Chapter 386 If we don't know life, how can we know death?!
Suddenly, a biting wind blew, causing the prayer flags around to flutter wildly, and even the bamboo poles supporting the prayer flags made a clattering sound, which was quite startling.
Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat.
Is Yuwen Qian... going to leave Buddhism?
Just a few days ago, she had heard that the young master Yuwen, with whom she had been engaged and was almost about to become husband and wife, was actually a Buddhist. And today, she heard news that he was preparing to completely leave Buddhism.
The world is unpredictable... There is no better proof than this.
only--
She looked up at Yuwen Ye again. Although his face remained expressionless, a complex look flashed in the depths of his calm, dark eyes.
Their conversation was overheard by Yuwen Yuan, who was standing nearby. Clearly, this wasn't the first time he'd heard it, and a relieved smile appeared on his face as he said, "He's finally made up his mind."
"..."
"Over the years, he has wasted a lot of time."
"..."
Fortunately, nothing serious was delayed.
He didn't emphasize the word "major event," but it weighed heavily on Shang Ruyi's mind.
event……
Yuwen Yuan smiled and said to Yuwen Ye, "From now on, with your elder brother back, you two brothers will have someone to rely on. You must work together to serve the country loyally."
Yuwen Ye bowed his head and said, "Yes."
Shang Ruyi stood beside him, watching him remain calm and composed, as still as a frozen lake, but her heart was filled with a surge of emotion.
At this moment, she finally understood why Yuwen Yuan had always disapproved of Yuwen Qian's Buddhist practice, yet this time he held such a grand Dharma assembly and even allowed him to preside over it personally. It turned out that this was the reason.
From now on, Yuwen Qian will officially return to the Yuwen family.
More importantly, it's time to officially return to the public eye!
In truth, Yuwen Yuan's current success is undoubtedly due to his own bravery and the military achievements and popular support he has accumulated over the years. However, there are two other essential reasons as well.
Firstly, Yuwen Qian captured Daxing City ahead of time and opened the city gates to welcome him into the city.
Secondly, Yuwen Ye sent the Prince of Zhao to his side.
Comparing the two, it is clear that Yuwen Qian's contribution was greater, and more outstanding than ordinary military achievements. This made Yuwen Qian, who had never appeared before and whose military achievements were almost zero, suddenly rise to the forefront of everyone's attention.
Not only that.
If before, people had only heard rumors about the "divinely aided" eldest son of the Yuwen family, then today, Yuwen Qian's appearance at this Dharma assembly is the first time in recent years that he has revealed his true form in front of the civil and military officials of the court, and even thousands of common people.
This divine power and Buddhist Dharma, with its myriad rays of light, seemed to have been prepared for his appearance!
In comparison, other people, and even the outer altar ceremony, seemed less important.
Although she knew she should focus all her attention on herself today, Shang Ruyi couldn't help but look at Yuwen Ye, especially at his dark eyes that seemed to reflect no light at all, which made her feel even heavier.
Just then, a bell rang out in the distance.
Everyone, who had been preoccupied with their own thoughts, were brought back to their senses by the long and heavy sound of the bell. Master Xinzheng smiled and said, "Everyone, the Dharma assembly has begun. Please, Grand Chancellor and all of you, take your seats."
Yuwen Yuan raised his hand: "Let's go."
So he took the lead and walked to the front row of the main hall, sitting in the center. Following him were the officials and noblewomen of the court, who lined up and sat according to their respective ranks.
Yuwen Ye, as a second-rank Assistant General, sat in the third row, with Shang Ruyi sitting next to him.
After settling down, Shang Ruyi looked up and glanced at the table.
Although they were very close to the main hall, almost just a few steps away from climbing the steps and reaching the entrance, the hall's doors were completely closed, making it impossible to see inside.
There was only a low table in front of the gate, with a bronze chime on it.
I wonder how the Empress Dowager was inside...
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi's heart fluttered, but she immediately calmed herself down. After all, the door was closed and no one was around, which meant that nothing outside could disturb her, but she might have to face all the storms to come.
Thinking of this, she took a deep breath and glanced around again.
Looking further ahead, they discovered that a seat next to Yuwen Yuan was empty; no one was sitting there.
Strange, all the officials today are arranged according to their rank, and the people around Yuwen Yuan should also be important ministers in the court, so why is there a vacancy?
She asked疑惑地问道, "Then the empty seat is—"
Yuwen Ye also looked up and said softly, "It might be Ji Hong's location."
"Ji Hong?"
The name stirred a memory in Shang Ruyi, and she said softly, "Lord Nayan Ji?"
Yuwen Ye looked at her: "You recognize him?"
"I never had such an opportunity. I only mentioned it to my father when I was a child. He said that this Lord Ji was loyal to the emperor and devoted to the country, and everyone said that he was a rare loyal minister."
More importantly, the Grand Councilor Ji, who was beheaded by Chu Yang in Jiangdu Palace, was his son.
Yuwen Ye sighed softly and said, "This Lord Ji is a minister of Emperor Wen. He is mature and prudent, and was praised by Emperor Wen as a 'loyal minister throughout the ages'."
"Then why hasn't he served in the imperial court all these years?"
"When the late emperor first ascended the throne, this Lord Ji proposed twelve good policies for governing the country, but the late emperor rejected them all. When the late emperor built the Eastern Capital and constructed the Grand Canal, this Lord Ji also submitted several memorials to dissuade him, which displeased the late emperor. After the Eastern Capital was completed and the court moved east, Lord Ji knelt in front of the palace gate, crying and trying to stop the late emperor from leaving the Western Capital. The late emperor sent people to drag him down and forcibly detain him at home."
"..."
"Over the years, he has remained in Xijing, far away from the imperial court."
Shang Ruyi couldn't help but sigh.
Recalling the death of Nayan Ji, who was beheaded by Chu Yang in Jiangdu Palace, it was also because he dared to speak out against the emperor, requesting that Chu Yang leave Jiangdu and lead his troops north to retake Dongdu, which angered the emperor and led to his death.
This father and son were both loyal to the emperor and devoted to the country, yet they both met with the same tragic end.
Shang Ruyi couldn't help but sigh softly.
However, just after she sighed, a long and clear chime sound came from the main hall in front, attracting everyone's attention. When everyone looked up, they saw Master Xinzheng slowly walk to the low table, sit down, bow to the crowd below, and say, "Amitabha, in this session, this humble monk will preach the Dharma to you all."
The people below put their hands together in prayer and chanted Amitabha Buddha.
So, Master Xinzheng began to recite the scriptures.
Shang Ruyi could tell that he was reciting the Ullambana Sutra, a scripture for salvation, naturally recited for Chu Yang. Although some of the people below did not understand Buddhism, they listened very attentively. However, a few people in the corner had their eyes darting around and kept looking at the stone gate behind them.
After a short while, Master Xinzheng finished his recitation, rose, and withdrew.
Next up was Abbot Duhai of Duofu Temple in Taiyuan, who was reciting the Ksitigarbha Sutra. By this time, the sun had risen, and the scorching sun made everyone sweat profusely, but no one dared to complain. However, Abbot Duhai was old and his speech was unclear, making it increasingly difficult for everyone to understand. Shang Ruyi even saw a few people dozing off.
She couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
However, I felt a little strange.
Today's ceremony—regardless of the inner altar ceremony—was set up for Chu Yang, and the person directly related to his death was himself. Even Yuwen Yuan said that everyone in the world would want an answer from him.
Why is it that until now, not only has no one spoken up, but no one has even mentioned this matter?
Could it be that they've all made a mistake?
A new emperor brings a new court. Now that a new emperor has been established, is there really no one to care about Chu Yang's death?
Shang Ruyi felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She could only sit quietly in place, listening to the murmured Buddhist scriptures, trying to calm herself down.
Yuwen Ye, who was beside her, glanced at her.
In fact, even without looking, he knew that no matter how calmly Shang Ruyi sat, her heart could not be at peace. But at this moment, he stopped offering words of comfort and simply looked up at the tightly closed Mahavira Hall in front of him.
At this time, Master Duhai had also finished reciting the Ksitigarbha Sutra.
After he rose to leave, the next to step forward was Master Xinjian, a highly virtuous monk from Dayan Temple and the senior disciple of Master Xinzheng. Although he was already an elderly man, his voice was as loud as a bell, and as he began to chant, each word seemed to resonate in the ears of everyone below—
Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha was in the land of Kushinagar, between the twin Sala trees, when the World-Honored One entered into Parinirvana…
...
The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Puguang, "If any of the four kinds of disciples, whether at the time of death or not, wish to be reborn in the Fragrant Forest Land of the East, their Buddha name shall be..."
The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Puguang, "If any virtuous man or woman, on the day of their death, wishes to be reborn in the Golden Forest Land in the southeast, the Buddha's name will be..."
The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Puguang, "If any virtuous man or woman, on the day of their death, recalls the sound of the Southern Joyful Forest Buddha, the Buddha's name will be..."
Just as everyone was listening quietly to the scripture, suddenly, a louder voice, filled with anger, rang out from behind, instantly drowning out Master Xinjian's voice—
"How can we know about death if we don't know about life?!"
These words were like a boulder thrown into a tranquil lake.
The lake surface was immediately rippled with waves.
Everyone who heard this looked surprised and nervous, and Shang Ruyi's heart sank.
Like everyone else, she immediately turned her head away.
An elderly man, dressed in an official robe, with white hair and a slightly unsteady gait, walked in step by step from outside the stone gate, leaning on a cane. His eyes were bloodshot, as if filled with boundless hatred. Although he was old and frail, every glance and every step he took carried the force of a thunderbolt.
Upon seeing him, a murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Lord Ji?!"
Shang Ruyi's eyes widened suddenly. The person who came was none other than Ji Hong, the Nayan they had just been talking about!
As Ji Hong walked, he said in a deep voice, "What do you mean by 'dying'! 'Dying'! You don't even know what happened before the late emperor died, how can you perform a ritual here?!"
His words were like a thunderclap, resounding throughout the entire Dayan Temple.
Everyone seemed to be jolted awake by his strike. After a moment of shock, they slowly came to their senses. The people around them turned their heads, and one sharp gaze after another converged on one person.
At that moment, Shang Ruyi took a deep breath and slowly stood up.
She knew that what was bound to happen would eventually happen.
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