Chapter 112

The surrounding people knelt down, and the trend seemed to be spreading outwards… To be fair, there was something subtly mystical about this feeling, creating a kind of superficial satisfaction. In reality, Zhao Jiu exerted a great deal of effort to extract himself from the kneeling vortex before it engulfed Yuetai, then turned to the side of Yuetai and slowly walked down.

Except for a few officials with duties to maintain the sacrificial ceremony, most of the civil and military officials followed him.

There was no other way. According to some bastard idea from who-knows-where, starting today and for the next two days, the civil and military officials were to accompany Zhao GuanJia, sincerely praying in this Yuetai camp. Only after the three-day sacrificial ceremony was completely over could they return with GuanJia.

However, fortunately, the Imperial Guards cavalry had not returned, so the camp should be relatively spacious. In addition, the autumn air was crisp and refreshing, so it wasn't bad to think of it as a trip outside the city for relaxation.

Enough idle talk. Zhao GuanJia carefully weaved through a crowd of bald heads, striving to maintain the balance of the twenty-four strings of beads hanging from the front and back of his crown. The bald heads also tactfully turned in unison from the prayer mats on both sides, bowing their heads in salute to maintain respect for this person who was still recognized as the most authoritative in the world.

However, Zhao Jiu, known as the Supreme of the World, suddenly stopped in front of a familiar, chubby bald head halfway down. Without even turning around, he blurted out, "Fahe…"

"This humble monk awaits your decree." Fahe, the abbot of Shaolin Temple, with the demeanor of Maitreya, immediately bowed on the ground.

"In recent days, while reading, I heard someone mention a Buddhist scripture with an interesting concept… It seems to be called the *Ren Wang Huguo Jing* (Benevolent Kings Sutra)?" Zhao Jiu still didn't turn his head to look at Fahe at his side. It wasn't an attempt to put on airs, but rather that his attire made it inconvenient to turn around. In fact, none of the twenty-four strings of beads on his head were shaking at this moment. If it weren't for his clear voice, others might have thought he was a wooden puppet standing there. "Is there such a scripture?"

"Allow me to inform Your Majesty that, naturally, there is," Fahe replied quickly. "The full name of this true scripture is the *Ren Wang Huguo Banruo Boluomiduo Jing* (Benevolent Kings Prajna Paramita Sutra). There are four versions, the most widely circulated of which was translated by the Tang Dynasty monk Bukong. That Tripitaka Master Bukong was one of the Three Great Masters of the Kaiyuan era, originating from the Lion Kingdom of Tianzhu…"

"I know where the Lion Kingdom is; it's the large island southeast of Tianzhu," Zhao Jiu interrupted. "I'm asking you, does that Ren Wang Jing have a saying that the Buddha himself declared that as long as the king is a good king, a so-called benevolent king, then when the country is in danger, he will send five what-are-they, Vajra Bodhisattvas, plus five thousand great divine kings to protect the country… Is that right?"

Hearing this, many of the civil and military officials behind Zhao GuanJia sneered inwardly. Lu Haowen, who was closest, also felt somewhat embarrassed because his family had been Buddhist for generations. However, the many other enlightened monks around Abbot Fahe showed no signs of abnormality because, although they could imagine how this GuanJia would ask next, keeping their heads down had its advantages, didn't it?

Of course, the other monks could pretend to be ostriches who hadn't seen anything, but Fahe couldn't. This great monk, who had ascended to the abbot's throne of Shaolin Temple several years earlier than in history due to Zhao GuanJia's care, dared not hesitate in the slightest. He directly raised his voice and replied, "Allow me to inform GuanJia that, although the original text is open to discussion, in any case, the general meaning is indeed as such."

"Then, during the Jingkang Catastrophe, why didn't five Bodhisattvas lead five thousand great divine kings to save the world?" As expected, Zhao GuanJia asked, precisely this question.

Without any hesitation, Fahe still prostrated on the ground and replied, "That is because the Two Sages were foolish and rebellious, employing the Six Traitors, indulging in pleasure and neglecting military affairs, causing the people to live in misery. They were not among the benevolent kings."

This statement was bold, but it was the only possible explanation.

However, Zhao Jiu seemed unsatisfied and continued to press, "Then, what about me? Do I count as a benevolent king? Or does this benevolent king only refer to the kings of the sixteen kingdoms of Tianzhu? Or must one be ordained and believe in Buddhism to count? Do those who believe in Daoism not count?"

Many of the monks who had lowered their heads breathed a sigh of relief, but some became even more nervous because, combined with certain rumors about this GuanJia, the following answer would probably not be as simple as 'what if one converted to our Buddha.'

"Allow me to inform Your Majesty," Fahe suddenly raised his head, staring at the GuanJia's impassive profile. Right next to Yuetai, he solemnly raised his voice to reply, "Your Majesty, at a time of crisis, received Heaven's mandate and ascended the throne to rectify rebellion and carry out justice against tyranny. Although you have not held the Three Jewels or received the Five Precepts, you are indeed a benevolent king!"

The surrounding monks, although prostrate, each changed color… How could this be reconciled?!

"Then why haven't I seen the five Bodhisattvas and five thousand great divine kings?" Zhao Jiu naturally pressed.

"Your Majesty, the five Bodhisattvas have already been reincarnated to assist Your Majesty, and the five thousand great divine kings have also gathered under Your Majesty's dragon banner," Fahe replied proudly, still without the slightest hesitation. "The five commanders of the Imperial Guards, Han, Yue, Li, Zhang, and Wu, are precisely the reincarnations of the five Vajra Bodhisattvas! The two hundred thousand elite soldiers of the Imperial Guards, among whom are five thousand generals, are precisely the reincarnations of the five thousand great divine kings…"

From Zhao GuanJia's position, his face could not be seen, but from the way the twenty-four strings of beads and two hundred eighty-eight white jade pearls on his crown were shaking, it was undoubtedly a smile… but it was unclear whether he had expected this answer long ago, or what.

However, this didn't stop the surrounding monks from looking at Fahe with eyes that were a mixture of jealousy and disgust, nor did it stop the civil and military officials behind Zhao GuanJia from looking at this abbot with a solemn expression.

Whether it was intentional flattery or a moment of urgency, the fact that this monk could so neatly grasp GuanJia's thoughts and then deliver these words without changing his expression already made him a person of note, far from being as simple as the 'Junior Brother Fahai' who was laughed at during the White Snake disturbance.

"Your Majesty!" Just as the surrounding people were staring at Fahe, Abbot Fahe, as if he had made up his mind, continued to jiggle his fat chin and uttered a shocking statement. "Not only are the five Vajra Bodhisattvas and five thousand great divine kings all present, but the Manjusri Bodhisattva has also descended to earth, vowing to revive the Song and destroy the Jin!"

"Manjusri Bodhisattva is great wisdom, right?" Zhao GuanJia said thoughtfully.

"Yes!"

"Then it must be Zong Zhongwu," Zhao GuanJia exclaimed. "If you hadn't said it, I wouldn't have thought of it… If it weren't for Zong Zhongwu's great wisdom, great vision, and great perseverance in rallying the rebel soldiers and bandits amidst defeat, defending the city of Tokyo for the country, everything south of the Huai River would have been beyond saving. If he isn't the Manjusri Bodhisattva sent down by the Buddha, then who is? And also Wang XiangGong, he must be the Great Vow Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva reincarnated to help me. Don't you think that Wang XiangGong in Luoyang is just like Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva remaining steadfast and immovable? If he hadn't been so steadfast and immovable in Luoyang, Yao Mountain would have been defeated without a fight long ago."

Fahe finally felt a bit flustered.

It should be said that the status of the Four Great Bodhisattvas in Han Chinese Buddhism is second only to the Buddha. In order to cooperate with GuanJia, he disregarded everything and brought out great wisdom, intending to place it on this GuanJia himself. Who would have thought that it would directly turn into two martyred XiangGongs, and one became two.

Of course, after all, the martyred XiangGongs were martyred, and compared to living Bodhisattvas, they were naturally more acceptable. But if that was the case, a very simple principle was that if the XiangGongs were all Bodhisattvas, then what was this GuanJia?

In fact, not to mention Fahe, the surrounding monks, including the presiding officials and civil and military officials behind him, were all somewhat stunned. It must be known that by the Song Dynasty, the three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism had in fact merged on the ideological and cultural levels. Not to mention someone like Lu Haowen, whose family had been vegetarian for generations, any learned Confucian scholar could readily quote Buddhist allusions… Or rather, Buddhism had long permeated daily life and traditional culture. How could they not understand the absurdity of this exchange?

But the problem was that the person asking the questions was the current Emperor, the person answering was the current abbot of the Chan Buddhist ancestral temple, the place was the scene of a grand court ceremony, and the people around were civil and military officials and all the influential Buddhist figures in the Central Plains… Why did it seem a bit too formal?

It was truly a case of one daring to ask and one daring to answer.

However, fortunately, Zhao GuanJia didn't intend to delve into his own identity, but instead continued to exclaim, "In this way, can it be said that the Song soldiers who died in battle against the Jin can all be reborn in the Western Paradise?"

"That is only natural!" Abbot Fahe replied earnestly.

"And the Jin soldiers who waged an unjust war will be repeatedly tormented in the eighteen levels of hell?"

"What GuanJia says is absolutely true!" Abbot Fahe said with certainty, seemingly throwing caution to the wind.

Zhao Jiu wanted to nod heavily, but he felt the weight on his head. So, he turned around earnestly, then, standing high above, pointed at Fahe in front of him and declared loudly to the surroundings, "This Abbot Fahe will surely attain Arhatship in the future! And the Buddhist community of the Great Song Dynasty needs one hundred Abbot Fahes! And it needs one hundred Shaolin Temples!"

After saying these words, Zhao GuanJia finally turned around and slowly entered the Yuetai camp.

A moment later, a member of the Imperial Guards came to inform Abbot Fahe that GuanJia had issued an order to summon all the abbots and Daoist priests who had worked hard to form the array in the Yuetai camp in the evening… and asked Abbot Fahe to lead the group and attend.

ps: One hundred and twenty sprouts, thanks to the lazy circle circle bear classmate!