"Have you heard? Something terrible has happened at Ciyun Temple!"
What major incident could possibly happen at Ciyun Temple?
"Alas, the Embroidered Robe Envoy has discovered that the monks of Ciyun Temple were harboring traitors from the previous dynasty, and the temple has been sealed off!"
"When did this happen? How could a monk collude with a traitor? There must be some misunderstanding."
"That's hard to say. After all, that prince was... before he left the monastic life, he was a monk at Ciyun Temple."
"Were all the monks killed?"
"No, it's a Buddhist sanctuary after all. However, I heard that several senior monks have been arrested and imprisoned in the Zhaoyu Prison. The remaining junior monks are imprisoned in the temple, awaiting their fate."
"Poor thing. I never thought they'd even prey on the monks in the temple..."
A few days ago, the most discussed topics on the streets of Ganjing were the new emperor and Prince Huai.
But within two days, the situation changed.
Qi Su originally wanted to go to Fenglelou to eat some xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and drink some osmanthus tea.
Unexpectedly, I overheard people discussing it on the way.
The arrest of the monks from Ciyun Temple has now become the hottest topic in Beijing.
Behind this, the Embroidered Robe Envoy's instigation was indispensable.
After all, they have ways to suppress rumors they don't want to spread.
The rumors are making such a big fuss, it's probably to pressure someone.
…
She lowered the carriage curtain.
Inside the car, Song Chu comforted her.
"Your Highness need not be anxious. Since the beginning of last week, Buddhism has been widely revered among the common people, and the royal family is no exception. The Embroidered Robe Envoy's actions now have already broken with convention."
The abbot of Ciyun Temple is a highly virtuous monk, revered by countless people. The new dynasty's actions will surely backfire.
Qi Su asked, "Does Yun Wuyi know about this?"
Song Chu remained silent for a moment.
"I dare not conceal from my master what I have done in the capital."
Qi Su lowered her eyes and smoothed out the fine folds in her skirt with her fingers.
"Yes, we'll wait for his return."
.
In the following days, Qi Su continued to walk into Fenglelou.
However, the once bustling and prosperous restaurant is now much quieter.
Fortunately, news still spreads quickly within the building.
Things were worse than expected.
The next day, the Embroidered-Robe Envoy executed two monks from Ciyun Temple in the bustling city.
The evidence is conclusive that they colluded with the former Zhou rebels.
Since they were colluding with traitors, why not kill the traitors instead of the monks?
The Embroidered Robe Envoy then posted notices all over the city.
Anyone who dares to collude with rebels will suffer the same fate as the monk in the bustling city today.
Those who provide valuable information will be richly rewarded.
Those who knowingly fail to report others and are subsequently reported are guilty of the same crime as traitors.
Moreover, they set up countless anonymous mail drop-off points throughout the capital.
They vigorously encouraged people to expose each other.
Many of these people are taking advantage of the situation, using the guise of exposing wrongdoing to settle personal scores.
For a time, everyone in the capital felt insecure.
With a knife hanging over his own head, he naturally had no time to care about the lives of others.
This was probably to clear away the rumors and gossip that had lingered in Ganjing some time ago, rumors and gossip about the injustices of the world.
The new emperor on the dragon throne tacitly approved of the Embroidered Robe Envoy's actions.
After all, since the previous dynasty, the Embroidered Uniform Guards have been the emperor's lackeys. When a lackey goes mad and bites people indiscriminately on the street, the master may not even know it.
Wait until all those who should be killed have been killed.
The emperor then killed the dog that had bitten the person to quell public anger.
This world is still a brand new world.
…
And so it went, every two days.
The Embroidered Robe Envoy would then kill two monks in the bustling city.
Seven or eight days later, rumors began to circulate.
The monk to be executed tomorrow is named Liaowu.
Who is this enlightened one?
I've heard that he's committed heinous crimes. He's the ringleader of the rebellion of the previous dynasty, who was harboring traitors in Ciyun Temple.
That's why, before the execution, they gave a prior notice, asking everyone to come and witness the ceremony.
Qi Su frowned upon hearing this.
They've already come to attack Wu, so naturally she can no longer stand by and watch.
.
Qi Su found someone to go back and inform Song Chu.
He rented a horse from Fenglelou and headed towards Ciyun Temple outside the city.
Even during periods of dynastic change, Ciyun Temple remained a popular destination for worshippers.
In fact, because of the turmoil in the capital a few days ago, there were even more people coming to worship Buddha than usual.
Until the Embroidered Robe Envoys stepped into Ciyun Temple to arrest people.
According to a certain unspoken but customary rule, if the new emperor were to harm the monks in the temple, it would be considered a violation of the agreement.
There is a boundary between those who live outside the world and those who live in the secular world.
Worldly affairs are none of our concern. We are all separate.
Now that someone has broken this boundary, it's no wonder that the country is unstable and its reign is short-lived.
…
Qi Su tied the horse to the woods outside Ciyun Temple.
We quietly circled around to the mountain gate from halfway up the mountain.
As expected, the mountain gate was tightly closed.
It was also sealed off by the Zhenfu Division, strictly prohibiting anyone from approaching.
Qi Su found the back mountain and secretly jumped over the wall to enter the Buddhist temple.
In the past, Ciyun Temple was bustling with people and its incense was very popular.
Although it is a secluded place, it is the most bustling and lively place in the mortal world.
Now, the mountain gate is sealed off.
Not only have there been no more worshippers, but not a single monk, young or old, can be seen either.
The eaves were deserted, but the birds chirped incessantly.
In front of the temple, with less incense smoke, the Buddha statues on the altar appeared much more cold and clear-minded.
The abbot and the supervisor were both arrested.
Qi Su saw a group of young monks who were being held captive in the Dharma Hall.
During the detention, they could not move around freely, and their meals could not be provided on time.
The group of chubby little monks were so hungry that their eyes were sunken.
Qingyan was sitting cross-legged on a futon.
There is no such thing as a "free and easy lotus heart".
The birds outside were making so much noise that his head was spinning. Why are those silly birds making such a racket today?
If you listen carefully, you might even feel that the bird is cursing at him.
He must be hallucinating from hunger.
I should have known better than to stay in the Qishan Prince's Mansion. Even though it's the mundane world, one can still cultivate a Buddhist mind there.
Moreover, his senior brother will definitely make proper arrangements for him before he leaves.
It should never have come to this, with me becoming someone else's prisoner.
There was a soft knock on the window closest to him.
Qingyan was taken aback, thinking it was a hallucination.
The next moment, the window creaked softly again.
Qingyan quietly walked over and opened the window.
A camellia flower was tossed into his arms.
A familiar face was leaning against the camellia tree. Seeing him finally arrive, the man smiled.
He raised the oil paper package in his hand.
Those were chestnut cakes brought from Fenglelou.
…
In the guest room, not far from the dining hall.
Qingyan bit into a chestnut cake, tears streaming down his face.
The woman next to him watched him silently for a while.
He leaned closer and asked curiously:
"Hey, you know what, you really do know. When the little master sheds tears, she looks like a lotus flower emerging from clear water, which is quite pitiful."
Qingyan glared at her and cursed.
"What time is it, and you're still joking with me?"
Despite the cursing, they didn't stop eating.
Qi Su: "Then what should we do? Are we just going to hug each other and cry our hearts out?"
She glanced at Qingyan with a look of disgust.
"Let's not, you haven't showered for days."
Qingyan took a big bite of the chestnut cake.
"I've been locked up for days, how can I care about these things?"
He couldn't stay any longer; he had to hurry to the dining hall to get the monks' lunch for the day.
"Tell my senior brother that the Embroidered Robe Envoys have infiltrated the group of monks, so we can't move."
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