people using religion to deceive, and corrupt monks stealing and deceiving. More deeply, it was about wealth arousing jealousy, offending the powerful, and being disliked by the scholarly elite.

"Do you have any doubts, brother?"

It was the same voice. I noticed the person, a student dressed in a headscarf and a white robe, with very white teeth.

"I think they are just wasting their time."

I said with a shrug.

"What's there to debate?"

"May I ask for your opinion?"

He raised his voice slightly.

"The principle is very simple."

"..."

"Aren't they just a group of idle bald heads who, under the guise of religion, occupy a large amount of land, population, and wealth, and enjoy tax exemptions, threatening the stability and normal operation of the state?"

"Then... they are sheared by the court."

"What does 'sheared' mean?"

The other person was puzzled. Well, his family must be quite well-off.

"It means to regularly harvest, like crops."

"Under the pretext of cleaning up the Buddhist community, the land, wealth, and population occupied by the Buddhist community are re-incorporated into the state's jurisdiction to ease social conflicts."

"So, what is called a 'persecution' is actually a special national policy during a certain period."

"So, the fundamental purpose is not to eliminate Buddhism or ban faith."

"Rather, it is to suppress the Buddhist community, which occupies large amounts of land, builds excessive pagodas, and competes for grandeur and luxury."

"By dismantling temples and forcing monks to return to secular life, the population hidden or attached to the Buddhist community is re-incorporated into the state's tax and labor system, and the wealth accumulated by the temples is used for the state's financial needs."

Well, when did the group stop debating and all look at me in silence.

"Brother, what you said makes some sense, but isn't it a bit disrespectful here?"

The young man with white teeth smiled bitterly.

"I respect the Buddha and Bodhisattvas who have vowed to save all beings, not these people who wear monk's robes and eat offerings under the guise of cultivation."

I said with a feigned sense of righteousness.

"Look at them, all fat and red-faced, how can they be related to sincere cultivation?"

Xiaolian nodded in agreement.

"So, what's the point of building such grand temples? In my eyes, they are just well-fed pigs."

The young man with white teeth looked at the only bald head in the group, who clasped his hands and recited a Buddhist chant, looking like he had been hit by a bullet.

"However..."

Considering the other person's good manners, I thought for a moment and added,

"Whether they are sincere or not, the abbot of this temple is definitely a skilled manager."

"Oh?"

"At least he must have high knowledge and experience to preach and deceive the masses, and good eloquence to navigate among the powerful and influential, and to form beneficial connections for the temple's development."

"He must also be good at managing monks and laypeople, maintaining basic discipline and obedience, appointing suitable personnel, and managing various temple assets to increase their value. Only then can the temple have a long-term future."

"Sometimes, he must cooperate with the government to gain upper recognition and participate in public activities like distributing porridge and disaster relief to enhance the temple's reputation and popularity."

"After all, only taking in and not giving out is not a sustainable development strategy."

"He must also be good at leveraging secular power and maintaining peripheral forces to prevent and avoid greedy people from coveting and seizing temple assets."

"In a sense, managing a temple in this chaotic world is no easier than governing a fiefdom."

"Brother's insights are truly... unique."

The young man with white teeth smiled again.

"Since we met by chance, it's a pleasure to listen to your profound insights."

"My surname is Cai, and my courtesy name is Yuanzhang."

He bowed respectfully and introduced himself.

"I haven't had the pleasure of knowing your name, brother."

"It sounds familiar..."

I muttered, feeling like I had heard it somewhere before, and returned the bow.

"Alright, you can call me Xia."

He began to introduce the group, all of whom were his friends and acquaintances.

"This is Wang Fu, from Sizhou."

"This is Kuan Fu."

"This is Ji Fu."

"This is Jian Yi."

"This is Sheng Qing."

"The little monk is Foyin, currently staying at the temple."

The young bald head clasped his hands and said.

"Thank you for your guidance."

"We all have the wish to revive the state, so we are called the 'Revival Group,' and I am temporarily the leader."

Cai Yuanzhang summarized.

"Today, meeting Brother Xia and hearing your profound insights, I feel that this trip has not been in vain."

Revival Group, well, can I complain that the Donglin Party has also traveled through time?

Then I suddenly remembered something. Cai Yuanzhang, this... isn't he the notorious figure from my original history?

Well, it seems that no matter what he is called, he has nothing to do with the infamous Grand Tutor, known as one of the six villains who led to the fall of the country.

"Do you know Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Zhu Mian, and Li Yan?"

I couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know them, but I have heard of Tong Guan."

He was puzzled but still answered.

"He should be the butcher known as 'Tong the Butcher' in the West Gate."

Another person named Wang Fu said uncertainly.

Well, in this timeline, the Tong Guan, who was praised to the heavens by the eunuch faction in a certain forum, is currently just a butcher.

"Would you like to visit my place and stay for a while to further our acquaintance and learn from each other?"

He continued to invite me.

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