There are curling incense and fluttering prayer flags in front of the hall.
The prison official stepped forward slowly to greet Li Yaoying, clasping his hands together and saying, "I didn't know the princess had come to visit. I'm sorry for being so rude."
He signaled the monks to prepare for the ritual and invited her to the main courtyard.
Li Yaoying smiled and shook her head: "Master, there is no need to be so polite. I would not come to your temple for no reason and disturb your peace."
In the chaotic times, the common people were displaced and lived in fear of their future. They turned to Buddhism for solace and relief.
The noble families worshipped Buddhism. The names of Uncle Xie and Concubine Xie came from Sanskrit, one was Wuliang and the other was Manyuan.
The Li family did not have this tradition, and Yao Ying was not familiar with Buddhism. All she knew about monks came from a popular novel that was passed down through the generations.
She didn't come here to burn incense and pray today.
After a few polite words, she directly stated her purpose.
The dean heaved a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Princess, please wait a moment. Master Mundadeva is in the temple today."
Yao Ying smiled and said, "In that case, Master Lao will send a monk to introduce me."
The prison officer was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
He received many nobles these days. The new dynasty was established not long ago, and the royal family and relatives were arrogant and rude. He was very terrified and thought that the seventh princess would also be difficult to deal with. Unexpectedly, although the princess did not believe in Buddhism, she was humble and polite, which was really rare.
The prison found a monk to take Li Yaoying to see Monk Mondadeva.
The monk in charge of reception went into the temple first to report and handed over a visiting card written by Li Yaoying.
Soon, Mengda Deva's servant came out of the door and respectfully invited Li Yaoying into the house.
Monda Deva had just finished his morning prayers and was sitting upright on a cushion, greeting Li Yaoying.
He was an Indian, with a high nose, deep eyes, a broad face and a square mouth. Judging from his appearance, he was about fifty years old. His light brown eyes flashed with a gentle light. He was wearing a scavenger's coat, had a good temperament, and spoke authentic Chinese.
Yao Ying seldom dealt with monks, and the other party was a foreigner, so she hesitated for a moment.
Mundadeva asked, "Princess, are you worried about your mother?"
He walked in troubled times, often interacting with dignitaries, and was not a person who was ignorant of worldly affairs.
Yao Ying nodded. The reason for her visit was written on the post: "I have heard that the Master has excellent medical skills. I would like to ask the Master to take my mother's pulse."
It is impossible for Xie Wuliang and other members of the Xie family to be resurrected. There is no cure for Concubine Xie's heart disease, so she sought medical treatment for another matter.
Mondadeva smiled and said, "The Buddha is compassionate. I dare not refuse the princess's request."
Yao Ying felt relieved and made an appointment with Mengda Deva to send someone to Da Ci'en Temple to pick him up and bring him into the palace the next day. After leaving a generous gift, he said goodbye and left.
A Han disciple of Mengda Deva escorted Li Yaoying out of the Da Ci'en Temple and seemed to want to say something but stopped himself several times.
Yao Ying glanced at his disciple and chuckled, "Master, you took the time to treat my mother. I am very grateful. If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know."
The disciple felt relieved and put his hands together and said, "Princess Buman, the master is about to travel west. This time he came to Jingzhao Prefecture, in addition to seeing the relics, he also came to get the pass."
Yao Ying suddenly understood.
No wonder Mundadeva was so polite, it turns out he had something to ask for.
When the Wei Dynasty was founded, the border was strictly guarded. If Mundadeva wanted to travel west safely, he had to have a pass. Otherwise, he would be shot by the soldiers guarding the pass as soon as he left Jincheng.
She smiled and said, "That's not difficult. I'll have someone deliver the necessary documents to the mage tomorrow."
It was just a piece of cake for her to get a clearance document.
The disciples hurriedly bowed and thanked him.
Yao Ying asked curiously, "Why does the mage want to go to the Western Regions?"
The Western Regions had been in chaos for several decades. The Tubo, Turkic, Xianbei, Uighur, Khitan, Tatar... large and small tribes were intertwined and fought against each other. It was a chaotic situation.
The once prosperous Silk Road is now littered with dead bones, and merchants who value money over their lives dare not set foot in the Western Regions.
Isn't Mondativa afraid that he will be killed by the bandits as soon as he steps out of the Central Plains?
The disciple replied, "There is a Buddhist country in the Western Regions, which has tens of thousands of Buddhist scriptures and over a hundred Buddhist temples. From the king to the common people, everyone worships Buddhism. It is said that their current monarch is both a king and a great monk. He was precocious and could read at the age of three, and was familiar with Buddhist scriptures at the age of seven. He was able to give lectures at the age of ten and was well-known in the Western Regions. The master has long wanted to travel there and discuss Buddhism with the great monk. The master said that he is devoted to Buddhism and that the Buddha will surely protect him and keep him safe."
Buddhist country in the Western Regions?
Shule, Guizi, Gaochang, Yutian, or Yanqi?
The eminent monk monarch who is famous in the Western Regions...
A name crossed Yaoying's mind.
If her guess was correct, the monk that Mundadeva wanted to meet should be that person.
A person who makes Li Xuanzhen unable to sleep peacefully.
He died young. When the news of his death spread, civil and military officials from more than a dozen countries and tribes, including the Wei Dynasty in the Central Plains, Tubo, the Golden Horde in the north, and Khitan, breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.
On the way back to the palace, Li Yaoying made an estimate in her mind.
If Monda Deva sets out now, he should be able to find the Buddha's kingdom before the eminent monk passes away and discuss Buddhism with him.
…
There was a noisy sound of people talking around me, and the breeze blowing towards me carried a faint aroma mixed with the fragrance of wine, powder, soba and buttered biscuits.
The roads were clogged with carriages and horses, and the sound of bronze bells rang. The closer we got to the imperial city, the more carriages and pedestrians there were on the road.
The Wusun horse was docile and gentle, and its speed gradually slowed down.
Pedestrians on both sides of the road cast surprised glances. The woman riding in the ox cart and mule cart in front lifted the curtain and looked back. Her eyes fell on Li Yaoying's face, and she hurriedly ordered her servants to move to the side of the road.
Li Yaoying came to her senses and realized that she was so absorbed in thinking that she forgot to put on her veil when she left Ci'en Temple.
Xie Qing handed her a brocade hat with a round nest. She took it and looked up at the walls on both sides. She found that she had passed Xuanyangfang. Further ahead was Pingkangfang, where Qinlou and Chuguan were lined up, and Chongrenfang, where high-ranking officials lived.
Whether in times of war or peace, this place is the most prosperous place in Chang'an.
No wonder the road ahead is so crowded.
Xie Qing glanced behind him and said, "Sir, do you want to drive them away?"
Yao Ying glanced at the place not far behind her, put on her veil, and lowered her head to adjust the sash: "Don't worry about it."
Every time she left the palace, the wealthy young men in the capital who relied on their family's protection to do nothing would swarm around her like bees smelling the sweet fragrance of nectar, following her around with great interest.
She never paid any attention to them.
A dozen feet behind them, the young men in brocade robes, tall hats and wide belts caught the look in Li Yaoying's eyes before she put on the veil. Their blood boiled and they chattered, "The Seventh Princess is looking at us!"
"The Seventh Princess smiled at me!"
"Your eyes are in vain. How could the Seventh Princess smile at you? Don't be so self-indulgent!"
The young men's faces turned red with excitement.
But no one dared to step forward.
No one wants to be the second Xue Wulang.
…
During the Lantern Festival this year, the streets of Chang'an were deserted and the lanterns were as bright as day.
The young men of the aristocratic families in the capital heard that the Seventh Princess was admiring the lanterns in Xuanyangfang, and that the little tyrant Second Prince was not in the capital, so they rode their horses over immediately.
The Seventh Princess had her hair in a bun, wore a crown of golden lotus, and was dressed in a brocade gown with a narrow sleeve and a gold lapel woven with small pomegranate flowers. She also wore leather boots and a leather belt around her waist. She was dressed like an ordinary rich man. She was not elaborately adorned, but her beauty was still there. Under the bright lights, her hair was like clouds, her cheeks were plump and her skin was white. When she talked and laughed with the maid, her smile was gentle, adding a bit of bright charm to her.
The young men's hearts were beating like drums, and they were far behind.
Who would have thought that the fifth son of the Xue family had drunk some Jiannan Shaochun before leaving the house, and got drunk. He actually got off his horse and walked forward, shaking his head and reciting some obscene poems to the Seventh Princess!
The young men were furious and were about to send Xue Wu away, but the Seventh Princess raised her curtains and glanced at Xue Wulang indifferently.
The next moment, the general beside the princess jumped up and drew his sword.
With a few swish sounds, the ghost mask on Xue Wu's head broke in the middle and shattered into several pieces.
The sharp blade was only a finger's distance away from Xue Wu's nose. He trembled like a sieve, staggered and fell to the ground, and wet his pants out of fear.
The Seventh Princess didn't even look at Xue Wu. She picked up a green-faced, fang-toothed Yaksha mask to cover her face, then walked lightly and continued to stroll around the Lantern Market.
The young men were stunned and broke out in cold sweats.
Three days later, the Second Prince, who had just returned to the capital, heard about this and flew into a rage. Without even taking off his bloodstained battle robe, he rushed directly to the Xue residence with two hammers in hand.
Xue Wu was almost killed by the blow and had to force himself to get up and kowtow to apologize.
General Xue and the old lady came forward to plead for Xue Wu.
Prime Minister Zheng, who lived next door, rushed over to mediate.
The second prince remained unmoved.
If the Seventh Princess had not sent people to arrest the Second Prince, Xue Wu would have become a useless person.
…
From then on, whenever the Seventh Princess left the palace, young men would still rush to chase her on horseback, but they would never dare to approach her and make fun of her.
If the Seventh Princess and the Second Prince were to travel together, the timid one would not even dare to show her face.
…
No one knew what had happened ahead, the road was still crowded, the driver waved his whip impatiently, and people at the intersection were moving.
Passing vehicles were stuck in the middle of the road, and complaints were heard one after another.
Li Yaoying waited for a while and sent Xie Qing to the front to check why the road was blocked.
After a while, Xie Qing came back with a strange look on his face.
Yao Ying asked, "What's going on?"
Xie Qing lowered his eyes and said nothing.
Yao Ying's heart skipped a beat.
Before she could ask, the crowded crowd in front suddenly dispersed and made way.
A mournful cry came from far away and gradually approached. Several soldiers in black armor drove three girls and walked in a swagger from the direction of East Market, heading straight for Chongrenfang.
The girls, all of them about fifteen or sixteen years old, looked back as they walked, crying breathlessly.
The soldiers shouted at them fiercely. The girls were so frightened that they started shaking and stopped crying. The three of them huddled together, tears streaming down their faces.
Passers-by on the road whispered, "What a sin! What have these young ladies done wrong?"
A sneer rang out from the crowd: "How could a young girl like her commit a crime?"
"Then how did they get captured by the soldiers?"
The sneering man said, "They were not captured - those soldiers were the guards of the Second Prince. The Second Prince took a fancy to them! The soldiers took them away and took them back to be his concubines."
The crowd was filled with righteous indignation and started to curse: "They robbed a good girl in broad daylight. Is there still any law?"
The man then sneered: "Under the emperor's feet, you are the law. The King of Qin is the emperor's biological son, who dares to offend the King of Qin?"
For a while, the sound of cursing Li Zhongqian was heard everywhere.
Yao Ying's face suddenly darkened.
My second brother is not in the capital, and those people in the palace are lawless again!
She stepped on the saddle, urged her horse to turn around, and caught up with the soldiers.
Xie Qing hurriedly spurred his horse to catch up.
The soldier was escorting the girl into an alley when he heard the sound of horse hooves behind him. He thought the soldier was meddling in his business and started shouting.
The three girls trembled.
The sound of horses' hooves is getting closer.
The soldiers frowned. The horse Li Yaoying was riding had a handsome appearance and was obviously a divine horse. The guards Xie Qing and others surrounding him were all broad-shouldered and strong, with a dignified aura. They wore brocade robes and carried long swords. They were obviously strong servants raised by wealthy families. They were puzzled, but relying on the fact that they were guards of the royal palace, they did not want to show their cowardice, so they straightened their chests, drew their swords, and stood in front of the girls.
"Who are you? Do you want to attack the Qin Palace?"
Yao Ying ran up to him, without saying a word, pulled out her whip, and lashed the soldier in the face with it, then raised her hand and lashed him again.
The soldier was stunned for a moment after being beaten, and then he became furious and raised his sword to block.
Xie Qing stood in front of him and drew his sword to chop him off: "The Seventh Princess is here, you are not allowed to act recklessly."
The voice was calm and peaceful, but the sword skills were domineering and fierce.
The soldier felt his hands go numb and he was dizzy, and he couldn't hold his sword at all.
By the time he came to his senses, the sword in his hand had already fallen to the ground, and he and several other soldiers had been pinned to the ground by the strong servants.
The soldier struggled for a few seconds, then remembered what Xie Qing had said just now... Wait, the Seventh Princess?
The Qin King’s biological sister?
No wonder the Wusun horse looked familiar. A few years ago, the King of Qin led his troops to destroy several small tribes near Jincheng and obtained several magical horses, one of which was the Wusun horse.
The soldier raised his head in astonishment and looked at Li Yaoying, who was wearing a veil. He shuddered twice and said, "My lord, please forgive me! My lord, please forgive me!"
Yao Ying was still furious: "Who told you to rob a decent girl?"
The soldier smiled and said, "Your Excellency has misunderstood. The law of the country is above all else. How dare I openly abduct girls from decent families? They sold themselves as slaves voluntarily. The documents and contracts are complete, and there are guarantors who sign their names..."
The three girls cried bitterly.
Without waiting for the soldier to finish speaking, Li Yaoying swung his hand and whipped him.
The soldier shrank back.
Yao Ying put away the whip and took off her veil: "Don't play tricks on me. You are used to doing this kind of thing. You know that the government does not allow robbing decent girls. You force their parents to sign a document saying that they voluntarily sold themselves as slaves. Even if their families report it to the government, they can't do anything to you."
After hearing her tell the truth, the soldiers dared not say a word.
Yao Ying asked word by word: "Who gave the order?"
The soldier sweated profusely and fell to the ground, saying, "General Xu Biao."
The General of the Palace's Central Army, a subordinate promoted by Li Zhongqian.
Yao Ying's pretty face was expressionless: "Where is Xu Biao?"
"In... in Pingkangfang... Hu Si..."
Yao Ying turned her horse's head.
"Go to Pingkangfang."
The author has something to say: Galan: a simplified translation of Sanskrit, Buddhist temple.
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