From cute to empress

Chapter 175 The Game of Faith

The cheers were deafening, yet I felt a profound weight. The people were pure and enthusiastic, and the light in their eyes expressed both their trust in me and the weight of my shoulders. I took a deep breath and gazed resolutely at Master Huineng, who was standing at the edge of the crowd.

"Master," I saluted respectfully, "this reform requires your support."

Master Huineng slowly opened his eyes, which seemed to contain a thousand words, but in the end, they only turned into a sigh: "Your Majesty, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless, turn back now."

"I have made up my mind." I said firmly, leaving no room for doubt.

Master Huineng was silent for a moment, then finally nodded and said, "I understand."

I turned to the Taoist Priest Xuanzhen, who had remained silent. He waved his feather fan gently, his expression unfathomable. "Your Majesty, religious reform will affect the entire body. You must think twice."

"Master, what you said is absolutely true," I smiled slightly, "but if we don't eradicate this evil and allow it to grow and spread, it will only harm others and ourselves in the end."

Taoist Xuanzhen looked at me deeply, and a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Since Your Majesty has made up his mind, I will fully support you."

I felt a little relieved. The support of these two religious leaders undoubtedly added a layer of security to my path of reform. However, how to quell the turmoil provoked by the ascetic monks remained a thorny issue.

"The ascetic monk is inciting believers, and his heart is damnable," said Taoist Xuanzhen, a cold glint in his eyes. "However, he has worked hard for many years and has gained considerable prestige among the people. It will probably be difficult to completely eradicate him."

"Is there any other force supporting him?" Master Huineng frowned, his eyes full of worry.

I was startled. I'd thought about this before, but had no evidence. Now it seemed like this might not be as simple as it seemed.

"This matter requires further consideration," I said in a deep voice. "Masters, you can come to the palace tomorrow and discuss countermeasures."

Master Huineng and Taoist Master Xuanzhen exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously. I watched the two masters leave, my heart growing heavier.

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only a few scattered pilgrims, still whispering about the day's events. I was about to turn and leave when I heard a timid voice: "Your Majesty..."

I looked back and saw a young woman, holding a string of Buddhist beads tightly in her hands, her eyes full of struggle and hesitation...

"Is there anything I can do for you?" I tried to sound as gentle as possible. I thought that this woman was also disturbed by what happened today and must be very nervous.

The woman bit her lip, and as if mustering up her courage, she stepped forward and knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, I dare to ask you, Master Ascetic...is he truly wrong?"

I sighed inwardly. Sure enough, this was the issue that concerned the people most. The ascetic monk had painstakingly cultivated a high image in the hearts of the people over the years. How could he easily overturn it?

"Do you know why he incited his followers to surround the palace today?" I did not answer her question directly, but asked in return.

The woman shook her head, her eyes filled with confusion. I motioned for her to stand up and pointed at the mountain of incense money in the incense burner. "Just look at this," I said, "how much of this money ends up in the hands of ordinary people, and how much ends up in the pockets of the ascetic monks?"

The woman followed my gaze and her face turned pale.

At this time, another man's voice sounded: "Your Majesty, are you questioning the merits of the ascetic master?"

I turned around and saw a middle-aged man standing there with an angry look on his face, holding a handful of incense tightly in his hand.

"Merit? Real merit is to save all living beings and to be compassionate, not to enrich oneself and exploit the people in the name of Buddha!" ​​My tone gradually became stern, and my eyes were like torches, staring directly into the eyes of the middle-aged man.

The man was intimidated by my aura and was speechless for a moment.

"I used to be a devout Buddhist," the woman suddenly said, her voice choking with sobs, "but now, I don't know what to do..."

I walked over, gently patted her shoulder, and said softly, "Just remember, the Buddha will always be in your heart, and I will do my best to protect my people, regardless of their status or faith."

The woman raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, and nodded solemnly. The middle-aged man said nothing more, but silently put down the incense in his hand and turned to leave.

As night fell, the palace was brightly lit. Master Huineng, Taoist Master Xuanzhen and I sat opposite each other, discussing countermeasures.

"If the ascetic monk learns that Your Majesty is seeking external assistance today, I'm afraid he will become even more crazy..." Taoist Priest Xuanzhen looked solemn and worried.

"He has already started organizing his followers today and is preparing for a larger-scale demonstration tomorrow." A secret guard hurriedly walked into the hall, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a hurried tone.

I stood up suddenly, a surge of anger rising to my head, but I forced it down. It seemed that this game was unavoidable after all...

The guard's words were like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, stirring up ripples. I clenched my fists, trying to contain the rage within me. No, I can't act rashly! "Pass the order down. Strengthen the palace defenses. No one is allowed to act without my order." I took a deep breath, trying to sound calm and commanding.

Master Huineng clasped his hands together and looked at me kindly. "Your Majesty, please calm down. In my opinion, although the ascetic monks may have been inciting, their original intention was not to antagonize the court. Instead, they were worried that Buddhism would be neglected and the people would lose their faith."

Taoist Priest Xuanzhen also nodded in agreement, "Master, what you said is absolutely right. The ascetic monk has practiced diligently for many years and has great prestige among the people. If we can resolve this misunderstanding, it will be a blessing for both the country and the people."

Their suggestions resonated with my own. While violent suppression might resolve the crisis temporarily, it would only exacerbate conflict and even trigger greater unrest. What I need is a long-term, peaceful and prosperous world, not bloodshed and fear. "Master and Taoist Priest are right. I, too, hope for a peaceful resolution. But how can we resolve this crisis?"

"Your Majesty can take the initiative to communicate with the ascetic monk to show your respect and support for Buddhism, and promise to restrain the development of Taoism and maintain the balance between religions." Master Huineng pondered for a moment and made a suggestion.

"Balance..." I whispered, a flash of inspiration coming to my mind. Indeed, the balance between religions is like the two ends of a scale. If either side becomes too dominant, it will upset the equilibrium and ultimately lead to chaos. I looked out the window. The night sky was dotted with stars, as if silently observing this human game.

At this moment, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the palace, and a familiar voice rang out: "Your Majesty, I am back!"

I turned around suddenly and saw Zhen Youcai standing at the door of the hall, exhausted. There was a hint of fatigue on his face, but there was a determination in his eyes.

"Youcai, you're finally back!" I quickly walked over to him, a warm feeling welling up in my heart. For days, I'd been facing this crisis alone, and now seeing him safely back, my heart was suddenly filled with strength.

Zhen Youcai briefly briefed me on the battle situation on the border and immediately plunged into responding to this religious crisis. He carefully analyzed the current situation and offered many constructive suggestions.

"Your Majesty, I believe we should not only engage in dialogue with the ascetic, but also demonstrate your resolve and sincerity to the people," he said firmly. "We can invite the ascetic to the palace and openly discuss religious issues in front of civil and military officials and representatives of the people. We can also pledge to formulate relevant policies to protect the legitimate rights and interests of all religions."

His suggestion coincided with Master Huineng's idea and was also recognized by Taoist Master Xuanzhen. I looked at the three of them with gratitude and admiration in my heart.

The next day, I ordered a high platform to be built in the square in front of the palace and sent someone to invite the ascetic monk to attend the meeting. When the news spread, the entire capital was in an uproar, and the people flocked to the palace, wanting to witness this unprecedented dialogue with their own eyes.

The afternoon sun shone on the high platform. I sat on the dragon throne, dressed in court robes, calmly gazing at the dense crowd below. Next to me stood Zhen Youcai, his face as confident and resolute as ever.

In the distance, a figure in a cassock, holding a Zen staff, slowly approached, each step a steady rhythm. I stood up, met his gaze, and slowly said, "Master, please..."

The ascetic monk slowly ascended the stage. His gaunt face held a steely look, his deep-set eyes gleaming with a sharp light. He ignored my greeting and walked straight to the front of the stage. Facing the dense crowd below, he spoke loudly, "Buddha's compassion saves all living beings! Benefactors, do you know why I am standing here today?"

His voice was loud and penetrating, echoing over the square. The crowd suddenly fell silent, and everyone listened attentively, holding their breath, afraid to miss a word he said.

"Because," he paused, his tone becoming more passionate, "my Buddhist land of purity has now become a turbulent place! Taoist temples are bustling with incense, but Buddhist temples are deserted! The people are losing sight of the fundamentals and pursuing trivial matters, and their faith has been lost. If this continues, what will become of our Buddhism?!"

His words resonated like thunder among the crowd, causing a commotion. I saw tears in the eyes of some believers, who were clearly deeply moved by his words.

I took a deep breath, motioned for everyone to quiet down, then looked at the ascetic monk and said calmly but firmly, "Master, I understand your devotion to Buddhism and respect your spirit in advocating for your faith. But what I want to say is that everyone has the right to choose their own beliefs and we cannot force others to accept our views."

The ascetic frowned slightly, as if he was a little dissatisfied with what I said, but he still listened to me patiently.

For the next several hours, the ascetic and I engaged in a tit-for-tat debate. I argued for the necessity and importance of religious reform from the perspective of maintaining national stability and promoting social harmony, while he, from the perspective of preserving Buddhist orthodoxy and promoting the Dharma, insisted that the development of Taoism threatened the survival of Buddhism.

We fought back and forth, neither of us giving in, and the entire square was filled with a tense atmosphere. The people in the audience listened intently, afraid to miss any details.

Master Huineng and Taoist Master Xuanzhen also expressed their views respectively. One advocated tolerance and the other emphasized harmony, hoping to find a balance that would safeguard the interests of Buddhism without causing greater conflicts.

After a long debate, the ascetic and I reached a preliminary consensus on some key issues. I pledged to strengthen the protection of Buddhism and to constrain the development of Taoism, ensuring that Buddhism could grow and develop in a fair environment.

However, the ascetic monk still insisted that only by restoring the supremacy of Buddhism could the problem be truly resolved. He looked at me with a complicated expression and said slowly, "Your Majesty, I appreciate your sincerity, but..."