Chapter 327 Turbulent Times
"Buddhas were built in four continents: Yangzhou, Jiangzhou, Guizhou, and Taiyuan."
"Building giant Buddha statues in Yangzhou and Taiyuan is one thing, I can somewhat understand that."
"Yangzhou is the most prosperous city in the south, while Taiyuan is the capital of Hedong Circuit and is known as the Northern Capital."
"But why bring Jiangzhou and Guizhou from Lingnan Road along with us? The people of our two prefectures aren't that well-off."
"Why not build the Buddha statue in the two capitals within the Great Wall? Everyone knows that the area within the Great Wall is the most prosperous. How can this be so unfair?"
On the second floor of Yunshui Pavilion, a thin-faced scholar slammed his fist on the table.
The voice of another middle-aged scholar at the same table rang out:
"Brother Qi, please calm down. I was also puzzled at first, but I later heard that these four Buddha statues are related to the Great Zhou Dynasty's Songde Tianshu."
"Moreover, the selection of the four continents as the locations for the four Buddha statues seems to have been suggested to His Majesty by the fortune tellers of Shangyang Palace. Now it seems that there was a profound reason behind it."
"Jiangzhou is a place of great beauty, with great mountains, rivers and lakes, while Guizhou in the southwest is also known for its beautiful scenery."
"The Great Zhou Dynasty belongs to the Metal element. The construction of the golden Buddha statue in a place with excellent mountains and waters conforms to the pattern of Metal generating Water, signifying the prosperity of the nation."
"Those Yin-Yang masters and those who observe the qi, ah, they're quite adept at bewitching the emperor's heart."
The middle-aged scholar who tried to dissuade him sneered. The scholar surnamed Qi, who had just spoken angrily, calmed down and couldn't help but look at the man before him more closely.
"I didn't expect Brother Chen to also understand the principles of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements."
"I know a little bit." After a pause, the middle-aged scholar surnamed Chen said meaningfully:
"Furthermore, building a Buddha statue in Taiyuan is a subtle and meaningful decision. Brother Qi, do you remember where the dragon rose to power in Liqian?"
"Didn't Emperor Taizong rise to power from Taiyuan back then..." The scholar surnamed Qi paused, then flung his sleeves and angrily rebuked:
"It must be the suggestion of the Wei family and the Yin-Yang school's fortune tellers, who are constantly plotting evil deeds, spreading heretical words, and bewitching the emperor!"
It was noon, and on the second floor of Yunshui Pavilion, apart from a table in a corner where Ouyang Rong, Li Dalang, and Yan Liulang, dressed in their everyday clothes, were eating quietly.
Many of the guests at the other tables were discussing current affairs of the imperial court.
More than a month has passed since the imperial court issued an edict to raise funds to build the Great Zhou Dynasty's Ten Thousand Nations Praise Heavenly Pivot and the Four Directions Buddha Statue.
However, the discussions among the common people and scholars continued to boil over and even intensified.
"Tanlang, would you like to change to another private room?" Li Dalang withdrew his gaze and called out with concern.
Ouyang Rong looked up and glanced at the second-floor hall.
Those who discussed current affairs were mostly scholars and literati, speaking with great passion, while merchants and diners were largely uninterested.
He only recently learned that the Temple of the Sage Confucius was located near Yunshui Pavilion, just one street away, because he was preparing for the state school's sacrificial ceremony.
No wonder scholars often come here for meals; I can understand why I ran into the angry young man Yue Zi'ang last time.
Ouyang Rong withdrew his gaze, shook his head at Li Dalang, and buried himself in his food, his movements calm.
Li Dalang and Yan Liulang exchanged a glance and then ate their meal in peace.
At this moment, the most heated discussion was taking place at the table where the thin-faced scholar and the middle-aged scholar were sitting, and their voices were the loudest. Even Ouyang Rong's table, which was sitting in the far corner, could hear them clearly.
"Heh, this time it's probably more than just bewitching the emperor."
Suddenly, a handsome young scholar with a fair complexion at the next table put down his chopsticks and coldly echoed the two who had just spoken:
"The two kings of the Wei clan are clearly taking this opportunity to suppress the Prince of Xiang, the Master, and the loyal ministers in the court. This is yet another round of persecution."
"The two kings of the Wei family are a source of endless harm and are truly a cancer on the nation."
The scholars on the second floor echoed this sentiment.
A scholar lowered his voice and asked cautiously:
"I heard that the Master has requested to retire seven times, but each time his request has been rejected. He is currently claiming to be slightly ill and has been staying at home for half a month, without going out to court?"
The young scholar nodded: "In this matter of building the Heavenly Pivot and the Buddha statue, His Majesty, under the instigation of the Wei family, tried every means to bypass the Master and the Council of State Affairs, and took what is called the imperial treasury's cosmetics money."
"The Master may be holding a grudge. Although His Majesty respectfully addresses the Master as an elder statesman, he can indeed act somewhat domineeringly at times..."
"Hush, be careful what you say."
"Hmph, what can't be said?"
The young scholar snorted and stopped, and the hall fell silent for a moment. Then everyone sighed in unison, and someone facing north said in a reverent tone:
"Lord Ji, Prefect Li, Imperial Censor Wei, Attendant Du, Registrar Wang... all sacrificed themselves for righteousness, which is a great act of loyalty. They are all upright ministers and a blessing to the nation."
“He is truly a role model for us all. Although he has been persecuted and demoted by the Wei family for the time being, as long as the Master, the Prince Xiang and others are with them, there is hope for the country and the nation. It will never fall into the hands of the Wei family.”
"This concerns the fate of the nation, and it is naturally our duty, Master, and the court officials, to act without hesitation..." The young scholar nodded, speaking calmly:
"I heard that Lord Ji's great-grandfather was a minister in the Sui Dynasty. When the country was established, Emperor Taizong did not hold the Ji family accountable for their past actions after they moved to Chang'an. Instead, he showed them kindness, which was a well-known story at the time."
"And Prefect Li is a descendant of a founding duke, a true-blue Guanzhong native who entered officialdom through imperial favor... and so is Censor Wei..."
This person couldn't help but sigh, "The benefits of the past are still there..."
The scholars who had initially praised him exchanged bewildered glances and couldn't help but take another look at this bold fellow.
The lobby on the second floor was a little quiet... Few scholars echoed this sentiment about the previous dynasty, after all, some things are better left unsaid until they are weighed, but once they are, they become uncontrollable.
Of course, those who denounce the government will be despised by scholars and intellectuals throughout the land.
In a corner not far away, Yan Liulang glanced at the unresponsive Mingfu, then turned to look at the eldest son, who also had the surname "Li".
As a judicial officer in a state, he blinked, pretended to raise his hand to hold his waist knife, and Li Dalang immediately smiled bitterly, offered him a cup of wine, and begged for mercy with his hands clasped.
Yan Liulang laughed and let go of her hand, no longer joking.
Meanwhile, the group of scholars on the second floor quickly moved past the topic of the dangerous landslide.
"Regardless, it is a stroke of good fortune to be able to drink with such righteous spirit today. Come, everyone, let's have a toast! Today's expenses are on me."
A scholar in fine clothes stood up, raised his cup with great enthusiasm, and spent a fortune.
On the second floor, most of the guests stood up, laughing and drinking heartily.
Yan Liulang and Li Dalang exchanged a glance, stood up in tacit agreement, and followed suit to drink.
Two friends shamelessly tried to get a free drink, but Ouyang Rong shook his head. He remained seated, picking at his food as if no one else was around, while the scholars' boisterous chatter continued in his ears after their heavy drinking:
"I heard that among this group of righteous men and officials who were persecuted, Wang, the registrar, was demoted to our Jiangzhou and appointed as a professor at the state school, while Du, the censor, was demoted to Longcheng County as a county magistrate."
"Unfortunately, Prefect Li and Imperial Censor Wei were demoted to places that were quite far away, one to Raozhou and the other to Yixian."
"No problem, when the gentlemen arrive, I will certainly come out of the city to greet them..."
"Me too."
"Add me to the list..."
The scholars warmly welcomed him.
Ouyang Rong, who was diligently eating, paused slightly and pursed his lips.
The state academy is indeed short of a Jiangzhou Doctor. Right now, the state academy is holding a grand ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the year, and he, as the chief secretary, has to preside over it, which was originally the responsibility of the Jiangzhou official academy doctor.
I wonder if that former registrar of Chang'an named Wang Junzhi will be able to attend in time...
As for recent events in the imperial court, Ouyang Rong, as the Prefect of Jiangzhou, also had access to information channels from the Xunyang Prince's Mansion and the Xiang Prince's Mansion.
He naturally knew more than these scholars.
Aside from Ji Ganyi, who held the high-ranking official position of Minister of Justice, Prefect Li, Imperial Censor Wei, Attendant Censor Du, and Registrar Wang, among others, were among the most vehemently opposed and opposed factions within the court's conservative faction.
They could even be described as members of the "re-employment faction".
This group of people advocating for the return to government had previously criticized Master Di for his weak stance, saying that he only emphasized "preserving separation" and did not promote "return to government"...
Of course, these are just private disputes among the pro-establishment faction; outwardly, they are still united.
However, this incident involving Tian Shu and the Buddha statue still separated them, which can be considered a blatant scheme by the Wei clan to split the Baoli faction... Ouyang Rong saw through it all.
The food on the table was almost finished when Ouyang Rong seemed to hear something. He suddenly frowned, turned his head, and saw that the group of scholars were "loudly plotting" to protest against the construction of the Buddha statue in the Jiangzhou Hall.
All that could be heard was a scholar in the crowd speaking with a puzzled tone:
"Prefect Wang did nothing and aided and abetted the tyrant, which was expected. I had heard people say that he was promoted by the Wei family, and that they were all in cahoots..."
"But what about Ouyang Lianghan? This Chief Secretary is a renowned gentleman of integrity, known throughout the land. Did he not submit a memorial to advise against and stop the wasteful construction of the Buddha statue?"
"The Chief Secretary should have submitted a memorial by now."
"But why hasn't he been implicated in this whole affair?" someone asked indifferently.
Silence fell over the building for a moment.
After all, he was the governor of the prefecture, and no one dared to take the lead in saying anything disrespectful, especially since he was a true gentleman who had always been widely respected.
However, amidst this unusually silent atmosphere, a few scholars began to look suspicious and resentful...
Li Dalang and Yan Liulang couldn't help but look at Ouyang Rong.
Why are you all looking at me?
Ouyang Rong smiled, picked up a piece of green vegetable and chewed it. His expression seemed to indicate he was thinking seriously for a moment before he turned and said:
"Since things have come to this, let's eat first."
Seeing that he didn't care, Li Dalang and Yan Liulang couldn't help but laugh.
Ouyang Rong chuckled and shook his head.
His memorial did indeed oppose it.
However, the points of opposition differ somewhat from those of most opponents.
Yes, he did a thorough calculation for that emperor...
Such calm and straightforward remarks are naturally not as intense and eye-catching as those of outspoken officials like Governor Li and Censor Wei.
It's unknown whether the empress ever read his memorial.
In the end, the storm didn't affect him at all.
About half an hour later, the lunch on the second floor came to an end, and the scholars' discussions gradually subsided as they dispersed.
Ouyang Rong and his group also left Yunshui Pavilion.
In fact, these kinds of scholarly discussions are happening no less than ten times a day in places like Yunshuige, where there are many literati.
Ouyang Rong walked out of Yunshui Pavilion, his brows slightly furrowed.
The emotions of the scholars were even more intense than he had imagined. Even the scholars in Jiangzhou, far away in Jiangnan Circuit, were discussing the matter heatedly. He wondered how the commotion was in other places...
In the following days, as expected, some scholars gradually gathered at the entrance of the Jiangzhou Hall to protest the construction of the Buddha statue by Jiangzhou.
Ouyang Rong ignored the warnings and went to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion every day to "discuss" the construction of the Donglin Buddha with Li Xian, who was the supervisor of construction in Jiangnan.
Midway, he also went to Xunyang Ferry to preside over a ceremony to pray for favorable weather and abundant harvests for the boats.
Looking at the ordinary people living their lives honestly, Ouyang Rong suddenly realized that the matters that officials and scholars cared about and debated were actually irrelevant to the majority of the common people below.
Unless it was for the construction of Buddha statues, Jiangzhou Datang would levy exorbitant taxes and collect grain funds in an unseemly manner.
However, with him, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, presiding over the main hall of Jiangzhou, such a thing would naturally not happen.
For a time, apart from the clamor and criticisms raised by scholars who liked to "talk politics" in teahouses and taverns, all other aspects of people's lives were fine in Xunyang City.
However, the low-key operation of the Jiangzhou main hall and the unmoved Jiangzhou officials clearly did not satisfy the passionate scholars.
When Ouyang Rong rode Dongmei to and from his duty, he was often blocked by young scholars in the street.
They questioned the Chief Secretary about his views on the matter of the Great Zhou's Praise of Heavenly Pivot.
Why are he and the Jiangzhou court silent? Are they really going to obediently submit to the court's wrongdoing?
Ouyang Rong calmly bypassed them each time.
Later, to reduce trouble, Yan Liulang prepared a carriage for him so that he could travel discreetly.
On this day, a somewhat exasperated Yan Liulang came to inquire about how to deal with the scholars who had gathered to protest outside the Jiangzhou main hall.
Ouyang Rong calmly went out to inspect Shuangfengjian as planned, leaving behind a remark before departing:
"As long as it doesn't affect the normal lives of the people in the city, let them be."
The following half-week.
News from various places continued to arrive.
In some of the ten provinces, public opinion was in turmoil, and local scholars directly stormed government offices to protest the creation of Buddha statues and bronze eulogies.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had over a hundred prefectures, and it was to be expected that some places had a more rugged and unruly populace.
In particular, there were many protests in prefectures such as Guizhou, Yangzhou, and Taiyuan where Buddhist statues were built.
In some states, local officials chose to confront the issue head-on, directly suppressing the protests with soldiers, resulting in several bloody incidents and imprisonments.
The most impactful conflict occurred two weeks ago in Guizhou, one of the four prefectures where Buddha statues were built.
The scholars of the Guizhou official school surrounded the government office.
Lan Changhao, the governor of Guiyang, ordered his troops to forcibly remove them.
As a result, a bloody conflict broke out between the two sides, several scholars died, and more than twenty scholars were imprisoned.
The court was shaken, and the debate among scholars intensified.
Scholars from all over the country once again launched a wave of protests and clashes.
The imperial court in the capital issued an edict to all prefectures, using stern language, demanding that the matter be handled properly and seriously, and that the construction of the Great Zhou's Ode to the Heavenly Pivot and the Four Directions Buddha statues not be affected.
Sitting in the main hall, Ouyang Rong finished reviewing the official documents and messages, and his expression fell into deep thought.
As he finished his shift that evening, his carriage passed by the gate. He lifted the curtain and glanced at the small groups of protesting scholars outside the Jiangzhou main hall, whose numbers dwindled to a mere fraction around mealtime.
Ouyang Rong found them adorable no matter how he looked at them, and suddenly realized that the scholars of Jiangzhou actually had pretty good tempers and were quite considerate, hmm, they had that typical Jiangzhou "salted fish" characteristic...
It remains to be seen whether the news of this bloodshed among the scholars, once it reaches Jiangzhou, will further inflame these naive and passionate scholars.
Ouyang Rong sighed softly and lowered the carriage curtain.
I really hope they can stay true to their original aspirations and continue to maintain their slacking-off attitude.
Every day thereafter, Ouyang Rong, in his capacity as the Prefect of Jiangzhou, frequently visited the Xunyang Prince's Mansion to discuss the construction of a Buddha statue with a certain Jiangnan construction supervisor.
Although Li Xian was appointed as the Jiangnan Construction Supervisor, it was merely a nominal position.
The specific matters were, as usual, handed over to his deputies, Ouyang Rong and Wang Lengran.
However, Wang Lengran still didn't care about anything, leaving everything to Ouyang Rong.
Of course, this was also partly due to Li Xian's complete bias towards Ouyang Rong.
While the Wei clan was focusing its main efforts on strengthening the Wei Zhou legal system, the Great Zhou Songde Tianshu was being developed.
Ouyang Rong seized the rare window of opportunity.
He didn't wait for the so-called 20,000 strings of cash for cosmetics from Jiangzhou Datang, but directly contacted his associates Wang Caozhi, Manager Ma, and others.
The group arrived one after another, and the funds were in place.
Finally, the plan to excavate and construct the Xunyang Grottoes at Shuangfengjian, agreed upon before the Lunar New Year, was launched and is being implemented gradually...
(End of this chapter)
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