6kv 0004 As dusk falls and the journey becomes long, we proceed in reverse and act against the tide.
0004 As dusk falls and the journey becomes long, we proceed in reverse and act against the tide.
boom!
Zhao Jing ignored him and fired a shot.
Bullets are useless against the strong, and he doesn't expect to achieve anything; he only wants to show the enemy weakness and lure them into underestimating him.
Unexpectedly, Li Shuo knelt on one knee and remained motionless.
He narrowed his eyes, staring at the incoming bullet.
hum!
The bullet flew towards Li Shuo, then seemed to hit an invisible barrier and suddenly stopped.
The bullet clattered to the ground.
Li Shuo then completed the formalities:
"Your Highness, please stop testing us."
"My presence is a sign of respect for you."
This respect comes from the bottom of my heart.
He has served in the Embroidered Uniform Guard since then, dealing with countless high-ranking officials and dignitaries, yet he can still laugh even in the face of such dire straits.
Only Zhao Jing was there.
Zhao Jing had just feigned weakness in an attempt to probe the other party's true intentions, but Li Shuo had also turned the tables on him.
That's really impressive.
Zhao Jing saw through his meaning and sneered:
"Then I must thank Commander Li even more."
"Your Highness is too kind."
Li Shuo wanted to say something more, but Zhao Jing suddenly frowned:
"Wait, the Embroidered Uniform Guard... are you one of Feng Zhile's men?"
The Embroidered Uniform Guard was the emperor's personal army, and its commander, Yin Wujiu, was Emperor Hongjing's confidant and personal bodyguard.
The pawn that the eldest princess planted in the Embroidered Uniform Guard was [Feng Zhile].
Emperor Hongjing indulged the struggle for the throne among the nine princes, used the infighting among brothers to maintain a balance of power in the court, and heavily relied on the eldest princess to curb the princes' influence.
In the end, just like Emperor Gaozu of Tang, he raised a tiger that would become a menace, and ultimately brought disaster upon himself.
When Zhao Jing mentioned Feng Zhile, a glint of fervor flashed in Li Shuo's eyes, then he lowered his head:
"It is indeed Lord Feng."
"Before his departure, Lord Feng gave orders that if Your Highness is willing to surrender, everything can be discussed."
Everything is negotiable?
This sounds like a huge joke.
Zhao Jing secretly fastened the Sumeru Ring to the explosives, watching his performance with an expressionless face.
"What are you talking about?"
Li Shuo remained respectful:
"The Nine Dragons have been eliminated, and the overall situation is settled. If Your Highness is willing to surrender, Abbot Liaochen of Longhua Temple can guarantee your life will be safe."
"if only……"
Zhao Jing couldn't help but laugh out loud:
"As long as I shave my head and become a monk, entering the Buddhist order and changing my surname to Shi, is that right?"
"Abbot Liaochen is truly shrewd."
"If I'm not mistaken, this illusion must have been created by the 'Great Dream Floating Pagoda Sutra' from Longhua Temple!"
Li Shuo bowed respectfully:
"Your Highness, before your departure, Lord Feng instructed me to borrow the [Pagoda] from Longhua Temple."
"This also helps to prevent the royal family from shedding too much blood."
What a fine Feng Zhile.
The Princess's forces are truly full of talented people.
Zhao Jing composed himself and gave a cold laugh:
"A usurper has seized power, and now he's thinking of his family; it's utterly ridiculous."
"What you're after is nothing more than to dismantle the princeling faction as quickly as possible."
Li Shuo was secretly delighted. He was not afraid of Zhao Jing's anger, but he was afraid that if Zhao Jing's heart remained still, then there would be no opportunity to take advantage of him.
He became increasingly respectful:
"Your Highness has a keen eye for detail, and Lord Feng certainly has three strategies."
"The best course of action is to completely control His Highness and dismantle the Crown Prince's faction."
"The best course of action is to persuade His Highness to surrender and enter Longhua Temple for spiritual cultivation."
"The worst course of action is to kill His Highness here."
"The best course of action is no longer viable. Your Highness is resolute, and with the protection of the Haoran Jade Pendant, I will be unable to control you until my Xuan power is exhausted."
"However, I still have the capacity to implement the middle and worst strategies."
"If Your Highness remains obstinate, all your loyal guards will perish with you."
Upon hearing the last sentence, Zhao Jing seemed to see Bao'er and the others fighting desperately before his eyes.
"Quickly, break through the encirclement!"
"Quickly, take His Highness away!"
"I'll cover the rear!"
While the guards are engaged in a bloody battle outside, he remains trapped in the illusion.
Zhao Jing suppressed his worries and feigned a tough stance:
"You're quite frank, but it's a pity there's no Zhao Jing to surrender. If you like to use inferior tactics, then use inferior tactics."
"I'm waiting for you."
This statement is clearly all bark and no bite.
The fact that Zhao Jing only used a shotgun made it seem like he had no other options.
Li Shuo was secretly delighted, and his expression became even more respectful.
"Your Highness, you have misunderstood."
"I am truly unwilling to take such a drastic measure. To share the meager credit is a small matter, but to be tainted with the blood of the emperor is a great matter."
"Therefore, I have shown Your Highness a way out."
Li Shuo's words were so earnest that one couldn't help but believe that surrender meant survival, while resistance meant death.
Zhao Jing's face "opportunely" showed a hint of wavering:
"You've seen my methods; how can you tolerate me?"
"Once the Princess is informed..."
Li Shuo was overjoyed upon hearing this, as these words indicated that Zhao Jing was still just an ordinary mortal.
He was just fighting like a cornered beast, but once he had a chance to survive, he wavered.
Li Shuo, suppressing his joy, quickly said:
"Your Highness, rest assured, the Li family has served as the Embroidered Uniform Guard for generations, loyal to the imperial family. How could we dare to taint the blood of the emperor?"
"Moreover, Your Highness's arrival will bring me merit, so there is no need to worry about the future."
"Your Highness, only by surviving is there any hope."
Li Shuo immediately stated that he was not a loyal follower of the Princess, but only joined Feng Zhile's ranks because he admired her.
Showing mercy this time is also to leave a glimmer of hope for the future.
That sounds really nice.
I almost believed it.
Zhao Jing played along, remaining stubborn:
"Words are no proof."
"Why should I believe you, a mere commander of the Imperial Guard?"
They finally fell for the trap!
Li Shuo smiled slightly:
"Your Highness, please follow me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding scenery seemed to shift and change.
The two were no longer in the Crown Prince's residence, but were in an ancient temple deep in the mountains.
The pagoda stands tall amidst the mist.
Before Zhao Jing could take a closer look, the scene changed again, and he found himself inside the tower.
The interior of the pagoda is extremely spacious, with a huge Maitreya Buddha statue enshrined in the center of the hall.
The Buddha statue has its chest and belly exposed, yet it does not lose its dignity; on the contrary, it exudes a solemn and dignified aura.
A couplet involuntarily came to Zhao Jing's mind:
A generous heart can tolerate even the most intolerable things in the world.
Always keep a smile on your face, and laugh at the ridiculous people in the world.
The Buddha statue enshrined in Longhua Temple is Maitreya Buddha, the future master of Buddhism.
Is this the core of the illusion?
While Zhao Jing was still pondering, Li Shuo was already completely convinced:
"Disciple Li Shuo pays respects to the World Honored One."
"Namo Maitreya Buddha, who will descend to earth in the future."
The Buddha statue ignored Li Shuo, but its eyes were fixed on Zhao Jing:
"A great calamity is imminent. You are burdened with a calamity of death and are destined to suffer. If you do not turn back, countless lives will be lost."
"It would be better to sever worldly ties, take refuge in Buddhism, and turn back to the right path."
Turn back before it's too late!
The Buddhist chanting was vast and resonant, penetrating directly into the soul.
Ordinary people, upon hearing this, would probably already be devoutly worshipping it.
But Zhao Jing did not bow.
His gaze shifted to Li Shuo, who immediately shouted:
"Your Highness, this is Maitreya Buddha, who can protect you."
No, this is a projection of Abbot Liaochen.
Zhao Jing is truly fortunate. He doesn't even have martial talent, yet he managed to attract the personal attention of a Grandmaster. How absurd!
He faced the Maitreya Buddha statue directly and said, word by word:
"Buddha guides those who are destined to be saved."
"Since the abbot has recognized the eldest princess as the reincarnation of Maitreya, how dare I be of the same lineage as the Buddha?"
"That's like walking into a trap!"
Zhao Jing stood still, without converting.
Li Shuo said no more, only chanting scriptures in a low voice:
"Namo Lezun Buddha!"
"Namo Lezun Buddha!"
With each chant, Zhao Jing felt his mental pressure increase dramatically, and a compassionate smile appeared on the face of Maitreya Buddha:
"The Buddhist community is vast and tolerant. If you enter the monastic life and change your surname to Shi, you will become a person outside the secular world."
"As long as you wear the cassock, this old monk will ensure you have no worries for the rest of your life."
"If you don't believe me, there's still Abbot Liu."
"Namo Maitreya Buddha".
Compared to the human heads, blood crows, and eerie, terrifying environment of the bamboo forest, the current pagoda is filled with holiness, warmth, and a sense of security.
Take refuge in Buddha, and I will grant you safety.
The chanting of Buddhist hymns and the surrounding swastika symbol seemed to soothe all restlessness.
Zhao Jing grinned and asked in return:
"If I convert to Buddhism, can I take revenge on my own?"
Maitreya Buddha sighed:
"Put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot."
"Having entered the Buddhist order, one should sever ties with worldly affairs. This old monk will use the Dharma to help you attain purity."
Entering the Buddhist order means severing ties with the past, even abandoning one's clan and surname.
Confucian scholars call it forgetting one's roots, yet it always manages to win the favor of high-ranking officials and nobles.
Because they were within the patriarchal system, this was an excuse to avoid extermination of the clan.
Once you enter the Buddhist order, you no longer belong to this family, so there's no need to kill you.
Zhao Jing's lips curled up slightly:
"Since that's the case, Zhao Jing cannot comply."
Maitreya Buddha sighed deeply and advised again:
"To ignite war across the world for personal vendettas will only sow the seeds of evil and reap the bitter fruit of evil."
"The infighting within the royal family is an endless cycle."
"If you flee to Jiangnan today, you may take up arms to avenge yourself."
"One day, the descendants of this benefactor will kill each other for this dragon throne."
Why should ordinary people suffer the torment of endless cycles of revenge?
"Furthermore, once the civil war breaks out, the Great Xuan will inevitably march south, and the Great Yong will be destroyed, all because of your fault alone."
"Please reconsider, benefactor."
Upon hearing this, Li Shuo quickly echoed:
"Your Highness, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"As long as one enters the Buddhist order, one's life will be safe and secure, and it is a great thing that benefits the country and its people."
Both men used the pretext of national and familial righteousness to exert pressure.
If Zhao Jing were to flee to Jiangnan and raise an army, it would inevitably ignite a civil war, causing widespread suffering and bloodshed.
From the perspective of ordinary people, what does the killing of Li Jiancheng's entire family have to do with them?
It's best if they're completely dead.
If Li Jiancheng hadn't died, a civil war would have broken out, and the people would have suffered.
Abbot Liaochen, who foresaw the future, specifically chose this place to ambush Zhao Jing, truly showing his compassion and concern for the world.
This compassion, however, did not belong to Zhao Jing.
Zhao Jing originally intended to play along and feign compliance.
But this pagoda is no ordinary pagoda; the chanting inside is like a demonic sound, eroding one's will.
It was as if countless eminent monks were chanting:
"The sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore."
"The sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore."
The weight of national duty and the well-being of the people weighed heavily on Zhao Jing's heart like two mountains.
Once his defenses crumble, he will be converted by Buddhism and will have no chance to resist. From then on, he will spend his remaining days in seclusion, surrounded by the ancient Buddha and the flickering lamp.
Boom!Boom!Boom!
The melodious chimes from the top of the tower resonated deep within Zhao Jing's heart.
The Haoran Jade Pendant shone brightly, and a scroll of scripture unfolded in his mind:
The enemy of one's father is an irreconcilable foe.
A brother's revenge is not a reason to turn against his troops.
Enmity between friends stems from differences in nationality.
This is from the Book of Rites, and also the core content of the Gongyang Commentary.
First in history, honor and revenge!
Zhao Jing, freed from the chanting, answered loudly:
"The abbot is compassionate, but you shouldn't be saying that."
"Longhua Temple aids and abets evil; how can it have the audacity to speak of the greater good of the people!"
"If the world hates me for starting a war, then I will take it on myself."
As the ancients said, "When the sun sets and the journey is long, one should proceed in reverse and do things against the tide."
Zhao Jing's voice was booming, and the Haoran jade pendant shone brightly.
The more steadfast you are in your convictions, the greater the power of the Haoran Jade Pendant.
Boom!
Do not!
Li Shuo screamed in agony as blood flowed from his seven orifices.
The power he used to convert Zhao Jing backfired and consumed him.
The entire pagoda began to shake and teeter on the verge of collapse!
The Maitreya Buddha statue had turned into an old monk.
Liao Chen, the abbot of Longhua Temple and a Grandmaster-level expert.